Americanpolitics

Sarah Palin, Fox News, Fort Hood, Oath Keepers are they all signs of our times. If these are examples of where America is heading, we are definitely going down some dangerous roads leading to what could be the destruction of the United States of America.

Sarah Palin is a detriment to America with her lies, denials and attention seeking personality. Sarah Palin is a small town girl with the narcissistic desire to be in the lime light regardless of how she gets there. Once she gained national attention she was awe struck by the applause and at this point her need for that applause, that attention continues to grow.

While she posed for the picture recently posted on the cover of Newsweek, the original pictures were taken for another magazine called Runner’s World in August of 2009, noting the fact that she was a runner. Palin allowed herself to be posed with the American flag draped over a chair as she stands in spandex shorts with full insight of the way the media works after having been, according to her, “bashed” by the media in her run for vice-president.

Now she is in an uproar about Newsweek’s use of the photo in a discussion regarding her relevance as a political figure, calling it a sexist attack on her. As a “political figure” she should have known better than to pose for such a picture.

If she did not want the photos released, she should not have had them taken under any circumstances in light of her previous exposure in the media. She can not be that naive and if she is that naïve then is she a good candidate for President of the United States or any other public figure representative?

Fox News, not only under fire for its controversial anchors, the lies the station allows to be aired, but now, for the second time in less than two weeks they have been accused of airing misleading video.

In an attempt to give a recent protest, held in Washington, DC, more clout than it deserved, Hannity rolled a video shot of a previous rally. Bolstering the current rally as having a large turnout but showing footage from a previous rally where the turnout was impressive.

They were called on this misleading footage by The Daily show which noted the rapid change in seasons which was an indication that the footage being shown was not, as indicated by Fox News, current.

Less than two weeks later, they attempted to give the impression that the people lining up for Sarah Palin’s book signing in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was huge by airing a segment of a 2008 McCain/Palin campaign rally indicating the turnout was for the book signing.

In both instances, Fox has apologized and cited a production error as the cause of the mistake, but was this another of Fox’s ploys, used deliberately to mislead the public? One mistake is understandable, two in less than two weeks is suspicious, to say the least. It has me wondering just how frequently this has happened in the past unbeknownst to the gullible, unsuspecting public.

The reluctance of the United States Government to confirm the attack on Fort Hood as a terroristic act amazes me. Just like Army personnel lived in denial regarding Hasan’s behavior, so too are they now attempting to put this horrific incident on “work place violence” alone. Yes, it is work place violence to the degree that it happened in the workplace but by the same token it is a terroristic act based on Hasan’s associations, rhetoric, beliefs and actions.

While you can not blame all Muslims for the acts of one individual, you can call the attack on Fort Hood what it is, a terroristic attack on United States soil in an effort to stop deployment of military personnel to join the fight against Muslim extremist, based on the facts that have been uncovered, the beliefs of the shooter, the contacts he made prior to the attack and the specific area he chose to attack.

Paranoia, hate, fear and ignorance are what fuels the militia group called The Oath Keepers. Founded in March of 2009, shortly after the inauguration of the first black president of the United States, they believe the worse threat this nation faces is not terrorists but it is the government of the United States.

Although they are in denial about what motivates them, they believe strongly that the mission of the United States government is to disarm them and vehemently proclaim “Not On My Watch” to those who think they will be able to deprive them of their constitutional right to bear arms.

Even though this is not the only threat they perceive the government guilty of, for they believe that the government oversteps many constitutional boundaries, their aim is to curb federal power and they pledge to prevent dictatorship in the United States.

I am left shaking my head in dismay and wondering, am I the only one in this country who sees the perilous road we are streaking down. Are we on a mission of deceit symbolized by our refusal to see things as they truly are for the sake of political correctness? Are we so confused by lies that truth is an allusion even when it is smacking you in the face?

Is it easier to believe a lie because we have been lied to for so long by those in power? It’s a sad state of affairs that I am viewing. While everyone keeps asking the question of how the Fort Hood incident could happen, my question becomes how could any of this confusion and madness be happening here in America. How can the lies be believed so easily? How could the intention to mislead take over so completely? How can we reach a positive outcome with so much negativity swirling around?

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

America The Last Best Hope 1

Picture courtesy of AP

Thirteen people dead, 38 injured on Fort Hood Army Base and the question arises “how could this happen?” The obvious answer is that with the ease and availability of the purchase of firearms in America, anyone with the right credentials can walk into a store, buy a gun and Army Maj. Nidal M. Hasan, a psychiatrist, had the right credentials and his gun of choice is called a “cop killer” because of the ease in which the bullets penetrates body armor.

In the midst of attempting to find a psychological answer to the question of “how could this happen” a Florida man walks into an office where he had been fired two years ago and opens fire, killing one person and wounding five others while others attempt to imply that the Fort Hood tragedy may have been a result of repeated deployments to war zones.

While you can attach as much psycho babble to the cause of both of these deadly incidents, in an effort to explain why this happened, the real culprit is the fact that Americans feel strongly about their “fundamental right” to bear arms not caring that this fundamental right leads to mass homicide whenever someone gets angry enough to seek revenge, real or imagined, walk into a place where people are plentiful and simply open fire, killing indiscriminately.

Another question that has been posed is “were there signs that the Fort Hood Major was capable of this violent act?” The real truth of the matter is that you will never know exactly what is churning in someone else’s mind unless you are a proven mind reader and how many people carry this distinction of being a mind reader? Hindsight does not count and that’s the only thing you are left with after a tragedy like this happens.

Now that Maj. Hasan has committed this heinous crime, the look back has provided some indications that he may have had serious issues with being in the military, his first time deployment to Iraq/Afghanistan and based on the things being said, in his face, about his heritage, being of Jordanian descent, which I believe he did experience. The reality is that even if he were sent to Iraq/Afghanistan, he would not have been in battle but instead been part of the support services for combat soldiers.

The ugly thing about the negative things said about his heritage is that if someone talks about your weight, you can lose weight, if someone talks about how ugly you are, you can get plastic surgery, get a hair weave, wear some makeup and change your look. However, your religion and your race are “fundamental” parts of who you are.

While you may be able to change your religion, although your religious beliefs are the beliefs that guide you in life, you can never change your race, your heritage, the skin you were born in and if you are proud of the race you are and your religious beliefs the anger that builds when those things are criticized, cuts deep.

Now in no way am I condoning Hasan’s actions; he had options. He could have just as easily gone AWOL, fled to his Jordan or any other foreign country that he, as a Muslim, felt comfortable in. He could have sought psychological help since obviously he believed in the method of psycho analysis since that is the career field of his choice. He could have killed himself rather than killing others but instead he chose to take the lives of innocents.

Only in hindsight, which does not prevent an act, can you look upon the causes that may have lead to this incident because even though he showed signs of discontent, it was never so clear that he would actually go to the extremes that he went to in an attempt to be “heard.” Even as the video images of him in the neighborhood Convenience Store, chatting and smiling as he made his purchase did not allude to what was actually churning in his mind – several hours later he was shooting and killing those around him.

The bottom line is that you can label him crazy, punish him for his crimes but if he had not had easy access to the firepower, the guns that he carried, there is a bigger possibility that he would not have been able to commit this act of terrorism on the men and women of the United States Army regardless of what type of inner turmoil he was going through and even though he was on a military base where guns are plentiful.

The irrational saying that “guns don’t kill, people kill” used to justify this fundamental right to bear arms, has been proven time and time again to be an idiotic play on words that covers the real dangers of the “right to bear arms” being exercised here in America. Until you get to the core of the problem, these acts of violence will continue and increase and no amount of psycho babble will change this fact.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

As our allies in Israel watch and rejoice, the Middle East will become the downfall of America. Now maybe this was the plan all along and maybe it was not but it seems that Israel’s mission with the constant attacks on Gaza/Palestine and America’s support of the violence has created a level of madness that has inspired a hate that is proving to be stronger than the fear America feels toward Israel; this “fear” of Israel goes back to the beginning of mankind and only through a look at that beginning can we understand where we are today.

The fear I speak of is not even a conscience fear but a fear born out of the concept of “God’s people” which are the Israelites. From history/the stories in the Bible, the God of the Israelites proved himself to be the strongest, most powerful God. While there are those who insist that we do not combine religion and politics, these are just words we as a nation use to appease those who would truly have us view this nation as being built not on religious values but on the hopes and dreams of man.

Now without getting off into a serious history lesson, on some levels I feel Israel has a lot to do with the attitude in the Middle East and America’s blind support of Israel has made us the enemy as well. I am not saying that I am against Israel, however from my understanding of the Bible, it was God’s people who eventually killed Jesus – so it was written, so did it happen.

Myself, I am a Jesus freak. I, for the most part, claim to understand His teachings and the love He had for his people as well as any people that believed. This love is what He wanted to share with the world and on many levels He attempted to explain the concept to his people.

However, at the time of His appearance on earth, His people needed a warrior, someone to lead them in a physical confrontation with their oppressors. This was not who Jesus was and in the end, because of the confusion of His people, the Israelites, He died on the cross at their request.

Now if you were responsible for the death of someone as great as Jesus how could you therefore claim him as your savior? How could you live with the thought that you had your savior killed? This is a heavy burden, one destined to create a lack of the knowledge he attempted to spread. Without that knowledge, Jesus could not be in your heart and your deeds will most definitely reflect the absence of Jesus in your hearts.

So it is with Israel and by our blind support of Israel, so it is with us and out of this blind support of Israel and the ugliness Israel perpetrates against a separate nation of people we have aligned ourselves with Israel and become an enemy of those who hate Israel; an enemy that is becoming more and more desperate, more and more violent who are willing to strap on bombs and commit murderous suicide for the “cause” as a means to be heard and recognized.

Now it is obvious, to me, these militants, no more than Israel, has Jesus in their hearts but you have to ask yourself do they have a legitimate reason for their violence. I say on some levels, yes, even if it is only in their minds. However, while some of it may be in their minds, some of it is based on real losses, real anger as a result of the losses. This anger has simmered, over time, and has boiled into rage and hate because it has been left unattended throughout the history of mankind.

Hate is irrational, hate is vengeful, hate is violent and that’s where we are now. Iraq, Afghanistan and now there is a serious war in Pakistan. Pakistan holds the power of nuclear weapons and the potential of the sights seen in Nostradamus’ predictions.

As the “enemy” advances in the violent takeover of Pakistan the very real possibility exists that those nuclear weapons will fall into the hands of people who think nothing of dying for their cause; people who view their cause as righteous, people who believe their God is on their side.

Is it too late for positive communications? Has the hate they feel for the wrongs committed against them grown too strong? Are they feeling cocky with the power of their God leading them to victory in the region of Afghanistan pushing them onward to Pakistan where true power can be achieved?

I think its past time to recognize that unless something is done, besides the violence of a military surge in Afghanistan, the predictions of Nostradamus will become a reality that we will all have to deal with.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Great Leader Great Teacher

The thing with Rush Limbaugh is that he has that slave owner mentality. He claims he is not racist but his remarks, what he lets fall out of his mouth, tells a different story. While he probably never owned slaves when the time was ripe, he undoubtedly, sees this as his opportunity, to own him some blacks, who would be obligated to do his bidding and make his money. Blacks have had enough white folks making money on their blood, sweat and tears for all eternity.

If the NFL allows this, they are not only showing their disrespect for blacks but they are taking giant steps backwards. People should be held accountable for the things they let fall out of their mouths and Rush has too many negative things rolling out of his mouth about blacks, the President of the United States and anything else he feels will cause an uproar or divisions in this society.

Now the argument could be made that he just says these things for ratings but I say those things he says come from his heart otherwise they would not flow so frequently without remorse.

He has shown himself to be very un-American; a person who causes division and dissention, based on race, on a continuous basis within America and football is an American sport, played primarily by black athletes. Personally, I dislike the man and what he represents in American society and that’s my clean version of what I think about Rush.

To reward this monster by allowing him to become even a part owner in something as American as a football team, after all that he has said about blacks in this society, would be a slap in the face to blacks, to football and mostly to the American concept of justice, diversity, unity, discrimination, loyalty to country and dignity to name a few of the concepts Rush is on the opposite end of.

Just the thought makes me want to boycott football, start collecting names to prevent Rush from achieving this goal as so many blacks have been prevented from reaching their goals but I say to myself if this is the only way to prevent him from becoming part owner of something as American as football, after all he has said, then it is not just Rush with the problem, it is the NFL as well, it is America at large and it is a sad commentary on just how far we have come.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Break Free: Download

Moammar Gadhafi’s visit to the United States demonstrated, to many, America’s attitude of superiority as some members of the audience rudely got up and walked out. I must be a true militant/revolutionary at heart because even though I viewed Gadhafi as somewhat erratic, as well as a bit comical, in his performance at the U.N. General Assembly meeting, I could not discount all of his words.

I do however put him on the same level I put Charles Manson – a person who rants about injustices for justifications of wrongs he has committed but inside the rants are truly words of wisdom as well. Color me crazy right along with the two of them but there is truth in their madness, however just when they are beginning to make sense they both take wide turns and go off the deep end before coming back to a reality that I can relate to.

Now truth be told, I was at work during most of his tirade but when I got home and turned on the television Gadhafi was at the point of tossing some book over his shoulder for emphasis and drama. He went on to discuss the situation between Israel and Gaza saying that the two state idea was in essence, a ridiculous idea. He cites that there is a large population of Israelis living in Gaza and goes on to say that Israelis and Palestinians are the same people and should learn to get along as such.

Never were there truer words spoken regarding the situation in that region, as right now the United States is attempting to force Israel out of Gaza, prohibiting the building of settlements, by Israel, in Gaza. This is not happening nor is Israel viewing this as something they want to do; it is time to stop the childishness over there and accept the fact that a true change of attitude is what is needed to the tune of “Can’t we all just get along.”

Though Gadhafi may have been a bit offensive in some of his rants as well as a little paranoid in his conspiracy theories, some of the conspiracy theories were relevant as far as I am concerned only to the extent that they are all possibilities that I have heard discussed in earnest by otherwise intelligent people.

Since I did not watch all of his speech, the speech loses something in the translation and the news media simply plays portions that show most clearly Gadhafi’s erratic behavior so as to solidify the assumption that he is crazy, I can only make comments on what I saw for myself.

Fareed Zakaria, from CNN interviewed Gadhafi regarding the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. While Gadhafi did not claim ownership of that disaster nor in simple words say he was sorry, he did allude to the feeling that this was a tragedy and that anyone hearing such a story could not help but to be affected by what had happened.

The outrage that Rick Sanchez showed – righteous indignation is a better word - was a bit over the top. War is hell, innocent people die, revenge is sought and things happen. The Bible states “let he who is without sin, cast the first stone” – I say America has been a terrorist in more than one instance and lives were lost. I say America is still in Afghanistan, as well as Iraq – they were not invited, innocent people are dying and both wars continue.

I say if the women who lost a brother on Pan Am flight 103 can forgive the situation and come on CNN to talk to Rick Sanchez about her role in dealing with the Libyan people in an effort to bridge attitudes regarding this incident, who are we to continue to pass negativity around regarding this incident and the freeing of the one person convicted of the crime.

I say righteous indignation, arrogance and the bully mentality need to stop with the people of America for we are, in some cases, just as guilty of the crimes we accuse others of. I say claim your own mistakes before you attempt to make others claim theirs.

Following this Rick Sanchez segment on Gadhafi’s refusal to say simply “I’m sorry” was a segment that showed Marines who are suffering and dying from breast cancer because of a situation they encountered while living on Camp Lejeune military base.

Even though the toxins were known to exist in the water, even though people are suffering from this exposure to the toxins these military/former military personnel are being denied treatment from the VA.

No one has told them they are sorry, no one has even claimed the possibility that the water could have done this; no one is showing support to men who have fought for this country and are now suffering as a result of extreme negligence.

I say practice what you preach. Act in ways that you would have others act towards you. I say end the righteous indignation, for you are neither righteous nor without guilt of being, yourself, terrorist on some levels.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

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Like the sheep in a flock, how easily are you lead - the time of testing is drawing closer. Blurring the lines between politics and religion is taking another step as NIV seeks to change some gender terms in the Bible in order to become more “politically correct.”

While NIV claims these revisions to the Bible will be made to reflect changes in English usage and advances in Biblical scholarship, making the Bible accurate, accessible and creating a Bible that speaks to its readers in a language they can understand, I say that when you begin changing the words to suit individual needs the original message is lost.

The King James Version of the Bible, for me, moves the spirit in a way that the NIV Bible does not and this is primarily because of the word choices NIV has incorporated into their Bible.

Words have spirit. Words can touch your soul in unbelievable ways and they can have different meanings for different people. At one point when I went through my journey through the Bible and expressed my lack of comprehension to the flow of the words in the King James Version, I was directed to the NIV version of the Bible.

What I found, paragraph for paragraph, is that the NIV version did not have the same impact on me as the King James Version had, based on the chosen words of NIV. In the King James Version of the Bible, there are implicit instructions not to alter the wording but for me, this is exactly what the NIV version has done and intends further, to alter the wording, therefore the meaning, with its gender-inclusive changes.

Critics make the argument that changing the Bible to be gender-inclusive twists meaning and lends to political correctness while supporters say gender-inclusiveness are more accurate and makes the Bible more accessible.

For me personally, the words written in the Bible are not up for changing to meet the needs of the people because the Bible is about meeting the requirements of God. Changing the words to go with the times is changing the impact of God’s words and is morally wrong.

Through my difficulties of understanding the King James Version, I prayed to God to give me understanding and eventually I got through the King James Version with a pretty good understanding of words that touched my heart and stirred my spirit and therefore the King James Version is my personal preference.

While all you Bible thumping, judgmental, anti-Christ fearing people, with hate ruling your very existence, are running around accusing Obama of being the anti-Christ or conversely the second coming of Christ, by showing how easily you are manipulated and allowing the words of the Bible to be altered to fit your needs, you are opening the door wide and welcoming, with open arms the personification of the “anti-Christ” of your fears.

Originally published in 1978, the NIV Bible, with its changes to scripture, has since sold more than 300 million copies. Now 26 years later, with a publishing date of 2011, they again want to make changes to the wording in the Bible for the sake of the people.

Gradually, they will have you believing what they want you to believe about the creation of mankind and God’s law, setting the stage for the true anti-Christ to enter and wreak havoc unto your lives. But I guess you can look at this as “so it is written, so shall it be” there is no escaping what is to come.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

When will we learn the story of big business and how it eventually allows greed to become its main goal? Co-ops in medicine have a very real probability of becoming the next big business here in America, if Republicans have their way.

Co-ops in medical care would allow for individuals to bid on which medical coverage they want; allowing you to become “share holders” in the medical arena depending on which bids are accepted. This would also supposedly, allow you to share the cost of medical care with people across America.

All of the details of this are not clear since it is a work in progress, however it does not feel like such a great option because choosing a medical plan is complicated enough, sometimes, without adding another step of bidding. Plus, it would take time to implement this program. This does not allow for everyone to be covered it just gives you an option of coverage, IF your bid is acceptable.

We have seen it with the housing market, banks, car manufacturers, insurance companies, all taken to a level of greed that has damaged our economy to the level we are currently at, yet we have not learned from those mistakes and are seriously considering, following the Republican lead, and rallying around co-ops in medicine.

This option feels shady to me. At least with a “public option” more control can be maintained over expenses and more people could be covered, although this is also based on choice since the availability will be there at a savings of 10-20 percent cheaper than other policies. For a family of four that is not a really big savings but I guess some savings would be better than no savings. Public options could also eventually lead to single payer providers.

Although Obama attempted to point you in the direction of reality, by saying the public option was merely a sliver of the totality of the 11 hundred page proposed bill but was getting 90 percent of news coverage, those in opposition of the bill cite this as a make or break point to the legislation.

One of the aims of the bill is to cover those people who are currently not covered by medical insurance. The question you should be asking yourselves is; will co-ops serve this purpose in the best way?

Based on the process of co-ops, I would say no and furthermore, I would venture to say that over time it would have more of a possibility to increase cost of medical insurance as bids become more and more inflated, unless caps were put on the amounts to use as bids.

A second aim of the reform is to drive cost down. Co-ops are not proven, actually, to drive cost down, nor are public options so in the end you have to wonder why out of 11 hundred pages, this has become the big issue that it has become unless it is just being used by the opposition to create confusion and division.

Caught between a rock and a hard spot, with Republicans saying they will not pass the bill if a public option is in and Democrats, who support the bill, saying they will not pass a bill without a public options, it is time to move on to Plan B.

Plan B seems to be forgetting bipartisan participation and pushing the bill through with 51 votes instead of the 60 vote requirement, under normal circumstances. This could be a make or break plan of action to take by Obama and his Administration.

If the plan passes, goes into effect and is successful in the mission of reducing health care costs, providing health care to those who are not currently covered and runs smoothly, Obama wins and wins big and Republicans are left looking transparently stupid.

On the other hand, if these things do not happen, Obama ends up carrying the burden of a failed plan of action and Republicans, who are already too full of themselves, will get the opportunity to say, “I told you so” and gloat at the failure.

Whatever the decision, make it quick because all of this debate and division is not good for the people or the country and quite frankly, I’m tired and bored with the discussion that is going no where as I watch the lies build and the rage and fear increase.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Correction: “Bid” as in co-ops could mean a verbalized claim to a particular health care coverage not necessarily a “choice” in payment. This just dawned on me after I wrote this post so I will research just what “Bid” means in relationship to co-ops.

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Citing, among other irrational claims, his rights to free speech and the violation of his civil rights and due process, Officer Justin Barrett has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Boston police department, the Commissioner and Mayor, with a hope of delaying his separation hearing. After his “banana eating jungle monkey” comments in reference to the arrest of Professor Gates, Officer Barrett was stripped of his gun and badge and put on paid administration leave pending the outcome of this termination hearing.

While he adamantly insists that he did not mean to offend anyone, just three short months ago the picture of the ape (symbolic of Obama’s/Obama himself, stimulus bill) being shot by a police officer drew widespread controversy as being inappropriate as well as offensive. How Officer Barrett can say he did not mean to offend with his words is beyond me.

Officer Barrett has also been suspended by the Massachusetts National Guard and the Mayor of Boston, Tom Menino, has said that Barrett should be fired.

While legally, he does have the right to free speech, as a police officer he also has a responsibility to the people he serves and his choice of words demonstrates his lack of respect for the black community at large and Professor Gates specifically. Boston Commissioner, Ed Davis, in a press conference held stated:

“The Boston Police Department has a top to bottom commitment to community policing. Community policing is based on trust. This type of venomous rhetoric is severely damaging. Maintaining our community relationships is paramount to our mission to serve the citizens of Boston… Officer Barrett’s actions do not comply with those expectations.”

Commissioner Davis also states, “Barrett’s email was racist and inflammatory. These racist opinions and feelings have no place in this department or in our society and will not be tolerated.”

For Officer Barrett to think on any level that his words would not have an effect on the general public was insanity on his part. To think that a simple apology would be all that was needed to correct the situation is unrealistic.

Officer Barrett is in the business of a public servant and the words he chooses to use are relevant whether he is on duty or off duty. To allow him to remain on the job would be a complete injustice not only to the people of Boston but to people across America.

How he feels justified in his law suit simply demonstrates his character as well as his belief that what he said was not “intended” to be offensive. If he believes that his statements should not have been taken as offensive this also speaks loudly about his thought process and his thought process is instrumental in being an effective police officer.

Bottom line, he did this to himself yet he can not even accept responsibility for his actions. He needs to accept his fate and move on because any way you look at it he was wrong. In his article to the Globe, Barrett even launches into a sexist assault on Yvonne Abraham, the author of the article he was responding to saying that she was “a hot little bird” and that she had “no business writing for a U.S. newspaper” instead she should “serve him coffee and donuts.”

Barrett has issues, issues that should prevent him from carrying a weapon, issues that should prevent him from ever working in law enforcement again. See complete text of his assault here.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

The Biggest Loser: Guy Kit

The Preamble of the Constitution of the United States of America reads as follows:

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Justice – impartiality, evenhandedness, righteousness

Domestic Tranquility – harmony of nation’s internal affairs, calm on the home front

Welfare – wellbeing; happiness; a condition with respect to health, safety, happiness or prospering.

Blessings – approval or good wishes; help believed to come from God or another deity.

Liberty – freedom; right to choose, think or act without being constrained by necessity of force.

Freedom of Speech gives you the right to say what you feel but like any other freedom, obviously, it has its dark side that is coming to light with a vengeance in the attempt to discredit and disrespect the President of the United States – transparency is succeeding in more ways than one. Freedom of speech is, to a large degree, negating the very preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America.

I have never seen the amount of propaganda directed at any president, as I have with the first Black President of this so called great country. At this point I am questioning the “greatness” of this country as well as the intent of those who spread the propaganda.

Woodrow T. Wilson once said, “I have always been among those who believed that the greatest freedom of speech was the greatest safety, because if a man is a fool the best thing to do is to encourage him to advertise the fact by speaking.”

While this definitely holds true in our society today, I also recognize, with “freedom of speech” running rampant via blogs and social media venues, that there are a lot of fools out there and that’s a scary realization.

Soren Kierkegaard, who is generally recognized as the first existentialist philosopher, once said, “People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.”

It is obvious to me, by the things being said against President Obama, the words of ignorance spoken in the presence of a “teachable moment” that occurred recently and the verbalized desire that the President fail, that while freedom of speech is running rampant, there is very little thought behind the words and even less truth behind the words – but this is ok because as long as people are exercising their “freedom of speech” lies are not relevant only the freedom to spread the lies is relevant.

So let me get this straight in my head. I have the right to verbalize and spread any irrational, untruth to whomever I feel, knowing that there could be grave consequences to the lies I spread and the irreconcilable damages I may subject others to, based on the lies I tell.

Yet, if these same irrational, liars decide that I do not have the right to choose abortion, if I feel this is not the time for me to have a baby, they have the last word; these same irrational, liars think they can dissuade me from taking a lover/partner of the same sex because they deem it “not right”; these same irrational, liars feel they can take away my choices, on a very personal level, but feel totally justified in the spreading of lies through the concept of “freedom of speech” with the intent of creating division, hate and violence but that’s ok.

Finally, Hansell B. Duckett once said, “What this country needs is more free speech worth listening to.” Never have truer words been uttered and as far back as maybe 20 B.C, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, a Greek Historian once said, “Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent.”

Where are the lines on freedom drawn and who determines what is “right” for me, the individual. If I am not permitted to make my own decisions regarding my own body, for there was a time I, being female, could not make the decision to get my tubes tied without the consent of my husband and the conversation regarding abortion still rages with those against abortion willing to take a life, to prevent the taking of a life – is this irrational or what?

Even though I am straight, there are many who are not “straight” (even that term is twisted, with connotations of not being quite right – it implies a state of being “warped” “perverted” or “crooked”), so who gives the majority the right to make the decision, for me, regarding who I choose as a life partner or my sexual preference, in my own life, in an attempt to determine, for me, a personal decision on who is allowable to be my life partner.

There are those who are still intent on choosing, for blacks, where they can work and live. Although this is more veiled than overt, the cycle manifests itself in the inequalities of employment causing a disparaging difference in the amount of money I can make, limiting my availability to live where I choose.

Just like the “fundamental right” to bear arms has gotten out of control, so too has freedom of speech; when freedom of speech is tinged with propaganda, lies, distortions, misrepresentations, control, manipulations you become no better than the communists and dictators of other countries.

Freedom of speech should come with responsibilities to truth or at least well thought out, researched, commentary but like all “freedoms” people take them, as they are taking free speech, a step further than they need to and the reigning in of freedoms begins. I pity the person with no internal controls, no rational thought processes, no morality, no sense of right and wrong, lies and truth.

Everybody cries free speech but everyone is not willing to allow free speech when that free speech does not coincide with what they think or feel. When I voice my opinions, based on my experiences as a Black American, I am called a racist by some white Americans who take what I say personally, as though I am speaking directly to them and them alone (me thinks you protest too much).

When I use the term “white American” in a collective sense, those who are most guilty are offended by my use of this collective term as though I am assaulting them personally, I am judged and harassed by those same people, exerting their “freedom of speech” who use the terms Liberals, Democrats, Republicans, Conservative, etc., in the same “collective” manner.

I pity those who, themselves, are easily persuaded, manipulated and controlled under the guise of “freedom,” like the American people are demonstrating they are every time they open their mouths, pick up a pen or type on their keyboards, demonstrating, in the words of Woodrow Wilson their capacity, no more than capacity – it’s more a need, to advertise their foolishness.

I pity those who sit in their little glass houses showing me how narrow minded and truly racist they are by attempting to project their racism back at me by taking personal, my words instead of recognizing the concept of “collective” they use in their decriptions of others the way I use white Americans “collectively.”

Even when I say some white Americans, it does not matter because those that are most racist will still attempt to project that racist attitude on to me. It is ok for you to group people, but when you are part of the ones being grouped you show your indignation with name calling and projection.

You do not have a clue - keep writing and showing your foolishness because if no one else sees you for who you are I do. You can not have it both ways, either you believe in free speech, where I am equally entitled as well as you, or forfeit your rights to spread your lies and your ability to “collectively group.”

And that’s the way I see it!!!

Current/Future Hiro Bobblehead

Homegrown terrorist are being exposed at an alarming rate here in America. The most recent group was arrested several days ago in North Carolina. Seven men including a father and his two sons were arrested for conspiring to murder, kidnap, maim and injure people overseas, as well as providing material support to terrorists.

June 2009, Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, a 24-year old Arkansas resident was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and 15 additional counts of engaging in terrorists acts after opening fire on an occupied building at a military recruiting facility.

June 2009, Adam Gadahn, an American al-Qaeda member who sent a message via video criticizing Obama’s “deceptive, false and sugarcoated words” in his inaugural address and his speech in Turkey, earlier this year. Gadahn speaks of his own American citizenship as “shameful.”

June 2009 David Williams with three other co-defendants Laguerre Payen, James Cromitie and Onta Williams pleaded not guilty to a federal indictment that accused them of conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction in their plot to blow up Synagogues in Bronx, New York.

Late last year, three Somali-American students dropped out of college to return to Somali to answer the call of Jihad. One of the men blew himself up in Somalia, becoming the first known American suicide bomber. Since that time more than 20 young Somali-Americans have also answered that call.

Summer of 2001, Six Yemeni-Americans from Buffalo, New York traveled to Pakistan and Afghanistan to attend an al-Qaeda training camp. Arrested by the FBI, they became a “conquest” of George W. Bush as he hyped the arrest in his State of the Union address in 2002. Although most was just hype, what the Lackawanna six eventually were charged with and plead guilty to was, “material support of terrorism.”

Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, Ted Kaczynski the Unabomber, anti-abortion terrorist (too numerous to name), William Krar and Judith Bruey who had ties to white supremacist groups were arrested with the makings for a sodium cyanide bomb capable of killing thousands. The list seems to go on and on.

Hate seems to be more contagious than any emotion experienced and groups like al-Qaeda, Skin Heads, KKK, the Taliban, gang warfare in neighborhoods across America have a tendency to incorporate, a need to belong, religious views of perfection with the knowledge of basic discontent or a grievance real or perceived (killing of Muslims or power to a white world, respect/territory) to recruit and manipulate the minds of a growing number of discontented, weak minded people.

Where will this hate take us? It seems that in communities all across America there is a threat of violence; people living amongst us who are secretly honing their skills and ready to kill; growing hate inside them based on the irrational thought process hate brings about.

Does this give you cause to pause and think about the hate you allow to flow through your body and spew from your mouths with an ease that is learned and perfected over time? It should – STOP THE HATE!!!

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Topsider Stilettos