I will try to be "short-winded" today. I am just mad enough, I am typing with one finger to keep my words from getting away from me.
Listening to the TV and radio today, get ready to hear about one of two scenarios.
Senate Democrats have "overcome the stubborn Republican fixation on Obamacare and SAVED the USA from a Government shutdown" or, "Republican extremists in the House of Representatives have shut the USA down, in the fixation on defunding the Law of the Land, Obamacare".
Why does this make me mad? Misleading political maneuvering. That's why. If you believe for a second that our President and the Democrat leaders in the Senate wanted to avoid a government shut-down, you are mistaken. How can I make this claim? Look back at the series of Continuing Resolutions sent by the House over to the Senate, which funded, at current levels, EVERY other department, but defunded Obamacare. IT IS THE SENATE DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE OPTED TO SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT, if the Republicans don't cave on Obamacare.
Now, to be fair (as much as possible), I would love to hear from any whose health care issues are showing dramatic improvement due to Obamacare. Please tell us your story! For every one who has actual, personal financial improvement in the daily health care concerns, due to Obamacare, I bet we can find you 4 or 5 who are already feeling the damage caused by this Monstrosity being rammed, crammed, blasted down our throats.
I'll detail our "Obamacare improvements" in another post in the next day or so.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Integrity
I have had things happen with teenagers in my life over the past few weeks (to say nothing of the ongoing mess in DC) that has made me think about integrity.
What is it? What does the word mean? When do we "become"...........OK, no adjective form. When do we start to show it?
Webster's defines it as "firm adherance to a code of especially moral or artistic values." also " the quality or state of being complete or undivided". I thought long and hard about the additional definition of "an unimpaired condition".
As a matter of fact, I thought about it so long, I fell asleep for awhile. (Sorry, late Saturday night, early Sunday start does it every time). An "unimpaired condition" ? Being complete or undivided makes sense, of course, with concepts of structural integrity. Most of us probably dwell on the first concept of "...adherance to a code....." and then rely on synonyms for help. Me, too!
The list includes : completeness, perfection, wholeness, stability, purity, simplicity and of course HONESTY.
I think about one of the interview questions for a Temple recommend, asking if we are honest in our dealings with our fellow men. What spiritual and personal wholeness do we attain when we can confidently answer that question with a "yes"? And why is it among the list of requirements to enter the Lord's House? Because it is a personal strength that each of us needs to gain, as we make our way through the maze of emotional, social and moral decisions that have eternal consequences.
And, you know, like all forms of strength, we are not just "born with it". No, our nature is actually the opposite. Won't go into numerous references to "the natural man" in scripture, but they are there.
Every person finds their way (or not) at their own pace, and by their own choices. We have all done things growing up, that showed that we we were "divided". We were split between the desire to have our own way at any cost, and the aknowledgment that other values were more important than our personal desires. Life experiences and events taught us to recognize that there is a difference, and then we had to start making the choices that either make us "whole" or keep us constantly divided. A person with integrity still has to make a decision, but they will have an easier time of it, because they will place more weight on what is right, and can still feel good about the decision, even if they didn't get what they wanted.
On the contrary, a person "learning" or lacking integrity, will have the emotional roller coaster of knowing that their desire can only be acheived by deceipt, malice, violence, force, etc., and whatever, but still wanting it badly enough that they will go against their own conscience. Then they struggle with the concept of right and wrong versus reward and punishment.
I remember a time when I was young, and my best friend and I had ridden the city bus downtown, I think to shop for mother's day? Anyway, we were supposed to be back at a certain time, and had been instructed to make sure we were home. We missed the last bus, and decided not to call home because we would get in trouble. (smile here at my own youthful ignorance of "trouble"). The walk home left us two choices, basically. Approximately 5 miles, passing through some "troubled" neighborhoods, where 2 young caucasian males would not only stand out, but ........(fill in your own ideas)..... and walking down the freeway easement, which still passed these neighborhoods, but with some vegetation and fences as separation.
As we were starting down the freeway onramp, trying to work sideways into the brush as quickly as possible, I remember saying to my friend that this was illegal. He responded that "it's only illegal if we get caught".
We made it home and got into the trouble we had feared, but we also were grateful that it was the only trouble we ran into. I think I made progress that day in recognizing the difference in "trouble" from our parents and leaders, as opposed to "trouble" that exists in the world.
Many of our teenagers watch the examples around them, while trying to figure out which is more important. Training their conscience to "relax", so they can get what they want, without feeling guilty about it, or following along when their conscience "tells" them that certain behaviors are more "right" than others. As we follow our conscience, "right" becomes the most important consideration. When we disregard those feelings, we can only ever "retrace" our steps, or continue down a road that we know (deep down) is contrary to our divine origin and destination.
Over time, this "house divided against itself" will be lacking in inner strength, and for many who progress down this path, their outward facade will also be one that others eventually see as "unwhole".
I guess what I have concluded is that integrity basically means this: We are one with our conscience, even and especially when we are ALONE with our conscience. When we make "the right" decision because it is right, even with the possibility that no one else will ever know but us, then we have reached that place where we are whole, where we are complete, going through the decisions of life unimpaired.
I have had things happen with teenagers in my life over the past few weeks (to say nothing of the ongoing mess in DC) that has made me think about integrity.
What is it? What does the word mean? When do we "become"...........OK, no adjective form. When do we start to show it?
Webster's defines it as "firm adherance to a code of especially moral or artistic values." also " the quality or state of being complete or undivided". I thought long and hard about the additional definition of "an unimpaired condition".
As a matter of fact, I thought about it so long, I fell asleep for awhile. (Sorry, late Saturday night, early Sunday start does it every time). An "unimpaired condition" ? Being complete or undivided makes sense, of course, with concepts of structural integrity. Most of us probably dwell on the first concept of "...adherance to a code....." and then rely on synonyms for help. Me, too!
The list includes : completeness, perfection, wholeness, stability, purity, simplicity and of course HONESTY.
I think about one of the interview questions for a Temple recommend, asking if we are honest in our dealings with our fellow men. What spiritual and personal wholeness do we attain when we can confidently answer that question with a "yes"? And why is it among the list of requirements to enter the Lord's House? Because it is a personal strength that each of us needs to gain, as we make our way through the maze of emotional, social and moral decisions that have eternal consequences.
And, you know, like all forms of strength, we are not just "born with it". No, our nature is actually the opposite. Won't go into numerous references to "the natural man" in scripture, but they are there.
Every person finds their way (or not) at their own pace, and by their own choices. We have all done things growing up, that showed that we we were "divided". We were split between the desire to have our own way at any cost, and the aknowledgment that other values were more important than our personal desires. Life experiences and events taught us to recognize that there is a difference, and then we had to start making the choices that either make us "whole" or keep us constantly divided. A person with integrity still has to make a decision, but they will have an easier time of it, because they will place more weight on what is right, and can still feel good about the decision, even if they didn't get what they wanted.
On the contrary, a person "learning" or lacking integrity, will have the emotional roller coaster of knowing that their desire can only be acheived by deceipt, malice, violence, force, etc., and whatever, but still wanting it badly enough that they will go against their own conscience. Then they struggle with the concept of right and wrong versus reward and punishment.
I remember a time when I was young, and my best friend and I had ridden the city bus downtown, I think to shop for mother's day? Anyway, we were supposed to be back at a certain time, and had been instructed to make sure we were home. We missed the last bus, and decided not to call home because we would get in trouble. (smile here at my own youthful ignorance of "trouble"). The walk home left us two choices, basically. Approximately 5 miles, passing through some "troubled" neighborhoods, where 2 young caucasian males would not only stand out, but ........(fill in your own ideas)..... and walking down the freeway easement, which still passed these neighborhoods, but with some vegetation and fences as separation.
As we were starting down the freeway onramp, trying to work sideways into the brush as quickly as possible, I remember saying to my friend that this was illegal. He responded that "it's only illegal if we get caught".
We made it home and got into the trouble we had feared, but we also were grateful that it was the only trouble we ran into. I think I made progress that day in recognizing the difference in "trouble" from our parents and leaders, as opposed to "trouble" that exists in the world.
Many of our teenagers watch the examples around them, while trying to figure out which is more important. Training their conscience to "relax", so they can get what they want, without feeling guilty about it, or following along when their conscience "tells" them that certain behaviors are more "right" than others. As we follow our conscience, "right" becomes the most important consideration. When we disregard those feelings, we can only ever "retrace" our steps, or continue down a road that we know (deep down) is contrary to our divine origin and destination.
Over time, this "house divided against itself" will be lacking in inner strength, and for many who progress down this path, their outward facade will also be one that others eventually see as "unwhole".
I guess what I have concluded is that integrity basically means this: We are one with our conscience, even and especially when we are ALONE with our conscience. When we make "the right" decision because it is right, even with the possibility that no one else will ever know but us, then we have reached that place where we are whole, where we are complete, going through the decisions of life unimpaired.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
HERE WE GO AGAIN!!
As I was walking through the house this afternoon, passing the TV in our room, which was on, the news was running a segment of President Obama addressing the families of those killed in the Naval Yard at DC this past week. That is a tragedy, and my heart goes out to those families, along with my prayers. But what I heard straight from the President's own lips shows well, that he will not let any tragedy go unexploited for advancing his political agenda.
The short sentence essentially confirmed what every law-abiding gun owner in this country already knew. This President, and a significant segment of our very liberal countrymen are determined to disarm America, and they will try to use this tragedy as a catalyst for "change". But there is a huge problem. They are only talking about disarming law-abiding Americans!!
We have already heard from the likes of Senator Feinstein of CA, and several others who have shown not only their disdain for law-abiding gun owners, but time and time again have demonstrated their own ineptitude regarding gun safety and use. Recall the "esteemed" senator waving around a rifle at a press conference a few months ago, WITH HER FINGER ON THE TRIGGER?? Or the barrage of newscasters announcing the use of an AR-15 in DC? Yet there was no such weapon involved!!?
I recognize we are having a rash of gun related violence in this country. But I also recognize that this has nothing, and I repeat NOTHING to do with the millions of legal gun owners and their families. Particularly when it comes to these mass shootings that make the news around the world. Yet our so-called leaders jump at the chance (every chance!) to try and disarm our citizenry. One should ask why?
Some of my friends have posed this question during conversations, and I want to pass it on to all. How many of these mass shooting events took place in a location where it was "OK" for law-abiding citizens to carry their LEGALLY OBTAINED AND LICENSED weapons? I can't come up with one. How many of these events involved a legally obtained gun, and proper legal use of said gun? One or maybe two to the first question and ZERO to the follow-up. Columbine? Gun free zone. Newtown? Gun free zone. Theater in Colorado? Signed as a gun free zone. Fort Hood? Gun free zone (craziest thing I ever heard, but apparently "normal" procedure at Military installations). Washington DC? "gun-free" zone (as long as you aren't a criminally minded terrorist sniper). Naval Yard DC? again, DC is supposedly a gun free zone.
These perps were not following the law! In most of the mass shootings all the way back to Columbine High School in the 90's, and even further back, the guns were obtained illegally. And the way they were used broke so many laws that Congress has worked tirelessly for nearly 3 decades to come up with new laws to replace the broken ones. They haven't figured out how to enforce those old broken things, so they keep trying to re-invent the wheel.
Their imminent failure is a simple truth! No amount of law and regulation will keep evil or sick men and women from breaking a law to commit crimes of this nature in the future. Criminally insane and mentally ill are not the same thing, but diagnosed mental patients will already find it nearly impossible to buy a gun legally. Those of us NOT insane, should face no such restrictions. I do not wish to cry gloom and doom, but friends, the ills of society which allows this to happen will not go away simply because we disarm the "good-guys". It will become worse!
Do some research. Countries and communities with a high level of legal gun ownership have a surprisingly ( or not so surprisingly) low rate of gun related crime. Switzerland has one of the lowest gun crime rates in the world, "yet" in the neighborhood of 80 % of their households have a gun in them. Look for local reports ("cuz" the national media will never step outside their own agenda to report...) about shooters who were stopped after injuring a very few, or injuring NONE because a law-abiding CC permit holder was in the area and either stopped them or "STOPPED" them cold!
And to those who are crying for gun regulations to tighten. It is not (legally)possible to buy a gun on every corner, as you would have "the masses" believe. There is already a fair pile of paperwork which is required to legally purchase a gun. Legal gun ownership is already a highly regulated thing. To work with a quote from a weekend radio talkshow host, "the people on the left want to take everyone's guns, and the people on the right want everyone to own a bazooka". He got the first half right. Those of us on the right, however, just want to be allowed to defend ourselves, our loved ones and our property.
When this White House sent guns to criminals in Mexico, it should have raised more concern. Especially when those guns came back across our borders and were involved in the death of US border Agents. They then cried for tighter gun control laws. When the same White House sent guns to Syria, it was "to arm the people against an oppressive Government which no longer represents them". Yet this same White House claims that "there is no good reason for any American citizen to own a gun". Wonder what the goals of this White House really are, don't you?
If the Second Amendment is thrown out, and guns are effectively taken away from the citizens of this country, we have much to fear, because ONLY the criminal element will still own guns, and so will the Government. Our Founding Fathers, and millions of the rest of us, agree; that these two are equally unpleasant ideas.
As I was walking through the house this afternoon, passing the TV in our room, which was on, the news was running a segment of President Obama addressing the families of those killed in the Naval Yard at DC this past week. That is a tragedy, and my heart goes out to those families, along with my prayers. But what I heard straight from the President's own lips shows well, that he will not let any tragedy go unexploited for advancing his political agenda.
The short sentence essentially confirmed what every law-abiding gun owner in this country already knew. This President, and a significant segment of our very liberal countrymen are determined to disarm America, and they will try to use this tragedy as a catalyst for "change". But there is a huge problem. They are only talking about disarming law-abiding Americans!!
We have already heard from the likes of Senator Feinstein of CA, and several others who have shown not only their disdain for law-abiding gun owners, but time and time again have demonstrated their own ineptitude regarding gun safety and use. Recall the "esteemed" senator waving around a rifle at a press conference a few months ago, WITH HER FINGER ON THE TRIGGER?? Or the barrage of newscasters announcing the use of an AR-15 in DC? Yet there was no such weapon involved!!?
I recognize we are having a rash of gun related violence in this country. But I also recognize that this has nothing, and I repeat NOTHING to do with the millions of legal gun owners and their families. Particularly when it comes to these mass shootings that make the news around the world. Yet our so-called leaders jump at the chance (every chance!) to try and disarm our citizenry. One should ask why?
Some of my friends have posed this question during conversations, and I want to pass it on to all. How many of these mass shooting events took place in a location where it was "OK" for law-abiding citizens to carry their LEGALLY OBTAINED AND LICENSED weapons? I can't come up with one. How many of these events involved a legally obtained gun, and proper legal use of said gun? One or maybe two to the first question and ZERO to the follow-up. Columbine? Gun free zone. Newtown? Gun free zone. Theater in Colorado? Signed as a gun free zone. Fort Hood? Gun free zone (craziest thing I ever heard, but apparently "normal" procedure at Military installations). Washington DC? "gun-free" zone (as long as you aren't a criminally minded terrorist sniper). Naval Yard DC? again, DC is supposedly a gun free zone.
These perps were not following the law! In most of the mass shootings all the way back to Columbine High School in the 90's, and even further back, the guns were obtained illegally. And the way they were used broke so many laws that Congress has worked tirelessly for nearly 3 decades to come up with new laws to replace the broken ones. They haven't figured out how to enforce those old broken things, so they keep trying to re-invent the wheel.
Their imminent failure is a simple truth! No amount of law and regulation will keep evil or sick men and women from breaking a law to commit crimes of this nature in the future. Criminally insane and mentally ill are not the same thing, but diagnosed mental patients will already find it nearly impossible to buy a gun legally. Those of us NOT insane, should face no such restrictions. I do not wish to cry gloom and doom, but friends, the ills of society which allows this to happen will not go away simply because we disarm the "good-guys". It will become worse!
Do some research. Countries and communities with a high level of legal gun ownership have a surprisingly ( or not so surprisingly) low rate of gun related crime. Switzerland has one of the lowest gun crime rates in the world, "yet" in the neighborhood of 80 % of their households have a gun in them. Look for local reports ("cuz" the national media will never step outside their own agenda to report...) about shooters who were stopped after injuring a very few, or injuring NONE because a law-abiding CC permit holder was in the area and either stopped them or "STOPPED" them cold!
And to those who are crying for gun regulations to tighten. It is not (legally)possible to buy a gun on every corner, as you would have "the masses" believe. There is already a fair pile of paperwork which is required to legally purchase a gun. Legal gun ownership is already a highly regulated thing. To work with a quote from a weekend radio talkshow host, "the people on the left want to take everyone's guns, and the people on the right want everyone to own a bazooka". He got the first half right. Those of us on the right, however, just want to be allowed to defend ourselves, our loved ones and our property.
When this White House sent guns to criminals in Mexico, it should have raised more concern. Especially when those guns came back across our borders and were involved in the death of US border Agents. They then cried for tighter gun control laws. When the same White House sent guns to Syria, it was "to arm the people against an oppressive Government which no longer represents them". Yet this same White House claims that "there is no good reason for any American citizen to own a gun". Wonder what the goals of this White House really are, don't you?
If the Second Amendment is thrown out, and guns are effectively taken away from the citizens of this country, we have much to fear, because ONLY the criminal element will still own guns, and so will the Government. Our Founding Fathers, and millions of the rest of us, agree; that these two are equally unpleasant ideas.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Where were You?
As I started the day at school, I contemplated spending a few moments with my students remembering the events of this day, 12 years ago. I figured we would mention the World Trade Center, the brave men and women on Flight 93, the many brave law enforcement and emergency response personnel, as well as the civilians that lost their lives on that day.
I know there are numerous video offerings as well. www.history.com What surprised me most with the first and second classes of the day, once they realized I WAS going to allow at least some class time for remembrance, was the number of students who actually wanted to share their personal memories of that day. And that they wanted to hear mine.
Where were we on that day?
I was on my way home from work. My night shift job at Bosch Power Tools in Heber Springs, Arkansas usually had me coming home around 7:30-8 AM. We were running a bit late that morning, and, like every other day, Bob and I headed straight to the old chicken house down on Five Mile Road. It was typical that we would meet our wives there on days we were late, but that morning it was obvious they had not been there yet.
As we were driving up to the new farm houses, now between 8:30-8:45 (Central Time zone), we had to pass our house. Here came Michelle, waving her arms to flag us down. She said to forget the chickenhouses for the moment, we needed to get inside and watch the TV because something bad was happening.
What I saw was that a single plane had hit the North Tower, the reporter then followed up (in their live feed) that a 3rd plane had just crashed into the Pentagon, and that the FAA had just grounded ALL flights over or into the continental US. Then the feeds went back to showing the second plane hit the South Tower, and we knew that life in the US would never be the same.
I remember Michelle and I talking about what food we had in storage, and what we might need if this was the beginning of something major. We also ran down, while picking up some basics, and made sure that both cars had full gas tanks. Then we spent the day glued to the TV, as rumors, reports and the odd blend of known fact and speculation painted a picture of the world in potential chaos.
Where were YOU?
As I started the day at school, I contemplated spending a few moments with my students remembering the events of this day, 12 years ago. I figured we would mention the World Trade Center, the brave men and women on Flight 93, the many brave law enforcement and emergency response personnel, as well as the civilians that lost their lives on that day.
I know there are numerous video offerings as well. www.history.com What surprised me most with the first and second classes of the day, once they realized I WAS going to allow at least some class time for remembrance, was the number of students who actually wanted to share their personal memories of that day. And that they wanted to hear mine.
Where were we on that day?
I was on my way home from work. My night shift job at Bosch Power Tools in Heber Springs, Arkansas usually had me coming home around 7:30-8 AM. We were running a bit late that morning, and, like every other day, Bob and I headed straight to the old chicken house down on Five Mile Road. It was typical that we would meet our wives there on days we were late, but that morning it was obvious they had not been there yet.
As we were driving up to the new farm houses, now between 8:30-8:45 (Central Time zone), we had to pass our house. Here came Michelle, waving her arms to flag us down. She said to forget the chickenhouses for the moment, we needed to get inside and watch the TV because something bad was happening.
What I saw was that a single plane had hit the North Tower, the reporter then followed up (in their live feed) that a 3rd plane had just crashed into the Pentagon, and that the FAA had just grounded ALL flights over or into the continental US. Then the feeds went back to showing the second plane hit the South Tower, and we knew that life in the US would never be the same.
I remember Michelle and I talking about what food we had in storage, and what we might need if this was the beginning of something major. We also ran down, while picking up some basics, and made sure that both cars had full gas tanks. Then we spent the day glued to the TV, as rumors, reports and the odd blend of known fact and speculation painted a picture of the world in potential chaos.
Where were YOU?
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Wow! It has been so long since I posted anything! I am committed to posting more regularly!!
If any of you have things you would like me to start on, please comment! I will add some things about recent books I've read, I will continue to update on the farming experience, and I just can't help the more than occassional political commentary. You may also frequently see just silly thoughts. "sappy" observations about life, and funny family stories.
If you like things I post, please share them, comments are also appreciated, as feedback gives me not only more to go on, but also a sense of whether or not people are enjoying reading.
Anyway! Off to bed. More to come.
If any of you have things you would like me to start on, please comment! I will add some things about recent books I've read, I will continue to update on the farming experience, and I just can't help the more than occassional political commentary. You may also frequently see just silly thoughts. "sappy" observations about life, and funny family stories.
If you like things I post, please share them, comments are also appreciated, as feedback gives me not only more to go on, but also a sense of whether or not people are enjoying reading.
Anyway! Off to bed. More to come.
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