Armed and Stupid

To say that I've had enough of the gun violence and the gun culture in America, would be an understatement. Even though the right wing loves to call for violence and then they refuse to take any responsibility for it when their misinformed and mindless followers act on their commands, it's far passed time that not just Democrats but the people who care about a better and safer future, go on the offensive. 

There have been 181 incidents of gun violence at schools since the events at Columbine. The assault weapons ban has expired thanks to a congress who is afraid of the NRA and their lobbyist and yet, the very first idiots out of the gate after any act of violence are the "guns don't kill people" crowd. I've heard all of the arguments and claims that the conservatives love to make and all of them are baseless and clueless. 

"We don't blame the car or ban cars when a drunk driver kills an innocent person so why should we ban guns?" First of all, nobody is trying to ban all guns and if you believe anything to the contrary, you're just not very smart. Intelligent gun control is how society deals with these problems. I'll accept your car challenge. Let's place guns on equal terms with owning and operating a car. Driving is a privilege and not a right, a license is required to operate one, a minimum age is required, registration is required and if you violate the law while operating one, there are extreme consequences. Wouldn't it be a good idea to at least require the same standards for guns that we require for cars? And, when I speak of a license test, I'm not talking about the farce currently known as the concealed carry courses offered around the Country with some guy named Cletus or Jimmy Bob handing out the certificates. I personally know of a local church that had a concealed weapons class that is a shining example of this stupidity. One of the participants shot himself in the leg during the course and still passed it. 

The second group out of the gate after these violent incidents is the "God isn't allowed in schools" crowd. Our religious culture has merged and become an arm of the republican party. Pat Robertson calling Obama a Muslim and a socialist, Franklin Graham calling Obama a sinner and deleting the reference to Mormonism being a cult from his website so that Christians would feel comfortable voting for Romney and who could ever forget the hit job from hell that took place every Sunday through Jerry Falwell? We have church members carrying weapons into church and believing that their real gods of Rush, Hannity , Beck and Capitalism have given them the right to use violence to overthrow the Government and any Democrat who crosses them. My question would be, is God everywhere or can he be blocked out by chalkboards? The argument of God being removed from schools is asinine at best. Students can bring bibles to school, they have rallies at the flag pole, they have religious clubs and Lord knows there is ample peer pressure in America to be a believer or risk eternal damnation. If kids can bring bibles to school and can pray there, how exactly has God been removed? Just because teachers do not force a certain version of religion upon their students, it doesn't mean that hell has erupted at school. These same folks would be angry beyond belief if a teacher was offering their views on Islam or encouraging their child to consider atheism. Religion and belief systems should be taught at home and shared at church. Church and State combined can only produce bastard and inbred results. What exactly is the prayer quota for keeping gun violence out of schools? Is 3 times a day good enough or is there another equation?

The NRA will send it's armies out in waves to try to debunk any relationship between guns and violence. We will also have political figures who will suggest making our schools into compounds with fences and body scanners. These folks will go to great lengths to distract from the real  discussion that is needed in America. This argument isn't unlike the healthcare debate. If every other modern Nation on the planet knows how to provide quality healthcare to everyone and they also have much less gun violence, are we above learning from tried and true methods? Lies can only be carried so long in a right wing bucket before they begin to evaporate. 

I, like many Liberal and Democrats, own guns and have my whole life. We are not trying to end gun ownership or to stop hunting or self defense but there comes a time, when the people become sufficiently pissed off and will demand change. Only certain people should own certain types of guns and some people shouldn't own any guns. The often quoted second amendment says "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. When this was written, the idea of a militia was relevant and there were no semi or fully automatic weapons as we know them today. Until we can have a discussion without the influence of big money and the NRA, we will continue on a downward spiral of violence and our kids will continue to pay for our sins of omission. 

The Southern Donkey Blog

The Hangover PartI

Now that the election is over and the good guys and girls have won, it's time to reflect on the events of the day. I assumed that we could at least have a day to enjoy the victory and that the losers would be in full retreat. I was wrong on both accounts. While I enjoyed a leaf and match moment after Ohio was called, there were others who were already crying foul, doom, disaster and decrying the end of human civilization. Don't even try to give me the insane talking point about how Democrats don't know how to lose or win with grace and dignity. Al Gore and the year 2000 is all the proof you would ever need to blow that theory away. We celebrate with positive affirming actions and look forward to a bright future when we win and when we lose, we accept defeat and begin the hard work of trying again. We don't make subversive and private deals to destroy the other sides governing power.
Perhaps the most disheartening things that have been posted on the day after the election are the extreme religious reactions and the failure of people to separate church and state within their lives. I was born and raised in a religious family and was given no choice in the matter until after high school. I remember when the attitudes at church in relation to politics changed in the mid 80's. The church became infected by the Reagan mentality and it was convinced by Falwell and others as to how much of a Saint this man was. The denomination that I came from consisted of non drinkers and they believed that anyone drinking would burn in hell but of course, this was overlooked when Ronnie would partake in giant beer chugs. Thanks to the 700 club, Pat Robertson, James Dobson, Focus on the Family and christian radio, church and state have been joined in an unholy matrimony that can't be broken. The Christian world view is an offspring of this union and has brought guilt into the mix. I observed a post today claiming that God would bless the USA despite what happened in the election and some saying that this was God's way of bringing about the end of the world and the most concerning were the postings about how could they face their kids and church classes and what could they say after this election result? I have several statements for these types of people. Number one on the list would be that if you serve a God who produces political guilt in your soul, then I want nothing to do with your version of God. There is no moral high ground in following a political party and there is no eternal impact upon a person's soul if they vote against the party that you believe in or fail to vote. We have gone from being consumed with hatred of Muslim culture and it's practices to a place where we insist and expect anyone running for public office or participating in a sporting event to show their Christian credentials at every opportunity. Christian persecution does exist but it's in reverse. It's the Christians who are doing the persecuting. Try being a Deist or an Atheist, a Jew or a even a Catholic and see how easy it is to live a life of  freedom. I have long since walked away from all of the guilt and strings that the church attempted to place upon me. I find myself looking in from the outside and it's hard to imagine that I ever truly believed all of the rituals and mind controlling philosophies shoved upon the masses. Churches that insist upon preaching the gospel of politics should have their tax exempt status taken away and then we would see if the faithful flock would stick around without the tax deduction benefits. When they make a point of preaching hate, partisanship or discrimination, it's not a matter of Big Government suppressing their freedoms but it's a matter of getting what they've asked for and deserve. I see so much racism dressed up and disguised as religious freedom and political party association. When 90% of a church congregation supports drug testing for welfare recipients and yet has no problem with corporate welfare or subsidies for Big Oil which trumps social welfare at a 10 to 1 clip, something is horribly wrong. The prevailing mentality and unsaid insinuation is that welfare goes to Black Americans who do nothing but sit around all day looking at their fancy cars, smoking weed and drinking cheap wine that they bought with food stamps. If it wasn't based in racism, the accusation wouldn't sting so badly for right wing, Christian republicans.
Reaching across the isle has been mentioned a lot lately but it doesn't count if you're reaching across to join hands with another republican on the other side. Believe me, Democrats know how to reach out and extend olive branches and we also know first hand what it feels like to have our hands slapped and the olive branches thrown back at us at full speed. Democrats have moved so far to the middle that we've crossed midfield. Until republicans figure out that America means more than a pledge to Grover Norquist , we can never begin to solve our problems as a Nation. We stand ready and willing to work on big solutions to big problems but the road blocks get really freaking old.
The current political climate demands that anyone running for political office be supportive of drone attacks and killing terrorist at any cost. It's not that it's correct or proper but just a sign of the times. The defense contractors make millions from the operation, development and building of these items and they are huge political donors to the campaigns. Some day, a truly brave soul will stand up and speak out against the atrocities committed in the name of homeland security and hopefully, the American People will be ready to hear the message and change our ways for the better. Exporting war should be a last resort and not an excuse to create wealth for the richest corporations in the world.
All this being said, there were some moments of great meaning on election night. As I started interacting with the members of the Southern Donkey group, I became emotional as many responded and thanked me for doing what we do. I find great comfort in our numbers and could never convey just how much each and every one of you mean to me. It's times like these that make me know that it's all worth while and make me feel like we're making a difference. The South can be a beautiful place but only as attractive as the manner in which we treat our fellow man regardless of their skin color, religion, sexual orientation or wealth. The republican party continues to exert control and dominion over the South in elections and politics but it's not as one sided as it once was. Overall, the South is locked in an approx. 60/40 split between republicans and Democrats but my hope is that someday we can rise up and speak out without the instant judgement associated with daring to break away from the approved religious and political standards that many have come to expect and assume.

TSD 11/07/2012

We Should Agree?

There were times in our political history that there were ways of agreeing on basic concepts in spite of our differences. Compromise wasn't always considered to be a dirty word or a sign of weakness. Below, I've listed a few basics that we have always agreed on or we at least should agree on no matter what your political affiliation.

Money should be limited and disclosed in politics. The current conservative leaning Supreme Court overturned our entire history with Citizens United.

Child labor laws are a good thing.

A minimum wage should be a living wage.

Government is not evil, it should be made of the people, by the people and for the people without people in Government trying to sabotage it's efforts in an attempt to privatize everything for a profit.

The Social Safety Net is not up for debate or for sale to the highest bidder. Medicare and Social Security are not giveaways but they allow people to retire and live in dignity without depending on cat food to survive.

Rape is always wrong and the victims shouldn't have to be placed on trial or pay for the medical assistance they require.

There is zero medical evidence to support the theory that rape victims can't conceive a child during the act.

Rape victims should not be obligated to carry the offspring to birth whether the act is done by a stranger or God forbid, a family member.

Rape victims that do conceive a child and give birth should not be under any obligation to the father to interact with them or allow them to see the child.

Abortion should be legal at least for a certain early time frame. Late term abortion should be a last resort and allowed in instances of danger to the mother's health.

The term "no free lunch" doesn't just apply to no work = no pay or food for individuals, it should also be applied to raising taxes are necessary in order to pay for the common goods...roads, bridges, etc. When the budget doesn't balance, it becomes necessary to raise taxes, especially on the wealthy.

The Country comes first, even if it means your opponent gets the credit for the idea or success.

Wealthy corporations don't need tax breaks for exporting American jobs or subsidies when they are making record profits.

Public education should be funded and guaranteed. We frequently hear how throwing money at education isn't the answer but shouldn't that apply to the military budget which trumps education spending by miles?

Politics and religion should not be mixed and the founding fathers were not mostly Christians. There should not be a religious test to run for office but your religion can and should be examined in order to ensure that you will put the Country over your faith and not use public office as means to end the world and force a religious Armageddon.

Racism has always existed and is alive and well. Civil rights and integration are needed and legitimate.

Women are equal to men and should have all the same rights, including thinking for themselves and voting.

Voting is a right and efforts to restrict voting, especially in ways that hurt certain citizens who vote certain ways is not only wrong but should be illegal.

Crazy people should not be able to own guns. People shouldn't be able to own cop killing weapons. We've reached a point where the NRA owns one political party and has placed a down payment on the other one. We are unwilling to make any restrictions on gun ownership. The NRA has a stance that anyone should own any gun for any reason and when the U.N. and the world try to ban even the trade and sale of illegal handguns, it becomes an attempt by the President to team up with the U.N. to take everyone's guns away...according to the NRA and fox news.

It's nobody's business what takes place in a bedroom between consenting adults.

We have a right to privacy.

And immigration policy straight from the Statue of Liberty- "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

Behind the Closet Door

Behind the Closet Door

I write this looking back at 45 years of history in my own life. I can't speak for anyone else but I can speak with authority about my own life and experiences. To say that my views and beliefs have changed many times in my life would be an understatement but I feel that my current convictions are built upon bedrock. Others may not know why they feel the way they do and might not be able to defend themselves but I swear in a fair and logical fight, I could go undefeated. 

When I was very young, it wasn't unusual to have friends and relatives spend the night and hang out. I remember one specific night, one of my friends stayed the night and we shared my twin bed. There was a very brief moment when we touched hands and although neither of us went any further than a light touch, it was just understood that we at least considered it. As far as I know, I've always been heterosexual but I can honestly say that I have had moments when I felt more or less masculine than others. There were also times in my life when others would confide in me about their closeted lives. I remember once when I worked at Wendy's, there was a female co-worker who I noticed copied my style (rolled up sleeves, hat tilt, etc.) and at one point, as we were cleaning up the pans after hours, she walked over and told me she was going out of town for the weekend to see her friend. I nodded in agreement and then she said "girl friend". Again, I just nodded and she then asked me if that bothered me? My response was, why should it? To say the least, we became pretty good friends after that and I never told the other workers anything about what I knew. There were also times that I knew that others were gay without them ever telling me and it just didn't matter. 

I've attended church throughout my life and I've watched as church has evolved from accepting racism openly to pushing it beneath the surface. Church remains the most racially divided establishment in America in my opinion. Although churches and pastors have always seemed to speak out against homosexuality, it has taken a nasty turn over the past few years. Many churches and members have begun to be militant against the sexual preferences of others. It has become commonplace for religious people to make fun of the gay community and to even endorse violence against LGBT individuals. I can't help but feel that the tide is turning and eventually, churches will evolve on this issue just as they have on slavery and the roles of women in the church. It becomes really difficult to cling to old testament segments without taking the whole of the law upon yourself. One must not pick out the hatred of same sex couples and not cling to the scriptures that ban mixing of cloth, eating shellfish or killing blasphemous children. There are other common sense reasons for changing the views on homosexuality that include the fact that as a rule, child sexual abuse doesn't come from homosexuals but rather heterosexuals. How would the churches who preach that the King James version of the bible is the only true word of God react if they found out that King James was in fact gay?

In the end, it comes down to the closet. While bigoted people would desire that all LGBT people remain in the closet, they fail to acknowledge or remember that they are the one's who are compelled to go into the closet. Matthew 6:6 tells Christians to go into their closets and shut the door and pray to their father in secret. There was never a commandment for gay people to hide and remain in the closet. 

I'm a free thinker and count myself as blessed to have friends of all races and all sexual orientations. I simply can't imagine life in an all straight culture or worrying about what everyone else chooses to do in the privacy of a committed relationship or behind closed doors. There truly isn't an in your face gay agenda that could ever equal the attacks made by well meaning, God fearing folks against anything LGBT. It is funny however that the most racist and sexist people in the world tend to shut up and behave while in the presence of the people that they are most disgusted by. Some day, society will be accepting of others because morality has nothing to do with skin color or who you choose to love or marry and it has nothing to do with your religious standing. Laws would exist regardless of faith or sexuality. Think about it.

TSD - 08-03-2012

Rights

You have a right to your opinion- I have a right to mine
Just because it's your opinion, doesn't make it correct
You have the right to be a religious as you chose- I have the right to be as free from religion as I may chose.
You do not have the right to impose your religion or morality onto others or kill, hate or harm in the name of any God.
You have the right to watch fox in your home- I have the right to ask for the channel to be changed at any business or restaurant that I may enter.
Watching fox has nothing to do with patriotism or freedom.
You have the right to be an obnoxious jerk face- I have the right to ignore you or respond in kind.
Daring to speak up or return fire isn't disrespectful.
You have the right to hate the government- I have the right to love it and defend it.
Government workers aren't the problem but are people so stop being jealous.
You have a right to go broke because of medical problems- I have the right to healthcare that covers us all and doesn't break the bank.
Being sick shouldn't be a matter of living only if you can afford care and it should be illegal to profit from the misery of others.
You have the right to defend corporate welfare- I have the right to defend human welfare.
Corporate welfare is 10 times higher than human welfare.
You have a right to right wing radio- I have the right to demand equal time for Liberal causes on the public airways.
Conservative media has a monopoly on the airwaves and it's not because it's preferred by the public.
You have the right to call yourself an independent or libertarian- I have the right to point out that you're hiding behind those titles when every viewpoint syncs up with the republican party.
Tea Baggers are also nothing but republican junk yard dogs.
You have the right to make up facts and pull figures from dark orifices- I have the right to call you a liar.
Every issue or opinion doesn't have two sides, sometimes there's a right and wrong side... period.
You have the right to be racist or homophobic- I have the right to point out these issues and make you feel embarrassed for being that way.
This is a case where a right is actually a wrong.

TSD-

The Civil War 2012

I've lived in the South my entire life so I have plenty of skin in the game. Some misunderstand my criticism of the South as hatred and some get defensive and want to rally around the South at all cost. The only way to make the South a better place for us all is to be honest and open about the good and the bad. Don't get me wrong, I know that there should be free speech and people have the right to have and to hold any feelings that they want however, just because someone has an opinion or feeling, it doesn't mean it's a good thing or justified or proper. We still have an alarming amount of people living under the mantra of "the south's gonna rise again". This basically amounts to a belief that the South was right in the civil war and that we were somehow wronged by the Northern aggression during the civil war. The pressure to not be openly racist and hateful has been a good thing and much of the sentiment as well as the rebel flag society has gone underground. There are a few brave souls who get rebel flag tattoos or run around with a huge flag attached to their truck but the more refined rebellion has now embraced the don't tread on me flag. It often feels that the civil war is being fought by the die hard South but just not with guns on a battlefield. The politics of the South has been co opted by an opportunistic republican party that considers Southern conservative voters to be their property and pet. The powers that be pour the hate, the racism, the fear and the religious guilt into the South through a funnel. The funnel runs through some churches, through conservative talk radio, through fox news and through peer pressure. This influence is unfiltered and hits the desired target at full force. The feeling of we'd rather be morally right that protect our best interest or provide a better future for our children is unbelievable and dangerous. You can't be in charge of your life as long as you're a pawn on a chess board. One day, I can only hope that we will wake up and realize that different doesn't equal evil and see that letting go of the past grudges does not make us weak. I crave an honest and open debate about real issues. The government is not out to get you and is not to be feared. We are the government even if there are republican elements that aren't capable of ever accepting a Democratic leader as fairly elected or legitimate. The facts are, the South isn't going to break away from the United States again, it's not the job of the South to "save" the rest of the heathens up north or out west and until we decide to think for ourselves and not be used, the South will never be all that it can be. Never find pride in ignorance and instead of trying to find an enemy to attack or rally against, can we find a way forward?

TSD

Conversation with Conservatives

Welcome to a new series on the Southern Donkey Blog. Whenever you see this title or image, you will know that the series is continuing. I have had so many interesting interactions with conservatives that I've decided to start publishing some of them under the title of "Conversations with Conservatives". The names will be protected but the interactions are real. If you have similar events, please feel free to send them to me or post them on one of our pages. The first conversation that I want to share is a brief encounter that thrust me into the political fight and occurred during Bill Clinton's second term. I've always been a Democrat but had seldom felt the need to openly defend myself. On this particular occasion, my brother and I were visiting my Grandmother at the hospital and as we were leaving, I was confronted by an older gentlemen in the waiting room who was watching the television and staring at CNN's coverage of the President. He reached out and grabbed my arm as I passed him and this what transpired....

Older Man- Ain't you glad that you didn't vote for him?

TSD- Well, I actually voted for Bill Clinton two times. 

Older Man- The hell you say!

TSD- No, I voted for him and really glad that I did.

Older Man- mumbling obscenities......you, you... you draft dodger!

TSD- No, I never dodged a draft, I'm just a Democrat.

White Lady working behind the reception desk- Well  I agree with the Older Man, why would anyone vote for a Democrat?

African American Lady sitting near us- I'm with the man who voted for Clinton and he's a great man. 

TSD- Thanks, you know it's just a matter of opinion and everyone has a right to their own.

At this point, my brother came by and asked what was going on and what the ruckus was about? The waiting area had divided into two groups and was getting very agitated. I decided to leave before a full blown riot broke out. As I left, I turned to the Older Man and said, you have a nice day now and this was roughly equivalent to handing him a grenade as he went into a ballistic fit. Although this was a short happening, it changed my life and made me chose a side in the Southern political fight. This wasn't a war that I had asked for but it became really obvious that it was either learn to fight back or be beaten down politically. Watch for more conversations with conservatives to be posted in the coming weeks.

Flowers in the Desert

Sometimes, the South can be a lonely and desolate place for a Liberal or Progressive minded person. Every day brings battles and persecution just for daring to speak your mind or voicing support for the Democratic Party. To the untrained eye, the South would appear to be unified behind hunting, fishing, country music, concealed carry permits and anti governments sentiments. Just when the desert seems to be harsh and without any hope, an oasis can often be found. The Southern Donkey found an oasis in the Southern Desert tonight. I attended a high school musical. The kids put in a ton of work and it paid off greatly. Against all odds for success, the drama department decided to put on a musical called "Singing in the Rain". I'm sure that many of the kids that participated in the play were subjected to ridicule for learning to tap dance and for singing their hearts out. In full disclosure, my daughter had some minor parts in the musical but it wasn't so much pride in my daughter as it was just being moved by a group of people who put the arts on display for the world to see. Being able to get lost in an innocent story line was refreshing and although there were some concealed carry people in the audience, even their hard hearts became warmed by the spirit of the the performance. Art, sports, comedy and music have the ability to unite us in common interest and they allow us to leave the bickering world of hateful politics behind. I have to feel that the next generation will have a chance to advance the South beyond it's old stereotypes. Imagine a South free of racism, conservative extremism and one that isn't so stuck in tradition and the rebel way that we risk our future in order to feel that we are right and the rest of the country is wrong. Southern Pride can be found in our sweet tea, hospitality, cooking and the beautiful scenery but only by striking the resentment from our past can we begin to find solid ground to stand on in the future.

TSD

The Sporting Life in 2012

It's no secret that The Southern Donkey has been known to play some golf. I have a strong background in sports including basketball, softball, football and various others. I've lost a lot of my sports addiction over the past few years for many reasons but part of my dissatisfaction comes from the fact that corporate America has tried to make sports into a business and they have become all about story lines and not about the games or the competition. Giant corporations have taken control of the teams and the events and are mostly concerned with exacting as much profit out as possible.
Sports have also become the domain of religion much like politics. With conservative corporate America running the show, the tendency has become to appeal to a base of religious fans who are fascinated with the white christian American story line. This in part explains the fall of Tiger Woods and the rise of Tim Tebow and the likes of Bubba Watson. It's ironic that I was on the verge of posting some comments about Bubba Watson being the Tim Tebow of the PGA but I restrained myself because I didn't want to offend people on either my golf or political pages but then, as it turns out, Bubba and Tebow are buddies and they media has gone crazy with the hype.
I believe that white America to a large degree still holds a grudge back to boxing being taken over by African Americans as well as the NFL, basketball and even baseball. The longing for a great white hope still lingers in the hearts of some and the Nationalism that took hold after 911 only further cemented the desire for a non Muslim hero to emerge on the scene. The PGA is controlled and dominated by wealthy white christians and they have mixed religion, politics, sports and patriotism to levels that make me want to just puke. They constantly have military day, do huge segments about some members holding religious services on the course and the announcers are almost 100% male and white. The sport seems to try to discriminate based on financial abilities and the charitable giving that is done is only a means to ease the critical eyes that would dare gaze upon the huge profits being made.
If you're a fan of Tebow or Bubba or any other great white hope, it's not a problem and you have every right to be a fan of whoever you chose but all I ask is for some balance. When is the last time that you supported or the corporate media did a story on an athlete of a non christian faith or who might be an atheist? Why do we never ask if God was responsible for the loses and the interceptions as well as the wins and touchdowns? I'm perfectly willing to allow others the freedom to focus on and be a fan of anyone just as long as I also receive the same courtesy to dislike players and athletes, especially the ones that I'm told that I have to like and approve of. I ask today, that you broaden your horizon and decide for yourself what your opinions are in every situation in this life. Only by thinking for yourself can you truly have solid and grounded reasons for the life that you live. Freedom to agree as well as disagree without demonizing others can make us strong and if your product is really a good one, why would you ever fear competition?

Think about it..... TSD

Time to Speak Up!

Jesus wore a hoodie and sandals, does that make him a thug or a hipster douche bag? Jesus also is pictured with long hair so does that make him a threat or a dug dealer? I ask these questions partly in jest but also because I'm really tired of the people in life who judge others based on their looks, skin color, piercings, hair length and tattoos. Being a natural born southerner, I inherited a rebel spirit but not one that makes me hate ethnic people or Yankees. My rebel soul makes me want to express myself in ways that aren't common to our section of the Country. Accepting people at face value and forming your own opinions should be the only reasonable way to live your life.
Racism still exist and is a dirty little secret in much of America. If the conversations that take place in private were to be know in the open, I'm afraid that all out race wars would occur. So many white Americans hold racial grudges against all ethnic people but especially against African Americans. They've been told that Black People are lazy, scary, criminals or that they have taken their jobs or been promoted when not deserving. They resent mixing of the races and interracial dating or marriages and the "N" word is alive and well whenever people feel they are in sympathetic company. At one point, it was considered acceptable to allow older people or dumb people to cling to their racist and hateful opinions but there comes a time when we can no longer remain silent. It's no longer reasonable to allow others to express racist jokes or sentiments without rebuttal. I also have a word for the Christian community....1 John 4:20- If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. Whenever you hear a Christian express hatred for President Obama, African Americans, Latinos or Liberals, just ask them to read this verse. 
It's amazing to me to watch as people become hero's or zero's based upon their perceived political actions. We watched as Captain Sully went from a right wing hero to a zero after saving lives on his airplane and then speaking up in support of unions and now, we've watched as the right wing has rallied around a confessed murderer in George Zimmerman. The support comes because he carried a gun as the NRA preaches and he has in some sick manner, obtained street credibility by killing an "evil Black Person". 
I've followed this case for days on end and I just can't let it go away. The following thoughts are simply my opinion and are not intended to be the final word in this matter. The facts are, Florida is largely run by conservatives in power and they have obeyed the NRA and a group called ALEC in passing laws that favor more gun ownership and more use of guns in the public streets. The side affect of these laws has been racism with extreme prejudice. I'm going to offer my view of how this horrible situation might have happened. You may have a different view and that's fine but in the end, we may never know everything exactly as it happened. What we do know is that a 17 year old kid, who was unarmed in dead and the killer walked free. 
In my mind, George Zimmerman is an unstable person who should have never been allowed to carry a gun. I  believe George Zimmerman had racial influences from his father who turns out to be a retired judge in Florida. Zimmerman probably watched this family and this kid as they moved through this neighborhood and it got under his skin. I'd also assume that he would be a fox viewer and right wing radio listener. The gun in his holster was much like money that burns a hole in a person's pocket until they can use it. On the night of the murder, Mr. Zimmerman took it upon himself to follow Trayvon Martin. He may have started with some honest intentions by calling the police to report a "suspicious" person but the Rambo syndrome quickly took over. It becomes apparent that he's not interested in allowing the police to do their job but his longing for wild west justice begins to take over. He follows Tayvon and as it should, it begins to make Tayvon very nervous. The 911 operator told Mr. Zimmerman  not to follow along but he continued to do so. Zimmerman caught up to Teyvon just before the police arrived and I firmly believe he tried to grab and detain him by force. As any normal person would do in that situation, Treyvon would have fought back and tried to escape. He had no idea if this guy was trying to kidnap or assault him. I believe that Zimmerman pulled his gun in an attempt to subdue Trayvon and as you can hear in the 911 calls, Trayvon appears to be begging for his life. In the end, Zimmerman pulls the trigger and kills Trayvon. If the stand and defend law applies here, it would be more on the side of Trayvon Martin than Zimmerman because Zimmerman was clearly the aggressor and was staking a 17 year old kid who had no weapons. The hit job being done by the republicans against the dead is unforgivable and the newest development of Mr. Zimmerman's father talking to the media and blaming the President, the NAACP and civil rights leaders for hatred is, in my opinion is the final missing piece of the puzzle. His father is working the media in order to obtain all the right wing support possible and in the end, what we're dealing with is a case of a former judges son who committed murder and was allowed to be released because of his father's connections. Much of the current unrest would be quieted if the shooter was simply arrested and placed in jail until a real investigation could run it's course but the longer he remains at large, the more we risk further violence. 

The Age of Disrespect

One political party in the US has been on a slow train to a dark and sad location for many years. The journey has been long and deliberate and the final destination is a place called "Disrespect". In my lifetime, I can't remember another President or even a Government official that has been attacked and hated in any way similar to President Obama. I know, I can already hear the republican wanna be victims crying about the way Bush was treated but let's be clear, the next image that someone shows me with elected officials yelling, shouting down or getting in the face of Bush, will be the very first one ever. It simply never happened. Conservatives were the first ones to demand that everyone respect the office of the President, even if he did commit war crimes or send our sons and daughters to die for a false cause. Sure there were some Americans who took issue and tried to protest the Bush administration but they were kept far away from view, not allowed at functions and never showed up with guns at protest rallies. Zero Democratic officials ever offered any public disrespect to Bush or even Cheney. Obama has endured a greatest hits collection of racism and violent rhetoric. Let's look at the following links as further proof. In case you forgot, the President was openly heckled during a speech to congress. This particular video shows the famous "You Lie" comment by a South Carolina redneck politician who went on to raise money from his lack of manners. The things that were lost in this video clip were the other republican members who were talking back during the whole speech and waving papers and signs and the President as well. Some of their papers were supposed to be bills but turned out to be blank just like their souls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aE_nEoE5kE&feature=fvst

We won't also get into the tea party idiots who took up arms and spit on Democratic leaders who were going to Capital Hill to vote on the health care law. Let's next take up the Birth Certificate fiasco. There have been too many republican politicians to even mention here that have questioned or refused to admit that President Obama is a legitimate President or even a US citizen. Any reasonable person knows that if there were any proof, in the slightest that Obama wasn't a legitimate citizen, his enemies would have stopped him in his tracks long before he was ever able to run for President. The following clip shows Obama taking the high road as always. Here, he roasts his most vocal critic at the time, Donald Trump. As we discuss this, there are still States trying to block him from being included on their ballots for the next Presidential race. Let me go ahead and break this down for them. Even if a racist state decided to block Obama in their state, it would quickly be over ruled on the Federal level and there would probably be fines imposed for bringing such a stupid theory to the courts. I'm not even going to justify the other birth certificate talkers with a clip. Tom Delay may have the most goofy quote on the matter when he actually asked for the President to show his "gift certificate". I'm going to assume that he was drunk at the time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8TwRmX6zs4

We now have republicans who are running for President and using racial overtones to appeal to the racist South voters. Newt has staked his claim to tapping into racism and hatred of Obama. The following clip discusses him calling President Obama a "food stamp" President. Newt and Mr. Google search, Santorum  have bought into the whole idea of making white people afraid that Obama is secretly working to help Black people and to take from White people. There's only one party that finds a home for racist politicians and hate speech and it certainly isn't the Democratic Party. Liberals are talking in terms of making America strong and building a better tomorrow while republicans are trying to set back race relations 100 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcwgUWje0LE

We've also had professional athletes who have refused to go to the White House because they don't want to meet President Obama. The following article shows a goalkeeper for the Boston Bruins who declined an invitation to the White House as a protest. Whatever happened to respect and civility and common decency?
Hockey Player Disrespects The President

There are many others but I want to end with the latest example of blatant disrespect given to President Obama. Governor Jan Brewer tried to make news and sell books by confronting the President and ultimately pointing her grim reaper looking finger in his face for all to see. John Boehner and Eric Cantor have also shown little to no respect for the President by refusing his invitations to meetings.
Brewer Disrespects The President

In the end, this is not a both party issue but it is simply the republicans reaping what they have sown. For years, they have allowed Rush and fox to attack Liberals on a daily basis and have mixed Christianity and Sports with right wing politics to the point of believing that Democrats and Liberals are going to hell and should be assaulted verbally and physically. What use to be said in private is now out in the open and it has reached the point where their elected officials on the republican side agree with the racist and wrong headed audience of conservative voters. President Obama and his beautiful family have been gracious in the face of open racism and have chosen to take the high road in every situation. I can only hope and pray that the republicans come to their collective senses at some point before they are forced to face their demons after their disrespect and hatred come to fruition in a most unfortunate way.

01/27/2012 1:50 TSD

The Strong and Wrong

After studying republican behavior for the past few years, it's become painfully obvious that they care much more about appearing strong than they do about actually being correct. Never has this been more evident than during the course of the seemingly unending debates for their Presidential candidates. First it was Herman Cain who stood up to the "evil" media empire who dared to ask him about the mounting (pun intended) sexual misconduct allegations. The crowd booed the moderator for asking the obvious questions. Now, it's Newt who is trying to come across as strong in the face of media members who dare to even hint about his moral failings and the outright hypocrisies that are so prevalent in his being. He knows how to stoke the crowd into a frenzy because they've been told how Liberal and biased the media is and why would fox or Rush lie about that? I think we've reached a point that Newt and Cain could literally have a group orgy on stage during a debate and the republican audience would boo if the moderator were to interrupt it with a question.

In case you are unaware, the republicans and conservatives are attempting to change some terminology...again. The term "flat tax" has been around for years and historically is offered up by the richest among us as a perfect balance of making everyone pay the same tax rate on their incomes. The term is being changed to "fair tax" now. I would assume that the conservatives had a focus group and decided that flat did not have the same appeal as fair. There's nothing fair about a flat tax and there's nothing fair and balanced about fox news. Flat tax is an attempt by the wealthy to force people who make poverty wages to pay taxes even though they can't afford to live on their incomes. They know that if the tax burden is spread out over every single person, they can decrease their own tax rates. Anyone who thinks it's a fair idea to ask a college kid to pay the same tax rate on their $4,000 income as a person who makes $500,000 per year does should have their head examined. Progressive rates are fair and balanced and they do not hinder job creation or reinvestment.

Just a couple of random thought processes at 2:30am on 01/20/2012

The Perfect Republican Candidate

Introducing the perfect republican Presidential candidate.
Name- Not Romney
Birth Date- 07-07-77 (God's Perfect #7)
Birthplace- Bethlehem, PA (Just like Jesus)
Extreme Conservative Credentials- Anti abortion in all cases without exception. Life begins at dinner and consideration. Birth control is the same as abortion and should be outlawed. Corporations are people and can run for office but are protected from prosecution under the law. Government should only be big enough for a few conservatives to make unlimited money by selling favors and influence. Unlimited money in the political process is good for democracy. 99% of the people are just jealous of the people who have made it and should be for protecting the wealthy because if they just work long enough and hard enough, they can be filthy rich some day. Marijuana and hemp are the devil's medicine and should always be illegal but prescription drugs produced by big pharma are a heavenly delight even if they kill or addict you. He's for appealing any health care policy that makes it easier or cheaper to have coverage and for God's sake, a public option or universal healthcare is European socialism, even if it makes us healthier and cost us less than the current system. What would the poor pitiful giant private insurance companies do if they couldn't pillage their customers and deny coverage to make a profit? Gambling and the lottery are always wrong but allowing Wall Street to gamble with Grandma's social security money is acceptable. He's a Mormon Christian and wants to make us a Mormon Christian Nation making all other religious beliefs and atheism a federal offense. His immigration policy is deporting all illegals even if it means tearing families apart and sending children into social services. Of course social services would be unfunded and churches would have to adopt the kids left behind. He supports a constitutional ban on same sex marriage but wants a signing statement that would excuse all of the future republican lawmakers and pastors who are caught in same sex relationships or abuses. Believes that being Liberal, just like being gay, can be cured by intense therapy by "approved" clinics, most would be run my Marcus Bachmann. People who make less than $250,000 per year are just lazy and should pay 50% tax rates but anyone making more than $250,000 per year should pay a decreasing tax rate that eventually goes to 0%. These are the job creators for heaven's sake and we can't expect them to hire invisible people and pay taxes too. He once met an African American person and didn't feel disgusted so that means he's not a racist and he feels their pain and besides "the blacks" just love him. He feels that Guantanamo should hold anyone that we feel threatened by and from time to time we should blow it up, rebuild it and do it again. The event would be televised and proceeds would be given to the republican party. He believes that there should be no minimum wage. How else are we going to compete with third world countries for low wage jobs? For campaign contributions, it would be acceptable to allow Chic Fil A to  put a giant logo on the White House. he would allow Rush Limbaugh to broadcast live from the White House everyday and would give the MLK Jr. holiday to someone who really deserves it...like Ronald Reagan. He supports a law that gives voting power based on net worth. As you can see, this guy has it all. Too bad the republican pipe dream is so totally out of touch with reality and the desires of reasonable Americans. If they have a perfect candidate and if he ever came forward and ran on that platform, it would be the end of their party so my advice to them? Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it and so much more.

Putting the F in Unfriend

Just call me unfriendly. A former school mate just posted that she wanted to see how many she could make mad with her next post. The post was a garbage post about how she thanked God for the States that require drug testing prior to social assistance. I posted, mission accomplished and you will be unfriended. This tells me that either she has never been down on her luck or she is a hypocrite. When I was 10 years old, my family found hard times and we ended up on food stamps in order to eat. We were not proud of receiving assistance, we didn't get fat from the food we were able to buy and we didn't stop looking for work. My father finally found a job and we were able to make our way forward. My parents don't drink and have never even tried drugs and yet in modern times, the conservatives would have them tested. I find it highly offensive for people that I went to school with and who loved to party, to now find it easy to require others to be tested for these very things.

Facebook is also inundated with people crowing about Tim Tebow. People are front runners and will go out of their way to be associated with winning. The Tebow crush has gone to a whole new level. People are saying that the media wouldn't cover him because of his Christian stance and in your face religion. Unless you're blind or living as a hermit, this couldn't be further from the truth. Every news outlet and talk show have become Tebow cheerleaders. If you're a Broncos fan, you have every right to be excited and pull for your team but if you think that God is concerned about your ball team or intervening on behalf of your team, you're just sad and deceived. Just consider that during each game, there are Christians praying on both sides. Why would God pick sides? Also, if you're a Tebow fan because of his faith, then you have to not be offended when an athlete gives praise to Allah or any other deity or a tree for that matter. Religion doesn't belong in sports any more than it belongs in politics. I'm much more interested in emphasizing the things that unite, such as the common love for a certain sports team rather than the things that divide such as politics and spiritual issues.

Speaking of sporting events, the BCS is a complete joke and a farce. Money has destroyed college football and the bowl system. Being in the South, I love college football and I pull for a team in the SEC but how can we have the current title game? Would people be happy if any other 2 teams, from the same side of any conference were to play for the title? How can a win today be worth a title but a loss a few weeks earlier to the same team mean nothing? It would be better to require all teams to be in an official conference and then send each champion to the playoffs. There could also be some wild cards available. We could then play it down and we wouldn't even need a ranking system during the year or especially in the preseason. There will never be a major change toward a playoff system unless either some Universities bring a lawsuit or corruption is exposed within the current system.

I'm hoping to plan a monthly meeting for some local Donkey folks soon. It's just refreshing to be around people who have similar beliefs and don't mind freely sharing thoughts and ideas. You should make every effort to locate others who you can meet with a be encouraged by.

Beware of anyone who wants to restrict or limit your access to birth control. You have a right to your own opinions and beliefs but you don't have the right to impose your will on others.

Random Thoughts on 01/10/2012 at 1:05am.

Preaching to the Choir

I had an opportunity to work with a friend today. In the 90's, I attended the same church as this kid and had been the youth pastor for him. I won't go into full details but the youth group was eventually torn apart by an over reaching and micro managing preacher. The Pastor who caused all the grief was full of ambition and was using every stepping stone that he could in order to get ahead and move up the ladder. The preacher's best weapon was his deception or skill in lying. We didn't discuss the past too much today but this guy made a great observation about the pastor in question. "He should have been a politician" was the exact quote. There's just so much truth in that one simple statement. It use to be that everyone understood that politicians were not the most honest people on the planet and church folks never put their trust and hope in political leaders but instead, in their faith. Preacher's who run for and achieve political office can never hold the moral high ground because the two things are basically polar opposites and a conflict of eternal and earthly interest.

This is basketball season and I am blessed to be able to coach my youngest daughter who plays on a team of 3rd-5th graders. We've had roughly the same team for 3 years in a row and these girls are awesome. They not only play well together, having only lost 1 game in the past 2 years but they get along off the court as well. One thing that I've learned in coaching is that there are 2 types of coaches. The best coaches are the ones who are able to coach their own children and not push them above the team by allowing them to start or play every minute when there are others who might be better on the team. The others are doomed for failure because they prefer playing time and vicarious living over team success.

Some people never know what to focus on or how to appreciate the small things in life. Don't look at the negatives in every situation but always find any glimmer of hope and goodness. Don't be a "but" person. If your first instinct after someone speaks to you is to say yea but, you have some work to do.

It's amazing that some folks are incapable or unwilling to ever see themselves at fault. They blow up every relationship or situation and then always find a way to blame others. Sometimes it's a short ride to the true fault.

There was another G.O.P debate tonight and once again, it was a collection of clones and clone lights (Ron Paul). There is hardly any diversity within the ranks of those running for the republican side of the ticket. They know the trigger words to use...abortion, jobs, Obamacare, spending, cuts, and state's rights but where is the substance? The entire party is great at slogans but they don't have any valuable solutions to our daily problems. You'll never hear them talk about giving everyone access to health care or income disparity or real job creation. Deregulation and tax cuts have been proven wrong and yet that's the only ideas that they have. Given the choice, as they have proven in the ranks of the House of Representatives, they would rather vote to restrict reproductive rights than to create jobs. They also have proven that they have no interest in bringing jobs back to the USA when they voted down the Democrats plan to give employers tax breaks for hiring US workers and for creating new jobs at home.

The current blogging of the Southern Donkey Blog are brought to you by insomnia. I am attempting to provide some random thoughts and highlights from the day. I will also try to end them with the date and time of the writing just as a reference.

01/08/2012 12:49 am

Lost in Translation

Why do I love the movie "Lost in Translation"? Got a chance to share it with my wife and 18 year old tonight. I'm a fan of great camera angles and that movie is about as good as it gets. I think I also love the fact that there are so many interpretations of the true meaning and moral of the movie.

Everyone deserves to be happy. When you find your life is filled with problems and sadness, make every effort to locate the source of the conflict and remedy as best as you can. Money can make life easier but isn't always the key to being happy. I was eating lunch the other day at Zaxby's and a small child walked around my table and watched me while he was eating an ice cream. The look in his eyes was happiness and because I knew he was enjoying life, it made my day better. Never envy people when they are happy and never try to dictate the path to happiness for others. I've noticed that in the South, the majority of conflict can be traced to a religious influence. When your child comes home with a tattoo, even after they know you would not approve, the answer isn't to make them feel your wrath or a guilt complex. Most kids are searching for a shock factor and if you give them the fuel, the fire will burn brightly.

I don't dislike the military. I think it serves a purpose but mostly for the defense of this Country and as a place for the youth who have struggles at home or have nowhere else to turn for hope of a job or career. The conservatives like to think that they have a stronghold on the military and patriotism but I think their reasoning is flawed. Although the military has a strong influence from right wing radio and Christian culture, there are many minorities in service and typically, they lean Liberal. We often heard from Bush and Cheney that we need to listen to the generals on the ground about when to end the wars but this is foolishness. If past administrations would have listened to the generals instead of giving them orders, we would have tried our hand at world domination and conquest of the middle east. Thank goodness Obama has used common sense and leadership to fight smarter and to bring troops home and out of harms way.

Why does everything have to be political? I interviewed for a real estate job today and during our brief meeting, the Owner of the company told me that last year was their best year in history. She then turned around and said that if we could just get a different President in office at the next election that the market would turn around. This comes on the heels of 2 interviews with accountants to handle my office books. Even after I instructed one of them that I was not interested in political conversation with them, he insisted on lecturing me about how I didn't need to bother with paying into social security because it wouldn't be there for me anyway. Has it ever dawned on them that if enough people subscribe to this theory that they are conducting a self fulfilling prophecy?

Watching Dead Files somehow reminds me of the republican party because I think that one day, we will look back historically and wonder what ever became of the 2nd major political party?

When you shine the light of truth on the blatant hypocrisy and lies that are passed around in conservative circles, it amazing how they fold and people see themselves as silly and over reaching. The most dangerous people are the ones who don't know when they should be ashamed.

Even though I've been scolded and ridiculed for my wishes and beliefs, I can't help but believe that they are the proper way for me to live. One of my most controversial stances is wanting to give my children something that I never really had and that's a choice. A choice of how to think politically and a choice of how to approach spiritual things. A journey of self discovery is the most satisfying.

Random Thoughts and Daily Reflections

Drove by a dozens of churches today. Why would we be so cocky as to think that certain locations or building could ever capture and hold a God?

Ron Paul got screwed in Iowa and although he will stay in the race a while, he will never be the republican representative. He's racist enough for them but not willing to be a war monger or invade sovereign Nations.

Republicans are not for small Government. Elect Romney or Newt or Santorum and they'll show you a debt and deficit that dwarfs any all all comers before them.

If you really believe that Obama wants to harm the Country or your Grand Parents, you're just a complete idiot and shouldn't be allowed to vote. Rush and the other right wing show blowhards will say whatever it takes in order to get the compliance of the gullible and to make millions at their expense.

I have come to consider myself a deist. This is based on research about the founding fathers of America, the writings of Thomas Paine and just common sense. I can not divorce myself from the concept of a God because reason would hold that if there is evil in the world, there must also be an equal force of good. I think that the theory of God and access to him have been so distorted by the religions of the world that there is no hope of any of them being legitimate. I judge men based solely on their actions and attitudes and not on their personal belief system or lack thereof.

Rich doesn't equal wrong but it's terribly difficult for the wealthy to do good for others. Greed becomes the motivational force in their lives. There are many people who have plenty and yet pretend to be poor or struggling. The word is mockery.

Love your children and don't take chances with their well being. When others call you over protective, take it as a compliment because you only get one shot to be a good parent to each kid in your life.

Just because your parents spanked you as a child, that doesn't make it an honorable or necessary practice. I changed my mind about this issue when I overheard a couple of ladies speaking about how their parents spanked and beat them daily and that they turned out great and they were going to make sure they repeated the process with their kids. Why would you put your kids through a process that sucked for you as a child? Proving a point is no excuse for cruelty in my book.

It's funny how many people seem to think they know whats best for everyone else. Personal preferences should not be the standard by which we view others. Tattoos and piercings are signs of expression in the same way that fashion is.

This is just a set of random thoughts and reflections from the day. Insomnia dictates that the mind find some relief. Look for more in the future.