Just Let Me -- G -- Indoctrinate You!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

It's an Obedient Drudge Sort of Thing

Dear America,
"This day, I trust the reign of political protestantism will commence. We have explored the temple of royalty, and found that the idol we have bowed down to, has eyes which see not, ears that hear not our prayers, and a heart like the nether millstone. We have this day restored the Sovereign, to whom alone men ought to be obedient. He reigns in Heaven, and with a propitious eye beholds his subjects assuming that freedom of thought, and dignity of self-direction which He bestowed on them. From the rising to the setting sun, may His kingdom come."

this is Sam Adams addressing Congress, August 1, 1776;  the house was nearly ready to sign our Declaration of Independence.  and so begins a happy tuesday morn.

"Having been a slave to the influence of opinions early acquired, and distinctions generally received, I am ever inclined not to despise but pity those who are yet in darkness. But to the eye of reason what can be more clear, than that all men have an equal right to happiness? Nature made no other distinction than that of higher or lower degrees of power of mind and body. But what mysterious distribution of character has the craft of statesmen, more fatal than priestcraft, introduced?

According to their doctrine, the offspring of perhaps the lewd embraces of a successful invader, shall, from generation to generation, arrogate the right of lavishing on their pleasures a proportion of the fruits of the earth, more than sufficient to supply the wants of thousands of their fellow-creatures: claim authority to manage them like beasts of burden, and without superior industry, capacity, or virtue, nay, though disgraceful to humanity by their ignorance, intemperance, and brutality, shall be deemed best calculated to frame laws, and to consult for the welfare of society.

Were the talents and virtues, which Heaven has bestowed on men, given merely to make then more obedient drudges, to be sacrificed to the follies and ambition of a few? or, were not the noble gifts so equally dispensed with a divine purpose and law, that they should as nearly as possible be equally exerted, and the blessings of Providence be equally enjoyed by all? Away then, with those absurd systems, which, to gratify the pride of a few, debase the greatest part of our species below the order of men. What an affront to the King of the universe, to maintain that the happiness of a monster, sunk in debauchery and spreading desolation and murder among men, of a Caligula, a Nero, or a Charles, is more precious in his sight than that of millions of his suppliant creatures, who do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God! No! in the judgment of Heaven there is no other superiority among men, than a superiority in wisdom and virtue. And can we have a safer model in forming ours?"

Worth repeating:  "Were the talents and virtues, which Heaven has bestowed on men, given merely to make then more obedient drudges, to be sacrificed to the follies and ambition of a few? or were not the noble gifts so equally dispensed with a divine purpose and law, that they should as nearly as possible be equally exerted, and the blessings of Providence be equally enjoyed by all?"


We have sunk so low, haven't we?

Today marks the day in history where our lawmakers will vote whether or not to allow for an increase in the debt limit without applying spending limits or restrictions first.  It is expected to be rejected....  and what an affront to the blessings of Divine Providence, if it were decided such, in unequal portion, if only to gratify the wayward ambition and folly equally dispensed, if we were to find, a fearing to rise above the common sense solution...

Just where is our Sam Adams today...oh where oh where can he be?

There is a fabulous website available, if in search of the truth, the way and the light, of America's history.   This speech upon one August morn, and a rather long one, at that, is made available in it's entirety and well worth the lending of your eyes, if such the leveraging of the sanctity of one's time against the value of timeless, if not priceless, snippet for all posterity, is deemed all that important.  Go Here for the whole thing.  If not, here is a bit more:

"From the day on which an accommodation takes place between England and America, on any other terms than as independent States, I shall date the ruin of this country. A politic minister will study to lull us into security, by granting us the full extent of our petitions. The warm sunshine of influence would melt down the virtue, which the violence of the storm rendered more firm and unyielding. In a state of tranquillity, wealth and luxury, our descendants would forget the arts of war, and the noble activity and zeal which made their ancestors invincible. Every art of corruption would be employed to loosen the bond of union which renders our assistance formidable. When the spirit of liberty which now animates our hearts and gives success to our arms is extinct, our numbers will accelerate our ruin, and render us easier victims to tyranny."

and with a simple warning, we no longer rest in the arms of our destiny in 1776, but venture through a time machine into the 21st century, living in "a state of tranquility, wealth and luxury" for so long now...the people, now fully integrated, having successfully entered the new era of forgetting our past, fall into decline, while "every art of corruption would be employed to loosen the bond of union which renders our assistance formidable."  And with one swift, debilitating motion, if not ten thousand waves, the "spirit of liberty," once emblazoned on our sleeves, displayed reverently and vibrantly within our hearts and minds, is gone.

Our freedom is living paycheck to paycheck -- increasing in depth and breadth of debt, following each and every tax year -- from here to Kingdom come.  Every original intention has been thrown by the wayside, and likewise, subsequently buried by unseemly governance, fodder of political folly, and utter ignorance of the words set forth, of their fullest intent indeed, made known and absolute within the people's Declaration of Independence and the nation's Constitution.

Blame, in equal portion, has been spread throughout the land -- ourselves included.

Perhaps this would be a good time for our leaders, and ourselves, to return to the eloquence and sophistication of an era gone by; perhaps this would be a good time to re-read our first intent, and re-acquaint ourselves with our founders, the enlightened minds and true statesmen, who with every breath, projected our highest and best good.

Again, from my new favorite website, another quote from Sam:

"Neither the wisest constitution 
nor the wisest laws 
will secure the liberty and happiness 
of a people whose manners 
are universally corrupt." - 
Essay in the Public Advertiser, 1749

Neither shift of blame, nor the point of finger, will secure a reasonable, manageable future without the loss of face; we must therefore look in the mirror and reflect the truth we know within our hearts...as a people, either way --  to be thrust into austerity, or falter -- so essential is the need to suffer the consequences, for we must own this.

This is no time to play political games, twenty first century style, waging war upon the airwaves, feasting upon plain commercialism of untruths, using gluttonous attacks of character and virtue in thirty second fits of fury.

This is the time to be statesmen, and women, in order to unite together in the town square for a common cause.  Not only must we fight to preserve whatever it is we have left, but we must salvage the intricacies of our story and history, the background and context of a past long forgotten; a story thoroughly and completely scrutinized and scrubbed, by the same colleges who once stood for the glory of God,  bestowing every gratitude and thanksgiving and praise upon Him, and taught within that very framework, endowed by our Creator and made man, making available to generations of rising countrymen the continuation of God's grace upon this land...so that they too, would learn and grow and reflect that Magnificence back upon their fellow man, to make good. 

Culpable is the system rising out of ignorance, flamed by social justice, and guilty of blind allegiances to an elite crowd of learned men and women to false gods -- forgive them, for they know not what they do.  Or, do they?  why of course! that is the answer to end all questions of Divine Providence and grace be to all in equal portion!  TO end the era living freely under The Divine, that becomes the means to the ultimate end!

This morning begins a jaded G meeting up with the remains of a day gone by.  Can you tell?  

Make it a Good Day, G

go to Revolutionary War and Beyond and discover a whole new world.

And call your congressman:  as according to oh wise one, Timothy Geithner, we have until August 2, 2011 to decide our fate on our debt limit -- from now until then, we will bear witness to political posturing for all posterity -- in the spirit of liberty, it is time to state your claim now... don't hate... just sayin'

a powerful song, sung by Billie Holliday, is playing with a click on Dear America.  Don't forget, everyday we play a song just for you.  Today's song is chilling -- stop. listen.  just look at how far we have come. and just know, there is a time for every season under heaven.

While a deeper understanding of our history,  in full context, allows for us to witness a gift in each new day.  The real story of America is drenched in sunlight when we read for ourselves the actual words of the countrymen who made us.  me thinks we could use a little polishing up.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Dear America,


For this week, just another day in the life of an American girl, we come to a flourishing finish of the things we take for granted.  As the things we cherish --- Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness -- witnessed time and time again, can be swept out of our arms in a heart beat.

We go about our lives, during the wee hours of the 21st century, hardly taking a moment to keep our liberties in check, our freedoms understood, along side the various things only prosperity can bring.  As a country, as a nation of people of great faith, we have created the very conditions to grow family and fortune without prejudice.

But above all, the greatest duty arose from the powers of Congress and our leadership, to protect everything and everyone within our borders -- by force, if we have to.

And ever since, a Force for Good was written into the cornerstone, lasting as a permanent fixture upon which this land was made and saved and honored.  Memorial Day is merely one day, out of 365, that we set aside to give thanks to those who have served and have given their life for us.

The day is also known as "Decoration Day"  -- and with that, let us pause to make a mental note of how wearing our memorial day has grown more for show over substance.  Do we stop ourselves, whether at the BBQ or beach [recognizing news just out today that my hometown, is home to the #2 beach in the world -- in Coronado], to recognize our inherent duty and delight that protecting our freedom brings?  Or have we long grown unaware, unaffected, ungrateful or forgetful of the force behind our good?  After all, after awhile, life begins to hum along so easily, overwhelmed by our own delight, forsaking our duty becomes almost natural.

We can keep up appearances for quite some time, but eventually, everything falls back to substance -- doesn't it?

Sadly, we have grown accustomed to our superficiality in nearly every aspect of life -- unless perhaps you are lucky enough to live somewhere where God and Country still reign high on the list of priorities (thinking Joplin as just one stellar example).

The thing is, a strong military isn't just something a country throws on just before heading out for the parade -- it is the single most important element of our federal government's duties and responsibilities (granted, the one thing we are absolutely supposed to pay for and sustain).

And for the most part, it has been fully and successfully, managed, operated and upheld, solely by volunteers.  Patriots -- fellow Americans willing to give their life, and give everything of themselves, to protect our liberties; and not only defending America, but around the globe --  no matter where the call, no matter what the duty -- self-assured, having not a doubt in the world of their capabilities.  Soldiers, band together, and take up arms, to save something greater than themselves. [And they are so handsome to boot!...oops, but I digress...]

And what do they do:  oh just a little Freedom saving ... Liberty bell ringing...protecting, basically, all the things our lucky stars take for granted...  To police a safe and democratic election.  To stabilize a budding democratic government.  To save a people from genocide,  To protect a land. To honor and hold accountable a nation's security.  To stand up to repression, oppression and the works of tyrants.  To bring water and aid.  To defend borders, agreements, whether by armistice or by hand shake. To fight to the death, if they must.  And finally, to simply reign by reputation just knowing they are there -- on the ready -- winning a war that never needed to be fought in the first place; fully recognizing that just by reputation, association, organization and sheer might, America defends herself and has frightened away countries and armies who might try.

Memorial Day is that kind of day.

What we take for granted becomes the thing we must never forget.  This military, this protection, the defending of something intangible to the naked eye,  should be our primary concern every single day.

Which ties into something else I read this morning...upon the news of discovering a "missing mass" in the galaxy. 

"Whenever I speak to people who have influence, politicians and so on, they sometimes ask me 'Why should I invest in physics pure research?'. And I sometimes say to them: 'Do you use a mobile phone? Some of that technology came about by black hole research'.

"The pure research has knock-on effects to the whole society which are sometimes difficult to anticipate."

We just go about our day, using our I-phones and being able to log onto Bing! in a nanosecond, and nobody seems to care about a thing.  It's done.  We connect. We live.  We prosper.  And all along the day we pick up that fancy new thing-a-ma-jig, decorated with crystals and in our favorite color, just expecting it to work.   Far from our minds is what it took to get there...to be able to talk to anyone, anytime, (almost) anywhere (can you hear me now?).

By the way, regarding that "missing mass"  --  "a 22-year-old Australian university student has solved a problem which has puzzled astrophysicists for decades....Undergraduate Amelia Fraser-McKelvie made the breakthrough during a holiday internship with a team at Monash University's School of Physics..."  wonders never cease.

And did you know that Commander Kelly gets to talk to his wife everyday from space?

As we continue to revel in new discoveries, and innovation, and science, let us not forget the things which truly matter in the great scheme of life and the protection of a country -- for these are the things fundamental.

Brigitte Gabriel, who had to leave a home country, Lebanon, after her homeland was attacked by radicalized Muslim extremists, eventually found her way to America.  She has created Act! for America.org as her way to give back to her new found homeland, as a way to reinforce America's stance and actions around the globe, waging a war against terrorism.  She knows terrorism first hand -- from a memory dating back to her childhood, to a time when her parents were killed, to a time when she had to flee everything she ever loved.

Today, she responds to the holiday with a special grace and charm, saying:


"Words tremble on my lips and emotions swell in my heart in my attempt to humbly thank you for all the things you do to protect America and the world. Words cannot express my depth of gratitude for your service, for your sacrifice, for all that you leave behind to go forth into the world and protect America’s interests around the globe.

Let my grateful words thank you for the nights you slept freezing in a tent or sweating in the desert, for the lonely days you spent missing your loved ones, for the hours you spent sick in pain and without someone holding your hand, for the moments of sheer fright in the heat of battle, for the wounds you have suffered fighting evil, for the endless days in hospitals undergoing painful surgeries, for the precious occasions you have missed back at home. For all of these sacrifices I thank you on behalf of millions of Americans who are so grateful for you. We truly appreciate these sacrifices.

A special thank-you is in order to your families, to the parents who raised you and made you be the man or woman you are today. I thank your wives, husbands, and your loved ones who stand by you and support you with their love and dedication.

And for those who returned in eternal sleep, may their legacy be honored for generations to come, may the tears shed over their coffins fertilize the fields of patriotism in our nation to raise a new generation built on strength and honor, able and willing to follow in their footsteps when duty calls to defend America. May their blood not have been shed in vain. May we prove worthy of their sacrifice.

You who have served and are serving are our brave ones, our heroes, and our national treasures. You are the pride of our nation, our strength and our foundation. Thanks to you, millions have been freed around the world. Thanks to you, those who criticize our country, burn our precious flag, and speak ill of you, are able to do so because their freedom is built upon your blood and your sacrifice.

I salute you one and all. I bow before you in respect and humility. May God bless you and bless America, land of the free and home of the brave, and the dream that became my address."


...to "the dream that became my address"  need I say more.   nope.

...at least, not without my own last two cents anyway...

THANK YOU
for yesterday, 
today, 
and tomorrow. 


Make it a Good Day, G

speaking of defending our borders and agreements...have you been party to receiving this roaming email:

Dear President Obama:

I am writing today with a somewhat unusual request.  First and foremost, I will be asking that you return America to its August 20th, 1959 borders so that Hawaii is no longer a state and you are no longer a citizen.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 

Fear not -- all is not lost --  as clearly, we still have a wicked sense of humor. bravo tango charlie.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Dear America,



this morning, a preamble of the coming Memorial Day weekend, but today, with a twist.

I simply cannot imagine what it would feel like to have my three year old ripped out of my arms, never to be seen again. 

Joplin, MO is under a world of hurt and pain most of us will never know.

And as expected, like a well oiled machine, the barriers of politics and party and rhetoric fly right out the door; we come to our neighbor's aid, we bring food, blankets and teddy bears, and we open our hearts and our minds and our homes to help all those in need.  We expand, in whatever capacity we can, in order to bring on the healing, to begin putting back all the pieces, in community with one another.

In this moment, though, I feel at such a loss for words.

I feel off my usual chatty cathy self -- sitting here, nearly pinned to my thoughts by the delicate shards of glass reflecting my humanity, and struggling to come to grips with Missouri's reality, as we speak.

Awestricken by our inherent ability to keep going, how does a mother get through it?  Losing her baby, right out of her arms, in such a violent attack from mother nature, no less.  Is that not the cruelest thing you have ever heard in your life?  all I can do is weep for her.  while even that, makes me feel so small and insignificant, that it makes me cry, only harder.  but how can I help her?


After reading a heartwarming story of the little terrier that could, Mason, who found his way home -- with two broken legs and all -- only to find his family gone, we find out that small miracles still exist.  Mason may have found his way home, but a front porch was all he had.   So he sat on that front porch waiting. and waiting.  and waiting.  Or was it, hoping and hoping and hoping?  Or was it, praying and praying and praying?  Hard to tell what a dog thinks, you know.

But can you just imagine the moment, nearly three weeks later, when the family returned to canvass the rubble and scour over the remains of the life that was once a home, to find him?  just sitting there.  waiting.  he knew they would come back for him.

If you have the time today, read this:  A tour through the broken heart of Joplin. Allen Breed, of the Associated Press, paints the stark reality of the afterlife of a tornado's wake blending compassion, good storytelling, with a light brush of the human heart, all along side the dark shadows of the truth, throughout the entire piece. well done, Breed. it is a must read.

125 people have died; 900 are injured; and hundreds more, unaccounted for.

And that's it. That is all I got today, for my heart breaks for Joplin -- and everywhere else in the swath of the kind of swirling injustices like no other, the kind only a fierce and unexpected mother nature can bring.   how little we are.  how little we are.  What else is there to say?   The morning light is awfully dim. 

Make it a Good Day, G

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Dear America,


sure.
500 BILLION dollars gets taken out of MEDICARE over ten years, and at the same time, "double-counted" to help pay for OBAMACARE  -- admittedly, by our very own HHS gal herself, Kathleen Sebelius -- and nobody thinks twice about it.  Yes, it is old news, but read it anyway:  "Both."  She said.

Where were all the liberal talking heads when this was happening behind closed doors, in the season of "we have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it," spoken like a real winner, Nancy Pelosi?

And it is the republicans reduced to partisan demagoguery?  

Medicare becomes the splintering issue that impairs the republican from New York? Medicare?

Is that how we are going to spin that?

Never mind that Corwin was attempting to take back the House seat recently made available when another republican thought he was 'all that' and flaunted it across the pick up places along the web (thank you to the idiot in the back - aka Chris Lee, or GetsomeGOPLeeforfree/my space/facebook/craigslist).

Never mind that the Democrat only got 47% of the vote, the Republican 43% and the stupid democrat, the one who repackaged himself into a phony Tea Party candidate, got away with 9% of the vote...details.

Never mind that Corwin didn't sell herself as clearly as her opponent did...or was it maybe her own flip-flop tendencies that stood in her way...hmmmmm...the world may never know.

So - the Left - believes that the election was a referendum on Medicare...

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, from Florida, put it like this:

"[Jane Corwin] found out the hard way that their extreme plans to abolish Medicare and slash Medicaid and investments in health care, education, innovation and job creation are wrongheaded and unpopular, even in a district that should have been a cakewalk for the Republican candidate."

G note: It is the Ryan Plan that attempts to save Medicare from it's fate -- which is a sure death --  just in case anyone is wondering.

Just who is in charge here?
Where is our spin machine headquarters figuring out the pesky details of how to play out governing and legislating and propaganda to our advantage?   I don't understand how the left can BREAK Medicare in two, with one swing, and get away with it (...oh yeah, along with permanently injuring Healthcare in general, and harnessing the final blow that kills, under Obamacare, if talking specifics)

Where were all you lefty's screaming about that?  Hey, leave my medicare alone...hey, hands off my medicare...hey, mom, he's touching me...stop touching me and my medicare. waaaah

With all due respect to the honorable lady from Flo, I say, the election was nothing more than a set up.

And heads up, people, this is just the beginning.

The left is masterminding a cruel twist of fate for all republicans, taking the lead right out of Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals.  Do whatever you must do -- as the end justifies the means -- use ridicule, lie, cheat, even make up tea party candidates to throw into the ring just to act as the third wheel -- capitalizing on skills learned, following years of indoctrination in our schools, under curriculum widely recognized as simply The New Math.  Dividing the Republican vote. Brilliant.

And then we have Wasserman-Schultz jumping in and making one more lasting impression:

"It demonstrates that Republicans 
and independent voters, 
along with Democrats, 
will reject extreme policies 
like ending Medicare 
that even Newt Gingrich called radical..."

Doink, der it is.  We will be hearing Newt's name, recently made synonymous with Radicalized Medicare and the brute severity of the republican agenda, from now and until 2012. joy joy  I think I gotta throw up.

Clearly, the right wing is in dire need of a new PR Adviser -- scratch that, make that an army of one.

For this is what we are up against:  the Obama administration is using OUR MONEY to develop just that --  creating an entire team simply to manufacture clever, timely, comebacks for every left wing issue that comes flying their way; the departments sole purpose is expressly defined to include, but is not limited to:  to deflect, diffuse, deflate the negative -- to dissect and separate so-called truths from the so-called untruths --  to fully demonize, if not criminalize, the opposition -- and ultimately deflate, or eliminate, any right wing power whatsoever.

And, if it all goes right, stifling every last shred of independent thought in the process.

America meets red army meets organization meets division meets social justice meets unlimited government meets limited freedoms meets chaos meets destruction meets the end of America as we know it.  It is universal, you know.  

What really got me going today was not even the New York election or Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, or Medicare, the swat at a Newt, or even the introduction of a brand new Czar in charge of PR...what I really set out to highlight was a little something our president said, in the company of an audience in Great Britain.

"The path has never been perfect,"
he said. 
"But through the struggles of slaves and immigrants; 
women and ethnic minorities; 
former colonies and persecuted religions, 
we have learned better than most 
that the longing for freedom and human dignity 
is not English 
or American 
or Western — 
it is universal."

huh?
Sure the longing part of it, may be Universal; but the creation of It in the first place, came right out of the birth of the New World, the Western World, and marked by absolute and distinct characteristics, held to such high standards, that the rest of the world wanted to follow.  And as a matter of fact, would do almost anything for it --  even in the midst of terror, tyranny, and theocracy raging wild (like in the Middle East).

It was America who made it.  Created it.  Defined it, in no uncertain terms.  AND ELEVATED it to it's highest honor. Say what you will about it, but IT is ALL American ideals, American liberties, American Principles;  these are the things OUR FOUNDERS manufactured following years of oppression, masterminding with one another upon the philosophies of the aged, grown from the seeds of the enlightened minds who came before us, anchored by a belief in something Greater than ourselves -- endowed by our Creator -- with certain unalienable rights and duties and freedoms.

Everything that came before -- along with everything that came after -- became the work of Divine Providence.

America was the first republic to set a people truly free.

...any other place we happen to witness it, is directly related to the principles and values set in motion by the founders of  the United States of America, and nothing less.

The most striking reality we face today -- the one that nobody is willing to say out loud for fear of being persecuted in the press and deemed an outright right wing racist -- is that our president is breaking America in two.

He has returned us to an era of divide and conquer, in order to legislate and mandate and regulate a brand new world; his call for fundamental transformation back in 2008 was not just rhetoric to get elected, it spelled out his entire agenda.  He INTENDS to reverse every independent, self-reliant, libertarian, republic-an, free market, limited government -- in principle and in practice -- commitment we've ever made.

Just look at the things his hand has touched --
  • Health care, medicare, medicaid (all adversely effected under Obamacare and cutting Insurance companies off at the knees), 
  • Energy independence (drilling moratoriums, domestic drilling down 43% from Bush Admin),
  • And along those lines, took the Radical, Extreme approach in responding to the BP Oil Spill,
  • Enacting new Business regulations (hundreds of thousands) and crony capitalism (Chamber of Commerce vs. GE, GM),  
  • Union favoritism (Richard Trumka/Andy Stern on speed dial), 
  • Government control of private companies (Boeing), 
  • Department of Justice suing our own CIA agents for following through with orders -- while also playing the race card on multiple cases, creating an entire department for the cause -- while also suing a state (AZ) for simply enforcing the law of the land -- while also defending the Affordable Health Care Act which forces individual mandates -- while choosing not to defend DOMA simply because the president said so.
  • Jeopardizing a long time "sacrosanct" accord with Israel and indirectly, making nice with Hamas, 
  • Waging a third war in Libya without getting Congressional approval after sixty days, 
  • Through his new energy policies alone -- doubling the price of gasoline over the course of  two years (and exponentially affecting the price of other commodities, and directly increasing the cost of basic needs, as well) 
  • HE HAS MADE OUR DIFFERENCES the foothold for widening a divide -- creating mistrust where there was none, adding insult to injury where there was no cause -- as if FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORMING the melting pot into one hot mess simply by asking a question:  'got a light?'
Either way you look at it, America is on fire and by the looks of things, we have no where to turn.

Either way, by your way or mine, we are cut in two.

It is 500 billion of one, a half a trillion of another --- and sometimes, it's both.

We are clamoring for the floor.
We are screaming so loudly over one another,  nobody really hears a thing.
We can't even see the door.
It is dark.  Everybody is either yelling or crying or laughing into hysterics.
There is no way we will all get out alive, if we continue to think we can just climb over one another to save ourselves.

the thing is,
I think if we just calmly took each other by the hand and talked about it-- keeping on topic, and clinging to the merits and principles of all that is right and good and according to our roots -- we might have half a chance to make it out alive AND well.

"Our idealism is rooted
in the realities of history 
- that repression offers only
the false promise of stability; 
that societies are more successful 
when their citizens are free; 
and that democracies 
are the closest allies we have." 
Obama, 
experiencing a momentary re-awakening
to the realities and benefits of a free market

It isn't just talk, Mr. President; and it certainly isn't propaganda to shape-shift according to audience; it is what we do.  Now, take my hand, and I will be happy to show you the way (Debbie, you're welcome to come along, too, along with all of your Lefty friends).


Make it a Good Day, G

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Dear America,


if you know me, I like to carry a theme for a day or two... maybe even a week.


yesterday, I ending with a quote without telling you where it came from ---

"what we do for ourselves dies with us; 
what we do for others remains immortal"

It came in the last words of a Criminal Minds episode -- without failure, the flourishing finish always includes some sort of infinite wisdom to help tie things together in the great scheme of life.  It comes along, free for the taking, with the scene of the entire team heading home and gliding into the sunset upon the government owned, state of the art, Gulfstream (or something like that, hard to tell from a distance); the quote was from an Englishman, Albert Pine, dating back to the mid-eighteen hundreds.

Now for me, I tend to get the willies easily; having said that, Criminal Minds doesn't exactly click with what I usually like to watch -- especially by myself (G gets 'scwerd'...pucker up and say it with your inner shirley temple).  But there is just something about the development of the "unsubs" ....the constant evaluation of bad character ...the ratcheting up of the known against the unknown that never fails to intrigue me.  (I know, I know, it is just tv)

And given how my mind operates, the piecing together of the ways of the world, intersecting with the made for TV drama, and the development of basically the Unsub in the office of the presidency, no less, my head is left spinning with the uncharacteristic latitudes of this administration, now jet fueled by a simple question:  just what kind of flourishing finish is coming to America?

Oh G, stop being so dramatic...
and to that I say really?

You know who deserves the daytime Emmy is the president.

Now I can't help but notice most of the characters taking the Unsub role [the 'unknown subject of investigation'] begin with some kind of narcissistic tendencies.  Which leads me to leading you to another leading man, Dr. Michael Youssef.  Read about what he had to say about the latest developments of the peace process for our friend, and ally, Israel,  right here  Here's a highlight:

"...All of this is, of course, part and parcel of the major characteristics of narcissism, namely detesting those who do not admire or agree with you.

But perhaps there is no greater danger than the expression of that narcissism when it impacts foreign policy.  This is indeed tragic, that one person's (even though he is the President of the United States) own selfish tendencies can impact world peace.

Possibly there is no larger issue than his deep desire and determination to ingratiate himself with, and to be liked and adored by, the Muslim world...."
However, when you place the current rhetorical response of our president -- outlined in the speech from May 19th which we have already thoroughly reviewed, see my blog [gooooo G! yeah me!  practicing my own narcissistic tendencies just to make my day]  -- right up smack against his own words on the campaign trail, what emerges from the shadows is an Unsub President, who is only as legitimate, and as sincere, and as loyal, as his last speech...or rather, his last audience.

and let me just interject right here, we're onto you.

From NPR, the transcript to Obama's campaign speech, addressing AIPAC just three years ago, tells a different story; it shows a presidential contender pandering to the Jewish vote, feeding a hungry crowd of naysayers everything a potential president must say to win them over, playing to their weaknesses, toying with their allegiances and fidelity, and breaking bread with a nation of people who did not trust him.

Here it is...by audio or transcript.  

Don't have time to listen to the whole thing, then allow me to hum a few bars:

"Before I begin, I want to say that I know some provocative e-mails have been circulating throughout Jewish communities across the country. A few of you may have gotten them. They're filled with tall tales and dire warnings about a certain candidate for president. And all I want to say is — let me know if you see this guy named Barack Obama, because he sounds pretty frightening.

But if anyone has been confused by these e-mails, I want you to know that today I'll be speaking from my heart, and as a true friend of Israel. And I know that when I visit with AIPAC, I am among friends. Good friends. Friends who share my strong commitment to make sure that the bond between the United States and Israel is unbreakable today, tomorrow and forever."

Yes.  And this was a "before I begin" moment -- he was just getting warmed up...

"I first became familiar with the story of Israel when I was 11 years old. I learned of the long journey and steady determination of the Jewish people to preserve their identity through faith, family and culture. Year after year, century after century, Jews carried on their traditions, and their dream of a homeland, in the face of impossible odds.

The story made a powerful impression on me. I had grown up without a sense of roots. My father was black; he was from Kenya, and he left us when I was 2. My mother was white; she was from Kansas, and I'd moved with her to Indonesia and then back to Hawaii. In many ways, I didn't know where I came from. So I was drawn to the belief that you could sustain a spiritual, emotional and cultural identity. And I deeply understood the Zionist idea — that there is always a homeland at the center of our story"
Getting back to a little Criminal Minds, the Unsubs frequently came from some variation of an untethered underworld, shall we say:  the familiar story of the broken home, emotional abuses, a childhood lacking in so many ways, perhaps with contrasting/multiple cultures dueling for attention -- definitely a life in part, or in full, irreparably damaged and depleted of the basic human needs.  Things like love and security,  the building blocks of self-esteem and for the healthy growth of young minds, loving souls, capable of producing worthy, self-sufficient, self-reliant, successful individuals who become fully integrated into society.

And then here comes the stunner -- the recollection of a childhood from our president --  in his own words, fraught with deep seated confusion, built upon having no real foundation, saying in fact, "in many ways, I didn't know where I came from."

G note: which must be why it was so easy, later as a young adult, for an impressionable Barack Hussein Obama to grow into relationship with  Reverend Wright -- the Reverend filled a void.  He became a father figure and mentor -- even if that meant re-birthing into a questionable theology and twenty years of brainwashing through the Black Liberation movement (who, by the way, hates jews)...but I digress...

hear ye hear ye...the president is still speaking to the crowd, and they are just eating it up!

"...He invited congressmen and journalists to bear witness. And he ordered that photographs and films be made. Explaining his actions, Eisenhower said that he wanted to produce 'firsthand evidence of these things, if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to propaganda.'" 

And they did...just one of many gruesome facts the Arab world either deny discredit, or simply rewrite with a blanket of brand new propaganda or pipe bombs.   But this was a really nice touch for the Campaigner in Chief, wasn't it?

"We know that the establishment of Israel was just and necessary, rooted in centuries of struggle and decades of patient work. But 60 years later, we know that we cannot relent, we cannot yield, and as president I will never compromise when it comes to Israel's security.

Not when there are still voices that deny the Holocaust. Not when there are terrorist groups and political leaders committed to Israel's destruction. Not when there are maps across the Middle East that don't even acknowledge Israel's existence, and government-funded textbooks filled with hatred toward Jews. Not when there are rockets raining down on Sderot, and Israeli children have to take a deep breath and summon uncommon courage every time they board a bus or walk to school."

oh really?

"Our alliance is based on shared interests and shared values. Those who threaten Israel threaten us. Israel has always faced these threats on the front lines. And I will bring to the White House an unshakeable commitment to Israel's security.

That starts with ensuring Israel's qualitative military advantage. I will ensure that Israel can defend itself from any threat — from Gaza to Tehran. Defense cooperation between the United States and Israel is a model of success, and must be deepened. As president, I will implement a Memorandum of Understanding that provides $30 billion in assistance to Israel over the next decade — investments to Israel's security that will not be tied to any other nation..."
I couldn't even begin to make this stuff up.  These are his own words...shredded to smithereens under a bombardment of carpet bombs laid out against lasting peace and security for Israel ... When it seems like it was just yesterday when he said, Israel's on it's own and all by itself, whattup...or something like that (again, read G, last thursday for the crib notes).

"The long road to peace requires Palestinian partners committed to making the journey. We must isolate Hamas unless and until they renounce terrorism, recognize Israel's right to exist, and abide by past agreements. There is no room at the negotiating table for terrorist organizations...

I will strongly urge Arab governments to take steps to normalize relations with Israel, and to fulfill their responsibility to pressure extremists and provide real support for President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad. Egypt must cut off the smuggling of weapons into Gaza. Israel can also advance the cause of peace by taking appropriate steps — consistent with its security — to ease the freedom of movement for Palestinians, improve economic conditions in the West Bank, and to refrain from building new settlements — as it agreed to with the Bush administration at Annapolis. 

Let me be clear. Israel's security is sacrosanct. It is non-negotiable. The Palestinians need a state that is contiguous and cohesive, and that allows them to prosper — but any agreement with the Palestinian people must preserve Israel's identity as a Jewish state, with secure, recognized and defensible borders. Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided."

he was pretty clear, wasn't he?  and the agreement he was referring to was made in 2004, in writing, under the Bush Administration -- that's why he not only cited it, but elevated it to a volume his audience could not only hear, but actually wrap themselves up into, much like a warped, false sense of security from a lullaby would do [more like a call from the sirens].

"The United States must be a strong and consistent partner in this process — not to force concessions, but to help committed partners avoid stalemate and the kind of vacuums that are filled by violence. That's what I commit to do as president of the United States."


OMG. enough already.  I can't take it any more.

You lie! You lie!  You lie!  You lie like a magic carpet, turning tricks and making a mockery of the United States; this new version of you, whoever you really are, the unsub in the highest office of the land, is completely vetted and made known right before our very eyes as the Alchemist-in-Chief. [or maybe, following the Brit's lead, it's more like his code name:  "Chalaque" -- as in chief 'smart alec' meets the queen...and we're back to -- it's all about me -- as in, all Obama all the time]

"not to force concessions"  
"sacrosanct" 
"non-negotiable"  
and 
"Jerusalem...undivided"  

are these things just meaningless rhetoric you throw around only to make people like you, vote for you, think you're swell?

can you really be this disingenuous?

where does the true character of a president live?

who are you and what did you do with this candidate?

Make it a Good Day, G

Monday, May 23, 2011

Dear America,


"There has never been the slightest doubt 
in my mind 
that the God 
who started this great work in you 
would keep at it and bring it 
to a flourishing finish 
on the very day Christ Jesus appears." 
Philippians 1:6


exuding confidence I am, I am. (yeah right...all over that)


but anyone who knows me -- I mean really knows me -- knows just how funny that sounds; my life is not quite right right now; as a matter of fact, it has turned into one hot mess. Yet, this weekend was ripe with little messages to my soul to keep on keepin' on; and to that end, a very happy monday goes out to you all.


Of course, as we went along our merry little way this past week, a prediction which didn't come to fruition came to pass.  We had thy preacher, Camper (that's Camping and preacher put together) prophesying about the end of the world, DOOMSDAY; that in fact, DOOMSDAY would hit the eastern shoreline by 6 pm Saturday evening --  and judgment day would be served -- prepare!  The media picked right up on it -- everyone had some fun with the idea in one way or another.


And so this morning, the extra sugar thrown in the coffee, that little saunter out to the car to begin the morning commute breathing in the fresh air, the simple kiss on the cheek to your loved ones going off to school (or to the dog!), runs a wee bit softer, sweeter, gentler, appreciating the reality of living to see another day. 

Or, like most of us who paid no mind to the man behind the bible curtain, laughed it off as just another fifteen minutes of fame in a world thoroughly wrapped around the seen and be seen and be seen again, only this time with a wardrobe malfunction, with hell and damnation, or something to that effect.  

The preacher made an outlandish prediction, rushing us to our "flourishing finish" without so much as a smidgen of understanding that it is not even his place to say so.  

Geesh, humans.  We are so full of ourselves, aren't we?.


The Apostle Paul was in prison, circa 61 A.D. in Rome, when he wrote a letter to the Philippians, which would ultimately become part of the greatest book for all time;  Paul called out to all believers, begging them to fear not, to trust in the Lord with all your soul, with all your might, and simply reminding God's people to keep on keepin' on with a joyful heart -- remember, all behind bars, mind you.  It was this very verse (above), right from the get-go, that was quoted by a preacher, Joel Osteen, just yesterday...


Osteen spent nearly thirty minutes, recanting stories and experiences, filling up our hearts and minds with promise, perseverance, making way for hope to endure all things, and summed it all up with this:  "If all is not well, than it's not the end."  In other words,   if you are experiencing doomsday in your own little world, take heart, for God is not finished.


And I just have to retell the story he told of a woman holding tight to her last dying wish -- to be buried with a fork in hand. just trust me. stick with me for a quick corny story, it's a good one -- 


so this woman walks into a bar, 

oopsie daisy, wrong one...

so this woman dies -- and like I said before, her last will and testimony made a strange request of a fork.  

Well, to understand this, you need some background.  For starters, this woman had lived a life revolving around her faith, her church; between quilting circles and community outreach, she spent the better part of her life centered around the joy of communing with friends, fellow congregants, and neighbors, attending god knows how many potlucks and picnics and church buffets.   She always remembered that when it came time to picking up the dinner plates, people were told to "keep your fork."  Why?  for the best part was coming right up, of course -- the dessert.  The flourishing finish to the meal, as Osteen points out.  

SO the odd culinary accessory --  to go along with the floral dress with a flared skirt, the one that didn't make her feel fat... the shoes, the one's only brought out for Sundays and special occasions... and the aqua marine earrings, her birthstone -- yes, and the same one's her husband gave to her upon their first Christmas -- there was a fork.  For the best part, you know, was coming right up.  She had it all planned out. She knew exactly where to put her trust, her faith, her hope, her life.  And truth be told, by all appearances anyway, there was never any doubt.


Oh to be that good at this thing called life.


Now, the misguided preacher may have been wrong, really wrong, but I  believe he had his heart in the right place --  but really, how good on the prediction could he really be -- after all, he is only human.  He was entirely wrong about his prediction, and now, he's got to live with that and move on, while probably facing a buffet line of snide comments and jokes for some time to come.  

All I got to say is he picked it.  
He asked for it.  
AND DON'T WE ALL when it comes to even the unappetizing side of life -- for the most part, we pick it.  we invite it in.  

Sure, sometimes, we jump in without thinking two seconds about it.   While other times, we almost search the buffet of choices over and over, dwelling on it for quite some time before sticking our spoon into something for a big, fat helping of it.  Sometimes the decision is so laborious, it seems like days go by -- should I have some of this or that?  I don't know.   What to do, What to do.  Oh the heck with it, that looks good, load me up on some of that...my mouth is watering just thinking about it...

oh my gosh, but what if it turns out to be too good to be true?  

and it was.  ew. 

But if you really think about it, this preacher is really no different than the 'global warming/cooling/depending upon as the wind blows' enthusiasts -- their predictions  (and some even by learned men/women/scientists), have all come to pass without fruition, leaving their ideas of flourishing finishes totally unanswered, and waiting in a sea of false promises like the rest of them.

Leaving us with the one and only reality worth any measure -- that a promise, or a prediction, is only as good as the one who makes it.  we are only human.  But  God is God.  Only God knows when the end of the world will be.  Only God knows the intricacies of the universe and our planet.  God can do and will do exactly what God wants when it is time.  Who are we to think we know any better.

Our only duty is to recognize how truly little we are and, at the same time -- ladled up with a heaping serving of irony on the side -- just how magnificent we can be.  It is a twisted game of eat this, not that.  Do this, not that.  Believe in this, not that.  And if everything goes to pot, to have faith -- to keep on keepin' on..

Another tidbit of good advice came from a surprising place, during an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations, which was looking a whole lot more like a home on the range.  He caught up with the avant garde living locally in Livingston, Montana -- an eclectic crowd of painters, writers, foodies and ranchers.  And one of the guys spit this wisdom out along with his favorite tabacco, saying:  "RIGHT IS RIGHT even when nobody is doing it; WRONG IS WRONG even when everybody's doing it."


The thing is, when life really feels like doomsday is upon us (and for me, and how! nothing tasty on this buffet these days) the right thing to do, the only thing to do, is focus on the things that are right, and good, and sound, and secure -- and of course, the more reliable source the better.  For, by doing so, we lift ourselves up to the Lord.  This is about all we can do to know, really know, without any doubt, that we are still -- in spite of all appearances to the contrary -- on the right path.  


For certain IS this moment --  now embracing the wisdom and real life experiences of those who have come before us marking the path, showing us the way, being the light.......  

Which could come from someone so great and wonderful as to have lived a life as an Apostle, like Paul, who had the courage to tell all the world, to write about it (and ultimately be jailed because of his faith in the end)....

.... or, perhaps, it comes from the church lady without a name and known only by the rare brand of Osteen folklore, or do I dare say, Forklore (badadump ba) which continues to live on inside each and every one of us when we are open to receive it...

.....or just maybe, it comes from a best friend through and through, who comes along to pick you up just in the nick of time reminding you, you had it in you the whole entire time... as if, all of a sudden, you are wearing Dorothy's shiny red slippers, or something...telling you to take courage, follow your faith, be the light, and just keep on keepin' on baby...a flourishing finish is in the making and at hand.

Which reminds me of something that just might be a suitable final thought for my flourishing finish :


"what we do for ourselves dies with us; 
what we do for others remains immortal."


Make it a Good Day, G

and how about that prediction from a football guy, Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens, saying basically, if there is no football, plan on a whole lot of fire and brimstone, crime sprees, total chaos in all directions.  That what he thinks will happen.  hmmm...and he might be onto something....

Friday, May 20, 2011

Dear America,



so right off the bat, from just one girl to another, I gotta get something off my chest --

Krystal, you misrepresented the truth last night, didn't you?  didn't you?
Now we all enjoy a great debate; but as we have seen in the last week, even a Newt can get caught up in a web of ideas, debate, truths and untruths, posturing and maneuvering, zigging and zagging, foot and mouth, ending with only one choice to make, making an apology.

Now really, in the great big scheme of things, it is really No Big Deal.  really.  For me, it isn't.  But I just wanted to point out that you asked us to do what I just did; I looked up "The Independent Institute" to see what I would find (because you clearly characterized this right wing, conservative website as the creator of another ad during the Obamacare debates).

First, you should have known better --  as in, so goes the name, so goes the ideology.  The Independent Institute is all about centering community dialog around INDEPENDENT thought, ideology, and political bent.  And more than that, smeared all over the pages of their website is another key word:  LIBERTARIAN.  These guys take full on pride NOT taking sides with Left or RIGHT.  Okay?

Whatever ad you saw, that they created, that you used as an example last night -- you know, the one throwing grandma out a plane during the great health care debate -- came only after reviewing all the facts on the ground.  They pride themselves at being neither left or right, democratic or republican -- because that is just how they operate, you know, being all libertarian and all.

Now, considering all of this, and considering you used this outfit, The Independent Institute, to score a rhetorical point for your side -- you might rethink your political strategies.  just sayin'.  How can an independent website, of staunch libertarian roots, serve your argument?  It can't.  And, as a matter of fact, ironically, upon your own insistence, it becomes an immediate three-pointer to the GOP.

Me thinks your crystal ball has failed to show you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

And speaking of truth -- honor -- integrity -- did you see the story about the family who returned nearly $45,000 dollars in cash to the previous owner?   Kid you not.  Picture the Ferrin family buying a house, only to venture up into the attic just after the closing and discover a treasure trove of rolled up money!  One box after another, seven of them in all.  Click into Ferrin there and get the whole story...


But can you just imagine?
More important, WWYouDo?

The comments after the article rush in with utter amazement, having realized there really are good people left among us.  Though many come with disbelief, overcome with shock and awe over the whole thing -- most simply chock it up to one big win for humanity,  giving a roaring shout out to amazing grace and a peace that passes all understanding. 

There are moments in time that capture our god-given goodness, and THIS is one of them.

There is something  Josh Ferrin, founder and father, mentioned that is worthy of repeating this morning:

"... the money wasn't ours to keep and I don't believe you get a chance very often to do something radically honest, to do something ridiculously awesome for someone else and that is a lesson I hope to teach to my children."

"radically honest"

indeed.  And isn't it sad, in this day and age, doing the right thing at this level is considered inherently radicalized behavior.  Don't get me wrong;  I love his choice of words -- bringing forth a brand new terminology that will probably be repeated 45,000 times before the day is done. I dig it wholeheartedly.  I love that he said it, I love that he showed his children the right thing to do, I love how it got the attention of Yahoo! News and so on and so on.

But look at us.  We are looking upon little old Josh as a hero for simply doing the right thing.  wow.  just how cynical, skeptical, greedy, unscrupulous, bad have we grown, people?


In my pollyanna little world, I would like to believe we are all just this good. (crazy, I know)

So just before the Krystal Ball moment on Hannity, there was a lively discussion using Caleeforneeyah's stupid Governator as it's base, on The O'Reilly Factor.  It was a blend of mixing the subjects of politics and role models in the same context (clearly, given the current environment, a misguided conversation right from the start).

The rise and fall of humanity is the same for politicians as it is for electricians, plumbers, teachers, IMF Economists, preachers, police officers, football players (sub. b-ball, golfers, etc...), and just about anyone else that breathes out CO2.  Sure, we would like to think our politicians can be honorable statesmen (women), but low and behold, we fall from grace sometimes.

Sure, maybe we are in an era where someone like Barack Obama will be looked upon as a role model for young African-American children everywhere around the world; there is that.  As he should -- after all, he is the President of the United States of America. He becomes the quintessential shining example on the hill for all of us -- left, right, and center (or libertarian, as the case may be).  BUT here's a kicker, in my mind, he doesn't just stand as a role model for black children!  But for ALL CHILDREN, of every background, of every political whim or fancy.  AS is the case for everyone on the hill....just sayin'

That is just a reality living in the public eye.  Our children are watching to see what presidents do (or try to get away with); they are watching what baseball players do (or try to get away with); they are watching what movie stars and pop icons do (or try to get away with); they are watching what police officers do (or try to get away with); they are even watching what parents, teachers and everyday citizens do (or try to get away with).

And all of a sudden we realize just about everything is magically held to a higher standard when we recognize our children might be watching.

Arnold has decided to "postpone" his re-entry onto the silver screen in order to take care of things at home.  Why?  He knows, somewhere in his great big stupid head of his, that his children are watching every move he makes.

Which brings me to my thing of the day...

...we spent a great deal of time teaching good character to our children in this country's early years. nearly every college, nearly every school, and in nearly every educational capacity from the top down, was directly or indirectly founded, erected, and fully established by our Judeo-Christian roots (and financing), and even, if a I may be so bold, attributing a vast majority of our teachings back to  THE BIBLE.

Nooooo, say it isn't so (true story, look it up).

We centered ourselves, beginning with kindergarten (maybe birth), teaching the riches and wisdom through the words and study of enlightened minds, philosophers, saints, and honorable countrymen.  And rightly so, and purposefully, used every resource made available to highlight the very teachings that made strong, self-reliant, honorable, citizens.  Over the years, America has been it's most successful adhering to the roots that made us strong --  our foundation... endowed by our Creator, etc. etc -- in community with one another.

We centered the building of this nation totally revolving around creating a nation of citizens of good character.  But not only that, teaching that that good character was already IN US,  found deep down inside each and every one of us, in equal portion, right from the start.  We learned from a very young age, that we were endowed by our Creator of rights, duties, along with the essential ingredients to pull it off -- a  loving heart, a sound mind, and built upon our very own self-reliance to be of good cheer -- and hopefully grow up to be strong, independent, good, and responsible because it was just the right the to do.

AND, moreover, it all started in the home.

And today, best represented by someone's home like Josh Ferrin's, making him just one stellar example.

The day we stop teaching God is good, we are good, and this is why and this is how, is the day America dies.  (and funny, also in the news, is a guy who says 'judgement day' happens to be tomorrow, May 21, 2011, but I digress)

Teaching our children to tell the truth (just one good thing out of many) -- whether it be in advertising, like through the use of a misguided Medicare Ad -- whether it be within the confines of a  marriage, a business, a sport, and any other activity we do -- whether we are in the "public eye" or not ... quickly rises to become the ultimate question  that should be on everybody's lips today.

Not.... wow, I can't believe he gave it back; not....wow, I can't believe she gave her girl botox; not...wow, can't believe she trusted him; not...wow, I can't believe that ad...

If we continue to look outside of ourselves, pre-occupied with the wrongdoings of everyone else but ourselves, we will have completely missed the point and the opportunity.

We have a chance to do something radically honest here in America  -- today and every day. Thank you, Josh, for reminding us in this moment of who we really are.  I know, I want to be just as good as Josh; and I want my girl to be just as good as Josh; and I want the world to be just as good as Josh.  Not once, like we only get one chance, but every single freaking day...

Make it a Good Day, G

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Dear America,



happy thursday.

at the moment my head is spinning and I'm not quite sure -- now, quickly applying something right out of my early years and nearly a decade studying ballet -- just where to turn; posing my first inquiry only to myself -- just what to use as my center, the spot searched out after every turn, to keep myself steady when spinning like a top on my toes?

first, let us just say that everything has changed.  Whatever you think is certain, is uncertain.  Whatever you think is firm foundation has been totally uprooted, catapulted up over the shoulders and now hanging into thin air, relying entirely upon the strength of something unknown.  The integrity of that which holds our fate becoming the ultimate concern and our primary consideration.

A couple of days ago, I copied a quote reprinted in The Patriot Post, and pinned it on the wall in front of me; little did I know then, that it carried the actual potential to evolve into taking center stage.  But I do believe, in this very moment, that is precisely what just happened.  God winks in mysterious ways.

This is it:
"A tyrant
must put on the appearance 
of uncommon devotion to religion.  
Subjects are less apprehensive 
of illegal treatment 
from a ruler 
whom they consider 
god-fearing and pious."  
Aristotle 
384-322 BC

brilliant. wise. beautiful beyond it's years.  Timeless. 

Like perfectly timed choreography joining with the exquisite detail of Tchaikovsky, the orchestration of every step is completely essential in the final experience.  Such is the case as the dance between Obama and the Middle East (if not also the U.S.).

In Obama's final words, not to be long forgotten, will be his continuing dismissal of our firm alliance with our Creator -- this, for the umpteenth time, and becoming just apart of the unusual subtext in every formality and capacity he moves.


“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal.
Those words must guide 
our response to the change 
that is transforming the Middle East and North Africa 
– words which tell us that repression 
will fail, that tyrants will fall, 
and that every man and woman is endowed 
with certain inalienable rights."

Of course, if you did not have the opportunity to watch the president this morning, when he specifically chose a time amenable to an audience of the Middle East, not Americans busy being busy right smack in the middle of the day, allow me to fill you in: built deep into the context and content, rose an elevated and unbelievable demand

In direct contrast of a statement only moments before, reassuring the world that the United States and it's commitment to Israel is "unshakeable,"  -- and almost immediately he renigs; he pirouettes across the international stage establishing  a brand new set of dynamics for negotiation between Palestinians and Israel.

Setting the scene, he portends the overall mood, which in turn becomes the perfect prelude to a kiss off:


"For the Palestinians, efforts to delegitimize Israel will end in failure. Symbolic actions to isolate Israel at the United Nations in September won’t create an independent state. Palestinian leaders will not achieve peace or prosperity if Hamas insists on a path of terror and rejection. And Palestinians will never realize their independence by denying the right of Israel to exist.

As for Israel, our friendship is rooted deeply in a shared history and shared values. Our commitment to Israel’s security is unshakeable. And we will stand against attempts to single it out for criticism in international forums. But precisely because of our friendship, it is important that we tell the truth: the status quo is unsustainable, and Israel too must act boldly to advance a lasting peace.

The fact is, a growing number of Palestinians live west of the Jordan River. Technology will make it harder for Israel to defend itself. A region undergoing profound change will lead to populism in which millions of people – not just a few leaders – must believe peace is possible. The international community is tired of an endless process that never produces an outcome. The dream of a Jewish and democratic state cannot be fulfilled with permanent occupation."

We are "tired of an endless process that never produces an outcome"; so let me tell you how things are going to go down from here on out  --

even though we know, 
"ultimately,
it is up to Israelis and Palestinians 
to take action. 
No peace can be imposed upon them, 
nor can endless delay make the problem go away..."
let me be clear:
"the basis of those negotiations is clear: a viable Palestine, and a secure Israel. The United States believes that negotiations should result in two states, with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, and permanent Israeli borders with Palestine. The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states. The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves, and reach their potential, in a sovereign and contiguous state."

 and what this also means:

"As for security, 
every state has the right to self-defense, 
and Israel must be able to defend itself
by itself – 
against any threat."

You, dear Israel, are on your own to defend yourself; America is siding with Palestine on this one.

And still up for negotiation:  Jerusalem and the Palestinian Refugees -- their importance evolving merely into a word, 'details'.
"That is the choice that must be made – not simply in this conflict, but across the entire region – a choice between hate and hope; between the shackles of the past, and the promise of the future. It’s a choice that must be made by leaders and by people, and it’s a choice that will define the future of a region that served as the cradle of civilization and a crucible of strife."
Typical;  so applying such logic to the new Obama Doctrine being laid out for the Middle East, if in turn you cannot agree with these terms -- all lined up in a row and standing completely ready to take a bow looking so pretty --  then maybe you're just a racist.(doink, der it is, capitalizing on G's running theme for the week)    
I mean, think about it.  He laid it all out for us; there are just two choices, okay -- hate or hope.  
Choice 'a' breeds divide; choice 'b' breeds unity -- the choice is yours to make. 
"Borders based on 1967" equates to hope; finding disagreement to those guidelines, big time hate -- clearly then, you are in no uncertain terms, shackled to the past, preoccupied with breeding more hate, and in a word, may very well be a racist.  But let's hope not, right.

Aside from the clear and present (and now oh so permanent) danger for Israel, there were moments when I thought the president introduced brilliant, salient points fit for America -- not just the Middle East.


  • But the events of the past six months show us that strategies of repression and diversion won’t work anymore. Satellite television and the Internet provide a window into the wider world – a world of astonishing progress in places like India, Indonesia and Brazil. Cell phones and social networks allow young people to connect and organize like never before. A new generation has emerged. And their voices tell us that change cannot be denied [funny, works for the young and old alike].
  • Societies held together by fear and repression may offer the illusion of stability for a time, but they are built upon fault lines that will eventually tear asunder [why America's foundation is based on life, liberty, freedom, self-reliance, independence, equal opportunity not equal outcome...].
  •  The only way forward is for the government and opposition to engage in a dialogue, and you can’t have a real dialogue when parts of the peaceful opposition are in jail [or ridiculed/stifled/called names/discredited]. The government must create the conditions for dialogue, and the opposition must participate to forge a just future.. 
  • In fact, real reform will not come at the ballot box alone. Through our efforts we must support those basic rights to speak your mind and access information. We will support open access to the Internet, and the right of journalists to be heard – whether it’s a big news organization or a blogger. In the 21st century, information is power; the truth cannot be hidden; and the legitimacy of governments will ultimately depend on active and informed citizen. [maybe a little sit down with your FCC guys and dolls is in order.]
  • America respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard, even if we disagree with them. We look forward to working with all who embrace genuine and inclusive democracy. What we will oppose is an attempt by any group to restrict the rights of others, and to hold power through coercion – not consent. [hello?  tea party enthusiasts, anyone?]
  • Prosperity also requires tearing down walls that stand in the way of progress – the corruption of elites who steal from their people; the red tape that stops an idea from becoming a business; the patronage that distributes wealth based on tribe or sect. [you know you have just defined your presidency, right?]
That might do it for now.

Too bad the message was made to go across an ocean or two; for these are the things this american girl could get awfully excited about.  How perverse is it that the very things mentioned to create a rising, powerful, prosperous democracy in the Middle East are, in nearly every instance, considered almost fighting words right here in America.  Where is the cutting of the red tape here?  Where is the open dialogue with the opposition, most commonly recognized as the Tea Party, here?  Where is the legitimacy for alternative ideology, on the internet and beyond, here?  Where is the free market, really allowed to be free, here?

"A tyrant
must put on the appearance 
of uncommon devotion to religion.  
Subjects are less apprehensive 
of illegal treatment 
from a ruler 
whom they consider 
god-fearing and pious."  
Aristotle 
384-322 BC

And just because HE (meaning, not me) has made this a prevailing issue -- by his own actions, associations, and rhetoric-- I am of the belief that a Christian President, the very faith this president believes he is and lives,  would not throw Israel to the lions.

Within this forum, and given America's relationship with Israel is shackled with an incredible history -- built upon the world stage combining long time, formidable, considerable, "unshakeable" resilience and trust with uncommon devotion -- layering the years with a sense of timelessness, interchangeable with every season, aligning with principles and values made incarnate and immaculate, going all the way back to the days of Moses -- the presumptive response would bear an unimaginable truth -- as goes Israel so goes America. 


This is an unbelievable day in the life of an american girl; and doesn't it make tomorrow, filled with a hidden agenda back behind Obama meeting with Netanyahu, all the more interesting.

Make it a Good Day, G

got to thinking, I wonder how much help the president got from Fareed Zakaria in writing his speech?  it's a fair question, considering things.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Dear America,


WHITE, STRAIGHT,
REPUBLICAN, MALE
how else can I piss you off today?

plenty.
And right now, I wish a lot of you would just STFU -- no, scratch that, make that just one of you.

Yes,  I did.
Three days in a row.
Try to keep up as it is Hat Trick Wednesday -- featuring the same beat but to a different drum.  And today, we start with Ben, as in Ben Stein:


Unbelievable.

1.) If he is such a womanizer and violent guy with women, why didn't he ever get charged until now? If he has a long history of sexual abuse, how can it have remained no more than gossip this long? France is a nation of vicious political rivalries. Why didn't his opponents get him years ago?

Using the old, well he couldn't have done this because he has never been caught doing it before; it would be one thing if the guy had a history of such behavior -- but this one time thing out of the blue -- pulleezey sleezy. Interesting approach.

2.) In life, events tend to follow patterns. People who commit crimes tend to be criminals, for example. Can anyone tell me any economists who have been convicted of violent sex crimes? Can anyone tell me of any heads of nonprofit international economic entities who have ever been charged and convicted of violent sexual crimes? Is it likely that just by chance this hotel maid found the only one in this category? Maybe Mr. Strauss-Kahn is guilty but if so, he is one of a kind, and criminals are not usually one of a kind.
Taking the common man approach --  show me a typical economist (feel free to substitute with doctor, accountant, priest, or countryman) and I'll show you an innocent man; like, "economists" don't commit rape!  ahhh seriously, Ben?

3.) The prosecutors say that Mr. Strauss-Kahn "forced" the complainant to have oral and other sex with him. How? Did he have a gun? Did he have a knife? He's a short fat old man. They were in a hotel with people passing by the room constantly, if it's anything like the many hotels I am in. How did he intimidate her in that situation? And if he was so intimidating, why did she immediately feel un-intimidated enough to alert the authorities as to her story?

Ben, really, shut up.  Because HE was unarmed?  Just a short fat old man? And you seem to have left out "naked" by the way.  What?  So she didn't say "no" loud and clear enough?   Was it in Spanish perhaps?  No means no all over the world, doncha know; as it is a universal language easily recognized and understood.


4.) Did the prosecutors really convince a judge that he was a flight risk when he was getting on a flight he had booked long beforehand? What kind of high-pressure escape plan is that? How is it a sudden flight move to get on a flight booked maybe months ago?

Okay, so because his secretary booked the flight in advance -- oh, looky there, lucky for me I am leaving the country in a matter of hours -- perhaps I could squeeze in a little bad behavior before I go?  Hmmm now what to do, what to do...  But even if the alleged crime wasn't pre-meditated, but just the spontaneous combustion upon the immediate reaction of a woman walking into his room -- somehow, applying Ben's logic, the flight risk argument evaporates into thin air because he was planning on it?  The guy is wealthy, has lots of friends, and one of them is bound to have a personal jet just hanging around -- if there was ever a guy with a flight risk...he foots the bill.

5.) Mr. Strauss-Kahn had surrendered his passport. He had offered to stay in New York City. He is one of the most recognizable people on the planet. Did he really have to be put in Riker's Island? Couldn't he have been given home detention with a guard? This is a man with a lifetime of public service, on a distinguished level, to put it mildly. Was Riker's Island really the place to put him on the allegations of one human being? Hadn't he earned slightly better treatment than that? Any why compare him with a certain pedophile from France long ago? That man had confessed to his crime. Mr. Strauss-Kahn has not confessed to anything.

  ...love the part  "based on allegations of one human being."  Guessing before he's done we should be lucky Stein is actually referring to her as human.  Discrediting the victim coming right up...

6.) People accuse other people of crimes all of the time. What do we know about the complainant besides that she is a hotel maid? I love and admire hotel maids. They have incredibly hard jobs and they do them uncomplainingly. I am sure she is a fine woman. On the other hand, I have had hotel maids that were complete lunatics, stealing airline tickets from me, stealing money from me, throwing away important papers, stealing medications from me. How do we know that this woman's word was good enough to put Mr. Strauss-Kahn straight into a horrific jail? Putting a man in Riker's is serious business. Maybe more than a few minutes of investigation is merited before it's done.

"love and admire hotel maids" to "on the other hand...complete lunatics, stealing...stealing...and more stealing..."

7.) In this country, we have the presumption of innocence for the accused. Yet there's my old pal from the Ron Ziegler/ Richard Nixon days, Diane Sawyer, anchor of the ABC Nightly News, assuming that Mr. Strauss-Kahn is guilty. Right off the bat she leads the Monday news by saying that Mr. Strauss-Kahn is in Riker's... "because one woman stood her ground..." That assumes she's telling the truth and he's guilty. No such thing has been proved and it's unfortunate for ABC to simply assume that an accusation is the same as a conviction. Maybe he's in jail because one person didn't tell the truth. I don't know one way or the other, but I sure know that there has been no conviction yet.

presumption of innocence -- unless you happen to be this hotel maid.  I mean, "I don't know one way or the other" -- so why, then, is your mouth moving?

 8.) In what possible way is the price of the hotel room relevant except in every way: this is a case about the hatred of the have-nots for the haves, and that's what it's all about. A man pays $3,000 a night for a hotel room? He's got to be guilty of something. Bring out the guillotine.

Exactly -- because he IS a man with means (funny, just like you Ben); men with means have been known to weasel out of all kinds of things -- pay people off, escape a country, send in the big guns, orchestrate a coup.  It happens every day; it is may be a minor detail to you, Ben, but to the rest of us it is duly noted and considered as just part of the character building of a man I am guessing nobody really knows -- unless you are Strauss-Kahn.

Just before parting the blogosphere you add: "But, so far, he's innocent, and he's being treated shamefully."

Shamefully?  Earth to Ben, the guy is just being booked and jailed on suspicion of raping a woman just like every other low life in New York City.  Kudos to the police chief and the entire band of civil servants looking out for those of us of questionable means,  protecting the common, ordinary people -- like the maid, for one.

Making eight unbelievable declarations -- making oh so certain that the good old boy bias is alive and well -- for a man he admits he does not even know.  That is simply astounding. Now, on many things money related, I think Ben is swell; but if I may give up my last two cents -- cause that's about all I got -- it might behoove you, BennyBoy, to shut your mouth now.  and I will do the same.

white, straight, republican, male  -- and this one not very bright today -- what a big fat disappointment and a disgrace.


Make it a Good Day, G