offended

  I saw a post that said to reread your favorite books from the past. The impression was that you would see those stories through a new filter, the filter of time and experience. One person had commented how a book she had loved as a child turned out to be a horrible thing. It was filled with homophobic undertones, racial undertones, and generally just a prejudicial manuscript. I haven't tried doing that yet but will give it a try to see if my opinion changes. Was I blind and deaf to all of that in years past, and have I become "woke" as the kids are saying these days. That was what I got from that small discussion. But I wonder about that. Are we getting "woke" at the things we are being instructed to be enraged at? What I mean is do you really need to be taught right and wrong when it comes to social justice? Seems to me we are all aware of the golden rule and all would agree with that message. 

 I was well aware of prejudice in my youth. That's not to say I experienced it but it was all around me just the same. The name calling and racial slurs were used then, just as they are today, to insult, disparage, and demean those you didn't like. It wasn't about being better than anyone else, it was about dominance. People will do pretty much whatever you let them get away with, that's just human nature. Now being aware of all that I never felt the need to crusade against it, I just didn't participate in it. Yes I know some call that acceptance but that isn't the truth of it, I just ignored it. Most things when ignored just naturally go away on their own. Like a sore, quit picking at it and it heals. I question this policy of pointing out every infraction in perceived social injustice as something that should be vilified. Maybe we should just leave it alone, ignore that. It's what I was told as a kid, just ignore them, they'll go away. Worked about 90% of the time I have to say that, the other 10% had a violent outcome. 

 That is what I was thinking about after reading that posting. Have I learned anything new in that regard since I was young? No I highly doubt that. I knew it was wrong then and I know it is wrong now. The only difference was a willingness to admit to it. Seems like we are supposed to deny and defend to our last breathe these days. Seems like the whole thing is turning into one big pity party. That's being woke? When I support anything because I am told I should? I am no longer supposed to point out the obvious. Today I am required to answer with the standardized response. I'm supposed to be inclusive. Well all I can tell you is I don't include bad apples in my pie when making it. It's true I discriminate, discern, and reject the ones not up to my standard. I'll even talk about them and tell others. Yes, I will. But ideas and policies that I feel are bad for society I shouldn't do any of that with, I should be inclusive. 

 Now as far the great books we read in the past, the classic pieces in literature, they all have a common thread. Those books, novels, and stories all deal with social issues. The reason is easy enough to understand, people like to read stories about other people. In that way we can live vicariously through them. Do you imagine yourself the hero or the villain? I believe the majority of us want to be the good guy, the hero, the one that does right in the end. That's what those tales are all about, the great social discussions. Classic literature dealing in themes that effect us all. Even when those stories just seemed liked an amusement that was true. Robin Hood, takes from the rich to give to the poor, Don Quixote tilting at windmills, To kill a mockingbird, Gone with the Wind, (read the book), and all those tales of right and wrong. Filled with racist remarks, prejudices, and all manner of vile things, they were reflections of life as it really exists. Should we now view them differently? Should they be dismissed, rewritten, to be inclusive? Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and others are being removed from the reading lists of schools. Even Dr. Seuss is under attack. Racial undertones I have been told, is the reason for that. 

 I hear that we shouldn't judge. That is a common statement these days. Don't judge. Well I believe we should compare the new with the old. Experience is the best teacher there is no disputing that simple fact. What good is experience is we are not allowed to draw upon that in making a decision? What happened the last time the country became this divided? There was a civil war is the answer. What was that war about? It was about commerce is the short answer. Yes, just like today and every other day in the world it is about survival. It wasn't about the past, it was about tomorrow. You can't rewrite the past and expect a different outcome tomorrow! You can't erase the past either! It is what it was, not what you wished it had been. 

 Look all I'm saying here is that we are saying the same things we always said. Nothing much has really changed. All this "woke" stuff. No one is woke, we all knew all about that from our childhood days. We have all lived it, we all know the deal. And what we all do is seek an advantage of some type in this world. Whether it is by social means, economic means, or spiritual means makes no difference. We are all looking for an edge. That edge today is being proposed as being inclusive. We will allow you to do whatever it is you want. That's the new edge. We have decided instead of correcting the bad behavior we will just allow that bad behavior, in fact, encourage it. Whatever is good for business. As long as I can "make the sale" the rest doesn't matter. The plan is to sell an ideal. It's a product everyone wants but no one ever achieves, hence there is always a market for that. You could say that was the original plan for America. It's what those original revolutionaries sold to the general public to protect their investments, their profits. Slowly, over time, the government continues to sell that promise to the people. Not much changes in the world. We just need to stop being offended by that. 

 Now I guess I'll go reread a classic and see if I change my opinion. The only question is, which one? Thing is mostly I read to be entertained so I generally avoid those heavy ones. Never one to read between the lines a great deal I do tend to just enjoy the story being told. Only later in life did I discover that I like to write between the lines. Problem is, there are others like myself that don't read between the lines. As a result, I'm misunderstood. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

Inequity

  A word I hear over and over again is inequity. There's income inequity, educational inequity, racial inequity, religious inequity, and whatever equity has been legislated or codified itself is inequitable! And all I can say is, if everyone is equal there are no exceptions. So what we have to decide upon is, what is equal? Does being equal mean everyone has the same thing regardless of effort, talent, opportunity, luck or circumstance? That appears to be what I keep hearing. It's combined with the "what if" syndrome. If this hadn't happened and this had happened I could have had this or that. But that didn't happen so it's not fair, an inequity exists. In order for me to be equal to you I should have advantages over you to make me equal but better. Yes, equal but better is the plan these days. It's a new twist on the separate but equal theory that was championed during reconstruction in the south. Equal but better is the same thinking! It creates a de facto situation where one group is "inferior" to the other. If your group is receiving special consideration , for any reason, that group is not equal to the others! So how do we make everything equal? 

 What is inequity? A synonym for that term is unfair. It's not fair. So how do we make everything fair? It's obvious that equal opportunity doesn't guarantee equal results. That is the pitfall we find ourselves in these days. I call it, what if, and that's is just what we are talking about. What if my parents had been wealthy? I would have gone to college, become a successful business man, possibly a millionaire. But they weren't. Was that fair? I wanted to win the race but someone ran faster than me, was that fair? Shouldn't others have been handicapped to give me a fair chance? The truth of the matter is I had just as much opportunity to go to college, be successful, earn a million dollars as everyone else but I didn't do that. It isn't anyone else's fault, it wasn't unfair, it is life. That is the American way! That is what the American dream is all about. Well, that is what the dream used to be but that dream is fading away. It isn't fair.

 How do we make it fair? We grade on a curve and we handicap the successful. Everyone gets the trophy, everyone is a hero, and everyone is the same. We are even setting aside gender insisting we can be neutral on that as well. Why? Aberrations and abnormalities are being normalized to be fair? It doesn't change the reality, they are still abnormalities and aberrations. Life isn't fair.  And then I hear the term restorative justice being flung about like arrows from a quiver. A person I never knew, two centuries ago, that may or may not have been my ancestor was unjustly treated. I should receive restorative justice for that. I hear that all the time. Why? Because it wasn't fair? Well you can't "restore" the past. There is no going back and making it right. Restorative justice can only benefit the one that was injured! That's why it is called restorative, to restore the individual to the "equal" state they were in when the injustice occurred. Giving me a new cat because my great grandfathers' cat was killed by his neighbor in 1968 isn't restoring anything to anyone! All that is; I'm getting a cat for free. That's what I got, not justice for my great grandfather.

 In Plessy v Ferguson in 1896 the Supreme court ruled that separate but equal was not unconstitutional. The thought there being that law only applied to civil rights, not social rights. Basically the thinking was this, if the accommodations are equal, but restricted to one group or the other that is not discrimination. If one group feels inferior to the other because of that separation that is a social issue, not a legal issue. Separate but equal. There was one justice that dissented in that court. It wasn't until 1954 in Brown v The Board of Education that the decision was overturned. In that case the lawyers really used the argument that Justice Harlan had dissented with in 1896. He was saying that arbitrarily separating people on the basis of race goes against the Constitution of equal protection under the law. He was talking about civil rights. 

 Can we legislate social rights? No we can not and we shouldn't be trying to do that. I know of no civil law, no civil authority in America today that is denying anyone of anything based on race, creed, color or national origin. It is against the law to do so! Civil law. Inequity in social rights will always exist. They have done so since the beginning of time and will continue. But I'm not talking solely about race in this thinking. I'm talking about perceived inequities. Fact is we are all different, we are told to celebrate our differences. Celebrate inequity? If we are all different can we all be the same? Government, civil law exists for what purpose? A government establishes a people and a national identity. The government exists for the common good of the people. In our government we have the separation of church and state. Often misunderstood, what is it really? It is the separation of civil from social. Legal from moral. Inequity in the law is dealt with in the civil justice system. Inequity in our social lives? Well, how do we legislate that? 

Idle hands

 Having started several blogs this morning this is my final attempt. I've decided that I'm just looking around this morning trying to decide. What it is I'm trying to decide upon isn't clear though, just that I need to make a decision. It's the feeling that you should be doing something constructive, something on purpose. But it isn't a single task, it is something much larger. Doesn't seem right to do anything by accident, at least nothing good. Is that because you can't take credit for that? Yeah, I'm thinking that may be the case. We all want recognition is some form or another. Seems like I'm writing blogs although that wasn't my intent when I began. But being honest I do enjoy the positive feedback when it comes my way. Heck, I don't mind the negative feedback all that much when it comes down to it. 

 I've gotten this far in life by doing what was expected of me. That's not to say that I haven't disappointed at times, I'd be foolish to think otherwise. Didn't my teachers all tell me to "buckle" down and apply myself? I could do so much more if I just applied myself. Well. I did what I could. Yes, I could have done more, maybe. Thing is now I'm retired and I'm not sure what is expected of me anymore. I'm still full of old fashioned ideas. I don't have any experience with modern things, I only know about the old stuff. I still believe in two genders and that men and women are fundamentally different. Imagine that? Just what am I supposed to be doing now? Oh I get called in when I can be of help and I enjoy that. The best part of that being I can always say no, couldn't do that when you were getting paid for it and had a family to feed. That's the great part about being retired, getting the same paycheck whether you do anything or not. It's a new feeling, and in some ways uncomfortable as well. I guess that is why I wonder what it is I'm supposed to be doing? All my life I've done for myself, for others. Yes, that's the truth of it. I did what I needed to do to keep others around me because I wanted those people around me, so it's really always been about me. We call that working don't we? Well, now what am I supposed to do? I don't know, something constructive. That's what I've always been told. Idle hands do the Devil's work is what my grandmother would say.    

Normal

  What we tolerate today becomes the norm tomorrow. It's an old adage that we have all heard and shake our head in agreement. Still all we preach today is, tolerance. So what is that really saying about us? It would appear we are willing to allow just about anything as long as it doesn't bother us on a personal level. One thing I constantly rail about is the use of certain four letter words in everyday conversation. I have to admit I have been overwhelmed in my opposition to such and indeed it has become a normal thing, no one is shocked by it anymore. In fact the expletive has lost its' punch in my opinion. I'd say it was emasculated but that would just be a sexist remark, you know, implying that being masculine is somehow superior to being feminine. Almost as though they were different things altogether, male and female. There is the growing trend that there are more than two choices in that area. It is almost becoming normal to ask such a thing. They have added a third block to the gender question on some government forms. There is currently a proposal to add that to the United States Passport. You can be gender fluid as well, when you just can't make up your mind. 

 I was watching the news and there was a shot of the capital. There, behind a tall wire fence topped with razor wire was the iconic building we all know, the Capital building. Instantly recognizable it is a symbol of America. Is that going to become the norm? That is what I thought as I saw that. It is being tolerated and if left in place will become the norm. There are other capitals around the world surrounded by walls, mostly in socialist countries. And who is that fence supposed to be protecting? Our representatives? Strange seeing as how a great number of those same representatives insist there should be no barrier on the border of the country to protect those that elected them in the first place. It's almost as though they feel they are more important than the ones electing them! 

 The practice of governing by executive order is another example. The first seventeen Presidents employed those in the double digits. Number eighteen, US Grant issued 217 executive orders. Then it went back to the double digits until number twenty two, Grover Cleveland issuing one hundred thirteen.  That number has only increased every year since then, with our current executive issuing them at a record pace perhaps a new all time high will be achieved. This hasn't happened along party lines, I'm not trying to say that, I am saying it is becoming the norm. The President and now governors are choosing that path in ever increasing numbers and it is being tolerated. Oh there was some push back during the last administration but that has been forgotten. And that is how it happens, it is becoming the normal thing. If we are going to allow then to rule by executive order why do we need representatives? Let's just eliminate that expense and all vote at home, on our computers, you know like we do for America's got talent, and call it a day. The President can them just issue an executive order. 

 Now we are tolerating men competing in women's sports. Why? Because these men feel like they are women? Is that normal? Sure have a good number of people trying to convince me that it is whenever I mention that. Just leave a comment on the New York Times Facebook page if you don't believe me. The general argument I get is, they are trans. Their gender identification doesn't match what they were assigned at birth. And what the heck does that mean? They are a boy or a girl but are confused about that, that's how I see it. Yes, you are what you were assigned! Biology hands out the assignments and you can't argue with that, it's science. If you are of a religious bent your God assigned your gender, did your God make a mistake? Normal? No, it will never be normal in my book. I can tolerate it, but that is a different action altogether, I will tell you it ain't normal.

 Some of this came to mind after seeing an article praising two young girls for becoming the very first Eagle scouts. Well the first female eagle scouts to receive the male eagle scout award because they are girls. My thought is how long before Bruce Jenner wins Miss America? I, of course , left my comments and was immediately attacked on that. My thinking is, what are these girls really saying? Is it that the female version of being an Eagle scout, whatever name the girl scouts are using these days, not as prestigious as the guys? Is that what they are saying, that being an Eagle scout is better than being a girl scout of equivalent rank? Seems rather demeaning to all those young ladies that went before them in scouting, guess they never quite achieved the highest rank after all. Is this the modern day version of separate but equal? Well, because they acknowledge they are females but they get the male award because they are that good at being a female? That's more confusing than the gender people in my thinking. Normal? As I would have heard growing up, in the local vernacular, not hardly Bub.

 I wonder why we have become so afraid to point out what isn't normal. Instead we are being conditioned to just accept that. It isn't normal for a man to want to wear women's clothing or start removing body parts to become what he isn't. It's not normal folks. It isn't normal to have a wire barricade around the capital. It isn't normal to ask what pronoun I should have to use when speaking to you. There are grammatical rules you know, the masculine applies to men and the feminine applies to women. It really doesn't make any difference what you wish you were, you are what you are. I will use him and her with the assigned gender. Bruce Jenner is a guy, always was, always will be. I will always say, he. And no, two women or two men are not married to one another, that isn't normal. That is a fantasy. What's normal is a man and a woman. That's normal. It isn't normal to be sexually attracted to children either! No, it is not normal at all. And don't get me started on abortions. Nothing normal about that. If we really are going to say killing an unborn child for the sake of convenience is normal we as a society have no norms! It is estimated that about .003% of abortions are medically necessary. Yet in America we average over 2000 abortions every day and that's normal? Not hardly Bub. Sadly, there are many that think it should be. And I have to question that, is that normal? 

    

  

   

Reflection of time

  I often post little random thoughts to Facebook. You know, those things that for some unknown reason just pop into your mind. I take it as a good sign that the old grey matter is still percolating. Things bubble to the top. Yesterday evening, as an example, I remembered a line from the Waltons' television show. Miss Emily Baldwin says something to this effect, " When men were men and women were glad of it." It made me laugh out loud when I pictured the whole scene in my mind. I have no idea what made that thought come to the surface, probably something on the television news or something. But after posting that, I did chuckle a bit and a little more later on as well. Then this thought came to mind: "When you can amuse yourself, with just your memories, you have led a good life." My life is far from over, at least I'm hoping that is the case, but I do amuse myself with thoughts of old friends, and old stories I've heard and listened too. Yes when I look at the reflection of time, I smile. I think I must be pretty lucky in that regard judging by what some others post. 

 We all have those inside jokes, those incidents we share with family and friends. Those are often the memories that rise to the surface. The problem with those are taking them "outside." By the time I can explain the context, the interest in the story is often lost. You know what I mean? Sometimes those stories aren't at all funny taken out of context, something quite evident, especially these days. But I still enjoy them even when I'm the only one. With those stories, sometimes all you have to do is say the punch line and those in the know smile and explode with laughter. It is also the hardest thing to explain to others. There's a whole thing involving an empty Dunkin' Donuts box and family vacations that I remember and laugh about. I only have to mention that to my son and the grandkids to get a laugh. Like I said, it's a whole thing. Even if I explained it, you had to be there is the bottom line. And I guess that is what I'm doing, being there, when those thoughts come.

 Yes I'd say the best we can hope for in this world are good memories. I can amuse myself for hours just remembering. I don't need to be amused by others, by outside forces, I can just amuse myself. I'm thinking it is a skill my generation was taught to cultivate. Perhaps some of that came from necessity. I had toys, I'm not saying I was so poor we didn't have stuff to amuse ourselves with, but imagination played a big role in our childhood. At least contact, personal contact with one another, was the most important part of that. Can I go out and play was the most asked question, by far. We didn't want to stay indoors or around the house. Indoors meant cleaning your room, or if you were lucky something on television. I did enjoy reading books so I would do that, Mom kinda left you alone if you were doing that. Staying around the house meant chores to do. Dad always had some project, some task for you to do, to keep you out of trouble. So we went out to play, to be with others, socialize, and make your own way in an unsupervised  world. We didn't have "play dates" or many organized sports. No, we were pretty much on our own, our world expanding as we grew older and more trustworthy. By age 12 I could ride my bicycle as far and wide as about eight hours would allow. No cell phones to check in with. Ah, lots of good memories. It seems the kids today are too regulated, too controlled. When they do have personal contact in their younger years it is almost always supervised. Perhaps that's why when they get older they do such dumb stuff today. I'm thinking eating Tide Pods or whatever that was running alongside your car while taking a selfie! Heck nowadays in Kindergarten they are telling the kids gender is a choice! 

 I don't know. I guess I've wandered off topic again. Well that's not unusual for me. I was just thinking that I am lucky to have all these fun memories to draw upon whenever I like. Yes there are plenty of moments of sadness or anger that reside there also but in the background. I find myself smiling at thoughts all the time. Maybe that is how insanity starts? I have noticed if you are too happy other people will look at you funny, wondering what is wrong with you. Yes, it's true, people are suspicious of happy people. No matter, I will continue to amuse myself. My grandmother was right, God helps those who help themselves. I think that applies to happiness as well.    

   

everyone else

  When I was growing up there were three classes of people. The were the poor people, the rich people and then everyone else. That's pretty much how it went on the eastern end of long Island in the 50's and 60's. And it wasn't that one group was any better than the other, it is just that they were in different financial circumstances. Now I didn't equate race with wealth or lack of it. It's true the black community, as a whole, was viewed as having less. I never questioned the reason for that, it just was. I knew a couple white neighborhoods that were in the same circumstance and never questioned that either. I guess I always figured that is just the way it was. No one was looking for excuses back then, mostly folks just accepted their lot in life and adjusted their dreams accordingly. Reality was a real thing back in those days, it really was. We lived with reality every day.

 That thought came to mind as I listened to some professor explaining income inequality. When I was growing up that wasn't a thing. Sure I knew that some people didn't make as much money as others, mostly because the others didn't have a job, and some made a lot more. The ones making more had college educations and worked in an office somewhere. Either that or they owned a business of their own. But the thing was it all depended upon what you wanted back then. Back when I was kid in 50's and 60's the black community had a thing for fancy clothes and fancy cars. That was the impression I got anyway. Yes, I know that is a racist remark, but it was the perception. Three piece suits and Cadillac's. Their homes didn't have white picket fences around them and certainly weren't anything special but they were home to those folks same as mine was. I grew up in the period of Soul train, Stevie Wonder, and Motown. Black power came later on. Us white boys were listening to rock and roll, growing our hair long, and being cool. Bell bottoms, Nehru jackets, tie dyed tee shirts and making the scene. And as a general rule everyone got along with everyone else. Well, until we didn't and then we would call each other names, the way children do, you know insult the other person. Everyone was aware of the various names, slurs, and stereotypical behaviors and generally kept them to themselves. Yes the white folks talked about the black folks, and the black folks talked about the white. Both were equally as guilty of that. I had friends that were black people. I never really gave that a thought though, they were just friends of mine. We were friends for a simple reason, we shared common interests. You could say a common culture existed between us. We liked the same music, liked to play the same sport, or had some other interest that we shared. No one was insisting that the other accept them, it was either you got along or you didn't. 

 The rich folks were the snobs though, everyone knew that. That was the only real prejudice I knew. They were the ones feeling like they were somehow better than the rest of us. Now those rich folks didn't do anything to me, that is to say prevent me from doing anything, but they had that attitude. Upper crust was a term used often to describe them. Ten cent millionaires is what I called them. They figured they were real special but I knew better. They figured the lower class existed to take care of their needs, you know, the menial labor. Some made a big show of being the "common" man but it was all show. That was the ones that would dress like a man on the cover of Field and Stream magazine to go fishing or wearing the gear from LL Bean to show they were real sportsman. Yeah, they were real dandies. They are the ones drinking Lattes today and wearing man buns. But I didn't feel like it wasn't fair, it is what was.

 Me, I lived in the world of the everyone else. I wasn't poor and I was told repeatedly, we aren't rich! I was taught you had to work for whatever you wanted in this world. Charity was a great thing to give but not so good to receive. You just learn to go without was the advice I was given. Over the years I have come to understand that completely. Today I have lots of things I could do without but am fortunate to have anyway. That is the result of working for them. The things I don't have, I really don't need. That's not to say I don't want them though. But there is no one to blame for that but myself. I've worked my whole life and managed to stay afloat. I'm still in the everyone else group. I'm not poor and I'm not rich. I'm calling it a success. Would it have been any different if I were a different race? I don't think so. But then I'm white in America and we all know that gives me the edge. All the doors were open for me. I went to school grades K through 12 and graduated. Well maybe that doesn't count because there were black kids in my class the whole way, they got the same education as I did. So, it must have been when I was in the Navy that I was given advantage. Well no actually I had to pass the entrance exam with a minimum score of 45 whereas minority candidate could score a 32 and be accepted. Well there is a quota to make you know, to maintain a balance between all races and genders, so we make exceptions to the rule. Those minorities could serve in all positions and at all ranks, slept in the same quarters as I did, ate the same food, enjoyed every perk and privilege same as me. So, it couldn't have been that I guess. After retiring from the Navy I got a job in the manufacturing world. I did receive a decent starting salary based on my naval experience and training, they never asked, but suppose they could see I was white. Was that an unfair advantage? Well, no matter I was hired. Now I'm retired after working for roughly fifty years and I'm told because of white privilege. If I had only known maybe I could have leveraged that into being rich! A missed opportunity? No, I think people pretty much get whatever it is they work for in life. I was raised to believe I was "everyone" else, not poor and not rich. There are rich people, poor people and everyone else. Race and religion are separate things altogether, they don't have much to do with being everyone else. 

being white

  I saw a piece on the news, a tiny little piece, barely a mention really, that the Coca-Cola company is holding mandatory training for its' employees. The training is supposed to be anti-racism training. Well, that's the liberal explanation for it but the reality is the training is designed to guilt the white employees. It's the "woke" attitude that all white people feel superior to everyone else. They even cite "science" to support that theory. The training is supposed to make you feel less white. Combatting racism by promoting racist rhetoric. Well of course that is a racist statement in their thinking, you are not supposed to tell the truth about any of that. Only white people are racists, everyone else is suppressed and justified in demanding to be placed above the white folks. Well that's how you achieve equality you know, by placing the ones formally oppressed above the ones that oppressed them. It's like I always say, "everyone wants equality until they have it." It is at point the exceptions are fabricated placing those that are "equal" at an advantage. How many programs are there for white people to obtain preferential treatment in social programs? How many White Universities are there? Well, Coca -Cola figures they will change all of that by training their employees to be less white. Perhaps they should only hire non-white people then, problem solved.

 When I heard that I was reminded of my Navy days. The Navy didn't have any formal training in race relations  or anything like that. But, the Navy would hold some training for the crew before allowing you to go ashore in foreign lands. This training concerned local customs. In Arab nations don't shake hands with your right hand or pick up food with that hand either. It will gross out the people. That's the hand used to wipe your butt! Don't look a woman's ankles in those countries either, not unless you want your eyes gouged out! This training would also tell you the "bad" neighborhoods, the places to avoid. That was always the most interesting part of the brief. In that way you knew where to go for a good time. In Naples, Italy for example, stay away from the castle. And don't go up the hill into those neighborhoods outside the city proper. And then the brief would wrap up with this warning, try not to look like Americans! Yes, that was the instruction. Mostly they didn't want you to dress like a cowboy, wear a lot of denim, tee shirts with writing on them, or boots. I always laughed about that, try not to look American. I wondered how to look European? 

 Towards the end of my naval career they did begin to hold diversity training. That was concerned mostly with women. The guys had to be trained in how to act like eunuchs. Be professional and never ever mention the fact that they are women. There are to be treated equally but they get their own special quarters, are exempt from certain activities, and should be treated differently. A kinder gentler Navy, more in touch with their feelings, was to be promoted. Any accusation from a female toward a male was taken immediately as the truth, no investigation, no facts or witnesses required. Females are the only ones that can be sexually harassed! That was diversity training, at least that's how it was in my day. That's not to say the ladies didn't do a fine job and where valuable assists to the command. It's just that they were equal, but separate. Hmm, remember that policy from history?

 This whole guilt trip thing isn't new to me. I was raised with that method to a large degree. Isn't that the whole premise behind the major religions of the world? If you're guilty of doing wrong you are punished, forever! My own mother is the master of the guilt trip method of raising children. That's true even in its' most subtle form. If everyone else jumped off the bridge I guess you would too! The subtle implication being, you're an idiot! So when I hear that being white somehow makes me guilty for what other white people did in the past, I'm not moved by that. I didn't do it! My ancestors didn't own slaves, at least none I'm aware of did. Thing is, even if they did, it's not my fault, I'm not guilty of that. I was born white, guilty as charged. Not my fault, blame my parents for that. I was never, at any time, told that being white gave me privilege of any kind. I was told to not go into the black neighborhood uninvited as that might not end well. I'm certain black children were told the same thing about going into the white neighborhoods. Of course the white folks were just being racist in that advice, and the black people were only teaching survival skills. Guess I should have been taught to not act white instead! Well, I've been working on that. The course that Coca-Cola is using is available online at Linkedin. 

 Want to take the course? Here's the link:   Understanding what it means to be white, challenging what it means to be racist - Confronting Racism, with Robin DiAngelo Video Tutorial | LinkedIn Learning, formerly Lynda.com

reminders

 Every once in a while you see something or read something that brings memories flooding back. Sometimes the same thing does that several times. Yesterday I saw a posting about a sprinkler bottle. Now a sprinkler bottle is something that would gave been in most homes in the 1960's, before electric steam irons were a common thing. They were available beginning in the early 1940's but expensive. I remember my Mom having one. Hers was a old coke bottle with an aluminum sprinkler head. I called it her sprinkle bottle. Whenever I see a picture of one I can hear the sound it made, a sort of gurgling, followed by the smell. It is a distinct smell that steam on fresh laundered clothes. All that was accompanied by the creaking of the ironing board as Mom pressed that iron down. That old ironing board with it's wooden legs, padded top and well worn cover. At some point it was replaced by a new one, steel legs and a perforated top. It still needed to have a padded cover on it. And yes, it made a sound of its' own. And it is those sounds and smells that come back to me almost immediately whenever that topic is brought to mind. Its' a comforting thing, the way some memories are, a piece of the past alive and well. 

 Washing and ironing clothing was a common enough practice in my house. Yes I'm aware people still wash their clothes at home but I'm thinking not many iron them. I recall when permanent press was a new thing. My Mom just laughed about that and insisted on ironing them anyway. Well my Mom ironed everything, sheets, pillow cases, tee shirts , underwear and handkerchiefs. Yes, if it was cloth, it got ironed. We hung the clothes out to dry when I was younger. The clothesline was out back, in fact, several of them strung tree to tree. Our home was on the edge of Northwest woods and so plenty of trees in the yard. Used old broken branches for a clothes pole. The clothes pins hung in a cloth basket that you could slide along the line. Mom preferred the ones you just jam on there, the ones with the springs didn't hold well with heavier things. An oval shaped wicker basket was used to take the clothes out and in with, another thing I remember in vivid detail. I know the feel, the smell, how it would flex with the weight of wet clothes and to watch out for that broken end of wicker, it would scratch you. You had better not get blood on that clean laundry!

 It's a funny thing really. The sights and sounds of your youth reside in your memory. I wonder about the selection process however. Why do we remember certain things like that? I remember the sound of the whip o wills, mostly I suspect because they scared me when I was little. The sound of a match being struck and the perking of the coffee pot. A screen door closing or a window weight clanking. Footsteps on the stairs, the third one creaked. An old tube style radio with its' single speaker has a sound different from all others. I know the sound of a wooden boat as it creaks and groans in the sea. The smell of the ocean. Great Grandfathers house, dry and dusty, it smelled of cigar smoke and old, old is the only word that comes to mind. Lingering smells from years of living. Well guess I'm just feeling a little sentimental this morning. That picture of a sprinkle bottle sending me on a voyage. Mom sprinkled me a few times when I would get "underfoot" while she was trying to get the ironing done. Threatened to iron me too.  Mom in her house dress and apron, when I was little. Then she began wearing slacks, the apron went away, she had an electric steam iron, and things changed. She even got an electric clothes dryer. Mom is 91 now, she doesn't iron anymore having decided that permanent press is good enough and there really is no need to iron sheets. Handkerchiefs have been replaced by Kleenex tissue and when you do see a handkerchief it is probably sewn into the pocket. Well, I still have my memories. I do have a sprinkle bottle. It's an old Pepsi bottle, 8oz size, with a plastic sprinkle head. Got mine on e-bay, isn't that something?    

        

Ruminating

  Did you know the word ruminate comes from an animal? A ruminant animal is one that chews a cud, like a cow. That's why we say we are ruminating. Learn something new every day, although I expect many farm children would have known that. I find myself ruminating a great deal these days. If you listen to the news, read social media postings and just listen in general, you can't help it. A lot of what people are saying these days leaves me scratching my head and yes, ruminating. Ruminating does help in keeping your mouth shut. Doesn't stop my fingers for moving across this keyboard much and I do get myself in trouble in that way. Well, no matter. All of this is a form of release. It's like a safety valve. I always feel better afterwards.

 Yesterday I was thinking about this. The Maryland state legislature is debating giving stimulus checks to illegal aliens. I'm wondering what the debate is about. Seems clear to me, taxpayers monies shouldn't be given to non-taxpayers. The issue is centered around those people not having a social security number. No social security number, no check for you. Yeah that sounds right , so what is the problem? Well these undocumented folks could still have a "taxpayer identification number" and that should qualify them. Well because undocumented people can qualify for the earned income tax credit even though they don't pay tax because they are undocumented! Now that takes some ruminating to try to get a handle on that. 

 To add to that you have to think about this as well. Now I'm retired. I get a pension from the Navy, a small pension from the State and Social Security. I have paid taxes on every bit of that beginning in about 1968 or so. I raised my children that are now all adults with children of their own. My grandchildren are now paying taxes on their incomes. The thing is my income exceeds the amount a couple, married filing jointly, can "earn" to qualify for the earned income credit. As a result we will not receive any of our tax money back, that money may be given to an undocumented person! Yes, my tax contribution may end of being given to someone that entered my country illegally, a sort of reward! 

 So I'm thinking about all of that. I'm thinking there are those that wish to get the credit for good deeds at the expense of someone else. That seems to be the whole Democratic agenda. It is a socialist agenda, the plan being to always spend someone else's money. In this case, my tax money. Let's not forget that the government has no money of its' own, it is all our money. The government has no right to donate my money to charity! In my ruminations I have decided that receiving anything for free, anything you didn't earn or are otherwise entitled to, is charity. The government is not a charitable organization! A great number of these proposals from the left are just that, charities. That's the reason for all the searching of the past for some sort of justification. That's the reason for the party of "what if?" 

 That's what I hear from the left all the time. What if this hadn't happened, what if this had happened. What if we just rewrite the past? What if, what if. The bottom line, the one the left isn't thinking about is this: what if everyone is equally as poor? That's what the end result of a socialist agenda always is. The government workers have the money and the rest of the country just gets whatever charity the government sees fit to extend. The government will decide what you get! Universal health care? Yup, everyone gets the same, the same being whatever is considered "good enough" by the government. If that procedure or medication is too expensive you are denied. Claim denied! Hey, but everyone gets the same so that's great. Makes no difference if you work and contribute or not, makes no difference at all, everyone gets the same. Well there are exceptions, those in government that can afford whatever they like because they have your money to spend! Don't believe that? Take a good look at Cuba. Take a good look at Venezuela. 

 Yes I'm thinking that is the problem with the left. They aren't ruminating. It's obvious they aren't thinking anything through to a logical conclusion. They are like idealistic children. Life is all rainbows and unicorns. Everyone gets to do whatever they like, whenever they  like, and it's all free. I get to tell you to give your money to whatever charity I want you too. I'll even shame you if you don't! It's like the whole abortion thing. Yes it sure takes care of the immediate problem doesn't it? What is the end result? A baby is killed but they don't see that part at all, no, it's just la,la,la, the problem is no more. Same thing is going to happen to America unless they wake up and smell the coffee! And I not talking about Starbucks! President Biden has already announced to the world that the days of America first are over! Now there's a statement to ruminate over. Just what does that mean? You are now second class citizens to the world, at best! Hey, you're not first, that's what the President said. I'm wondering just who is the President putting first? Now there's something to think about.  

a conscious decision

  Voltaire said, " If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." I don't remember where I read that but it stuck in my head. It came to mind again this morning after reading a posting on Facebook. This posting involved a prayer that was purported to have been said before a session of a state senate. In that prayer, as in most prayers, the word Lord was repeated several times. It is something I have noticed. I wonder why we say, Lord this and Lord that over and over throughout the prayer when we all know who we are praying too. Know what I mean? There's no doubt about who we are addressing, so what's up with that? 

 Well it's my thinking that we need to put a name to something that has no name. That's where the Voltaire quote enters my thinking. Each of us realize that God does exist, although some refuse to admit to that, and feel the need to talk. It would just be awkward talking to ourselves, so we talk to God. God is our conscience. And it is my thinking that our conscience is formed by the culture in which we are raised. There are many articles written by theologians regarding conscience and God and forming the correct moral opinion on any given topic. I read one about informed conscience and learned conscience. The author felt that informed conscience is just what the name implies, what we are told is right. Learned conscience is adopting or rejecting all, or portions, of your informed conscience. I can see that. I'd say that could be called growing up. We should adjust our conscience accordingly. Life does have a learning curve. In recent years we have taken to calling seniors, mature. That isn't always the case but that's another blog. 

 The older I get the more I find myself thinking about such things. I have to say I'm beginning to doubt the existence of a reward beyond death. At the least the idea that I will know that I have died and am enjoying the rewards of a pious existence. But that doesn't negate the necessity for God. In fact I'm thinking expecting a reward from a God for doing what is correct is a bit counter intuitive to the whole concept of God, of goodness, in the first place. Is doing right always a conscious effort? A conscious choice? I don't believe it should be. Have we, as Voltaire suggested, invented a God to satisfy our need? A God that will confirm our choices as correct. For Christians the answers are in the Bible, in other religions it's a different text. All those texts serve the same purpose, provide guidance, encouragement and hope for the future. Indeed hope beyond death.

 A good number of these blog are nothing more than me thinking out loud. I do my best thinking out loud, something my school teachers didn't understand. I do believe in discussion, an open mind to new ideas. Others are sometimes confused when I don't immediately adopt their ideas and call me bull headed and other less than favorable names. Thing is that doesn't mean I'm not listening. It simply means I have decided what I feel is right. I don't think you can be "right" by surrender. That is to say, by giving the alternative or popular answer. One does not gain peace of mind, a clear conscience, by an informed conscience, rather a learned conscience. In short, you do have to decide upon the answer at some point. When you decide upon the answer, you know the answer. How do you know? You simply ask yourself. Isn't that what you are doing when talking to God? You are looking for confirmation of the answer. 

 All of this leads us to another question. How do we determine what is "good" and what is bad? Is good and bad based in conscience? Yes, you'd have to say it certainly is. Social conscience is the driving factor there. Social conscience is informed conscience. If it is the majority decision, it must be right. That's the thinking. When our nation was formed it was formed on learned conscience. That's what the founding fathers attempted to delineate in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The bill of rights concerned itself with the rights of the people. Subsequent amendments further clarified points of law, deciding what is right and wrong. Those amendments were influenced by social conscience, not necessarily learned conscience. And yes, there is a big difference. Also the reason why I do believe this nation needs to turn back to God. In God we trust! Who is God? "If he did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him." We need an electorate that votes with a learned conscience, not an informed conscience. That was the belief the founding fathers had when they created our Republic. It is what they expected from the people. Today the issue is misinformation. The way to correct that is to talk to yourself, or your God, and then decide.  

Time and tradition

  Time, tradition and customs change all the time. Most of the time I think we are unaware of that, excited for something new. I also believe that is becoming more frequent, more common, as our society supports the rejection of the "old" ways. Progress has become to mean, new. New and improved is the slogan these days. In fact, holding onto the past is considered a bad thing, that is unless that past can be of some benefit to you today that is. You know, like an injustice committed to a distant ancestors that gives me some special favor today. But, as a general rule, it's out with the old and in with the new. 

 Now my apartment is across the street from the funeral home. As a result I do notice the daily activates going on there. I see the mourners arriving, I see them standing around outside waiting, and now in this time of social distancing, there are fewer mourners. I have noticed over the years I have lived here, the manner of dress has changed. I see everything from the formal to those that look like they just stopped by on the way to the beach. I see styles from the demure to the opposite end of that spectrum. I've seen funerals for the "biker" set their motorcycles roaring as they send off their dearly departed brethren. I've seen the firefighter, the Flag draped coffin in the back of the antique fire truck, black banners and bag pipes. Lots of things different than what one would expect. 

 Behind my apartment is the building where the stones are prepared. There are anywhere from ten or twelve headstones and monuments out there at any one time. They all seem to be granite these days, I haven't seen any made out of that white marble so prevalent in the past. I expect that is do to technology. The ability to carve granite versus the softness of that old marble. I've seen many shapes and styles. Some are highly polished, others just smooth, the lettering can be carved deeply in a contrasting color as well. But as of late I have noticed a new addition to those headstones and it is a difference that has drawn my attention. A picture of the deceased in now engraved into the stone. I'm thinking it is done with a laser although I haven't asked. Now, that's something different that I can't decide upon. I ask myself, would I want my picture on that stone? If I had to choose what picture would I pick? And, if I didn't pick, who would? That picture is supposed to last forever! I'm not sure I would be comfortable with that. Well that's assuming I will be comfortable being dead. I don't think I have a choice though. But whatever, it was just a little something I noticed that was new. The other new thing I noticed just prior to that was the placing of red lights on the graves. They are solar powered devices, usually red with a gold colored housing. They remind me of Dracula's castle lights. When I drive by the cemetery at night and see all those lights it gives me the creeps. For Gods' sake, turn out the lights, the party is over. But, I suppose some find comfort in that for reasons I just don't know. I understand we all grieve in our own fashion, there is no right or wrong way. 

 I have seen other options being offered as well. You can have yourself buried in an open field where the only marker is a GPS coordinate. You can be planted as a tree. You can be launched into space. There are options. You can be frozen. They can freeze your whole body or just your head. The head is the cheaper option, they'll find you a body later on if needed. Hey, it's a real thing. Time, tradition and custom. I'm going for cremation. Those remaining can decide upon disposal. I do like the idea of a marker though. A man should have a marker, a reminder to humanity that he was here. The wife and I are considering a mini-mausoleum. They take a granite stone and carve out chambers in them, anywhere from two to six, possibly more where the urn in placed. Then a face plate is put over the openings. You just set the stone on a plot of land, a small square will do and there you go. Sounds good to me. But I don't want any lights and no pictures. Maybe I'll have the URL to this blog engraved on the stone. Want to visit Ben, go to WWW. whatever. LOL. Start a new tradition. 

Can we be honest?

  The title of this post is a serious question. Can we be honest? In todays pc world I would unfortunately have to say, no. The truth isn't allowed when it comes to certain subjects. The truth has become an obstruction to some, and should, no must, be avoided. No where is this more apparent than when it comes to race relations in America. The white folks are wrong on every turn, in every statement, thought or idea. If you are a white American you were born a racist and there is absolutely nothing you can do to change that. To even attempt an explanation of your feelings is racist. Being honest? Not allowed. You will repeat whatever it is that you are told. You will make apologies, concessions and conciliatory statements at every turn. Failure to do so will get your forever labeled as a racist! Remember, you were born that way and it is your fault. There is no excuse, no explaining that. It's what you are, period. I get it, I understand that, and I can't ignore it. I'm not angry, I'm frustrated. If we could all just be honest with one another progress will follow. 

 The fact is the truth has been known for many years, it is just we ain't allowed to talk about that. The truth is simple really, it's a culture clash. And furthermore it doesn't matter what the color of your skin is, it is a matter of cultural differences that creates the friction. That's what annoys people, all people. We just don't like things that are different than what we expect them to be. Whenever one culture attempts to impose their culture upon others conflict results. In a society, any society, there is a dominant culture. Traditionally in America, it has been European culture that dominates. English and French being the biggest influences. As for myself, I was raised with that stoic new England attitude. Although I didn't act as stoic and composed as many would have liked, that is the root of my raising. It's a cultural thing, not a racial thing. That is the context behind my thinking in most situations. Other Europeans certainly had different ways of thinking contrary to the Pilgrims. 

 Now it's true that America has been a nation of immigrants. European immigrants were always in the majority. My own ancestors came from Germany and Sweden and England. Still I've had ancestors that were born in America, when it was first recognized as America, by the rest of the world. Prior to that the land was claimed, in part, by Europeans. Today we call the Indians, native Americans. Are they native to the land? Well all depends doesn't it. If you believe science they are not, they are immigrants or migrants whichever title you prefer. It's safe to say they inhabited the land before the Europeans arrived. A culture clash ensued. The Europeans won out in the end and became the dominant culture. Today we are seeing a shift once again. What is this new culture emerging? It's not European, that much is plain to see. 

 The elephant in the room is what? Black culture. The Blacks in America feeling like the Indians must have felt in their time. Yes the circumstances were different, they were brought to this land, against their will. Sold into slavery by other Black people, by people of their own cultural background. Many were forced to adopt the religion of Islam, something you seldom hear about, others forced into Christianity. Their culture was stamped out, banned, and they were expected to adopt the ways of the Europeans, those whose skin was a different color. What did they know of the white mans' culture? Little if anything is the answer. All they knew was white people held them as slaves, as property. What did Europeans know of Black people, people with a skin darker than themselves. They knew about the Arab nations, those darker skinned people of the deserts and their religion and strange customs. Remember the Crusades? That was one way the Europeans thought of people with a different skin tone. And they knew about the Asian communities and all their strange ways. Those cultures were different and certainly nothing the Europeans wanted to adopt. It was alright to do business with those people, but not to blend into their culture. 

 The problem as I see it, is in the defining of culture. People, as a whole, tend to deal in generalities. We call that stereotyping when we feel it to be a negative thing. In other situations it is just spoken of as, in general. An example of that would be, generally speaking a gathering of Black folks is louder than a gathering of white folks. And you just read that as a racist remark. But it's not, it's an observation I have made over the years. It's a cultural thing. The type of music, the manner of dress, social interactions, are all cultural things. It's not a racist thing, it's a cultural thing. Generally speaking America has endorsed a European approach in culture. The one exception to that is the American cowboy image. That image is uniquely American. And contrary to what Hollywood portrays, cowboys were the most culturally diverse group in America. There were cowboys from every race and background that got along with each other just fine. Hollywood was well aware that wouldn't sell and so glossed over that. 

 What is it about Black culture that bothers the white folks? The question really is, what is it about black culture that bothers European culture? That's where we need to be honest and exactly were we aren't allowed to be honest. Each culture insisting the other culture adopt their ways, their traditional mindset, because, well it's the right way. It's the way it has always been. We hear talk about the cancel culture of today. Who's saying that? The European/American mostly, that's who. I know, I'm in that demographic. There are those that would cancel certain aspects of European/American culture and some of them are European/Americans! We call them liberals, the conservatives wishing to hold onto their cultural past.   Beyond the obvious injustices of the past what is it about European culture that bothers the Black population? I can't really address that as I just don't know. I've never had anyone tell me the truth of that. All I hear is a lot of accusations about the past. That's not to say they aren't justified in that indignation, that outrage, but that isn't culture. What is their cultural heritage? My thinking, and I'm probably going to get into trouble here, is that, generally speaking, many Blacks don't know what their culture was. Their connection to that culture was severed when they were sold into slavery. Their ancestors brought to this land were not allowed to continue their traditions, their way of life. They were forced to co-exist in a world that was foreign to them in ways we can't begin to understand. And today they are struggling to define a culture. They don't want it to be white culture, it has to be black culture. What everyone isn't allowed to talk about is just that topic, culture. 

 Generally speaking whites view the black population as dependent. Generally speaking the black population feels a sense on entitlement. Both statements contain a bit of truth, a bit of fiction, and a bit of prejudice. What I hear is, in spite of, as a preface to every accomplishment made by black Americans. The Blacks doing that as readily as the whites. It is almost as though they feel it necessary to point out that, even in a different cultural setting, we can excel. We succeeded "in spite of." I also hear "because of" as the reason for failures. That's just a general statement. And again you will read that as racist. That's because we are not allowed to have an honest discussion about any of that. And the only answer I would receive were I allowed to ask would be, because it is true! Yup, I believe what I'm saying is true also, generally speaking,  it's at this point we attempt to define ourselves as different. Everybody else is like that, not me. 

 Culture (/ˈkʌltʃər/) is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.  

Can we be honest?  What we have isn't a racial issue, we have a cultural issue. The biggest mistake made today is judging culture based on physical appearance. The original thinking was E Pluribus Unum, out of many one. It's a wonderful thought, it's also a dream. The American dream. What is the culture of America? Let's begin with beliefs? Generally speaking do Americans believe in abortion? Generally speaking do Americans believe that Government should dictate their beliefs? Can many become one? Isn't that what the New World Order would dictate. The imitative being to codify cultural norms. That's why it is important to remove religious practices not just from governments, but from the culture of the people themselves. In that way people can adopt practices unrestricted by such things as morality. Remove the moral authority and what is left? Cultural differences. 

 You know I hesitate to publish this piece and that is part of the problem. We aren't supposed to be honest. I'm aware I will be labeled by many as a racist. I also realize it does no good to deny that accusation. If you are called such by someone else that is what you are always going to be in their mind. You can't really change that at all. Even saying that you are aware of racism makes you a racist. Unless of course it has been determined that you are not. The only way that can happen is when you agree with everything the other person says. You must surrender your culture in favor of another culture. Even then there are names for those people! Jim Crowe was commonly used in the not too distant past. Based largely in the whole separate but equal mindset, today it is sometimes used to describe a black person that acts like a white person. How do they do that? They adopt the culture of European/Americans. They don't change race, they change culture. And no, you can't be separate and equal at the same time. E Pluribus Unum doesn't support that. 

 I think the first step in any reconciliation, any compromise, any negotiation, has to begin with one thing; getting past the blame. Once we can get past blaming one another for real and imagined transgressions, healing can begin. We were almost there at one point, almost. We can get there again. We just need to start being honest with one another.                   

The bottom line

  So Pelosi wants to establish a commission to study the events of Jan,6. The objective? To get to the root cause and place blame on someone. Geez, I wonder what that commission will find? I'm certain it will be a completely impartial, unbiased, gathering of the finest minds the Democrats can hire. How many millions will be spent on that? And the bottom line is it will not change a thing. As Hillary might say, : at this point what difference does it make?" That was the response to Benghazi. Our ambassador dragged through the streets, tortured, atrocities performed on his corpse. Our embassy burned and looted, our seals killed. But hey, what difference does it make? Where's the commission on that? Where is the listing of findings on the root cause for that? Who is being held responsible? The Democrats had their trial. time and money wasted on what everyone knew would be the result, an acquittal. So now the Democrats want to establish a commission, really a tribunal in disguise, to place blame on Trump and his supporters. The Senate didn't return the verdict they wanted so this is just another way to pursue that, to what end. It's an attempt to win the case in the court of public opinion. The intent is to vilify your political opponents! No longer can the Democrats expect to win any arguments on moral and ethical grounds, those days are long gone now, now it's all out war. So, while they hold the upper hand in the house and senate they will strike. Like snakes in the grass. 

 The truth of the matter isn't all that difficult to understand. It didn't begin when the election results were announced. It didn't begin when Joe hid in his basement during the last weeks of the campaign. It didn't begin when he said Kamala would be his vice presidential pick. It didn't begin when old Joe got the nomination. No, it goes way back before that. You could argue it began when Trump came down that escalator and announced his intent to run. At that moment the Democrats were laughing, no way could Trump, or anyone else for that matter defeat Hillary Clinton! That was unthinkable.  But as Trump rose in the polls and his opponents fell to the wayside, they grew nervous. In fact the entire "political brotherhood" grew nervous. This guy isn't a politician, this guy is a businessman! What if he began to run the business of the government like a real business, you know, for a profit. That would surely mean the loss of revenue for a lot of people in government. What if this guy thinks that his business ( the United States of America) should take precedence over others. Yes, it sure got a lot of people nervous. The attack on Trump began in earnest when he defeated the golden girl! A mighty blow had been struck and the wind was taken out of the Democrats sails, they were dead in the water! Before he could even be inaugurated impeachment articles were being written. The abuse only continued and intensified over a four year period. 

 Anyone that has been paying attention knows the reasons behind what happened on Jan 6th in Washington D.C. We certainly don't need a commission to figure it out. I'm not justifying anything that took place. I'm not saying, what difference does it make, I'm not dismissing those events like Hillary dismissed the deaths attributable to her party, Obama was the commander in chief and bears the responsibility for that. I am saying we all know what lead up to it. You can only poke someone in the eye so many times before they strike back. Everyone knows there is something fishy about those election results. "But the courts dismissed all the cases" is often cited. Yes, that means the courts refused to even hear the cases. That alone surely raised suspicions. Why not listen to the evidence, why not? Could it be that you wouldn't want the evidence presented for a reason? "But we had multiple recounts" is also a mantra. Yes, the same people that counted those votes the first time did it a second time, and a third time. Does anyone really expect there are going to report different results? OOOps, my bad? I don't think so. And then there is the admission that there was "some" irregularities and "some" fraud but we should dismiss that, it wasn't enough to change anything. Cheating just a little is okay, like lying really, only bad if you get caught. Then if you get caught, just dismiss that. 

 I want to establish a commission to determine why Pelosi tore up the Presidents State of the Union Address. That act was destruction of Government property. Property she was entrusted the care of. It wasn't hers to destroy, that belonged to you and I, the American people. We bought the paper, the ink, and paid for the preparation of that document in its' entirety. Why did she destroy that? I demand a tribunal be convened to study the underlining causes. I want a commission to study the commission that investigated fake Russian dossiers. I want a commission to study what was going on in the basement rooms of the white house with "secret" witnesses. Where is the whistle blower today? I want a commission to investigate Biden threatening to withhold billions of dollars if a foreign nation didn't fire their prosecutor! You known the one that was investigating his sons' activities in that country! Does it matter if his son was doing anything illegal or not? That's the excuse I hear all the time, well we wasn't doing anything illegal. Really, how do we know that? Where's the investigative report on that? 

 Well the Democrats have seized power. I say seized because it surely doesn't appear to be on the up and up to me. The result so far is a fence topped with razor wire surrounding the capital. We have lost our energy independence after having just regained that. The border is going to be opened to an additional 25,000 immigrants, refugees, acylium seekers and a host of other names. That's just the legal ones however, untold thousands of illegals will stream across as well. Undocumented and unvaccinated they will spread across the land like a plague, which is exactly what they are. Already thousands of union jobs lost and the Democrats response to that? Start building solar panels! And now a call for a commission to figure out what happened? Bottom line for the commission. Trump happened. That is what happened! It was the Democratic response to that event that precipitated all that has transpired since! Yes Hillary, that's what difference it makes! Don't need a commission to understand that, all it takes is common sense.      

strangers again

  I was thinking about old friends this morning. Mostly I am thinking about those I knew many years ago and we have gone separate ways. We have been doing a little thing called living. Choices made, circumstance answered, loves and lives lost, but those old friends remain. They are the ones you will never forget, the friends of your childhood. Together you grew, you learned, you made mistakes. But the thought I had was concerning a particular person, my oldest friend. I've come to realize I've known him so long we have become strangers again. And with that thought I wonder?

 You see I had mailed him a letter this year for Christmas. That was something different as we usually talk about twice a year or so. I've mailed him a Christmas card every year. I did get a note back, containing an old photograph he had taken of me over fifty years ago. The only words written said, thanks for the letter. As always it was signed, your friend. That struck an odd chord with me, the note, not the your friend part. It is rather unlike him to not include some words. I began to think, it has been a number of years since we have seen each other. The last time we did get together we didn't do anything but relive old times. I expect that is the normal course of events with old friends like that, the past is now what we have in common. In that I felt a tinge of sadness. How little we really know of each other lives in the last forty years or so. certainly a lot of living has taken place. 

 I wonder if that isn't part of what is wrong in the world today. Years ago you grew up in a certain area, got a job, raised your family. and was buried there. That was the normal way. The people you went to school with, your friends, your family, the merchants were all familiar to you, if not your friends. Friends did change over time as you grew. Still your friends knew your backstory, knew something of who you were. You knew those folks all your life, they were never strangers. That was true even when you only knew of them by reputation or gossip. But today, today that isn't the case. Today all of that is the exception rather than the rule. at least I think for rural communities it is. Oh I'm certain there are exceptions, farm families and such, where the kids stay home and run the family business. I just think that is getting to be a rare thing. With all this push for a collage degree finding employment in the sticks is very hard. It's a fact, you don't need a PhD to slop the hogs and feed the chickens. You really don't need a degree in agriculture to grow corn. As a result we have spread out across the land, are old friends have become strangers once again. We did share the commonality of youth, I wonder would we share the commonality of life? That is to say, besides the past what do we have in common? Can the past support the future, or even today? I do wonder about that. 

 I'm thankful for Facebook. That medium has reconnected me with some of those old friends. It's good to see them. I enjoy their pictures, their bragging about grandchildren, their views on the world. I find some haven't changed all that much. I've also discovered some I thought I knew, I didn't know at all. I wonder what life has taught them? For me Merle Haggard kinda summed it up when he wrote, "I guess everything does change except what you choose to recall" and I certainly enjoy my memories. Old friends are the only ones you can share those memories with. Maybe that is what is missing today, old friends, that haven't grown old together. Today there are just too many that have known each other so long they have become strangers again. 

memories

  Valentines day. I had forgotten all about it until I woke up this morning and was greeted with that salutation by my wife. Oops. Well the truth is we have never been ones to observe that much, it's no big deal around my house. Every day is Valentine day to me. Not ones to get wrapped up in ceremony and all of that we just casually acknowledge such occasions. Today will be a day like most others with an occasional, it's Valentines day, thrown in. You know how that works, as an excuse to eat an extra piece of chocolate or purchase something a bit extra. I think being of pioneer stock I've always been a little leery of arrows. I've never quite understand a fat red baby in a diaper shooting arrows as it relates to love. Could be it's some liberal thing that I should be wearing a ribbon in support of. Well, whatever the case. I did say Happy Valentines day to my wife and told her I loved her. We did mail Valentine cards to the grandkids. At their age it should cause their eyes to roll a bit. Hey, that's what old people do, we don't care how old you are. To my granddaughter Morgan I gave her a few bucks in her card. I wrote inside; why am I giving you a few bucks? Because you are deer to me! LOL Grandpa joke. I even drew a picture of a deer in there. Hilarious. 

 Remember when you were in grade school? Did you exchange valentine cards in class? I remember doing that. We would buy that bag full of cards at the 5&10 cent store. We all made a big envelope in class and taped it to the front of our desks. Valentines would be placed in there. Then, on the proper day, we had a cupcake or something sweet, a glass of punch and opened our cards. Some kids got a lot and some only got a few. I remember looking to see if I got one from that special girl in the class that I admired. I also remember placing a special card in her envelope. What I don't remember is any of that ever being acknowledged by anyone. Secret love was the best love. If you didn't get a lot of cards you could always add a few of your own to make it look full, no one would know. LOl I wonder if they still do that in schools today or has that been eliminated? It would certainly be a different dynamic today that much is certain. But I do believe, at least when I was a child in the early 1960's, we were all a bit more naive about all of that. We weren't confused about whether we were boys or girls though, we all had a handle on that. At the same time it could be said we were innocent. Well, I remember a little bit of that anyway, a few good memories. Mostly I remember the candy hearts that said Be Mine and I love You on them. They were a big thing as I recall. 

 Happy Valentines day. Today we profess our love. Next up, St. Patrick's day. Then we are all Irish and drink green beer. 

empty nest?

 For the last few mornings I have written about politics. I'm not going to do that this morning. It is a conscience effort to not become fixated on that stuff. I have to admit that can easily happen. I expect that is how people wind up being radicals. I've already been to Facebook jail for expressing strong opinions on various topics, no telling where this could lead. Seriously though, I do need to just set that topic aside for a least one morning. There really is little I can do that will have immediate results so it's fine to take a break, essential even. Plus I have to say I don't believe I've offered any insight into anything, everyone knows the deal already. This whole trial is theater. Just a political stunt to gain support. But, I'm not going to talk about that. 

 This morning I am thinking about the grandkids. The last two graduate high school this year. Not kids any more. I was thinking how I didn't really feel like an empty nester when my children left and went out on their own, I never felt that way. With the grandkids though, I'm beginning to understand that emotion. I haven't seen Mark in a week now, Morgan came by yesterday for a few. Her interest was talking about going off to college in the fall. Anxious to get a life started I'd say. If you listen closely you can hear the adult in her thoughts. Yes, like all of us when we were young like that our expectations weren't always realistic, but we saw no obstacles. Life would go just as we saw it. Big plans, a big future ahead. The role of grandparents is to encourage. Encouragement balanced with experience. That is a difficult position to fill but a necessary one. I fear in todays world we are seeing too little of that. Parents today do not offer a buffer between reality and dreams. My parents always presented the realities of a situation, no matter what the situation was. Yes, I thought they were bummers most of the time but they did present the facts. My grandparents however, that was a different thing altogether. They often explained how my parents had indeed made mistakes and how they recovered from those mistakes. They showed me the balance between expectation and experience. Their goal was to teach you to work with the tools you had, and not be concerned with what others have. I was taught that counting the coins in your neighbors purse didn't put any coins in yours! 

 I have to say my grandchildren are ahead of the game. When I was their age I had little plans for a big future. I joined the Navy not as part of the big plan, but because you have to do something. That was the attitude back in my day.  As Dad was wont to say, you have to *hit or get off the pot. Sitting around home, living in the basement wasn't an option. A man went and got a job, and a woman went and got a husband. That was the normal, expected , course of events. That was the reality my parents presented, while my grandparents presented possibilities. 

 I get it though, we are living in a different world. Things aren't the same as when I was a kid. My opinion is, quite naturally, that my childhood was much better than what the kids have today. I also believe a lot of that had to do with what we didn't know. I should say what we weren't exposed too as children that we couldn't possibly understand. Those sort of things are contained in the cartoons the kids see today! Children repeating adult themes is not teaching children to be adults. It's a sort of indoctrination really. There were many topics I had to learn and discover the truth about for myself growing up. I had older siblings that would drop tid bits of information every now and again but that information required verification. You know you learn more about subjects when you are curious about those subjects. Required reading and required subjects just don't have that appeal. As a result you tend to just accept whatever information is presented. You just don't form your own opinion, rather you accept whatever the current opinion is. 

 The school system is the tool that shapes the future. In the beginning it was the teacher that held sway over the students minds. The teacher was responsible for the lessons taught and for the application of those lessons in the students everyday life. Teachers didn't just teach academic subjects, they taught morality, ethics, and the ways of the real world. The education system of a nation reflects it's future. Today our education system is preparing students for what future? A future of science without ethics, success without failure, and a future where government is the ultimate authority. We have no room for faith, for believing in any God, there is the law! 

 But I'm not talking about politics this morning. I was just thinking my grandchildren will be alright. They will shape the future for the better. It won't be in any way I envisioned but it will happen. So I can sit and write and contemplate. I offer experience more so than knowledge. Life has to be learned, it can't be taught. I can take comfort in my children and grandchildren. It'll be alright. 

the next distraction

  Now that the Democrats have staged their little show in the Senate I can't help but wonder what will the next distraction be? The outcome of this trial isn't in doubt, an acquittal is forthcoming. The only hope of the Democrats is that they have tainted the Trump brand enough to make Republicans shy away. On the surface the narrative is one of loyalty. The Democrats trying their level best to convince anyone loyal to Trump that that alone will end their political careers. Make no mistake about that, that is the real purpose of this trial. They are all too familiar with all of that. A hundred years ago many of those Democrats were card carrying members of the KKK. Yes, they were and made no bones about that. It's not an opinion, it's a verifiable fact. The official congressional voting record is that proof. Today however that same party disavows all of that, they claim the parties switched! Yes, it's a good story, I'd try to do the same if I had that history, but fact is fact. Along with any mention of Trump today, being a member of the NRA is a political hot potato. And being pro-life is just as bad. Why those two beliefs alone prove you are a racist! 

 Iran is enriching uranium and China is flexing its' muscle. The rest of the world is excited, this is another opportunity for them. Trump wasn't playing nice and going along with the agenda. Why he had obtained energy independence for America! Now, that isn't a good thing for all those nations relying on America to buy their oil. A bargaining chip removed from play! Not only that, American money wasn't financing NATO anymore. What's up with that? Other nations expected to pay their fair share? And not only that, America was calling their soldiers home, no longer would America pay to protect your border, maintain peace with your neighbor. All of that was bad enough but a new policy was being implemented, one that would surely ruin all their plans. America first! Why that is just outrageous and nationalistic! Enforcing immigration policies and requiring the proper procedures be followed? That's just wrong. Just where are all the people that central American countries don't want supposed to go? They are starting to make demands on their governments! That's an issue because you really can't just kill them all, the rest of the world gets upset by that, but they can drive them out of the country. If the United States quits taking them in that could be a real problem! Well the Americans are just a bunch of goody two shoes and will take them in, especially old Joe. 

 But the Democrats have a problem right now. The trial will be over soon and the people no longer distracted by that. What if these people start taking a good hard look at what is really happening? That is going to be a big problem, real soon, politically speaking. Mid term elections. When the gas prices are up around four dollars a gallon, their taxes are up another 15 to 20%, and they are not getting all the free stuff they expect, it's going to be a problem. The government isn't going to give money away every six months! When the "stimulus" no longer stimulates voters that is going to be an issue. Do the Democrats have anyone new to offer? A new savior? Judging by their choice of sleepy Joe and Kamala I'd say, no. Of course, by then Kamala will be President, old Joe put to pasture in the hopes of a sympathetic  nation. Poor Joe, he struggled mightily but the strain was too much, boo, hoo. The narrative will be, vote to support Kamala, the first female president, and one of color too! That is going to have to be the center of focus. That will have to be the distraction. Until then keep discovering new, more virulent strains of coronavirus, double up the masks, restrict travel and drive the fear factor up. But most of all keep instilling a hatred for Trump. Make it so anyone that even mentions Trumps name will be ostracized and attacked by the media, by his neighbors, by everyone! 

 But the real problem for these Democrats is staring them right in the face and they don't even see it. They are making Trump into a martyr! Yes, they are. Doesn't matter to some, and I'd suggest it is a big some, what Trump did or didn't do. It appears that he is being treated unfairly. Yes, yes you can say no he isn't all day long, doesn't matter. There are those that believe, and all the Democrats are doing is reinforcing that belief. The Democrats are scared that Trump could run again for one reason only, he could win! They didn't believe it the first time. Impossible to defeat Hillary, couldn't happen. No way was that possible. But it did! So for four years they denied the election, it was the Russians, it was this or that but what it wasn't was a win for Trump, not my president was the mantra, except he was. The thing is they know he won't run again, why would he? He has proven his point, satisfied his ego. He has changed American politics forever. Yes and that is what scares those Democrats the most. No more business as usual. 

 Here's the real fear. What to tell the people when the whole scheme collapses. And the Dems know it will. It can't be any other way. There is only one way to finance the pipe dreams the Democrats propose. They need other peoples' money. That's the socialist way, spend others peoples' money until it runs out. The American people have been financing the world for a long time but are growling weary of that. Trump started to cut that funding, concentrating instead in spending on Americans! The best economy in a generation, the lowest unemployment rate, genuine equal rights and opportunity were being realized. If he were to keep that up Americans might start taking pride in being American! What if the people were to start to understand that putting America, your country and your family first is actually a good thing? That well, charity begins at home. Well, then they would most likely not support the socialist agenda that is the Democratic party. The problem for the Democrats right now? What are they going to say when they can no longer distract the people? They have shown their videos', told their harrowing tales of near death. But what's next? What is the next distraction? With the Democrats in power a war is the likely answer. But it won't be anything too serious, just enough to distract. Iran or China?  

opinion

  As the fact checkers are busy explaining every statement Joe makes is being taken out of context, the house managers are busy building a case against Trump based on that. " I don't work for you. " That's what Joe Biden said during a campaign rally. Post that and the fact checkers will correct you immediately saying it is taken out of context. Same thing if you quote Joe saying, "dog faced liar" and a number of other direct quotes. Yes, that is what he said, but it isn't what he meant to say! He shouldn't be held accountable for any of those statements. He misspoke. How many times has Joe misspoke? Well, that number grows daily and so we'll have to wait. Meanwhile an entire crew of editors prepared segments of video, pieced together for maximum effect, and presenting that as "reality. " Nothing out of context in those videos! An entire string of statements made by Trump and not one taken out of context! Now, he didn't actually say those things, but he meant too. We all know that, don't we? The house managers surely are convinced by the theatrical performance of some of their fellow lawmakers. Near death experiences abound and all caused by Trump speaking. Yes, every word an impeachable offense. Never mind that he never actually said that, we know what was the intent was. It's what he meant! 

 And so here we are impeachment attempt number two. The first one ended in acquittal and so will this one. The first time was the same thing, he said this but we all know he meant that. Now when old Joe told Ukraine to fire their prosecutor or they wouldn't get any money that isn't what he meant though, no he was just being a concerned father. Those Ukrainians were trying to bully his son. Why any father would have done the same thing! But when Trump asked for alleged wrongdoing to be investigated the Democrats jumped on that. Hey, just because Hunter Biden is involved in some shady deals and his daddy, the vice-president of the United States attempted to bribe officials to not look into any of that, that's no reason the President should be concerned! He's just trying to gain political favors! Why, with that one statement alone he asked the Russians and Ukrainians to rig the elections! Nothing taken out of context with those conversations. And today Trump said, if you want to keep your country you have to fight like hell. Well, that's obviously a call to storm the capital. He sent horn man to rescue the country! The weapons of choice were a fire extinguisher and stealing Nancy's laptop! The capital police opened the doors and escorted this militia into the capital building, they were overwhelmed! 

 The saddest part in all of this is the willingness of the people to allow a trial based on public opinion. Make no mistake about it, that is what this impeachment trial is all about, as well as the first one. It is based solely on opinions, not facts. Those that decided over four years ago that they just don't like Trump continue to try him on public opinion alone. Thing is, it isn't even a majority opinion! But the majority is being silenced by big tech, pharmaceutical companies, and energy concerns. Big money is the driving force, big money and hate. How dare this outsider, this non-politician enter the picture and upset the gravy train! Energy independence? OMG we can't have that. All groups of people being treated equally? No, no, no. Certain groups can not make it on their own, they need help! Lots of help and they will get it as long as they vote the proper way. Inequity? Why even Covid is being prejudicial in attacking black Americans! And what about those that do not have the latest high speed internet connections and thousand dollar laptops? We should provide that to them, free of cost! To not do that isn't equitable. Big brother controlling what is disseminated over that internet, what lessons are taught, doesn't play into any of that though. The Democrats are here to help! Trump would have those children go to an actual school, with real teachers, imagine that. No, it is far better to have our children cower in the corner and learn the lesson from the state sponsored web sites. The state will tell you all you need to know. The approved lesson plan.

 It is the court of public opinion. The state will now tell you what the words mean. Doesn't matter what you heard, this is what it is. Empirical evidence notwithstanding the state will tell you what is what. The government insists Bruce Jenner is a woman! Empirical evidence proves quite the opposite however, but ignore that. Climate change is something new, caused by humans and cow farts. Our love of Big Mac's is destroying the planet. The earth was created as a fiery ball after the big bang. That's the science we are taught. There were at least two ice ages, when the earth was cold. Now the earth is warming up and it's our fault. If we only didn't eat beef we could still be enjoying an ice age. But climate change is a real threat. It's obvious to even the most casual observer that the climate continually changes. But we should believe science, we have to believe the science, well unless a guy thinks he's a girl then just ignore science altogether. When ever it makes you feel better, forget about science, opinion is what is best.

 Well this sham trial will be over soon enough, an acquittal is forthcoming. Of course the state of Georgia has filed some charges against Trump, a sort of back-up plan. More charges based on words. Trump asking for a fair and transparent accounting of votes cast is obviously an attempt to steal an election. Well, he threatened them! That's their opinion anyway. I hold a different opinion altogether. In my opinion if you have nothing to hide you don't care how closely someone examines the evidence. But that was met with resistance and I have to ask why? 

 Well here's my opinion. If the Democrats hadn't resisted every policy, every move, every word that Trump spoke for the last four years we wouldn't be in this mess. In my opinion it is the left that is responsible for what took place. You know, poke someone in the eye long enough and they will strike back. It doesn't justify the action but provides the reason for that action. For over four years the left pushed and prodded, they attempted to remove him from office, they refused to cooperate with any bi-partisan legislation. Pelosi tears up his speech in front of the world. Then there are numerous irregularities in the voting. Numbers mysteriously skyrocket in the middle of the night. leads vanish and margins increase in numbers never before seen. There are more votes cast than voters in the country. And when questioned the questioners are told to shut up, it's all just a conspiracy theory. No real investigation into any of that is allowed. Yes, we had recounts, counted by the same people that counted those votes the first time. Really independent checks? No evidence is ever presented to assure the public that the voting was legit. The best admission we got was, yes there were irregularities, just a little bit of fraud, and some cheating but it wasn't enough to change the outcome. And in my opinion that true because the outcome had been predetermined regardless. That's my opinion.