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Copyright © 2009 www.fox4kc.com. All rights reserved.
WDAF, 3030 Summit, Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Copyright © 2009 www.fox4kc.com. All rights reserved.
WDAF, 3030 Summit, Kansas City, Missouri 64108
Blog Posts With the Most Comments
The Last Straw
The police have gotten on my last nerve. The reports of police shooting and killing a little Jack Russel Terrier is the final straw. I am livid that ANYONE would be afraid of being attacked by a dog not much bigger than a Chihuahua. Jack Russel Terriers can't even harm a fly, let alone a human. They are harmless dogs that do nothing more than bark constantly, and a cop was paranoid that he'd get mauled by one. Please. I am on my last nerve. The next mistake the cops make will turn me against them. This paranoia is damn unacceptable. You can't even use the bathroom in this city anymore without the police breathing down your neck. I think the police owe Mr. Wickizer a big apology and I think the cop who shot the dog needs to be reassigned to desk duty. He either needs sensitivity training or he needs to be shot. PETA and the ASPCA are definitely going to hear about this. Just you wait, you chota pig. You will get your judgement day.
Here's the actual story:
Metro Man Upset After Police Shoot His Dog
Web Staff
July 2, 2009
Charles Wickizer says that he's devastated over the loss of his dog, Fatts, who was shot four times by a police officer in his backyard.
He says that someone claimed that he was going to hurt himself or the dog, but he says that wasn't true. Wickizer says that the dog somehow got out of the house and into the backyard where it was shot and killed.
"I cant understand why they would do something like that to a little dog in his own yard," said Wickizer. "I'm not a violent offender, I'm a law abiding citizen."
Police have not commented on the incident.
Police put EMT in choke hold
http://www.fox4kc.com/wdaf-police-vs-emt-52809,0,1870230.story
That is the link to a story about two police officers pulling over an ambulance and putting an EMT in a choke hold all because the cop thought the EMT flipped him off. IT WAS A STUPID FINGER!!! I mean, how dumb do you have to be to go all ballistic on someone simply because they insult you? I must ask, why do people think police are innocent angels when they do things like this?
How much you wanna bet those cops are going to get away with that? Knowing ibreakforcops, he's gonna come on here and try to justify everything those cops did solely because of that issue with the middle finger.
This just goes to show you can't trust anyone but yourself these days. I play games online with a bunch of teenagers and young adults, and almost all of them say they are not surprised at that video. There is one guy I play with who is 20 years old and he says he has always hated cops because he knows they are liars and cheats, and pretty much everyone I game with agrees that you have to be a thief and a liar to be a good politician. Its so bad now that you cannot do anything without someone becoming offended. Go down to the West Bottoms and just look at someone in the 12th street gang the wrong way and you'll get shot. That's what this world has come to, and nobody does anything about it. There are even some older adults who play games online right alongside their kids. I know with one of the online gaming teams I hang out with, there's a father/son team with the son being only 11 years old and both play shoot-em-up games.
For all those who think this is a one-off thing that rarely ever happens, all I have to say is, "Welcome to America, where the ignorance and BS are as deep as the Mariana Trench."
CONSPIRACY THEORIES
This site used to be a lot more fun than it's been of late. We used to argue policy pretty hot & heavy. Now we discuss the latest paranoid conspiracy theory from the Right.
Obama is coming to get you. He's taking over your internet. He's going to kill granny! He's rigging the census with ACORN to do something. (I haven't quite figured out what yet but I'm sure it's awful!) He's indoctrinating your children. We're all going to have to become muslim, commies or socialist (depending upon the phase of the moon and the web site quoted). He's going to take your guns away. (Obviously these people haven't been to a town hall lately.) He's going to get rid of the dollar. He's really after a one-world-government. He's going to make reparations to all black people. He's gay. He's doing coke in the white house. He's creating detention camps for right wingers. He's creating a "list' of dissenters. He's hired people to flood web sites w/pro-Obama blogs. He's a terrorist. His advisors are commies, marxists, liberals, etc. He was born in Africa. He's going to create death panels. He's re-instating the Fairness Doctrine to get rid of Rush. He's signed an executive order to allow the Palestinians to relocate to the US. He's a eugenicist. He's closing Republican-owned Chrysler dealerships. He's building a high-speed train between Disneyland & a Nevada brothel! (Damn you, Harry Reid!) He's the anti-christ.
He's.....whatever the latest conspiracy theory is. And each day they get a little wilder.
Of course, if any of you really believed this was going to happen I have to wonder one thing. WHY ARE YOU STILL BLOGGING ON THIS SITE? jstol, you run your blogs all over the country and give interviews on Fox4. IF THEY WANTED TO GET YOU, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU ARE HARD TO FIND. Don't you think if Obama was as bad as you say...people like you would quitely disappear?
It's like all the people who insisted he was the anti-christ. If you really think that Obama is the anti-christ and the tribulation is getting ready to start....why haven't you moved to Northern Alaska to get away from the realm of satan? Somewhere secluded (like a Canadian mountain top)where you can live off the land and avoid the mark of the beast. What kind of person are you to remain here with your children if you really believe Obama is that bad. Maybe it's because it sounds cool when you say it...but you know it's no more true than the Easter Bunny or Santa Clause.
And he really doesn't have to do ANYTHING new to get information on dissent from people like you. Because we have already given him the power to listen in on your conversations and read your e-mails. It's called the PATRIOT ACT. Remember? He doesn't even need a warrant. It also gives him the authority to arrest you and hold you for as long as he deems you a threat to the security of the US. Talk about a law that leaves a lot of wiggle room for interpretation. You should really hope and pray that this paranoia is just that...because we as a nation have given him the tools to do just about anything. (And remember, I was saying this during the Bush years too. Never give a President Bush a power that you wouldn't want a liberal to have.)
Now, I would like to offer you what I am hoping is part of a conspiracy from the Left. I am hoping that this youtube clip is a fake. Something that a David Letterman dreamed up and people on the left are promoting as real when it's nothing but a scam. A liberal conspiracy. Something with hired actors used by the liberals to humiliate the conseratives. I am really hoping that this is NOT an actual teabagger rally! Please dear God, let this be part of a liberal conspiracy plot to marginalize the Right wing....because if this is real, you NEED to be laughed at! JUST LIKE YOUR CONSPIRACY THEORIES!
THE BABY & THE BATHWATER
Recently, I posted a blog entitled ‘LET THEM EAT…McDONALDS” that elicited a lot of comments and several other blog postings. It was begun as a complaint about a Missouri State Representative who is currently the chairwoman for the Standing Committee on Families and Children. This is a group that makes recommendations on laws regarding families and children. I felt that her comments were completely out of line and showed a remarkable lack of understanding of the issues facing children from poor families. (This was especially true for someone responsible for advising the state legislature on laws concerning children. Suggesting that hunger is a great motivator for teens is out of line for someone in her position….regardless of the need for the program or the quality of the program being mentioned. She needs to removed as chairwoman.) There were some on this site that violently disagreed with me about the need for the Summer Food Program. There was a lot of back & forth with very little give on either side.
But one blogger posted a comment that was worth examining in more detail. He repeatedly asked me to respond to it and I thought he was talking about another comment that I did respond to, so I ignored it. I have copied Odessacon’s remarks in bold below in their entirety and I will highlight my responses. We agree on many of the goals he puts forward. We disagree on the path to reach those goals. His comment illustrates one of one of the fundamental problems facing our country today. Something that could probably best be called THE BABY & THE BATHWATER SYNDROME.
We all remember the old adage…”Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater”. A simple idea really…when something is wrong with the baby’s bathwater (it’s cold, it’s dirty, it’s got poop in it, whatever) you throw the bathwater out and change it to what you want. But whatever you do, keep in mind that your goal is a clean baby…don’t get so caught up in getting the bathwater perfect that you lose the baby changing the water.
As a country we tend to do that. The Veterans Administration is a prime example. Untold numbers of vets wait years for treatment because of large amounts of red tape. Most of it designed to ensure that taxpayers are not defrauded of their investment. Apparently at one point in history, it was a real concern to many taxpayers. They believed that Americans were claiming injuries suffered after their enlistment was over as service related injuries. With treatment costs for those non-war injuries covered through your tax dollars. That doesn’t happen much anymore. There is enough red tape that by the time you have worked through it…you have proved that the injury is war related. Of course, you may have waited several years for the treatment…but no tax dollars are wasted!
So when we look at Odessacons suggestions for reforming government, we find that many on both sides of the issues do have common ground in the final goal. The problem is how do you achieve the goal without doing more harm than good. And that is where we differ.
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How would I reform the federal government? (reprinted from comments by Odessacon)
1.social security would be solvent.People with LEGITIMATE disabilities will be cared for.
2.Our elderly that didnt have retirment planed(or couldnt save) will be taken care of
I agree wholeheartedly with both points 1 & 2. But the reality is that Americans are living longer & longer. And that is a significant part of the problem with social security solvency. It costs much more than we thought it would 40 years ago when the current “boomers” put money into social security. Do we delay retirement? (Which is a sacrifice that we probably should look at. It’s an idea that will HELP but won’t solve the problem.) Or do we cap payments to wealthier Americans? Is there any other way to achieve this goal? (And please don’t suggest privatizing accounts so that you can play the market with your retirement, because that is an area that we won’t agree on.)
3. We will provide a TWO YEAR safety net for those that are ABLE to work but have fallen on hard times.You have to work for 1 year before you can qualify for benefits again.This program would have JOB TRAINING as a center piece.If your not willing to participate in traing-no benefits!
Job Training programs are great. Are you willing to fund them? Will you also provide child care so that single mothers are able to attend? If someone qualifies for benefits, takes the training and doesn’t find work…..what happens then? If the decision is made to remove children from a home because the parent doesn’t participate, do you have enough foster homes for their care?
4.We would stop MOST foreign aid programs UNLESS equally funded by other nations.
I can agree with this to a degree. The argument will fall on what constitutes “MOST” foreign aid. For example, the military is promoting aid to Afghanistan because it’s the carrot in their “Carrot & Stick” diplomacy. Can you accept agricultural aid to Afghanistan?
5.we would have a state of the art military,adequately funded.This is as much a deterent as it is a needed instrument if we actually have to go to war.
I agree if “adequate funding’ include more troops, planes, tanks, etc. Or does it also include high tech programs that have shown NO success, have been on-going for years past their original deadlines, etc.? IE: STAR WARS STYLE DEFENSE SYSTEMS
6. We would simplify the tax code so the rich guy cant scam it,but we dont PUNISH innovation and success.You could still have the progressive system if that was reasonable but I think more people need to give the "flat tax" or "fair tax" another look. Both have the potential to benefit everyone.
I’m not opposed to tax reform, but how high an exemption does one set for a flat tax? What percentage do you pay after that exemption? Do you still allow the wealthiest of Americans to keep the multitude of exemptions that effectively mean they pay a lower percentage of their income than you & I do? I should also state that I am NOT opposed to taxes. I like roads, bridges, health care, etc. I believe we should pay for it. I don’t believe you should fight a war on credit. If you start a war, you increase taxes to pay for it. If you need a new “smart grid” for the country, you pay for it. I just want the money to be well spent!
7. TERM LIMITS!!!!!!!!! You dont go to Washington for a career that gets you in tight with special interest groups! You go there to serve your country.This simple change would cut tons of corruption and waste out of the system.
No argument what so ever. (And keep in mind that I have supported both Sen. Bond & Congressman Cleaver for years because they are great at procuring federal money for state projects.) But permanent citizen rulers were not the idea of our founding fathers.
8. States rights! 90% of what the Federal Government does now,it has no jurisdiction under the constitution. As the(formally)wealthiest nation on Earth we can,In my opinion offer the social programs I listed above,IF WE CUT OUT ALL THESE OTHER PROGRAMS THAT ARE WASTEFUL AND NOT EXPLICITLY STATED IN THE CONSTITUTION.
I think you will find that you cut a lot of things you never realized how much you will miss. You should also keep in mind that part of the philosophy behind the Federal Government being involved in states is because you need a certain continuity between states. If Idaho decides that marriage between a black man and a white woman is illegal, they could decide not to honor any legal obligations of such a marriage. If Missouri legalizes marijuana and Kansas doesn’t….what does that do to the states? How about the recent case of local Texas police raiding a gay bar and beating the patrons? If the local government agrees to this, does the rest of the country ignore it? What if California decides Fundamentalist Christians are as bad as Texas thinks gays are? Are you still willing to just move to another state because your rights are being trampled?
And while it sounds good to say that the states should pay for what they want, it’s not always possible in the real world. For instance, Louisiana can’t afford research on hurricane predictions. But they really need those predictions. Alaskans think that it’s silly, but volcanoe research is very important to them. And neither of these states have much in the way of state revenues. It’s rather funny, but the states that receive less in federal aid than they pay in taxes to the federal government are the large blue states….California, New York, etc. The beneficiaries of the current system of federal involvement are the poor states.
I can agree in theory to many of Odessacons’s suggestions for reforms. But the devil’s in the detail and most Americans are unwilling to compromise on their own beliefs. Cutting programs that I deem senseless may not be to you
During WWII, there was a shared sense of sacrifice in our country! We did not just send our “boys” off to war. We supported the war effort. Victory Gardens were planted by mothers. Fathers bought war bonds to help share the cost of the war effort. And in a unprecedented social move, women went to work in factories to build the tanks and planes their sons were dying in.
During the Great Depression, millions of Americans joined the W.P.A. They did this because they needed jobs. They traveled all over the country leaving their families for months at a time. And through their hard work and sacrifice they built roads, bridges, dams and buildings that are still in use today some eighty years later.
Following 9/11, we were asked to collectively join together…and shop! During the Iraq War, we imagined that it was possible to fight two wars and cut taxes at the same time. We put an entire war on our American Express Card. But we did not as a whole sacrifice for this. Our military families did. But most of us did nothing more than to watch the war from the sofa while eating popcorn and waving our flags like it was the Super Bowl of Foreign Policy.
There are a lot of problems facing our country today. To solve them will require a great deal of cooperation between all Americans. It will also require something that we as a country have forgotten about…sacrifice. Our problems are too big to let just a few carry the heavy lifting for us all. We will all need to remember that compromise is essential to our survival as a nation. We are all going to have to give a little…or even a lot.
John Kenneth Galbraith once said, “Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable.” Disastrous and unpalatable, two terms descriptive of so many of answers to our fundamental problems. My use of WWII is a great example of how each program or policy is a two-edged sword for America. Women going to work in factories during WWII was instrumental to our winning WWII. But some would tell you that women going to work, is the cause of the erosion of the American family. (There are statistics that suggest this.) Do we praise these women for their sacrifice or chastise them for allowing our society to change forever?
So as we examine the many proposed programs that the Obama administration would like us to support, we must ask ourselves not what do these programs do to ME…but what will they do for US? We must also accept that there will be sacrifice on our parts to achieve success. We must focus on the overall goal and not how this will hurt me individually. Both the right & the left will need to give up some sacred cows.
The President’s energy plan is an excellent example. Do we trade higher energy costs for a “smart grid” that protects us from terrorist attack? Which is ultimately more important? Is it acceptable if we open up more domestic drilling? And mind you, I’m not entirely sold on the plan. I am very angry with how Congress added last minute details without review. I am curious as to how home sales will be effected? Lots of questions, but I still would maintain that merely being upset because it might raise energy costs without consideration of what the country gains is a lot like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
LET THEM EAT...McDONALDS!
We all experience life-changing moments at odd times. Those chance encounters that you remember for the rest of your days because what you learned was such a shock to your insulated lifestyle.
One of those moments for me came several years ago when my company was asked to feed Thanksgiving dinner to a group of 100 local, homeless, school children. I agreed to the request and showed up at the appropriate time with several roast turkeys, mashed potatoes, gravy and other "holiday fare".
The kids were late! It was during my busy season so I wasn't real happy about that. I was a little ashamed of my personal reaction when I discoved that the reason they were late was that they were having to hunt down the children. "What do you mean?", I asked. And was told that the kids "couch surf" between different homes each day, so it takes a little extra time to find them. But eventually they arrived and proceeded to eat.
At the end of the meal, a six year old boy came back to the buffet and asked if he could take home some dinner to his mother. He said, "I don't want my Mom to go hungry tonight". And my universe was upended. The realization finally hit home that I lived in the richest country in the world....and there were still 1st graders who felt obligated to try to feed their family. They weren't worried about things I think of kids worrying about. Things like missing TV or tomorrow's recess or their next soccer game. They were worried about feeding Mom at the ripe old age of 6! THAT'S SO WRONG!!!
I've done that same event every year since. It's one that I never hand off to an employee because I never want to be so comfortable that I forget that boy's situation. (And I will remember the look in his eyes until the day I die.)
Hunger is a major problem both for this country and for Missouri:
I tell you this story to introduce you to this woman:
Dressed in her cute pink outfit, surrounded by her husband and children is Missouri State Legislator Cynthia Davis from St. Charles County. She is the co-owner of BACK TO BASICS CHRISTIAN BOOKSTORE in O'Fallon Missouri. "Rep. Davis has been appointed to serve as the Majority Floor Whip. She was also elected by her peers to be the Secretary for the Women Legislators of Missouri and was also elected to be the Vice-President of First Capitol Federation of Republican Women. She is also serving as the Republican Committeewoman for the Dardenne Township." She also chairs the Missouri House Special Standing Committee on Children and Families.
She recently released a statement in her newsletter on a summer program sponsored by the Agricultural Department to feed school aged children during the summer. This program last year fed 3.7 million meals at a total cost of under 9.5 million dollars. (By using local churches and food pantries, that keeps the costs to under $3/meal. Pretty efficient use of our tax dollars if you ask me.)
The chair of the Committee on Children & Families wrote:
Rather obviously, Rep. Davis is a little out of touch with the real world that many of her fellow Missourians face.
Here's a reality check for you:
This is what a food line looks like. There are lots of them in Missouri. This one's from Southwest Missouri! Does this look like a made-up "crisis" just to increase government?
This is what one of the children who was fed last summer from the program you scoff at looks like! (He looks a little short to run a fryer safely!)
Rep. Davis is a disgrace to her office and to our state! She should be ashamed of herself and her district should be ashamed of themselves if they re-elect her.
If this story upsets you as much as it did me, you can do three things to help.
1) Make a donation of food or money to a local food pantry. Make sure the donation is made in honor of Rep. Davis!
2) You can e-mail Rep. Davis yourself at cynthia.davis@house.mo.gov
3) Contact your local state legislator to ask them to lobby Republicans to remove Rep. Davis from her chairmanship of the Committe on Children and Families. Missouri deserves better representation than this!
COMMON SENSE V. STATISTICS
I was asked by a blogger on this site to provide statistics for some of the assertions I make. I could have answered by making a comment but I prefer to start a new blog.
For many issues you can find statistics to prove or disprove just about any thing. The statistic is slanted by the statistician's frame of mind, what his agenda is, and by the outcome he desires. It's kind of like reading the Bible. In my 63 years I have known many, many people who quoted this or that passage from the Bible to prove their particular point. Take retribution for instance. Those who believe in it quote "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth". Those who don't believe in it quote "turn the other cheek". You know how it goes. You have heard it all before just as I have.
I happen to believe in common sense.
Common sense tells me that certain things are just true and you really can't question that truth. Examples:
1. Here on earth if something falls it will fall down - not up.
2. You can't spend your way out of debt.
3. Welfare, food stamps and medicaid do NOT provide an incentive to work and be productive.
4. We have had recent (within the last 20 years) periods of great prosperity in this country and during those periods we still had people on welfare, food stamps and medicaid so the recent economic downturn is not the cause of people being on those programs.
5. We are importing doctors and scientists because our schools aren't teaching kids what they need to know to build America's future.
6. You can't allow ILLEGAL aliens to flood over our borders and expect to be able to provide jobs for all of the Americans who WANT to work.
7. You can't ignore "petty" crimes and expect major crimes to go away.
8. You can't foment class warfare and expect to have a "United" States.
9. You can't have Asian-American, White-American, Latino-American, and all of the other Hyphenated-American communities and have a "United" States.
10. You can't have a Speaker of the House who advocates breaking the law and have a nation which respects the rule of law.
There! Those are just 10 quick examples of "common sense". It's what my "gut" tells me. Your gut should tell you the same things. You know them to be true because your "common sense" tells you so.
HE'S NOT MY PRESIDENT!
I was thirty years old when Jimmy Carter was elected President. In retrospect I was still young, naieve and idealistic at the time. I voted for Jimmy Carter. I believed that he would make a great President. Jimmy became "my" President.
The oil embargo was just a few years behind us . Gasoline had gone from about 25 cents per gallon to a dollar very quickly. Jimmy promised us energy independence. We were going to have alternative fuels and and we were going to develop our oil shale fields. Jimmy created the Department of Energy to help us attain that independence. It is now 30 years later and we are not energy independent and the DOE really can't say that it has accomplished anything.
About 2 years into Jimmy's term we were hit with terrible inflation and soaring interest rates. Some elderly people on fixed incomes were reduced to eating canned dog food because they couldn't afford to buy people food. The adjustable rate mortgage came into widespread use because it was the only way that many people could afford to purchase a home (yes, that same adjustable rate mortgage that played a large role in our current financial difficulties).
Then the Shah of Iran ran into some difficulties with Islamic fundamentalists and Carter would not help our ally, the Shah. The same rabble that deposed the Shah then took our Embassy and it's personnel hostage. Jimmy dithered for a long time, (like Obama is dithering over more troops for Afghanistan while men die now), and finally decided on a plan to send two (yes, just two) helicopters across the desert with a few special operations people to rescue the hostages. The helicopters went down in a sandstorm after crashing into each other and the rescuers died.
Jimmy Carter had high ideals but he was very poor at planning and execution of his plans. He also did not listen very well to his military commanders. I can thank Jimmy Carter's failed Presidency for my conversion from Liberal Democrat to Conservative Independent. He taught me that Liberal agendas just do not move a country forward nor do they gain a country "respect in the world".
When I say that Barack Obama is not my President I mean that very sincerely. For starters I didn't vote for him. That, all by itself, would not be sufficient reason not to claim him.
Jimmy Carter was a rather benign buffoon. Carter had an agenda but he at least believed in his heart that his agenda would benefit America and Her People.
Barack Obama has no such redeeming quality.
Barack Obama's agenda is designed to bring America to Her knees on the world stage and to subjugate Her people a Liberal, Progressive Tyranny.
If we take each of Obama's agenda items and look at them separately we can debate them as to their relative merits or shortcomings and draw conclusions about how each one will affect our lives as individuals. If we take his agenda items collectively we can see a much different picture emerging. We begin to see an agenda which is designed to fit together seamlessly to capture and to control every major aspect of our economy, our political process and our personal liberties.
Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely and Barack Obama is the most corrupt politician who has ever captured the Presidency of this country.
Here are the key components of Obama's agenda and what they are really designed to accomplish;
Cap and Trade - if this bill passes the Senate all of our energy use at home and in the workplace including our vehicles will be controlled by the government. The measure is really one HUGE tax increase which will give this administration more money with which to fund it's ongoing agenda of control.
Health Care Reform - If this bill is passed into law it will give government full control over 1/6th of our economy AND over all aspects of your health care. Bureaucrats and NOT doctors will be making life and deathe decisions over what health care you can receive. Even if there is no single payor provision or public option the bill will be a "Trojan Horse" which will lead into those two systems.
2010 Census - this administration wants to count ILLEGAL aliens in the 2010 Census. Even though the ILLEGALS cannot presently vote counting them will allow the administration to redraw congressional voting districts and ensure that more are in Liberal, Progressive areas.
ILLEGAL Immigration - the administration and the unions are both interested maintaining ILLEGAL immigration at high levels. The unions can organize the areas where the ILLEGALS work,collect union dues from them and funnel more of that money to the administration and members of Congress for their election campaigns.
Card Check - Card Check will make it easier for the unions to organize, obtain more members, more dues and funnel more money into election campaigns.
Gun Control - if the administration can dis-arm the American people it can avoid any possible rebellion of the American People.
Education/Indoctrination of our students - if the administration can educate and indoctrinate students from an early age they can keep the population subservient and loyal to them.
The Patriot Act - the Liberal establishment has railed against the Patriot Act since it's inception. Barack Obama has chosen to keep certain parts of the Act intact. Why? He has done so because the Patriot act allows un-warrented spying and wiretapping of the populace is why.
It doesn't matter whether you are a Democrat, a Republican, a Liberal, a Conservative, a Libertarian or an Independant. You either love your personal liberty or you dont. My guess is that you do.
This President's plans must be stopped!
Channel 5 twist and misreprese
Once again, channel 5 has shown that they are very anti-police and will twist facts. In their latest " Investigative Reports" they want people to believe the police abused their powers again. The story is from Lee's Summit. A police officer attempts to stop a vehicle. The vehicle refused to stop until he pulls into his driveway. Dashcam video shows the officer's actions. The suspect tells Channel 5 he didn't understand why the officer pulled his weapon. First, the story will have you believe that the officer quickly pulled his weapon. But if you watch the video, no weapon is shown and the officer waits several minutes until back up arrive. But, even if he did pull his weapon, the vehicle failed to stop for more than two minutes with the officer sounding his siren. Then the suspects is later asked to hang up his phone. Did he comply? NO! he continues to defy lawfull orders. Then the suspect is handcuffed and during a search of his person, he begins to move around. This becomes enough to force the officers to take him to the ground. Now, here is where Channel 5 will have you believe the police abused this person. While on the ground the officer, who is also there defensive tactics instructor, puts his knee on the suspects neck. Channel 5 asked some professor from the University of South Carolina if this was right. He states the officer did not need to perform this tactic. But as an officer for over 10 years, This tactic is done so that the suspect can not move or attempt to fight. Although painful, it does not cause any injury. So this professor, who is only stating his opinion, says that the officer is wrong. But Channel 5 never interviews any officers from other departments so that they could give their opinion. No, they ask some liberal who's taxes may still need to be paid. Way to go Channel 5, you have shown why your a joke in the local law enforcment community.
To see the stop and story, here is the web link.
http://www.kctv5.com/investigations/19428434/detail.html
You can also view the video yourself.
HOW THE "DEATH PANEL" WILL WOR
There will NOT be a panel that you will stand before at some point in time which will give a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" to the continuation of your life. It will be a matter of regulation just like the regulation that says you have to pay so many dollars for your license plates every year.
Now, here's how it will work Regulation + scarcity = rationing + age (too old or too young) = death (or simply lack of service).
Rationing could be in available doctors because medicine is no longer a lucrative field to enter or it could be a shortage of drugs because money isn't available for research and production or it could be in donar organs because the organs are going overseas where the doctors can receive better compensation for transplanting them.
This could all happen whether you could afford private insurance or not because if everyone gets switched to the private option there will be no other insurance options for you.
There's your "death panel"!
RESPECTED IN THE WORLD?
I don't think that this nation will become "more respected in the world" no matter how much or how often Bambi opens his pie hole and attempts to apologize for what he sees as our national shortcomings.
I believe that he is setting America up to be seen as both weak and foolish by the rest of the world.
He is like the guy who stops at the traffic light and gives money to the guy sitting in a wheelchasir holding a "homeless" sign after the guy in the wheelchair gets up out of the chair to walk over to collect a donation.
Fool!
QUESTIONING BIRTHERS
I have written several blogs on this subject. I have tried to avoid saying that I do not believe that Obama is qualified by citizenship. I DO wonder why he is spending so much money (about 1.4 million so far to avoid showing it). At present there is NOT any person or institution charged with verifying something as basic as the citizenship requirement.
I'm usually attacked by idiots who call me a racist or who say I don't like Obama (he still has a standing invitation for coffee, tea, a beer, maybe a Coke at my house) or they tell me that I should accept the "certificate of live birth" posted on line (It isn't a fake - it's just not his birth certificate). My point is that most of the comments I get are negative or hateful or calculated to make me look like an idiot. Those comments are not at all comments made by a person with an inquiring mind. They just want me to sit down and shut up. It is almost as if they believe that I could singlehandedly remove this man from office that they have such an emotional stake in.
I'm writing this because I saw a comment today made by another blogger, WildernessVoice, on a post that was not even about the birth certificate or Obama's citizenship. WV does NOT buy into the so called "birther" theory and he says so but he does it in a well thought out manner. Here WV's comment:
"I can’t buy into this belief that President Obama is not a US citizen and is therefore not qualified to be President. I’m sure that the FBI, CIA, Secret Service and a number of other government investigative agencies, including congress, have looked into this question very carefully. Not to do so would be foolish beyond all imagination and comprehension. If it were ever proved that President Obama is not legitimately entitled to hold the office of president then every piece of legislation passed, every treaty entered into and every act by the US requiring the President’s approval and signature would be invalid. It would totally destroy the Democratic Party and create worldwide chaos. That is a risk that no one, even the most staunch Obama supporters would want to take."
WV says it in a way that lets us know what he believes without calling any names or trying to run down people who question Obama's birth.
Contrast WV's comment with one made by kingborg on this very blog;
"you are thick headed man. GET over it he is legit deal with it and move on. stop repeating your own old crap. sad you cant remember we been thru this already 3 times with you. now if anyone is wondering if js is a troll this SHOULD be proof."
or from nemo - also on this very blog - he makes a point of implying that I'm an idiot:
"And I have never made a comment "calculated" to make you look like an idiot....you don't need my help for that."
Both of these comments are straight out of Saul Alinsky's "rules for radicals" - they both attempt to freeze me, isolate me and ridicule me.
Again, I did not say that I adhere to the "birther theory "- I have a question - Why not show it? All the left can come up with is the same old stuff. A court order would remedy what the state of Hawaii will or will not show.
Five Terrible Cruelties of Lib
By John Hawkins
My latest Townhall column is called, Five Terrible Cruelties of Liberalism. Here's an excerpt from the column:
you can read it all here and I suggest you do.
Holocaust Museum Shooting
How sad to hear of the shooting and death of a guard at the Holocaust Memorial Museum today. The alleged gunman appears to be an 88- or 89-year-old white supremacist named James Von Brunn who was known for his racist and anti-Semitic web site which insists the Holocaust is a hoax. It is mind-boggling that someone is so fanatical as to pull a trigger at a MUSEUM honoring the memory of the event he says never happened. It takes a "don't confuse me with the facts" attitude to a totally new level.
I'm reminded of a recent comment by Nightflier concerning the posting of armed guards at his synagogue doors here in the KC area during high holy days. I found that need to be deeply disturbing. Yet there have been several church-related shootings in the United States in recent months.
Is the honor we have traditionally held for memorials and sanctuaries another casuality of this modern age? Is there nothing sacred or off-limits?
HEALTH CARE: The Public Optio
There’s been a lot of talk about the so-called “public option” in the health care debate. And much of the talk has been all wrong! We’re told that by adding a public option, we will destroy health care insurance in this country. We will become communists! The time honored tradition of a free market will dissolve into a mire of socialism. Older Americans will be rationed to death and rainbows will disappear from the earth forever! And that’s all it is….TALK! (And not too intelligent talk at that.)
The truth is that the addition of a public option is as American as apple pie and the free market. That’s because, the exercise of a free market and the banding together of consumers to leverage better pricing for a needed product is what the public option is all about. It’s kind of like a SAMS CLUB or COSTCO for health insurance.
As someone who works in the hospitality industry, let me try to explain it in restaurant terms. Restaurants need to purchase supplies to fill their need for product. Let’s simplify it down to buying hamburger. There are a very limited number of GOOD suppliers for hamburger. Sure, I can go to any grocery store to purchase hamburger, but the rate of markup for a grocery store is very high compared to food wholesalers. If I own a McDonalds, I get my hamburger with a markup of about 0.5% over cost from a wholesaler. That’s pretty inexpensive. I get that rate because as part of the McDonald’s franchise, I am buying as part of a group that sells “BILLIONS & BILLIONS” of hamburgers each year. The wholesaler makes a profit through volume sales to McDonalds. He only needs a half a percent of profit to make money off of me.
But if I own a small, independent restaurant and buy hamburger only to sell in my single location…I pay a wholesaler significantly more than if I own a McDonalds. (Like about 15-20% over cost.) That’s a significant price difference. That’s also why McDonalds can afford to sell hamburgers at the price they do….they get the product for about 1/40th of what a small restaurant is going to pay over cost for hamburger as an individual purchaser.
Now, if I and lots of other independent restaurateurs band together to join a Sam’s Club or a Restaurant Depot, our combined buying power will get us all a better deal. For instance, Costco will charge only 11% over cost and Restaurant Depot will be even less. This is a better and more affordable deal for all of the independent owners. During the last year of recession, many of those independent restaurants that are still open are open only because they have stopped paying wholesalers the prices charged to individual restaurants. Instead they are purchasing from larger membership warehouses.
The public option for insurance is the same market strategy. Groups of unrelated people buying together to leverage the large insurance companies to offer more affordable pricing, similar to what is offered to large corporate entities with an enormous employee base. That’s the free market at work for the individual purchaser instead of just the larger corporate entities. It’s as American as apple pie or McDonalds! The simple fact is that the Free Market is as much to protect the consumer as it is the seller. We just tend to forget that in America today.
Taking this analogy one step further, you begin to see the benefits to EVERYONE by offering a public option. The most valid and most often voiced objection to a public option is the cost. Not everyone can afford insurance, even at a reduced price. Republicans have insisted that tax breaks for lower income Americans will be sufficient to insure everyone without a public option. But even if they’re right, doesn’t it make sense to lower the overall cost of insurance as much as possible? If we are going to have to offer assistance for insurance anyway, do we want to subsidize more expensive insurance? It’s like asking if you want to subsidize the cost of a school lunch versus the cost of subsidizing lunch at the Ritz! One is significantly better priced and a much wiser use of taxpayer funds. One option is affordable to more people than the other without resorting to tax subsidies. (After all, when was the last time you felt you could afford lunch at the Ritz?)
The only persons who benefit from higher priced insurance is the insurance companies themselves…and maybe that’s why they’re spending so much money telling us that a public option will kill granny and eliminate rainbows! It’s all about following the money….not about listening to the talk.
Enough IS Enough!
My objective is to,once and for all,explain to the liberals on this blog the realities of our economic situation and how we got here.I want you guys to take this as a challenge and DONT RUN AWAY!
First let me start by telling you that when you say "failed policies of the past eight years" You are woefully uninformed!
We can debate the Iraq war till the cows come home but the reality is WE ARE STILL THERE AND IRAQIS ARE FREE!You can say that the war was for oil but i didnt see any Americans profitting from MIDDLE-EASTERN OIL Especially when you take note of the FACT that the U.S. gets most of its oil from Canada and Mexico.Now if your argument is that we went there to be sure Dictatorial regimes didnt hold THE REST OF THE WORLD HOSTAGE(Like Saddam was trying to do in Quwait)by controlling a majority of supply and we kept oil supplies flowing,maybe you have an argument,but that is only one of the benefits we gained by invading Iraq.
Bushs main failure in Iraq was trying to have a light "footprint".This prolonged the war and gave insurgents time to pose a effective opposition.He should have implemented a "surge" type strategy from the get-go and things would have went much smoother.The surge worked and Iraq is FREE!.......Sorry I got off economics but that is addressing one of Bushs failings.BTW the EXISTANCE of WMD was not the only reason we invaded Iraq.It was Saddams CONTINUAL obsfiscation of UNITED NATIONS weapons inspectors that led the ENTIRE WORLD to believe he had somthing to hide-We had to know-Saddam didnt cooperate and we went and found out!BOTTOM LINE! Sorry but the world is safer without Saddam in it.
Economics:To take Obamas side in this would require us to actually buy into the failed aspects of Bushs economic policies.Thats right! The failings of Bushs economic policies were SPENDING ISSUES!After 9/11 Bush uped military spending considerably.Im willing to give him a pass on that one because he had to rebuild the military that Clinton cut by a FULL 1/3. Clinton did this after the Berlin wall had fallen and called it a "peace divedend".Despite the attacks on the WTC(1993),the U.S Cole and the embassy bombings,Clinton,as much of the world,failed to see the growing terrorist threat. I truly dont fault Clinton for this-EVERYONE was asleep at the wheel on terrorism until 9/11.The previous attacks were isolated and relatively small in scale so terrorism wasnt percieved as the grave threat that it truly is.None the less Bush is starting to spend some REAL money.Bush had inherited a light recesssion from Clinton but this was in the wake of the technology bubble bursting and no one is at real fault unless you want to blame silicon valley for exhausting existing technology to continue its trend of building an ever smaller microchips.LOL9/11 put a strain on the economy but Bush was able to pass the tax cuts and the economy continued to grow.
Meanwhile Bush was spending all his political capital on Iraq.In effort to be the "uniter" and not the "divider"he needed democrat support of the war,its funding and support for the Patriot act. Americans were running around with flags on their cars and wanted to be reassured we wouldnt be attacked AGAIN.Bush starts reaching across the aisle and passes some hefty budgets that had BI-PARTISAN support.He uped social spending,he signed medicare partB(prescription drugs) and he failed to challenge liberal spending proposals in lieu of support for his war on terror. As the votes for the patriot act,war funding and a lack of ANY budget battles during Bushs term show-Washington was walking hand in hand-LIBERALS got thier social spending and Bush got to execute the war on terror.
Now the trouble starts.Let me first say that republicans and democrats in congress started having a spending hayday.Pork was rife EVERYWHERE.Republicans and democrats alike were in a spending frenzy.Did Bush contribute to this by spending all his capital on the war on terror?YES! Did he oppse the spending?NO!Both parties were on a spending spree and Bush did NOTHING to stop it!Bush did however warn congress of something comming down the pike that could devastate the economy if not addressed.In 2002,when Bush sent his budget proposal to Capitol Hill,in it he warned congress that provisions in the Community Reinvestment Act needed to be reformed because of the exposure to GSE's like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or the ramifications would reach into other aspects of the economy. The REPUBLICAN congress failed to act.Bush warned them again in 2004 and commitees formed to rewrite the bad aspects of the law.In 2005 a contingent of DEMOCRAT congressmen,under pressure from Acorn and other community gruops,sent a letter to commitee strongly opposing these changes saying"it would greatly harm the ability of minorities to get home loans." Bush and republicans failed to push against these democrats and the community groups because of charges of racism and being"out of touch" with the needs of the minority community.Our republican President and our republican controlled congressed FAILED to push for reform that EVERY economist said would have "far reaching" devastation in our economy.Bushed failed to stop it ,YES,But democrats WERE THE ONES OPPOSING THE REFORM!Fannie and Freddie are whats called GSEs They are quasi government/private banks that were backing the bad loans made which ultimatley left the TAXPAYER on the hook if these loans went bad.Bush spent too much money and lost the conservative base BUT THIS HAD NO EFFECT OF THE ECONOMY FALLING APART-IT WAS A FAILURE TO REFORM THE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT ACT AND REFORM PRACTICES AT FANNIE AND FREDDIE!WHICH STILL HAVENT BEEN ADDRESSED!OF COURSE NOT....oBAMA CANT PISS OFF COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AND ESPECIALLY NOT ACORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!HES IN BED WITH THEM!!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGT_cSi7Rs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&feature=related
The above links PROVE in the democrats own words and faces their opposition to making the needed reforms that caused this economic crisis.Admittedly Bush and republicans did NOTHING beyond strong statements in commitees to stop this....why? The usual accusations of RACISM and "lynchings"(Fannie chairman Raines was Black).An aversion to alienating minories in upcomming elections is why!
Research this if you like,I urge you to. The failings of the republican party NOR the economy have ANYTHING to do with conservative policies. In fact the opposite is true. Bushs massive spending increases alienated the republican(conservative) base as early as the 2006 mid-term elections and turn out has been bad since. Add to that that Mccain(a very liberal republican) was the nominee in 2008 the base stayed home again.
Now Obama is our President.If Obama was being honest and was serious about reversing the "failed policies of the past eight years",he would have my support.If he were cutting spending,reforming freddie and fannie, and addressing the problems that STILL EXIST in the housing market I would believe him. All he is doing is blaming Bush WHILE HE IMPLEMENTS THE SAME FAILED POLICIES ONLY ON A MUCH GRANDER SCALE!
Republicans need to find their conservative roots.Emulating democrats is a Proven failure in policy and elections.Look at Mccain-he lost! Look at the economy-failure to say NO to minorities and rampant spending causes serious problems!
Did Bush fail us? Yes....but were his policies conservative ones?NO!
Is Obama REVERSING the spending policies of Bush? NO! HE'S SPENDING MORE!
There it is.........THE TRUTH! Try to dispute my facts-I dare ya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HOW TO BACKLASH THE BAILOUTS
If you don't take a stand against something you disagree with then you have capitulated and you have no one to blame for the outcome but yourself. You can't blame your neighbor. You can't blame your Congressman, your Mayor or your President if YOU didn't take a stand.
Many of us did take a stand. We wrote letters, sent emails and made phone calls to tell our representatives that we didn't want GM and Chrysler and Ford to be bailed out with our money. We told them that we didn't want the UAW workers to be bailed out with the automakers. We said let them fail, let them go into bankruptcy. Let them restructure to a better business model so they could be more competitive. Ford, to it's credit, took no money. The government made the bailout over our objections and by doing so it showed it's disdain for our free market system and "We The People".
We did not lose! We were only delayed. The next step is up to us again. We have to show them that bailouts don't work. We must backlash the bailouts by refusing to purchase the "governmentmobiles" which will start rolling off the assembly lines. We have to stop buying GM and Chrysler products. Simple as that! Buy Fords, Toyotas, Hondas - anything but GM and Chrysler. If you don't buy the products their Socialist plans won't work! If you do buy their products you affirm that their Socialist market strategies DO work and you deserve to be on the receiving end of their next foray into our economy.
For Nemo
Over the course of a couple of weeks and several post on Obamas associations nemo has tried several different ways to diffuse the very troubling cast of characters that have been involved in Obamas life.His latest attempt is to try to say that some extreme right wingers have surrounded our republican Presidents.Despite the fact that he was unable to show that ANY of these men were PAID ADVISORS he still tries to hold his ground.He offered Donald Rumsfeld up as a paid right wing extremist but that doesnt wash either.Im NO FAN of republicans of late and think Rumsfeld is an idiot and a$$hole for his contribution to the Iraq war taking so long and the way he confidently ignored many calls for a change in strategy.I offered nemo and olive branch,I told him if he can prove Rumsfeld voted to sell a nuclear reactor to N.Korea( one of his accusations) that I would post a resounding condemnation of Rumsfeld(which wont be hard because as you can see I have little respect for him).None the less I will stay true to my word and abide by my promise.i will note that Rumsfeld as misguided as he may be,he is not an avowed communist or radical.An idiot maybe.
I have never seen nemo so much at a loss for pragmatic arguments.All though we raely agree,I found our debates challenging and extremely fun.He had earned my respect.I though I could aways count on him to see the validity of my arguments even if he didnt agree....not so much anymore.He has called me conspiracy theorist even though I backed up my assertions with people I was calling out OWN WORDS.He lumped me in a category with wackos that I dont agree with.
I was bewildered by this side of nemo that I hadnt seen before.I was dissappointed and while reflecting on this issue I came to the conclusion that the nemo I used to know couldnt possibly be at fault.There must be somthing I have done to cause him to see me in this light.My facts where correct(I had checked and rechecked),i wasnt misrepresenting any information.I was careful to ONLY use their own words to make my points..........What could I have done?
Then it hit me! An epiphany! I had come to suspect that nemo Knew Obamas associations made it clear he was at least a socialist and as disappointed as I was,i was sure that nemo was Ok with socialism.(Wait the epiphany is still comming)Thats ok thats his choice.Maybe,if hes just honest about that fact we can debate the merits of socialism vs capitalism......at least things would makw sense again.BUT THEN I REALISED NEMO REALLY THINKS IM A BLIND PARTISAN RIGHT WING EXTREMIST!!!!!!!!(Thats the epiphany part)
So let me be clear:
1I HAVE NOT EVER NOR WOULD I EVER SUPPORT ANY PRESIDENT THAT WISHED TO HAVE JOEL OLSTEIN BE A PAID ADVISOR(or any other religious person beyond somone to pray with)ON ANY ISSUE FOR FEAR THAT HE MAY BE SEEKING TO IMPLEMENT A THEOCRACY!!!!!!Im not aware that any President in the past has done this....im just sayin.
2.I HAVE NOT EVER NOR WOULD I EVER SUPPORTA MEMBER OF THE KKK OR ANY WHITE SUPREMICIST GROUP TO BE A PAID ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT!never happened but still........just sayin.
3.I HAVE NOT EVER NOR WOULD I EVER SUPPORT ANYONE FROM PHILLIP MORRIS IN HAVING POSITION THAT WOULD GIVE THEM CONTROL OF ANY FACET OF OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM!!!!!!!!!
4.I HAVE NOT EVER NOR WOULD I EVER SUPPORT DAVID DUKE AS AN ADVISOR TO THE DEPT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPEMENT.
5.I HAVE NOT EVER NOR WOULD I EVER SUPPORT TERRY NICHOLS AS NATIONAL SECURITY CZAR!
6.I HAVE NOT EVER NOR WOULD I EVER SUPPORT JOSEPH HAZELWOOD AS GREEN JOBS CZAR!(this may take some research and I have no proof hes conservative but its pretty funny)
7.I HAVE NOT EVER NOR WOULD I EVER SUPPORT FRED PHELPS AS SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT ON HOMSEXUAL,LESBIAN AND TRANSGENDERED AFFIRS!
8.I HAVE NOT EVER NOR WOULD I EVER SUPPORT MICHAEL SAVAGE AS FCC COMMUNICATIONS CZAR!(I like Mike sometimes but hes pretty radical!)
9.I HAVE NOT EVER NOR WOULD I EVER SUPPORT RANDY WEAVER AS THE PRESIDENTS SPECIAL LIASON TO THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS.
10.I HAVE NOT EVER NOR WOULD I EVER SUPPORT JULIUS EVOLA(or any of his minions since hes dead)AS GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE CZAR
I hope this helps you understand me a little better.I dont want radicals in the White house ,right wing or left wing!It just so happens that RIGHT NOW,at this point in history we have radical leftist in the White House.Know this....you can count on me in the future to help you point out radical right wingers in the White House! I mean that! I hope we can start over now!
Living a Layoff
I am usually optimistic in situations which require great faith, but I can recall when my faith has been tested. I've learned a lot about myself during these months as I have shared the burden of my husband's layoff. I have come to realize that one of my favorite scriptures has special meaning as we move past a very challenging time..."Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" provides a message I need to hear and one that I want to share.
Our human weakness doesn't always allow us to consider that good will come, even when we believe. It is easy to feel hopeless when we cannot see the entire picture of what God has planned for our lives. The Bible says if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, God will hear our prayers and answer them with his will. I know this to be true, even when I am discouraged. I'm learning that during these times of despair, God speaks to us when we are quiet...When we listen and seek him, he shows himself in the most magnificent ways as he provides for his children.
As I consider our situation, I have come to understand what has happened is something we cannot change...I have learned to...
- understand it is okay to feel weak
- appreciate when I feel strong and hopeful
- remember God is in control and trust he has a plan...
- pray for a spirit of optimism and remember why I have deep faith...
- continue to seek God and allow him to show me how he was providing...
- be an encourager...
- remind my husband that his identity is not measured by his work
- show appreciation for what his labors of love have already provided
- consider the needs of others
- realize there are many others who need to be encouraged...
- believe in what is to come...
We consider the needs of many who are without work.We pray God will show himself as the provider of all things and draw others to Him as they reach out in situations that will require great faith.
God can do great things when we allow him to lead us but first we must surrender all to him and trust he will provide and strengthen us. God really can carry us...He is a Father who loves his children and he is closer than we think. As God reaches out to you, I hope you will take his hand and hold on tight...He wants to give you peace and hope for your future...God can take care of you...He wants to do great things in your life...even if your faith is as small as a mustard seed.
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father we thank you for what you have created...Help us to begin our day in thanks to you even when our hearts are sad, worried and uncertain about what the future will bring. Help us to remember that you Lord can do all things...Help us to have faith in what you will do in our lives when we call upon you. Show us the path you would like for us to follow and help us in faith to expect you will take care of our needs. Lord, you know everything about us and know that we need to know you more. Be near us today. Amen
why is it racist
I have big problem with what happen were white congressmen called obama a liar, i know everyone saying the congressmen is from south carolina so it was racist, i disagree and i think news media are scared be honest and report the truth the congressman said he sorry and that ought to have been it wereis reports on ACORN why is it everyone blaming the white men and women,how coem everyone seems be gettign free thigns but white man cant get nothing someone please give me there opion i think of PRESIDENT OBAMA AND PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES HES A MAN I DONT SEE HIM BLACK OR WHITE WHY DO BLACK PEOPLE AND MEDIA SEE HIM AS BLACK PRESIDENT YES HES FIRST BUT GIVE ME UR IDEAS
PITCHFORKS & TORCHES
Washington is quieting down this week. The House is already on recess and the Senate will be joining them at the end of the week. Lawmakers are returning to their home districts to meet constituents and answer their questions at town halls across the country. If anyone can hear them! This weekend’s town halls were overrun by angry voters from the far right who shouted and clapped and prayed so loud that no one heard anything but noise. To the Right, this was a clear grass roots victory! A means to stand up and shout, “We’re not going to take this anymore”. To the Left, it was a missed opportunity for discourse.
In America, the Right to Free Speech is one of our most valued rights. And I do not necessarily condemn conservatives for speaking out. It is their right. But it is not a “grass roots” movement! It is highly orchestrated and even scripted plan. The Conservative group FREEDOMWORKS has circulated a memo entitled, “Rocking the Town Halls—Best Practices”, which urge supporters not to engage in debate with Democrats but to focus on total disruption of the meeting. (Think six year old child with his fingers in his ears shouting loudly, “I can’t hear you, na na na na nah!”) Suggestions from this memo include spreading out amongst the crowd to make your numbers look larger than they are, specific questions to ask, watching for an opportunity to yell out and challenge the Rep's statements early, instigating applause and loud cheering at inappropriate times amongst other ideas. The ultimate goal is to disrupt the meeting, not to exchange ideas.
There’s nothing wrong with this, regardless of what Democrats will tell you. It’s your right to free expression. The problem comes from the emotions that these kinds of acts generate. It’s not a problem with free speech…it’s a problem with mob mentality! Freedom of Speech does not come without responsibility and these types of demonstrations can lead to very bad endings in the long run. The anger felt by the participants grows until someone, somewhere in the crowd loses control. Someone who has listened to the rhetoric is so inspired that they feel they MUST do something more concrete than just scream and shout. Then they turn to violence. This weekend, one crowd became so unmanageable that the Democrat hosting the event had to be escorted out by police for his safety. And that’s NOT what America is supposed to be about.
Wild rhetoric can have unintended consequences. We see this constantly in the news. Over the past year there have been many misleading assertions by the Right that are taken to a violent end by someone who listened intently and believed too hard.
The Right promotes the idea that “Obama is going to take away your guns”! Gun sales go up and in Pittsburg, PA Richard Polaski, 22, shoots three officers responding to a domestic disturbance call with an AK-47 because of his fear that they were coming for him and his weapons.
The Right promotes the idea that Obama is a Muslim and James Von Brum, a white supremacist walks into the Holocaust Museum killing an African-American guard.
The Right promotes the idea that FEMA is going to establish detention centers for Right Wing Extremists and Nancy Genovese is arrested outside a military base carrying a camera, an assault rifle, a shot gun and 500 rounds of ammunition. She was looking for proof that the base was in actuality a secret detention center. She claimed on her facebook page that she had learned about this from Glenn Beck!
I’m not saying that the Right is directly responsible for these nuts…but their rhetoric contributed to the fear felt by these troubled individuals. Fear is what led them to take the actions they took. And the Right must take responsibility for actively trying to increase that fear in pursuit of their own goals.
Freedom of Speech is one of the foundations of our nation. But when that freedom becomes irresponsible rhetoric it is something else entirely. We need to always keep in mind that when we build the intensity of our national discourse to a level of mob mentality, we take a measure of responsibility for those actions. When we encourage people to brandish pitchforks and torches, we court disaster. Eventually, someone is going to get burned. And that’s not what anyone is really wanting.