Political Correctness: That Stuff Will Kill You!

       

If the Founding Fathers could return today to get a good look at their creation, what would they think? We all wonder what they would think of cars, computers, and thing like that, but what would they think of our stewardship of the rights they so carefully laid out and risked their very lives for?

  America has no doubt surpassed their wildest dreams. For two hundred plus years, people from all over the world have come with the clothes on their backs and what they could carry with them, very often risking their lives for the fresh breeze of freedom and liberty. They knew that once they became Americans they would have the right to things like justice, the right to defend themselves, their families and their property, and perhaps most important of all, the right to speak their mind and speak it freely.

  That precious thing known as the first amendment is first for a reason, because all other rights hinge on its existence. But something has happened to the first amendment. It has become infected. That infection is commonly known as political correctness. As best as we can tell, political correctness, or PC evolved where else but on college campuses inhabited by liberals. The idea, to not “offend” anyone. No one wants to intentionally offend. We get why one does not hurl racial slurs and words of that nature, but when words like, “Merry Christmas”, or anything remotely having to do with God or Christianity enter the mix, time to call the thought police. Then there is the established view that Christians are offensive by virtue of their existence, but the most unpardonable offense of all seems to be offending Muslims. It looks strangely like liberals are quite willing to change every aspect of American life so the people who murdered 3000 Americans in one morning on 9/11 won’t be “offended”. Are you kidding?

  We have now reached the point where P.C. kills. Literally. As the investigation into the horrific terrorist attack in San Bernardino continues, one of the things that the mainstream media really does not like to talk about in polite society is the fact that a neighbor witnessed a large number of middle-eastern men coming and going from the house where Sayed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik lived. She also noticed lots of packages being delivered and lights on in the garage where people seemed to be working late at night. Perhaps this might send up a few red flags to some, and they may think once or twice about making a phone call or two to, well, someone. Not the neighbor! Because, well, there are things worse than terrorist attacks, that would be profiling. You guessed it! The neighbor did not want to be accused of profiling!

  So let’s review. Fourteen people might be alive to celebrate the holidays, remember we can’t say “Christmas”, with their families, were it not for the upholding of P.C. at all costs, and in this case, the cost was enormous.

  The cure for the virus of political correctness is simple. Free speech, free thought, free expression, combine that with a healthy dose of no fear and push back of this insanity. Bottom line, this is a very small group of people that we have allowed to bully us into what amounts to censorship.

  We can only speculate what the founding Fathers might think of what we have become. But chances are, if they were not impressed, they would not be politically correct when they told us.      

Mizzou: Helping to Raise the Next Generation of Wussies

  Most of us at least over 30 and most definitely over 40 can remember a parent saying at least once that “life is not fair”. We mumbled and grumbled about whatever it was and moved on. Most of us were bullied and made fun of. Sure it was not fun and the insults hurt, sometimes to the present day, but again we sucked it up and went on about our lives.

  Fast forward. It is a new day and a new generation. The play-date don’t-hurt-my-self-esteem everyone-gets-a-trophy crowd is all grown up and are now college students. And they do not like it and pout when life is not fair.

  Students at the University of Missouri last week protested over what they say is inaction over racial incidents on campus. They have of this writing succeeded in securing the resignation of three people. There is virtually no evidence to back up the events the protests were centered on, but there is plenty of evidence to back up that this is about something else entirely.

  Back in August, the University announced that it would no longer give healthcare subsidies to grad students. Translation: no more free Obama care. The students, faculty, and teaching assistants all threatened a walk-out over potentially being kicked off of the Obama care gravy train. Three days later, the University backtracked and said it would “defer” the decision until next year.

  Enter Jonathan Butler. Poster child for black privilege, and an MU grad student. Could this have been the beginning of injustice and oppression for Jonathan Butler? Exactly just how long can you expect your family that is worth $20 million to pay for grad school? Eight years? Ten years? Fifteen? No rich kid in their right mind is going to risk that.

  But Jonathan Butler found an even better way to get even with MU. He got a bunch of his friends together and made up some racial stories. Yeah! That’s it! That’s the ticket! Pretty soon every spoiled rotten, got their own way all their life, coddled pansy on campus was ditching class and standing with Jonathan Butler, who by this time was even on a hunger strike to protest the “inaction” of MU President Tim Wolfe. Then the football team jumped on the oppression bandwagon. Because after all, nothing says oppression like athletes with a full ride scholarship.

  The “Mizzou lies matter” agenda has now reached the point where these little angels need “safe zones” to protect them from things like other people’s free speech, because that might scare them and make them uncomfortable. But no fear, the Campus Police said, “Give us a call if somebody is being mean to you and hurting your feelings.” Call the police?!

  Congratulations parents. What perfect little darlings you have raised. While thousands of their peers battle terrorists in God-forsaken areas all over the world every day, your precious little ones might be scarred for life because they heard words they don’t like. You are right, there really is no comparison.

  Last but not least, congratulations Mizzou. What a great group of leaders for the next generation you are training up. All of those 60’s retreads who lead the protests back then are now the instructors, great idea to hire them. Whether you know it or not, your liberal indoctrination is coming back to bite you in the butt. How does it feel?

  America’s colleges and universities are becoming dangerously close to being nothing more than re-education camps. When will it be time to send your kid to get his mind right?             

When Patriotism Isn't Cool

                             

  When it comes right down to it, young people have a lot on their plate. They are worried about things like college, student loans, paying rent, Facebook and Twitter, the list is endless. How can the average 25-30 year old have time to deal with things like patriotism? Patriotism? Isn’t that for old people?

  That seems to be the trending thought. And if that is the case, it does not bode well for America. There are some experts who will say that your brain has not fully developed at that age. Maybe, there is literally a lifetime of change that takes place between 25 and 45. Most young people just don’t pay attention to politics, and usually know just what Yahoo News will tell them about what is going on in the world, but why has being proud to be an American and being proud of one’s country become so unhip?

  Really the first and only place one needs to look is the American education system. With schools and universities filled with leftover hippies from the 60’s, it is not hard to figure out where the “America sucks” mentality comes from. Also, couple that with the racist, sexist, homophobic narrative that the mainstream media engages in daily and you have one nasty mix.

  Recently, some of my co-workers were asking another co-worker about his impending trip home to India in December. Like the curious Americans we are, they asked about food, holidays, and things of that nature. Through the course of the conversation, they determined that it had to be better than America, because well, America sucks and it is racist blah blah blah, especially with a president like Donald Trump. Did I miss something? Was Donald Trump elected president 7 years ago and that is why America sucks? Where have I been? The ease at which all responsibility and accountability that Barack Obama was relieved of in one sentence was astounding.

  So a bit later I asked him, what are his impressions of America? As a new immigrant 15 years ago, was it what he thought it would be? He said yes that he thought America was a good place with plenty of opportunity for all, and that Americans were good people. I asked about the strict class system in India, and he said that yes it was to an extent still in place. I asked about things like free speech and speaking out against the government. He said that yes some free speech was tolerated but that you could still get an unpleasant visit from government officials if your free speech was deemed just a little too free. Funny, all those “America sucks” folks didn’t think to ask those questions. The one question that I did not get to ask those youngsters was, if America sucks why is the line to get in so much longer than the line to get out?

  While proud of his Indian heritage, my co-worker seems genuinely proud to be an American as well. One of the most important things that immigrants like him can do is to talk to young people and try to convey to them why they came here, why America is the land of opportunity, and that they should be immensely proud of that. Many immigrants tell as many as they can about the horrors of places like Cuba, Russia or China. Those stories need to be told.

  Patriotism is a lot like religion. Sometimes it is the converts that are the strongest advocates.  

No Witches Need Apply

                                

  Well, here we are, my favorite month, October. It is my favorite for so many reasons, autumn, playoff baseball, and the most solemn of days on the Witches’ calendar, Halloween. I thought I would use this month as an opportunity for education, a chance to tell people about my faith, what it is and what it is not.

  What has happened however has been a little education for me. I realize that when I tell people that I am a Conservative Wiccan, heads spin in a Linda Blair-Exorcist kind of way, but I am usually offered a chance to answer a few questions and ultimately, whoever I am speaking with seems to be OK with it, and it appears that they have no fear of me turning them into a toad or whipping up a heavy dose of spells hurled in their direction.  

As Conservatives, we see practically every hour or so, a level of hatred and intolerance from Liberals that we just know cannot be matched, until we wait a few minutes, and then it is. We want the Republican Party and Conservatives in general to be a big welcoming tent for all. We have acknowledged that we at times need a bit of work in this area, always room for improvement right? But as someone who belongs to a minority religion, and one that is often misunderstood, I have found many an open mind and heart among Conservatives.

  In my role as a Blogger and Writer, I do a lot of promotion of my work on social media. I post my work on a lot of Conservative Facebook pages. It is so inspiring to see so many who are willing to stand up and fight to keep our nation the beacon of freedom and liberty that it has been from the beginning, and I am so proud to join in the fight with all of those folks. But not all are happy to fight alongside me.

  Recently, I was told by a Conservative Facebook page that they would prefer that I not promote my radio show there anymore. I was told it only for shows on the network, which I had never heard of, that’s fine. But I was also told they did not want me promoting my faith as well.

  Promoting my faith? It is a political talk show but OK, it is their website, and like a good little Witch, I will abide by someone’s wishes. I just have one question for them. Why do you have a website? OK, maybe two questions, and why do you just want to speak to like-minded people? Isn’t the goal of most Conservatives to get our message out to all? To dispel misconceptions about what we believe to folks who might not really know what Conservatism is all about? No one has said that you must agree with my choice of faith, but if I believe in smaller government, lower taxes, getting our economy back on track, a strong national defense, and an even stronger foreign policy, and backing it all up with Constitutional principle, how am I bothering you? How am I threatening you?

  The beauty of America is that there are as many different Americans as there are differing viewpoints among them. It might sound clichéd, but debate is in our DNA. If you are not interested in engaging in discussion, and God(dess) forbid a bit of correction on a topic that perhaps you don’t know as much as you thought you did about, then maybe social media is not the place for you.

  I don't wear flowing black robes, I don't sacrifice children, and I am definitely not a Devil worshipper. Oh I am a Witch alright, but I am also a proud Conservative, and an even prouder American.

   

Where Are The Conservatives?

                        

  If the beginning is any indication, the 2016 presidential election is shaping up to go down as one of the strangest in American history. General rules of thumb that have been followed for decades are being turned upside down, and there really is no such thing as “conventional wisdom” this time around. It is no holds barred, which means big fun for those of us who observe all the goings on, blog about it, and hope someone will read it.

  For Republicans of the establishment species, things are tough all over, and there is no indication they will get any better. These are the people who were just waiting things out, waiting for the presumptive Republican nominee Jeb Bush to accept from the Party faithful, and proceed onward to a crushing defeat. These are the Karl Rove types, the ones who decide for everyone else who the candidate will be. Their message to American voters, you will vote for Jeb, and you will like it!

  But something happened on the way to the nomination, something big. That something is Donald Trump. Love him or hate him, and there seems to be no in between, a movement has been born, maybe you could call it the Trump Party. Donald Trump has awakened average Americans who are fed up with government in its present gargantuan form, fed up with the politicians who perpetuate the monster that is government and the fact that there seems to be no difference in Democrats and Republicans. The message to the voters of both Parties appears to be, keep the money, the votes, and the power rolling our way, and we will continue to ignore you. At this early stage, it could be that Americans have an alternative plan.

  The divide between establishment Conservatives and Tea Party types is also getting wider. The establishment is not just the big money donors and consultants. It is also the pundits and commentators. These are the talking heads who jaunt back and forth between New York and Washington. They spend their days talking about conservatism on TV or writing about conservatism in columns or on websites. It is rumored that there are conservative politicians in Washington as well, but when they get there something happens, they cave to liberal Democrats and practically become one of them. This is known as “compromise”.

  So where are the Conservatives? They talk about it, they write about it, they are supposed to vote for it in Congress, but where it being practiced? Certainly not on things like the Iran nuke deal, repealing Obama care, or reigning in government spending. They told Americans they would need control of the House and the Senate in order to do what the voters sent them there to do. That is not what has happened. No one with an “R” after their name is willing to challenge this president, a select few maybe. No one wants to rock the boat, be a trouble maker, or be called a racist. Are the politicians just being covered for by pundits and writers who will talk and write about conservatism but not demand any displays of it?

  It is the outsiders who are determining where this election is going. The political class knows that average Americans are loving it and they know they have no control over it.

  Let the fun begin.      

Who Will Stand Up for You?

     Rowan County Kentucky is not a place used to being in the national spotlight. But that is just where they have been for the past several weeks. County Clerk Kim Davis, a devout Christian, someone who is steadfast in her beliefs, has refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, a direct violation, according to the recent Supreme Court ruling, of federal law. What did she get for her trouble? Five days in jail.

  There are a lot of obvious arguments to drag out here. She may have her own religious beliefs, but the law is the law, doesn’t mean you have to like it. If she does not want to fulfill this part of her job duties then she should resign. On the other side there are these, should someone be forced to go against their faith and do something that they do not believe in, in this case gay marriage? How about, whose rights are more important? Is it being suggested that one group’s rights trump the other?

  This is a pretty personal issue for this Blogger. I really have no strong feelings one way or another on gay marriage, the government really has no business in anyone’s marriage, but that is a whole other debate. And while I do not share Kim Davis’s Christian faith, I support her one hundred percent.

  Now that everyone has spit their drink through their nose, you can ask, “Why on earth would a Witch support a devout Christian woman?”

  It is really very simple. It is pretty obvious that the Obama administration, with once again, their willing media accomplice zombies, have decided that Christianity must go, and if they cannot eradicate it completely, they will make anyone’s life miserable who is a Christian. It is perfectly acceptable to discriminate against Christians in 2015 America. So the question is, if it is open season on Christians today, who is next tomorrow?

  Freedom of religion, the freedom to worship as one chooses is the reason we are here as a nation. We do not all belong to the same church, the same denomination, or even the same faith, but that is the beauty of this experiment we call America. Nations all over the world have had religious wars since the beginning of time. That has never happened in America.

  No I am not forgetting that many of my fellow sisters of Goddess worship were burned at the stake, drowned, and done away with in lots of other heinous ways at the hands of people who professed to be Christians. Yes my faith is often misunderstood and maligned by, yes, people who call themselves Christians. But more often than not, many more are just curious. They ask questions, they ask if this or that is true, and I am more than happy to answer their questions because it means I have a chance to educate someone about my faith. That is a gift we should all cherish.

  But the biggest reason I support Kim Davis? What if, in the future, I or one of my brethren is in the same boat? What if we are jailed for our faith? Who will come and stand beside me if that would happen? Christians who know what it is like to be persecuted for just living your faith I would hope. Kim Davis has made me ask the question of myself, would I be willing to go to jail for my faith? I like to think I would. 

  So Kim, you have the unlikeliest of supporters on your side. I realize having a Witch as your cheerleader may not go over well in church. That's OK. As you well know, God works in mysterious ways 

  

Virginia TV Shooting: A Liberal PC Production

              

Just when Americans think they cannot be horrified any more by innocent people just going about their lives being gunned down by nut jobs with an agenda and an axe to grind, here we go again. Two people, Alison Parker, reporter for WDBJ-TV in Roanoke Virginia, and her cameraman, Adam Ward, were shot last week by a former colleague at the station. The whole grisly nightmare played out on live TV as Parker and Ward did a story on area tourism.

  The usual sequence of events followed. Liberals, including presidential candidate Hillary Clinton trampled each other to see who could get to a camera the quickest to howl about gun control. Race pimps and their wannabes hoped beyond hope that the shooter was another crazy white guy who hated media. All of the common denominators were quickly ignored by mainstream media. There were a lot of disappointed people as the story unfolded.

  There are many things that people would like to lay the blame on for this tragedy. But perhaps the real reason behind this shooting? It is a textbook case of learned victim hood and the indoctrination of political correctness.

  So that these pages do not help him in seeking the notoriety he wanted, he will be referred to here as the shooter. If there was a poster child for the Left and all that they espouse, this would be the guy. As a student and occasional member of the media, he bought into the Party line hook line and sinker. By all accounts of people who came in contact with him, he longed to be offended. He had an extensive record of filing complaints against co-workers of discrimination and racist behavior. As someone who was black and gay, that is hitting it big in the lefty lottery. According to liberals, have at least one of those things going for you, and you will never get a fair shake in life.

  The shooter was employed at several television stations in various markets. The same story was told at virtually every station. No stone was left unturned in the never-ending quest for racists and anti-gay bigots. The shooter learned the lesson of chronic victim hood well.

  Political correctness, that mechanism that, for the Left, ensures that no one is offended and everyone gets a trophy, also gets a huge portion of blame. Plenty of people who dealt with this man suspected some mental imbalance. Yet no one tried to bring attention to it to the right people. Yes at times in a free society, things are messy, and it is hard to bring someone’s mental state to the attention of authorities if you are not a family member or a crime has not been committed. No crime was committed until the obvious and there was little family communication to be had.

  

  But the most glaring reason made a U-turn right back to victim hood. No one wanted to single this guy out for fear of violating all important PC rules. By all means, do not imply that the black guy or the gay guy may not have all of his marbles! In this case you could be next in the complaint parade. Who wants that? No, if he is not calling me a racist, I am not saying anything. Thus a clear case of mental instability falls through the cracks due to a severe case of PC paranoia. 

  No amount of blaming guns, mental illness, or anything else will bring back these two amazing people whose lives and careers were just beginning. But maybe we can take the Left’s own suggestion. It’s one they like to drag out when talking about terrorism. If you see something, say something.    

Ferguson One Year Later: What have We Learned?

               

  On August 9, Ferguson Missouri marked the one year anniversary of the shooting death of Michael Brown by former Ferguson police officer Darrin Wilson. The shooting sparked weeks of non-stop looting, rioting, and destruction mainly in Ferguson, but all over the St. Louis area. While there are passionate opinions on each side of the story, local Clergy and those who just want to bring about peace might hope that in the year since the shooting took place, Ferguson and the surrounding communities might have learned a few necessary lessons. But the lessons learned are most likely not the ones those interested in peace and healing were hoping for.

  One lesson that has clearly been learned all across the country, but has its beginnings in Ferguson, is that it is now acceptable, and in some cases encouraged to not only disrespect law enforcement and their authority, but to attack, and in extreme cases, kill them. According to the Nationwide Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation, the number of cops killed while on duty has risen 40% over this time a year ago.

  In the aftermath of the Brown shooting, a group calling itself “Black Lives Matter” was born. This group’s main goal was to apparently float the idea that more black people were shot by police, thus making it appear that blacks are being intentionally targeted. Which brings us to lesson #2, facts don’t matter. Aside from statistics that report that in 2012, 123 blacks were shot by police compared to 326 whites. Facts don’t matter was learned within minutes of the incident. Witness stories were changed to fit the narrative that Officer Wilson gunned down Michael Brown for no reason. Later it was learned through a report from Breitbart.com that not only did witnesses lie about what they saw, they were also intimidated by some in the neighborhood if they cooperated with police and actually told the truth. This also led to the real story of the rallying cry, “Hands up don’t shoot” for all those “peaceful” protesters coming out. It never happened. But as for the hard-core supporters, facts don’t matter.

  Lesson #3, and perhaps the most illustrative of why the crime rate in predominantly black neighborhoods continues to skyrocket, “snitches get stitches”. It was explained very clearly when it was spray painted on the wall of a now non-existent convenience store that was destroyed in the rioting. It continues to be the rule for anyone, Ferguson or anywhere else in black communities, that knows who committed the crime, and talks to the cops. After all, they have to live there right?

  It is one year later in Ferguson. Were these the lessons that would lead to peace and understanding that you had in mind?

Is Conservatism a Mental Disorder?

                      

  It is a description we conservatives love to assign to liberalism, that it is a mental disorder. What else could possibly explain such things as extreme political correctness, appeasing America’s enemies abroad, and encouraging in general the idea that America is the source of all of the ills of the world, and that America just plain sucks.

  But imagine someone in a position of authority, a Judge perhaps implying that because of your conservative beliefs, there is something not right about you mentally. Imagine that it happens to someone fairly well known, an author or film maker. And if it can happen to someone like that, what are the chances it just might happen to you?

  Enter Conservative Author and documentary Film Maker Dinesh D’Souza. D’Souza entered a guilty plea in May of 2014 to finding “straw donors” to make campaign contributions to the Senate campaign of a college friend. In September 2014, he was sentenced to detention for eight months in a work-release center, five years’ probation, a $30,000 fine, and community service.

  Recently at a hearing, a U.S. District Judge, who happens to be a Bill Clinton appointee, declared that by violating campaign finance laws, Dinesh D’Souza displayed signs of further “mental illness”. So what exactly qualifies Judge Richard Berman, in addition to being a Judge to be a mental health expert? Well he was a Psychology major you know.

  Here we go another liberal who took some classes in college and thinks that automatically makes him an expert. The scary part is that he is someone who is in a position of authority.

  So if it can happen to a guy like Dinesh D’Souza, can it happen to your average Joe? Well, we know that liberal indoctrination is beginning earlier and earlier at your local public school. We also see more stories of children being taught one thing at home, then go to school and talk about what they learn from their parents. Faster than you can say Heather has two mommies, the parents are asked for a meeting with the principal and the implication is that regardless of what he learns at home, little Johnny will have his mind made right at school.

  Fast forward to little Johnny entering college. He will be subjected to liberal brainwashing that you are paying top dollar for. He will also be subjected to failing grades from lefty professors if he questions said lefty professor or does not give the answer in class, a.k.a. the liberal answer that lefty professor is looking for. If little Johnny engages in his first amendment right to free speech on campus anywhere but in the “free speech zone”, he will be labeled racist sexist bigoted homophobe, and be ostracized by everyone but others slapped with the same label.

  Go beyond the college campus to real life. The Obama administration has attempted numerous times, mostly in a covert manner to implement things like the Fairness Doctrine and Net Neutrality. The thin skin of this president and those around him is becoming legendary. Then there are the businesses like the bakeries, florists and photographers who are threatened with being shut down if they do not get in line with the liberal program. The examples go on and on. They may not seem related, but make no mistake it is all part of the liberal agenda to make conservatives the freaks, the kooks, the mentally unstable.

  What Judge Berman may not know, is that his sentencing has back fired. While at the work-release center, Dinesh D’Souza has begun writing a new book, and says he has become very attached to the students he has been teaching English to as part of his community service and has thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

  Will the conservative internment camps be opening soon? Maybe not, but Average Joe may not fare as well as Dinesh D’Souza.

Picking and Choosing Republicans

                         

  At last, the field of GOP presidential contenders appears to be complete. Last week, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker announced his bid for the White House making it an even fifteen candidates in the running. Ohio Governor John Kasich may be making an announcement at the end of this month. Now things get fun for political geeks of all stripes. So who will be out, who will be in, and who may have the best chance at beating Hillary Clinton to become the 45^th president of the United States?

  Granted, it is way early, polls and front runners will change a bazillion times between now and Election Day. It seems however, that conservatives and Republicans have an extremely deep bench this time around, and there is a lot to choose from.

  As of this writing, Donald Trump has the attention of America. His comments on illegal immigration may not have been the most eloquent, but it is obviously what many people are thinking but for whatever reason don’t say. The facts that Trump lays out are true and it could be that he is the guy to fix it. Time will tell.

  The latest to jump in is Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. His down to earth Midwestern approach is a breath of fresh air for many people who are just plain sick and tired of politicians promising them the moon and once they get to Washington all bets are off. He has soundly beaten the Left in Wisconsin, a very blue state, three out of four elections including a recall election. He obviously has the formula.

  Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio are walking American dream stories. Both are the sons of Cuban immigrants whose parents instilled in them the horrors of Castro’s Cuba and how essential to the human spirit freedom is. Both families came to this country because they knew their children would have endless opportunities for success. They could not have been more right.

  A Carly Fiorina/Hillary Clinton match up would be incredibly interesting. Two women vying to become the first female president with very opposing views. Fiorina, like another of her opponents, Dr. Ben Carson, are unique in the fact that they are not politicians. A former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, Carly Fiorina would know the answers to get the American economy back up and humming, and she has no fear of Hillary Clinton. Ben Carson, whose own life story is amazing, would have the alternative to the disaster known as Obama care.

  But is there a divide in the Republican Party? Will the RNC get behind “establishment” candidates like Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee, or even Lindsey Graham? If such a divide exists, is it encouraged by GOP operatives like Karl Rove and various super PACS? Possibly, it is well known that guys like Rove love to be the kingmakers and pick and choose the candidates. As a close friend of the Bush family, he will no doubt have a lot of input in the Jeb Bush campaign.

  Unfortunately, space prevents every candidate from being mentioned here. What can be said, that even though we all have our favorites and our not-so-favorites, all the candidates in the race are patriots. To forfeit a good portion of your life to offer oneself up in service to your nation is a good indication of how all of these people have great love of country.

  Republicans do have a nasty habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Let’s hope the person who can reverse that trend is on this list. 

                              

Misfits, Oddballs, and Conservatives: Who's Normal?

  American culture and societal norms have run the gamut during our nation's history. In the Victorian age, if a woman showed a little too much ankle lifting her skirt while crossing the street, it could be detrimental to her reputation. In the 1960's, one simple phrase defined the culture and society, "if it feels good do it". Cultural and societal do's and don'ts, rights and wrongs, seems to be making a sizable downshift. Where are we headed, and who has deemed themselves the arbiters of where we should go?
  At one time, America was a vast place. Culture could shift dramatically depending on if you were north, south, east, or west. But as with all things, the Internet has made the world a much smaller place, and there is a nationwide dramatic shift taking place.
  The Left has learned a valuable lesson that Conservatives just don't seem to grasp, and that is the use of propaganda. It usually starts on college campuses by pointy-headed liberal professors who have never stepped out of the bubble of academia. They take an idea or a concept that is so far out of the mainstream that if it were just thrown out there it would be quickly dismissed. That is where the propaganda comes in. Whatever it is, it is dribbled out bit by bit to other liberals, and their job is to take it and run with it. Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels once said that if you tell enough people a big enough lie enough times they will believe it. Nothing could be more right. Things like gay marriage, transgenderism, and with America's introduction to Rachel Dolezal, trans-racialism. It is all coming soon to a neighborhood near you, and is slowly but surely becoming the norm.
  A while back, conservative author and commentator Ann Coulter wrote a book called, "Demonic". It illustrated not just "group think", but a more sinister concept, "mob think". Basically the "mob", usually a liberal one, tells the masses that subject A is the new norm and they better agree with it or else. It is that mob that is incrementally telling the American people, who seem to be too busy watching "Dancing With the Stars", that enlightened people are the ones who think Bruce Jenner becoming a woman, or same-sex marriage are well within the ranges of normalcy and that traditional people are the ones with the problem. They are the fringe. They are the kooks.
  How did we get here? Perhaps those fringe kooks, you know, conservatives, are just too nice? Are they so afraid of being called racist or homophobic that they just cave and retreat to a place where they will be with like-minded people? Maybe sometimes it is just easier. There is an old saying about how evil triumphs when good people do nothing. What happens to our culture when good people do nothing? Exactly what is happening. We get a self-absorbed, entitled, Kardashian selfie-taking society, complete with a thought mob who says you will think this, and you will like it.
  The hippies of the 60's have nothing on conservatives. It is they who have become the new counterculture.

           

Death To America

  Death to America. When most people hear that phrase they think of radical Muslim terrorists who are also shouting "death to Israel", and anything else they wish death upon. but death to America could be coming at a faster pace than even terrorists might imagine, and in a much simpler manner than just blowing stuff up. It seems to be coming in the form of the death of the United States Constitution.
  You remember that antiquated piece of parchment the Constitution don't you? That is the one that starts out with "We the people". We the people don't appear to be paying much attention to it these days. We have five people who waltz around in black robes, and everyone says they are experts on the Constitution, but that remains questionable at best. Apparently it is the job of these five people to find things in the Constitution that are not there. That job description seems more like that of "magician" than "justice". The best part? These people are appointed for life. They can interpret the Constitution in whatever way they like, who is going to stop them?
  That moldy old piece of paper known as the Constitution then goes on to enumerate a Bill of Rights. These are 10 rights that are not given to us by any men or governments, but our Creator, in whatever form it is you chose to worship the Creator in. Because they are given to us by the Creator, they cannot be taken away by men or governments. At least that is the original idea. In the past six years, almost every single one of these rights has been maligned, ignored, twisted, or just plain threatened with extinction. Hmmm, six years huh? Coincidence? I think not.
  When this very thin-skinned president hears people say things about him that he doesn't like, he threatens the first amendment. The right of free speech. The reason it is first is because it is the most important. When a crazed racist gunman shot nine people in a church in South Carolina, the second amendment, the right to keep and bear arms  was immediately to blame. That old piece of paper sure has an itchy trigger finger. When the IRS thought it was a great idea to target Conservative and Tea Party groups for their beliefs when filing for 501c3 tax status, those groups were asked the most invasive and irrelevant questions, and asked to produce information that was in no way related to their request.This could only be described as a fourth amendment violation of unreasonable search and seizure.
  The most recent, the 10th amendment. It states quite clearly, that any powers not delegated to the federal government in the Constitution are powers granted to the States and/or the people. Roughly 37 states put whether or not they wanted to ban same-sex marriage to a vote of the people. What could be more American? All but 3 or 4 said yes, they wanted a ban. The will of the people. Well, the five people in robes came along, again, and said essentially, too bad. Your vote is null and void because we know what is better for your state more than you do.

  How have we gotten to this point? How has the Constitution, a document so genius in its creation, so wise to have a method of checks and balances, written by ordinary men who knew human nature and it's thirst for power, become so distant from it's original form? Why have we as Americans not protected that original form? Because we wanted to make it say something it does not? Because we wanted to make it fit our own agenda? Because on a basic level, if it does not say what we want we throw a tantrum and decide that is what it says anyway? Yes, yes, and yes.
  If we are going to just pick and choose which of those amendments we like and which ones we don't, we are rapidly headed to a bad place. A place that may be hard to recover from.
  But just one more question. If we have done this to four of the first 10 amendments, the Bill of Rights, how many more will we do it to? We are almost half way there. Does this mean that the fundamental transformation is nearly complete?           

Thoughts on Charleston

     The entire nation was horrified this week as a deranged racist lunatic went to the Emmanuel AME Church in Charleston South Carolina this week and opened fire, killing nine people, including Pastor Clementa Pinkney, as they sat in a bible study.

  A bible study, in a church. Shouldn’t that be one of the few places in your life that you feel safe? Innocent people, no doubt doing something they have done on Wednesday evening for a long time. It is nearly impossible to wrap one’s mind around.

  It is not a time for politics; it is not a time for lectures. There will be plenty of time for debate on race or gun control or whatever else people think needs debating. It is a time to remember and celebrate these nine people. By all accounts, they were not just Sunday morning Christians, they were 24/7 Christians.

  For many people, even those of us who were not born at the time, it conjured up images of a church bombing in 1963 in Birmingham Alabama. Four little girls lost their lives. That was such an ugly time in our history, most people will readily admit to that. We all want to think that things like that just don’t happen anymore.

  What stands out about this? Definitely first, the reaction of the good people of Charleston. Be it ingrained Southern hospitality and politeness, or just plain humanity, what was meant to pull them apart has only brought them together. There have been no riots. There has been no looting. There have been no death threats. Only love and solidarity for their community. Have the usual instigators and trouble makers who seem to show up on the scene been warned stay away or else? That would be nice. The citizens of Charleston have been nothing short of an amazing example.

  Does it take unfathomable acts of evil such as this to make Americans of all stripes come to a screeching halt and examine, not each other, but ourselves? Should we take inventory of our own hearts and minds? Refreshing our proverbial page can only be a good thing.

  Can we make certain that these nine people did not give their lives in vain? What does that mean? Well, there may be a lot of definitions to that. While we reflect on a Sunday morning on all that has happened this week, and even though we may not have known any of the victims personally, we feel like we do now. How would they like us to proceed from here? With hatred in our hearts and thoughts of revenge? Doubtful. This Blogger can only speculate, but I am guessing that Reverend Pinkney, a man of God who invited a total stranger into his church to worship right alongside of him, and the others would be the first ones, just as their family members did, to forgive the stranger. They would want us to come together as Americans, and as human beings, and just love one another.

  The people of the Emmanuel AME Church and the people of Charleston will get through this. They are stronger than they realize today, and they have nine guardian angels that will show them the way. 

The Color of Everyday

  Dr. Martin Luther King once said, "we must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools". It is, like so many wise things that he taught, true. What would he think of the state of black and white people today? Everyone thinks they know. Everyone thinks they know who or what is to blame if that relationship is less than what Dr. King envisioned. But does anyone ever catch a glimpse in their everyday life of what they think that Dr. King's vision might have been?
  Well, there may be a small one. This is they story of women. Women who work together. The women work with some men too. Don't get 'em wrong, they love the guys, but this is their story. Yes, the interaction between women who are thrown together in a work environment can be well, complicated. This is not about that. It is about similarity in a time that society and the media insists on telling us how different we are.
  The place and the job are not important. What is important are the conversations. The place consists of roughly forty women, roughly half of them black, half of them white. They are different ages, different generations, different backgrounds, different life experiences, different opinions and worldviews. All those ingredients in some way, shape the people they are. What may go largely unnoticed however, is how all of those differences bring about a sameness that even those in the story might not have realized was there.
  At the heart of the story, as stated before, are the conversations. As women in a group are prone to do, they talk. They talk a lot. They talk about husbands, they talk about boyfriends, they talk about children, they talk about work, which might be a bit more saltier than other topics, but who doesn't complain about the job? They talk about school. So many people with so many dreams and goals can only be a healthy environment. They talk about things that go on in their lives apart and outside from the eight hours their lives intersect. They talk about each other too, After all, we are talking about women here. But the one thing that can be taken away from this story is despite being different in so many ways, the lives of these women mirror each other more than not.
  While Americans have watched as places like Ferguson and Baltimore go up in flames, could it be that there are more places like the one described here than anyone thinks? Yes there are. Granted people will get along with who they have to in order to keep their job. No one is saying that none of that goes on here, but could it really be more than that? Surely the idealist in all of us wants to believe that. But if it can happen among people who not even really trying to make a statement on society, just merely trying to come to work, what would happen if there were people who did try?
  I happen to be one of this group of women. I like to think I learn something from all of them. One thing is for sure, from the younger ones I have learned how tragically un-hip I have become. But that is OK. Maybe something this Blogger considers a ton of fun happens too.

  With very little effort, we can prove society wrong a little bit more every day.
  Well done ladies. Well done.     

Religious Tolerance: OK For Me but Not For Thee

  Indiana made big news recently with the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. It prevents local and state government from "burdening a person's right to exercise their freedom of religion". It was seen as a big win for Christians who seem to be targeted more today for their beliefs than anyone else. Gay and Lesbian groups say it is a license to discriminate.
  While Indiana was making headlines with the signing of this bill which becomes law on July 1, something happened in Iowa that did not make news. At the closing of the invocation marking the opening ceremonies of the Iowa House of Representatives legislative session, a prayer was delivered by Wiccan Priestess Deborah Maynard.
  Queue the double takes. What?! A state full of good Christian God-fearing farmers inviting a Witch to say a prayer in the Statehouse? You bet your pitchforks. But while we are on the subject of religious freedom, some curious things happened during that prayer.
  Some of the lawmakers did not attend the ceremony to protest the prayer. Some did attend, but turned their backs, again in protest of the prayer. Members of a local church protested outside the Capitol. Seems like a lot of to do about a little prayer. But wait a minute, aren't we talking about religious freedom, religious tolerance? Aren't these the same people who cheered for the Indiana law?
  Well, yes they are. Maybe right here is where some questions need to be asked. America's very founding is on a bedrock of freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of thought, even the right to protest freely. The first immigrants to the new land came here to escape persecution at home, and to worship as they saw fit. Are the descendants of those who first arrived now saying that religious freedom, religious tolerance is selective? As a Wiccan, am I being asked to stand in solidarity, something I am quite willing to do, with my Christian brothers and sisters who are asked to bake wedding cakes for gay weddings, and refuse because it is something that goes against their beliefs, while a Priestess of my faith is disrespected as the very people who now demand religious tolerance turn their backs on her in "protest"?!
  Wicca is a religion that is very often misunderstood. Many people assume we are a cult of Devil-worshippers. That and many other things about my faith that could not be further from the truth. Also true is that there is a fair amount of Wiccans

 and Pagans who do not have nice things to say about Christianity, many times based on their own life experiences. No one can tell you that your own experiences are wrong, but those assumptions are not right either. I can't speak for other Wiccans and Pagans, but I have never demanded that others of different faiths agree with what I believe, what I do ask is that you respect it, just as I would yours.
  One of the Iowa State Reps said that he asked himself, in this situation, "what would Jesus do"?
  Great question, what do you think he would do?         

Fishing For Christians

  It is the gift that keeps on giving, the story that has no ending. A new story or opinion can be written everyday, and is, about the state of the mainstream media. It is not clear just what it is they practice anymore, but one thing is for sure, it definitely is not journalism. And recently, with the attention of the nation on Indiana and its new Religious Freedom Act signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence, the practice is clearly that of creating a narrative and furthering an agenda.

  A textbook example of this could be seen in a report by CNN. Being the loyal foot soldiers of the Left that they are, they took a trip to Jeff Davis County Georgia. It is a rural community, south of Atlanta, with a population around 15,000. It is also not a wealthy county. But what Jeff Davis County Georgia is rich in, is bible believing Christian business owners. It no doubt did not take the interns in charge of research much time to hunt down Jeff Davis County. It also did not take more than a cotton-pickin minute to hunt down said business owners, florists even, whose words CNN could twist to make it look as if they were fresh from the Klan meeting.
  As expected, most said they were bible believing Christians who did not believe in gay marriage. One woman even had a son who was studying to be a Southern Baptist minister. CNN had hit the hill billy jackpot.
  The targeting of Christians may have begun quite by accident. Maybe one gay couple really did encounter a bakery who would not bake their wedding cake. But at that point, somebody realized what they had and what they could do with it. What is now being called the "Gay Mafia" has realized that they have the power to destroy the livelihoods of people who disagree with them. And that now appears to be the ultimate goal. One spoonful of butter cream frosting, one tea rose at a time.
  The Gay Mafia also has very willing accomplices in the media. They are willing to put out as much false information about the Indiana law as is needed. They are willing to portray the people who oppose it, Christians, as hate-filled homophobes whose sole purpose in life is to discriminate against gay people. There are Christians all over America, even in places like New York City and Los Angeles. Were those Christians less accessable to CNN than a small county in Georgia that no one in the CNN newsroom could find on a map a week ago? Then again, no one in the CNN newsroom could find Ferguson Missouri on a map either prior to August 9 of last year.
  The founding fathers made provisions for a free and open press in our most sacred of documents, the Constitution. How has that gift been repaid? With falsehoods, implications, omissions, stereotypes, the list goes on and on. Surely they never envisioned anything like this.
  Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels taught us that if you tell a big enough lie, and repeat it often enough, people will believe it.
  Anyone know if Joseph Goebbels was a fisherman?   

Justice For Darrin Wilson?

  It may have finally happened. The Michael Brown case may be, once and for all, at least legally, put to rest. There were no winners. But there was also more than one victim. So what happens now for Darrin Wilson?
  A lot of information is being brought to light that could not be during legal proceedings. The scope of lies by "witnesses", deceit, cover up, and oh yeah a lot of witness intimidation of those who were not willing to lie to further the "hands up don't shoot" narrative, all to keep the victim hood not just of Michael Brown, but others like him afloat, is itself, or should be a criminal offense.
  Darrin Wilson's fate was sealed from day one. It seemed as though Michael Brown's body had not even been removed from the crime scene, and calls were being made to the usual suspects, Jackson, Sharpton, etc. Local activists were preparing the "hands up don't shoot" narrative, and the anti-cop rhetoric was ramping up. Marchers lined the streets, and "protesters" did what they do. In this case, looting and destroying local businesses.
  So what now? Those involved will move on to the next case of perceived injustice. There is Michael Brown's family, granted he will not be replaced, but sadly, this family seems to be more interested in him now than when he was alive. Potential financial gain tends to put people, even loved ones, in a whole new light.
  What happens to Darrin Wilson? He was found not to have done anything wrong. Does he get any quality of life? His career in law enforcement is obviously over. Unless he invests in some plastic surgery and changes his name, that part of his life over. By all accounts, it was his dream to be a police officer. He still has a family to support, a wife and a new baby. How exactly does he do that? A lot of people on social media express hope that he will sue the pants off of Sharpton et al, but as we all know, the wheels of justice turn slowly, bills need to be paid now.
  Where might Darrin Wilson make his home now? Certainly not in Missouri. If his family all reside here well, too bad. People are convinced he is a

murderer regardless of the facts. So he must possibly leave parents, siblings, and grandparents, everyone he loves, for a safe environment for himself and his family, if there is one.
  What about just a quality of life in general? For most people, that does not involve a constant fear for, not only your own personal safety, but the safety of your family. Darrin Wilson will spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder. He will spend the rest of his life getting death threats. He must live this way every day for the rest of his life. Let that sink in for a minute. What if this were you?
  Has Darrin Wilson paid a high enough price for his shooting of Michael Brown? Who gets to decide? The protesters? The Department of Justice? The media? Would any of those marching in the streets live with this sort of "justice" if they were the ones living Darrin Wilson's life today?
  The answer to that is no. As we have all learned, if the uniform you wear is blue, justice just doesn't apply to you.        

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

  When most parents sign their sons and daughters up to play Little League sports, they want their kids to have fun, but they would also like them to learn a few things along the way. Things like being part of a team, being a good winner and a good loser, playing fair and by the rules. Sometimes the lessons are imparted and learned, sometimes delivered and ignored, and sometimes neither one seems to take place.
  Much attention has been placed recently on the Jackie Robinson West Little League team from Chicago. Last summer, the all African-American team won the National Little League Championship. However, evidence has come to light that the team may have broken some rules, and they were stripped of their title. The team is charged with recruiting players from outside the district where the team is allowed to recruit players.
  As some might expect, allegations of racism have been quick to follow, and since Al Sharpton is no doubt exhausted from stirring up racial tension in Ferguson Missouri and tax evasion, he has handed this one off to Jesse Jackson. Jackson, as he has done to so many other entities, is using the threat of legal action against Little League International if they do not comply with his own racist and bullying demands.
  A lot can be said about what the parents and coaches may or may not have done. Darold Butler, the team's Manager has been suspended, and Illinois District 4 Administrator Michael Kelly has been removed from his position. But the most important question has to be, what does this teach the kids?
  There is no doubt it is the kids who are hurt the most. They will go to school and suffer taunting and humiliation that only other kids can dish out, and it will stay with them for the rest of their lives. But what are they being taught about dealing with the consequences of one's actions? Are they being taught that you take your consequences, in this case, like men? Or are they being taught that the ends justifies the means, that cheating, if it in fact did happen, is only bad if you get caught, that if do cheat, get caught, and yell "racism", everyone will get scared and back off?
  What are the kids being taught about being perpetual victims? If you have to trot Jesse Jackson in to save the day, does that in itself say to the kids that whatever they do in life will not be seen as good enough unless some so-called black "leader" swoops in to see to it that it is deemed up to par?
  While Jesse Jackson huffs and puffs about racism and the lawyers pick apart every aspect of the rule book that, by all accounts, is very clear and strictly enforced, another question lingers. Should the boys have to endure the punishment having their championship vacated because of the stupidity of the adults around them? They appear to be the only ones doing the right thing in all of this, just working hard and playing their hearts out to win a championship. They have learned that lesson on their own.
  The obvious answer is no, they should not. But it may be one more cruel lesson they learn from this experience. If that should be the case, the best we can hope for is that they grow up to emulate the class, dignity, and integrity, of the man for whom their team is named.

  

Brian Williams and all the news that's fit to fake

  Until Rush Limbaugh came along in 1988, and Fox News in 1996, news came from basically three sources, CBS, ABC, and NBC. Those organizations could bend and twist the news and what they believed the opinion and view of any given story should be into whatever they wanted. Not anymore. Rush and Fox News have ushered in a whole new branch of media, conservative media. There are a variety of reasons why new conservative media has become wildly successful. One of those reasons is that the American people have grown tired of being told what to think, and of mainstream media itself becoming the stories they report on.
  The latest walking mainstream media headline is NBC Nightly News Anchor Brian Williams. Williams was recently caught in a liberal-sized whopper when it was revealed that the story of the news crew that he was a part of covering the war in Iraq in 2003 was shot down in the helicopter they were riding in by an RPG. Well, just one problem, it didn't happen. Williams and crew were in another chopper that was behind the ones taking fire. He landed roughly 30 minutes behind the targeted helicopters.
  The situation has gone from bad to worse for Williams, and he has announced that he will take a leave of absence from the Nightly News Anchor desk. The first question could be, why would you do such a thing, which included
a humiliating apology on national TV the following night, but the important question is what does this do to an institution whose credibility is already in question?
  Everyone remembers right before the 2004 presidential election, 60 Minutes ran a story, gleefully told by Dan Rather, of a young George W. Bush shirking his National Guard duties, all because he was a privileged rich kid and could get away with it. Turned out the story was proven untrue at every turn, and several 60 Minutes producers were fired over it. But Dan Rather dug his heels in, and to this day still believes it is true. He was eventually forced to resign and ruined a career that prior to this incident had been a pretty stellar one.
  Williams reporting of bodies floating past him in the French Quarter after Hurricane Katrina also brings into question his credibility. Not only did the Quarter receive minimal damage, it is at one of the highest sea levels in New Orleans. It is not likely such a thing would have occurred.
  Brian Williams is just the latest example, and a symptom of the crumbling of the mainstream media that we are watching before our eyes. They no longer control the daily narrative of any given story, and they don't know what to do with it. They are breaking one of the first rules of journalism; do not insert yourself into the story. They no longer get to pick and choose what they think the American people need to know. All of these things add up to a media that feels the need to prop themselves up by making themselves the story. Brian Williams did not just "misspeak", liberal for "lying"; he retold the story several times. That means he knew exactly what he was doing. And how many people, from top level suits to camera, sound, and other support people knew what he had done and said nothing?
    While Brian Williams is on his self-imposed hiatus, his fellow media cronies will all try to help resurrect Williams so that it will appear that he is triumphantly returning to the Anchor desk. Is the reason for that not just because media types will always stick together and have each other's backs, but that they all know that it might one day be their own careers on the chopping block?
  Next time, Brian Williams might want to make an effort to get his story, whatever version he tells, right.