Monthly Archives: July 2010

Why vote?

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Twitter users have been asking and answering that question for a while now under the hashtag, #whyIvote. A “hashtag” is a way of creating a group or a theme on twitter so others can keep up with a topic or add to the topic and #whyIVote has definitely caught on. It became a way of showing party likes or dislikes, candidate approvals or disapprovals and there are those that give the reason why they just don’t vote. Of course, there will be a wide variety of differing opinions and insights as Twitter users range in age from young teens to the elderly, they can come from the Tampa Bay Area, New York, from Europe to Asia and they come from all walks of life and backgrounds.

What really draws attention is an overwhelming amount of inspirational reasons why people vote as well as some common sense reasons behind voting. For those on Twitter, go to the search area and type in “whyIVote to follow this hashtag and feel free to continue adding on. Here are just a few example tweets.

@utbrp “I remember the Joy I felt when Obama was elected President. I cried like a baby. No one can steal that”. #WhyiVote


@isthisamerica “Because I think our best days as a country are ahead of us, not behind us”. #whyivote


@TheHarrisWalker “Because I want to make a difference and you have no right to pass judgment on what happens if you don’t”. #whyivote

So, why vote? Voting has been the way this country has run its democratic process. The locally elected officials go on to represent their constituents both statewide and nationwide but somehow this system seems to be breaking down. In press conferences, the elected officials often say, “The American people want…” or “The American people feel…” but is it really what the majority of American people want or feel? Are they asking the people or… who do they ask? What or who do they follow? What plan of action sets up their goals in office? What happens to the promises they make?

Are the best individuals running for the job? Or, is it a “party against party” vote? Do parties look for individuals to run that are well qualified or do they back candidates that will get more votes, more campaign dollars and overall just get elected, which will bring them more seats in D.C.? What is most important to Party Officials?

To be successful, this nation needs elected officials that are looking ahead to build, empower and design a newer America while focusing on bettering our nation. What America doesn’t need is more politicians taking office to tear down, blame or go back to a system that doesn’t work.

A person that is elected to office is elected by each voter that went in and cast a ballot. That vote doesn’t stop there. Voters can be just as involved following the elections as before the elections. They can show that compromising and dropping the ball is not acceptable and not what the American people want. When elected officials see that their voters want more than someone that can stand up during campaigns and make a good speech and make more of the same promises that are made each year but then afterward nothing happens until it’s campaign time again, maybe it will show them to either make changes to how they are playing their “political game” or actually see that Americans don’t see this as a game at all. This is life.

So, why vote? To be heard, have a say and make a difference. Vote because people have fought for the freedom to vote and the ability to be represented and because this country is a democracy. Vote because you can.

Feel free to leave a comment below sharing why you vote.

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What does Arizona’s law have to do with individuals’ rights?

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As it nears the end of July, it would be hard to imagine anyone that hasn’t heard what is going on with the controversial law in Arizona. The SB1070 was due to go into effect tomorrow, July 29th. Legal challenges were filed against the law including one by the United States Department of Justice questioning its compliance with civil rights law and its constitutionality. U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton today has *blocked the most controversial parts so those parts of the law from going into effect. However other parts of the law will go into effect tomorrow. Read the ruling here. The SB1070 law either way, has already had quite an impact nationwide.

Although this law is set to take place in the state of Arizona, many other states are looking at enacting similar type laws as well. In Florida, the Gubernatorial Candidates have gone back and forth on where they stand. Bill McCollum in April had been quoted saying, “I think Arizona has its own unique problems. I don’t think Florida should enact laws like this — quite that far out.” He has since released a statement which in part says, “I support Arizona’s law as amended, and if the federal government fails to secure our borders and solve the problem of illegal immigration, I would support a similar law for Florida.”

How would a law in one state have an effect on every other state? The immigration system, however poorly it may be viewed has been a federally handled system. It has been handled systematically across the states. This has been very evident to not be appropriate for many reasons and there are obvious changes that need to go into effect. There needs to be a complete overhaul or total reform of sorts. This needs to have been done in the past but certainly it is long overdue.

Although something may be done with the best of intentions, the citizens’ rights may not be completely protected and when the rights of individuals start getting taken away by laws that were not voted on by voters but instead put in place by politicians who are trying to get re-elected, individuals need to really take a step back and understand that somebody has at one time had to earn these rights, fight for their freedoms and remember that a person’s rights and freedoms shouldn’t be so easily discounted when decisions are being made.

Everyone has a right that just as easily can be taken away with reasons that can begin to be argued. It comes down to which side of the “issue of the moment” someone is on.

The past and future is in the Bay Area’s rich cultural diversity

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The Bay Area and its surroundings are what postcards are made of, not only for its natural beauty and historical areas but also for the numerous amusement parks and endless shopping availability. The Bay Area has it all. For the Bay Area’s residents however, this is just a few of the many assets to their advantage.

In a follow-up to my previous article, another asset the Bay Area has is its rich cultural diversity. To go around the Bay Area and its surrounding counties, it is easy to find nearly any type of ethnic cuisine a person would want or any grocery item for a recipe. There are constant festivals going on and this of course, is a popular tourist attraction as well. But, it has been so much more for the area’s history and it can be an even greater asset to the Bay Area’s future.

To grow up around diversity is to have a chance of growth everyday in one’s life with the development of key skills necessary in life such as compassion for others, tolerance, understanding and the desire to reach out to learn, educate, help and be there for each other every day for anyone. It’s a chance to build core values as well as to learn about different cultures having not even traveled to those distant places. It is having a chance to see a friend as a friend and a doctor as a doctor and not looking at them differently because of where they may be from but smiling and loving them just because they made you feel better. That’s what it was like for me growing up in the Bay Area.

The future of the Bay Area and its opportunities are all still there and even more so because of the growth that is happening by leaps and bounds. Also, the cultural expansion is even more diverse than ever before. When someone brings their profession from someplace else, let’s say to the medical field, engineering, communications, etc, they bring with them their outside expertise. As an American travels abroad to work, they take their expertise with them to help overseas. This is the same thing, yet reversed.

The Bay Area has the opportunity to be the leader in how to make diversity work for everyone and to show this both locally, nationally and internationally. Although than words can make changes, actions will make a remarkable and lasting difference. By making efforts in the work place, in schools and just around town, word will spread. Changes can happen on Twitter in 140 characters or less quite rapidly as everyone has seen. Good changes are the ones the Bay Area wants to get noted for and right now, the U.S. can use positive example. Tampa can be the positive influence for the state, the nation and the world.

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi

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One of our community’s biggest assets is our youth

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If everything is going well and people are happy with the way things are in their community and Washington D.C., then campaigns and candidates should continue to run the same pattern they always do, right? But, if something needs to change then it should start at the beginning of the cycle. This means to start at the process of choosing the candidate, the style of campaigning and the effort put into researching each candidate as well as understanding the reasoning behind the choice of each person’s vote. Is the choice being made by qualification and belief in the person or is it based on party?

What goes on in Washington D.C. begins with local elections just as much as the presidential election, often times even more. What is going on in a local community on a daily basis has a substantial impact on everyone’s daily lives in that community and can greatly improve in a short amount of time once given an opportunity for advancements and growth. But, the opportunity comes from the community itself more than from anyone on the outside or their promises.

One of a community’s biggest assets is its youth. If you look around the Bay Area, there are a great number of talented youth off for the summer. Many may have jobs but due to the economy, those hours may be limited or they may not have been able to get a summer job for a number of reasons. Our young people today are extremely creative and talented and many are also very active within the world of social media. Social media is not just something for chatting but if used wisely, this can help a large number of non-profit organizations and businesses network and reach millions of people they may not be reaching. This is one way a young person, or anyone can touch a lot of lives in a little bit of time.

The more involved our youth are today, the more involved they will be in the future. Who will be running our country in the future? They will become our future leaders. Our young people are watching how campaigning is being done, how politicians are “following through” with their word and how our communities are utilizing its own abilities to participate and better what we are capable of bettering for ourselves. We don’t always have to wait for things to happen for us. There are many things right around us we can do for ourselves as a community.

The best step forward is the step we take on our own initiative.

Stay tune for more to follow on this topic. If you would like to know of local non-profit groups you can assist with, please feel free to email me with “Non-Profit Group Info” in the subject line or feel free to comment with info.

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What gain or loss has social media brought to a political candidate?

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With elections going on across the country, campaigning is again in the local media, mainstream media and across the social media. Around the nation people are talking, debating, discussing, tweeting, texting and blogging about politics. In 2008 the U.S. had one of the biggest elections ever and the fact was whether Barack Obama or John McCain won, CHANGE was happening in America.
The “winds of change” are often difficult for people to get used to or work with but the fact is times are always changing and people are always growing and reinventing themselves. Look around. A person’s day to day life has taken on a new look. For example, the daily newspaper is becoming more digitalized and turning to online editions. This allows a reader the ability to have continuously updated information. The ability to communicate worldwide has completely changed with new mobile gadgets and high speed internet ability as well as social media. People are “plugged in”. Change happens.

With elections coming up and campaigns seeming to never really end, politicians have turned to social media as well as their constituents using their own social media circles to reach out to millions of people on a daily basis, not always trying to spread a message but often just trying to keep their candidate of choice in the headlines and being discussed. Social Media has been one of the biggest changes that have come along and those who understand how to use it both in a good way or a negative way can certainly make a difference in a campaign.

The question is, are they spreading a relevant and truthful message as well as something they will stand behind in the coming months and years if they take office? Or, are they just trying to catch the attention of the voters, get the headlines forwarded to reach more viewers and ultimately win the largest number of votes? But with social media, another question is do their constituents know this and allow this to happen? Do they become part of the process by pushing their candidate’s messages in the social media outlets while sometimes knowing the message may not be completely factual or actually promoting lies just to promote their party of choice?

Social media can spread the message of a candidate over night and help them gain political points while at the same time, spread a message of half truths or lies but through the same process this tool can be used to hold a candidate responsible for sticking to the facts during a campaign and long after.

What spreads through the internet often comes back later to hold a candidate responsible but also those that put the message in the media to begin with. Some things never change and one of those things is that one’s words can come back to haunt them and social media just means that more people have seen, heard or watched a message or video and will be able to pull that up again at a later date. A person’s words or a person’s message should be something they want their name attached to for a very long time.

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Inspired or Angered?

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Inspiration:

*In 2007, Gary Oppenheimer ended up with leftovers from his garden that his family could not use. In trying to find a way to put his fresh produce to use, he came upon an idea that has since really caught on and is not only helping him use his excess surplus but is also helping others in need to eat and stay healthy and has given gardeners across the nation a way to get involved and help save lives. His idea grew into AmpleHarvest.org. The free online resource enables food pantries to register and be listed in a central nationwide directory, and makes it possible for American gardeners to easily find the local pantries where they can donate extra produce.

*HelpOthers.org is just an amazing source of ways to reach out to anyone. If you have someone you haven’t spoken to in a long time and aren’t sure how to make that connection again, visit this site. If you want to do something nice for someone and aren’t sure what to do, go by this site. They have a lot of good “random acts of kindness ideas.” They also have something called, “Smile Cards”. They are cards you can either print up yourself or they will mail them to you, FREE!! Yep, totally FREE!! How kind is that?? You can donate if you can or want to but other people donate to keep this service going. The idea is though that you will mail out these cute little smiley cards to cheer up someone’s day. And, let me tell you, cards do cheer up someone’s day. Having a daughter that has spent month after month straight in the hospital, cards are great! But, also think about the fact that now-a-days the only thing most people still get in their mail box is bills or junk mail. When is the last time you sat down and wrote a nice little note to someone and stuck a stamp on it? Yeh, stamps? Texts and emails are nice but a note or letter in the mail? Wow! But, drop by this site, there are a lot of great ideas and even stories on there.

*Out of personal experience and having lived in the “world of cancer” for so long now I can tell you that being around cancer patients and kids fighting cancer, I am surrounded by inspiration. I find it very difficult to complain about a headache or a bad day since I have been introduced to people that daily fight for their lives while being inflicted with so much pain and sickness. Do you know what I noticed right away on the oncology floor that I would have never imagined to have seen? I noticed a lot of smiles, lots of smiles. I am not sure if they were always there, if people were just always smiling and I didn’t notice it or if it was the fact that the people fighting hardest for their lives found more of reason to smile through each day they were living. I think it is the second point. I think they found more of a reason to smile. I will never forget when I noticed those smiles. Ever. They inspired me to notice that each day is different and each day is a gift. They inspired me to realize even more that none of us are promised the next day, the next hour or even our next minute. Life is a gift.

*In a previous article on my blog, “21 Days Makes a Habit”  I spoke about the Pay It Forward Foundation.  . The idea of “Pay it Forward” was brought out very clearly after a movie was released in 2000 based on the novel. In the movie, an 11 year old boy, Trevor is doing a project for his science class. Trevor calls his plan “pay it forward”, which can be described as a charitable pyramid scheme, based on good deeds rather than profit. “Paying it forward” means the recipient of a favor does a favor for a third party rather than paying the favor back. His plan not only caught on but it caught on BIG! This 11 year old inspired a movement and people really felt so eager to do something for others. They not only did something but they did so with a happy heart and in many cases, their heart had been closed or had been just going from day to day not really feeling much of anything.

*Do you think the above people are still doing what they started doing in the links mentioned above? I mean once someone gets inspired to get involved like Gary Oppenheimer with his garden helping others or people that go by helpothers.org once, do you think they will go by a second time. Well, the people that started that site were inspired enough to start it and the people that donate to keep the cards free obviously have been inspired enough to get involved to help with that part of the service as well. I know we have been so inspired by our daughter’s fight for life and others’ fight for life as well as how different organizations such as BeTheMatch.org, Florida Blood Services, and so many others that we wanted to do our part to further help educating others on the need for marrow donors and blood product donation as well as helping families going through transplant so we started our own foundation, the Katia Solomon Foundation back in 2003. Inspiration tends to continue on a daily basis because it not only touches your life, it touches your heart. It has somehow changed your life and maybe given you purpose.

So, what else moves people to get up and do something? There are a lot of times people get angry over something that happens in a community and a community gets together to make a statement. It can be a tragic accident with a drunk driver, a missing person that a community gets together to help find and sometimes the news turns out with a very happy ending or the reverse of that story the person is found murdered after a long search. When communities come together to help each other, it is great and even better when the news covers the story. When a community stands up against a tragedy together, it often brings the community together.

However, so many things have become arguable. Things that most would think are beyond argument. I mean one can always find a path to an argument if you choose to go looking but these days it seems nearly anyone is ready for an argument, ready to take sides on things that there should be at least a clear understanding on certain parts of the story.

I mean has it really come to the point that everything is an argument and that is what motivates people to speak up? Get involved?

Anger:

Here are a few examples.

*Oil in the gulf… is bad. The problem has to get fixed. We need accountable, competent people fixing the problem until there is no more oil coming out of the oil well. A lot of people have lost their jobs and a lot of damage is being done to wildlife and beaches. This damage is going to last for a very long time. Everything needs to be done to assure these issues do not happen again.






*Immigration Reform is something that will always be a work in progress as our country is in a constant change and each year more people will migrate here from different countries all over the world. As our country is constantly changing and more people are coming and going, laws need to be updated and relooked at on a normal basis. Our country’s safety is always a top priority.






*Education is the foundation to a good future. Every child in every town across America deserves a good education. This should be a top priority across our Nation.






*If you think your child is sick, you take them to the doctor. That is what any good parent does, right? Not if you don’t have health insurance. Well, of course you should be able to take you child to the doctor or go to the doctor if you are ill. Of course you should be able to go to the doctor for regular screenings that can catch cancer early, diagnose the beginning of high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol or many other diseases that when left untreated can end up causing significant health problems and run up enormous health cost or cause death. Health reform was set out to correct this issue.














Personally I don’t see where there is even an issue with any of the above things mentioned. I don’t see how someone can jump on any of those statements and say how there is a disagreement as those stand. I can see how there is something a person can jump on IF they already have a set view and don’t want to look at the plain, easy-to-see picture as it stands. There is always a way someone can drag it from the “left” to the “right” and not see it in the way of humanity and simply as what is just the basic right thing to do. That is very often overlooked until things get just too far out of hand or something so tragic happens that the cloudiness over our eyes that has been put there by our own views and the views of what we watch, read or listen to is finally washed away by tears of tragedy and sadness. It doesn’t need to come to that to see how we can be a part of doing what is right even though we may feel differently about some things. Just because we may see things in a different view doesn’t mean we should overlook basic human rights, common sense and being part of the growth of our nation and not a hindrance on our growth.




My response to the above issue:

*When a company is responsible for the death of any of its employees, damage to natural habitat, loss of jobs and the ways of lives that have gone on for generation after generation, they should claim that responsibility. It should be done in a legal way according to a way that is laid out and agreed upon. Too often these types of incidents become something more like a “witch hunt”. At this point it doesn’t matter what side you’re on or even if you aren’t keeping up with BP and the leaking oil in the gulf, you are on the wrong side. Someone is totally against you and you don’t know what you are talking about. The fact is this was the first time this has happened and yes, it should NEVER have happened. It has taken a long time for someone to even come close to finding an answer and there is still oil leaking in the gulf at this moment…leaking, leaking, leaking. Not like a dripping faucet either. More like barrels just being dumped! But, the point is, nobody has the answers. I think a lot of people want to do a lot of firing and even more people want to find a problem. Even more wish this had never happened. This is the optimal time for political parties and campaigns to point fingers of blame at each other. It will go on for years. But pointing fingers and placing blame on each other doesn’t make it right and it certainly doesn’t reverse time, fix the leak or clean up the gulf now does it?  While I am typing this, there is hope of a new solution fixing the problem…let’s pray this works.






*Immigration Reform is another one of those issues that either people really have an opinion on or some people just don’t touch the topic due to its heated debates. This country was built with immigrants. There is hardly anyone in the United States that didn’t have family who at some point in time migrated from another part of the world. At different times, there were different standards of how immigration was done, how land was claimed, or what rights a person had as an immigrant. If you have read my past articles, “Will History Repeat Itself?”  and “What Divides Our Nation“, you will see how far our country has come and also have to ask yourself what is going on now? For a country that has been built on diversity, freedom and so many have fought for human rights even fighting for the human rights of others in countries around the world, why is it that the immigration issue is now becoming something that would even come close to taking away anyone’s human rights. Not sure what I mean? Read “Arizona is just the beginning… watch out!”  Yes, Immigration Reform is a necessity and it is something that needs to be done now and continuously monitored. It is a federal issue and it is something that both democrat and republicans need to work together on. You see, everyone came to this country seeking freedom and a better life, right? This country. The UNITED States of America.

*Education is something that everyone should see is a top priority. I think that part everyone would say, “Of course, absolutely.” The education system in our country has moved down the list when compared to other countries and there is absolutely no reason for that. When George W. Bush became president, he signed the No Child Left Behind Act.  It was signed to increase funding, accountability of schools and teachers and close the gaps between minorities and children in impoverished areas. It measured students annually through standardized tests. The numbers that came back were shared and showing improvements for the first few years. The gaps were closing and the funding appeared to be working for the teachers’ incentives. Schools that were doing a poor job needed to earn a better grade to get more money. There were problems with the NCLB act. The tests were on math and English. So, to score a higher grade, teachers were “teaching to the test”, basically preparing their students for the test and not teaching on other subjects or preparing them for even their next school grade. There is also the idea that ALL students can take the same test and the school can be judged by the outcome or the teacher can be judged by the outcome. Although a teacher does teach in the classroom, more often, that has less to do with what students take away from a class. Although our students go to school each day, they are taking less education away from school and more outside influence. I feel there could be 10 standardized tests on education a year and it really wouldn’t give much information at all about what students are learning in schools. There is certainly not anything standardized about the public school system in America.

I don’t believe in stating a problem without a solution so here is at least the beginning of a solution because to give anymore would be another blog. What is missing from our public schools and even most private schools today is the communication between the student and their parents, the communication between the parents and the teachers and the communication between the parent, teacher and the student together. If a teacher knows that the parent and the student are communicating (and that is saying you do communicate with your child) and then the teacher knows they can communicate with you if there is an issue at school, it opens up a whole new avenue of tools for the teacher to use to help your child with their education. Teachers have less available to them now than ever before when it comes to dealing with their students. They are teaching less due to funding, testing and class size. They are held back and paid very little but are expected to turn out something amazing after approximately 35-45 a day, 5 days a week with your student. How often do we as parents get involved with our students after school, ask what they are doing, read something they have written, talk to them about their friends, their goals, etc. Teachers can’t do all the teaching. Our children are our responsibility. Teachers are there to help us teach our children. We should know what they are doing and communicate with their teachers. A teacher should have a phone number they can feel free to contact you and know you are there to work with and take part in your student’s education ALL the way through their school years.



*To me, the last one is just a simple fact of humanity. If someone is sick, they go to the doctor or the hospital to get better. That shouldn’t have anything to do with whether they are rich or poor, have a certain type of health insurance or another or have no health insurance. It shouldn’t have anything to do whether they have recently lost their job or do not have a job. It is their health. They are not going to the doctor to get a 6 pack of beer, a tattoo or play poker. It is not a day at Disney or a free vacation. It is the doctor’s office and it is either that they are sick or someone they take care of is sick. It’s pretty simple to me. I am not even going to go into the politics of all the things our country’s citizens will pay money on but taking care of people when they are sick is something that I don’t consider should be one of these things that should cause a roaring debate for over a year in this country. When we are each born, we aren’t promised to be born into a family that has it all!! We aren’t promised to be born into a country that has it all!! During our life we aren’t promised there won’t be any obstacles or tragedies to come our way. Anything can happen to any of us at any time. That I can promise you. A family member can come down with a terminal or debilitating illness and either with insurance or without insurance bills add up. A car accident can suddenly put one of your family members into a coma for a long time and they can come out with irreversible brain damage. Again, even though you may have the best of insurance you can lose everything due to medical bills. What if the person that is diagnosed with the medical condition or involved in the accident is the one the medical insurance is under? What if you have insurance and then lose that insurance? You are then with the millions of others without medical insurance. So many people are willing to stand against EVERYONE without insurance saying they don’t want their money going to pay for people without insurance but yet these people fighting against those without medical insurance don’t know the stories of these individuals without insurance. They think they do. They think they are all people that have never worked a day in their lives, don’t plan to and just live off the system, thanks to the tax payers!


Meanwhile, plenty of the people at those rallies didn’t have health insurance. Many people right next to those people at their jobs making plenty of money to be able to buy their own insurance didn’t have health insurance. Why? A lot of people don’t think they need it. While people at low paying jobs who are thought not to have insurance do have insurance because their company offers it and the employees understand the importance. You see, you can’t judge a person unless you not only know the person but you know the circumstances. So it is best just not to judge. My belief is that insurance is a right. Insurance should be available to everyone. Every company should be able to afford to offer health insurance to their employees and the employees should be able to afford to buy it. If health insurance was seen as a human right and a basic necessity, it wouldn’t be something our representatives could argue over for a year holding up a bill getting signed into law. It wouldn’t be something people fought over while people were getting sicker and dying. That tends to get overlooked or it is looked at and not cared about as though, these sick and dying ones are different than the ones that hold their insurance cards in their hands. They have a card that says they can live, for now.




So, you see I get motivated by both inspiration and anger but anger doesn’t make me go and do something that isn’t going to solve anything. Anger doesn’t make me do something that is going to hold back another person from moving forward in their life. Anger isn’t going to get me to do anything that will hold someone back from getting what they need to live a full and happy life. No.

I have been inspired to do everything in my power to see that I leave this world better than I found it.

I have been inspired to help someone who is down.

I have been inspired to think of a solution instead of dwelling on the problem.

I have been inspired to look past the differences and see the likenesses.

I have been inspired to not only dream but to soar with the possibilities.

I have been inspired to not only see what can be done now but to inspire others that will go on long after my time is over.

“The purpose of life is a life of purpose”. Robert Byrne

Arizona is just the beginning…. Watch Out!

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Has Arizona’s crime problem come to the point they need to take the law into their own hands? That is the question. That is not the only thing really going on here though. There is so much more under the surface of what is going on. This is like a long line of dominoes and the longer “Arizona” is able to continue lining up those dominoes without having a stop put to it before they all fall down, the worse the situation can get.

Let me explain.

Arizona is saying their biggest problem is the border and the immigrants, actually the illegal immigrants coming across that border. It can’t be denied the illegal immigration is a problem and what the United States has done to this point hasn’t been working. The question here is what is Arizona’s reason behind this law? What are their future plans? What comes after this law has been in effect for a while? Read on.

Governor Jan Brewer signed the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, otherwise known as Arizona SB1070 on April 23, 2010.  If you haven’t read the law, I urge you to do so. Not to get a negative or positive opinion of it but the knowledge of what the law says and stands for. Most people are hearing about the law, talking about the law but haven’t read the law.

Certain parts can be explained about the law, for example; the law says a person can only be asked for their identification if they have been pulled over in a traffic incident or are already doing something wrong but if you read the law closely, parts of it are directed toward a certain group of laborers as well. These laborers are most always immigrant laborers, legal or illegal. It is directed. It is also directed at those that will be in the country over 30 days whether visiting or on a study visa or there for whatever reason, they have to register (which I am fine with that) and have their I.D. on them at all times. If for whatever reason they are with someone or in a situation and they are asked for that I.D. and they don’t have it, then they risk being arrested? Let me point out that this is for anyone that looks fits the image they are saying could be an illegal immigrant. This person could be a fourth or fifth generation U.S. Citizen. You can look Hispanic and not even be Hispanic. You can be Hispanic and not even look Hispanic. You see the loopholes here?

The idea here for Arizona, they say, is to find illegal immigrants but they haven’t said how they are going to handle the people that just don’t walk around with their I.D. Think about it. If you look like who they are looking for which in this case is “Illegal Mexicans” and I don’t get that either because Mexico itself has citizens that have diverse look? I don’t know, I guess Arizona’s government and police know who they are looking for. However, in either traveling or living how many times do you go places without your I.D.? Well, legal or not, you better make sure you have it on you in Arizona or just don’t visit Arizona.

The second problem is this. The Arizona Governor is making it sound like the majority of crime is being caused by the same people they are hoping to “root out” by this law. So, she makes it sound like these are ruthless individuals, gangs and members of drug cartels. Could this not be something that could turn out to be dangerous and violent for the police and the citizens of Arizona? What happens if something occurs during one of these situations where an officer is trying to prove immigration status? Someone reaches in their shirt or pocket for their I.D. and an officer thinks they are pulling out a weapon and shoots the individual? Then come to find out, the person had no weapon and was actually a Mexican-American Citizen with no weapon? What is the next step? Have they already thought ahead to a worse-case-scenario? If I have thought of this, they must have. It is their state and the safety of their citizens they say. Mind you, their citizens include Mexican immigrants that have lived there for generations. Their safety alongside everyone else’s is the priority of this law, is it not? What would be the next step? How would they make it more clear or visible who is a legal immigrant or an illegal immigrant? You know “safer” for everyone involved. That is what Arizona is after, right? Are they going to ask for anyone that looks Hispanic to wear their I.D. around their neck? This is beginning to sound a little familiar. But, I can see it going there just by the way things would be playing out in the different case-scenarios. They aren’t really too far off base to me. I mean it is a touchy situation for everyone involved when you put it in a State Government’s hands.

At this moment many Hispanics are saying they don’t want to go into Arizona to visit due to the new law and others are moving out due to this new law going into effect. At the same time, the attention this law has brought about has had its own “Silver Lining” according to one News Article that points out how some Mexicans are seeing a group of Americans standing up against the SB1070 law including President Obama. The numbers go both ways with a large group of Americans supporting the law and other Americans standing against the law. This has definitely been something that has seemed to “draw a line in the sand” when it comes to debating how people feel when it comes to immigration reform laws.

As far as politicians, this is like Hot Potato. Some want to jump on board and go with one idea and others don’t want anything to do with it especially now with elections so close. Although Republican Barry Wong, a candidate for the Arizona Corporation Commission, an elected body that decides public utility issues came up with an idea of cutting electricity, water, natural gas, even telephone lines at the homes of illegal immigrants, he said it would lower costs for the rest of the state’s customers.

The idea of taking away basic necessities from someone, even kids is something I can’t personally see anyone thinking would further their political career but how dare someone believe that is even remotely okay something like that when it comes to human rights? Cutting electricity and water wouldn’t be acceptable in a third world country. Has it come to that? Really?
Senator Russell Pearce, a Republican of Mesa Arizona says he wants to see the SB 1070 law mirrored across the U.S. He wants it to be the law of the land. He is working with representative in 18 other states to draft the legislation.

“It will be the law of the land,” Pearce said to a few hundred participating in a support rally for SB1070. “We’re not waiting on Washington, D.C.” He is backed by the Tea Party Movement.

Arizona’s immigration law makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally.

Arizona’s Border is more than Mexico. First and simply, Arizona borders Mexico, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. That is geographically and visibly obvious. Whoever wants to come and go from those states is free to do so and whoever is in Arizona is free to come and go into those states. But Arizona is part of the U.S. and whatever goes on inside of Arizona affects all of the United States and all of its Citizens and it is having a great deal of affect on Mexico’s citizens. This is something that has been shown through not only our history but the history of the world. It is not always what you are doing but how you go about your actions.

Certainly there has been a problem with border control. Both the Mexican government and our government see that. Certainly things need to happen to fix that and it needs to have happened already, a long time ago. That is not the fault of the citizens of Arizona. That is not the fault of children that have been born here to parents that were here without their legal status. Arizona is also trying to turn over or rewrite the 14th Amendment of the Constitution.

14th Amendment: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

This isn’t the first mention of changing a part of the U.S. Constitution or not agreeing with a very important part of our U.S. History and what we have fought for which is freedom and equality for all. If you remember just recently, Rand Paul’s speaking about the 1964’s Civil Rights Act.  First he stated that he believed private businesses should be able to say who they serve and do not serve but in an interview with Robert Siegel of All Things Considered on National Public Radio he states, “And to tell you the truth, I haven’t really read all through it because it was passed 40 years ago and hadn’t been a real pressing issue in the campaign, on whether we’re going for the Civil Rights Act.” What? How old is the U.S. Constitution? Is it just old material? Invalid? These documents have been fought for and are there for more than just a simple reason to be glanced at when someone gets a chance. Rand Paul thinks that the Civil Rights Act needs to be changed but hasn’t read it?

This is something that is new for a large group that we keep hearing from more and more these days. A group making a lot of noise and wanting to say how wrong things are going and how nothing is happening in Washington D.C. and the only way to fix it is to listen to them and get them in there so they can fix it. Once everybody hears their message and joins their rallies, follows their movement then things will go the right way. Finally things will work out. They have been saying that on and on for a long time on their news network, at their rallies, at their Tea Party Movements and yet they held office for eight years and left a mess. Now they want to say they have the answers and for everyone to move aside?

I mentioned earlier about the dominoes lining up and the longer they are allowed to line them up, the worse it gets. Well, that is what is going on in Washington. There are a lot of excuses as to why nothing can happen but why? There is a big need for Immigration Reform, right? Everyone knows that. It is not a simple problem. Who is making the most noise about it? The Republican Party. Who is blocking the progress on not only that but nearly anything that tries to get moved through the House and the Senate? Why is that? What are they waiting for? Again, they had eight years to get things done. How did Immigration Reform go during that time? Was the border safe then? Did this all just now start? If this is a problem, why can’t the Republican Party work with the current administration in the White House? Isn’t this for the good of the American people? Isn’t that what they are elected for? Or, is Arizona’s government doing this for political gain and the Republican Party doing this for political gain? Who is working for the American people? Even if they want political gain out of the situation, I am sure their constituents will see they were part of getting something done if they could do so without all the fuss. If they could make common sense speeches as to why Immigration Reform needs to move forward and how it will benefit the country and how it will benefit the country for both parties to work together to get the job done.

Like I said, Arizona borders more than Mexico. I talked about the physical border but this isn’t just about Arizona. Crime is everywhere in the U.S. Crime is not caused by a person’s nationality or their location. It is caused by the person. The person chooses to commit the crime. Many crimes are hate crimes. I talked about this in an earlier article, “Are you the “right” color?” Please click on the link and read the article. It is a very worthwhile article to read. It goes along with and discusses the problem in Arizona as well.

America is a great country, with a big land that was founded with many dreams. It seems that what America has been built on is falling right through our cracks. Those are our freedoms, our desire to grow and expand, to learn and invent and to leave behind something better than we found.

Our country has been run with a government from the beginning of its founding. It is our job to elect that government and in doing so we also elect to work with that government. When there are Bills in the House or the Senate continuously not getting passed due to party lines and this is the person you have voted for, it is time for you to rethink your vote. This is why things don’t happen in Washington D.C. This is where the things get bogged down. We are going to watch it with the Immigration Reform Act. This is where you matter, you make the difference. You make a choice. It isn’t your party, it is your vote.

What else is in our control? Arizona is not alone. Arizona isn’t at the top of the list for crime. Immigrants aren’t the reason crime has risen in the U.S. While the government is working on immigration, there is far more that needs attention.

In an article, “That’s how a lot of these shootings happen…over nothing” a former high school teacher in Chicago points out how abundant guns were in his school. In Chicago the Supreme Court ruled June 28th the ban on guns was unconstitutional. The teacher states how abundantly gun availability is and the students admit having to walk away from a hand fight knowing what it will lead to. It is a city basically held hostage to the knowledge of how many people are walking around with guns. They aren’t anywhere near a border.
What is your biggest fear? Who do you try to protect? Do you appreciate your freedoms?

Have you read the U.S. Constitution? Does it bother you that politicians would like to change it? Right now the parts they have mentioned trying to change may not affect you but what if they want to change something that does affect you? Then what? If one part can be changed, then another part can. I spoke about that also in the previous article I mentioned, “Are you the “right” color?” When you are talking about one person’s rights being taken away, you are also talking about the ability of your own rights being taken away.

So much of what I see going on in our nation today makes me think of what has gone on throughout our world in history. I keep asking myself how people can’t see the resemblance of past world horrors that can be repeated. I wrote a rather long article, “Will history repeat itself?” I always think that people would recognize something that would be so obviously similar before things would happen but this situation in Arizona and the fact that other states want to copy the law is just something that people are brushing off but it isn’t something that should be taken so lightly. People become desensitized to what is often hidden racism. It can be labeled as “law enforcement….safe neighborhood act” but it is what it is when it isn’t looking out for a person’s civil rights and human rights. People need to step back and put themselves in the shoes of others.

Stand up and get the representatives in Washington D.C. to do their job, stop hiding behind their party lines and vote to pass the Immigration Reform Act. Don’t leave it to the states to make up their own laws, their own rules and start trying to make changes to our Constitution. They don’t want Washington to work the way it is supposed to. They want it to continue to fail so they can continue to beat the same dead horse and tear this Nation apart piece by piece. Don’t vote in people that aren’t willing to work in Washington but want to just make their own rules and laws and tear apart our U.S. Constitution, our Land, our People and our Freedoms. Today you may be on one side of those rights they are taking away but tomorrow you may be on the other side.

What Divides Our Nation?

7 Replies

July 1, 2010

Is God merely being used for convenience or religion being as an excuse for intolerance?

More and more it seems God and religion are being pushed away but just as much the Bible is being used to back up laws and arguments but yet it is thrown out when it goes against a bill, group or even a campaign effort that is no longer desired. The same people that are standing up and using the Word of God as an argument are acting out in hatred toward anyone that does not act or live according to their beliefs which goes contrary to what the Bible, they claim to live by, teaches.

Before I decided to write this blog, I looked up different articles, news stories, blogs, past and present references and there were plenty of instances that are not only proof of this but also speak on just this subject. So, I find that I am not alone in how I feel. This blog is not something that I am going to back up with a lot of facts or dates in history. There will obviously be some but this is something I have wanted to touch on and write for quite some time.

If you watch the news, go to church, work alongside people of faith or of no faith, or if you go to school, the facts are alongside you every day. Most of the people around you are willing to tell you how they feel, what they think, what they “know”, etc. People will give you statistics, historical data, books to read, quote Bible verses, even bring you things they have printed out to make sure you see their reasoning is factual, at least that it makes more sense than the “other side”. But why is it always more necessary to prove the other side wrong? If things make so much sense, can they not speak for themselves? Why does everyone feel the need to be so “in your face”, “100% right”, “my way or no way” all the time?

Like I said, this is going to be an opinion blog by me. So, for that reason I am sticking to what I have been confronted with and how I feel. I urge you to comment and share your thoughts or what you have been confronted with and how you feel. You may or may not feel comfortable with that but, feel free.

First of all, let me put out some facts. I am a Christian. I am a registered Republican. This is the first time I voted for the Democratic Candidate. I am very much someone who follows the campaigns, the debates, the town hall meetings, does my research on the voting history, etc. I am not a person that gets caught up in all the forwarded emails, the negative publicity that goes around or the fact of which candidate is running under which party. I don’t vote for a party, I vote for a President. IF my candidate of choice doesn’t win (which has happened in the past), I support the elected President and I do as I would if the Candidate I chose had won, I keep our President and our Country in continued prayer. I am not someone that is only concerned about our country during the Presidential elections, I always keep up with what is going on. That is how I feel it should be. Know the facts. Know the person. Know the laws. But, never think you know it all. You can’t.

Yes, I keep the Country, our President, our troops, our world and a lot of things in daily prayer. I believe in prayer. I don’t just believe in prayer when I need something. I also believe in prayer for giving thanks as well. If you know anything about me, I have had many things to pray for in times of need but also many times to give thanks.

This takes me to one of my points, something continuously brought up and often times I wonder if people realize the history behind the words on our money. The words, “In God We Trust” first appeared on our paper currency after being passed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on July 30, 1956. He declared In God We Trust the national motto of the United States. Congress had required, in the previous year that the words appear on all currency, as a Cold War measure: “In these days when imperialistic and materialistic Communism seeks to attack and destroy freedom, it is proper” to “remind all of us of this self-evident truth” that “as long as this country trusts in God, it will prevail.”

The words “IN GOD WE TRUST” did not come lightly. There is quite a history behind those words and our Country. The law Dwight D. Eisenhower signed in July of 1956 was done so after 90 years of inscribing “In God We Trust” on our coins a centuries old heritage of recognizing God’s sovereignty in our Nation’s affairs. It was the establishment of our Nation.

The next two points I am going to put together although they are really big points depending on who is looking at them. Depending on your age, you may or may not remember when it was okay for schools to have prayers said or passages from the Bible read in school. Whether or not you or your parents were religious or not, it was something that was okay to do. Now the fact that it could happen seems almost like an atrocity to some people. How dare they violate mine or someone else’s rights? Well, mind you just like they took that out of schools they have also taken a long list of books out of schools. Enough complaints come in, things go out. Either it can be in the name of religion or in the name of someone’s “rights”, one way or the other, things get done. It just depends what side of the aisle you are on as to whether or not you agree with it. When it comes to prayer in school, as far as I am concerned, I find it comforting at times. Let’s say a classmate has gone missing in the community (that has happened with me) or a classmate has suddenly died tragically (that has happened to me). Let’s say that missing student is found dead or let’s say that the school had one or more of its students come in and go crazy with guns?? What if a suicide happens on the school campus? What is appropriate then? Who makes the rules for times like those? Do we wait until it happens enough times for there to be statistics to go by or a congressional hearing to make a decision for us? Everything is not always cut and dry, black and white. Every community is different. Every school is different. Every situation is different.

In 1963 school prayer was the focus of Madalyn Murray O’Hair, a militant left wing atheist with close ties to the American Communist Party, when she filed a lawsuit against the school board of Baltimore. The case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court where the Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 in favor of abolishing school prayer and Bible reading in the public schools. Justice Tom Clark wrote, “Religious freedom, it has long been recognized that government must be neutral and, while protecting all, must prefer none and disparage none.”

I am a very tolerant person to another one’s rights and beliefs. I don’t believe in pushing anything on anyone. I think exclusions should be made for those that do not want to participate. I know as I was growing up in school (during the 70’s and 80’s), nobody was forced to participate in the Pledge or the National Anthem. Although when I was younger, I didn’t understand why they didn’t want to, it wasn’t pushed and I didn’t bug about it. Now I understand their reasoning. That doesn’t mean though that you just stop doing the Pledge or the National Anthem though. You can find a way to work around things. Everyone has to learn tolerance. This is the United States of America. UNITED!

The Pledge of Allegiance:

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

There is a history behind those words. At one time, the part, “Under God” was not in there. Louis A. Bowman was the first to initiate the additional words, “under God” into the pledge. He said they came from Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. On February 12, 1948, he led a meeting as the Chaplain of the Chicago area Sons of the American Revolution and recited the Pledge of Allegiance with the words added, “under God.”

The phrase “under God” was incorporated into the Pledge of Allegiance June 14, 1954, by a Joint Resolution of Congress and signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

So what is the problem? Is it the problem with a large amount of people not wanting to say, “under God”? Well, if they don’t want to say it but allow others to go ahead, then that isn’t the problem. The problem lies in the part just after. “Indivisible” or undivided. That is where the biggest problem lies with so many things these days.

Our Country, the UNITED States of America is so divided. Our Nation is divided. Our government is divided. Our schools are divided. Our workplaces are divided. Our streets are divided. Our families are divided. And over what? What divides us? What drives a wedge between us? Why did it take so long for congress to pass a HEALTHcare Act? Why is it so difficult to see where the problems are with our financial system in our country? Where is our focus? Why is it that elected officials are dragging out jobs while plenty of them are doing things that have nothing to do with what they were hired to do? Where are churches right now?

For a Country that was built on freedom, rights and limiting of the federal government (I am taking this from the US Constitution’s 1st, 6th and 10th Amendments) it appears that people want all of those things but don’t want others to have the same things. One group wants their religious freedoms by taking away another’s religious freedoms. There are huge groups that want to limit the power of the Federal Government but want them there and ready to make laws available to protect any right they come up with or knock down the ability for another’s rights. No secret here… I am talking about the Tea Party Movement. If the Tea Party Movement originally set out to do something positive, make a difference and stand up for something they believe in, it has not come across that way. Maybe to their own group they present themselves in an educated fashion and hold some type of overall point that has yet to be shown. To me and a large group of those on Twitter and Facebook as well as across the Internet, the Tea Party Movement is an unorganized group of people protesting a large number of things but not making any point or any sense for that matter. It was pretty clear where they were headed (or not headed) when they chose Sarah Palin to be their Featured Speaker at their first National Convention in Nashville Tennessee on February 4, 2010.

A good number of Christians have backed up Sarah Palin and what she stands for and many Christians are part of the Tea Party Movement, I stress this though, NOT ALL.

Do you watch Glenn Beck? Have you heard of the 9-12 Project? For a long time Glenn Beck was another one that it seemed so many Christians were following. Again, let me remind you, I am a Christian. I am not a Christian that just blindly follows anyone though. I am not saying if you watch Glenn Beck you are blindly following but I hope you are really paying attention to him, taking a second look at what he is really saying.

The 9-12 Project

9 Principles 12 Values

9 PRINCIPLES

1. America is good.

2. I believe in God and He is the center of my life.

3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.

4. The family is sacred. My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.

5. If you break the law you pay the penalty. Justice is blind and no one is above it.

6. I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.

7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to. Government cannot force me to be charitable.

8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.

9. The government works for me. I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

12 VALUES

Honesty

Reverence

Hope

Thrift

Humility

Charity

Sincerity

Moderation

Hard Work

Courage

Personal Responsibility

Gratitude

Did you read those? Just in reading them I realized they don’t even go together. It seems that when one is uneasy about being “forced” to be charitable, they seem to not have a charitable heart at all. I think that is more being concerned about being taxed but he just didn’t want to say that and sound like a regular GOPer. Better to sound more honest and wholesome. But then he has charity in the values section along with sincerity. Overall the system is anti-government. It doesn’t even go with smaller government, it is anti-government and anti-authority. What is confusing is #1. America is good. If America is good then why is its government bad? Why is its charity bad? And #7 makes Glenn Beck sound like a selfish kid that doesn’t want to share his toys. What about #9, the point of the government working for us and we don’t answer to them? Well, the government does work for the people but since it works for everyone also means that it is there to protect others (i.e. the police department, the courts) so at some point, there could be a time you may be answering to them, literally. Also, there is the I.R.S., the D.M.V., Homeland Security, just to name a few. As much as you want to kick the government away, you also rely on them for your safety and well-being. When 9/11 happened, I didn’t see Glenn Beck pack up to go to war but he loves to insult our Commanders-in-Chief.

It takes a government to run a country. It doesn’t help anything for a bunch of anti-government people to rally around with signs or to go to meetings and stand up shouting and interrupting. It certainly hasn’t made our country any better to have a person getting paid to speak at conventions and meetings where she really has no idea of a set plan other than to go against the current administration and in the meantime make as much money she can wasting legitimate time from what could be, possibly a chance for the GOP party to find a legitimate person to come up with some new ideas.

If they want to complain about our current administration, find someone worthwhile to run. Stop playing games and just cutting down everything in the House and the Senate that is trying to be passed for our Country. This isn’t a game we are playing. It isn’t who has the most points or who is the most popular. It isn’t about poll numbers or who has the lead story in the news. This isn’t about who can kick out the other’s religion or get the other’s rights get taken away.

As I highlighted earlier, this is the UNITED States of America.

United: formed by or resulting from the union of two or more person or things

We are so much different than any other country. That should make us special. As I see it, we should take advantage of a wonderful situation we have been granted. We have the union of many cultures. We have combined influences. We have the combined efforts of many lands, beliefs, roots, educations, backgrounds, and customs. We have people that have been through foreign wars, triumphs, defeats and due to this have come out changed people with either a higher level of tolerance and yes, in some cases a higher level of intolerance. But, with all of this we should build knowledge, bridges and understandings. We should create our own ties and levels of understanding. Of course we should always protect ourselves and the best beginning to protecting ourselves is by being united but that doesn’t mean by cutting off the outside world. Remember, we were the outside world. Our strength comes from who we were and who we are. Our future comes from who we can be and the acknowledgement this requires growth and change from everyone. None of us can say we know it all, we have it all or we have done it all. None of us is better than anyone else. To say that means someone can say that about you. And to believe you don’t have anything left to learn or anything to give is ignorant. We all must learn and we all must give.

As people go around protesting and fighting against those that are different from them or over laws they haven’t even taken the time to read, nothing is getting done. Nothing is moving forward. To say you don’t like our current administration but you have no reliable source to send of your own and your own party can’t get organized to get anything done within the House or the Senate says they are only out to fight and not resolve. If you have a problem, come with a solution.

I asked earlier, where are the churches in all of this?

When I was growing up, churches used to go out on visitations, door to door. Not much of them do that anymore. I think I can guess a few reasons why. Partially, it may be because people are busier now. It may be more difficult to get people that are willing to go out and knock on a door. Fear as to what people may say or do when they answer.

I have seen the way radical Christians have been yelling and screaming at different anti-abortion rallies, tea party rallies, anti-Obama rallies, anti-Health Care rallies and Town hall meetings, etc. The way they were presenting themselves were giving Christians a bad name. People don’t look at Christians in different groups. They don’t see Radical or non-radical Christians. They see Christians yelling and screaming holding up signs and acting like a bunch of judgmental and hateful people. I personally don’t want to fall into that group. I don’t use God’s name or being a Christian as an excuse to throw away tolerance but instead I believe in being kind and respectful of others. That doesn’t mean I must toss my morals and beliefs out the window and just join everyone either. I find a medium ground without losing my morals or demeaning them or being rude and disrespectful.

Acting out that way doesn’t seem very Christian like. If a Christian wants to share Christ with someone, the best way to do that is through their actions. This is one of the biggest moments I can think of where actions definitely speak louder than words. Being a Christian is to be an example of Christ.

As much as America was built on religious freedoms, more and more people want freedom from religion. It is as though God is there for a need-to-use basis. An example of this was on 9/11. When that horrible act of terrorism happened, churches were filled. I mean think about it. Everything that people held sacred had been stripped away in a single moment. People didn’t think that could happen. There are going to be people that say they knew it was coming but overall the majority of people felt stripped that day and the place many sought refuge was church and each other.

When bad things happen, people turn to God. Some people hate God when something bad happens or a loved one is lost but still, they turn to God.

How sacred does this Country really hold God? How important are certain words? I mean is it the words or is it the sentiment? Is it the fact of who says it or is it something else? Is God merely being used?

I know where I stand. I am not here to judge anyone personally. But I am talking about in our Country, our Government, in our Political Parties? How far has it gone?

I will leave it with this.

What would happen if President Obama had a meeting with a group of 5th graders and the beginning of their meeting started with the Pledge of Allegiance. I mean, he is the President of the United States of America, the Commander in Chief of U.S. Military. So it goes like this, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

No “under God.”

Think people have a problem with President Obama now? What then?

Or, what would happen if Congress put forward a Bill to remove those words from the Pledge of Allegiance? Then, where would people stand? Would it make a difference if Congress was pushing this instead of our President leaving out the words?

Is it the words being left out, the person who is leaving out the words, or a law that would be removing the words permanently?

Or is it God? Would it be different to know that our Country, our Nation is deliberately and decisively choosing to leave God out?