Getting Rid of the Battle Flag

They're removing all of the Battle Flag of the Confederacy from Walmart. Wonderful! Governor Nilli Haley is calling for the flag in question to be removed from the capital grounds of South Carolina. Great! Personally I applaud the actions as the Confederate Battle Flag to me represents an attitude of defiance and war against the United States of America. Those who enjoy the freedom to display it often try to tell us that this flag is a statement of pride in southern heritage. We know that to be no more than a bucket of hogwash. The purpose of that flag was then to lead Rebel soldiers into battle against Union soldiers. One of the favorite sayings throughout the south has been, “the south shall rise again.” You see, to many in the south, the war between the states has never ended.

There's something else about that heritage thing that bothers me. There are an awful lot of “good ole boys” in the north who seem to want to claim that southern heritage thing who have never set foot south of the celebrated Mason/Dixon line. They and their ancestors not having any ties at all to the south but still think it's “cool” to wave what they want to call the Stars and Bars. Right there, their lack of knowledge of what that flag truly represents. The Battle Flag and the Stars and Bars are two totally different flags. The Stars and Bars was the nickname for The First National Flag of The Confederacy which had a field of blue with seven stars placed in a circle and three bars, two red and one white. Later they added more stars as other states joined the confederacy. If these people wish to claim the heritage argument, they should at least fly or display the proper flag.

The battle flag represents a war. It was the standard the south fought under to in order to preserve there customs which included the enslavement of Africans who were brought here against their will. Sold to slavers on the African side of the Atlantic and resold for profit when they reached the American side. Everything about that flag to me stinks of the endorsement of slavery and the belief that those black people are inferior to us white ones. Another bucket of hogwash!

So I ask, what good will it do when we hide this picture the represents racism? Will it change how bigots think? I don't think so. Will it change how bigots act? To me, that is a possibility. Most probably, the actions of those who would act upon their racism will feel justified to do so because their precious symbol is being taken away from them. Like little kids, when you tell them NO, that's exactly what they want to do. The good ole boys who don't really know no better are not a problem. It's those that have truly poisoned minds that are dangerous.

Again, I applaud Walmart and Governor Haley for their move to change things but it is not going to cure the deep seated racism that is still quite alive in our country.

They Bathe Themselves In Drama

How I love people who live to hate and bathe themselves in the drama of constant confrontation. Their greatest enjoyment is generally making others to feel miserable. The truth is that they are miserable and can't stand to see others enjoying any portion of life. They then take it upon themselves as their life's mission to deliver equality to the human race by bringing others down to their level low self esteem. Seems to me to be the wrong direction but at the same time, it also seems as the natural progression of things. We've all heard the saying that one bad apple spoils the whole bunch. It's true, you put a rotting apple into a bag with an apple that is at the perfect ripeness and watch them. The good apple just has no effect on the rotting one and the rotting apple quickens the aging of the ripe one.

Here's the thing, negative people have a stronger effect on positive people than the positive person can have on the negative person. I used the words before, it's true! Watch their attitudes when they get together, their conversation will bend to the negative side in no time. Complaints will eventually flow from both people. It's the nature of things! It may seem to be the wrong direction for enjoying ones life but is what it is. Surround yourself with negative and that is exactly what you become.

Last week I was on the golf course after we had had four and a half inches of rain. So many seemed to look at the course as far too wet (what were they doing there then) to play. Me, I found a better way to look at it. I love the game, it is an out of doors sport, you gotta accept the weather and if I am going to go out and play, dammit, I am going to find a way to enjoy myself. The course they found to be wet, I found to be receptive. It was the same course with the same moisture content, yeah my feet got wet but my positive viewpoint made my round enjoyable while they, with their negative viewpoints were disappointed in their day on the course.

Back to the people who love to hate. These folks show up all the time in the comment sections of articles across the internet. Most of them using some fictitious made up name (sometimes of famous people they picture themselves as) thanking the internet gods for the anonymity it offers them. (Allowed consent to bully and bash others.) You would swear that if you turned your opinion to match theirs, they would change their stance immediately on whatever subject is being discussed. They are there to argue and the more people continue to respond to them, the better they like it. Confrontation is their main meal, they eat it up like popcorn in a crowded theater.

Facts, they are definitely not keen on these as they ruin more arguments for them than they can stand. Once presented these people will quite often resort to calling names, a most adult direction in dealing with others during a disagreement. The attitude of today's society has moved so far away from common decency that being polite is almost frowned upon. (Fight or die Bruh, fight or die.)

It's long past time and maybe it has become a little too late to return peace to the valley, but I for one am going to keep on trying.

Go forth and be a positive example to others. Try building up rather than tearing down. You'll be amazed at what good it will do others and your own level of self esteem. I'm tellin' ya, you'll feel great about yourself.

Peace Bruh! 

  

The Donald

Ah, The Donald! Wonderful fellow he is. Claims that he will be able to save the country if we let him lead us by electing him to The Presidency of The United States of America. He says that he will be the utmost best “jobs president” our country has ever seen by bringing business' home from China and Japan along with many other nations to create jobs here at home. Of course this is while he has his own clothing line being manufactured in China and Bangladesh.

Mr. Trump of course must be the perfect man to lead our economy as well. He does seem to have a knack at creating companies which of course will create more jobs. Four of those times, The Donald has been able to declare bankruptcy and escape with little to no negative effect on his personal bank account. The man seems to be extremely good at running a duck and run game plan when that strategy is needed.

Speaking of that personal bank account though, he was not so successful at guarding it from Ivana and Marla. Two wives that learned all about the best of Mr. Trump, and of course the worst as well. He's on his third wife now and one can only wonder when she will be given the royal treatment that the other two have received. Being cheated on with other women while married has spoke volumes about his loyalty and character.

I absolutely love his position on immigration. He just recently in his announcement told the nation that immigration is ruining our country and is the death knell (my words) of the middle class. Seems that his grandparent immigrated and that his mother was from Scotland. That old saying, it takes one to know one, I guess he's got a right to talk about immigration as he truly is a product of it. By the way, has anybody seen his long form birth certificate? They say it was Queens, New York but I don't know it could have actually been Queensland, Australia. This is something that really needs to be looked into if he is going to be considered for the presidency.

Yes, the man knows how to make money while driving a business into the ground. He knows the reason for our floundering economy while doing business overseas. He knows all about women, their needs and place in society as his multiple marriages can attest to. Oh and one other thing, he knows how to switch political parties when the wind changes direction.

We Have Met The Enemy

There he is, good 'ol Uncle Sam pointing at me telling me that he wants me to stop being afraid of of other Americans, religions, classes, nations and speaking out. Saying that we are Americans, act like it.

Kinda funny when you consider that it has been our government that has been doing their utmost best at keeping us on the edge of panic concerning other nations. The fear mongering concerning other religions is coming from our churches, especially from the evangelical fundamentalist Christian side of the house. The department of Homeland Security with their terror alert does not seem foster any confidence in the people of our nation that all that money that goes into our military complex is doing anything to keep us safe at home.

Don't be afraid, but that is the very direction of emotional travel they point to us as where we should be living our lives. I remember back to the 9/11 episode where immediately after the twin towers came down, the pentagon was flown into and the passengers forced the terrorists to fly the last of the three planes into the ground rather than taking out another target. The very next day the skies were empty of planes and it stayed that way for a week or so. Yes, it may have been necessary in a need for security of our airways but my emotion was such that our freedom was taken away that day and has yet to actually been returned. Our government on that day told us that we were Americans and that we should continue living our lives as normal while they shut down. Our leaders that day chose to protect their own back sides by closing down as to not be a target while telling the population to get out there in plain sight and keep the country moving. There was too much money to be lost if the the people themselves all of a sudden stopped working and purchasing the products of the wealthy businessmen.

The following weeks and months brought us to a point that all citizens became and were treated as suspects of terrorism. The patriot act was born and our basic right to privacy was attacked by our own government in the stated need of security of our country. Ben Franklin said “Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.” We all look at Ben Franklin as one of our founding fathers and an important member of a group that helped us establish a nation that people of others nations respected the freedoms that were offered to its citizens, who knew he was also a prophet. He sure seemed to hit that nail on the head when he made that statement, because here we are in that exact place. Trading liberty for security!

The fourth amendment to the constitution reads “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

The Patriot Act violated the constitution when I put a blanket warrant over all communication in this nation. The replacement USA Freedom Act hasn't really changed a thing. Today we live in a country where the government feels no loyalty to the constitution that they vowed to protect and defend against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

We have met the enemy and he is US !!!!!!!!!

Shepherds and Drovers

Leaders, shepherds are leaders but drovers no, not really.

Drovers push cattle from behind. The cattle do not consider them part of the herd. While driving the herd, they must have additional outriders to keep the herd together. It seems to me to be a terribly stressful time for the cattle and they learn only respect the whip rather than the cowboy.

Now shepherds on the other hand seem to have the respect of the flock. That staff that is historically carried has always been for the protection of the sheep and not to drive them forward. It's there for protection, to hold the wolves at bay so to speak. They follow because of that respect and the peace that is associated with him.

The biggest difference between leaders and those who are simply “in charge” is how they treat their flock, herd or people. Leaders are part of the whole while those in charge often make it a point to consider themselves above the rest.

Why do we do this?

People today

seem to go out of their way

in sharing the say

of those who say nay.

Then in protest they post

on this internet host

as an attempt then to roast

they go and share coast-to-coast.

The drivel and filth of the bitter.

There it is, that picture that just sets us off. A young man holding a burning flag, those girls standing upon it as it lies on the ground not to mention tea party member displaying it up-side-down. That's right, number three disrespects our flag every bit as much as numbers one and two. Each of these displays are there for one reason, to garner attention to the people in these pictures as they feel that they have something important to say. Though the law allows these displays of what is being sold as free speech and it really doesn't matter who it comes from, the misuse of the flag for purposes unintended will provoke somebody and often to the edge of violence.

When we see these images, what do we do?

We give them the attention they seek, what else. We protest their actions by displaying them for all to see with words written over their picture to tell folks just how terrible the action or statement is, and then tell others to share this picture. Wake up folks, you've just given them exactly what they've been wanting. Your attention and their message being shared with more people. If you want to protest their negative perspective on life in these United States of America, do it with a positive message rather than further circulating what you consider to be an anti American display. Promote the U. S. of A. rather than share that which is designed to tear it down.