Confederate History Month

This post will be short and sweet. Virginia declared Confederate History Month a few days ago. The beginning of the Civil War is being celebrated as some kind of great thing. Do not get it twisted! The Confederates were traitors; States Rights equals White Supremacy and Slavery; they became the cowardly KKK; they long for the "good ol' days" when every non-white was at best a second class citizen. Confederate History Month is a slap in the face of equality, promotes bigotry and turns back the hands of time. True the Civil War is a part of history and to glorify the Confederate aspects of it becomes a cruel joke. Supporters of this honoring the Confederacy demonstrate how far we really have come. Unfortunately, it has become plain we have not come far enough.

Some Can't the Forest, Because They're Looking At the Trees

I am gonna make this short and sweet: the Tea Party is comprised of a bunch of racists, bigots and zealots looking for a reason to create havoc and stagnate progress. With the economy being what it is; it is the perfect climate for fostering ignorance, hatred and blaming of the new administration. Where were they when Bush and Cheney where wrecking this country's economy and place in the world?

I am fed up with Sarah Palin, Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh. They have the right to their opinions, no matter how assinine they are. What is scary, they have so many knuckleheads listening to that garbage. They are provocative to the point of some ignorant bigot taking their rhetoric as gospel and going postal on a bunch of innocent people. Funny, they criticize politicians, but they have their own politicians who do the very things they complain about, but for them.

I believe in God as I understand him. They claim to be Christians, but I find it hard to believe. However, we all have things to answer for, come judgememnt day. Glen, Rush and Sarah, see you then!

Tea Party? Racist/ Anti Semetics? You Do the Math 2

Tea Party critics accuse them of bigotry and racism. GUILTY! The public does not get to see the overt racist signs nor the rhetoric on the Tee-shirts. Granted, I do not believe all in that movement are bigots and racists, however, if you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas. I have yet to hear any of the tea party leaders denounce or ask the bigots to demonstrate elsewhere. Their movement, like it or not has become the disguise the bigots needed to promote their messages of hate and intolerance. Unfortunately, our own media bears some of the blame. By the media's refusal to publish the photos of the placards and tee-shirts that spout racist jargon referring to the President, they are as if not more guilty than the party that refuses to address the issue.

The primary excuse the movement claims is that they are protesting fiscal irresponsibility of this administration. Where were they during the past eight years when Bush and Chaney were robbing the American taxpayer blind. They took the Patriot act and turned it into a license to steal. I did not hear of any "Tea Party" then. I believe I heard just the opposite. They protested about Obama's heritage (or what they perceived as Obama's heritage), but no one had anything to say about how the presidency was highjacked twice. As far as I am concerned, no matter how successful the healthcare effort ends up, because it was spearheaded by an administration led by a Black man, there will always be a problem.

That is just plain ignorant!

Tea Party? Racist/ Anti Semetics? You Do the Math

It pains me to see racism and anti-semetism disguised and camoflouged as anti-government patriotism. I keep hearing about so-called patriots protesting healthcare reform and spouting hatred at the same time. It is time someone called this farce what it is..Bigotry, racism, anti-semetism and hatred. They do not care about the healthcare bill. They are just "Good Ol' Boys" that want to set this country back to the "Good Ol' Days". Have you noticed any Blacks or Latinos in any of those crowds of protesters. If so, I wonder if they really believe they can benefit from the madness.

There are probably some people in the "Tea Party" who do not fit that description, however I am afraid their numbers are dwindling. While there are some things I do not like about the government, and the politicians, I do not want to turn back the hands of time and relive the past, where I was afraid of being lynched, because I knew I deserved equal protection under the Constitution. I believe that eventually the ship will right itself, but the enemy is not the politicians....not so much. You have a problem with what is happening to this country, check out the banking system. If you research that, then maybe you will know where to direct your anger.

My message to the Tea party: Do some real research and you will see who to point the finger at. Unfortunately, you have too many ignorant individuals who will not take the time to do the research necessary to find the truth. Oh well time will tell.

Personally, I am getting prepared.............FOR ANYTHING.

Is Anybody Out There?

I usually write about politics and the state of things today. I am never sure what to expect when I turn on the news, read a newspaper or check things out online. The more information I encounter, the crazier this world seems to me. I grew up in the '50s and '60s when while things were turbulant, they were not as nuts. We were struggling with civil rights, the Viet Nam War, and trying to find ourselves. "Turn on and Tune Out" was the catch phrase and still those times were not as crazy as these.

The amount of scandals were not as abundant. Crooked politicians usually were caught with their hands in the till, not with their hands up someone's skirt, or in someones pants. They were not being caught in public bathrooms trying to make a "hookup". We have had state governors resigning as a result of sexual orientation, illicit affairs, selling senate seats, and so many different things.

Now we have state governors slashing public school budgets, to balance state deficits. While it may work from a financial standpoint in an immediate sense, it is going to be a bad thing when the children of these cutbacks wind up under educated and unable to compete in tomorrow's work force. The real impact is on the less affluent. The rich will not have to worry about their children's education. They are able to buy it. Those who cannot, well it seems like you will be S.O.L.

Hospitals are going bankrupt, healthcare cuts, when does it end? Let us take a look at this whole picture. The economy is struggling; at the state level, everyone appears to be fighting to address deep deficits. What gets to me is that whenever they cut, it is always the less fortunate who get the majority of the budget cuts. This is the Republican way!

Since Ronald Reagan, the homeless population has risen exponentially. Ronald Reagan loved poor people...he made so many of them. The Conservatives have followed his tradition with a smug look on their face as if to say, "So what?" Oh well, let us see which segment of society will wake up first. Right now, everybody is nodding off.

The Bigotry Connection

Am I dreaming, or has Sara Palin and that Beck character joined forces? I caught a glimpse of the story in passing, but the thought is scary, but very enlightening. I wondered when the real Sarah Palin would show up. Now all she needs is a sheet over her head and a torch ready light a cross on somone's lawn, maybe even carrying a noose. Glenn Beck is a racist, no ifs, no ands, no butts! There is no other explanation aside from the obvious; to bigots have found each other and are joining forces to promote Jim Crow all over again. They may not be able to reverse things back to 1950, but then can make it difficult to solidify race and class relations. Those two in collaboration are as dangerous as a angry blind man with a gun in a subway station.

Ignorance always troubles me. Ignorance times two really troubles me, because they are both influential figures that appeal to other ignorant individuals with guns. They possibility of Sarah Palin running for president in 2012 is a nightmare in high definition. The possibility of her winning is a bad acid trip. This unholy alliance is going to be interesting to watch over the next several years. It's like Hannibal Lechter and Jeffrey Damer inviting you to dinner, it's a one way trip.

Here We Go Again!

Joe Slack, angry citizen, suicide murderer and crazy as hell! I know the climate of the country is one of anger and resentment toward the government and its agencies. People are unemployed, broke, homeless, starving and totally disillusioned at the way things turned out. Mentally impaired individuals with weapons are coming out of nowhere promoting, planning and executing acts of domestic terrorism.

James Von Brunn, another mad man with a weapon and a hatred for Jews and Blacks attacked and killed an innocent man and was subsequently killed by surviving security guards. Neither man knew their victims' names, nor did they care.

Slack is considered by some a hero for his act of domestic terrorism, while Von Brunn is just considered "nuts". Maybe in the circles of White Supremecists, VB might be considered a hero, too. Twisted, isn't it? The victims are the real heros. Two individuals who did no harm to their assassins, but paid the supreme price of both of their killer's insanities.

The anger perpetuated by the plunging economy is spreading like wildfire and if continued unchecked, the violence will escalate and the collateral damage will increase exponentially. The fuel to this anger is the raging conservative rhetoric of the tea party members. While not actually participating in the violence, (as far as we know), their rants and divisive actions are running many of the social accomplishments back the dark ages.

I spoke with an individual who is as angry as anyone I have ever seen at the government and how our citizens are being treated, but for the life of me, I cannot get it through his head that what he is angry about, my people have been subjected to the same thing since the abolishment of chattell slavery. He is a Viet Nam vet, who is being shafted by the same country he chose to defend and returned home to an ungrateful society calling him things like "child-killer" and "murderer", to name a few. He is homeless, unemployed, in need of medical care with little financial support. I feel his pain. The Veterans Administration wants to place him in substance abuse rehab, but the guy does not drink or use drugs. He needs a shelter that would act as a "hand-up" to allow him to become independent and self-supporting again, unfortunately, like so many other vets of other wars, there is no place like that for any of them.

Now, I am not saying this guy will snap and commit some kind of domestic attrocity, but the law of averages says there is at least one person like him close to the edge, with the idea of doing so. The rhetoric he speaks is so similar to the tea party, it's scary. Only without the bigoted overtones. Hopefully, something miraculous will happen and all of our vets will be treated fairly and get the help they need.

Hopefully, there will come a time where we will not have to wonder whether or not we will return home that evening as we leave to start our day. Let us be optimistic, shall we?

Now, the IRS? That is another blog. They have to be the most despised and hated government agency in America. Their agents are threatened constantly! Everyone who gets audited, hates them. They may have earned their reputation, because of the blanket authority they have and wield. They literally can take everything you own in the name of tax evasion. Heaven help you if you are caught cheating them. We read about celebreties that wind up in jail for not paying taxes. Unfortunately, little people also get punished for not paying taxes. It is harder on them, because they usually get cleaned out and ruined, so you wind up with angry little people with an ax to grind. Scary, isn't it?

I have no answers to that issue, but Joe Slack thought he did, unfortunately for everyone, (especially Vernon Hunter), he was dead, dead wrong. Anyone else have any more bright ideas?