By Deborah K. Martin sitting in for Crystal Laramore Lutz
This is Thanksgiving week, the start of the long holiday season which will encompass Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Ashura and I’m sure many others. Being a tried and true American I’m glad this season starts off in the United States with a celebration of abundance, cooperation and gratitude.
Getting together with family and friends over a very large, calorie laden, fragrant meal has always been one of my favorite things but it’s not the only thing I think about at this time in November. Each year I stop for some serious thought about what has happened in my life over the past 12 months. I think about how I could have made it better, about my own mistakes in judgment and wasted opportunities. It’s not a time for beating myself up, just doing an honest self-evaluation.
I also think a lot about the true blessings in my life and try to be consciously grateful for each one. Things like my wonderful children who really aren’t children anymore. My older son has 4 daughters of his own. My younger son has added a beautiful wife to his life this year. I’m grateful for my grandchildren and my siblings. My two brothers are especially precious to me. They are both great men with many talents. I love them dearly.
I’m grateful for wonderful friends who encourage me during the tough times and keep me grounded during the good ones. Especially Miss Crystal, who has been my buddy and soul-mate for many years. What a blessing she is. She makes me laugh, she encourages me, she curses the latest guy who has hurt me and she challenges me to be more. Thank you, honey.
All this thinking got me wondering about attitude. It is everything, isn’t it? Some bad things have happened in my life this year (and last year and the year before and the year before, you get the picture) but I still have the ability to be cheerful, happy and grateful. Now please, don’t think I’m patting myself on the back here. I’m just as human as the rest. There are days when I think my life just plain sucks. But that passes.
Why? Because I CHOOSE to let it pass. I CHOOSE to look on the bright side. I CHOOSE to learn from those sucky days. I think maybe I was born with this bent anyway, but I’ve had many opportunities over the years to keep making the choice to be happy and cheerful. You CAN make that a habit like any other habit.
This brings me to the “glass half full or empty” question. There are two men who, over the years, have been very dear to me, each for different reasons. One I have known for over 13 years. We became instant friends and over the years he has been a buddy, a mentor and spiritual guide for me. He is a very successful businessman who has built quite a nice life for himself and his family. Last week we found out he has a rare, incurable cancer. He may live a year. He may live ten. It’s devastating news for someone who was planning an early retirement in the hill country with his wife and his Harley. He said he has to find different dreams now, short term ones. He has his bad moments but all in all, he is handling this news with grace and dignity. His life will be full for however long he is here.
The other man I have known for about 5 years. He has been a friend, a playmate, a lover, a fiancé. We’re no longer together as a couple but he calls every once in awhile. He also has been diagnosed with cancer. Prostate cancer. It seems to have spread to his kidneys, which is never good news, but still and all there are treatments and cures for his disease.
Like the first man, he is smart. He is also successful in his work. He has a loving family. He can still make me laugh. But none of that matters. He says his life is over. He’s done. He’s thinking seriously of not getting any treatment for his cancer. (Seriously? Give up? I can’t fathom that kind of thinking.) He says he’ll just live until he dies because he hates his life anyway. But would that be living? It’s not the disease that will kill him, but his attitude.
My first friend doesn’t just have a glass half full mentality. His glass is always overflowing, now as much as ever, just in different ways. My former fiancé’s glass apparently has always been empty. (just one of the reasons we’re no longer together) Isn’t that an amazing difference? I draw a complete blank when trying to figure it out.
So what’s my point? It’s not to look at your life and say, “Oh thank God, I don’t have cancer so I’ll be extra grateful! Yippee! Aren’t I lucky?!” No. That doesn’t usually work with me. Sometimes I look at that other person’s life and still say, “Well, my life sucks anyway. What’s your point?!” My point is that even though I may feel that my life sucks in some temporary way, it’s my choice to stay stuck there or to adjust my mind and move on.
It’s a choice. Sometimes a pretty difficult one, I’ll grant you, but a choice nonetheless. Frankly, at my age I no longer dread those challenges because I’ve already been through enough of them to know I’ll not only survive them, I’ll learn something valuable I can pass along to others. Every challenge makes me more grateful. It gives me more hope. More faith. More strength. Not less.
Anyone reading this little article in this little paper is blessed beyond measure. You can read. You have enough income to buy a paper. You have enough brainpower to understand what you’re reading. You live in a country which allows someone like you to read the scribblings of someone like me. Likely you have someone who loves you. Maybe a lot of someones. You have friends. Perhaps you have a career which thrills you every day. Or maybe you’re facing challenges. Physical. Mental. Financial. Emotional.
This is a great week to count your blessings. I dare you. Write them out. One by one. Seriously. Don’t bother with the negative unless you just can’t help yourself. Write out everything you can think of. Not only your job or your health. How about being grateful for how sweet your child looks when he’s asleep. Or how about the smell of a pumpkin pie straight out of the oven? The fact that your dog wiggles all over whether you’ve been out of the room 5 minutes or 5 days? Hugs? Smiles? Double Stuff Oreos? Hearing someone says I love you. Or how about this one – automatic deposit of your paycheck. Cell phones so you’re never out of touch. Or maybe leaving the cell phone at home. Any golf course at 7:30 in the morning. And the perfect tee shot. Take nothing for granted.
Make your list. Then choose. Will you have an attitude of gratitude? Will your glass be half empty or half full?
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Honoring Veterans – Old & Young/Past & Present
by Crystal Laramore
Veteran’s day; a time for reflection and gratitude for many. And boy, do we have a lot to be grateful for! Just in my family and circle of friends alone I spent a few hours today (Tuesday) making phone calls and sending emails, thanking them for serving our country. I even received a few “thank-you’s” myself, which humbled my heart beyond measure.
One of my friends, CW 4 Luke Sweeney, flew an apache helicopter in the downtown parade in Houston on Veterans Day last year. His co-pilot was CW2 Darrick McGill. The lead Apache was expertly piloted by CW3 Roka (Rock) Wolgamott and co-piloted by CW2 Dusty Davis and they were followed by CW2 Ross Hovey and his front-seater was CW2 Jonathan Johnson.
Apparently this was a death-defying act! We were in Baghdad together and he said the flight that day was more frightening than most of the flying he did over there! The buildings downtown were only 75 feet apart and his span on the helo is about 50 feet! Warrant Officer Sweeney, aka Coco, lives here in Coldspring with his children, Brooke & Lucas Sweeney and his sister Sue Sweeney. If you live in Conroe, you may see him flying overhead a lot. He is based out of Lone Star Executive Airport. He belongs to the 7/6 Calvary Regiment. So, those guys you see practicing are doing it for a reason. And when you do see them, take a moment to say a silent “thank you” or heck, yell it till your throat hurts!
Until you’ve been in a war or a war zone you cannot begin to understand the level of commitment the men and women serving your country have embraced. Almost every day people ask me what it was like “over there”. Being Veteran’s Day today and having a chopper fly over my restaurant today made me remember this article and want to re-run it…
The military hospital is called the CASH (combat support hospital; incidentally, they used to be called M*A*S*H hospitals so says Col. Uncle Bill). When I first arrived I was sick with flu-like symptoms for the first three months. The doctors and civilians called it the Baghdad bug and many people were sick with it. So, I was in the CASH a lot. Then my neck stiffened up on me and I could not turn my head so I was in physical therapy for about six-8 weeks every day.
While I was hanging out at the hospital I would visit soldiers who were wounded and find out about their injuries and their lives at home and where they came from. Most of the soldiers had their purple hearts or their silver stars sitting right by their bedside. I caught a few of them watching Oprah, but as soon as I’d walk in and said “Hey, how’s it going?” they’d change the channel to WWF or something. (Not really WWF since we didn’t get that channel, but you get the idea!) And I never once called ‘em out on it. It was a secret among friends.
Other times, when I was coming in for treatment, I’d see a Chinook in the parking lot with a big red cross on it or a Blackhawk with blades running. Sometimes the medics would be taking soldiers off and carrying them in the CASH right in front of me. People screaming, men running, blood dripping. ER in a war zone. No commercials. No actors. No do-overs. Other times the only noise in all the area would be the deep, heavy thudding of the chopper blades. Either scenario was a grave situation. Those young men were in that chopper, on that gurney, in those bandages, bleeding red-for me. (And not all of them were Americans. This is a coalition of forces.) And I would always say a little prayer before walking through those ominous glass sliding doors, because of what awaited me on the other side; a soldier or a marine would often be lying on a gurney with his buddies standing around him in prayer. And I always knew (or thought I did) if the young man would make it or not. Sometimes I couldn’t even get through my physical therapy session b/c I was crying so hard. Probably what pulled at my heart more than anything is that I always expected to see a man; a grown man; an older man; a man who had lived most of his life; a man ready to die;. What I saw were men all right; it’s just that they were men at young boy’s ages; they hadn’t lived their lives; they just graduated from high school; they weren’t ready to die. But they were ready to fight for their country. Their faces were so young and so innocent, and yet so very brave.
At night, when we would all be sitting around winding down, we’d hear the choppers coming in; always, two-by-two. First one, then the other. If I was on the phone with a family member or friend I’d have to say, “Hold on, a chopper’s coming in” and after the chopper passed the person would start talking again and I’d have to say “Hold on, there’s another one coming in about 30 seconds”.
After being over there for a few months you could determine if an Apache, a Blackhawk or a Chinook was coming in. If it was a Chinook, chances were, the second one always had a big red cross painted on the side indicating there were wounded or fallen soldiers on board. The mood always fell to a heavy silence. Sometimes people would cry. It makes my heart beat fast just writing about it. We could hear the war in the background and we could always drown it out with laughter and chit chat and a few Coronas-naked not dressed-who had limes and salt? But, we could not drown out the sound of Chinooks coming in; two-by-two; first one, then the other. It was a heavy, thudding noise that cut through and drowned out our laughter as if demanding attention and prayer; respect and thought. It was ominous, surreal and sad.
And sometimes hearing the choppers coming in, feeling them come in, well, it felt patriotic, brave and warrior-like. I miss the sounds of the choppers flying over-head at night, rocking my hooch (where we lived-term brought back from the Vietnam War). I miss the feeling that I am well protected and loved by those who know me not. I miss feeling protected by the best armed forces in the world simply because I was blessed enough, by God, to be born an American.
So this veteran’s day, when I flew my flag I flew it out of respect for veterans of wars past, but especially for the young men and women who are fighting now. The one’s I’ve met and the one’s I know not. God bless them and God bless America!
Check out my new Blogs:
http://randomthoughtsonpaper-crystal.blogspot.com
http://sexinthewoods.blogspot.com
Veteran’s day; a time for reflection and gratitude for many. And boy, do we have a lot to be grateful for! Just in my family and circle of friends alone I spent a few hours today (Tuesday) making phone calls and sending emails, thanking them for serving our country. I even received a few “thank-you’s” myself, which humbled my heart beyond measure.
One of my friends, CW 4 Luke Sweeney, flew an apache helicopter in the downtown parade in Houston on Veterans Day last year. His co-pilot was CW2 Darrick McGill. The lead Apache was expertly piloted by CW3 Roka (Rock) Wolgamott and co-piloted by CW2 Dusty Davis and they were followed by CW2 Ross Hovey and his front-seater was CW2 Jonathan Johnson.
Apparently this was a death-defying act! We were in Baghdad together and he said the flight that day was more frightening than most of the flying he did over there! The buildings downtown were only 75 feet apart and his span on the helo is about 50 feet! Warrant Officer Sweeney, aka Coco, lives here in Coldspring with his children, Brooke & Lucas Sweeney and his sister Sue Sweeney. If you live in Conroe, you may see him flying overhead a lot. He is based out of Lone Star Executive Airport. He belongs to the 7/6 Calvary Regiment. So, those guys you see practicing are doing it for a reason. And when you do see them, take a moment to say a silent “thank you” or heck, yell it till your throat hurts!
Until you’ve been in a war or a war zone you cannot begin to understand the level of commitment the men and women serving your country have embraced. Almost every day people ask me what it was like “over there”. Being Veteran’s Day today and having a chopper fly over my restaurant today made me remember this article and want to re-run it…
The military hospital is called the CASH (combat support hospital; incidentally, they used to be called M*A*S*H hospitals so says Col. Uncle Bill). When I first arrived I was sick with flu-like symptoms for the first three months. The doctors and civilians called it the Baghdad bug and many people were sick with it. So, I was in the CASH a lot. Then my neck stiffened up on me and I could not turn my head so I was in physical therapy for about six-8 weeks every day.
While I was hanging out at the hospital I would visit soldiers who were wounded and find out about their injuries and their lives at home and where they came from. Most of the soldiers had their purple hearts or their silver stars sitting right by their bedside. I caught a few of them watching Oprah, but as soon as I’d walk in and said “Hey, how’s it going?” they’d change the channel to WWF or something. (Not really WWF since we didn’t get that channel, but you get the idea!) And I never once called ‘em out on it. It was a secret among friends.
Other times, when I was coming in for treatment, I’d see a Chinook in the parking lot with a big red cross on it or a Blackhawk with blades running. Sometimes the medics would be taking soldiers off and carrying them in the CASH right in front of me. People screaming, men running, blood dripping. ER in a war zone. No commercials. No actors. No do-overs. Other times the only noise in all the area would be the deep, heavy thudding of the chopper blades. Either scenario was a grave situation. Those young men were in that chopper, on that gurney, in those bandages, bleeding red-for me. (And not all of them were Americans. This is a coalition of forces.) And I would always say a little prayer before walking through those ominous glass sliding doors, because of what awaited me on the other side; a soldier or a marine would often be lying on a gurney with his buddies standing around him in prayer. And I always knew (or thought I did) if the young man would make it or not. Sometimes I couldn’t even get through my physical therapy session b/c I was crying so hard. Probably what pulled at my heart more than anything is that I always expected to see a man; a grown man; an older man; a man who had lived most of his life; a man ready to die;. What I saw were men all right; it’s just that they were men at young boy’s ages; they hadn’t lived their lives; they just graduated from high school; they weren’t ready to die. But they were ready to fight for their country. Their faces were so young and so innocent, and yet so very brave.
At night, when we would all be sitting around winding down, we’d hear the choppers coming in; always, two-by-two. First one, then the other. If I was on the phone with a family member or friend I’d have to say, “Hold on, a chopper’s coming in” and after the chopper passed the person would start talking again and I’d have to say “Hold on, there’s another one coming in about 30 seconds”.
After being over there for a few months you could determine if an Apache, a Blackhawk or a Chinook was coming in. If it was a Chinook, chances were, the second one always had a big red cross painted on the side indicating there were wounded or fallen soldiers on board. The mood always fell to a heavy silence. Sometimes people would cry. It makes my heart beat fast just writing about it. We could hear the war in the background and we could always drown it out with laughter and chit chat and a few Coronas-naked not dressed-who had limes and salt? But, we could not drown out the sound of Chinooks coming in; two-by-two; first one, then the other. It was a heavy, thudding noise that cut through and drowned out our laughter as if demanding attention and prayer; respect and thought. It was ominous, surreal and sad.
And sometimes hearing the choppers coming in, feeling them come in, well, it felt patriotic, brave and warrior-like. I miss the sounds of the choppers flying over-head at night, rocking my hooch (where we lived-term brought back from the Vietnam War). I miss the feeling that I am well protected and loved by those who know me not. I miss feeling protected by the best armed forces in the world simply because I was blessed enough, by God, to be born an American.
So this veteran’s day, when I flew my flag I flew it out of respect for veterans of wars past, but especially for the young men and women who are fighting now. The one’s I’ve met and the one’s I know not. God bless them and God bless America!
Check out my new Blogs:
http://randomthoughtsonpaper-crystal.blogspot.com
http://sexinthewoods.blogspot.com
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Who's Racist?
By Crystal Laramore
Seriously, I've really had enough of the libs and the White House playing the race card. Kanye West's outburst this past week at the VMA is just one of thousands of examples of how racism exists all right-just not so much with the white folks as with the black folks. Oh heck, maybe it's even-steven, who knows? Who cares? I'm sick of the word, the act and the need to perpetuate it and blame white/conservatives for it.
The libs are the ones always throwing the R word around and bringing it up when someone or some group disagrees with their point of view. We were led to believe that when we elected a black man as president that, as a country, we would have arrived at the Promised Land, the land without racism and bigotry. But the opposite has happened. Now EVERY dissent is blamed on race. We don’t disagree because we have philosophical and/or logical reasons to disagree. Oh no! We disagree because we hate black people and are angry because there’s one in the White House. We can’t win. Well, seems I heard BHO is half white - so maybe that's the part of him people are disagreeing with! Still racist?
Liberals are the ones who keep minorities down so they can maintain their hold over them, all the while promising them a piece of the rich (white) man's pie. Never mind that we ALL can make as many pies as we want. I guess that’s a whole other discussion. Why? Why would liberals want to keep ANYone down, keep ANYone poor? Create dependency on the government? To get that vote man, to get that vote!
Conversely, conservatives want to reward hard work by ALL. Reward us individually based solely on hard work. And if we don’t work? Then we don’t get a piece of that pie, nor do we deserve one. The libs want to keep poor folks poor (and dependent) while they (the libs) get rich (see the Obama's, the Clinton’s, the Edwards’, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, etc.)
While conservatives look down upon lazy people, liberals look down upon you if you are poor but they don’t want you to know it. Otherwise they'd do more to help poor people OUT of poverty instead of just perpetuating the victim mentality thus continuing the vicious cycle of poverty and dependency they claim to be fighting so hard against. Well, they need to own their racism and get that monkey off OUR backs! I know, I know. That’s wishful thinking on my part.
We, the people (not just the white people), had a senator/congressman? shout out "You lie" during a speech in which the president was indeed lying. Now the libs want his hide. They are out for blood. They want to wreck his life and his career. They are calling him a racist b/c he is white and disagrees, vehemently, with a black president. Don’t I have that right? Wasn’t our country founded on the right to speak up, loudly if necessary when we disagree with out leaders, whether they are black or white? Was every black man/woman who ever disagreed with a white president a racist? And what of BHO himself, immediately disrespecting the act of a white law enforcement officer before knowing any of the details simply because the person arrested was black? Is that racist? Well?
It makes me so sad to see someone like Kanye West do what he did and so proud to see someone like Beyonce try to right his wrong (what a class act). And kudos to Taylor Swift for not knocking on Kayne’s thick-racist-skull with the microphone and saying "Hello! Is anybody IN there"?
And, NO, it doesn't bother anyone because Kanye West is black!! It bothers us because he was extremely rude! Period.
Wilson cannot apologize enough for his outburst! But Kanye West can dishonor a young (white) woman, humiliate another, and an apology is acceptable for him? Why? Because he's black? Can he not be a racist b/c he's black? Or does he have carte blanche b/c he IS black? I think not on both counts. Kanye West showed his true heart - Live, in HD & recorded for infinity in Technicolor!
And what about the black boys who beat up the white boy on the school bus? Is that a hate crime? Just checking cuz we need to keep things fair and balanced.
Back to Senator Wilson: When he called out "You lie" Obama was giving some lip service by saying illegals would not be using, ahem, abusing the new and improved health care plan and he was, in all honesty, disrespectful. But can't ya just understand and feel the level of frustration that pushed a grown man to that point? This administration is stealing, lying and cheating us out of our money, jobs, health care and overall sense of hope and prosperity each and every day and NO ONE in the mainstream media is calling them out on it. What he and his cronies are doing to our country is an atrocity. And NO ONE in the mainstream media seems to even know how to spell ACORN yet Wilson is a racist? We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto.
Back to racism-I have NEVER heard the word or felt the power of the word more than since this man's first week in the oval office. This administration and the rest of the far left are perpetuating an evil spirit and bringing back to life what so many gave their lives to kill. Racism doesn't just belong to the black race, oh no. The whites and browns, purples and yellows all have their fair share. It's awful and sick and pathetic. And why someone, anyone, especially LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD would want to perpetuate it is beyond my ability to comprehend. This administration and the liberal-led Congress are destroying so much progress we have struggled to make over the past 50 years.
Follow the money. All I can think of is follow the money. There must be some profit somewhere for someone for racism to exist. For one thing some black leaders would be out of business if they didn’t have racism to fight. It’s all they know how to do and I swear I believe that part of this is their fault. They egg people on so they’ll have something to fight. Maybe because they can’t get real jobs.
Tea Anyone?
Seriously, I've really had enough of the libs and the White House playing the race card. Kanye West's outburst this past week at the VMA is just one of thousands of examples of how racism exists all right-just not so much with the white folks as with the black folks. Oh heck, maybe it's even-steven, who knows? Who cares? I'm sick of the word, the act and the need to perpetuate it and blame white/conservatives for it.
The libs are the ones always throwing the R word around and bringing it up when someone or some group disagrees with their point of view. We were led to believe that when we elected a black man as president that, as a country, we would have arrived at the Promised Land, the land without racism and bigotry. But the opposite has happened. Now EVERY dissent is blamed on race. We don’t disagree because we have philosophical and/or logical reasons to disagree. Oh no! We disagree because we hate black people and are angry because there’s one in the White House. We can’t win. Well, seems I heard BHO is half white - so maybe that's the part of him people are disagreeing with! Still racist?
Liberals are the ones who keep minorities down so they can maintain their hold over them, all the while promising them a piece of the rich (white) man's pie. Never mind that we ALL can make as many pies as we want. I guess that’s a whole other discussion. Why? Why would liberals want to keep ANYone down, keep ANYone poor? Create dependency on the government? To get that vote man, to get that vote!
Conversely, conservatives want to reward hard work by ALL. Reward us individually based solely on hard work. And if we don’t work? Then we don’t get a piece of that pie, nor do we deserve one. The libs want to keep poor folks poor (and dependent) while they (the libs) get rich (see the Obama's, the Clinton’s, the Edwards’, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, etc.)
While conservatives look down upon lazy people, liberals look down upon you if you are poor but they don’t want you to know it. Otherwise they'd do more to help poor people OUT of poverty instead of just perpetuating the victim mentality thus continuing the vicious cycle of poverty and dependency they claim to be fighting so hard against. Well, they need to own their racism and get that monkey off OUR backs! I know, I know. That’s wishful thinking on my part.
We, the people (not just the white people), had a senator/congressman? shout out "You lie" during a speech in which the president was indeed lying. Now the libs want his hide. They are out for blood. They want to wreck his life and his career. They are calling him a racist b/c he is white and disagrees, vehemently, with a black president. Don’t I have that right? Wasn’t our country founded on the right to speak up, loudly if necessary when we disagree with out leaders, whether they are black or white? Was every black man/woman who ever disagreed with a white president a racist? And what of BHO himself, immediately disrespecting the act of a white law enforcement officer before knowing any of the details simply because the person arrested was black? Is that racist? Well?
It makes me so sad to see someone like Kanye West do what he did and so proud to see someone like Beyonce try to right his wrong (what a class act). And kudos to Taylor Swift for not knocking on Kayne’s thick-racist-skull with the microphone and saying "Hello! Is anybody IN there"?
And, NO, it doesn't bother anyone because Kanye West is black!! It bothers us because he was extremely rude! Period.
Wilson cannot apologize enough for his outburst! But Kanye West can dishonor a young (white) woman, humiliate another, and an apology is acceptable for him? Why? Because he's black? Can he not be a racist b/c he's black? Or does he have carte blanche b/c he IS black? I think not on both counts. Kanye West showed his true heart - Live, in HD & recorded for infinity in Technicolor!
And what about the black boys who beat up the white boy on the school bus? Is that a hate crime? Just checking cuz we need to keep things fair and balanced.
Back to Senator Wilson: When he called out "You lie" Obama was giving some lip service by saying illegals would not be using, ahem, abusing the new and improved health care plan and he was, in all honesty, disrespectful. But can't ya just understand and feel the level of frustration that pushed a grown man to that point? This administration is stealing, lying and cheating us out of our money, jobs, health care and overall sense of hope and prosperity each and every day and NO ONE in the mainstream media is calling them out on it. What he and his cronies are doing to our country is an atrocity. And NO ONE in the mainstream media seems to even know how to spell ACORN yet Wilson is a racist? We’re not in Kansas anymore Toto.
Back to racism-I have NEVER heard the word or felt the power of the word more than since this man's first week in the oval office. This administration and the rest of the far left are perpetuating an evil spirit and bringing back to life what so many gave their lives to kill. Racism doesn't just belong to the black race, oh no. The whites and browns, purples and yellows all have their fair share. It's awful and sick and pathetic. And why someone, anyone, especially LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD would want to perpetuate it is beyond my ability to comprehend. This administration and the liberal-led Congress are destroying so much progress we have struggled to make over the past 50 years.
Follow the money. All I can think of is follow the money. There must be some profit somewhere for someone for racism to exist. For one thing some black leaders would be out of business if they didn’t have racism to fight. It’s all they know how to do and I swear I believe that part of this is their fault. They egg people on so they’ll have something to fight. Maybe because they can’t get real jobs.
Tea Anyone?
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Ted Kennedy-Hero or Hindrance?
By Deborah Martin
Edited by Crystal Laramore
WARNING: If you are a tried and true Kennedy lover to the exclusion of all reason, just set this article aside or give it to one of your more reality-based friends.
Ted Kennedy, senator from Massachusetts died last week and since then there has been a virtually endless deluge of praise from family, friends, colleagues and our “state run” media. He has been praised as the Lion of the Senate, the rock and anchor of his family, the most influential and accomplished legislator of our time. Really? He was?
Perhaps he was those things and to tell the truth, when someone dies it is customary to leave out their faults and remember their virtues. We all tend to forget the infinite ways deceased relatives drove us crazy. When it’s our leaders, we want to remember the good stuff. We want to count up all their accomplishments. It’s natural. No one wants to be critical of the dead. After all, they can’t defend themselves. Right, Mary Jo?
And when it’s a Kennedy, well this country goes into overdrive. After all, they’re the closest thing we have to royalty; they are a dynasty. They certainly have all the qualities of royalty. Money, looks, power, tragedy, glamour, romance. We have been watching this family since the 1940’s or earlier. We hang on their every accomplishment like they invented water or something.
I don’t really want this article to be all about Ted Kennedy and his shortcomings, though they were many. It’s really about who we hold up as our heroes. Who do we respect? How many flaws and what sorts of flaws do we tolerate in our leaders? Is drunkenness okay, or negligent homicide? How about cheating? Lying? How about rape or attempted rape? And why does the Kennedy family seem to get a pass on the same kinds of things which have destroyed the lives and careers of the rest of us mere mortals?
Flaws aside and to be fair (which as a conservative I am compelled to be) - in at least one way the Kennedy dynasty was and is quite remarkable. Whether or not you agree with their politics you have to agree that they all seem to have a strong bent toward public service. Jack, Bobby and Ted were all senators. Jack was even elected President, which in 1960 was amazing seeing that he was an Irish Catholic back when people still thought those things mattered. Various nephews have served in Congress. The Shriver branch of the family started The Peace Corps AND the Special Olympics!
Well, that’s the family as a whole, but what about Ted since he’s the one who died this week and effectively ended an era. It doesn’t look like younger Kennedy’s have the drive the original group had. They’re branching out, getting out of politics. And good for them, but I digress.
Does Ted Kennedy deserve the praise being heaped on him since his death? What about the other side of his life. I’ve learned some interesting things lately. A lot I already knew, all of it pretty twisted and yes, I did my research. Everything in this article is true. Did you know that he was kicked out of Harvard the first time around for cheating? He had someone else take a test for him. Yes, it’s true. And I have to add that as a parent I am certain that this wasn’t the first time he did it, just the first time he got caught!
The Kennedy family seems to be plagued by plane crashes. Ted lost two siblings that way and a nephew. He survived his own crash by flying while intoxicated. Only his two passengers were killed in that crash. Seems like he couldn’t learn his lesson because in 1969 the most famous incident happened – Chappaquiddick.
After a night of partying he drove a car carrying his 28 year old companion, Mary Jo Kopechne off a bridge and into a pond. He escaped. She did not. However, he waited nine hours before reporting the accident. In the meantime, he walked back to his motel, complained to the manager about a noisy party, took a shower, went to sleep, ordered newspapers when he woke up and spoke to a friend and two lawyers before finally calling the police. This is when the phrase, “the Kennedy curse” was coined, and guess who coined it? Ted. Why? Perhaps to take attention from what he did and make him a victim instead of a perpetrator.
You know what the worst part is? Mary Jo did not drown. She survived for several hours in an air pocket before succumbing to a lack of oxygen. Had he gone straight to the authorities she likely would have lived but you’ll rarely read about that. Wonder why he waited? Could it be – let me think – maybe – just possibly – he was drinking? Did he feel entitled? Was he a spoiled rich kid? Oh, and another thing – he never spent a day in jail for this crime. His family arranged for money to be given to the Kopechne family as if that would make a difference. Apparently, for them, it made some difference because they took the money.
After that, his political ambitions for President were effectively DOA even though he did try. Only a Kennedy would have the nerve to try that with so much of his bad behavior public. Ted Kennedy, like his brothers and father, was a notorious drunk and womanizer. He was known to proposition virtually any reasonably attractive female when he was drinking and there were several incidents at his favorite restaurant where he would bodily try (and sometimes succeed) in forcing himself on the unlucky waitress who had to wait on him and his companion (by the name of Dodd) in a private dining room. I assume they were tipped VERY well.
I also heard this week that he actually enjoyed Chappaquiddick jokes. If I didn’t already have a bad opinion of him that certainly did it for me. It was said by his defenders that he finds the ridiculous in any situation. What??!! The only things ridiculous about that situation is that he felt no remorse, never apologized to her family and never did a day’s jail time over it. What kind of twisted person finds humor in any situation where a person loses their life?
Speaking of his title “Lion of the Senate” I once saw him on live HDTV speaking loudly with spittle spewing forth, fist shaking, standing up for “the little people” saying “And we’re gonna raise minimum wage, and raise it, and raise it and raise it”! Really, how does that help “the little people”? How does that encourage the small business owner (who drives 85% of the GDP) to hire more people and give them more hours? Why didn’t Ted give some of HIS money away? Why didn’t he lower his salary? I’m betting because it’s easier to give away other people’s money. Doesn’t hurt quite so bad. Careful people who ya follow.
Did you notice how pleasant his last days were? He was on the sail boat. He was pampered by wait staff. He had the very best health care our country has to offer. He had NO end-of-life counseling. His brain tumor was incurable yet he received enough care and medicine to live comfortably for an additional year. I do not begrudge him this. I’m just curious why he begrudges his constituents and the rest of the country the same care. Maybe he’s just entitled…
And I’m sorry but am I the only one who thinks the good DOESN’T outweigh the bad? It seems pretty significant to me that the Catholic Church, which Ted professed to put so much faith in, completely ignored his passing. His lionization says a lot about our society and what drives us these days. Crystal always says follow the money and I guess, unfortunately, that’s right. Any lesser mortal would have been (and IS) driven from society for such consistently abhorrent behavior.
It makes me sad and angry that we tolerate this stuff. Is it so wrong to expect our public officials and our heroes to be circumspect in their private lives? This isn’t just a problem with politics or with folks like the Kennedy’s. Look at the people we hold up as role models. We have football players who break every rule, yet are still allowed to play. We tolerate bad attitudes and immoral behavior. I believe in redemption. You do the crime, do the time and you’re done. If you stay clean you deserve another chance. Did Ted Kennedy deserve another chance at Harvard? How about after the drunken plane crash? Or the drive into the pond? And it’s a little scary that these are the things we KNOW about?
Call me a prude, or a throwback. I want men and women in politics, in court, in my doctor’s office, teaching my kids and running my bank to have some character, some backbone. Stand up for what’s right – ALL the time, not just when it’s convenient or a camera is shining on you or a microphone is in your face; in the little ways, behind the scenes, when no one knows but you. Unlike much of Ted Kennedy’s life – do the right thing, just because it’s right.
Edited by Crystal Laramore
WARNING: If you are a tried and true Kennedy lover to the exclusion of all reason, just set this article aside or give it to one of your more reality-based friends.
Ted Kennedy, senator from Massachusetts died last week and since then there has been a virtually endless deluge of praise from family, friends, colleagues and our “state run” media. He has been praised as the Lion of the Senate, the rock and anchor of his family, the most influential and accomplished legislator of our time. Really? He was?
Perhaps he was those things and to tell the truth, when someone dies it is customary to leave out their faults and remember their virtues. We all tend to forget the infinite ways deceased relatives drove us crazy. When it’s our leaders, we want to remember the good stuff. We want to count up all their accomplishments. It’s natural. No one wants to be critical of the dead. After all, they can’t defend themselves. Right, Mary Jo?
And when it’s a Kennedy, well this country goes into overdrive. After all, they’re the closest thing we have to royalty; they are a dynasty. They certainly have all the qualities of royalty. Money, looks, power, tragedy, glamour, romance. We have been watching this family since the 1940’s or earlier. We hang on their every accomplishment like they invented water or something.
I don’t really want this article to be all about Ted Kennedy and his shortcomings, though they were many. It’s really about who we hold up as our heroes. Who do we respect? How many flaws and what sorts of flaws do we tolerate in our leaders? Is drunkenness okay, or negligent homicide? How about cheating? Lying? How about rape or attempted rape? And why does the Kennedy family seem to get a pass on the same kinds of things which have destroyed the lives and careers of the rest of us mere mortals?
Flaws aside and to be fair (which as a conservative I am compelled to be) - in at least one way the Kennedy dynasty was and is quite remarkable. Whether or not you agree with their politics you have to agree that they all seem to have a strong bent toward public service. Jack, Bobby and Ted were all senators. Jack was even elected President, which in 1960 was amazing seeing that he was an Irish Catholic back when people still thought those things mattered. Various nephews have served in Congress. The Shriver branch of the family started The Peace Corps AND the Special Olympics!
Well, that’s the family as a whole, but what about Ted since he’s the one who died this week and effectively ended an era. It doesn’t look like younger Kennedy’s have the drive the original group had. They’re branching out, getting out of politics. And good for them, but I digress.
Does Ted Kennedy deserve the praise being heaped on him since his death? What about the other side of his life. I’ve learned some interesting things lately. A lot I already knew, all of it pretty twisted and yes, I did my research. Everything in this article is true. Did you know that he was kicked out of Harvard the first time around for cheating? He had someone else take a test for him. Yes, it’s true. And I have to add that as a parent I am certain that this wasn’t the first time he did it, just the first time he got caught!
The Kennedy family seems to be plagued by plane crashes. Ted lost two siblings that way and a nephew. He survived his own crash by flying while intoxicated. Only his two passengers were killed in that crash. Seems like he couldn’t learn his lesson because in 1969 the most famous incident happened – Chappaquiddick.
After a night of partying he drove a car carrying his 28 year old companion, Mary Jo Kopechne off a bridge and into a pond. He escaped. She did not. However, he waited nine hours before reporting the accident. In the meantime, he walked back to his motel, complained to the manager about a noisy party, took a shower, went to sleep, ordered newspapers when he woke up and spoke to a friend and two lawyers before finally calling the police. This is when the phrase, “the Kennedy curse” was coined, and guess who coined it? Ted. Why? Perhaps to take attention from what he did and make him a victim instead of a perpetrator.
You know what the worst part is? Mary Jo did not drown. She survived for several hours in an air pocket before succumbing to a lack of oxygen. Had he gone straight to the authorities she likely would have lived but you’ll rarely read about that. Wonder why he waited? Could it be – let me think – maybe – just possibly – he was drinking? Did he feel entitled? Was he a spoiled rich kid? Oh, and another thing – he never spent a day in jail for this crime. His family arranged for money to be given to the Kopechne family as if that would make a difference. Apparently, for them, it made some difference because they took the money.
After that, his political ambitions for President were effectively DOA even though he did try. Only a Kennedy would have the nerve to try that with so much of his bad behavior public. Ted Kennedy, like his brothers and father, was a notorious drunk and womanizer. He was known to proposition virtually any reasonably attractive female when he was drinking and there were several incidents at his favorite restaurant where he would bodily try (and sometimes succeed) in forcing himself on the unlucky waitress who had to wait on him and his companion (by the name of Dodd) in a private dining room. I assume they were tipped VERY well.
I also heard this week that he actually enjoyed Chappaquiddick jokes. If I didn’t already have a bad opinion of him that certainly did it for me. It was said by his defenders that he finds the ridiculous in any situation. What??!! The only things ridiculous about that situation is that he felt no remorse, never apologized to her family and never did a day’s jail time over it. What kind of twisted person finds humor in any situation where a person loses their life?
Speaking of his title “Lion of the Senate” I once saw him on live HDTV speaking loudly with spittle spewing forth, fist shaking, standing up for “the little people” saying “And we’re gonna raise minimum wage, and raise it, and raise it and raise it”! Really, how does that help “the little people”? How does that encourage the small business owner (who drives 85% of the GDP) to hire more people and give them more hours? Why didn’t Ted give some of HIS money away? Why didn’t he lower his salary? I’m betting because it’s easier to give away other people’s money. Doesn’t hurt quite so bad. Careful people who ya follow.
Did you notice how pleasant his last days were? He was on the sail boat. He was pampered by wait staff. He had the very best health care our country has to offer. He had NO end-of-life counseling. His brain tumor was incurable yet he received enough care and medicine to live comfortably for an additional year. I do not begrudge him this. I’m just curious why he begrudges his constituents and the rest of the country the same care. Maybe he’s just entitled…
And I’m sorry but am I the only one who thinks the good DOESN’T outweigh the bad? It seems pretty significant to me that the Catholic Church, which Ted professed to put so much faith in, completely ignored his passing. His lionization says a lot about our society and what drives us these days. Crystal always says follow the money and I guess, unfortunately, that’s right. Any lesser mortal would have been (and IS) driven from society for such consistently abhorrent behavior.
It makes me sad and angry that we tolerate this stuff. Is it so wrong to expect our public officials and our heroes to be circumspect in their private lives? This isn’t just a problem with politics or with folks like the Kennedy’s. Look at the people we hold up as role models. We have football players who break every rule, yet are still allowed to play. We tolerate bad attitudes and immoral behavior. I believe in redemption. You do the crime, do the time and you’re done. If you stay clean you deserve another chance. Did Ted Kennedy deserve another chance at Harvard? How about after the drunken plane crash? Or the drive into the pond? And it’s a little scary that these are the things we KNOW about?
Call me a prude, or a throwback. I want men and women in politics, in court, in my doctor’s office, teaching my kids and running my bank to have some character, some backbone. Stand up for what’s right – ALL the time, not just when it’s convenient or a camera is shining on you or a microphone is in your face; in the little ways, behind the scenes, when no one knows but you. Unlike much of Ted Kennedy’s life – do the right thing, just because it’s right.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Oh Oprah...
by Crystal Laramore
edited by Deborah Martin & Cheryl Laramore
…you were right; He IS the one! He IS the one who is trying to destroy the American dream one sector at a time. He IS the one who is trying to destroy the best medical care system in the world. He IS the one who is trying to divide our country down racial lines instead of uniting us, as he so eloquently promised while holding the hand of his mighty, all-knowing teleprompter.
He IS the one who is trying to make a joke of your hard work and success because it flies in the face of his end goal – total dependence on government! He IS the one who is trying to press you to work harder for less. Why? So that many of his followers (aka voters) can NOT work at all and get more for it. More from us, Oprah. Maybe you have soooooo much money that you just don’t care anymore. Well Oprah-I don’t and I do!
He IS the one getting mainstream conservative Americans off our lazy butts to take back our country. He IS the one who is motivating average working Americans across the nation to get back to the basics of our constitution. He IS the one who showing the American people just how elitist Washington D.C. really is.
He IS the one responsible for Americans rallying together to stand up to our Congressmen and remind them that THEY work for US, just as Hillary Clinton suggested we do when George W. Bush was President. Hey Pelosi, are you listening? What's good for the left hand is good for the Right! Get it?!
He IS the one who proudly proclaimed his background as a simple hardworking community organizer. Just a grassroots kind of guy trying to better the community and now he has the NERVE to criticize and marginalize those who stand up in Town Hall meetings to proclaim their objections to the hastily slapped-together legislation HE is calling reform? And if that weren’t bad enough he has actually asked his supporters to report dissent directly to him? Can you say BIG BROTHER???!!!
And to take matters a step further the police tried to make the anti-health care Americans who attended the President’s Town Hall meeting in Massachusetts stand behind the front lines, behind the parking lot, under a grove of trees, while allowing the pro-health care Americans stand street-side. Can you say "hate crime"? Might as well be.
What the heck IS going on??? If they are afraid then they must be doing something wrong? If they really care about our wants, needs and desires then why are THEY using such antics to push through something the American people clearly DO NOT WANT? Follow the money. Always follow the money.
Medicare and Medicaid, Fanny Mae, Freddy Mac and Social Security...just a few examples of well run (snicker, snicker) governmental programs wrought with fraud, abusive, power hungry folks and financial leaks in the billions. Now let's just make government run health care bigger and let's include all illegal immigrants. What, do they get to vote if they have health care? What is the motivation to further tax our system by taking on and encouraging illegal immigration? Somebody PLEASE splain it to me, Lucy?
Over the last few weeks the news has been peppered with stories covering Town Hall meetings. After watching several of these I realized why our president wanted to get his health care bill passed BEFORE Congress went on recess – because he’s afraid that if they wait they won’t be able to stand the heat coming from their constituents. Smart man. However, it didn’t even come to a vote and now our voices are being heard - loud angry voices, I’m told. Well, hell yes we’re loud and angry. Congress does not work for the President, they work for us (we the people) yet they consistently do the President’s bidding, not OURS! Hey Congress-you are pandering to the wrong body of people! The last I checked WE THE PEOPLE put you in office, not we the president.
Obama and his cronies are accusing conservative Americans of tactics he’s quite familiar with; planting people who are against (wink wink) his cause, racism, partisanship, inciting violence, etc. You know what they say…when you point one finger three more are pointing right back atcha! Hey, Obama, don’t look now but your (community organizer, Chicago political machine) roots are showing and WE are just plain fed up with being manipulated.
My favorite story this week is about the African American man who was selling “Don’t Tread on Me” flags and buttons. Two black and one white SEIU men beat him up. What??!! Wonder if the president and his teleprompter will address this none-of-his-business issue and play the race card. Let’s see.
As horrible as it was for this man I believe the incident is going to be even worse for the libs because, guess what? The African American victim has an attorney and they plan to file civil charges using the libs own Hate Crime legislation! Snicker, Snicker! Oh, why go for a hate crime? Because the first black man to throw a punch called him a “F…ing Ni..er! Oh yes he did! He said “What kind of f…ing n…er are you” selling these flags?”
Seriously! I’m sorry, is every black person in America supposed to love the president and everything he does just because they belong to the same race? Talk about racist! Obama IS a product of Chicago politics at its worst. Given his upbringing, his consistent association with radicals and ruffians, how could this NOT start showing up?
Did his followers really think the tiger was going to change his stripes once in office? Did they really believe all that hope stuff? Are we really going to stand by and let our country become third world without a fight? I don’t think so and the August town hall meetings all over the country are evidence that Americans, liberal and conservative, are waking up and paying attention. PS. If you see anything "Fishy" in this article pls. report it to the White House aka Government Mobsters.
In closing, I’d like to quote a famous Japanese admiral who stated after Pearl Harbor: “I fear all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant.” Obama, Pelosi, Reed, Senators, Congressmen... You’d better be paying attention because the giant is awake and he’s coming after YOU!
Tea anyone?
edited by Deborah Martin & Cheryl Laramore
…you were right; He IS the one! He IS the one who is trying to destroy the American dream one sector at a time. He IS the one who is trying to destroy the best medical care system in the world. He IS the one who is trying to divide our country down racial lines instead of uniting us, as he so eloquently promised while holding the hand of his mighty, all-knowing teleprompter.
He IS the one who is trying to make a joke of your hard work and success because it flies in the face of his end goal – total dependence on government! He IS the one who is trying to press you to work harder for less. Why? So that many of his followers (aka voters) can NOT work at all and get more for it. More from us, Oprah. Maybe you have soooooo much money that you just don’t care anymore. Well Oprah-I don’t and I do!
He IS the one getting mainstream conservative Americans off our lazy butts to take back our country. He IS the one who is motivating average working Americans across the nation to get back to the basics of our constitution. He IS the one who showing the American people just how elitist Washington D.C. really is.
He IS the one responsible for Americans rallying together to stand up to our Congressmen and remind them that THEY work for US, just as Hillary Clinton suggested we do when George W. Bush was President. Hey Pelosi, are you listening? What's good for the left hand is good for the Right! Get it?!
He IS the one who proudly proclaimed his background as a simple hardworking community organizer. Just a grassroots kind of guy trying to better the community and now he has the NERVE to criticize and marginalize those who stand up in Town Hall meetings to proclaim their objections to the hastily slapped-together legislation HE is calling reform? And if that weren’t bad enough he has actually asked his supporters to report dissent directly to him? Can you say BIG BROTHER???!!!
And to take matters a step further the police tried to make the anti-health care Americans who attended the President’s Town Hall meeting in Massachusetts stand behind the front lines, behind the parking lot, under a grove of trees, while allowing the pro-health care Americans stand street-side. Can you say "hate crime"? Might as well be.
What the heck IS going on??? If they are afraid then they must be doing something wrong? If they really care about our wants, needs and desires then why are THEY using such antics to push through something the American people clearly DO NOT WANT? Follow the money. Always follow the money.
Medicare and Medicaid, Fanny Mae, Freddy Mac and Social Security...just a few examples of well run (snicker, snicker) governmental programs wrought with fraud, abusive, power hungry folks and financial leaks in the billions. Now let's just make government run health care bigger and let's include all illegal immigrants. What, do they get to vote if they have health care? What is the motivation to further tax our system by taking on and encouraging illegal immigration? Somebody PLEASE splain it to me, Lucy?
Over the last few weeks the news has been peppered with stories covering Town Hall meetings. After watching several of these I realized why our president wanted to get his health care bill passed BEFORE Congress went on recess – because he’s afraid that if they wait they won’t be able to stand the heat coming from their constituents. Smart man. However, it didn’t even come to a vote and now our voices are being heard - loud angry voices, I’m told. Well, hell yes we’re loud and angry. Congress does not work for the President, they work for us (we the people) yet they consistently do the President’s bidding, not OURS! Hey Congress-you are pandering to the wrong body of people! The last I checked WE THE PEOPLE put you in office, not we the president.
Obama and his cronies are accusing conservative Americans of tactics he’s quite familiar with; planting people who are against (wink wink) his cause, racism, partisanship, inciting violence, etc. You know what they say…when you point one finger three more are pointing right back atcha! Hey, Obama, don’t look now but your (community organizer, Chicago political machine) roots are showing and WE are just plain fed up with being manipulated.
My favorite story this week is about the African American man who was selling “Don’t Tread on Me” flags and buttons. Two black and one white SEIU men beat him up. What??!! Wonder if the president and his teleprompter will address this none-of-his-business issue and play the race card. Let’s see.
As horrible as it was for this man I believe the incident is going to be even worse for the libs because, guess what? The African American victim has an attorney and they plan to file civil charges using the libs own Hate Crime legislation! Snicker, Snicker! Oh, why go for a hate crime? Because the first black man to throw a punch called him a “F…ing Ni..er! Oh yes he did! He said “What kind of f…ing n…er are you” selling these flags?”
Seriously! I’m sorry, is every black person in America supposed to love the president and everything he does just because they belong to the same race? Talk about racist! Obama IS a product of Chicago politics at its worst. Given his upbringing, his consistent association with radicals and ruffians, how could this NOT start showing up?
Did his followers really think the tiger was going to change his stripes once in office? Did they really believe all that hope stuff? Are we really going to stand by and let our country become third world without a fight? I don’t think so and the August town hall meetings all over the country are evidence that Americans, liberal and conservative, are waking up and paying attention. PS. If you see anything "Fishy" in this article pls. report it to the White House aka Government Mobsters.
In closing, I’d like to quote a famous Japanese admiral who stated after Pearl Harbor: “I fear all we have done is awaken a sleeping giant.” Obama, Pelosi, Reed, Senators, Congressmen... You’d better be paying attention because the giant is awake and he’s coming after YOU!
Tea anyone?
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Got Change? When Pigs Fly-But Wait, Swine ‘Flew’!
by Crystal Laramore
Edited by Deborah Martin
Last week we talked about how race seems to be interjected into every situation these days and how Barack Obama seems to interject himself (AND race) into things which are none of his business.
He says it’s all about “change”. It was a common theme on the campaign trail and many, many people fell for it. They heard for months and years about how W was taking us down a baaaadddd road. I was never sure what they meant. They didn’t like the Patriot Act even though I’ve yet to hear of ANY innocent person losing their freedoms because of it. They didn’t like the War on Terror and now we don’t even call it that.
We’ve talked in this column before about the entitlement mentality and it seems to have settled on a target – healthcare. Man, people want EVERYthing taken care of for them. Nothing wrong with wanting care. We all need medical attention from time to time. But isn’t it out of hand when we expect every bump and scrape in addition to the big dogs like cancer, taken care of for free? Who do we think is going to pay for this??
Well, back to BHO. An ongoing none-of-the-government's-business issue is healthcare. Last week's speech by BHO was supposedly about healthcare until he deliberately sidetracked it and started talking about the police and race. Was that to sidetrack US into thinking about something other than the hugely invasive, highly expensive, totally unworkable healthcare bill he wants passed so fast that our Congressmen won't have time to read this one EITHER???
Healthcare IS an issue for some Americans these days but why, if health care, or lack thereof for the elderly, disabled, or incurably ill, is such a large issue is he using Gestapo tactics to try and push through a plan WE DON’T WANT and no one seems to have time to read? It took our President 6 months to decide what type of DOG to get for the family pet, surely rebuilding our health care system should have, at the very least, as much consideration right???
I do not have health care insurance, yet I have never been denied treatment. I’ve been to an emergency room several times over my lifetime and have been attended with professionalism and care. I have never been made to pay on the spot. I have been sent bills and have been given adequate time to pay them. They even have payment plans. Really.
But I see this one more as an overall treatise on BHO’s inability to continue to hide (I say that sarcastically) his true intentions 100% of the time. No matter what the issue, he carries a common theme – we are bad, everything we’ve done is bad, everything we have is bad, and only HE, THE ONE, can fix it. Many of us doubt his intentions when he speaks of “change”. We see the class of close friends, confidantes and associates he surrounds himself with. Even so, he was elected. He WON, as he likes to remind us.
He’s feeding the entitlement mentality with program after program which caters to those who can give him votes the next time around. All while he is lying to HIS voters; no new taxes on the middle/lower class. Really? Wait and see. Wait and see. I think he’s made a serious miscalculation. There may actually BE hope and change coming, but BHO and his ilk will be on the losing side this time. Just ask Arlen Specter and Kathlee Sebelius. It seems at least some of those blinded by the “light” have finally begun to regain their vision.
I am not rich but I do not want others to take care of me nor do I want to be forced to take care of others. I do, however, want the FREEDOM to take care of myself. And so does most of America. I also want a cortisone shot if I need one. And so do most hard working people. That is where I’m placing my hope right now – that the good, hardworking, moral people of this country are waking up to what is going on; deficits in the trillions; billion dollar programs which do little to actually alleviate problems; tax hikes on the horizon. Oh yes, mark my words. The changes are a coming -Nationalization of business, one small sector at a time.
BHO seemingly has an ax to grind with those who contribute to the GDP. You know, those of us who made it possible for him to be where he is today…in that big, white house. Maybe he doesn’t understand how much blood, sweat and tears it takes to make it possible for folks like him to have the lifestyle they have. Maybe it’s because he’s a taker and not giver that he doesn’t understand there’s only so much taking you can do.
He talks about making America great again but all his policies are aimed at making us just like most of the rest of the world – 2nd rate and 3rd world. He travels to lands far away to apologize for us, the greatest nation on earth. What kind of person is embarrassed by excellence? Isn’t that a little twisted?
I happen to be proud of the fact that we are a young country yet we are THE super power in the world! I happen to be proud that people from the lands he visits to do his Apology Act can’t wait to leave and come to the land he is apologizing for and have a better life; if they work hard. Maybe that’s it. Maybe he just never worked hard so he doesn’t get the point. Maybe he’s never had the satisfaction which comes from ACTUALLY pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. Maybe he should be president of a country he’s proud of instead of turning our country into one we are not proud of. Yeah, maybe that’s what he should do.
I want everyone to remember what profound words our president spewed forth into the universe with the help of his teleprompter, just days before the election. Mr. Obama said we are on the eve of fundamentally changing this country! Did anyone believe this was the type of change he had in mind? Is this the type of change YOU had in mind?
Tea anyone?
www.randomthoughtsonpaper-crystal.blogspot.com
www.thedamgoodtimes.blogspot.com
www.sexinthewoods.blogspot.com
Edited by Deborah Martin
Last week we talked about how race seems to be interjected into every situation these days and how Barack Obama seems to interject himself (AND race) into things which are none of his business.
He says it’s all about “change”. It was a common theme on the campaign trail and many, many people fell for it. They heard for months and years about how W was taking us down a baaaadddd road. I was never sure what they meant. They didn’t like the Patriot Act even though I’ve yet to hear of ANY innocent person losing their freedoms because of it. They didn’t like the War on Terror and now we don’t even call it that.
We’ve talked in this column before about the entitlement mentality and it seems to have settled on a target – healthcare. Man, people want EVERYthing taken care of for them. Nothing wrong with wanting care. We all need medical attention from time to time. But isn’t it out of hand when we expect every bump and scrape in addition to the big dogs like cancer, taken care of for free? Who do we think is going to pay for this??
Well, back to BHO. An ongoing none-of-the-government's-business issue is healthcare. Last week's speech by BHO was supposedly about healthcare until he deliberately sidetracked it and started talking about the police and race. Was that to sidetrack US into thinking about something other than the hugely invasive, highly expensive, totally unworkable healthcare bill he wants passed so fast that our Congressmen won't have time to read this one EITHER???
Healthcare IS an issue for some Americans these days but why, if health care, or lack thereof for the elderly, disabled, or incurably ill, is such a large issue is he using Gestapo tactics to try and push through a plan WE DON’T WANT and no one seems to have time to read? It took our President 6 months to decide what type of DOG to get for the family pet, surely rebuilding our health care system should have, at the very least, as much consideration right???
I do not have health care insurance, yet I have never been denied treatment. I’ve been to an emergency room several times over my lifetime and have been attended with professionalism and care. I have never been made to pay on the spot. I have been sent bills and have been given adequate time to pay them. They even have payment plans. Really.
But I see this one more as an overall treatise on BHO’s inability to continue to hide (I say that sarcastically) his true intentions 100% of the time. No matter what the issue, he carries a common theme – we are bad, everything we’ve done is bad, everything we have is bad, and only HE, THE ONE, can fix it. Many of us doubt his intentions when he speaks of “change”. We see the class of close friends, confidantes and associates he surrounds himself with. Even so, he was elected. He WON, as he likes to remind us.
He’s feeding the entitlement mentality with program after program which caters to those who can give him votes the next time around. All while he is lying to HIS voters; no new taxes on the middle/lower class. Really? Wait and see. Wait and see. I think he’s made a serious miscalculation. There may actually BE hope and change coming, but BHO and his ilk will be on the losing side this time. Just ask Arlen Specter and Kathlee Sebelius. It seems at least some of those blinded by the “light” have finally begun to regain their vision.
I am not rich but I do not want others to take care of me nor do I want to be forced to take care of others. I do, however, want the FREEDOM to take care of myself. And so does most of America. I also want a cortisone shot if I need one. And so do most hard working people. That is where I’m placing my hope right now – that the good, hardworking, moral people of this country are waking up to what is going on; deficits in the trillions; billion dollar programs which do little to actually alleviate problems; tax hikes on the horizon. Oh yes, mark my words. The changes are a coming -Nationalization of business, one small sector at a time.
BHO seemingly has an ax to grind with those who contribute to the GDP. You know, those of us who made it possible for him to be where he is today…in that big, white house. Maybe he doesn’t understand how much blood, sweat and tears it takes to make it possible for folks like him to have the lifestyle they have. Maybe it’s because he’s a taker and not giver that he doesn’t understand there’s only so much taking you can do.
He talks about making America great again but all his policies are aimed at making us just like most of the rest of the world – 2nd rate and 3rd world. He travels to lands far away to apologize for us, the greatest nation on earth. What kind of person is embarrassed by excellence? Isn’t that a little twisted?
I happen to be proud of the fact that we are a young country yet we are THE super power in the world! I happen to be proud that people from the lands he visits to do his Apology Act can’t wait to leave and come to the land he is apologizing for and have a better life; if they work hard. Maybe that’s it. Maybe he just never worked hard so he doesn’t get the point. Maybe he’s never had the satisfaction which comes from ACTUALLY pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. Maybe he should be president of a country he’s proud of instead of turning our country into one we are not proud of. Yeah, maybe that’s what he should do.
I want everyone to remember what profound words our president spewed forth into the universe with the help of his teleprompter, just days before the election. Mr. Obama said we are on the eve of fundamentally changing this country! Did anyone believe this was the type of change he had in mind? Is this the type of change YOU had in mind?
Tea anyone?
www.randomthoughtsonpaper-crystal.blogspot.com
www.thedamgoodtimes.blogspot.com
www.sexinthewoods.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
It Don’t Matter if You’re Left or Right…
By Crystal Laramore
Heavy-handed editing/commentary by: Deborah Martin & Cheryl Laramore
It’s bad. It’s bad. Shamon. Hey, this is how my brain tied MJ into politics. Please. Hold your applause.
Is our PRESIDENT perpetuating racism? I’m reminded of the song lyrics “Don’t hand me no lines and keep your hands to yourself”. His hands do not need to be in a local matter regarding police officers and a private citizen. His opinions on racial profiling were off-base. And like everything, it seems he did not have adequate information to be making such a speech.
The 911 call which started this whole thing has now been released. The call wasn't racially motivated. She lady who called only mentioned a possible "Hispanic" connection AFTER she was asked about race. So race wasn't on HER mind. The officer who made the arrest is a racial profiling expert and from all accounts he's a straight up guy; not racially motivated and not power hungry, so race wasn’t on HIS mind either.
At some point we will hear everything about this arrest because the stupid officer's microphone was on the whole time. Snicker. THEN we can make a definitive judgment about this situation. Until that time, we can only go on what has been reported and it doesn't look good for our Harvard professor. For a well-educated, intelligent guy, he sure flew off the handle quickly. HE was the one who brought up race instead of trying to find out what legitimate reason the police had for being in his home.
We suppose if you are black and it looks like you are trying to break into someone’s house you shouldn’t be arrested. You know - cuz you’re black - and that might be considered racial profiling. Are you flipping kidding me???????? WHO’S racist? We’re all confused here; and, getting more and more confused as the months drag and drag on…to the next election.
So how do we handle these situations, which seemingly are started by the very people who feel discriminated against and looked down on? I've got to say that us white folks are between a Barack and a hard place. It seems nothing we do is good enough and when we do the right thing we MUST be doing it for the wrong reasons. My best friend, Jasmine, works for a company where the racial makeup goes like this - 45% black, 25% Hispanic, 20% white and the rest divided among people from the Far-East.
Jasmine doesn't hear much from most of the groups regarding racism but, the most vocal about racism is the black group. They complain about other blacks who make friends with the whites. "Oh, she's just tryin' to be white!" What???!! This is something which mystifies Jasmine, who is white and could care less about someone's skin color. Aren't people just people? Don't we all love our kids, work hard at our jobs, worry about our old age, like to have fun? She always thought so, but apparently there's some fundamental difference between the races.
At the same time Gates’ story was being sprayed on HD televisions across the nation another one was also being covered; three young boys arrested for stealing items from a neighbor’s yard. The boys were black and white. And the nation, black and white alike, seemed to be on the side of the children. Yes, even though there was a black child among them, Mr. President.
Like so many people out there I am sick of our so-called leaders playing the “race card”. Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and now it seems our President talk more about racism than I have ever heard any of my friends talk about it. Furthermore, I’ve never heard SO MUCH about racism since WE ALL elected a BLACK president. Does nothing work?
It doesn’t matter if you are left or right of the issue; right is right and wrong is wrong; be you black, white, brown, purple or fuchsia. No one sector of society should be given special or preferential or less than legal treatment, not even the New Haven firefighters. Remember when they were not given promotions b/c they were white? If it’s not right to discriminate against the color black or brown then it certainly isn’t right to discriminate against the color white. Period. Where the hell IS that “Easy” button?
Spewing on and on about racism will only cause it to be a sore spot among the people. It will only serve to perpetuate the great divide; not close the gap, Mr. President. What in the world is the motivation behind such speeches? Why the antics? Do they (the far-left, black leaders among us) want racism to continue to exist? Why would they? So they can keep getting votes from a particular sector of society? You tell me.
I always say “follow the money”. Many of my colleagues and friends (black and white and brown-let’s be clear-I’m not a racist and don’t care what color your skin is) believe some far-left, black leaders need racism like MJ needed Propofol. Without it they have no demonstrations or rallies to organize. And they are SUCH good organizers! Have you ever heard the term “poverty pimps”? Well, now you have.
Wasn’t Barack Hussein Obama supposed to be talking about his health care plan? Talk about “stupid”. So he insinuated a police officer was racist during his “Health Care” speech. What did racism have to do with health care (I shouldn’t have asked right? Is that next? You’re not getting treated b/c you’re black? Maybe that is his tie-in…). Where was I? Oh yeah, Nothing. Racism and health care have nothing to do with each other. It was obvious to any half-wit the question was staged so he could make a point. Why? Because clearly, he wants to continue the class struggle. He’s an instigator! Otherwise; he would have surely said I don’t know enough to comment. Surely.
What is the motivation of our President and other leaders to drum up hatred and impune reputations? Why does this man seem to hate our country so much? Barack Hussein Obama (BHO) has become the “bus chaser” of issues that Jackson and Sharpton are – never hesitating to glom onto an otherwise run of the mill occurrence if he sees an opportunity to tie it to race, thinking he’s making himself look the hero to “his people”! And we whiteys just don’t understand the plight of the black man!!
HELLO – I would be thanking the police and my neighbors for ensuring my property was safe. Why would Mr. Gates not do the same? Why would he make a stand refusing to show ID? BECAUSE, like BHO, Jackson, Sharpton and others – their FIRST thought goes to their own racism – against whites. And, as BHO’s bud, Rahm Emanuel, says - never waste a good crisis!! The bigger problem we see is that BHO saw this incident as something befitting a presidential response but the stealing of Iran ’s election by a thug who wants to destroy us and Israel from the face of the earth was not?? REALLY???!!!!
Racism will never go away as long as each group sees the other as a threat for whatever reason. Blacks will never feel safe and whites will never be able to do enough. And back to the original subject - our president is going straight back to his community organizer roots by agitating the situation. If he said in one breath that "he didn't have all the facts" then he should have STOPPED THERE. End of comments. But he didn't. So you tell me what his motivation was?
Tea anyone?
www.randomthoughtsonpaper-crystal.blogspot.com
www.sexinthewoods.blogspot.com
www.thedamgoodtimes.blogspot.com
Heavy-handed editing/commentary by: Deborah Martin & Cheryl Laramore
It’s bad. It’s bad. Shamon. Hey, this is how my brain tied MJ into politics. Please. Hold your applause.
Is our PRESIDENT perpetuating racism? I’m reminded of the song lyrics “Don’t hand me no lines and keep your hands to yourself”. His hands do not need to be in a local matter regarding police officers and a private citizen. His opinions on racial profiling were off-base. And like everything, it seems he did not have adequate information to be making such a speech.
The 911 call which started this whole thing has now been released. The call wasn't racially motivated. She lady who called only mentioned a possible "Hispanic" connection AFTER she was asked about race. So race wasn't on HER mind. The officer who made the arrest is a racial profiling expert and from all accounts he's a straight up guy; not racially motivated and not power hungry, so race wasn’t on HIS mind either.
At some point we will hear everything about this arrest because the stupid officer's microphone was on the whole time. Snicker. THEN we can make a definitive judgment about this situation. Until that time, we can only go on what has been reported and it doesn't look good for our Harvard professor. For a well-educated, intelligent guy, he sure flew off the handle quickly. HE was the one who brought up race instead of trying to find out what legitimate reason the police had for being in his home.
We suppose if you are black and it looks like you are trying to break into someone’s house you shouldn’t be arrested. You know - cuz you’re black - and that might be considered racial profiling. Are you flipping kidding me???????? WHO’S racist? We’re all confused here; and, getting more and more confused as the months drag and drag on…to the next election.
So how do we handle these situations, which seemingly are started by the very people who feel discriminated against and looked down on? I've got to say that us white folks are between a Barack and a hard place. It seems nothing we do is good enough and when we do the right thing we MUST be doing it for the wrong reasons. My best friend, Jasmine, works for a company where the racial makeup goes like this - 45% black, 25% Hispanic, 20% white and the rest divided among people from the Far-East.
Jasmine doesn't hear much from most of the groups regarding racism but, the most vocal about racism is the black group. They complain about other blacks who make friends with the whites. "Oh, she's just tryin' to be white!" What???!! This is something which mystifies Jasmine, who is white and could care less about someone's skin color. Aren't people just people? Don't we all love our kids, work hard at our jobs, worry about our old age, like to have fun? She always thought so, but apparently there's some fundamental difference between the races.
At the same time Gates’ story was being sprayed on HD televisions across the nation another one was also being covered; three young boys arrested for stealing items from a neighbor’s yard. The boys were black and white. And the nation, black and white alike, seemed to be on the side of the children. Yes, even though there was a black child among them, Mr. President.
Like so many people out there I am sick of our so-called leaders playing the “race card”. Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and now it seems our President talk more about racism than I have ever heard any of my friends talk about it. Furthermore, I’ve never heard SO MUCH about racism since WE ALL elected a BLACK president. Does nothing work?
It doesn’t matter if you are left or right of the issue; right is right and wrong is wrong; be you black, white, brown, purple or fuchsia. No one sector of society should be given special or preferential or less than legal treatment, not even the New Haven firefighters. Remember when they were not given promotions b/c they were white? If it’s not right to discriminate against the color black or brown then it certainly isn’t right to discriminate against the color white. Period. Where the hell IS that “Easy” button?
Spewing on and on about racism will only cause it to be a sore spot among the people. It will only serve to perpetuate the great divide; not close the gap, Mr. President. What in the world is the motivation behind such speeches? Why the antics? Do they (the far-left, black leaders among us) want racism to continue to exist? Why would they? So they can keep getting votes from a particular sector of society? You tell me.
I always say “follow the money”. Many of my colleagues and friends (black and white and brown-let’s be clear-I’m not a racist and don’t care what color your skin is) believe some far-left, black leaders need racism like MJ needed Propofol. Without it they have no demonstrations or rallies to organize. And they are SUCH good organizers! Have you ever heard the term “poverty pimps”? Well, now you have.
Wasn’t Barack Hussein Obama supposed to be talking about his health care plan? Talk about “stupid”. So he insinuated a police officer was racist during his “Health Care” speech. What did racism have to do with health care (I shouldn’t have asked right? Is that next? You’re not getting treated b/c you’re black? Maybe that is his tie-in…). Where was I? Oh yeah, Nothing. Racism and health care have nothing to do with each other. It was obvious to any half-wit the question was staged so he could make a point. Why? Because clearly, he wants to continue the class struggle. He’s an instigator! Otherwise; he would have surely said I don’t know enough to comment. Surely.
What is the motivation of our President and other leaders to drum up hatred and impune reputations? Why does this man seem to hate our country so much? Barack Hussein Obama (BHO) has become the “bus chaser” of issues that Jackson and Sharpton are – never hesitating to glom onto an otherwise run of the mill occurrence if he sees an opportunity to tie it to race, thinking he’s making himself look the hero to “his people”! And we whiteys just don’t understand the plight of the black man!!
HELLO – I would be thanking the police and my neighbors for ensuring my property was safe. Why would Mr. Gates not do the same? Why would he make a stand refusing to show ID? BECAUSE, like BHO, Jackson, Sharpton and others – their FIRST thought goes to their own racism – against whites. And, as BHO’s bud, Rahm Emanuel, says - never waste a good crisis!! The bigger problem we see is that BHO saw this incident as something befitting a presidential response but the stealing of Iran ’s election by a thug who wants to destroy us and Israel from the face of the earth was not?? REALLY???!!!!
Racism will never go away as long as each group sees the other as a threat for whatever reason. Blacks will never feel safe and whites will never be able to do enough. And back to the original subject - our president is going straight back to his community organizer roots by agitating the situation. If he said in one breath that "he didn't have all the facts" then he should have STOPPED THERE. End of comments. But he didn't. So you tell me what his motivation was?
Tea anyone?
www.randomthoughtsonpaper-crystal.blogspot.com
www.sexinthewoods.blogspot.com
www.thedamgoodtimes.blogspot.com
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