Lets Get Real OK?: Lets go back to the "good ole days"

Lets Get Real OK?: Lets go back to the "good ole days": " I was looking at the comments section on Yahoo. The story people were commenting on was of course about our current president. It real..."

Lets go back to the "good ole days"

 I was looking at the comments section on Yahoo. The story people were commenting on was of course about our current president. It really surprised me to see all of the right wing hate speech that was posted. I didn't know Yahoo was a offshoot of Fox News. I guess they are a Conservative site now. too bad. It use to be a haven where open, intelligent dialog took place, but judging from what I'm saw there, those days have long past. This is rant is addressed to the haters that posted on that blog. A lot of you out there hate President Obama, I get it, that's your right as an America. But lets get Real OK? We finally have a President that Is trying to do something for the average citizen and we still bitch and whine. Everything the GOP wants has nothing to do with aiding the average American, they only want to maintain the status Que, by making the rich even richer. They don't care about the small mom and pop business owner ( they don't make enough) . They claim to be concerned about the deficit, and  Gov spending and waist, and vows to shrink government by cutting spending ( i.e social programs) , but ask one of them " what are you going to cut?"what dept are you going to do way with? what services will you no longer provide to the American people? they won't give you a straight answer ( its not politically expedient to do so yet). Lets face it, The GOP, is in bed with big business and they are holding the American economy hostage until they get what they want ( more tax cuts). Corps are making windfall profits, but still refuse to hire claiming they need lower taxes, and need to outsource jobs to help our economy and all of you idiots who support them are too stupid to see that. In a way I kinda hope the GOP gets everything they want. Hell, lets take things back to the days of the Robber Barons, like Andrew Carnegie, and J.P Morgan.  When big business was king and it did whatever it wanted, and the bottom line was the dollar sign.. Let take away all Government regulations and let big business do whatever it wants. Lets get rid of collective bargaining and the Unions ( employees don't need rights, they should be happy they have a job). Lets do away with child labor laws and the minimum wage ( the market should determine how much a person is paid). Lets do away with environmental laws altogether,and let the market place take care of everything. Sounds good? because that's what they really want. To hell with a social a safety net. Get rid of Social Security, and Medicare or anything else that poor people might find helpful, because that's not the American way. Lets go back to that time period, that way by the time they are done screwing you over, you might wake up and open your eyes. That seem to be the only way we realize something is wrong. But by that time it will be too late.Disagree with what I'm saying? then Prove me wrong!!!

What Did He Do that is so Bad?

It seems like the closer we get to the mid term elections, the more radical the charges against the Democratic Party, and our current sitting president become. I have heard attacks come from some of the most absurd places. All of you tea baggers, and right wing conservatives, claim that he (Obama) is ruining the country, how? What has this man done that is so terrible? And if you forget, it’s not like this country was in such good shape when he was elected. But really, what has he done that is so terrible. Let see, he:




1. Passing the "largest" economic stimulus bill in American history.

2. Ordering the closing of Guantanamo Bay military detention facility and abolishing "enhanced interrogation techniques (Torture)

3. Setting a fixed timetable for withdrawing U.S. combat forces from Iraq, and followed thru with it.

4. Ordering 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan and enlisting, with modest new assistance, European allies in a new multi-layered strategy there and in Pakistan, and setting a timetable for a draw down of our troops.

5. "Returning science to its rightful place" by lifting the Bush restrictions on federally funded embryonic stem cell research(although a federal judge ruled against it, that is still a ongoing fight)

6. Signing laws to expand children's health insurance (financed by a 61-cent per pack increase in the federal cigarette tax the adviser did not tout).

7. Signing a law meant to improve the ability of women who allege pay discrimination to sue their employer.

8. Lifting travel and remittance restrictions for Cuban Americans who seek to travel more frequently to the island and send more US currency to their immediate family.

9. Appointed the first Latina to the US Supreme Court

10. Signed a law supporting increased financial aid to severely injured war veterans, and their caretakers.

11. Banned offshore drilling until parameters for deep well safety procedures are clarified.

12. Put a hold on Arctic oil exploratory digging until environmental impacts are clear.

13. Passed health care reform.

14. Signed a hate crime bill.

Compared to G.W. Bush Who:

* Attacked and took over two countries. Based on lies

• Iraq worked with Al Quadia- Lie
• Iraq had WMDS-------------Lie

* Spent the surplus and bankrupted the treasury.

* Shattered record for biggest annual deficit in history.

* Set economic record for most private bankruptcies filed in any 12 month period.

* Set all-time record for biggest drop in the history of the stock market.

* First president in US history to enter office with a criminal record.

* First year in office set the all-time record for most days on vacation by any president in US history.

* After taking the entire month of August off for vacation, presided over the worst security failure in US history.

* Set the record for most campaign fund-raising trips than any other president in US history.

* In his first two years in office over 2 million Americans lost their job.

*Cut unemployment benefits for more out of work Americans than any president in US history.

* Set the all-time record for most foreclosures in a 12 month period.

* Appointed more convicted criminals to administration positions than any president in US history.

* Signed more laws and executive orders amending the Constitution than any president in US history.

* Presided over the biggest energy crises in US history and refused to intervene when corruption was revealed.

* Presided over the highest gasoline prices in US history and refused to use the national reserves as past presidents have.

* Cut health care benefits for war veterans.

* Set the all-time record for most people worldwide to simultaneously take to the streets to protest me (15 million people), shattering the record for protest against any person in the history of mankind.

* Dissolved more international treaties than any president in US history.

* His presidency was the most secretive and un-accountable of any in US history.

* First president in US history to have all 50 states of the Union simultaneously go bankrupt.

* Presided over the biggest corporate stock market fraud of any market in any country in the history of the world.

* First president in US history to order a US attack and military occupation of a sovereign nation.

* Created the largest government department bureaucracy in the history of the United States. The Dept of   Homeland Security

* Set the all-time record for biggest annual budget spending increases, more than any president in US history.

* First president in US history to have the United Nations remove the US from the human rights commission.

* First president in US history to have the United Nations remove the US from the elections monitoring board.

* Removed more checks and balances, and have the least amount of congressional oversight than any presidential administration in US history.

* Rendered the entire United Nations irrelevant.

* Withdrew from the World Court of Law.

* Refused to allow inspector’s access to US prisoners of war and by default no longer abide by the Geneva Conventions.
* All-time US (and world) record holder for most corporate campaign donations.

* His biggest life-time campaign contributor presided over one of the largest corporate bankruptcy frauds in world history (Kenneth Lay, former CEO of Enron Corporation).

* Spent more money on polls and focus groups than any president in US history.

* First president in US history to unilaterally attack a sovereign nation against the will of the United Nations, The American People, and the world community.

* First US president to establish a secret shadow government.

* Took the biggest world sympathy for the US after 911, and in less than a year made the US the most resented country in the world (possibly the biggest diplomatic failure in US and world history).

* With a policy of 'dis-engagement' created the most hostile Israeli-Palestine relations in at least 30 years.

* First US president in history to have a majority of the people of Europe (71%) viewed his presidency as the biggest threat to world peace and stability.

* Changed US policy to allow convicted criminals to be awarded government contracts.

* Set all-time record for number of administration appointees who violated US law by not selling huge investments in corporations bidding for government contracts.

* Failed to fulfill his pledge to get Osama Bin Laden 'dead or alive'.
* In the 18 months following the 911 attacks he has successfully prevented any public investigation into the biggest security failure in the history of the United States.

* Removed more freedoms and civil liberties for Americans than any other president in US history.

* In a little over two years created the most divided country in decades, possibly the most divided the US has ever been since the civil war.

* Entered office with the strongest economy in US history and in less than two years turned every single economic category heading straight down.

________________________________________

After looking at this, it seems to me that we are comparing apples to oranges. President Obama has accomplished a lot.  And he did this all, in his first term in office which isn’t near completion. I mean, If you preferred how things were before under the previous administration, than I can see why you feel the way that you do, (don’t understand it, but I see it).But if you wanted a president that actually did something  positive for the American people, That is trying to live up to most of his campaign promises,( granted not everything is going to be done, nor should they) Then you should be very happy with who we have  in the oval office. He is nowhere near perfect, But at least that man is trying.  So I ask you once again? Let get real OK?  What did President Obama do, or is doing that is so terrible, besides be a Democrat in office? (I think I know, but I don’t want to be accused of  using  the “Race Card").

Runnaway Religion.

GOP-linked punk rock ministry says: executing gays is ‘moral' and each gay person molests 117 people "before they're found out"

You Can Run But You Cannot Hide, Inc., a 501-c-3 nonprofit ministry that brings its hard rock gospel into public schools, has been deepening its long-running ties to the Republican Party of Minnesota. Long a cause celeb for Rep. Michele Bachmann, who has twice lent her name to the group’s fundraising efforts, You Can Run (YCR) had a booth at the GOP convention in April, and the group’s front man, Bradlee Dean, reports that gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer recently accepted an invitation to visit with him at Dean’s home.

                                                                                      

Recent statements by Dean:

that Muslim countries calling for the execution of gays and lesbians are “more moral than even the American Christians."

“Muslims are calling for the executions of homosexuals in America,” Dean said on YCR’s May 15 radio show on AM 1280 the Patriot. “This just shows you they themselves are upholding the laws that are even in the Bible of the Judeo-Christian God, but they seem to be more moral than even the American Christians do, because these people are livid about enforcing their laws. They know homosexuality is an abomination.”

“If America won’t enforce the laws, God will raise up a foreign enemy to do just that,” Dean continued. “That is what you are seeing in America.”

“The bottom line is this… they--homosexuals--play the victim when they are, in fact, the predator,” Dean said, before going on to make a claim that has no basis in fact: “On average, they molest 117 people before they’re found out. How many kids have been destroyed, how many adults have been destroyed because of crimes against nature?”


via minnesotaindependent.com
Just to make sure you're following, here's a current rundown of GREAT TRUTHS:

• *Each gay person molests 117 people before they're found out.

• *Jews in the Middle Ages poisoned wells, caused the Black Death, and sacrificed Christian babies.

• *Now only the Masons do those sorts of things. Oh, and "the gays."

• *All black people devour fried chicken and watermelon all the live-long day.

• *The Earth is about 6,000-12,000 years old. So, things like 350,000 year-old pigments in Zambian cave art or 30,000 year-old flax clothing fibers in the Caucasus or 4,400,000,000 year-old zircon in Canada are all falsehood that Satan has duped 1,000's of obviously God-hating scientists into believing, which is especially easy for Satan to do because scientists love to agree with each other all of the time and are reluctant to challenge other scientists' ideas or attempt to confirm their experiment-based findings.

• *Blonde's are dumb.

OK, I'm not gay by any stretch of the imagination, but these guys scare the hell out of me. Believe what you want, that's your right under the constitution. But when you start to melt this with politics, to me that is a deadly combination. People can say what they don't like, but, I feel groups like this advocate violence. And the sad part about it is that they do this in Gods name. And history has shown that when you use god as the motivation. you have a very powerful  tool  to get people to do things they probably would never do in ordinary life. When you think about that, its terrifying. Some of the most egregious acts in history was done in the name of religion. From the Crusades to the so-called War on Terror, some of the most horrific, evil, illogical acts in history were done in gods name. Why is that? well think about it. Who is the highest moral authority that we have? God. If God tells you that its OK, guess what? your free. You can do anything, Think about it, according to the bible,when god told the Israelites to go into the land of Canaan, and put every man woman and child to death, that is what we call  genocide, but in their eyes it was fulfilling god wishes. If that happened today, would that argument fly? I hope not. And whats really scary about this group is that it has political support. It has  long-running ties to the Republican Party of Minnesota. and support from Rep. Michele Bachmann, who has twice lent her name to the group’s fundraising efforts. All this does is validate the groups message, methods, and tactics  in like minded people, adding more fuel to the fire. Look, Lets get real OK? the 1st amendment gives you the right to say whatever you thing and feel about a issue. But when you advocate harming others based on your beliefs then I feel you have taken things way to far.  Words have power. Yes,you have the right to say what you want, but you also have to be responsible with that power. If you put yourself in a position where your words influence others, than you have a responsibility, and a obligation to  monitor yourself and parse your words very carefully, especially in the realm of religion. Faith is a very powerful motivating force. That power can be used for good or for evil. A religious figure has great power at his/her possession, that can shape and influence their followers thoughts and actions. The Bottom line on this is that we live in a country where you have the right to freely believe whatever you want. But the responsibility that we have with this freedom is that freedom goes hand in hand with tolerance. You don't have to like something, and you can protest and try to change  things in a peaceful way.  But ,when you start advocating violence, bigotry , and hatred  openly or inadvertently, you go against just what this country stands for.

What Black People Really Want

I think with the election of Barak Obama as President, Race is becoming a hot button issue once again. The fires of hatred that once burned brightly and fueled the racial tensions in this country, were long thought to be extinguished. But they weren’t, they were simmering under the surface, and with the election of Americas 1st black president, those simmering embers are starting to flare up again. The whole race game is just another card that is used by the power elite to keep the average common people at odds. It’s just another distraction, along with religion, political ideology, gun control, gay rights, and abortion, which is used to keep us from really trying to come together to effect real change in this country (A country divided cannot stand). Look, let’s be honest OK? There are some facts about the good ole USA that we just have to accept as truth, or else we will never really address the real issues that need to be looked at. Is there racial inequity in the country? Yes. It always has been, and it always will be. That’s just one of the prices you have to pay to live in a free society. Do Black people and white people view America through the same eyes? No. There are some things in America that we see in a different light than you do. There are thing that we deal with and see that White America doesn’t. That’s just a fact of life. You can't change the way people feel about race, everyone has their own little prejudices, and you can't force a person to change their viewpoint thru laws. And for that matter, why waste time and energy even trying to do so? All you’re going to do is make that person, and those who think like that more staunch in their belief. That change can only come from within that person and only if they want to, and frankly, I refuse to waste my time and energy trying to get people to like me because of the color of my skin.


Look, I'll admit, I look at things from a liberal viewpoint, and I am a proud, gun toting liberal, but just like the conservative right, I feel that the left is slowly being hijacked by the extreme left wing. It started out as something honorable, but I think it is starting to morph into something totally different. I feel we are starting to become what we claim to fight against. My attitude is this, you can hate me for whatever reason, I don't care, and you still have that right in this country. You don’t have to like me, But you will respect me (until I give you reason not to). Just don't try and stop me from living my life, Life in America is heard enough already, don’t add to my hardship, don't get in my way. Most Black people (and I say most because you will always have your idiots in all races) don't want anything from anybody. All we want is:

1. To work and take care of our families.

2. We just want a level playing field so we can chase after the same American dream, which we were told  we have an opportunity to achieve.

3. We want to be respected, and not always be looked upon with fear and suspicion ( Until we give you a reason to, and that comes in all races )

4. We want to be viewed as equal contributors to the American experience

5. Acknowledgement that some of our complaints and concerns have merit and not just using the “race  card” ( whatever the hell that is )

We don't want a hand up or out. Now with that being said, does this mean that I am against Affirmative action? No. That program was devised to level an already uneven playing field for minorities. I don’t feel that America has come to a point where everything is equal, and a man or woman of color is judges by their skill, not their skin tone. Do I like affirmative action? No. But let’s be realistic. If the field was level and equal, there would no need for that program. But we aren’t there yet. Over the years White people have purposely attempted to keep the field unequal. I would love to see this program go away, it makes it much harder for us to prove that we earned what have achieved do to skill, not race, but we are not there yet. You might not like the message, but it’s true. The bottom line is this; we don’t want white people’s money. We can make our own .We don’t need or want your pity. We just want and demand your respect. Just step out of our way, don’t interfere, give us time to work out the problems in our community (and we will fix them don’t you worry) and we will take care of the rest ourselves..

Face Up, Wake Up

Recently I read a comment on one of the political forums that I frequent from time to time. I came across a post that basically blamed the president and liberals for all of the problems in this country. I don't understand cconservatives; they are OK with being screwed over by big business, but froth at the mouth at the thought of the poor(usually in their eyes, a dark skinned person) getting some type of help from the government. They tout the constitution, the founding fathers , founding principles, freedom and mom’s apple pie. The problem is, they love to romanticize the idea of America, but want to ignore the real America. They to like stick their chest out, and walk with a cocky swagger, and brag about how tough we are, and how moral and godly they are, and they know what’s best for America. They like to hearken back to all of the great accomplishments (and there are many) of the past and rest on those laurels. But it’s not real. They only want to see the America that we grew up with  in old John Wayne, Ronald Reagan films, or what we saw on televisions Leave it to Beaver,or The Andy Griffith show, or what we read about in history class (before the so-called revisions in history) and not acknowledge the problems that do exist. They don't want to see the real America. They have blinders on, and want to focus only on their imaginary America, where everyone new their place and no one stepped out of line. And  they look for and  gravitate toward  those who encourage and foster their false view i.e. Palin, Beck, and Limbaugh.

What they don’t see or want to see is that those three and others like them are getting rich by keeping conservatives in dream land.

Take off the blinders, we don't need any more feel good politics, we have real problems in the good ole USA that needs real solutions, not some pie in the sky ideology. I’m not saying that the liberals or progressives have all of the answers, but at least we will admit that there is something wrong. Conservatives lament the decline of this country, (Decline from what?), and want to take it back to a supposed purer time (whenever that was), well how about giving some real solutions, not the same old conservative mantra? Its like they tell you in any self help or rehab program,"You can't fix a problem until you admit there is one."

It goes both ways

Before I start this rant, let me be perfectly clear: I am not attacking, condoning, siding with any belief structure. I think they all have their positive points and their darker sides. With that being said, I saw a news article today that made me wonder about the so called religious freedom we claim to have. The story talked about a woman that heads a group that claims it wants to help Muslims leave Islam. Here is the link: http /www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/26/national/main6522407.shtml?tag=cbsnewsTwoColLowerPromoArea;morenews

"Pamela Geller, who leads an organization called Stop Islamization of America, said the ads were meant to help provide resources for Muslims who are fearful of leaving the faith.”
What??? I’m a wee bit confused. I thought this was a country free from religious totalitarianism, where you are free to believe, or not believe,whatever you want without any type of persecution. Where, you don't have to worry, about having someone shove their belief down your throat. I thought that was the country I lived in, maybe I was wrong. I never could ever understand the need for people to wear their religion on their sleeve. And why is it always the so-called Christian faith that has a problem with this? Why do they feel they have to make a public display of their faith? Doesn’t the Bible preach against this?

(NOW HEAR YE THE WORD OF THE LORD as recorded in Matthew 6:5-13:
"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites [are]: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.)

It seems to me like all of the grandstanding and bible thumping that I see is in direct conflict with what was written. How I read it, your actions should announce your faith, not your words. I see too many people announcing “I am a Christian” according to the Bible, you shouldn’t have to do that. But then again, you can’t effect political change unless you are vocal. Isn’t that what this is all about? Using your faith, to move politics in your direction, to me is a slippery slope. How far do we go? Whose rights do we trample on in the process? How far do we go in order to considered moral and righteous? And who decides who makes the cut? These are questions that I don’t think we are really considering. Like I said before, I'm not out to attack Christianity, but it’s the only one that I see actively trying to mold our culture in a image that it wants. And what really scares me is when we wrap our beliefs in perverted  mixture of patriot fervor, and religious certainty. When you put those two factors together, you have the making of some of the worst atrocities in human history.
Do we really want a Christian Theocracy? Do we truly want religion ruling every aspect of our daily lives? For some, that would be a utopia. And if that makes them happy, great, more power to them.  History has shown that mixing religion and politics never works well. I think Thomas Jefferson described it best

"History, I believe, furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance of which their civil as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purposes." --Thomas Jefferson to Alexander von Humboldt, 1813. ME 14:21
Let’s get real OK? The very ones that are screaming for religious freedom are the very same ones who are intolerant of any other faith. They want their faith to be protected and revered, but at the same time, fight to silence others. You can’t have it both ways’ freedom for one means freedom for all. I don’t think this is something the religious right truly understand, and that’s what’s really sad.  You see, I don’t believe that Mrs. Geller has a nefarious intent behind her actions. I truly believe that she thinks she is doing the right think. And who knows, maybe she will win some over. But here is my question, how would she react to a billboard advertising help to anyone wishing to leave Christianity?