A Parade of Faces

You know, it’s interesting what you can see when you are looking. I got off work early today due to the lackage of holiday sandwich eaters. In other words, work was excruciatingly slow. My protests were quite weak when my manager asked me if I’d like to get off work early. In all truth, I wanted to join my little family for a little parade in my sister and brother-in-laws little neighborhood. This is because I haven’t been to a parade in years (the last time I went I had a little bucket and bobbed around looking for candy on the street).

I should add here that parades are the only time when it is socially acceptable to eat things off the road.

Another reason why I like Fourth of July parades is because the streets are filled with people that consider it cool to wear red, white, and blue. For the little bit of time I was at work today, I was severely disheartened by those who wore green, and other completely unpatriotic colors. I made sure I wore my blue Pot Belly shirt and a little red apron and I looked down my nose at people who didn’t. Today is the only day out of the 365.25 days in the year that I allow myself to judge.

Another nice thing about parads is that people freely yell, “Happy Fourth of July!” and have big smiles on their face that one can’t help smiling back at. I tried that at work. Know what I got in return?

“Yeah, I’d like lettuce, mayo, and a little hot peppers on that.”

Then if I had the guts to try again with, “Have any exciting plans for today?”

My customer would add dismissively, “I’ll take that to go.”

Wow. Some plans. Unfortunately for them, customers like that bring out the sarcasm in me. I attempted to bring out their patriotic spirit, and well, it was deemed non-existent. There were a couple gems in the bunch, but mostly I felt like the only fiercely patriotic person there. Thus is why the parade was cute and exciting for me. I ended up getting lots of candy thrown my way because I happened to sit in a children-free zone. I must have looked youthful as I took the peoples‘ pictures, because I often had to duck from 80 mph tootsie rolls thrown at me.

Actually, I don’t know if you guys know this, but the Declaration of Independence was written and signed on July 2nd, and was only copied on July 4th. This wasn’t announced until July 6th. That’s just an interesting fact for you.

No Fourth of July article is complete without patriotic pictures (the ones I took today). That’s a fact. So I, the neutral party, observed all the different faces of patriotism at the parade I attended. And, I can say without bias that the pictures capture the essence of patriotism. The faces you are about to see, are characters that represent a pride in the land I live in.
The pictured essence represents diversity; young and old, politician and farmer, suburban wife and Harley girlfriend, the child throwing candy and the child collecting candy, the emasculated Scottish men and the uniformed firemen, the woman sprawled out in the lawn chair with a coke and the woman reliving the glory days of twirling a baton for the band…. This represents all of us Americans, leading different lives but uniting all down the blocks of little neighborhoods across the country to celebrate this fourth of July.

A Glance at Terri Schindler Schaivo

The death of Terri Schindler Schiavo is forever ear-marked in my memory as a time when I started listening to conservative talk radio. I was outraged that although Terri Schiavo was disabled she was FAR from being in a coma at the time of her dehydration/starvation/death. I studied the issue, and came up with the following paper and sent it to all of the talk show hosts I knew of. I was 14 years old. I realize that Terri was a financial burden in some ways, but when I read the book on her husbands involvement in her death, I was once again outraged that the family had specifically pleaded that THEY would cover all financial and physical burden. All the family asked was that Michael Schaivo divorce his wife and marry the woman who had become his fiance and given him two children after Terri's collapse. It is understandable that Michael did not want to divorce his wife because she had previously been awarded a large amount of money for her disablities that would become his at the time of her death.

Pulling the plug on a loved one is difficult - I am definitely not here to judge people who have been given no other option but to release a loved one from their suffering. But this case was desperately wrong, and I think even as a young girl, I realized this. Terri Schindler Schaivo was not just released from her life as she knew it here on earth. She was dehydrated and starved for 14 days to the point that her mouth was so dry and raw that she was denied even a drop of water to ease the pain. The following paper is not something I will not defend as perfect, but it still makes one think.

After all, it was Terri who once said the following statement. "Where there is life, there is hope."

I am only 14 years old, but “Injustice”, was one of the many words that came to my mind, as well as I’m sure to the minds of millions of other Americans, when I heard about the Terri Schiavo overruling. I say overruling, because everything good and right that should not have been forsaken was overruled, on her behalf.

“Someone ‘big’ MUST be stirred at this mess”, was my second thought as I humanly weighed the options for her life in my head. But, I had to conclude, that when I heard her flesh and blood were overruled…her governor was overruled…the president of her country was overruled…that someone twisted, and cold, and hurt was doing the overruling.

Who is this judge to take word over law? My third thought, was “What is this judges’ name, who is he a puppet of, and how can we get them out of our justice system?”.

Michael Schiavo is probably not the greatest of guys, and…sure…he’s made plenty of errors on his wife’s part. But, he’s not the real issue here! If it wasn’t him, it would have been someone else. Not everyone in our country is upset about the ruling. Our attention is being diverted with him, the governor…and anyone else bigger that people try to blame. But it’s not bigger that we need. It’s power. Our problem lies in the courts. People like Michael Schiavo are supposed to be stopped by our courts, because America is a land that upholds justice. Our country of Justice, and Wealth, and Freedom is turning into…a country that will soon be recognized as a country full of Injustice because of people lacking or wanting more Wealth and turning Freedom and rights into Pro- Choice not just for the babies…now we’re saying that mentally disabled people choose to die, elderly will choose to die…and basically the costly sick…soon they- like unborn babies- choose to die. Is it the babies, and the sick, and the mentally disabled that are choosing to die…or is it the murderer that chooses for them?

America has always prided itself on standing for what was right. We defend the Jews. We pray and ask God to bless our nation. We fight the terrorists. We’ve seen what is outwardly a pagan wrong, and often try to deal with it. President Bush is fighting a war. But it’s more than just with terrorists. It’s with his own people. It’s with the media who won’t support the right over wrong…the truth in EVERYTHING, over what they want people to hear. Adolf Hitler said, “If you tell a lie long enough and loud enough, and often enough, the people will believe it”. What is the voice of the people? Isn’t it the newspapers that people open every morning while they sip their coffee? How smart is it for terrorists to bomb a building and leave their tracks…or would it be far more intellectual a move to subtly take the people while the government is distracted by drugs, misdemeanors, sex charges, senseless murdering, and the injustice to a starving woman.

Which leads me to my fourth thought. “Isn’t this communist mentality the liberals are taking?”. I mean, if I were to get sick of taking care of my grandmother, could I kill her? The answer is yes…though not legally. I might cover it up…but eventually would be caught. If and when I were caught, I would be charged with murder and would have to serve the appropriate time in the slammer. Now, take these courts that are starving Terry Schiavo. How much are the liberal media’s being paid to help cover up this communist mentality? I mean- what if this senseless murdering of Terry is just a window to something a whole lot bigger? Didn’t David Rockefeller voice his praise of the controlled U.S. media for keeping their oath not to divulge the Globalist plans to the public? He said, “We are grateful to the Washington Post, the New York Times, Time Magazine, and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years.” He went on to explain, “It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But, the world is now more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government.” Accidentally found in the pocket of a spy that was shot in 1919, were the following Communist rules,

1) Corrupt the young, get them away from religion
2) Break down the old moral virtues
3) Encourage evil disorders…and a soft government attitude toward crime
4) Divide the people into hostile groups (race, religion, etc.)
5) Get the people’s minds off their government by focusing their attention on athletes, sex, etc.
Note: In 1896, there were 311 athletes participating in the Olympics. In 1996, there were 13,000.
6) Get control of the media
7) Destroy people’s faith in their religion
8) Cause the registration of all firearms…to eventually confiscate

Any of this sound familiar? Karl Marx, father of communism dedicated his book to Charles Darwin whom ‘he was a sincere admirer of’. Marx realized he could not justify the death of a human being, much less slavery of the black race during his time…unless the white man were to be taught that they were superior to other races. Thus, evolution was strongly advocated by Karl Marx who referred to evolution (creation without the supreme being, God) several times in his speeches. Stalin, too was a strong believer in evolution, after reading Charles Darwin’s book (using the original title) on ‘The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life.’ Charles Darwin was not only a racist, but he was a woman hater…yet his book is still today labeled one of the greatest scientific works in history. Evolution Science teaches we come from nothing. We became what we are now. Ever since the world came together, we’ve been getting bigger and better and stronger. Yet, several large skeletons have been hid by namely the evolution supporting ‘Smithsonian’, who discovered, and disposed of skeletons… 8, 9, 11 feet tall. I guess, they didn’t like the thought of everybody realizing, ‘hey were not becoming bigger and better. We’re getting smaller and dumber’. And dumber is right. Hitler, did not drag everyone’s granny’s and lame aunties, blind uncles, deaf cousins, and ‘unfavored races’ to the gas chambers all at once. He subtly introduced evolution to the children’s textbooks, teaching them that there WERE favored races. He is quoted, saying, “Let me control the textbooks, and I will control the state.”

Who is controlling our textbooks? Who is teaching America, that ‘scientifically’, we came from nothing, in stead of, ‘truthfully, we came from dust and the power of God’s imagination’. Who is telling our girl’s, that abortion is our babies’ choice, and that finances, careers, lifelong happiness, as pregnant young mother’s are told they won’t have with a baby, are worth more than a precious life. Hitler taught German’s that killing Jewish, noisy, expensive babies was like squashing a pesky bug, or drowning a barn cat. To him, he lived a life were there WERE favored races, and he intended to teach that the lesser races were nothing but dumb animals. Why else weren’t the enslaved blacks aloud to read? And HOW COME Charles Darwin’s book on evolution wasn’t questioned, contradicted or destroyed before this age and time? People, chose to believe a lie. A big one. And their still swallowing it today. Evolution, ties in with Communism…and someone subtle and more powerful than the president of our country, is within our courts, taking word over law. Someone is taking the power to save and preserve a human being’s life, and wrongly creating a terrible lie that the media is swallowing…that woman’s life is not useless. Are we going to get up off our knees when Terry Schiavo dies? Or are we going to root out the injustice that is filtrating into America’s just system. Someone is tampering with my country. I know I’m only 14 years old, but I realize that there’s something deeper here. We are scientifically labeling our unborn babies as lifeless blobs, and a tissue that doesn’t think or function. We are calling evolution a scientific fact, and it is being taught in our textbooks…in our schools. These are lies…that people want to, and choose to teach and believe.
Our generation is growing up humanist, racist, and if they get violent, communistically minded.

America, will not always be America if we keep getting looser and less conservative… and bending to the controlled media’s idea of ‘moderate’. Tell me. Who are these ‘communists’ in my country…who’s on their side or undecided on this issue… and how can I prevent my country from losing it’s God fearing, God loved, and God blessed sweetness and freedom that once had the world admiring America?

Sincerely,

Andi

A Greatness taken for Granted

Jim, one of my amazing Caesar salad and Grape Juice customers, has repeatedly been bringing me down articles on the horrors of Islamic terrorism, so that I might read with wide eyes during my hour of ultimate boredom. The subject will not evade me, it seems, because I just came from listening to a Rush Limbaugh segment and he was conducting an interview with some guy who wrote a book. I think it was 'Jackson' somebody who wrote some book about the dangers of Islam; dangers most people aren't aware of. That's not what's important, though. What's important is all of that made me start thinking about how people take for granted the greatness of this country.

I think there's a great parallel between the World Trade Centers and America. Alot of people want to argue that since there have been no more major terrorist attacks on American soil since 2001, there is no longer a danger. In fact, they say there is so little danger that our troops have no business interfering on Iraqi soil. All I have to do is mention the word 'war', and many of my customers will get raised eyebrows and go off on a tangent about this 'sorry excuse of a war'. My boss' son is a soldier stationed in Iraq right now, though, so many of those customers will curb their vehemency in her presence. My point here is not that those customer do not have a right to anger, or to their opinion. Absolutely not. I think it's awesome that I can hear people contradict with me and talk about differences of opinion. I think I'm like alot of people in wishing that there wasn't such a thing as war, but I am not so clueless as to think that America is a country that can just sit by and remain great. Even our founding fathers were not sure that America would last for a few years... much less forever.

While the World Trade Center bombing of '93 frightened people, nobody took it as a declaration of war. The Trade Centers stood firm and were repaired. They were considered un-destructable. Life went on. Then 9/11 2001 came and went... the World Trade Centers sank to it's knees... and it sent American's to their knees in prayer and sorrow. The core of American resolve was shaken and on their knees they were strengthend. What happened since then? How has simply seven years weakened our resolve to keep on the offensive to prevent equally devestating attacks against our great country? I think it says alot for President Bush and our troops that America hasn't had any more major attacks on her soil since 2001. When I told one of my customers that, she exploded, "What do you call the anthrax attack?" lol. That was reaching a bit, to compare 'the anthrax attack' to 'the 9/11 attack'.

America is the greatest country in the world. There's no doubt of that. But are we seriously naive enough to think that the war has NOT been helping prevent attacks on our soil? Are we honestly content with the Jimmy Carters' of America conducting 'peace treaties' with Hamas? Are 'we the people' so content with being separated into our political parties, that when a republican in office happens to declare war, we cannot support him all the way to victory because of his political PARTY? Terrorists ARE dangerous... Islam DOES teach violence... All I can do when I hear people whine about how ritarded it is for our troops to be sacrificing themselves for a 'lost cause' is bite my tongue until it bleeds. I just feel so strongly that America is not a 'great' country that will last 'forever' unless we, the people of America, continue to fight for that greatness.

What happened to the unsinkable Titanic? It sank. What happened to the undestructable World Trade Centers? It was destroyed. Great America has been amply warned. The warm security of ignorance is no longer ours. There IS a war, and we ARE winning it. Daily, terrorists (who are often defined in the main stream media as 'innocents') are killed. That's awesome. You know why? Because terrorists are TRAINED to KILL Americans! This is not just a 'war' to them... it is a way of living. We may retire from war, but until they (and their way of thinking)are no longer living, innocent people are in danger. One terrorist killed is quite possibly two Americans saved. I wish these people could be 'untrained' and spared... but where the security of Americans and war is involved... it is not something we have the authority to risk. We cannot just introduce a Bible and immediately retrain the way these terrorists think. They are programmed for death.

I have often heard people complain that the democracy we are implementing there is pointless, and America has NO right to interfere with their politics. WHAT politics? I don't really care about the democracy... that's just something that's supposed to help the citizens get back on their feet. That is the compassion of America in action. Our OBJECTIVE is to destroy Al Qaida and other terrorist regimes. Their main objective is to oppress their citizens and inspire Muslim Extremists to eliminate the real INNOCENTS of America. It makes me sick when I think of how many journalists cannot sit back from their political bias and just look at America as their country that they must defend at all costs.

We want to secure a safe, strong nation for this generation, and the generations to come, don't we? Absolutely. So let's stop pretending that our good name is going to keep us safe. It is our good men and women that are fighting for us even as I write these humble words that are keeping us safe. Greatness is a pursuit, not a fact.

Scandal... Who are You Protecting?

I have an interest in scandal. You do, too. Admit it. It's interesting. I suppose everyone likes to be shocked every now and then when they hear that a major celebrity, or politician, or public figure is caught doing something he/she is not supposed to do. Maybe you don't get fascinated by that kind of drivel, but I can't help glancing at the headlines and catching snatches of the news.

One of our fading scandals has been in Eliot Spitzer - a widely publicized 9-days-wonder. As you probably know, he was caught in an inappropriate relationship digested from Emperors Club VIP, a prostitution ring. Unfortunately, his indiscretions are not all that uncommon in the political field. After Bill Clinton paved the way, we can be prepared for anything. However, I believe what outraged many people about Spitzer, was not his weakness or his mistakes. People could not believe that Spitzer would go from actively prosecuting at least 2 prostitution rings, to actually participating in one. Spitzer was, in the greatest sense of the word, a hypocrite. Not a pleasant word in our society.

And then there is Obama - and his questionable associations with Reverend Jeremiah Wright and Farrikahn. His poll ratings deliver the naked truth - America is dissapointed in the Obama of 'unity'. They were impressed, they cheered like he was a celebrity, they put their faith in him. But how can he claim to want unity and turn around and attend a church that is not just racist toward 'whites', but is hateful towards America in general. How can that be our future presidents' mentor? How can that be the future of America? How can that represent a GOOD change? How can that instill an 'Audicity to Hope' when those hopes are wavering even now? This is a very crucial time for Obama. He says he's all about 'unity'. What are we unifying for? Is this REALLY all about turning a blind eye on 'color', or is to turn a blind eye on Obama?

I personally think the word 'racist' is so rashly thrown out there, that anyone discussing it gets absurdly technical in everything they say. Is it racist to mention the color of a person? Or is it only racist when one makes the effort to discriminate against a person because of their color (either black OR white, etc.)? I personally don't see the big issue between the races. I was never taught there was any difference between me and any of my black, indian, or oriental friends. We just had different heritages - and it was neat to think of where we had all come from. I think Obama's church makes such an effort to catapult black ideals into prominence, that they are discriminating against any other culture of white origin in America. That's not just sick - it's wrong! Who cares if somebody is white or black? If they have something good to say, and they believe what they say, and they can act like what they say they are - I have great confidence in them. Don't turn a blind eye on race! So, you're Mexican, you're English, you're African American, you're German, you're Irish, you're Jewish, you're Indian, you're Arabian, you're out of this world. Cool. Nice to meet you, now what do you have to say? Who are you? What do you believe? That's far more important in my eyes.

Obama is a hypocrite. He wants to unify us, but he attends a church like that for 20 years?! Give me a break... There is still the 20-years of indoctrination. I KNOW how churches are. You don't just walk away from their teaching. It's stays with you. For a very long time.

As nice as Obama seems, be honest with yourself. Who cares about his color or his white mama? Obama just doesn't have much to say. His speeches, while eloquent, inspire emotions as opposed to trust. They are empty words -- something America apparently hasn't gotten used to with Politicians. And the more I see of the 'Politician Obama', the less popular shine I see in that wide smile. While the charming personality of Obama eeks out through his speeches, I am becoming more and more aware of how dangerous he really is for America.

When I look at Politicians, I've observed that the wisest way to evaluate their standing both politically and personally - is by their associations. Now let's talk about Obama's long-time mentor, spiritual adviser who in fact was consulted and prayed with before Obama entered the candidacy, friend, and pastor of 20 years, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Wright has been publicized lately for saying extremely controversial, nutjob, racist things. He reportedly "pledged acquired skills available to the black community, strengthening and supporting black institutions, pledging allegiance to all black leadership who have embraced the black value system, personal commitment to the embracement of the black value system." He referrs to America as 'White America'... 'the United States of White America'. I realize this may all seem like racist hogwash, but that's exactly what it is. Seriously, if you listen to some of Wright's sermons, you can hear him saying 'No, no, no, no. Not God Bless America, God damn America.' He claims the 911 terrorist attacks were conspiracies against Black people - everything is just one big conspiracy against Black people. According to him, “Jesus was a poor black man who lived in a country and who lived in a culture that was controlled by rich white people. The Romans were rich. The Romans were Italians, which means they were European, which means they were white–and the Romans ran everything in Jesus’ country. It just came to me . . . why so many folk are hatin’ on Barack Obama. He doesn’t fit the model!” -Which is funny because, although he claims to preach straight gospel, Jesus was a Jew, of Hebrew descent.

Obama of course distances himself from Wright by saying he was 'like an old uncle who sometimes says things you don't always agree with'. The difference being, however, that you don't choose your uncle. You CHOOSE your Pastor. Obama was married in the church, his kids were baptised in the church, and then he came out - all of the beautiful eloquence fleeing to distant horizons - and said that he had not been in attendance for the Sunday's which involved the racist comments. Did you catch that? He said he WAS NOT THERE for the hateful words Wright is videotaped saying. Yet there were dozens of sermons filled with this kind of hate speech! And you'd think - wow being in a church that long, and tithing $22000 last year alone (that would be Obama) can have some POWERFUL influence on your outlook on life and America. Not much 'unity' there if you ask

Then there's Farrakhan. I believe he bombed the White House in the 70's, and is reported to have said, "I wish I would have bombed more/Caused more devestation". He is definitely associated with Obama's past - although Obama has vehmently distanced himself in the light of publicity.

So I've heard Obama lie. There's no way he couldn't have been apart of at least ONE of the sermons that included this load of bull. That makes him just another politician. And I've seen his candidacy shake in the spot light under the scrutiny. I respect the fact that he still stands -- but I find it increasingly hard to respect him just because he is a smooth oiled talker. People are already crediting him for 'taking this issue on', and delivering some 'resounding speeches'. Is America so surface focused? There is still the 20-years of indoctrination. I KNOW how churches are. You don't just walk away from their teaching. It's stays with you. For a very long time.

Obama and Spitzer both have something in common; the Public spotlight where they don't want it.

So if you're supporting Obama...if you're one of the proud supporters of his campaign...if you're willing to stand by him through thick and thin, black and white, right and wrong...I hope you're thinking long and hard right now. What attracts you to him? Are you defending him, or are you defending your own personal gains from his success? Think about it. Who are you protecting?

Those are just some of my concerns -- and they are increasingly shared by those who are aware of the situation.

She Makes Us Wear Her Colors

Pinning the sky in place, a brilliance of red-white-and-blue is on the bridge above where I exit to get to work. Since my car takes the ramp that circles in a U around it, every morning and afternoon I see it from various angles, blending with beautiful every-day shades of sun. I can envision the tattered edges of that old American flag even now. The wind curls it into a crescent shape, and then spreads it smooth as silk along the line of the sky. Seeing it in the tired hours of the morning makes my heart swell and feel stronger somehow. When I feel like I am only one - working towards an endless cause as one meaningless bolt in the clock-work of America - one eye on that flag makes me want to stand straighter and work harder. I feel a part of something. I feel proud.

It inspires me to stir passion back up in the hearts of the average American people. Not just any old passion. A passion for America. Did I say politicians? No. Did I say Congress? No. Did I say the economy, or the court systems, or the media? No. I said America. She is always under our feet, regardless of the global warming terrors of the day. She will always have been founded the same way… one Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
If America were a football team, would we all wear her colors? Would we cheer her on? I think we would. We would stand behind her no matter what the wins or losses, what players or coaches come and go, and what fans were sympathetic to our cause. We would fight - in and out of season. THAT is America. We work, we dispute, we love, we fight, but in the end we all live together.