If I Was A Gay Man

If I Was A Gay Man

If I was a gay man

Aiming to be me

Loving love as I do

From the 1970’s

Would I retreat to darkness

Sheltered in my fear

I contemplate a different me

Not a life sincere

If I loved a man

Transparent as I am

My preference sleeved and ready

Friends I would not have

On the field of dreams

My glove did not perform

Cast aside for less deserved

For living in my soul

I love a woman

What if I loved a man

Today I could be married

Take my lover’s hand

Me no longer hiding

Not meant to feel ashamed

My passion wholly granted

I am who I am

Tired of the Racism In Life

I am tired of being a part of a divided country. I am tired of being a country where we cannot even agree on simplistic terms because of beliefs and past perceived sleights. I am tired of fighting about things over and over, but I will be damned if I allow my country to go back to the age where different races and the different sexes are treated differently under the law because of hatred, fear, and prejudice. 

The definition of the word Terrorism according to Merriam-Webster:

The use of violent acts to frighten the people in an area as a way of trying to achieve a political goal

Well, according to the definition, Dyllan Roof fits it. He killed 9 African-Americans in a church. And he allowed one person to live, allegedly so she could tell everybody what he did: killing black people because of their skin color. So we have a violent act. It was intended to frighten black people with the threat of more violence. And what was the political goal? To have the political powers segregate the races again. That is the textbook definition of terrorism.

From Denmark Vesey and back to Charleston

I really don't have much to articulate regarding what happened in Charleston, SC last night, believe it or not, because there is so much that needs to be said about guns in this country but more importantly the violent nature of this country and as equally importantly how that anger seems to be focused way to much on one segment of our society, those who already struggle with a certain level of oppression to this day -- but all I can seem to do in my head is just fucking scream.

Luckily there's Charlie Pierce, who is at his best when he's angry.  If you don't read Charlie (I see him on Esquire.com) you are missing out.

Please read here his piece regarding what happened last night and hopefully he doesn't mind that the title of this post plagiarizes him to a certain extent.  Thank you, Charlie, for saying what needs to be said.

As you know, I'm an atheist but I find it abhorrent on top of abhorrent to hear about this act of butchery, savagery and complete cowardice.  Our nations needs to finally get off its collection FAT, apathetic asses and demand a real change in direction.  Thank you.

UPDATE:  It's a shame that before today we, at least in the white community, had not heard of this church and understood its importance in our country's history and continuing importance in the African American community.
And even though these first two terms are unfortunately overused these days, this was a hate crime and a terrorist act.  It was also an assassination in that a pastor and state senator was killed.

White Delusion

This linked article by Tim Wise, adding a modern addendum to the words of James Baldwin, is fabulous and engrossing, true, true and true.
This being Mother's Day, I'm going to share it so that you can read it on your own time and I want the opportunity to be reminded to come back to it again.  Please read this, even if you've read it before.

http://www.alternet.org/white-americas-greatest-delusion-they-do-not-know-it-and-they-do-not-want-know-it

The Politics of Fear and Religion

For the past week and a half, the politics of religion has been at the forefront of the news because of the Religious Freedom Laws of Indiana and Arkansas. We all know that people believed those laws in those states would discriminate against gay and lesbian people in those states. And they raised such a stink that the Laws were changed to say that businesses and individuals could not discriminate against gays and lesbians. I applaud that people that can sway public opinion stepped up and fought these laws. I only ask one question: Where have you been in the past?

These laws are part of the politics of fear. You know them quite well from the past 6 years of demagoguery. I see that the "Death Panels" from the Affordable Care Act have not come to pass quite yet. Or that the "War on Christmas" hasn't put the word Christmas out to pasture. I am still waiting to see the United States declare that we are taking orders from the United Nations. (We are starting to see some of our congressmen decide that they want to take orders from Tel Aviv, but that is something else entirely.) I would still like to analyze the thought patterns of people that think that President Obama has decided that he will take his orders from the Chinese so that country can take over the United States. Or the fact that gays in this country are asking for Religion to be taken out of the public square. (That is laughable to me, because I live in a state that still has a Blue Law stating that only certain businesses can be open on Sundays before noon so people can attend their religious services.)  I am still waiting to see concrete proof that there are Muslim conclaves in America where nobody of another religion can go into without being fear for their life.

In the above paragraph, those are just a few of the things that have been coming from the right. There are others. But detailing them isn't important. The left has two major fear political platforms. Oil and major corporations. Detailing them is not important to this post. All the politics of fear do is try to divide people. This has been proven time and time again. If you can cause people to fear someone else because they are going to cause you harm or they are going to get further ahead in life than you are going to, then they become the enemy. The gay people in the Indiana and Arkansas were the people that we had to protect society from. Why? Because they are causing the erosion of society and religion. Proof of that? The American Family Association based out of Tupelo, Mississippi.

The AFA have produced a DVD called "They're Coming To Your Town" Here is the synopsis of the video from the AFA:

“For 40 years Eureka Springs has been known as a resort town for Christians. Their Passion Play has been attended by hundreds of thousands of Christians. But the activists are now in the process of turning Eureka Springs into a haven for homosexuals. ‘They're Coming To Your Town' shows how, using deceitfulness and lies, homosexuals maneuvered themselves into positions of power and then used those positions to promote their agenda. ‘They're Coming To Your Town' is an eye-opener to those who are not familiar with how homosexuals use the system to attain their goals. It is a 28-minute DVD, making it perfect for viewing during Sunday School.”

Sort of speaks volumes about what the footage is probably against.  Eureka Springs had a flare-up of religious disagreement earlier in April. From the NWAhomepage.com -

EUREKA SPRINGS-- An annual Eureka Springs Easter parade, surrounded by controversy this weekend, after one church congregation was asked not to participate.

The Celebrate Jesus Easter Parade has been growing in Eureka Springs over the past three years. This year the Eureka Springs First Methodist Church applied to be in the parade, wanting to carry a sign saying "Jesus loves all." The church was denied, and now they're asking why.

Eureka Springs Celebrate Jesus Easter parade made its way through downtown Saturday afternoon, but one church was left on the sidelines.

First United Methodist of Eureka Springs applied to be in the parade, and was initially accepted. One week before the parade, however, they were told they were no longer welcome. Church member Suzie Bell believes it's because of their stance on the LGBT community.

"They wanted to know what our banner was going to say, and it said "Jesus loves all. They had decided that they did not want us in the parade, and that we weren't welcome." Bell said.

Bell says the Methodist Church has recently become a "reconciling congregation" meaning they are publicly welcoming of the LGBT community. Bell says that is the reason they weren't allowed in.

"It was based purely on our love and acceptance of the LGBT community." Bell said.

The sad thing is that during the past decade, we are seeing more and more politics of religion as those who do not subscribe to Christianity's tenets decide that they do not want to have to follow the majority religion of America. And that is their right according to the United States Constitution. But the majority of Christians here in America believe that this is trying to eliminate religion from America. And that is not right to them, but they support any law that says that Sharia Law is not valid here in the United States. Why? Because that defends Christianity and the laws that have been imposed on the society by Christians (like the North Dakota Blue Law stated earlier). So in a land that is supposed to be secular, we have laws based upon Christian religion. Not the perfect thing, but something we have to deal with.

And the thing that Christians point to about homosexuality being wrong is Leviticus. Of course, they don't follow the other laws set forth in Leviticus. Most Christians sin each and every day and go against God's laws each and every day. And you will hear the faithful say that the Old Testament is no longer followed because the son came down and gave us the New Testament. But even that statement is false. Why?

The Book of Matthew Chapter 5, Verse 17 - "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill."
The Book of Matthew Chapter 5, Verse 18 - "For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished."

I can use Bible verses to support my opinions. So in the first book of the New Testament, Jesus says that he is not abolishing the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill what has come before. Tells me that the 10 Commandments are still in effect. And until everything is accomplished in the New Testament, that the Law still reigns. Sort of sounds like Christians are being hypocrites yet again in their way of life.

Finally, I am going to ask these Christians that believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible a couple of easy questions. Should be easy enough to answer these. Why do Christians now not believe that Slavery is correct? 200 years ago, Christians believed that slavery was supported by the Bible. Why is interracial marriage allowed in Christianity? 60 years ago, Christian Churches believed that the Bible said that the mixing of the races was against God's word. What teachings have come forth in the past 200 years that have been included in the Bible that were not there in the 1700's? None that I know of. But I do know of something that changed. Public opinion.

The politics of fear and religion combine to be a great force in America. Until this society advances enough to eliminate the politics of religion and overcome the stigma of not being Christian, we can expect to see more and more divisions in the people and some more stupid laws trying to be passed to cater to by the hypocrites that call themselves Christians. We all lose when that happens.

The Keystone XL Pipeline Isn't What We Need

This post might not have a major impact to the West and East Coasts of the United States, but it does talk about the nightmare that the Republicans are trying to pass through congress and the ability to have the Keystone XL pipeline run from the Alberta Tar Pits down to the Louisiana Gulf. Now I am not above using fossil fuels to provide energy. But the pipeline has too many big promises that will not come true. It is become just another big lie that the GOP thinks they can push through.

The CEO of TransCANADA does say that the State Department report on the proposed pipeline will have about 50 permanent jobs. 50! Nothing like a major impact on the job market into the future. The state department does say that it will provide about 50,000 temporary jobs like waitresses and shopkeepers for about 2 years. Put in about 4,000 temporary construction workers into the mix. That is great for 2017 or 18 when you have 50,000 people moving away from the pipeline and the temporary camps that will be shutting up after the pipeline is done. Maybe we can find more part-time jobs for people since corporations can't seem to waste any penny of profit.

We understand here in North Dakota what cost an oil spill has on the economy and the environment. The economic impact is felt because the oil companies are fined a small amount, and the state government foots the bill if the oil company doesn't fulfill their requirement to clean the entire spill up. In fact, ask Alaskans or Floridians how easy it is to clean up oil spills and how short the time is that the oil is a minor hindrance to enjoying the environment. Here in the 2nd largest oil producing state in America, we have had oil companies flaunting their breaking of the rules. We have had radioactive socks that are supposed to be stored with Nuclear waste just thrown into dumpsters and stored en mass in abandoned buildings. We have had oil spills and leaks that the oil companies had to notice, but conveniently missed. Oil flow regulators have conveniently become broken and miss leaks on the pipelines. But I just know that wouldn't happen on the Keystone XL, would it? Oops, maybe I spoke too soon.

Alberta is known for it's gas and oil. Unfortunately, the canadian oil companies seem to know how to spill lots of crude like their American counterparts. The West Coast Native News has been compiling stats about oil spills in Alberta. And the thing is that spills are not uncommon. In October alone, Crude Oil and toxic produced water was spills in the amount of 600,000 Liters. 1 Liter is equal to .264 gallons. So what we have is approximately 158503 Gallons of toxic stuff being spilled in Alberta for 1 month. There are 42 gallons in a barrel of oil or 3774 barrels of crude or water mixed with crude that is spilled in Alberta in 1 month. Now let's ask this question. What makes us think that the companies that are spilling all of that sludge in Alberta will make the pipelines safer here in America? We know that the federal government regulation is a joke. We understand that the companies will not police itself. So the question still stands. Why do we think that the Keystone XL pipeline which is carrying oil through the heartland of the United States will not have the same problems?

Another thought came into my head. Remember when this was first proposed? Why was it that we needed to have this pipeline? Oh, I remember. It was for energy security and independence from the rest of the world. We needed this pipeline to produce crude so we can refine it and eliminate the importation of oil. Does anybody remember the arguments of the GOP back then? And why can't the GOP members of congress who have fought tooth and nail for this remember those arguments? And the reason I believe that this pipeline isn't being used for energy independence is also from the GOP. Remember when Iraq was hot and heavy with American casualties? The GOP was screaming that we needed energy independence and that government regulation had caused oil companies not to be building oil refineries for the past 20 years. And the reason that gas prices had risen so high is because of the lack of refining space. So where does this make sense outside GOP land? You have a lack of space to make the finished product, so you want to produce more raw materials. Where does the raw material go? To other countries so they can refine it and sell it back to us with a markup. That is what I call helping your donors, not solving the nations problems.

Finally, I will go back to a previous point. In all the reports of spills and leaks, there is nothing speaking about what damage the toxic substances do the environment or the wildlife. Why? I believe that it would cause major problems for the supporters of fossil fuels. It has been reported that it will take decades for the local wildlife and environment to revert back to the way it was for just a small spill. They are still finding that the oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico from the Gulfwater Horizon is affecting the wildlife. That it has caused medical problems with people and has killed the ability of people in certain industries to make a living.

This project has the potential to cause major problems for the country. Running pipeline through agricultural land can cause problems for our food. It can cause tainted food that gets into the distribution network and all of a sudden, we have a major catastrophe on our hands. And the reason that we are taking this chance? For money, nothing more, nothing less. Who says that elections don't mean anything. The people that elected the GOP into power knew what they wanted and are going to eventually get it. So if you voted for the GOP, I hope you get what you wanted. If you don't like what the GOP is doing and decided not to vote, stop your bitching. You voted with your non-action. Hope you like what you get.

We Cannot Understand That The US Constitution Is Law Here In ND

On November 4th, the voters of North Dakota are ready to vote a constitutional amendment into their state constitution that contradicts the Supreme Court and their ruling in Roe v. Wade. Here is the Amendment that will pass here.

Constitutional Measure No. 1 (Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4009, 2013 Session Laws, Ch. 519) This constitutional measure would create and enact a new section to Article I of the North Dakota Constitution stating, “The inalienable right to life of every human being at any stage of development must be recognized and protected.”

It seems to me that when the Supreme Court goes with a ruling, that the states should say hey this is the law of the land. We should follow it and put our efforts towards other things. But of course, we can't.

So the law here in North Dakota, (which doesn't matter because of the Supreme Court finding that there is a fundamental right for a woman to have an abortion until such time that the fetus is viable), means that the fetus that has been grown into existence two days ago has the same rights as every human walking the state.  And of course, we have over 2,000 children in Foster Care each and every year here. But we cannot figure out how to get them into homes where they will stay with grown ups that love them and set a good example for them when they get out on their own. Let's not worry about those kids, let's worry about those embryos that may or may not get to grow into children and may or may not be raised by caring parents. Because if you listen to the news around here lately, you would think that the majority of parents are only out for their own self-gratification, not to watch out for their children.

I am tired of the culture wars that spring up all the time. I am tired of the divisiveness that come with fighting over moral issues. What works for one person does not work for another. Why do you think that the language of the Constitution is so vague? It is because the framers figured out that putting strict guidelines would only alienate people, not bring them together. And this Constitutional Measure will cause more divisiveness.  But I can also tell you that I will keep fighting to have the laws of the land followed and not changed by some people that have the might of their morals and virtue to change things. Especially if they are close-minded. Here is looking at you, the North Dakota State Government.

Terrorism Is A Part Of All Religions

Today is the day that the fear mongers in America get their biggest wish. And it isn't even an action that took place here in the United States. The event that I am talking about is the Canadian Soldier shot in Ottawa. The fact that a soldier was shot guarding the National War Memorial isn't the biggest news to them. It is that the person who shot the soldier is a Canadian citizen that recently converted to Islam. A home grown terrorist.

Given that we are in the final stretch of the 2014 elections, I can see the political ads already.

Candidate X is willing to allow terrorists to cross our borders because they will not allow the authorities to keep the terrorists out.

Candidate Y cut Spending on the border patrol and the terrorists are flooding across our borders ready to attack.

And you know the one thing that you aren't going to hear from any politician though? This is the act of a single person and does not represent what the religion of Islam teaches. To say the previous sentence is political suicide. It shouldn't be, but it is. Why is that? Because we Americans have demonized any religion that is not what we believe is mainstream Catholicism. Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and many more religions have been looked down upon from Catholics that populate the country. Why? Because we Americans are arrogant and we know exactly what is best for everybody else. Even if we have no clue what their circumstances are.

But this isn't an argument about religion or which religion is correct. This is an argument against what we are going to hear in the coming weeks. We are going to hear that we need to protect our borders even more than we do, that new restrictions on American's personal freedoms need to be enacted, and that the terrorists are infiltrated our country and will pop up in every state to start killing who they see as infidels.

More Religious Hypocrisy From The Right

North Carolina in it's infinite wisdom has passed a law banning same-sex marriages again. That is not news. What is news is that there are criminal charges that can be used against the person performing the religious ceremony. Well, a lawsuit has been filed arguing that the state is infringing on religious freedoms of the clergyman who performs the ceremony.

Now you would think that this would be a simple case for everybody to figure out. A person who is performing a religious ceremony that is performed elsewhere in the state being arrested for that act is being denied their religious liberty. But, like everything that has to do with religion, we have to see it through the prism of the Catholic, God Fearing people that believe that they know what religion should look like.

Here are what some people that are against gay marriage have to say about this:

"I'm not sure if this is a religious freedom claim or a publicity stunt," said Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, which has been one of the loudest religious voices against gay marriage. "This isn't the institutionalization of one particular religious viewpoint, but an idea that virtually every civilization has defined as being between one man and one woman."

Well, this isn't about religion anymore here. It is culture. One man, one woman for marriage. It is our culture and heritage. It is the survival of the Human Race. Fuck religion because if we allowed different religions to practice what they believe, then we might have problems.

Moore, along with other religious conservatives, argued that when it comes to recent laws regulating same-sex marriage, religious liberty is a right that should be reserved for those who disagree with gay marriage.

"Religious liberty is something different," said Moore. "It's when there is an infringement that happens on people's right to dissent to same-sex marriages. We are concerned with people being forced to participate in those ceremonies, which we see with cases of florists, photographers and others across the country."

This is great. Because they don't believe in what you do, they don't get the religious liberty that you want? If the UCC says that according to their beliefs in the Bible that same-sex marriage is legal, they don't deserve religious liberty, but the people that follow your teachings that same-sex marriage is an affront to God deserve that religious liberty. That is a violation of 1st Amendment rights if I have ever heard one.  And that means that the North Carolina State Government has broken Federal Law yet again. This is becoming an every year sort of deal.

Tami Fitzgerald, director of the North Carolina Values Coalition, the group that led the charge to pass the state's ban on same-sex marriage, echoed Moore's sentiments, saying the beliefs of the clergy from the United Church of Christ are "errant."

"These individuals are simply revisionists that distort the teaching of Scripture to justify sexual revolution, not marital sanctity," Fitzgerald said in a statement.

Where are the laws in North Carolina that say that raping your wife and then forcing her to marry you is OK. That is in the scripture. Where are the laws in North Carolina that say that you cannot mix fabrics. That is in the scripture. And I don't want to hear about the civilization has advanced argument or that things have changed. Because according to the argument above, the UCC is distorting the teachings of Scripture, but yet almost each and every Catholic Church in America are willing to have parishoners in their churches that are divorced for reasons not mentioned in the Bible for the only reasons that you should be divorced. They have remarried people in their ranks. And their former spouse is still living and have not been put to death. So to you, Tami Fitzgerald, you have distorted the teaching of scripture. You and your church. But yet, there is no law out there that says you should be criminally charged with a crime.

And sexual revolution is the thought that there is one man, one woman. The base nature of any living organism isn't based on attraction to the different sex. It is the primal urge to have sex, the primal urge to find love and companionship, the primal urge to be safe. And the animal kingdom shows us that. The one man, one woman concept is based upon what humans think is the best for us. It might be the best for us, but it is not natural law.

For you religious liberty people, it just cannot be for those who believe in the traditional Catholic way. For religious liberty to be true, everybody who has a deeply religious belief has to be allowed to practice that as long as it does not interfere with the base laws of society. And marriage is not one of those base laws. Besides, the Catholic Church of America has violated their own teachings for the past century to try and gain more power. I am tired of hearing the religious people in this country say that we need to follow God's law. I would rather follow the mentally ill and try to remake the country in their way of thinking. Why? Because I know that they are insane. But to follow what God's law is would be trying to follow two contradictory paths at the very least. And if we follow the Catholic teachings, we violate the 1st Amendment and lay waste to everything that every conservative out there says they want to follow.

The pushing of religion out to every issue in the public square that is up for debate cheapens that arguments that religion and the teachings of religious scholars and books can make and help decide what might be good for the country. Sometimes, religion needs to be taken out of decisions, or at the very least the particular viewpoint of the Catholic religion. Because it is just another way to divide us. And we don't need that.

The quotes in the post are from this story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/30/north-carolina-gay-marriage-lawsuit_n_5235474.html

The author of the post, in full disclosure is an Ordained Minister in the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Oh, Tell Me What You Would Do

Yesterday, I was watching the Senate C-SPAN channel and listening to the Senators argue whether or not we should pass the resolution about loaning Ukraine money. There were people like Senator McCain, Reid, and others ready to pass the resolution and others were arguing that they didn't like the IMF role in distributing money and that it might take money out of the defense budget. And while I understand both arguments, it is the ones that oppose the resolution that I want clarification from.

The ones that are fighting this, are also the ones that are screaming in the media that we need to stop the Russian aggression in Chrimea and Ukraine. That Vladimir Putin is the current Joseph Stalin and is invading countries to rebuild the Soviet Union. That we need to intervene militarily to stop Russian incursions because after Ukraine will be the Russian speaking Baltic States and then he will continue to move west into neighboring states that declared their independence from the Soviets back in the 90's. While I don't believe that this is going to happen, let's say for arguments sake that you are correct. That everything happens above. What should we do?

Religious Freedom Legislation And The Problems Ahead

Arizona missed an opportunity to become the 1st state in the union to openly discriminate against everybody who isn't a Christian and didn't follow the Bible, thanks to Jan Brewer's veto of the bill. SB 1062 would have been the first shot in the dividing of the country by religious sects. And we will get there. I am almost positive that the "Moral and Virtuous" Christians out there will figure out a state legislature and governor to roll over and get this passed in their state. Believe me, Arizona might be the one in the news, but there are other states out there that are thinking the exact same way as the people who pushed SB 1062. Although there will be nothing within the next month that will get passed, later this year, the ball starts rolling again in the states.

The Arizona debacle has stopped other states in their tracks. In Kansas, the Senate decided not to consider the bill. Of course, the House there had passed the measure. And I am sure that the Governor there would have signed it into law. I am ashamed that South Dakota had this legislation even considered. It was tabled in the Senate Judiciary Committee. In Tennessee, the sponsor had withdrawn his support of the bill there. In Ohio, the bill put forth was withdrawn. In Georgia, they had one each for the Senate and the House. The Senate bill had been withdrawn. The House bill is proceeding but it won't get through the Senate even if it does pass the House. In Indiana, lawmakers abandoned a constitutional amendment that would have protected religious schools and charities from discrimination lawsuits. Utah tabled the resolution there.

The Christmas Day Hit Job

Once upon a time, I used to pronounce UPS as "Oops!". They would knock on your door, then leave one of those delivery notices almost immediately so you wouldn't have a chance to meet them before they drove off. Or if you were (un)lucky enough, they would toss your package onto your balcony, contents be damned. Oops.

To be fair, UPS has really cleaned up its act over the past few years. You can now sign up for UPS My Choice for free and digitally give them a shipping release to leave your packages at your front door so you no longer have to visit their regional center at 8pm to pick them up. Through that service, they also send you email alerts to let you know a package is on its way. From my experience with UPS My Choice, they have never lied about when a package was going to be delivered. And this holiday season I used them a lot. They even delivered my new work computer in two business days just before Christmas -- as promised.

The same can be said about FedEx. They were a frequent visitor to my lair during the past month, and only once did I have a package delivered late. Even then, it was only one day late and it was attributed to the weather delays both companies experienced about two to three weeks ago. So you can imagine how upset I was when I read this poor excuse for journalism hit piece on both companies on MSNBC.com.

Both companies are The Grinch? They are to blame for customers not having a Christmas? Bullshit.

Common sense tells (most of) us that buying last minute gifts via the Internet is a tricky proposition. In order to receive those gifts on time, a lot has to go right. The retailer has to pack and ship the order in a timely manner. The carrier has to pick the merchandise up and deliver during said deadline. The weather also has to cooperate, which rarely happens. The buyer also has to input the correct address and payment information into their computer. Any deviation in that chain of events will cause deliveries to be late.

Maybe Tony Dokoupil and MSNBC should put the blame where it really belongs: consumers and the companies that enabled them to buy at the last minute and overstress these carriers beyond their capacities to service customers?

To read comments written by people who put so much value into the consumerism part of Christmas makes me sad. Christmas should be a time to reflect on what you're thankful for, not what you don't have. If you have a warm home, food on the table and reliable transportation, be thankful you have the basic necessities. There's a lot of people out there who rely on food banks, Section 8 housing, WIC and/or public transportation to get by, and that number is not diminishing. Nor do they care if their precious new tablet/laptop is under the tree on Christmas morning.

This was a great Christmas for me, and I'm grateful since there have been others in recent years that didn't go as well. The holiday season when I had to spend my last $120 to euthanize a beloved pet still haunts me. Then there was the one when I wasn't sure where I was going to live after January 1st, and I had to ask my father for a loan to pay rent -- a loan that I wasn't 100% sure I could pay back as promised. There was one Christmas where I was wrongfully terminated from a job three days prior, and then another one where I didn't get to spend Christmas with anyone. And I'll always remember the holiday season when my mother was in the final stages of terminal cancer and was taken by ambulance to a hospice center on New Year's Eve.

These are some of the reasons why I have no sympathy for those individuals who ordered their gifts online at the last minute and then bitch that the CEO of UPS is getting paid $9 million a year to run the company and had the audacity to let his employees have Christmas off. When you put consumerism and your selfish interests over the true meaning of Christmas, you cease being a Christian in my eyes.

Who cares if a package gets delivered a day or two after Christmas? Whatever happened to "It's the thought that counts"? Or forgiveness?

Imagine That: There Is Greed In Major Cities

Perhaps most interesting is the map on greed, which compares average incomes with the number of people living below the poverty line.

If you are in a red area, then you are in an area that submits to this "sin". If you are in blue, well, greed doesn't appear to be in the water.

For the rest of the maps of the 7 deadly sins, here is where you can see them:

http://memolition.com/2013/12/12/maps-of-seven-deadly-sins-in-america/

Nelson Mandela & Americanized Apartheid

We all knew this day was coming, and Heaven (if you believe in one) welcomed another angel today when Nelson Mandela died at his home in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was 95 years old. Tonight I'm going to do something different. Instead of telling you how great he was like everyone else, I'll give you a few thoughts about him that no one else is saying. 

There are people out there who say he was a Marxist. They will also tell you he was a terrorist. While all of this is technically true, I don't hold it against him one bit. 

Mandela protested against white supremacist policies for what seems like his entire adult life. At first he fought apartheid non-violently, and when those protests didn't work (read about the Sharpeville Massacre) he fought back in a way that I can appreciate. MK, an abbreviation for a name that translates to "Spear of the Nation", was formed to be the armed wing of the African National Congress, and they lauched guerilla attacks on government installations one year later. From that point forward, the fight against apartheid was on.

I completely understand if what Mandela did makes him a Communist and a terrorist in some people's eyes. But he fought an injustice that was in some ways nearly as horrible as what the Nazis did to Jews, gays, and anyone else they saw as less than them. Apartheid wasn't just about racism. It was some seriously fucked up shit you should take a few minutes to read about to understand why Nelson Mandela and his fight against it is such a big deal.

I live by the rule, "By any means necessary". Even if you don't agree with my methods, at least appreciate the end result. That is why I do not blame Mandela one bit for what he did or how he did it. Get the job done. That is all that matters.

If someone stripped me of my citizenship, attempted to move me from my homeland, and force me to carry ID to venture into white-owned land, I'd be fighting mad. Whoops! I forgot that has already happend to me and my family members.

Consider the following:

• I have to carry my birth certificate with me if I ever visit Arizona.
• Some of my ancestors live on the Mexican side of the border due to Mexican Repatriation that occurred in Texas just before World War II. Legally, they could be American citizens and have every right to be here just like noted anchor babies Michelle Malkin and Mitt Romney.

So when I see people on the right calling Nelson Mandela a Communist and a terrorist tonight, I have every right to call them the American version of the Nationalists because deep down they are no different than the white minority that made living in South Africa a living hell for people of color for half a century.

That is why we have to continue that fight here in America. It is the right thing to do.

Where's My Violin So I Can Play You Your Song?

"I'm Gen Y, and I'm not a special snowflake. I'm broke." http://t.co/ty9l6PaOPV pic.twitter.com/MuScXL9Ead

— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) December 5, 2013

Let me get this bi. You're Generation Y, or as they say, a Millenial. You're saying it's a bad time to enter the work force. Yet if you're a decade younger than me, you make about $15,000 more than I do on average. You're still whining, Adam Weinstein?

I know what it's like to have student debt. I still have some left. Thankfully it will be gone sometime next year.

I know what it's like to be underemployed. I could probably be better off elsewhere, but when you reach a certain age employers don't want to hire you. But to be fair, my current employer does give me certain non-monetary benefits I will not get elsewhere so I'm quite pleased with my current arrangement.

I've never owned a house. I know what it's like to be a lifelong renter. But it's by choice. I wasn't stupid enough a decade ago to take out two mortgages on a $600,000 ranch style home that's only 400 square feet bigger than my apartment. And probably needs extensive renovations due to it's age.

I have news for you, Adam Weinstein. I used to be in line on that graph for Generation X up until George W. Bush took office. I now have to get by with much less. A lot of us out here do. And yet we find a way to live our lives.

You're not a home owner? Go live in a more affordable place. That's not me telling you that. That's the real estate market speaking. Not everyone can live in Manhattan. Or by the coast in Southern California. Find a place that's within your budget and then take out that thirty-year mortgage to pay for it.

Can't go on vacation anywhere? Stay home. Take road trips and discover places nearby you've never been to before. Learn to do more with less.

Can't afford an iAnything? Find something else that does the job -- and possibly does the job better. Apple sells ideas more than they sell great products. That's why companies like Samsung, Sony, LG and others not only exist but still have substantial market share.

Can't pay your debts? A lot of people can't. Read the fine print in those cardmemeber agreements and use that to your advantage. Having bad credit or getting sued by a debt collector isn't the end of the world. It's just another battle to fight, and possibly win.

Can't save for retirement? Not everyone is going to follow the green path depicted in the Fidelity Investments commercials. Not everyone is going to eat cat food in their golden years, either. Most likely, you'll be somewhere in the middle.

Does life suck? Yes it does. Maybe in the future things will change but this is the world we exist in now. There are a lot of crappy things going on in it. New jobs pay less. The cost of living keeps rising. There are fewer job openings than there are qualified people to fill them. There are a lot less people covered by health insurance, have enough money to buy food and clothing, or can afford reliable transportation. Even those who can afford a place to live now rely on food banks because the cost of produce is a lot higher than processed food.

But I don't make the rules. I find a way to survive despite them. You have to take that low-paying job? So what? I had to take a low-paying job with long hours myself when I graduated from college. Then I found a better one once I not only earned experience but proved myself. And I repeated the same cycle when necessary, sometimes leaving a company to join another. Moving up sometimes means moving on. And even if the industry you're in crumbles, you start over elsewhere.

My advice? Be a survivor, not an Adam Weinstein. Whining doesn't solve problems. Learn the difference between a need and a want. Make the most of what you have. If you have to spend money, learn how to shop. It doesn't matter how much money you make. It's smart to do these things regardless of your income level. If life gives you an obstacle, find a way to overcome it.

And if you're still whining about things and you make more than I do? Pull up your big girl panties and deal with it.

Shamelessly Stolen From Twitter

I may not stop laughing until Thanksgiving after reading this comic.

George Carlin - The American Dream

My favorite comedian of all time speaking truth about "The American Dream".

A Rant About Opposition To The Affordable Healthcare Act

Cross-posted at An Angry Dakota Democrat

Over the past 30 years, every politician that has run for the White House, had a platform for reforming healthcare so that all Americans get adequate healthcare. So when President Obama used his political capital of his first term to pass the Affordable Care Act, which could conceivably give health care protection to millions of Americans who did not or could not afford protection before, I thought it was a good idea. After all, I thought, who would balk at the idea of holding people personally responsible for obtaining health insurance so the costs of most medical procedures would not come back on the rest of the population who have insurance but continue to see rates rise. Boy was I wrong. There was stiff resistance from Day 1.

Freedom in the Time of Healthcare

The other day I was standing in a long line at the cable company, and listening to the discussion in front of me. I couldn't be accused of eavesdropping, because there was no way I couldn't listen. The discussion was about Obamacare. I could tell as soon as I got in line behind them, because I heard the phrase "shoved down my throat." I'm so sick of that one. "This is the land of the free, why should I have to be forced to buy healthcare? I don't want that shoved down my throat." I guess he meant the medicine. I waited in line, hearing what else he had to say. "Premiums are going up, I don't even know if I can afford them. Do you know how long we'll have to wait under this new system? I don't want to be forced to buy insurance and would rather pay the penalty. They shouldn't make me." I decided I couldn't hold my tongue and jumped in as politely as I could.

"Premiums are going up, you say?" He looked and nodded. "Good thing that hasn't been happening all along, at several percentage points higher until a few years ago. I used to pay for a family plan about ten years ago. It was a good plan. My wife and I have one now, coverage not as good, but we are covered. It's more than twice what I paid ten years ago."

"Wow, that's a lot to pay a month." he said

 "It is. Income hasn't doubled over the same time period. It sucks. My wife spent five days in the hospital last month. The bill is into five figures, but we pay less than $300.00. If we didn't have insurance, we would have been screwed."

"I'm not sure what doctor you are using, but my wife has been having a lot of medical problems lately. I can count on one hand the times I got a same day appointment. I'm not sure what mythical land you live in where there are no wait times, but I'd like to live there. My wife has quite a rash that we showed to the doctor recently. She has an appointment for the dermatologist in November. When she needed a bunch of tests, the doctor sent us to the emergency room so we could do them right away. Normally it would have taken well over a week to get them, as well as the results."

"I get into my doctor pretty fast." he said. "But I live in a really small town."

The conversation ended with him mumbling about losing his freedom. What I wanted to say, but didn't was this: I understand you don't want to have to be forced to buy health insurance, and that's fine and all, but when you end up in the emergency room with a broken leg and can't afford it, it's not free. I pay for your unpaid medical bills. Me, and everyone else with insurance pays for it. No one asked me if I wanted to pay for it, I don't have a choice. It's factored into the rates. One could say that those of us with insurance are getting the uninsured's unpaid bills.  The uninsured, non-paying people are getting a 'free ride' and this just puts that to a stop. It is the rare snowflake indeed who goes their entire life without needing medical care.


I guess the 'freedom' he is losing is the freedom to go to the emergency room on my dime, as well as yours.

Outrageous Indeed

#Outrageous! 7th grader suspended from school for playing with an airsoft gun in his yard http://t.co/LdIkkHecWO

— NRA (@NRA) September 24, 2013

Three days ago I was very upset about the above tweet, and I still am. Why, do you ask? The above Tweet is all the proof you need to know the NRA doesn’t give a fuck about responsible gun use, even if it’s only a “toy” pellet gun.

The above picture is a Crossman Stinger P311 Airsoft pistol you can buy off Amazon for $14.97, and for a similar price at your local WalMart. It may not be the exact gun these kids were “playing with” near a school bus stop, but it’s very similar and there’s nothing about it that makes it a toy if misused.

The Stinger P311 is a pellet gun that uses air to discharge pellets or other projectiles at up to 325 FPS (feet per second), which is powerful enough to break someone’s skin and/or seriously injure them if shot in the eyes. It is designed for target practice and not for use or purchase by children under the age of sixteen.

The fact is, kids barely old enough to be teenagers, shot other kids with an Airsoft gun without a care for basic firearm safety or local firearm laws… and yet the NRA thinks it’s outrageous these kids are paying the price for their stupidity? The NRA, and their members that agree with them, are wrong.

If these punks were arrested and sent to Juvenile Hall rather than suspended from school, do you think the NRA would still be outraged?

Don’t get me wrong. Target shooting is fun when it’s done right. I love my pistol crossbow. It shoots 6 1/4” field point bolts at 165 FPS, and I only use targets designed for its use or homemade ones that will prevent any type of “pass through” through wear and tear.

Even though I cannot kill someone with my pistol crossbow, I treat it as if I can. I never load it unless it’s pointed at the ground. I never put my finger near the trigger unless the safety’s off and I’m already aimed at my target. And I’ll never aim it at a human or animal unless I’m in mortal danger and I intend to kill them.

The fact these kids were never taught basic firearms safety, local laws, or to respect what damage guns can do is what we should be outraged about.