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Tag Archives: As I see It

That’s Just The Way It Is!


The recent Colin Kaepernick discussion has again brought the issue of Race to light. I have had several discussions with folks who have not looked at the whole issue. The acceptance of sound bites and headlines appears to be commonplace these days so the backstories (as it were) are lost . Mr. Kaepernick’s protest is legitimate and not well understood by anyone who has never recognized or experienced racial discrimination. This is not to say that Racial disparity  stops at color but it does allow for a discussion of the issue and how it affects everyone. To get to the back story: The writer of “the Star spangled Banner” was a slave  owner and was concerned over the slaves going over to the British as they were treated better than their owners treated them and they were free. The third Stanza which I have posted below tells a story in itself:

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore, That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion A home and a Country should leave us no more? Their blood has wash’d out their foul footstep’s pollution. No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave, And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.  

The real issue is that America has still a long way to go as far as Race relations and we have allowed our leaders to continue the propagation of this divide. Mr. Trump has done a masterful job with his rhetoric and I believe does not realize what he is doing. Many Americans (all races) are dissatisfied with the Government but still vote along Racial lines in many cases because it’s easier to hate than to learn about the people they elect. Many of us have become addicted to “reality” shows that in truth are not everyone’s reality and feel that life is like that. If better government is what desired by Americans then reading up on what Congress, State and local elected officials are doing and pay little attention to what they say. Remember to examine the pieces rather than the whole if you want the truth! That’s just the way it is does not have to be.

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Not As Sharp As We Need To Be


The election has brought us many diverse looks and opinions. I am still confused as to why so many smart people cannot see this election clearly. We have two damaged contenders but still one (1) is a better choice regardless of party backing. So many are complaining about change in Government but when that opportunity was available not enough supported the changes. We were so caught up (and still are) in buzzwords, sound bites and catch phrases to see what the real issues were (and are). Our long serving Congress and the well-known pundits decried the Affordable Care Act (Obama care) and scared people away from it, now the system is failing from lack of participation while damaging the people who are covered. There is always the “We” in speeches and conversation but the “We” is actually “I” in most cases. We have been subverted by the very people we follow and trust to be honest. While we have been busy hearing the correct sounding phrases and speeches the real information is hidden like  old clothes in an attic. It is time to clean out the attic and decide which of these less than perfect candidates has the ability to do the job. My personal choice is H and not T primarily because she is better equipped to do it because of a relationship with the rest of the world. Keep in mind that Europe and Asia is watching and a T presidency will hurt us for years to came. It is well to remember that you have an opportunity to make changes in the Congress which is more critical than the Presidency (since the Congress will set the tone for any future progress on anything the country does). To be a better voter clean out the clutter and find the real facts

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We Do It Anyway


Why is it that we do things against all odds? We consistently create problems for ourselves that by all  measures of rationality we should be able to avoid. Even with the information available on the tool we use for entertainment on a daily basis (internet), we ignore information that could prove to be our salvation in some cases and helpful in others. There are back stories on our politics and policies, there are stories on the best and worst vehicles to buy, household goods and how to avoid being ripped off. Of course there are tons of ads from unscrupulous sources but a little judicious reading will weed those out (if you looking for a company avoid the listings that clearly have the word “AD” in the address line, these are not  company websites. There are no specific laws against those type of listings but there are alerts and those alerts exist in each one of us. The old saying “Caveat emptor” still applies and is more  important now. In spite of this post and other warnings on these deceptive practices-we do it anyway . The recent dustup over a QB’s refusal to stand for the national anthem is another instance of under informed people making a big deal over nothing. What if the American Revolution was covered in modern times? Our history would be one of constant turmoil among the races, religions and the native Americans who we stole from. Given our written history in spite of the errors of omission and commission we have done OK as a country. Our failure has been in our trust in the words of our leaders (primarily the long serving ones). We have come to depend too much on what we are told without investing time in vetting the content or the back story of that content. We have to stop doing it anyway.

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Once We Get There


When this election is over and done, no matter who wins, the US will not be the same. If we have a Trump Presidency, there will major changes but not what supporters expect. The current Congress will only allow what they want to be done and any thing that will negatively the “party” will be slow walked if not outright killed. The above statement could also apply to Hillary Clinton. Apparently Mr. Trump is so sure that he is a better non political leader that his programs will be enacted in the first 100 days of his Presidency. To be sure he may have some limited success but his followers will soon learn his agenda will fall on rough times and will not be as enforceable as they think. It is unfortunate that so many disenfranchised people have jumped on the Trump mobile but think about where  or what these folks could accomplish by simply putting their biases aside and get facts about other Americans. Many of their shared ideas are based on Antebellum information about non white Americans. Americans all have the same problems no matter what color they are, what religion they follow and who they associate with. Our government in general has been in turmoil for years but  we had no access to the issues except by news papers or radio, then TV came along and information got easier to get. When the electronic age arrived information was immediate (not always correct but fast). Even with this information readily available many of us would rather listen to someone selling  snake oil  since it sounds good. Suppose we didn’t trust everything the government tells us, would we then read  or investigate to find the facts? Probably not but we still vote people in who continue the same practices that do nothing of merit for all of us. In the 50’s we had Senator McCarthy with his madness, we supported the Shah of Iran in his devastation of his country (that has haunted us to this day), we went into Vietnam for a loss and now we have a demagogue aspiring to be President. We may never have a perfect nation but we can have the one promised and allowed by our Constitution (if we want it). Once we get there the worst will be over but some problems will still exist but they will be manageable.

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Let The Voters Beware


This election season should show if nothing else that we as voters need to cease immediately to give away or voting power to the groups we join or follow. You do not have to join any group to decide who you should vote for. Stand on you own and vote your own mind! These candidates, their parties and the associated groups and factions while saying they do, do not necessarily speak for you. Their purpose is together as many members as possible along with donations to further their own agendas. There are no groups who have your entire interest at heart, what they do is to pick a topic that will rile you up the most and beat you over the head with it. Once you have been indoctrinated , they continue with THEIR agenda. The following words need to be your motto: “any subject that does not contribute to society as a whole is not good for me”. If the statements made sound a bit off run the other way. No matter what race you are in America we all in this together and what affects just one of us affects us all even if it doesn’t hit us immediately. There should never have to be a group that protects one segment of the american voters, these groups serve to divide us and keep us from the truth of their agendas-this includes the Congress of the United States who if the truth were known would turn out to be the worst of all the fear mongers and dividers. The old Latin phrase :caveat emptor should be read as let the voters beware! (et in electorum cav).

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Have Extremists Infiltrated Law Enforcement?


The idea has been floated that extremists such as skin heads, and other radical groups have infiltrated law enforcement in parts of the Country. This may or may not be true but given the string of deaths at the hands of Law enforcement officers around the country it is a conclusion that could be easily reached. There could be much talk about this if the idea were reported in the mainstream media but fortunately it has not . It is presumed that most if not all Law enforcement departments around the country have a screening process to preclude the hiring of people with radical views towards non white citizens. It is possible that a few radicals could be working in law enforcement in that years ago before the screening processes changed it was normal for members of radical hate groups to routinely join law enforcement and “ply their trade”. These members were wide spread over the U.S. and not just the South. The recent spate of “so called” hate crimes by law enforcement has re invigorated that line of thought. Considering law enforcement as a system of society, it’s function is to serve and protect but that protection extends to the serving officers too. Many law enforcement agencies have had to make changes in their vetting processes due to issues within their ranks. It is possible that their methodology needs to change or something new put in place but most of us agree something needs to be done. As in any issue involving public safety, the entire community needs to be involved. It is incumbent on the citizens (in and out of law enforcement) to get past the issues of them against us and make common sense  guidelines that would benefit all.

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He Who Will Not Be named


The seemingly unending gaffes, distortions and out right lies of one Presidential contender as garnered all of the news. These inexplicable utterances have excited people to the point of insanity. Despite what reasonable people think, there are those who feel the candidate speaks for them or says what they are thinking and want to say. There is the fringe members of this group who feel that the Government is at fault and especially since the current White House resident is not like them. They are the dangers in America and potentially the home-grown terrorists. Each country in the world has their own homegrown terrorists but the wider world had not heard about it until the advent of social media. Returning to “He Who Will Not Be Named” this individual in my opinion had no intention of being in this contest this long and is apparently trying hard to get out but his supporters apparently do not see the bigger picture. His supporters are the folks who believe they are correct in their beliefs since their ancestors arrived in America, devastated the Native American economy in the name of God, stole people from Africa and held them hostage for hundreds of years. These supporters are the same people who believe anything that shows up on social media as true (the more sensational, the better). Our political parties have created these mindsets by following and perpetrating the “white/black” myth. He Who Will Not Be Named has just bullied his way into the spotlight that he so dearly loves and used the created racial divide to move it forward. It would be a tragedy for “HE” to be elected since that path would surely lead us to a path of war with some of our worldwide friends in the mix. The modern world has given us a good look at the other parts of he world and the countries that we interact with. We are (America) are not the chosen ones, we are just a better known part of the earth residents and as people we need to understand we have been where many other countries have recently come to. That being said our place is to look up from the world of  electronic news and read about the “real” events that affect us whether we want it to or not. If  voters continue to follow the “radical” rants of “He Who Will Not Be Named”, we could potentially become a “third” world country based on the isolation that could occur due to the crass and unknowing speeches of “He”.

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A Thought


If you can understand this: “the sound of one hand clapping”, then you can understand that our 2 party system is only as good as the people in it.

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Race for Our Souls


The race is on, now that we have a nominee form each party, the irrelevant, wild and irreverent talk will begin in earnest.  The Trump wagon will now start to race at top speed,  exposing us to so many upcoming and  memorable insults and  inaccuracies. The main words will be “huge, Great and believe me”. Taken in context these words are usually fine but in the context of  speeches to persuade it will get old quickly with people who really listen. This contest is unusual in that one candidate has no political experience and is essentially running on the fumes of several failed also-rans. This is a campaign being pushed along by hate, ignorance and paucity of facts. The Trump supporters are angry at the Government (by extension President Obama) and ignoring the fact that we have a non functioning Congress who they totally ignore as the real cause of many of the issues we face. Consider the fact that Congress is now on a 7 week recess and leaving important work undone along with denial of a hearing for a replacement chief Justice and hoping someone other than a Scamocrat gets into office. Our Dupublican Congress has done no more than obstruct any means to improve the lot of the American people they are so fond of quoting for their own needs. As one of the American people I do not recall telling or asking them to do anything that goes against my interests.

Dysfunction Rule? (Ruins?)


Apparently not enough of us read. After listening to the various delegates at the Dupublicans and the speakers it is clear to me that the major parties are both in a high state of dysfunction which leads to the highly contested races. Each of has an opinion and that is as it should be yet all opinions are not equal in that an informed opinion is better than an uninformed or a reasoned one. This state of reasoning is garnered from more the written word from several sources rather than the unilateral sources available in great abundance via the airwaves  and print. No one source is the ultimate authority but a key to being informed is diversity in sources. I have heard delegates who hate their presumptive candidates in some ways then vote for them based on other perceptions. No one candidate is perfect-again no one candidate is perfect! What is said on the campaign trail is not entirely the truth and often becomes unattainable when in office. We must remember the biggest block in initiating any agenda is 535 members of Congress whose own agendas do not necessarily reflect the needs and desires of the country as a whole. Too many of us listen to what the party leaders(?) say but do not attempt to get the facts. Trade, jobs and equality are all issues that have been glossed over with outlandish and often incorrect information which serves to bolster the party’s agenda. People are angry and angry people often make errors in judgement, these errors are what allows our political establishment to foist Their agendas on all of us. As voters we need to embody the old warning of “caveat emptor” (let the buyer beware), think about this when you make a large purchase and the research you do before committing, then apply that to voting for an elected official at any level.

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