What Is Wrong With a Little Respect?

This is a day of historical proportions! Today is March 21, 2010, the day the Health Care Reform will be decided for the better or worse. And all of the stops have been pulled out. I’m not even looking at the news. The last I read was that some Tea Party activists had spit on a congressman, called a few minority congressmen the n-word, and called another the f-word for homosexuals. As I have always said, many of these so-called activists are really opportunists who’s using healthcare as a front for their racial and hateful agenda. What is worse is that the opposing party knew that this racial groundswell will be uncontrollable and never bothered to keep them in check from the very start. Yet, we here so much how they are representing the American people who want them to block the reform. Never mind, polarizing the races and classes, this is the time for another Waterloo and collateral damage will be necessary. This is not the party of Lincoln but of hypocrites and I am ashamed of them.

My opinion is this. It goes back quite far, too. It doesn’t matter if our people (Africans) sold us into slavery. The slave traders brought us here via the trade routes and finally to America under the worse conditions ever imagined and done to a people for the purpose of using Africans as slaves. When these slaves arrived they were still treated unacceptably worse than the indentured servants that left Europe. The differences were one group treated as humans, the other; as animals. The slave descendants remained under that same label even today. Not all people are prejudiced and bigots, which was soon exhibited with the Civil War. Even after being freed, the slaves were still treated as second class citizens are as animals in some places. An effort was made after Reconstruction for freed slaves to serve in the political arena but again a surge by the hate groups fought against it by using the same fear and lie tactics that are being used today. Any advances to progress were halted and stalled until the 60’s with the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Laws. Now if the playing field was equal and level from the very beginning, I think that either we would have a true representation of all in the tea parties or there wouldn’t be any tea parties in the first place. Voting Rights? Yes, we are still the only minority that can vote provided that laws are passed to allow us to vote. How equal is that? Government takeover! The government is too big and getting into everybody’s business, right? If it wasn’t for the federal government, I guess Wallace would have had his way; schools in the south would remain segregated and impoverished. Oops, many are still that way! Freedom fighters would still be dying and the KKK sheets would still be flying. They still are, too! Again a level playing field is still pretty hard to obtain even in this day and age. To me, if the federal government doesn’t step in, we would stay in slavery days. Now we’ve come to one of the biggest showdowns since OJ. So don’t ask me how I feel. Accept the fact that because we all have been brought up in different circumstances that we all will think differently. It’s call respect, something quite a few people seems to be lacking right now.

Problems, Problems, Problems!!!

I'm having problems with my website and it's been a chore to get back to it.  The old version is http://whatsyourexcusenow.blogspot.com/

I'll keep working at it to make things convenient for everyone.

It's Time To Stop The Madness!!!

A fellow member in the same organization I belong to sent me an email regarding a Baptist minister venting his distrust for the President and that Catholics should beware of him. Obama is now being blamed for the split among Catholics! Remarkable! Catholics have been split for various reasons for years and now this so-called minister who is on the internet is ranting that we need to be aware of this evil man who has an evil agenda to destroy the whole world! We were split on abortion, excommunication, accepting gays, women preaching, other religions and priests married. Overall, the majority of churches everywhere seem to have a problem with women being in the clergy. But here’s a minister that is able to find the time to preach hate and distrust instead of prayer for lost souls. The sad thing is, people believe this guy. The information highway is once again going too fast for conditions. I’ve always said people will believe if the story is shown on the internet. I can not agree with everything you say just to get along with you. Now if you can’t be honest with me that’s your problem, not mine! But I have seen so much hate displayed since Obama has been President. America voted for change but powers-that-be refuse to. And they will fight tooth and nail with everything at their disposal to keep it that way. Hate is another form of cancer, not only does it destroys, it spreads to destroy others.

Thank you, Vivian!

I was reminded today if I intended to stop entries to my blog. I knew some people read it because I get comments on them from time to time. I guess I didn’t expect my co-workers to read them. In fact, Vivian even remembered the date of my last entry. I’ve had some major projects going on at this time and have actually immersed myself so deep in them that I didn’t want to think about the negativity and memories that surround all of us everyday. I need to thank Vivian for jolting me back to reality. I have no excuses but I do have an explanation. Two years ago during this same time period, my mother was rushed to the hospital. Two years ago during this same time period, there was nothing else that was so important to me that she recovers. She didn’t. On March 24, 2008 around 10:00 p.m., the day after Easter, my mother went home. Even now, it still seems so fresh in my mind and I am openly weeping. One of the projects that I am working on ends the 25th of March. I enveloped myself totally so that I did not, would not have the time to think about anything except making this project a success. Yes, I was aware of the dates, the 6th, she was rushed to hospital, two weeks later transferred to the hospice. Mentioning the hospice to me cuts to the bone, but she had the best people, I feel in the world, to make her final days as comfortable as possible. My mother did volunteer work at that same hospice and they all knew her and we all cried together. Is it any wonder that I withdraw from everyone around this time? Time will not allow me to get over my hurt. I have these beautiful memories of her but I also have those memories of her lying so helplessly, defenseless, and so small in that bed. That was my mother who could tell me to get a switch for my whipping and afterwards, tell me how much she loved me and why she spanked me. This was the same woman that could cook a dinner that could be sold in restaurants. This was also the same woman that made sure the other kids in the neighborhood had food and clothes and that the shut-ins would have the same. My mother loved everybody, black, white, red, or yellow, protestant, Muslim, or Jew. Everyone had a mother and they were old children of God. That’s how she lived and that’s how she taught us. As a retired RN, she knew what families faced with a loved one in the hospital. She worked in pediatrics for years and would come home and still cry for those little babies. I could go on but there are so many of us that feel the same way about our parents. Everyone is always closer to one than the other and you share that special bond. A bond that is eternal. It is tough during this time of year, in fact, in 2008, I only made 2 entries. I just didn’t want to write. If there are any spelling and/or grammatical errors it’s because I have taken my glasses off and will not proofread any of this. Please forgive me. Well, this is my explanation. There are other things that I need to talk about. My brothers and sisters in Christ, God bless you always in good and troubled times.  He will never leave us!

Tell the Truth and Shame the Devil!

All poor people are not lazy and all lazy people are not poor. We seem to hear a lot of negativity about the unemployed that are receiving federal benefits. “They can find a job at fast food place.” “Lazy people shouldn’t get unemployment that I’m giving to the federal government.” How shameful!!! What goes around comes around. There are plenty of Americans that are looking for work, that want to work, that want to provide for their family but can’t find any jobs. Not many people are hiring. But these naysayers can’t seem to understand that. All they seem to do is complain and whine about how much they are paying into the federal system and that their great-grandchildren will be paying for this huge deficiency in the economy. Why couldn’t they protest about outsourcing and buying American? We are all at the leisure of our employers. They can go out of business, cut back, or move to another location. Hopefully, not overseas. But our protesters are so concerned about where there money is going now where were they when it was being spent on wars and fleecing America? What about not knowing where it was being spent, but still everything was fine? There were no mass protests then! Well now, with a new president, that does not look like the them, these protesters are now up in arms and supporting selfish politicians that are hell bent on watching this country fail without contributing a single action to dam this flood of hate and hostility. To borrow a phrase from one protester when asked, “Why did you join this movement?” The answer was, “We all hate the same thing!” Damn what is good for this country and damn this new president who wants to make this country better for all people! We have an image in this world to maintain, right? We are a super power, superior above all nations! We have our attitudes to show for it, too! That’s why there are those in the country willing to divide this country and repeat our past failings and problems and those willing to allow it to happen. The general consensus is they’re angry with Washington but should be ‘fess up to being angry with the President because he is who he is. Labels such as socialists and liberalists abound when it comes to helping your fellow man. How many of us actually know the inner workings of the political process unless someone tells us? How many of us can tell the difference between the truth and lie? It’s harder to tell the truth, you might not get the results you want. But, lies can have severe consequences. The “old folk” used to say “Tell the truth and shame the devil.” In other words, the devil hates truth and honest and he’s working hard to impress his evil on all of us. By telling the truth, you showed him how strong God’s Will is over his. It looks like too many people are giving up hope and not feeling God’s Will. Let me tell you something! God is in control! Don’t forget it! How many people believe that everything they read or see in the internet is true? Most importantly, how many people want to believe in something? There is a class war going on besides the racial war underneath. Yes, a class war. The Middle-class is shrinking. The rich are getting richer and the poor, poorer. The protesters can’t see it because they are so blinded by hate and lies. We are being led to the slaughterhouse and don’t know it because we are all pawns for the powers-that-be. Reapportionment is designed to keep the incumbents in so how can we vote them out? Is there actually a conspiracy theory? I have a lot of questions in this entry but I’ll doubt I’ll get answers. I suppose it is easier to criticize others than offer a real solution.

RIP Captain F. K. Lancaster, Sr. (Retired HP)

We Can Do This!!

From the words of a brave and prophetic man, Dr. M. L King, Jr., I have submitted excerpts from his great I Have Dream speech.

“It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. And if America is to be a great nation this must become true.”

This speech was made at the March on Washing in August 28, 1963. Dr. King was assassinated just short of 5 years later on April 4, 1968 by James Earl Ray. Dr. King’s autopsy revealed that even though he was only thirty-nine years old, he had the heart of a sixty-year-old man, maybe a possible result of the stress of thirteen years in the civil rights movement. I find that interesting.

These are certainly bone-chilling, poignant and inspirational words that were once criticized during those turbulent times in our nation’s history. We are moving slowly in accepting them and truly practicing them. But one thing that is sure, we are moving forward despite some of those that would like for us to repeat the past. Please take the time and let these words sink in. We are all Americans and all of us regardless of our skin color, cultures religions, and etc., have made the supreme sacrifice for this wonderful country.