Lack of Communication

A Lack of Communication

 

Sorry for having been so quiet for so long but I knew if I got started I would soon become totally irrational given the babble that has been spewing from those who we trust to keep the train on the tracks.  After listening for as long as I could, I decided to put some thoughts to paper and see if I can, in my tiny little way, put some sense to the fiscal issues now facing us.  What I would like to do is to address some of these issues from a language point of view rather than a simple ideological standpoint.   When I get tired of this methodology I will stop and you can all chuckle that I did it again and now I guess "he" (me, will go back into hibernation. 

 

One of the loudest and most imitated phrases is perhaps the most ironic since it originates from the political right whose voice is always there to protect the business persons and entrepreneurs in or society.  See if you recognize it…it goes something like this…"We cannot tax the wealthy because they are the ones who create jobs"… and presumably stop creating jobs if they were taxed the same as everyone else.  If discussions with my son, a holder of a Master's Degree in Business Administration, the almighty "MBA."  It was agreed that rich folks may or may not actually own a business that employs workers.  If they do own a business, ask them why they actually own their firm.  I assure you not one of them will say they entered the world of business so they could make jobs.  They entered business so that could "Make Money."  Employees are just one of the tools they use to "make money."  In fact, emerging data has shown that businesses are sitting on $3 Trillion dollars and are many of these businesses are actively pursuing the opportunity that these large bank allow in enabling them to review their work procedures to determine where they can automate or combine functions and thus make even "more money" at the expense of their current work force.  So with all the money they are accumulating from extraordinary tax breaks given by our Right Wing polls, they are discovering even more ways to lay off mote workers and not REPEAT not actively pursuing increasing job opportunities for living, breathing worker. 

 

Here comes another one.  "If you raise taxes, you will create even more unemployment."  We listen to this one about twenty times a day.  I'll make this one short since it speaks for itself.  Under the leadership President Clinton, 31 million new jobs were created even though President Clinton, against the wishes of his Republican Congress, raised taxes three times and still managed to leave office with a huge cash surplus.              George Bush Jr., in the period time, eight years, created only three million new jobs while decreasing taxes on almost everyone but especially the wealthy.   That's 28 million fewer jobs for my mathematically challenged friends, and he did this with a virtual blank checkbook afforded him by his right wing majority congressional support.  This once again brings into question the whole idea of giving huge tax breaks to the wealthy to allegedly spur job growth. 

 

"What these country needs is a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution."

 Americans do not live by the concept of a balanced budget but folks in the Tea Party goof balls will try to convince you that we do.  If you are making payments on a house, car, school loan or credit card account, you NOT living within the precepts of a balanced budget.  Actually latest statistics show that over 50% of all Americans are three pay checks away from being homeless.  In other words, if they stopped receiving their weekly, bi-weekly or monthly paychecks for the next three pay periods, they would face fiscal destruction.  So much for living on a balanced budget.  Now let's look at the Federal Government attempting live with the fact that 3/4^th of the entire United States agrees with the idea of a balanced budget in the US.  Things might seem serene and uncomplicated for a week or two but the first shot fired across our bow by and enemy force will destroy all of those nice warm and fuzzies.  Under a balanced budget, where does the Government come up with a sudden expense of about a billion dollars a day to execute our sudden armed conflict?  How about a Katrina sized hurricane, BP oil leak, awarm of mid-West tornados and similar "acts of God."  Where does the money come from to handle these I internal emergencies?  How about another round of Wall Street greed and monetary mis-management.  Whose going to pay the bill for another round of that type of mess?  

 

OK…put your English grammar books away and take out your Grimm's Fairy Tales and rejoin the world monstrous headlines just oozing mis-information downright lies.  Sleep well tonight knowing that people like Michelle Bachman really do believe they can actually lead this country.  She has obviously been reading too many fairy tales.    

 

I'm done now…

The Class Clowns

The Class Clowns

 

I recall them one and all and sadly have to admit, that on some occasions, I could not resist becoming one of them.  The class clown.  Some topics were simply so boring or so poorly presented that interest just slipped away only to be replaced by silly, inane and corny comments from the "peanut gallery."  The teacher would get angry and in some of my other classes, so would I.  Not that I was ever a hard core learning nerd but some classes were simply more interesting than others and some I actually looked forward to attending.   Cheap laughs but in the end, no one was the better for the actions of these silly little boys and girls.  Keep those memories in mind as I continue with this latest of my pet peeves.

 

There are some places or situations where no matter who you are with or how much you are bored, you simply should not revert back to an old class clown act.  Nobody cracks wise-ass jokes in places of religious expression.  Nobody appreciates a clown at a symphony or opera.  Jokesters arte not really appreciated at funerals except in some circumstances where such outburst would be expected and encouraged by the deceased.  Keep this in mind when you attend my own final time on stage.  Go ahead, have a ball when they stash my remains. I would expect and encourage it.  The rather solemn events listed above are only several of the circumstances where outburst of silly humor and wise-ass remarks are out of place and reflect very poorly on the perpetrator.   One other solemn occasion is the active and well prepared participation in our political system.   Our system of government, with all of its warts and blemishes, came to us covered with blood and sacrifice.  Ever since the first forays onto our shores in the 14^th century, men and women have risked everything to include their lives to build upon the ideas of democracy so beautifully encapsulated by a tossed together speech at a bloodsoaked battlefield given by the 16^th ruler of this new nation.  Mr. Lincoln perfectly defined democracy when he noted that ours was a "government of the people, by the people and for the people.  The founding fathers could not have stated it better.  Therefore treating this wonderful institution we call Government with a flippant, destructive, abusive, libelous or with disdain not only exposes the perpetrators own personal ignorance  but insults five centuries of sacrifice by those who have continually handed off the baton to the next generation. 

 

When people gather to say they are organizing to take back our government, I would ask them when did they lose it?  Since they have already demonstrated a lack of teamwork by not accepting with pride the baton of our previous generations, I would ask them what gives them the right to believe they can demand that the government be torn down and replaced with something they have replaced with some joke from the back of the classroom?  Those of us who have actually sacrificed greatly on our nations battlefields find this government of ours to be quite acceptable even though its leaders may often be a bit unusual.  I personally take with a great deal of insult the presumptions of cult like party members who want to destroy something for which I was prepared to die.  Not only arte they attacking our government but they are attacking me on a personal level by intimating that I was wrong to stand my ground in far off jungles, suffer the intrusion of enemy bullets in my body, and carry with me the various diseases and maladies that my Western body was unable to counter in those far off SW Asian jungles.  I don't think I was wrong in my willingness to do my duty in the name of my country.  58,000 of my closest comrades were not wrong either.  Our cause may have been questionable but our devotion to this country was unwavering.  So please, Donald. Sarah, Hailey, Mitt, Michelle, or whoever winds up as your party's selectee, before you start showing disdain for our government, first do your homework then realize that your "class clown" antics are NOT appreciated by everyone even though you probably feel all the spotlights are on you at the time.  Some people really do believe that we should be a government of, by and for the people.  Some of us who have sacrificed in the past are still willing to sacrifice more and really do find it disconcerting to see some who are not being asked to sacrificing anything to see this nation grow strong. 

 

Sigh…

 

 

 

 

SOME THINGS THAT TORGUE MY CONVERTER

 SOME THINGS THAT TORQUE MY CONVERTER

 

I don't presume to think that anything I say in my blog will change anything or cause anyone to have a "gee whiz" moment.  I only know that when I write some of the things I out into my blog, at least I feel better and I guess that will have to be enough.  So without further delay here are some of the ducks nibbling at my ankles lately.

 

UNION BUSTING:  I am not a big union guy.  I spent 20 years in the Army and another 20 in US Civil Service so I never had much contact with union type things.  I am, on the other hand, pretty cognizant of the rather fantastic historic saga that finally enabled American workers to speak with one voice on matters that actually wound up benefitting us all.  Does anyone think that a 40 hour work week would have been the invention of management?  How about minimum wage legislation? Child labor laws?  Workplace safety?  Health care?  Pensions?  Vacations?  Do anyone really believe management was always in favor of any or all of these benefits?  Probably not.  I also know that votes taken in the dark of night without due representation are an anethema to democracy and undermine and weaken our core structures.  The type of votes being foisted upon voters on issues concerning unions are typical of votes taken by banana republic tin nickel dictators.  If the people are gathering at your doorstep to protest your actions, then as a leader, you need to reappraise the route you are taking.  The South seceded from the Union based on exactly this type of backroom voting and not based upon the universal wishes of the people.   How would we react if the next "vote" targeted anyone who did not make a certain amount of money or own real estate?  How about a "vote" concerning anyone who belongs to any group opposing pro-life issue or who seek sane gun control procedures?  Would we lose our right of access to college scholarships, pension benefits, or Federal health care.  That's how Mr. Hitler targeted any opposition groups.  "Vote" to cut off their benefits. 

 

TEN COMMANDMENTS IN SCHOOLS:  A few schools in my neck of the world have begun to "encourage" efforts to post the Christian Ten Commandments in schools.  So far wiser heads have prevailed especially when they learn just how much the lawsuit will cost them.  Now the kids are posting them on their lockers claiming it is their right to do so since the locker and the school belong to them and staging demonstrations during classroom hours.   First and foremost they are most certainly wrong on a number of fronts.  First and foremost, the Christian scripture enjoins its followers to pray alone and quietly so that their worship is not an excuse to flaunt their flaunt piousness.   Nothing quiet and silent about walking around the school grounds carrying posters when they should be taking advantage of the taxes I paid to give them a good education.  I want my money back.  Next, they want what they refer to as the Ten Commandments posted in schools in violation of Federal Law.  Actually the so called Ten Commandments as we know them never existed.  There were actually over 600 "Commandments" given to Moses by the Diety ranging is matters of health, slavery, marriage, forbidden foods, taboo customs, and just lots and lots of things many of which are still followed by very Orthodox Jews.  The whiley and sneaky Christians whittle those hundreds down to ten easy to follow rules only three or four of which are actually against civil law the remainder being faith based only.  If you're going to post the Commandments of the Pentateuch at least have the courtesy to post them all.   There is the issue of who actually owns the school and its properties and who actually has "rights."  The courts have fallen clearly on the side of the school and its property belonging to the taxpaying citizenery.  Not many high school teeny boppers qualify as citizens having not yet reached 18 and therefore they don't really exist in the eyes of the law.  Their lockers are not their private property as evidenced by any drug shakedown that might go on in the hallways where they will find their lockers opened and searched.  Finally, how about simple courtesy for your fellow students and school cadre who may not believe as you do and do not wish to have your beliefs shoved into their face.   I don't like NASCAR but I don't post signs in my yard telling everyone.  I don't like the British Government much either but again no signs in my yard and no bumper stickers.  Maybe our kids should concern themselves more with clean air and water but again do it on your own time and not on my taxpayer time.

 

TAX DISPARITIES:  I won't harp much on this one since the data is actually there for anyone to see unless being a sheep has blinded you to what is going on anywhere else except the sheep butt in front of you.  If not taxing the wealthy is a sure road to economic prosperity how come the six separate tax breaks the wealthy received under Bush II resulted in a collapse of the US economy and 10+ unemployment rates?  Why is that people making $70K and below pay well over 80% of the taxes while over 90% of the actual wealth of this nation is held by less than 3% of the population who rarely pay any taxes at all?  Why is that Congress wants to cut out NPR, Federal funded scholarships, health care, EPA issues, programs for the less fortunate etc. while awarding $700B in tax cuts to the wealthy?  Shame on us!!!

 

ABORTION RIGHTS:  First and foremost it is the law of the land.  That should be the end of it.  However, if the Conservatives wing of the American populace want to ignore the real issues that we face in this country to sermonize their beliefs (see a couple of paragraphs above), then at least have a woman do the sermonizing.  Abortion is not a male issue anymore than prostate disease is a female issue.  Yet, I ask you when was the last time you saw a woman deeply involved in the whole abortion issue.  When Mitch McConnell or John Boehner begin having menstrual cramps then they will have earned the right to discuss female procreation issues. 

 

MUSLIM HEARINGS IN CONGRESS:  What the heck does Rep. King think he is doing?  I had almost forgotten how to spell Joseph McCarthy and up pops this old IRA supporting clown from New York. I know that is there are any Muslims in America who have become disaffected, King's (et. al) hearing should suffice to tip them over the line to a full blown threat.  I have Muslim friends, but then I have conservative friend as well, so I am pretty open to differing thoughts and logic trails.  I can assure you that what King is doing has no respectable goal and will only foment hatred and mistrust and make us worse for the exercise.  Like I said, I had almost forgotten how to spell old Joe McCarthy's name. 

Doncha jus luv em"

Doncha just luv em"

 

If my conservative friends and fellow citizens were not so silly and pathetic, I could almost get upset at their rantings and ravings.  Unfortunately I find myself in the crazy position of actually being able to read and to use my own mind without the need to jump into a line of other sheep who will gladly do my thinking for me.   I just find it more to my liking to be able to first hear a story, then do a little research and then, and only then, actually use my own mind to make my own decision on whether to accept the initial story.  And….I do this without even one person forcing tea down my throat.  Here are just a few of the items I have had a chance to mull over in the last few weeks.  Please dear friends note that I am not proselytizing in the big conservative tent.  I am only voicing my own opinion without the need for sheep to follow, tea merchants, or any preconceived notions about my own superb intellect or the failing and faltering mental capabilities my dear and cherished conservative buddies.   OK, here goes:

 

The tragedy of 9/11 resulted in an immediate death toll of almost 3,000 of this nations citizens and non-citizens who were doing nothing more earning a living as best they could.  Now over a decade later, there is another statistics that is surprising.  In the US during this time period over 250,000 of those same citizens died as a result of the free exercise of our 2^nd amendment rights to own handguns.  As a result of 9/11 Americans have been frightened into surrendering many of their personal rights and sense of privacy.  We now accept that our phone lines, computers, medical records, library records, personal mail and bank accounts are a matter of free discussion now among our Government employees, all for the loss of 3,000 of our cherished men and women.  However after a quarter million bloody deaths our answer has been to even further ease any remaining restrictions on the purchase and carrying of handguns.  In Virginia they want to allow concealed weapons in churches.  I am not sure what "protection" a citizen needs in church but if it that tough maybe they should consider another church or bible studies at home.  But, hey, as an old War Vet whose does not see the need for any weapons in my home, what the heck do I know.  

 

My conservative buddies see the issue of abortion to be so overwhelmingly important that in the face of financial collapse, they chose to argue the issue of direct and indirect funding for abortions to debate.  This debate goes on even as we was continue to have one a health system that now is rated right along with other third world nations (#23 in the world), failing educational preparedness for our next generation, endemic hunger for our most vulnerable citizens, the poor and the aged, collapsing infrastructure for our transportation systems, 30 million unemployed, and the list goes on…but interfering with a women's right to make her own decisions simply flies in the face of a political policy that demands lockstep allegiance for all of its policy's.  With whatever few dollars that fall out of the wallets of the very wealthy tax break recipients, I hope someone can amass enough money to at least begin to clean up our alleys.  Women will be using them a lot more in the future I fear and I would hope that they can be cleaned up a bit first. 

I saw the President's budget hit the street yesterday and literally within a matter of minutes, it was being universally attacked by my conservative buddies.  This is a document that is literally measured in pounds and not pages, yet my buddies were apparently able to speed read that multi-thousand pages of unbelievably complex mathmatics and bookkeeping jingo and to form opinions on the worth of this document all in a matter if minutes.  Yet, this is the same group if electorates that noted they were not given sufficient time to read the 2,000 pages of the health care bill with which to make a knowledgeable decision.  They only had a little over nine months and that did not seem sufficient but a document three times that size and far more complex required only minutes to completely study and research enough to make broad statements concerning the documents worth.  Ya just got to luv that kind of stupity… Oh well I am sure they have a better solution.  I mean they have had over a year to produce a solution considering that this is a document that was suppose to be submitted in September 2010 and contains the budget for fiscal year 2010-2011.  This would have been before the November 2010 elections so my liberal buddies have to share the blame but only until November.  Since then it has been all a Conservative dog and pony show and I am sure they have their own budget document ready to go…What's that – They Don't.  I mean they have had over a year.  Well when will they be ready to submit a budget for the year that is almost half gone now?  According to the good old boy in the GOP – look for it around April.   That's pretty good since three months after that, the budget for 2012 will be due.  Good luck Tea Party girls and boys.  But heck since most of you newbies are sleeping on cots in your office you should have plenty of time on your hands.  Now there is dignity for you – a cot in a Federal building…Tough living on $176,400 a year plus benefits. 

 

But like I said…these are only my opinions and unlike my conservative friends, they reflect my thoughts and my thoughts only…no poking from the sidelines or cue cards in the back row.

 

 

All "new" ideas

NEW BLOG STUFF

 

Sigh…it seems that the politicos in this nation have not had a new idea
since the founding of this country.   Here a few "ideas" that have hit the
media circuit recently and unfortunately as a hobby historian I am usually
struck rather dumb at the ignorance that seems to accompany this comment.

Texas, yippee kai yeh…has tossed around the term "secession from the Union"
as though they made up the concept themselves.  In fact, secession is not
specifically forbidden by our Constitution and in fact, the 18th Century
Confederacy was in fact, within their rights to peacefully withdraw from the
United States.  However, the way it was done was anything but peaceful –
just ask the beleaguered soldiers at Ft. Sumpter.   Also lest anyone believe
this was a popular decision fully approved by the people of the new
Confederacy I refer you the tons of documents published on both sides that
positively prove otherwise.  In fact, it was small groups of wealthy landowners and
slave owners met in rooms in hotel lobbies and South Carolina State Houses who
spoke FOR the citizens without any type of vote or popular acclamation and
decreed their intent to withdraw from the Union.  Other States followed suit
but not even one of them made any attempt to exercise any form of common
suffrage.  The Union did over reach its authority but at least in the
beginning initial actions directed at the Confederacy were to avenge
military actions taken on the part of the Confederacy and an attempt by the
Union to reclaim and secure national properties lying within this new group
of States.  Now Texas wants to pull that rip cord again but it is obvious
they have not given due consideration as to the consequences.  Just give a
quick thought to the three or four dozen US owned military facilities that
lie within Texan borders.  Now toss in the hundreds, if not thousands of
Federally owned properties, office buildings, Parks, etc.  the "Union" would
have the right to reclaim and secure.  Pretty soon Texas would only have Gilley's

and the old set for Dallas to call their own.  I personally would not miss Texans

nor their rather obnoxious citizens.  On the other hand dealing with a million Lone

Star guzzling idiots with huge belt buckles and silly hats is not something I would

find to be enjoyable even if it probably would not take more than a long weekend

to complete. 

 

In my own "hme State" of Virginia (at least for tax purposes), they are hell bent

On reliving another wonderful aspect of the pre-Civil War days – the idea of

"nullification." In the mid-1980s, the forming confederate states, though still part

of the Un ion, decided that they did not have to accept laws originating from the

central government in Washington.  Originally these efforts were directed at

tariffs being levied on Southern cotton exports but eventually spread to the whole

concept of slavery and all things they chose to lay under the single mantel of

"States Rights."  Virginia wants to enact its own version of nullification that would

give the State broad based authority to disregard any and all laws originating outside

of Virginia which they chose to ignore.  Right now the law is targeted at the

administrations health care law but would also apply to other areas already mentioned

such as  prayer in school and other public facilities, equal rights provisions,

abortion rights and virtually all aspects of  EPA imposed regulations.  Here is

another State that needs to do a little historic research before it lets its mouth overload

its arse.  You don't play by our rules, we (the US Government) would simply take our

ball ($$$) and go home.  Most mega-mouths like the Virginia Attorney General 

Mr. Cuccinelli) have no idea just how much financial support the separate States receive

And just how much of that money is based on compliance for continued support.  Make

no effort to enforce traffic laws and watch how quick the States lose millions in fuel

tax money.  Refuse to fulfill national norms in education and you might as well close

all of your schools since the Fed provides literally billions to school systems that

would have to be made up with increased real estate taxes.  Decide to ignore EPA

guidelines and rules and the State would soon become unlivable in terms of water

purity, air waste management.  Good Luck with this Virginia but don't look now –

there are evil liberals hiding in your State who are prepared to remain loyal to the

United States and would make your life rather miserable in the process.

 

Yes, lets all look back to the really great things that the Confederacy gave to the

World and United States in particular.  Let's try emulate their wonderful ideas so

That we can again relive that great time in our history.   Yeh- right!!!!

Apologies to Ms. Giffords

It's a New Year and with it comes new hopes and unfortunately new fears of what an unstable future might hold for all of us.  A troubled and young man facing his own demons approached a demonstration of our version of democracy and callously and with great malice aforethought, took the lives of six innocent bystanders and wounded almost two dozen more.  They were there to meet with their elected spoke person who represents them in the Halls of Congress.   His actions pointed out some of the problems this Nation faces as we move forward.  Can we permit our elected officials to appear in forums that allow open and unregulated participation by the people?  Can we continue to permit the unfettered distribution of firearms with legalized modifications that permit these firearms to become weapons of mass destruction?   Can we continue to permit all citizens of this Nation to use their rights under the first amendment (freedom of speech) to incite and urge violence upon other citizens?  

 

As a declared liberal let me voice my view on the matter, fully understanding that my conservative colleagues have opposing views with equal merit.   OK, let's go.   Can we permit open forum meetings with our elected officials?  Actually that goes straight of what caused our forefathers to rise up against their ancestral rulers.  Less we forget.  Our Revolutionary War was based not on the high ideals of democracy but rather as an opposition to economic oppression – "Taxation Without Representation,"  "The Boston Tea Party", "Forced Quartering of Soldiers", "Involuntary Servitude".  – Remember?   Even after the last shot was fired, and the debates began, we still had to decide what type of government we wanted and among the choices were a new royal family, a type of dictatorship, a form of anarchy and of course the growing mushroom that would EVENTUALLY grow into this thing called democracy.   Through it all, the founding fathers never lost sight of the need for some sort of representative governmental forum, be it a Parliament, a Congress or just empowered group of the rich elite.  With any type of representative governing body, the need to receive input from the governed is a necessity.  How do we, in today's cyberworld of technology, exercise our right of input to our elected representatives?  The answer, of course, is not a single method but one or all methods open to us as citizens, NONE of which is more important or less viable than the other.   We can email our representatives, post letters to them, run ads for or against their positions, "de-elect": them in the next campaign, and finally we can address them face to face either by personal appointment or at public forums where our representative appears.  Deny personal access to this individual and you are admitting that a faceless entity that might or might not be a "committee" or cyber-intelligent machine is sufficient for your needs in having someone or "something" representing your wishes at the centers of government.  So I am sorry to say that there MUST be some way for me to address my issues to my representative in forums that also permit me to hear my fellow voters expressing their vices as well.  At $18,000 a year, a US soldier excepts the fact that he or she has voluntarily signed onto a job that can make them assigned targets of an adversary on the field of battle.  They do this with great honor and commitment and provide an indispensible tool for maintaining the freedoms of this country.  Our Federal level Representatives receive $176,000 a year for their voluntary service.  They unfortunately must accept the inherent dangers of their service including reasonable unfettered public access to these individuals.  OK, let's move on.

 

Firearms in a nation that sees them as steel alloy sub-dieties that require unquestioned support and worship.   "It is my right under the Second Amendment" is only partially true though legally supported as of last year.   Most advocates of the Second Amendment do not consider themselves to be members of any type of "militia" yet the Second Amendment applies to the rather obscure terms "militia" and not specifically to some bubba who thinks it is really neato to strap on a pistol and walk the streets of Laredo.  Actually I am not concerned about Bubba.  He or she is generally a poor marks person with little or no actual experience or training with firearms and carries "iron" to make them seem cool or whatever.  I am more concerned with the individual who buys weapons and then virulently opposes any efforts actually register or control the use of the weapons on the grounds that they "fear our government."  This type of person also argues their right to cache as much ammunition as would be needed to overthrow a small nation and their inalienable right to modify their personal weapons so that they may fore an unbelievable amount of ordnance such as the 30 round magazines that can be used in side arms.  Now just ask one of these individuals why they would need a thirty round magazine and you get two types of answers, both as silly as the other.  Answer number one is "for personal protection".   Sigh…If someone needs thirty bullets to protect then a pistol is not the weapon of choice. They need a gatling gun.  Answer number two is even more obtuse…"I use it for target practice."   Once again I need to remind them that if they need thirty bullets to hit the target, they have chosen the wrong weapon.  I would also remind them that the additional weight of thirty rounds of ammunition will totally any ability to apply their expertise to a smaller capacity sidearm.  Sorry guys and gals, you know and I know that you want thirty round magazines to impress your friends and to make you even more cool than you now think you are.   So keep worrying about a mean old government using registration files to confiscate your weapons when "they" take over, whoever they might be.  However be ready convince me that your political paranoia , which is not based on any US historical event, is not at least as dangerous as any other individual who harbors unfounded fears of some sort of dangerous plot by unknown entities to take something from you.  If you can't, then you, according to the law, should not be able to buy or possess weapons.  Hmmm????

 

Finally, let me – MY OPINION ONLY – address the issue of whether words can be dangerous.  Witnesses on my behalf include, the pre-Constantine Ceasars who spoke so eloquently about the dangers of Christianity, the whole Inquisition crowd who first coined the phrase "Blood Libel" to describe why they had to torture and murder Jews and Moslems throughout the Dark, Vladimir Lenin who saw the need to urge his followers to kill thousands of Czarist to purify the goals of his new revolution, Adolph Hitler who convinced his countrymen that the wholesale butchery of six million Jews, homosexuals, gypsies , Slavs, and other "impure" people was absolutely warranted since, "they had been asking for it for centuries anyhow" and if I can persuade them to join me, the boys and girls from the Khmer Rouge who starved and murdered half of their country for being too smart.  The question posed to them will be simple.  "Do they think words can make people hurt other people?"  REALLY!!  Do I actually have to ask them?  Does anyone actually need convincing that painting gun targets over a congressional district map could cause an unstable or highly "paranoic" individual to respond with violence?  Could phrases advocating death, injury, or violence of any sort to be directed to a political opponent not arouse active support from a follower who only believes their actions are nothing more than their way to show support for a political viewpoint.  Under the First Amendment we already know the courts have noted that yelling fire in a crowded theatre is an illegal abuse granted by the right of freedom of speech for the simple reason that it could cause serious injury.   Can we not impose the same guidelines on public figures who choose to advocate violence against others – be they Muslim, Hispanics, Jew, Christian, or simply the other political party.  If we can't impose the law could we at least call upon them to use common sense and back that up with financial support or lack of support for media coverage.   Better yet, if we can bleep profanity on the media, why can we not bleep out such words when they are used on the media.  That many "bleeps" would make Rush Limbaugh's show even more annoying than it is now. 

 

My opinions only.