Moral courage is doing what's right when it costs you something.
I originally started working up a post about county clerks who are refusing to issue marriage licensees to homosexual couples. I was going to post their names and where they were from and give them the praise they deserve. Many of them are losing their job, or having to resign, which amounts to the same thing. Others are going to be facing lawsuits and financial ruin.
Then I realized that my list meant to honor the courageous would also be a "hit list" for activists.
Even so I know their names and honor their conviction. You have come to your positions for such at time as this.
CD
KD
KP
DP
GA
DG
CJ
If anyone has others post their initials only in the comments.
6/30/2015
6/27/2015
Reflection
"May you live in interesting times" is a supposed Chinese curse. I don't think anyone has ever proven it is a Chinese saying but culturally obtuse Americans can label a saying whatever they want. Calling it a curse is a truism regardless of the source.
As Susan indicated in the comments of the last post, its been an interesting week.
There is evidence that the Whitehouse is directing private enterprises to ban the sale of the Stars and Bars, also known as the Confederate Battle Flag. Apparently this flag is "hurtful" to a significant number of Americans.
I'm not sure the root cause of the hurt. This flag wasn't thought of as hurtful in 1866. The conquering Union Army did not ban it during or after reconstruction. It was not thought of as harmful or degrading by those who were actually enslaved prior to 1865.
The children of black slaves didn't object to the flag, nor did their children, or theirs or even the generation of blacks after that. It would appear that this outrage is a newly acquired phenomenon. There has been no legal institutional racism against blacks in this country in my life time. In fact for over 45 years blacks in America have had the exact opposite of anti-black racism. They have enjoyed affirmative action and direct money transfers from whites. Call it wealth distribution or welfare either way white Americans paid money to black Americans, for what no one is exactly sure.
We are told that the word "nigger" is the most offensive thing a black person can be called. I can count on one hand how many times I have heard a white person say it in a degrading manor in the last 20 years. For the last 15 years I have been in the company of rednecks. Yet "nigger" is how blacks talk about themselves.
Another thing I find interesting about America's racial situation: It is OK for mobs of blacks to attack helpless whites to beat and rob them. It happens frequently enough that now it hardly makes mainstream national news. It's OK for blacks to riot at the drop of a hat over police racism, even if they know it didn't happen and they know the white cop was morally in the right. Black leaders say they want "power" so they can "stick it to the man". Some of them even want a race war.
A doped up white kid shoots up a black church killing innocent black people. A white women risks her life after she spots him and trails him directing the police to arrest him. White cops risk their lives to make that arrest. White people all over the country send money to the black families harmed by this nut job. A most likely white jury is going to convict him of his crimes. Whites can't do anything right.
According to the demigods enthroned at Sodom on Potomac what white America needs is to give up our guns and flags that remind of freedom. Interestingly no blacks are rioting over this shooting. The one time a white person actually engages in a racially motivated crime, no one wants to take to the streets in a violent attack on the privileged whites.
Actual violent racism, as opposed to the kind that Rachel Dolezal fights against, is scary stuff and prompting a race war and fighting the man is a good fund raiser slogan for Rev. Al (what church does he preach for again) Sharpton, but a really bad idea when whites might shoot back.
Speaking of ancient civilizations destroyed by a fascination for butt sex and other lawless behavior: the Supreme (only in its own imagination) Court of the (once but not for much longer) United States checked their brains at the gay bar before ordering a collective lobotomy from their health (lack of) care provider.
No matter what a group of black robed dictators say, marriage is between a man and a women. Period.
So is all of this going to bring about the end of the world?
I doubt it. That doesn't mean that the United States is going to be around in 50 years, or even 25. This week the US officially ceased to be a Christian Nation. Many thought that happened with Roe V Wade, myself included. After all how much worse could it get? We now know. Unless we repent, we are going to face the same judgment that every other hedonistic culture has. We will decline.
I have no idea if the decline will be violent and fast, or a slow slouching towards sleaze, disease and atrophy. In the long run all cultures die. Western civilization American style is gasping for breath and going down for the third time.
There is no mention of the United States, or of any people group that can even remotely be ascertained as belonging to The West (new world) in either Revelation or any of the other books of Biblical prophecy. I don't think its because 400 million of us get raptured. It's because we will have long since ceased to be relevant.
As Susan indicated in the comments of the last post, its been an interesting week.
There is evidence that the Whitehouse is directing private enterprises to ban the sale of the Stars and Bars, also known as the Confederate Battle Flag. Apparently this flag is "hurtful" to a significant number of Americans.
I'm not sure the root cause of the hurt. This flag wasn't thought of as hurtful in 1866. The conquering Union Army did not ban it during or after reconstruction. It was not thought of as harmful or degrading by those who were actually enslaved prior to 1865.
The children of black slaves didn't object to the flag, nor did their children, or theirs or even the generation of blacks after that. It would appear that this outrage is a newly acquired phenomenon. There has been no legal institutional racism against blacks in this country in my life time. In fact for over 45 years blacks in America have had the exact opposite of anti-black racism. They have enjoyed affirmative action and direct money transfers from whites. Call it wealth distribution or welfare either way white Americans paid money to black Americans, for what no one is exactly sure.
We are told that the word "nigger" is the most offensive thing a black person can be called. I can count on one hand how many times I have heard a white person say it in a degrading manor in the last 20 years. For the last 15 years I have been in the company of rednecks. Yet "nigger" is how blacks talk about themselves.
Another thing I find interesting about America's racial situation: It is OK for mobs of blacks to attack helpless whites to beat and rob them. It happens frequently enough that now it hardly makes mainstream national news. It's OK for blacks to riot at the drop of a hat over police racism, even if they know it didn't happen and they know the white cop was morally in the right. Black leaders say they want "power" so they can "stick it to the man". Some of them even want a race war.
A doped up white kid shoots up a black church killing innocent black people. A white women risks her life after she spots him and trails him directing the police to arrest him. White cops risk their lives to make that arrest. White people all over the country send money to the black families harmed by this nut job. A most likely white jury is going to convict him of his crimes. Whites can't do anything right.
According to the demigods enthroned at Sodom on Potomac what white America needs is to give up our guns and flags that remind of freedom. Interestingly no blacks are rioting over this shooting. The one time a white person actually engages in a racially motivated crime, no one wants to take to the streets in a violent attack on the privileged whites.
Actual violent racism, as opposed to the kind that Rachel Dolezal fights against, is scary stuff and prompting a race war and fighting the man is a good fund raiser slogan for Rev. Al (what church does he preach for again) Sharpton, but a really bad idea when whites might shoot back.
Speaking of ancient civilizations destroyed by a fascination for butt sex and other lawless behavior: the Supreme (only in its own imagination) Court of the (once but not for much longer) United States checked their brains at the gay bar before ordering a collective lobotomy from their health (lack of) care provider.
No matter what a group of black robed dictators say, marriage is between a man and a women. Period.
So is all of this going to bring about the end of the world?
I doubt it. That doesn't mean that the United States is going to be around in 50 years, or even 25. This week the US officially ceased to be a Christian Nation. Many thought that happened with Roe V Wade, myself included. After all how much worse could it get? We now know. Unless we repent, we are going to face the same judgment that every other hedonistic culture has. We will decline.
I have no idea if the decline will be violent and fast, or a slow slouching towards sleaze, disease and atrophy. In the long run all cultures die. Western civilization American style is gasping for breath and going down for the third time.
There is no mention of the United States, or of any people group that can even remotely be ascertained as belonging to The West (new world) in either Revelation or any of the other books of Biblical prophecy. I don't think its because 400 million of us get raptured. It's because we will have long since ceased to be relevant.
6/26/2015
GFF- Good Boys
Texas-AKA the Massachusetts of the south has some interesting practices like jailing 75 year-old women for having too much grass, and I don't mean marijuana. Riisel Texas officials apparently have nothing better to worry about than tossing old people in jail for lawn violations.
RIESEL,Texas (KWTX) -
But it doesn't end there.
RIESEL (June 11, 2015)
You and your brothers are enacting some of the very principles that made this country great. Pushing that mower around in the hot sun might not seem like an act of moral fortitude, but it is. The rational for the lawn mowing ordnances in your town isn't the issue. The issue is that old folks shouldn't be treated disrespectfully, especially not in America.
You boys are being better men than the ones that run your town. Keep it up! One day you'll be grown. Keep doing what you are doing now and make a habit of it. Then we'll have four young men who will be fit to run Riesel in the future.
RIESEL,Texas (KWTX) -
An arrest warrant for a Central Texas women ends with an act of kindness from four brothers.
On Tuesday, the Reynolds boys saw News 10's report about Gerry Suttle, the 75-year-old Riesel woman who has a warrant out for her arrest because her grass was too high.
Even though they didn't know Suttle, they decided to load up their mowers and come mow her lot.
"We haven't met her yet but she's 75 years old and she needs some help mowing," said Blaine Reynolds. "That's the least we could do."
Once the brothers got started, others in the community joined. Together, they were able to mow the entire lot in about two hours.Somebody's been raising the Reynolds boys right. A couple of mowers, and a can of gas is all it took to get other folks in the community behind them.
But it doesn't end there.
RIESEL (June 11, 2015)
Problems continue between an elderly woman and the city of Riesel as they issue another summons to appear because of her lawn.
News 10 reported her situation on Tuesday and on Wednesday a group of boys who saw the report, but didn't know Suttle, decided to mow her lawn for her.
On Thursday Suttle received a notice to appear before a judge in the city of Riesel concerning weeds/grass/brush/rubbish on her property.
"Just leave me alone," Suttle said. "I've lived here 59 years. I don't know how much longer I've got to live here."
The summons doesn't say which property Suttle is being summoned for.
She owns the lot across the street, which was the original area the city had problems with and that the boys mowed on Wednesday.
She also owns the property where her home is.
News 10 reached out to the city multiple times by phone and stopped by city hall to give them a chance to tell their side of the story and explain the most recent summons.
Those calls were not returned.I wonder why nobody called the TV News reporter back. If the second notice was a mistake, all they had to do was say so. Anyway back to our heroes:
Once Suttle signed the documents the warrant would be dropped. However, on Thursday she received the summons.
"It is very heartbreaking to see that someone that I didn't even know came out and spent two hours in the sun doing what we thought the city wanted done and then them turn around and say 'no,'" Suttle said.
The Reynolds brothers who mowed her lawn said the city's decision is disappointing.
"It doesn't feel good that we did all that work in the hot sun and now that lady still has to go to court," Brandon Reynolds said.
But the brothers, in their helpful spirit, offered to mow the grass again.
"I'd do it for her a second time, or a third time," Blaine Reynolds said. "Anything to keep that lady from having to go to court."That's right Blaine, do what's right. If that's not enough keep doing what's right.
You and your brothers are enacting some of the very principles that made this country great. Pushing that mower around in the hot sun might not seem like an act of moral fortitude, but it is. The rational for the lawn mowing ordnances in your town isn't the issue. The issue is that old folks shouldn't be treated disrespectfully, especially not in America.
You boys are being better men than the ones that run your town. Keep it up! One day you'll be grown. Keep doing what you are doing now and make a habit of it. Then we'll have four young men who will be fit to run Riesel in the future.
6/24/2015
LEARN CHINESE
| English Phrase | Chinese Interpretation |
|---|---|
| Are you harboring a fugitive? | Hu Yu Hai Ding? |
| See me A.S.A.P. | Kum Hia Nao |
| Stupid Man | Dum Gai |
| Small Horse | Tai Ni Po Ni |
| Did you go to the beach? | Wai Yu So Tan? |
| I bumped into a coffee table | Ai Bang Mai Ni |
| I think you need a facelift | Chin Tu Fat |
| It's very dark in here | Wai So Dim? |
| Has your flight been delayed? | Hao Long Wei Ting? |
| Unauthorized execution | Lin Ching |
| I thought you were on a diet | Wai Yu Mun Ching? |
| This is a tow away zone | No Pah King |
| I got this for free | Ai No Pei |
| I am not guilty | Wai Hang Mi? |
6/21/2015
My Father's Day
The very first thing this morning, I received a Happy Father's Day text.
I have been examining my conscience diligently today because of the text. My wife has never sent me a text. I seldom text anyone. My kids are too young to text.
I have no idea who sent it.
I don't recognize the phone number it came from and I don't think I even know anyone in that area code, or even that state.
So do I respond?
I have been examining my conscience diligently today because of the text. My wife has never sent me a text. I seldom text anyone. My kids are too young to text.
I have no idea who sent it.
I don't recognize the phone number it came from and I don't think I even know anyone in that area code, or even that state.
So do I respond?
6/19/2015
GFF-Historic
On this yesterday in history:
Columbia Records began the first mass production of the 33-rpm LP (long playing) record. The new format could contain 23 minutes of music per side versus the three minutes that could be squeezed on a 78-rpm disc, the standard of the day. Columbia president Edward Wallerstein wanted to hear an entire symphonic movement of one side of an album and cajoled a team of a thousand men to bring it into being. (1948) Read More
If you remember listening to your favorite music on either a 78 or a 33 you are closer to one age group in our next story than the other one.
The Clean Cut: Seattle retirement home doubles as preschool
Columbia Records began the first mass production of the 33-rpm LP (long playing) record. The new format could contain 23 minutes of music per side versus the three minutes that could be squeezed on a 78-rpm disc, the standard of the day. Columbia president Edward Wallerstein wanted to hear an entire symphonic movement of one side of an album and cajoled a team of a thousand men to bring it into being. (1948) Read More
If you remember listening to your favorite music on either a 78 or a 33 you are closer to one age group in our next story than the other one.
The Clean Cut: Seattle retirement home doubles as preschool
With the help of children, one Seattle hospital is trying to combat the loneliness that often accompanies aging.
At Mount St. Vincent, the Intergenerational Learning Center houses a nursing home and a preschool, where the children receive care and attention from the elderly, and the elderly feel a renewed sense of worth.When I was a kid they had a unique phrase that described this phenomena: "going to grandma's". Going to grandma's was regarded as the highlight to any week for everyone concerned. The grandparents loved it, after all they got to see me. I loved it, I go to see them, do fun stuff and it was nearly impossible for me to do wrong. My parents always seem to be happier afterwards to. Although come to think of it that might have something to do with how I got my brother and sister.
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