Racial Politics

Many years ago a great man had a vision for this country which he saw the beginnings take hold. Five days later an assassins bullet felled him. We had just ended a war in which 600,000 Americans lost their lives, fighting each other. How would a second term under Abraham Lincoln been different than what occurred under Andrew Johnson? Would the healing of the country have happened more quickly? Would the abuses of Reconstruction have happened. Would blacks still be struggling for REAL equality 100 years later? We will never know.

I am reading a book by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard, Killing Lincoln, that is a fascinating account of the end of the Civil War and the days leading up to Lincoln's assassination. I am learning many details that they never taught us in school both about the end of the war and Lincoln's demise. History is one of my passions so when a friend loaned me the book I was all over it. I will probably finish it this week and I would highly recommend it.

So it has been 147 years since Abe was killed and what do we have to show for it? Most will argue that the slavery issue was an afterthought for Lincoln and that he was as much as racist as anyone in that time. I am going to let his actions speak rather than historical revisionists and the results of his actions was to emancipate the slaves so let credit fall where it belongs. That is what cost him his life! The question is what tone would have been set by Lincoln. Lincoln was already considering how to bring the southern states back into the fold, rather than what kind of punishment could be levied on them and their leaders. Would the great work of Martin Luther King have been required, and cost him his life, 100 years after this bloody war? By all accounts racial equality has been a struggle in this country and is likely to continue to be.

Fast forward to 2012 and the state of race relations in this country. We have a black president, who, by most objective analyses, has been an abject failure. Not because he is black but because of his policies. But if we criticize his policies, and we are white, we are labeled racists. There will be many people that turn a blind eye to his failures and vote for him again in November BECAUSE he is black. Is this any less racist than voting for someone strictly because they are white or Hispanic? In fact "leaders" in the African-American community are publicly calling for this! Can you imagine the outcry and gnashing of teeth should Newt Gingrich encourage his supporters to vote for Mitt Romney because he is white?

And if you think this is just a national issue check out your local politics. In Texas the Hispanic population is growing at a pace far exceeding the growth in other ethic groups. Consequently you are seeing the emergence of Hispanic leaders seeking the power their numbers would demand. But it has not come easy for them. Challenges to redistricting this year held up the primary elections in Texas waiting for the courts to sprinkle holy water on the redrawn districts. On the local level they had to fight for single member districts to assure fair representation. The end result is that, over the years, there has been a steady erosion of power from whites to blacks and Hispanics. The irony is that we find these minority leaders acting just as racist as the Jim Crow era guys in the south.

What it comes down to is this question: Can you legislate away racism? The answer obviously is no. The people of the world naturally segregate themselves. Racism lives throughout the world. What we can do is make sure that opportunities are afforded to individuals without regard to race. It should not be an asset or a liability. The merits, talents, and abilities of a person should be the only factors considered. And maybe, just maybe, in another 147 years this will not be a current day topic. Doubtful but we can dream!

Vacation - Work from a Different Locale

Good morning, friends!

Thought I would do a little blogging this morning since sleep eludes me. Actually, I got about 5 hours of sleep and will probably get a couple of more After this is done. Who knows when inspiration will hit?

We are currently in a small town in Upstate New York named Valatie (pronounced Valasha? go figure). This is about 10 miles from where Emily, Ian and Dan live in Ghent, NY. We arrived here last Saturday for a nine day visit and face time with young grandson, Dan. The trip has been good and the time with Emily and her family a special treat. We usually only get to be with him 2 or 3 times a year so these on these opportunities are special for us.

Sadly, this part of the trip is just about over. Because Emily works tonight and tomorrow night we are clearing out for a couple of days and driving to Boston this morning. We will return to this area tomorrow night and fly home Monday morning. I am at that point when I am thinking about all the work I have to do so it will definitely be time to get back on Monday.

More about Boston. We took a day trip there a couple of years ago and really saw almost none of it. Being such a crucial city in the American Revolution makes it a must see for any history buff such as myself. So after breakfast we will drive to Boston and probably spend the balance of the day in the Boston Common area exploring the Freedom Trail. That is a walking tour of 16 historic sites significant to the Revolutionary War period. Poor Emma will be dragged along but I know there will be gift shops so she will be on board! Tomorrow I plan to visit Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. Unfortunately they are not in town this weekend so I will probably have to settle for a tour of the park. It just celebrated its 100 year anniversary a week or so ago so it falls into my history theme for the trip. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I am kind of proud of myself so far that I have not worked as much as I usually do on vacation. I check my emails and get a text or call occasionally but no great volumes of work have been done. That is not to say I didn't bring it with me, just haven't talked myself into it. Of course there are still a couple of days......

So much for the travelogue. I'm sure I will be back whining to you about the body politic soon enough.

Are They Really Listening?

Recently I have become embroiled in some entertaining discussions on Facebook. I use the term "discussion" loosely as generally what happens is someone will post something that I disagree with, I comment on it, and it is GAME ON! After it is all said and done no one has changed their minds. I ask questions,  probe their position,  state mine, and end up right where we started. Waste of time?

One of the things that has become apparent to me is that nowadays people rarely change their minds. The instant availability of information to support any position on any subject gives us the confidence to maintain our position,  regardless of how goofy it is. Case in point is a group of people on Facebook that feel like it is their calling to preach against Agenda 21, the New World Order, etc. Talk about the weather and get ready for a 1000 word diatribe on the UN, NGO's and the environmental hoax. They get a couple of people to agree with them and all of a sudden they are mainstream and become more entrenched. 

So why argue with these nitwits? A couple of reasons, I guess. First, it's fun dragging them through the logical arguments to demonstrate their folly. Second,  a public service of exposing these nutbags. They try to deceive people into believing there are more of them than there really are. They want to believe that they are endowed with a special gift of knowledge and must proselytize the rest of us with it.

So if you here of my disappearance in the near future you will know that I.pissed them off. The good thing is that it's all on social media so maybe they will join the herd of folks that have blocked me. If you can't handle the truth .....

Talking to God

Most of my limited audience knows that I have struggled with faith and religious issues much of my life. I have chronicled as much in prior posts on this blog. That doesn't mean that I doubt God's existence or that I don't believe the word of God. My struggles, I guess, comes from thinking about it too much. Here are some questions I have:

1. Why is it that God speaks to some people and not to others?

I will be the first to admit that I have never been communicated to directly by God. Is it that my faith is not strong enough or that I don't ask the right questions when I pray? I do pray frequently and it seems like I am always asking for something; bless the food, heal the sick, travel mercies, etc. Maybe He wants to hear a little more gratitude.

2. How does God have the seemingly indefatigable patience with us?

I guess because He is God and we aren't meant to understand everything. The Bible lays out a blueprint to salvation and foretells the second coming of Christ yet we continue to spiral downward toward the rapture and tribulation. Apparently the housecleaning that will occur during those seven years are as inevitable as Christ's crucifixion. Just a matter of who gets taken during the rapture.

3. How much faith should we have in the "faithful"?

When people tell me they have a "calling" or they feel that "God lead me to do this" I am always curious (see number 1 above). Cynically, I would also note that this calling usually involves some else paying for it. Ministers are called to lead congregations and bring more people to Christ and salvation but my observation is that in most cases the "calling" has turned into a job and, at least in the Protestant denominations, their soul saving production has been pretty abysmal! I perceive ministers in a much different light than I did a few years ago.

4. When is a church truly dead and do you hang around for the burial?

I see them all around me. I belong to such a church. I have visited such churches. It is an epidemic in the Protestant denominations. About the only churches that ARE growing are evangelicals such as Baptist and Pentecostal. If it were just me I would have probably cut bait by now but I'm not the only one to consider. So we search for a pastor - again. With an average attendance of about 15 just how long do we keep it on life support. Remember God doesn't talk to me so I need some help from those of you that he does.

Okay, I will get back into political observations in the next blog. I was just looking over Obama's 2010 Income Tax Return and have some insights. You can tell a lot about a man from his income tax return. But I will be search for some of those from before he was in office. Stay tuned.....

....And Justice For All

Justice.  Where do we go for it? What does it cost, is it really blind?

One of the things I truly love about this country is that we value just treatment for everyone.  For the victims the opportunity to be made whole.  To punish the wrongdoers if in fact he is judged guilty by a jury of his peers. We call it due process and it is a valuable thing indeed, especially if you are accused of a crime.

But what happens if the justice system gets short circuited?  If some people in the system decide that they don't need due process. That's just a formality because we know that S.O.B. did the crime. So some evidence comes up that might complicate matters so we keep it to ourselves.  No problem.  We know that S.O.B. did it.

Ask Michael Martin. Over 25 years ago he was convicted of murdering his wife. He served 25 years in prison for the crime before Barry Scheck and the Innocence Project were able to prove through DNA evidence that he was innocent. 25 years! What is even more unbelievable is the last several years were spent fighting the prosecutors to get the evidence admitted.

Martin is now a free man and the prosecutor, now a judge,  is being investigated for misconduct.  Bet he'll demand due process!

The reason I bring this up is because of another Martin case. In this case Martin is a 17 year old Black youth that was shot and killed in Florida by a white man. Zimmerman,  the shooter, is claiming self defense.  The local DA and Chief of Police agreed with him and did not indict him. End of story,  right?

Not hardly.  Al Sharpton, needed blood so they protest.  A special prosecutor is appointed to get the result demanded,  an indictment.  Who needs a Grand Jury? What do those idiot citizens know? 

If it appears that I am coming to the defense of George Zimmerman you bet your ass I am. But just not him. You, me and every other citizen of this country!  While 99.9% of us will never be in this situation I'm sure Michael Martin saw himself as part of that vast majority 25 years ago. Then, all of a sudden,  he loses his wife and his freedom.  And except for the Innocence Project would STILL be in jail!

Our judicial system is run by people and people make mistakes.  Technology,  such as DNA testing, is bringing some of those mistakes to light. But in the Michael Martin case those mistakes appear to have been willful. No amount of technology is going to defeat that. The best thing we can do to prevent such "mistakes " is demand that due process is afforded ALL accused people.  Make the state prove beyond a reasonable doubt the guilt of a defendant.  And make sure there are consequences when this process is circumvented.

The Martin case in Florida needs to be watched closely. Not because I believe George Zimmerman is innocent or guilty.  Our system places the burden of proof on the state so until they satisfy that burden he must be considered innocent!  That's what we would want for ourselves.

Costa Rica Here I Come!

As our national debt soars toward $16 trillion, and the unemployment rate hovers at 8.2% (and the media is exciting with how low it is), and government continues to increase its stranglehold on business, the first thing I think is what can I do to help get Barack Obama reelected? Better yet what can the Republican Party do to assure 4 more years of hope and change?

The answer, boys and girls, is to nominate Mitt Romney for president!

And, with Rick dropping out, that is virtually assured.

You know, in January 2008 Emma and I spent a wonderful week in Costa Rica. I call it Hawaii on the cheap. At the end of that week I dreamed of returning as we saw only a fraction of the country.

Oops, daydreaming again!

Where was I? Oh yeah, Romney. Are you excited? Does Romneycare excite you more than Obamacare? No, wait! He renounced Romneycare, didn't he? And of course he is pro-life, right? At least that's what he is saying lately. Not when he ran for governor of Massachusetts, but since he became conservative. Or is he moderate now because a conservative candidate can't when a general election so he needs to attract the moderates and independents.

If you are confused joined the crowd. The Republican establishment has their candidate and the money will flow to him and they will tell you that "ANYONE" is better than Obama. Now that's a recommendation! Get's you all fired up and ready to start robocalling!

So crazy-assed Ron Paul is still hanging around and who knows what Newt is up to? Never gave them or Rick a chance. But it begs the question: Is this the best the Republican Party has to offer? Seriously are we getting what we deserve or what? Oh well..........

On the beach in Costa Rica, having my Social Security check direct deposited to my bank account, doing books for some street vendor. A man can dream, can't he? With the prospects of 4 more years with Obama or Romney it is looking better and better.....

The Ultimate Sacrifice

Friends, this is a serious matter. Most of you are around the area so you probably have heard about this. In case you haven't the Austin Police Department lost one of their own this morning on a routine disturbance call to a Walmart in North Austin. A drunk was making trouble so the employees called the police at about 2 a.m. The police officer approached the suspect and the belligerent drunk started fighting with him. The drunk had a gun, pulled it and shot the officer in the neck. The employees tackled the suspect and held him until the other police arrived. Unfortunately the police officer died at the scene.

Officer Jaime Padron, a veteran officer, leaves behind two daughters, ages 10 and 6. He had probably made hundreds such calls in his career. Most officer-involved shootings are routine like traffic stops. Sometimes the perp gets shot. Sometimes the officer. It takes a special person that goes to work daily with the real possibility that he will not go home. When this happens we, who he swore to serve and protect, have a responsibility to see that those little girls have the support they need that dad will not be around to provide. The 100 Club of Central Texas is set up for just that purpose. They are a 501c(3) organization that uses its funds to support the families of fallen officers in the Central Texas area. Your donation can be directed to a specific family or to their mission. The important thing is the work they do and that they are there to do it.

Things like this can happen anywhere. It is a dangerous world out there folks and these men and women stand between us and that danger. I hope you will join me in supporting this organization.