Not All Freedoms Are Treated Equally

Today I saw this picture on Facebook and thought it to be a very good depiction of the moral decay in our country.

On one hand, we have a young woman who has had a very successful career, albeit as more of a child star than as an adult.  In the interest of rebranding herself, Miley took a path of what some would consider a more immoral approach.  Raunchy dancing, sexual depictions and innuendos, and prancing around half naked.  She used the shock approach to get more publicity and become someone different than the person people knew.  Society, though shocked and in very few cases, outraged, accepted what she did since she is a performer.  It was fine for her to do what she did, and continues to do, because society has lowered its standards for what is considered acceptable behavior. 

On the other hand, we have a gentleman who was interviewed by a magazine.  He was asked specific questions which he answered honestly and in complete line with his character.  He did not pretend to be someone he isn't or give answers he considered "safe" or "politically correct".  This is a man who is quite religious and has not hidden that fact from anyone during personal appearances, his book, or during their show.  His life revolves around his relationship with God and his answers reflected that.  Why then, does he get raked over the coals when a group doesn't like his comments, but Miley got a pass for offending parents and some religious groups?

It seems to me that we have become a nation of double standards.  As long as what you are doing is not religious in nature, you may feel free to do whatever you want.  Unless, of course, those activities are anti-Christian, then they can be religious in nature.  It also seems that if the activities  or the person, are less wholesome, they get a pass.  But if you are genuinely a good person, maybe even religious, and offend a group you don't agree with, it's  open season. 

I believe the words bigot and homophobe get thrown around way too often for the wrong reasons.  Let's look at those two words using Merriam Webster:

Bigot: a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas.  This definition, in my opinion, could have everyone labeled a bigot, unless you make "strongly and unfairly" both necessary to the definition.  But who defines "unfairly"?  Even then, just about everyone could be a bigot.  It definitely means all Democrats and Republicans are bigots!!  Phil not agreeing with homosexual behavior labels him a bigot because he holds that belief "strongly".  His belief is his and I don't see it anymore as bigotry than the gay person who calls me names as a Catholic because I don't believe in gay marriage.  Is a person a bigot because they accuse me, a Catholic, of worshipping Mary because we pray to her?  Many of the statements made by liberals and gays could also be taken as bigotry.  Let us also remember that Mr. Robertson said he did not agree with homosexuality but does not have anything against gays as people.  Much like people may not like that he hunts, but may have nothing against him personally.

Homophobe:  a person who hates or is afraid of homosexuals or treats them badly.  This word gets unfairly thrown at anyone and everyone who has anything to say that does not agree with the LGBT agenda.  Mr. Robertson said he doesn't see why a man would choose another man over a woman.  I do not see that as showing hat or being afraid of homosexuals.  I do not believe there is a record of him treating them badly.  Simply disagreeing with someone does not automatically make you hateful of that person.  It is as ridiculous as saying that I have a phobia against Harley Davidson motorcycles because I don't like how loud they are and wouldn't get one.

Those two words are quickly thrown out there to cause fear and obedience to what liberals want you to believe or do.  I, for one, hope the Roberson family rallies around Phil, as I expect they will, and force A&E to withdraw their dismissal of Phil, or leave the network.

When Did I Become the Problem?

Somewhere along the line, the government began to see me as part of the criminal element.

I am a gun owner...and according to the government, or at least the anti-gun elements of the government, I cannot be trusted with my guns, nor do I know how to use them responsibly.

Let me explain.  The majority of the current gun control legislation that is being proposed is addressed at the legal gun owners of this country.  None of the proposals address the criminals, save a couple that address trafficking and such.  They look to take certain guns away, ban certain magazines, or tax the dickens out of ammunition to make it impossible to afford it.  Not one of the proposals is actually addressing the problem of attacks on our children in school.

If you look at just three of the worst, Columbine, Sandy Hook, and Virginia Tech, all were in gun-free zones, two with little to no security.  Suggest putting armed guards in our schools to protect our nation's most prized treasures, and the anti-gun crowd goes crazy.  I bet the parents of the children who go to school with the President's children sure feel confident that their children are safe with all those armed guards there to protect his children.  Personally, I don't think his children are any more special than mine are...but there is not one security guard in my son's school...NOT ONE!  The only way to stop a shooter is with another gun.

But who needs 15-round clips in a handgun, you ask?  How about the woman who, upon hearing thugs attempting to get into her house, grabs her pistol and she and her children hurry into the attic.  When the criminals find them, she shoots at them, striking one and they both flee.  Two criminals, one very frightened, protective mother who may or may not be a good shot.  If she has only 7 rounds, as proposed by many lawmakers, she better hope she is a really good shot, extremely calm, the robbers aren't armed, and that there is only one.  It is common in a police shooting that the policeman will fire several times and not even hit the criminal.  Keep in mind, the policeman is a trained marksman and should be better able to remain calm.  If I have to deal with a criminal at my door, I do not want to be left wishing I had one more bullet.

Even if you don't like guns, or think they are the cause for all the problems with gun violence, don't let emotions blur out the facts.  Chicago, New York, and Washington, DC are the most violent cities in the nation...and have the strictest gun laws.  Why?  Because the criminals know they are attacking an unarmed populous.  Easy victims.

The worst part of this whole gun control fiasco is that no one is really looking at how to stop the violence on our children.  We aren't looking at how to protect them, but how to take the guns away from their parents.  We are allowing the government to destroy our Constitution under the lie of security, just like we did after 9/11.  The 2nd Amendment says our right to bear arms "shall not be infringed".  Well folks, that is exactly what ALL of this legislation is doing.  Today, Connecticut signed into law some of the "toughest" gun control laws in the nation...and did NOTHING to make anyone safer...nothing!  The bad guys will still have a gun-free killing zone at every school in the nation because our cowardly lawmakers are too scared to address the real problems.

So before you jump on your anti-gun platform, look at what you are wanting the government to take away.  A Constitutional right.  The only right that directly exists to allow us to protect ourselves from the very government that claims they are trying to protect us by disarming us. Tell that to the Germans, Russians, Chinese, and Cambodians.

The guns are not the problem...the problem is our government trying to put a band aid on a knee when it is the elbow that was skinned.

Upon Further Review...

I might be wrong.  There, I said it.  There is a possibility that I may be wrong in my boycott of the Girl Scouts and their cookie sales.  Just a possibility, mind you, but still a possibility.

As the father of a little girl and of one former Girl Scout, this has bothered me a bit.  Just as my boys have been and are in Boy Scouts, I would like my daughter to be able to participate in some sort of scouting organization.

By my nature, I am someone who believes in following issues and supporting my beliefs on an issue to the best of my ability.  Therefore, when I found out that the Girl Scouts of America were partners with Planned Parenthood, I did a little research and boycotted their cookies and anything else to do with them.

Now, if I am going to go so far as to boycott something, I want to make sure that I am standing on solid ground.  So this year, as I saw a young girl selling her cookies in the back of the church this past weekend, I decided to dig a little more.  What I found has loosened the ground a little bit.

Most of the data I found was at least two years old and much of it was thin, at best.  It would seem that most of the items brought up is focused more on the organization called the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.  It is the international body, so to speak, of Girl Scout-type groups to which the Girl Scouts of America is a member.  Much of the problem people have is with the things WAGGGS does.  They are very heavy into the United Nations and very involved with bringing about international abortion rights, sex education in all it's forms, as well as LGBT issues.  This organization also has close ties with International Planned Parenthood who provided it with much of its sexual education materials.  I do know that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops looked into the alleged connection between GSA and Planned Parenthood in the Spring of 2012.  I have not been able to find out the results of that inquiry.

GSA is also accused of pushing a very liberal agenda and not providing neutral materials in the books and resources available for earning badges.  I am also adamantly against them allowing young boys into the organization just because they "identify" themselves as a girl.  Sorry, but to me, you belong to the group that your parts say you belong to.  At the ages I have seen this happening too, in my opinion, it is the parents trying to push their Liberal agenda.

What I have found, is that unlike the Boy Scouts, GSA does not control the lower echelons of the Girl Scouts as much as BSA does.  Each Regional Council is allowed to do pretty much what it wants (like partner with a local Planned Parenthood), and each local troop operates pretty much on its own.  It would appear to me, then, that the main issue is up above and not with the local troops.  Many of the issues seem to arise when Girl Scouts participate in different conferences and such and they sponsor them.  Unfortnately, this often places the Girl Scouts on the same advertisements as Planned Parenthood and other organizations that are not acceptable to many peoples' ideas of what young girls need to be involved in.  It makes the Girl Scouts a de facto "co-sponsor" of an event with those other, less favorable organizations, even if the Girl Scouts have nothing to do with them.

How does someone like me allow my daughter to join Girl Scouts without completely laying waste to my principles?  One way is to ensure that the local troop is teaching the lessons and earning badges with methods that are in keeping with my values.  From what I have researched, that should not be difficult to do.  Another way to hit the national GSA and WAGGGS organizations is to look at where the money is going from my local troop.  One method is by subscribing to the method called "Just One Box", a means of Girl Scout Troops who do not like some of the policies of the national organization to still stay in "good standing" with GSA without filling the coffers with money.  You can find more information here:  http://www.honestgirlscouts.com/action_justonebox.html

I did come across one very helpful site that is called HonestGirlScouts.com.  This is their mission statement:  "Americans wanting explanations for how Girl Scouts spends the money we give, why it permits the promotion of explicit sexual education for children, and its presentation of Progressive radical ideas and curricula for our youth."  They have some ideas for how girls can be a member of the Girl Scouts and not feel like they are supporting something they don't believe in.

 

I am not sure, yet, if my daughter will be a Girl Scout, but I do know I will stop promoting the boycott of the organization.  I may, however, encourage people to be mindful of the involvement of their Regional Council as to whether it is in line with their own values and beliefs.  And don't hold your breath waiting for me to purchase those cookies...I don't think I see that happening anytime soon.

Have a Very Secular Christmas!

Last night I was on a search for religious themed Christmas cards.  It has always been my preference to send religious cards instead of those with Santa, snow men, or simple winter scenes.  I like cards that wish you a Merry Christmas and not Happy Holidays!

I went to three different stores before I found more than one option.  At a dollar store I found one box of 16 cards in a display that was quite full of cards.  At another store I found none.  Finally, at Target, I found a wall of cards...with only a few varieties of cards that wished the recipient a Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings.  Have we really secularized Christmas that much that we don't even want to have religious cards in the stores?  It is obvious we have turned this sacred holiday into a huge shopping spree, all about presents and getting more stuff we don't need.  We have pushed Christmas decorations and sales back to almost Halloween!!

I find it extremely sad that we have become such a politically correct nation and have given up so much to the vocal minority that we aren't even allowed to wish someone a Merry Christmas without getting a dirty look or risking our job.  If a Jewish person wished me a Happy Hanukkah, I would not tell them then have no right to do so.  If an atheist wants to wish me a Happy Holiday, that is fine.  Just don't jump down my throat when I wish you a Merry Christmas in return.

I would like to know why the United States workforce takes off December 25th? If Christmas is truly just a religious holiday, then those who don't want it in their lives, especially government, should just keep on working.

The reason for the season is obvious, it is a celebration of Christ's birth.  If you want to throw in Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and any other celebrations, go right ahead, but don't tell me my manger scene is offensive just because you don't like it.  If we keep pushing God out of our lives...we just might get our wish.

Keep Christ in Christmas!!  It's not just a Holiday, it's a HOLYday!

Worth a Thousand Words...and Emotions

A few days ago, a young lady named Lindsey Stone took a photo next to a sign near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.  What I am sure she at first thought was a clever and witty photo, has turned into a firestorm in social media and in the media. 

Here is the photo she took and posted to her Facebook page:

Being in the military, the circles I keep went ballistic with their anger and comments toward Ms. Stone.  At first, I agreed with many people who were outraged.  Then, I took another look.

I graduated with a BA in Journalism from South Dakota State University.  During my courses, especially the photography courses, we were taught that one of the purposes of a good photo was to elicit an emotion.  The picture of a cute puppy or a little baby makes most people give an "awwww".  The photo of a fireman carrying a small child from the rubble of the World Trade Center draws out rage and a desire to avenge that act.  However, the same picture may get a different reaction from different people.  That cute puppy may not get an "awww" from someone who hates dogs.  It may be dislike or simply a much more muted response.

In the case of this photo, from a strictly journalistic view of it,  I believe it is a brilliant example of a photo eliciting a strong emotion by its content and was superbly done.  The irony of the picture cannot be lost, this person has a good eye for photography.  I am sure, that Ms. Stone does not hold those feelings inside and did not realize it would become such a viral image.  I am sure there are others, whose opinion of the picture is that they agree with the picture 100%.  The great thing about this country is that we can have different opinions of the picture and freely share them.

We are quick to judge sometimes when all we need to do is ask ourselves, how does this image make me feel and why?  Sometimes, our reactions are better kept to ourselves, or shared without attacking the photographer.

Losing Your Point Within Your Words

Over the past few months, Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe has been an outspoken supporter of the same-sex marriage amendments that were on ballots across the nation, not just the one that was voted on in Minnesota.

Back in August, a Maryland state delegate wrote a letter to the Baltimore Ravens owner about comments Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo ha made in favor of a Maryland ballot initiative that would legalize gay marriage.

Delegate Emmett C. Burns, Jr. stated in his letter that the Ravens owner should "inhibit such expressions from your employee."  That comment urges a gagging of Ayanbadejo's freedom of speech and his letter was taken to task by Kluwe.

I have long admired Kluwe for his punting skills and I also admire him for having such conviction when it comes to a cause.  I can definitely relate.  What I do not admire him for is, the way he addressed the Delegate in his letter to him.  He wrote Delegate Burns a scathing letter (OK so far) that was so profanity-laced as to make it lose all credibility.  Kluwe is obviously a well-educated man who writes quite well, but his use of profanity caused me to almost ignore the points he was trying to make...and they were not without merit.

Below this story, in the comments section, was a well-written response from a Catholic Conservative who tried to explain why he was against gay marriage without being at all anti-gay.  He had commented that Kluwe's letter, with all of its profanity, actually came across as more hateful than the delegate's letter had.  He told of how he raises his children to respect everyone and not bully or call names, etc.  He focused on his teaching his children about marriage between a woman and a man and why he considered that the only proper marriage.  Again, it was well-written, respectful, and asked for Kluwe's response.

The immediate response, from a gay man, was the only time I had ever seen a respectfully written response to a traditional marriage view.  He kindly and clearly gave his counter to the post.

Unfortunately, the next response given was the usual, hatred filled degrading of the gentleman.  In response to the Catholic Conservative's post, he said that "hate is defined only as a failure to embrace progressive values, and that tone or language is irrelevant as long as you're on the right-minded side of an issue."  Well, I guess that eliminates other points of view then. I guess we are all expected to think alike and not have differing opinions.  By his statement, I guess I am a hateful person because I do not prescribe to a lot of progressive views.  That will make some of my former, liberal friends happy to hear.  Maybe, instead, liberals are hatefilled since I do not think they are on the "right-minded side of an issue".  Of course, that is crazy thinking.

I reflected on the anger and name calling involved in these letters and posts and in conversations I have had in the past where I have been called these types of names.  I concluded that the difference between me, or someone like me, and the liberal person, is that I have no real dog in the fight.  Let me narrow this a bit though.  The liberal person, or the progressive, must be homosexual for my conclusion to work.  You cannot just support the liberal view.

I am married, I have all the legal rights, etc.  I am not being told my love for someone is not valid in the state's eyes.  I have no emotional attachment to the argument I make for traditional marriage, at least not to the level that a gay man or woman may have.  I truly do understand the position taken in support of gay-marriage, but that doesn't mean I don't still feel strongly that traditional marriage should be protected and something other than same-sex marriage should be considered.  It simply means that I better understand why I, and folks like me, are attacked with such ferocity when we share and defend our views.  I still think that behavior is childish and self-defeating, but I understand why it happens. 

If only that anger could be calmed so as not to shut my ears or cause me to focus on something other than the issue at hand, such as Kluwe's letter had, then maybe my peers and I would be more willing to listen.  Hard to do when your view is under childish attack.

Easy to Become Jaded

Today I have been thinking a lot about a lot of things.  It started out with being unfriended and blocked on Facebook by one of my wife's cousins.  I'm really not sure why, but I guess it is because she didn't like me telling her she was drinking the political koolaid.  She told me I was a racist.  When I asked why, I was told it was because black people drink koolaid.  I didn't know that, but I will be sure to tell my boys they are no longer to put down "white" on a demographics question.

Then it was thinking about the upcoming election.  This is the first one, in my memory, that seems to have so much riding on the result.  Maybe it is just because of where I am in my life.  I have different priorities now and I am much more aware of what is happening in the world and how it affects me.  I am genuinely fearful of the result if it doesn't go the way I hope.

I read the pleasant comments and shared things on Facebook and appreciate the lighter side of life and share in people's happiness.  But they are quickly followed up with nasty or rude comments about a story in the news or one of the political candidates.  For some reason, this election seems to have brought out the worst in people.  There is no discussion, only angry exchanges.

I sit and wonder what happened to the decency of the human spirit.  When did it become OK to call a person a racist because he thought a black quarterback in the NFL is a poor leader on the field.  When did it become OK to call a person intolerant just because they don't agree with your point of view.  When did it become OK to harass or ridicule a person because of their religious convictions?

I wonder what happened to our ability to laugh at life and at ourselves.  Today I heard a story of a father who wasn't going to allow his children to watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" because of the bullying in the cartoon and how Lucy is so mean to people.  Really?  Remember Archie Bunker and George Jefferson?  Talk about racist, bigoted behavior!!  Now, you can say it was a different time when those shows were on.  But I cry BS!  People laughed at the jokes both ways, because everyone could see how ridiculous Archie looked and it was fun to see a black man be as racist as a white man.  We laughed at the horrible behavior and saw it for what it was...stupid.  Now, we have become so sensitive and politically correct that we don't dare step wrong.

There are still good people out there, it is just getting harder to find them.  A good news story gets put online or on TV and people immediately look for something snarky to say.   We as a society seem to have given up on being nice to people.   Being polite has become too much work.  It is easier to simply be rude to people like they are to us.  The Golden Rule is alive and well...just now quite like it was intended.

Personally, I hope everything settles down a bit after the election.  As for me, I want to look for the positive in people and try not to be so jaded.  It is easy to do but it leaves you with an empty feeling.

So tomorrow, I will take pride in what God has blessed me with in my life and enjoy what He has placed in my life.  I will enjoy the beautiful weather and the changing colors on the trees.  I will see the beauty in people I meet and interact with.

Life is filled with choices.  Our attitude and disposition are affected by our choices.  Right now...I choose not to be jaded.

Proud of My Educated Future Voter!!



The man to the right is Henry Ayers, the owner of the
 dealership where we purchased our cars.

 Yesterday, Selena and I took the two youngest boys and our daughter and headed to the Mitt Romney political rally in Newport News.  The weather was nasty, but we had never been to a political rally and figured this might be the only time we will ever get to one for a Presidential candidate.

So, we packed up the boys and grabbed Anna's backpack and headed to Victory Landing Park.  We were woefully unprepared for the weather, all of us getting soaked to the bone, except Anna.  Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of her, snug as a bug in her covered backpack.

We were interviewed by the local CBS affiliate and ended up on the 11pm news.  I was also interviewed by ABC radio on our way out of the park.

It was a very cool experience, even if dampened by the weather.  Gov. Romney arrived early and cut his comments short due to the nasty weather.  He did not elaborate much on how he was going to accomplish his five points he has come to talk about, but I didn't expect him to.

My 17-year-old son, Daniel, has been having some very spirited debates with me about the Presidential race.  I tease him that he has been drinking the Liberal kool-aid because of the views he has.  But I am very proud of him.  He will never be an uninformed voter.  I may not agree with his views, but he at least has them, and stands by them.

Our debate last night centered on the fact that he claims that Romney has no details in his plan.  Essentially, according to Daniel, this means he has no plan.  I, on the other hand, don't expect a candidate to give me great details in his plan.  I believe that it is too hard to keep promises that are too detailed.  I do not need to know "how" Gov. Romney is going to skin the cat, just tell me which cats are getting skinned.  Give me enough detail to know what it's about, and I am good to go.

Taxes seem to be Daniel's rallying topic, and my least worried about.  But it is a good example of my point.  I do not care which loopholes Romney is going to try to close, just that he is.  I want to allow him the leeway to close whichever ones he can and not be hamstrung to close those he "promised" he would.

I am also proud of Daniel for choosing something that he believes strongly in and educating himself on it.  This is where he and I really differ on the issues that are most important to us.  Where Daniel is most interested in fiscal issues, I am more focused on the social issues.  I worry more about Pro-Life issues, religious freedom and gun ownership issues.  Daniel appears to be more of a fiscally liberal individual and worries less about social issues, especially those that do not affect him directly.

I have a great deal of respect for my sorrowfully misguided son.  He will never vote for a candidate based on skin color, ethnicity, or religion.  And thankfully, because I don't agree with whom he would vote for, he won't be able to vote this year!!!

ACT! for America

A few weeks ago, Selena and I listened to a presentation from a member of ACT! for America which talked about how radical Muslims are beginning to infiltrate our country by way of stealth jihad in order to reestablish their caliphate which ended in the 1920's when Turkey disbanded it. 

Now I have never been any type of a conspiracy theorist, but I have always believed that this is something that people should know about.  This is not an anti-Muslim post.  Many just want to go about their business, but over 25% of them are radicalized in that they want to destroy the infidels or subjugate them.  Did you know that the United States used to be subjugated to Muslims shortly after our birth?

The Barbary Pirates were Muslim and for many years we paid tribute to them in money so they would not attack our shipping.  It was Thomas Jefferson who ended that practice when he became President and the result was the Barbary War.  You can find that in the Jefferson Papers.  I am sure that now most history books fail to show that the Barbary Pirates were Muslim.  It is their practice, stated in the Koran, to either kill infidels or subjugate them.  They must become Muslim or pay money...read it for yourself in the Koran.

Last night, we attended a seminar given by the founder of ACT! for America, a Christian Lebanese woman by the name of Brigitte Gabrielle.  Her home was bombed in the 1970's as the Muslims took over Lebanon and killed the Christians.  History books don't show that anymore either.  She spoke mainly on the Muslim influence on our education system.  How the history books are being rewritten by Muslim "advisers" and "experts" who remove the negative words against Muslims.  The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), Hamas, and Fatah are no longer taught to be terrorist organizations.  They still do the same things they did when I was in grade school and we called them terrorists.  Now, they are fighting for a cause.  OY!!!

Have you heard of CAIR?  They are the Council on American-Islamic Relations.  Sounds nice doesn't it?  Did you also know that many of its umbrella organizations fund raise for the terrorist overseas?  Many of its leaders have been connected to terrorism.  The President of the United States currently has, as his advisor on Islamic matters, a member of an organization under CAIR which has been connected to terrorism.

Our country currently supports and cheers for the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.  They are the ones who created a plan to resurrect the Muslim Caliphate.  They came about in the 1920's, five years after Turkey ended the existing caliphate.  Google caliphate and you will see what it is.  The Muslim Brotherhood controls al Qaeda and all the other terrorist groups around the world.  There are currently 44 small wars with radical Islam going on around the world, yet the media only talks about two, with some coverage on Yemen and Somalia.

We need to wake up, America.  The battle is here already...and not a shot needs to be fired.

Child Pornography... a Thought Crime?

I was reading an a story about the professor who was seen viewing images of 5-10 year-old children nude or performing sex acts.  After reading the article I did what I always do, read through the comments posted by readers.  That is usually where the most interesting stuff is anyway.  Unfortunately, it is also where you can often see the worst our society has to offer.

This is a verbatim comment by a poster: 

Child pornography possesion is a thought crime. I realize i'll be called a pedophile for that comment but i'm sorry. It makes no logical legal or constitutional sense to imprison someone for possesing pictures.

Obviously, the comments that followed were not kind at all.  However, I must admit to having pondered a moment on his comment and the logic he was using.  He did continue by saying that if he was abusing children, then OK, he should be dealt with.  But if his only "crime" was possessing some pictures, then we probably have better things to do with our efforts.  His argument, as well as a couple of other comments, is interesting.

One person commented by saying, "How do we take the physical liberty away from someone who has not taken the physical liberty away from another?"  As I understood him, how do we put this guy in jail just for looking at some pictures.  He didn't produce the pictures or abuse the children.  I am sure this poster was strictly commenting on the pure legal technicalities.  Would that be comparable to arresting a kid who has a bottle of liquor in his hands but the seal is still intact and there is no alcohol on his breath?

It was an interesting way to look at actions which most decent people would automatically condemn.  I do not, in any way, think that the posters were condoning such pictures, they were just looking at the fine lines, I believe, that may exist there. 

Personally, I am of the mind that if the pictures exist, they had to have been created somehow, so therefore a child was abused to do so.  Much like mainstream pornography.  Every one of those men and women in the porn world are some one's brother, sister, even mom or dad.  I know, many of them choose that life and love it...but those children didn't.  So by having those pictures, you create a demand.  By purchasing porn, you create a demand.

I understand the poster's comment and I appreciate the view and the thoughtful moments it caused me.  But I do, wholeheartedly, Mr. realtalker1, disagree with you.

I Can Officially Stop Parenting

Now that the Government has decided that the HPV vaccine is to be mandatory for boys as well as girls, I guess I can stop making parenting decisions.  It would appear that the Government has taken me out of the equation as an unnecessary and incompetent decision maker.

Let me make this part clear.  I am NOT against the HPV vaccine nor is this about whether or not it is a good or useful or safe vaccine.  My daughter received this vaccine after much research and discussion with her and her doctor.  She received it as a precaution against cervical cancer, which is originally why it was recommended for girls.  Now, it is being pushed as a protective measure against certain STDs, which is an assumption that my daughter is going to be sexually active.

The real heartburn I have with the mandatory use of this vaccination for girls in some states and the recommended (read-soon to be mandatory) for boys, is that this vaccination is for a medical issue that is caused by a choice.

Unlike the past vaccinations for polio or smallpox, which were mandated to wipe out diseases that were extremely contagious or were contracted without certain behaviors, the HPV vaccine prevents ailments contracted by personal choices or actions.

I, as a parent, should be able to decide if my child receives this vaccine, just like a flu shot.  If I am teaching my children about morals and that sexual activity needs to wait for marriage, I don't need the government telling me that my child "is going to do it anyway", so I must vaccinate.  I don't need to protect the girls at school from my son with a shot.  I will protect them by teaching him about premarital sex.  The same goes for my daughters.  If I think the vaccine is good for them, I will get it based on our doctor's recommendation, not because I am forced to.

We, as parents, need to speak out against all this government interference in raising our children.  It is bad enough they have tied our hands behind our backs when it comes to discipline and decided for us when and how our children should be taught about sex.  Now they want to make medical decisions for us, sometimes without our knowledge.  If you want to raise your children the way you think is proper, be a voice against government mandating so much in our childrens' lives.

Totally Different Books

After having a very heated discussion on gay marriage on one Facebook thread and a very respectful and adult discussion on another, I came to the realization that this topic cannot be discussed by people with differing opinions.  Not only are the two sides not on the same page, they aren't even in the same book!!!  Stay with me here...

Normally, in a discussion on gay marriage, the pro side says "Good for the gays"! and the con side says, "Bad for society/family"!  The discussion then turns into a slinging of names, accusations of homophobia, being judgemental, and hate, etc.  For the record, in EVERY one of my discussions, my dissenting opinion was attacked and I was called names.  I was chastised for not being tolerant, yet my view was not tolerated.

This issue has two distinct ways to look at it, in my opinion.  First, there is the secular side, secondly...there is the religious side.  Let's look at each one.

Gay marriage...secular sided:  When you look at gay marriage from a secular point of view, it is very hard to argue that it should not be allowed.  In fact, I am not sure I could come up with one.  Do two people of the same sex have the right to enter into a legal contract that will allow them to share medical benefits, property, and other legal stuff just like heterosexual couples can?  You bet!  I have no problem with two men or two women calling themselves a couple and having the other on their insurance or whatever.  I am not sure I see a lack of equality anywhere, since civil unions have been around in many states for quite a while, but yes; I do think that if a gay couple wants to enter into a civil union, they should be allowed to.  From a secular, contractual point of view, it is OK.  After all, all marriages start out downtown with a marriage license as a legal contract and are, in essence, nothing more than an agreement for the exchange of goods and services between the two parties who signed that contract. 

Gay Marriage...religion sided:  Here is where the big problem begins.  Most religions do not look at gay marriage as being proper.  I am going to speak from the Christian view since I am a Catholic.  Marriage, from a religious standpoint, is not simply looked at as a contract, but a sacred covenant between a man and a woman and God.  Before you get all excited, I understand that two men or two women can love each other just as strongly as a man and a woman can.  That is not what is at question. There are Biblical references to man and woman: The first to be quoted is always Genesis 1:27-28 to paraphrase, "He made them male and female and told them to be fruitful and multiply. There are also references to the sinfulness of homosexuality...not "being" homosexual, but acting on it. Leviticus 18:22 states, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; such a thing is an abomination.  Both of these quotes are from the Old Testament, so cannot be written off as strictly Christian rules.  There are many more references throughout the bible which condemn homosexual behavior, but not the homosexual. 

From a religious view, marriage exists for procreation, thus the reason the Catholic Church does not support birth control and especially abortion.  If you cannot (health issues aside) create children with a sexual act, the marriage is useless.  I will not go into sterile parents and other side issues here. 

The point is that you cannot have two men have sex and produce a child.  God's intent for marriage cannot be met.  Imagine if Adam and Eve had been Adam and Steve.  In a few years the human race would have been gone.  Sex is not meant to be a recreational sport but to be a unifying act between a husband and wife...an act of intimacy...that opportunity for the "two to become one".  Thus, many Christians are OK with there being civil unions for homosexual couples, allowing them to have the same secular rights as heterosexual couples.   However, it is when homosexual couples want that union to be called a marriage, or to be performed by a minister, that many Christians cry foul.

There is also the debate about the family structure and the need for both parents.  I do not believe that a child will do just as well with two dads or two moms as he/she would with one of each.  A girl needs a mother to learn girl stuff and a boy needs a father to learn boy stuff.  We have gender specific roles and ways we do things for a reason...because God wanted it that way.

You will notice that the number of words needed to support gay marriage in the secular sense was far less than the number used to show why, religiously, gay marriage should not be allowed.  As I said in the beginning, their really isn't an argument to be made against gay marriage if you look at it strictly from a secular view.  Yet there is a strong argument, with much Biblical and historical/societal reference to back the argument against.

I do not believe this is a topic that can ever be discussed without agreeing first about which side of the debate you are going to discuss...secular or religious.  And in order to have the debate from a religious standpoint, the person on the side of gay marriage should really be religious and believe in their faith.  Otherwise, it is a useless talk.

Congress Must Be Bored

On the news this morning I heard a story that was talking about the uproar in the Native American community is in over the use of "Geronimo" as a code word in the killing of Osama bin Laden.  Now, Congress is going to have hearings about it.

Really?!  Is that really necessary?  OK, the Native American populace didn't like it...noted.  Now, Congress, move on with your work of taking care of this country.  No need to pander to some oversensitive individuals who didn't like a name you used.  If I'm not mistaken, wasn't Geronimo a great warrior?  Shouldn't they be flattered that we used his name?  I hope they don't find out that as a young boy I used to holler, "Geronimooooo!!" when I jumped off something.  They may file a lawsuit against me.

I think this is one of those times when we need to just ignore such a petty thing and move on.  Congress, get to work dealing with real issues...not a group of people just wanting to blow off steam.

Expectations of My Housewife...

Now that my wife has decided to leave the workforce and become a housewife, I decided that perhaps she could use some guidelines as to what was expected of her.  I did a little research and found these guides to a good housewife.  I believe they fit nicely:

- Have dinner ready.  Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return.  This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs.  Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

- Prepare yourself.  Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives.  Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking.  He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

- Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him.  His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

- Clear away the clutter.  Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.

- Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper, etc. and then run a dust cloth over the tables.

- Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by.  Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too.  After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

- Prepare the children.  Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes.  They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part.  Minimise all noise.  At the theme of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer or vacuum.  Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

- Be happy to see him.

- Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

- Listen to him.  You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time.  Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

- Make the evening his.  Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you.  Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.

- Your goal:  Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

- Don't greet him with complaints and problems.

- Don't complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night.  Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

- Make him comfortable.  Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom.  Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

- Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes.  Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

- Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity.  Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness.  You have no right to question him.

-  A good wife always knows her place.

Now that I have everyones (at least the womens') blood boiling, this was found by my mother a few years ago in some old papers.  It was an article in Housekeeping Monthly, 13 May 1955.  Though my wife is very much of the mindset of this era as far as duties of a husband and wife, she does not agree with these...nor do I.  They are a bit extreme, but still fun to read.  Hard to believe this was the norm 60 years ago.

I know and understand the importance of my wife and her importance in my life.  As I told her when we discussed her being a housewife..."I bring home the money and the stuff, but she is the one who turns it all into a home".

Please Make the Pain Go Away!!!

Yesterday I stopped at the gas station to fill up my truck.  Yes, unfortunately I own a full-size truck that does NOT get the greatest gas mileage.  However, anything smaller would not do.  Anyway, I dropped about $87.00 into my tank and just shook my head.  I am starting to wonder when I will reach the point of not being able to drive anywhere anymore.

I would like to pose a question.  Should the government step in and regulate the price of gas?  I have a difficult time with oil companies having annual profits of about $30 BILLION as I am paying about $3.80/gal now.  That is about 60 cents more than I paid in February and over a dollar more than I paid before Christmas.   Notice I said "profits"?  That is after payroll, exploration, maintenance, etc.  That is PROFIT!!  I personally think that the oil companies are price fixing.  There is plenty of supply right now and the demand has not increased.  What is going to happen in the summertime?

I would like the government to step in and tell those companies the price will not be over $3.00...period.  I can understand a company being profitable, but tens of billions is ridiculous.  I can't even believe I would be happy with $3!!!  But see, that is what the oil companies want.  Once they have us over a certain threshold, the price will not drop below that.  I will bet that we will never see gas below $3.50 ever again.

If You Eat, You Qualify!!

I am proud to announce that St. Josephs Catholic Church in Hampton, VA has just been granted permission to become a host site for Angel Food Ministries.  We are hoping to get this ministry up and running within the next two months.

I have been using this ministry to supplement my groceries each month for about the past year.  I can honestly say that it has put a huge dent in my bill.  One of the menus was compared with shopping for the same items at Walmart.  The $41 Angel Food Box cost over $91!!  That is a huge savings.

If you have never tried this ministry, or even heard of it, I highly encourage you to follow the link below and just check it out.  Try it...just once!  You will be happy you did.

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

Tip for Saving Money on Your Grocery Bill

Screen shot of Pantry program

Last year I downloaded a recipe program (Living Recipe 2011) that had an added feature, in that it kept track of everything I had in my cupboard.  Being a bit "Type A", I thought this was pretty cool.  When I went Mac, that program no longer worked and I found this program...Pantry. 

I make no claims that this program is any better than any other.  My claim is that any program like this is well worth the cost (this one was free) and the initial investment of time to catalog your cupboards, refrigerator and freezer.  This program, if you are a Mac user, does offer an application that is pretty cheap and allows everyone in the family to see what is on the shopping list.

I was getting tired of going to the grocery store and thinking that I needed cereal, only to get home and already have three boxes of Froot Loops!  With this program, I am able to know exactly what I need, when I need it.  It does require you to keep track of what you use at each meal, but that is so easy.
It is also helpful to make a menu of what you will make for the next week or so, keeping you from randomly purchasing food.  You make the menu, check to see if you have what you need, and buy ONLY what you don't already have in stock.  Since doing this, I have gone from an average grocery visit of just under $200 to between $100-$125. (I shop every two weeks and this amount includes some non-food items)  I am able to also keep track of personal care items, cleaning supplies and other things.

If you want to save some money...put a little bit of work in and this easy to use program, or one like it, will save you a ton!!!

Ever Been Hit by the Karma Bus?

Why is it that people can never leave well enough alone and then wonder why they end up getting run over by the Karma Bus? You warn a person..."don't do 'A', it will bring nothing good in the future", and that person ignores you and doesn't just do "A", they do "B", and "C" too. Does that person not deserve, then, to get run over by the Karma Bus when the other person, or life in general, does "D"? If all life's lessons must be learned by getting run over by that Bus...it is going to be a rough life.

Read...THINK...Respond

It has happened again! I comment on a friends posting on Facebook and shortly thereafter get return comments, either from that person or another, that is either quite harsh or completely inaccurate. Yesterday I commented on a friend's joining a group calling Glenn Beck an idiot. I responded with a comparison to James Carville. Someone else attacks me as endorsing Glenn Beck and parroting the hatred spewed by the Conservative side of life. There were two, maybe three bullet statements between myself and the original poster and NOWHERE in there was an endorsement of Glenn Beck. In fact, I have a hard time not thinking he is an idiot myself!!!

Now I am not saying that I may not be a lightning rod for my Liberal friends. After all, I do sometimes take a shot that I know will get some people jumping. But why is it that often times Liberals cannot see the forest for the trees? They focus on one small piece that they can attack on and miss everything around it. The get stuck on stupid sometimes and cannot get past it.

Prime example: I made a simple post on my page stating that military members needed to be very careful about what and how they made comments regarding the possible changing of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the military. Suddenly I was being attacked about the policy itself and my non-support of gays and everything else other than that I was providing a simple public service announcement to my fellow military friends.

I end with this simple request, especially of my Liberal friends (if I still have any after this)...read the entire post/writing and make an intelligent response. Emotional responses tend to be filled with anger/hatred and are not as intelligent as you normally may be.

And as my favorite Liberal friend said: "I love poking the bear...just as much as the bear loves poking me..." Keep smiling folks and we can keep having some very spirited conversations while I keep poking that bear.

I Can Post to You, But I Don't Want to Hear What You Say!

I am going to take advantage of my blog to make my "controversial comments" and then post to my FB page where people who WANT to read them can, and others can ignore them. It seems that some folks on the more liberal side of life don't like it when I post conservative viewpoints on Facebook because it then populates their homepage and they are "forced" to read my views and it infuriates them. However, when I get their blathering about gay-marriage, abortion rights, etc., I am to smile and put up with their postings without making a comment.

The most recent offense by the liberal side of Facebook...the recent posting...on MY page...of friends who have chosen to support "1-Million Strong for Same-Sex Marriage Throughout the United States". This crap hit my page today with the unbelievably disrespectful rendition of MY US Flag you see with this posting. I have served this flag proudly for over 23 years, gone to war to protect it...and now I see it disrespected in such a way. Homosexuals want...no DEMAND that they get what they consider their rights. How can you take a group seriously who has no respect for the country that gives them their freedom to express these demands?