Opening My Eyes

I am often on a quest to get to the bottom of the things that I read. This is in direct contrast to so many around me who read something in the newspaper and repeat it as if it is not only the truth, but as if they were the person whom the information originated with.

With the failure of newsstations such as ABC and CBS and their affiliates to bring us the actual news rather than their opinions which are designed to influence our thoughts and opinions, I have increasingly turned to the internet for the gathering of my newsworthy information. By doing so I am also free to discard what I consider worthless and investigate what seems rather fishy to me.

That is why I began this little blog for it helps me to write when things frustrate me with the added bonus of someone stumbling upon what I say and linking to some of what I consider newsy and informative.

For instance, when you read the newspapers regarding the US led coalition's war in Iraq, you can get the impression that it was about WMD's. Though WMD's-think Kurds who were chemically murdered-were used by Saddam and he was certainly interested in killing more people in the near future, the war against Iraq was the result of Saddam's failure to abide by a rather large amount of UN sanctions he agreed to back when his invasion of Kuwait was overturned.

He who has ears let him hear what his eyes read in the following speech given by a former Communist to an audience at Georgetown University in October of 2004 before the election. It is a long and worthy read:

http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=16103

I once shared at a message board that I read a news magazine known as World. There was someone there who dismissed it as something biased that she would basically never give the time of day to, let alone read. I challenge anyone on how they can consider themselves informed if they will not read something simply because it is a Christian publication. I have been around many years now and this young person who is not even of voting age has a cynicism that puts my anti-war, feminist year opinions to shame! She, and those like her, do themselves and their peers a grave disservice to be afraid of the facts because the facts might show them to be wrong, and worse, show that their dearly held positions and opinions are based on lies.

My eyes began to open shortly after succumbing to one of the lies of the feminist movement when I found myself a bitter single parent wondering where NOW and PP were now that I was in such incredible pain from my decisions which were wholely influenced by those of their organizations. I took myself to the library and began to read what exactly was the opinion of feminists such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It was the beginning of a journey I continue to find myself on; a journey that had my belief system totally shattered and me starting over, with many regrets, at the age of thirty-three.

May the eyes of my understanding be continually opened.

Ordinary People

What ordinary people like me don't realize most times is that the world is bigger than us and our little lives. Not that our lives and loves and families are not important, oh no, because they are very important. I am talking about living outside of our little world.

I have neighbors that have extremely limited vision in that sense. It is obvious that they love their family and care about their neighbors; at least as much as people who gripe over too many leaves on their property from a tree that is not in front of their house can be. Even though I care not about such things, I live next door on both sides to people who are extremists in that sense. Always keeping in mind my own shortcomings and ever aware of evil afoot and crouching at my door, I do realize that in the eyes of God I am no better than they; sinners in need of forgiveness. To that end I have always tried to g et along with these people, though they pried and complained and gossiped and even made things up about us and spread the lies to the other neighbors. (you get to know about that sort of thing when you have neighbors that gossip and don't mind telling you why so and so does not like you). In the end though, I live my life better then they do, albeit falling short of the Glory of God, because I will not gossip about them to any one, though I do speak of how their hurtful words and actions have impacted my family to my family, and my family only. In addition, I continue to respect their property and have always taught my children to do the same. No running across their lawn, etc. Truth be told, my sons can tell you some stories of my getting upset because their ball went on the persons lawn and I was paranoid they would come out of the house hollering. (this has happened plenty of times in the ten years we have lived here) Further, I would never be adverse to admitting my shortcomings, apologizing, and making restitution if possible. The only problem is that I have not done anything directly to them, hence there is nothing to restitute, admit or apologize for; except for lately I have no patience with their nasty little selves so I have not put up with it, instead telling them to leave us alone if they have nothing nice to say.

For instance, we had a dumpster in our driveway when we were remodeling. The neighbor did not like looking at it and even got all angry and demanded we finish the job quickly cause he was sick of looking at it! Yet, he had no problem using our dumpster as his dumping place for junk out of his garage. They have come on our property without our permission, they have called the town and complained about a legitimate vehicle in our driveway (that is none too pretty) which they do not like looking at, and have even told me to my face that it is about time I weeded my side yard which is right next to my front door!! Do I tell them I have had a failed surgery and am lucky if I can bend down for brief periods of time with my medication so I have not been able to do something I really love doing? No, I don't. I actually felt my jaw drop open when he said that because I could not believe how far seemingly ordinary people will go to being concerned about what other people are doing!!

See what I mean? One can not find common ground with self-righteous people, indeed they sit in judgment on us very often. These are the things, simple little living things, that make them crazy. We don't even have to do a thing purposely, we just live, and they are bothered by it. The trouble all along for us has been that we don't think like that so we never realized, even by those little clues being dropped over the years, just how far these people have gone in their resentment of our way of life.

If ever anyone wonders what perfect people are like you can come and visit me. I live pretty much surrounded by them.

The Patriot Act and Other Government Issues

The Patriot Act has been the subject of concern since its implementation shortly after the attacks of 9/11, attacks which I believe many Americans have either forgotten or settled in their minds the President Bush ordered them; thank you Michael Moore and shame on those who believe someone who spews hatred for America, Americans and their leadership.

All things considered, I do wonder how many people who snort at the mention of the Patriot Act have even read it in its entirety or know how and why it is needed. The old Big Media doesn't like it, can anyone tell? I can. I can tell that they don't like it by their unfair and biased coverage of said Patriot Act, any attempt at implementing it and the publishing of anti-Patriot Act stories; thank you very much ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC, UPN, WB, and AP!! Oh AP!! I used to count on you for printing stories that told the real story, not a slant designed to influence the minds of people like me who are so busy and count on you to tell me the truth. Now I am even busier with making sure that I know some of what you print stories about; some of the truth of what you print stories about.

The United States government and agencies such as the FBI are charged with the protection of this entire country. All I ever seem to read, or all that gets the big headlines, are the times that they fail in this charge, or when their tactics are questioned, i.e. the Patriot Act. It is of utmost importance that the FBI does not have their hands tied in times such as these where they have to be one step ahead of those who want to destroy the USA and our way of life. I don't see any of their critics stepping up to the plate and giving of themselves and their time for the safety and welfare of our citizens. Can one imagine tons of documents recovered that are in Arabic and very few available to translate? Yet so many speak with such authority of things they know nothing about. There are plenty other issues of concern with the protection of American citizens and property by those who take on a government position which employs them to do such things, but rather than criticize maybe we can support them instead?

Comment Section

I would like to comment on the comment section. 8-)

Because I have had more than enough of a taste of rude and nasty comments by people who disagree with me and my views I have chosen to not enable the comment section. To a one, every foul-mouthed and insulting person who did not agree with me made it personal and attacked me, not my arguments. With sarcasm, profanity, insults and name-calling, they made much of my message board (where this occurred) experience quite upsetting. I did find a couple message boards where that sort of thing is not allowed, so kudos to them, but I cannot open the comment section here because of those few who behaved in that manner. Just imagining coming to my blog and finding comments by one of them would make blogging quite a negative experience for me; something I don't need right now. Who knows, maybe in the future when my skin is thick enough to take the uncouth behavior of those few, I will open up the comment section. I don't know. I do know this though, that the fact that they take the time out of their own lives to get so livid over my opinions says alot about either their not having much of a life of their own, or, I hit a nerve, or a little of both!

Till I blog again. Adieu!

Optimism versus Truth

While I voted for President Bush, knowing him to be the man who won't sell our country out to any world organizations, courts, or treaties we have no business signing, this by no means means that I am oblivious to certain truths about his administration.

Just one case in point before I go back to washing that dang kitchen floor (which hasn't seen washing in months and I have company coming this week).

The situation in Iraq is far from rosy by any stretch of the imagination. I am all for being optimistic, heck, I don't think I would be able to get through my life lately if I were not, but I do prefer the truth, optimistically speaking of course. 8-)

However, I do keep in mind the Big Media's penchant for going in the complete opposite direction with anything at all regarding President Bush and any and all decisions he makes. You have to be suspicious of the news organizations as a whole when they cannot find one good thing to say about the President, just as I was suspicious about the 'perfect' candidacy of John Kerry.

Thus, I am thankful for the blogsphere; though by no stretch of the imagination are they fountains of truth themselves. The great part about blogs and the internet is that we 'regular' folk are able to research the information we are getting as well as anyone else. Matter of fact, it seems that the Big Media is quite lacking in that area, preferring not to research but to print things they hear or read somewhere else.

Yikes!

The Real Election Results

Let us face it. President Bush won this election, handily. If we listen to Big Media it is hardly in the bag at all. Anyone honest with themselves has to admit that if John Kerry had was in possession of the number of votes such as George Bush has in Ohio, New Mexico and Iowa, that there would be no questions asked; at least none that the Big Media would let see the light of print or sound of the airwaves.
It is time for the John Kerry campaign to concede.

Some interesting firsts and other facts about this election:

- At the point of 96 percent of the nations precincts reporting, President Bush had more than 57 million votes, which is more, by the way, than any candidate in electoral history.

- President Bush received 51 percent of the vote, giving him the distinction of beign the first president in 12 years to be election by the majority of voters.

- It is also the largest popular vote margin of victory since his father won with 54%, Ronald Reagan won with 51 percent in 1980, and Bill Clinton, in what was called a 'landslide' victory in 1996 won with 49 percent.

- President Bush, in 2000, became oe of only four presidents to be elected despite losing the popular vote count. The last one was Benjamin Harrison's victory in 1888.

There are many firsts, and to me one of the worst firsts is the level of hatred for our President that is shown be the nation's own citizens, most especially its young people.

Many people may not realize this truth, but never before in the history of our country has the Congress not allowed the President to appoint judges as the Senate has done these last four years with their ridiculous filitbustering of the nominees. What many people may not understand, or care to, is that the Senate had no right to disallow a vote on the President's nominees, nor to trash them as they did.

All in all, President Bush is the man for the job of leading the nation and we, along with Congress, need to draw together as a nation and do what needs to be done, undo what needs to be undone, and work together, rather than against one another. The Democrats have been guilty of refusing to do this and it needs to stop.

EDIT: 11:45am
I just heard that John Kerry, against the advice of Edwards, has conceded.

Hurrah!!!

Huzzah for President Bush!!

The Electoral College

There is a growing movement of people seeking to abolish the Electoral College due to the 'close' election of 2000 that put President Bush in office. (Thank the good Lord) They say what good is it, why have it, the will of the people, etc. Many who have jumped on the anti-Electoral College bandwagon are not even sure what the Electoral College is and what it means. To quite a few, the first time they heard about it was in the election of 2000.

The process by which we elect a president has been around since the beginning of our Constitution. I read in Article II, Section one that it has always been this way. When one considers the incredible amount of care that the Founders gave to the putting together of this stirring and amazing document, one cannot honestly and fairly discount the Electoral College as old, archaic and out-dated. It is a part of the very foundation of our form of government.

An interesting aside here is the Founder's and Framer's attention to we the people and our right to live free. The government was thus put together to ensure our right to live as we saw fit, without the interference of governing bodies. This living of course was arguably within the framework of an actual defined right and wrong. Even so, the attention to the checks and balances put into place by these men (and the women who loved them and had their ear) was nothing short of brilliant.

But to call it into question as unecessary because Al Gore did not win is the very thing our Constitution wants to avoid. If you want to know further what good the Electoral College does for our system of election and its grand purpose, perhaps reading the words of Alexander Hamilton written to promote our Constitution back in 1787:

"afford as little opportunity as possible to tumult and disorder. This evil was not least to be dreaded." ..."Talents for low intrigue, and the little arts of popularity, may alone suffice to elevate a man to the first honors in a single state," Hamilton wrote, "but it will require other talents, and a different kind of merit, to establish him in the esteem and confidence of the whole Union, or of so considerable a portion of it as would be necessary to make him a successful candidate." The Federalist No.68

The Electoral College ensures that all the states, small ones included, rural areas too, matter, not just the popular vote. Without the Electoral College neither President Bush nor John Kerry would be visiting any place but the big cities. When we consider what happened in 2000 in a state like Michigan, Al Gore had the popular vote with 51%, though he did not do well at all in most counties, and especially in the rural areas and farming communities. He did take Detroit though, with a whopping 94% of the vote, a percentage some say was inflated due to voter fraud-which let's tell the truth here-is only newsworthy if the GOP is suspected of such behavior. The Electoral College ensures that that sort of 'little man' behavior is kept in check and that the votes of those in those small towns matters.