Untill further notice, from paper to film (thats what you're reading) will be on hiatus.
If you need to be reminded, read above.
There is no need to respond wih a comment.
Thats just how it is going to be.
Live with it.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
It's The End Of The World As We Know It.....Or Not
Ok,today is June 19, 2011 for those of you keeping track, but something odd strikes me. Can't seem to put my finger on it. I get this feeling something was supposed to happen on May 21st 2011 and well, it didn't.
Hmmm.
Of course it didn't, much to the surprise of Harold Camping. The surprise was that the world did not end like pastor Camping thought it would.
It won't happen in october either.
See, the problem with what is known has pre tribulation believer's is that some of them go too far and it can be one of two things, one they are either out of their minds or two their down right scary talking about death and how pretty it is going to be. The pretty part is getting to Heaven.
Its a goal that all Christian's want to and will reach, but I personally don't think it should be somethig that consumes your every day thought that you go about planning what you and your friends are gong to do in Heaven once you get there.
A pastor I once heard give a sermon said this: "Even though Heaven is going to be fun and we will finally get a chance to meet Jesus face to face, we shouldn't go making plans for what we are going to do once we get there, because it will amaze so much, we wont have time to make plans."
If I am getting long winded and what I just wrote makes no sence, let me put it this way: Maybe we should just live our lives the way do, worshipping God the way we do and leave the party planning to Him.
Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to going to Heaven when I die, but I have never made plans of what I will do once I get there.
Here is a question that may or may not have been asked during the months leading up to that May Saturday. Why is this guy saying this?
I can't speak for him, but I can give you my hypothesis and its this: Once we become Christians we want to share the Good News of Christ with other people. We want them to know the same joy that we feel and the fact that we are going to heaven. We want them to come with us.
We made the choice,why can't they?
It's a fair question that I think I have the answer for. I have stated this before.
Christians and non christian alike like doing what ever it is they do and they don't want to be told that it is wrong. Doesn't matter if it is or isn't. Alot of people in todays society love doing the wrong thing just for the sake of doing it.
People may say to you, 'why are you a Christian? Why is it so important to you to have God in your life'? Another simple answer, it is because we are tired of living our lives the way we used to.
When I became a Christian in 1993, I was dealing with alot of issues. I didn't know how to deal with them. Some of it anger, some it just nonsence I had brought on my self. Thing was, I wanted to get rid of it all, but I didn't know how to.
Now, granted there are doctors, therapist's etc that can help what ever ills you, but, the problem comes back.
What I found is that God is the ultimate healer. Once you give him a problem in your life, he takes care of it. Now, you may find your self thinking about it from time to time, but you know God has it in control.
Once again, when we become Christians we want to share it with other's so they can know the same peace we do.
So there for when some one like a Harold Camping says what he says, even though he has no more insight than you or I do, he is doing it because he wants people to know Heaven is a real place and he doesn't want people to go to hell.
It's unfortunate that people choose to go there.
The only flaw with Camping's message is this: No one on earth knows when Jesus will comeback. NO ONE.
Only Person that knows is God himself.
I will leave you with two things
One: I am sure you have heard many people say this: 'You're funnier than hell or you look like hell or worse yet, go to hell.
Hell is not funny and it wont be a party.
everyone knows what hell looks like and I doubt there is one human on earth that looks like it or feels like it
and third, if you are a Christian and want people to come to heaven with you why would we tell them to go somewhere we are trying save them from?
It your choice. To all that will read this, I can't say I will never meet you personally because I don't know if I will or not, but if I don't I hope to meet you in Heaven.
Hmmm.
Of course it didn't, much to the surprise of Harold Camping. The surprise was that the world did not end like pastor Camping thought it would.
It won't happen in october either.
See, the problem with what is known has pre tribulation believer's is that some of them go too far and it can be one of two things, one they are either out of their minds or two their down right scary talking about death and how pretty it is going to be. The pretty part is getting to Heaven.
Its a goal that all Christian's want to and will reach, but I personally don't think it should be somethig that consumes your every day thought that you go about planning what you and your friends are gong to do in Heaven once you get there.
A pastor I once heard give a sermon said this: "Even though Heaven is going to be fun and we will finally get a chance to meet Jesus face to face, we shouldn't go making plans for what we are going to do once we get there, because it will amaze so much, we wont have time to make plans."
If I am getting long winded and what I just wrote makes no sence, let me put it this way: Maybe we should just live our lives the way do, worshipping God the way we do and leave the party planning to Him.
Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to going to Heaven when I die, but I have never made plans of what I will do once I get there.
Here is a question that may or may not have been asked during the months leading up to that May Saturday. Why is this guy saying this?
I can't speak for him, but I can give you my hypothesis and its this: Once we become Christians we want to share the Good News of Christ with other people. We want them to know the same joy that we feel and the fact that we are going to heaven. We want them to come with us.
We made the choice,why can't they?
It's a fair question that I think I have the answer for. I have stated this before.
Christians and non christian alike like doing what ever it is they do and they don't want to be told that it is wrong. Doesn't matter if it is or isn't. Alot of people in todays society love doing the wrong thing just for the sake of doing it.
People may say to you, 'why are you a Christian? Why is it so important to you to have God in your life'? Another simple answer, it is because we are tired of living our lives the way we used to.
When I became a Christian in 1993, I was dealing with alot of issues. I didn't know how to deal with them. Some of it anger, some it just nonsence I had brought on my self. Thing was, I wanted to get rid of it all, but I didn't know how to.
Now, granted there are doctors, therapist's etc that can help what ever ills you, but, the problem comes back.
What I found is that God is the ultimate healer. Once you give him a problem in your life, he takes care of it. Now, you may find your self thinking about it from time to time, but you know God has it in control.
Once again, when we become Christians we want to share it with other's so they can know the same peace we do.
So there for when some one like a Harold Camping says what he says, even though he has no more insight than you or I do, he is doing it because he wants people to know Heaven is a real place and he doesn't want people to go to hell.
It's unfortunate that people choose to go there.
The only flaw with Camping's message is this: No one on earth knows when Jesus will comeback. NO ONE.
Only Person that knows is God himself.
I will leave you with two things
One: I am sure you have heard many people say this: 'You're funnier than hell or you look like hell or worse yet, go to hell.
Hell is not funny and it wont be a party.
everyone knows what hell looks like and I doubt there is one human on earth that looks like it or feels like it
and third, if you are a Christian and want people to come to heaven with you why would we tell them to go somewhere we are trying save them from?
It your choice. To all that will read this, I can't say I will never meet you personally because I don't know if I will or not, but if I don't I hope to meet you in Heaven.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
To Be Or Not To Be...... A Vegetarian
In either the spring or summer of 1995 I tried to be a vegetarian. Operative word was "tried". The reason why It didn't last I think was because I wasn't really focusing on giving up meat. It's not as easy as you might think.
I think one other reason why was because no matter what we are vegetarians or not, we like the foods we eat and it's hard to give them up. On this particular 1995 spring or summer day I had passed by a taco bell resturant and thought a burrito supreme would sooth my appitite.
Thats not to say that If I had tried again to give up meat I couldn't succeed this time. When I make my move from Arizona back to California, it is something that I will deffinetly consider.
Oh, about that.... I know I told you I wouldn't be writing untill I moved, obviously I changed my mind. I can do that, it's my blog.
Besides, you my reader's enjoy reading it. Just admit it to yourselves.
I used to think I would never become a vegetarian, not because I couldn't give up meat, although that is a big part of it, but I also didn't know how it would taste. I had heard stories about vegan food being some of the worst food around. That is untill I actually tried some that my feelings were a bit different.
I also felt that the reason for some people going vegan was because they felt it was creulity to animals. That could be part of the reason for some people, but not for everyone, as I have learned.
People can be a vegetarian for religious reasons, health reasons, etc.
It's not a bad thing at all. The preference is yours.
Scientist have never really been able to confirm whether or not a vegetarian diet is either good or bad. They have did research and it was sort of the same. You can get ill by eating certain foods whether they are meatless or not.
Although I have heard and in my own experiance's meat can be detrimental to some people. I have known people that simply cannot eat it. Not by choice,but biological. Hard to believe, but it is true.
I feel the way a person is raised to eat, doesn't matter meat or not is just that, you were brought up this way and yes, if you wanted to you could change it, but it would take some strength. I am not say that being a vegetarian is an addiction because I dont think that it is, but if you wanted to give it up, you could.
Keep in mind it may take a while for you to get used to your new diet of meat.
In doing research for this topic I have learned that people that have either been tricked in to eating say a hamburger or just wanted to try meat for its taste had become ill afterwards.
Why, you ask? Simple, really. They were not used to it. Same could be said with non vegetarians trying a meat less meal for the first time.
With me, I personally could not tell the difference. It was only till later that I was told that the dinner was meat less. I didn't get sick, I just found my self liking it and to a degree wanting to try the dish again.
A couple of months ago, I read a blog about milk and the ingredients that store bought hemogenized milk has. I was unaware of this. I must admit that even though I found the blog interesting and I did take alot of it for my own personal value, that doesn't mean I gave up milk. Once again, when you have been used to something your whole life, it's hard to give it up.
I remember being a child and was invited for dinner at a friends house. I don't recall how old I was, but I would guess possibly single digit's. I recall the family having a big piece of land with a cow or two. When they offered me a beverage for the meal, it was milk and I was told it was fresh from the cow.
Tasted alot different than what I was used to. A bit sour,I recall.
Now, I could be wrong with what I am going to say, but if the person that wrote the milk blog ever tried hemogenized milk ( I have no clue whether he or she has or not) just like a vegetarian trying meat for the first time, it could make them sick.
If I am wrong, it wouldn't be the first time. I honestly don't know. I am not a doctor.
In closing, I will say it again, whether or not you are a vegetarian it is your choice. There is nothing wrong being one or not being one. You can eat just as healthy either way.
If I choose to try giving up meat again, I will let you know of my progress. I couldn't tell you to wait for this, cause I don't know when or if it will happen. All I can say is that I will let you know how it goes.
I think one other reason why was because no matter what we are vegetarians or not, we like the foods we eat and it's hard to give them up. On this particular 1995 spring or summer day I had passed by a taco bell resturant and thought a burrito supreme would sooth my appitite.
Thats not to say that If I had tried again to give up meat I couldn't succeed this time. When I make my move from Arizona back to California, it is something that I will deffinetly consider.
Oh, about that.... I know I told you I wouldn't be writing untill I moved, obviously I changed my mind. I can do that, it's my blog.
Besides, you my reader's enjoy reading it. Just admit it to yourselves.
I used to think I would never become a vegetarian, not because I couldn't give up meat, although that is a big part of it, but I also didn't know how it would taste. I had heard stories about vegan food being some of the worst food around. That is untill I actually tried some that my feelings were a bit different.
I also felt that the reason for some people going vegan was because they felt it was creulity to animals. That could be part of the reason for some people, but not for everyone, as I have learned.
People can be a vegetarian for religious reasons, health reasons, etc.
It's not a bad thing at all. The preference is yours.
Scientist have never really been able to confirm whether or not a vegetarian diet is either good or bad. They have did research and it was sort of the same. You can get ill by eating certain foods whether they are meatless or not.
Although I have heard and in my own experiance's meat can be detrimental to some people. I have known people that simply cannot eat it. Not by choice,but biological. Hard to believe, but it is true.
I feel the way a person is raised to eat, doesn't matter meat or not is just that, you were brought up this way and yes, if you wanted to you could change it, but it would take some strength. I am not say that being a vegetarian is an addiction because I dont think that it is, but if you wanted to give it up, you could.
Keep in mind it may take a while for you to get used to your new diet of meat.
In doing research for this topic I have learned that people that have either been tricked in to eating say a hamburger or just wanted to try meat for its taste had become ill afterwards.
Why, you ask? Simple, really. They were not used to it. Same could be said with non vegetarians trying a meat less meal for the first time.
With me, I personally could not tell the difference. It was only till later that I was told that the dinner was meat less. I didn't get sick, I just found my self liking it and to a degree wanting to try the dish again.
A couple of months ago, I read a blog about milk and the ingredients that store bought hemogenized milk has. I was unaware of this. I must admit that even though I found the blog interesting and I did take alot of it for my own personal value, that doesn't mean I gave up milk. Once again, when you have been used to something your whole life, it's hard to give it up.
I remember being a child and was invited for dinner at a friends house. I don't recall how old I was, but I would guess possibly single digit's. I recall the family having a big piece of land with a cow or two. When they offered me a beverage for the meal, it was milk and I was told it was fresh from the cow.
Tasted alot different than what I was used to. A bit sour,I recall.
Now, I could be wrong with what I am going to say, but if the person that wrote the milk blog ever tried hemogenized milk ( I have no clue whether he or she has or not) just like a vegetarian trying meat for the first time, it could make them sick.
If I am wrong, it wouldn't be the first time. I honestly don't know. I am not a doctor.
In closing, I will say it again, whether or not you are a vegetarian it is your choice. There is nothing wrong being one or not being one. You can eat just as healthy either way.
If I choose to try giving up meat again, I will let you know of my progress. I couldn't tell you to wait for this, cause I don't know when or if it will happen. All I can say is that I will let you know how it goes.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Let's Talk About Sports
Recently I was on the social network site known as facebook and a friend of mine posted something about his or at least one of his favorite sports team. I had made a comment back saying that I had seen one of the games and I liked where it was being held. Looked like a good sized arena from the camera veiw I saw. When another facebook friend had written something back in responce to my comment it finally hit me:
Never make a useless comment about a Canadians hockey team. Especially during the Stanley Cup Finals. Reason is very simple and I have heard this saying before but obviously it slipped my mind:
Canadian's take their hockey seriously.
Now, I wasn't durogatory about the game or it's team. I am not that big of a sports fan to make it a point of saying " yeah this or that team is better than your's." Quite honestly it never made much sense.
Now, don't get me wrong, my reader's, I do have teams in basketball, baseball, hockey, and football that I do like, but that doesn't mean that I don't like the other guy's or girls team because in all honesty their equally the same.
It doesn't matter what the sport is every team in it has had their share of victorys, losses and championships. I guess it might be because I am not that big of a sports fan that I dont get the whole picture.
Before I continue, I think I should make it clear that I am not trying to say that liking ones country or city team is a bad thing because it isn't. One thing these teams do in any given sport is it takes you away from your daily routine when you sit down and watch it. To a degree it is entertainment. Either you or your friends and family are taking time out of your busy daily life to sit down either in a stadium or an arena or at home to watch these men or ladies play their respective sport.
There is nothing wrong with that at all. I have seen my share of superbowl games and I have rooted for the team that I thought would win, thats not to say that by the end of the game when said team might have lost that I didn't give credit were it was due to the team that did win.
I wouldn't doubt that even if my friends hockey team doesn't win I dont picture him to be the sort of person to degrade the winning team. He may not be a fan, he doesn't have to be, but at least he would give credit were it is due and might say it was a well played game by both teams.
From what I understand, not everybody feels that way.
Recently, during a baseball game in California a man got into a fight with another man over whos team was better. One of the men is in jail for beating the other guy so bad that his chances for recovery are slim.
And all this happened over two baseball teams.
Now, granted, the man in jail had some realy serious problems and according from what I heard on this news report he had a violent streek in him prior to this. But, this all started over two fans of two sports teams playing a game of "my team is better than yours"
I have been to my share of, basketball, baseball and football games and yes you do meet the occasional person that thinks he or she has to play the afore mentioned game, but it's all in good fun.
You may or may not agree with what I am going to say or what I have said in this blog, but I will give you one more hypothesis on sports.
In any given baseball, basketball, football or hockey game you have each team saying they are going to win the game. In all fairness, they have the talent, but for either team the only way to know this happens once the game is played. I think it basically is about what team wants it more. And neither team knows that untill they are out there on a feild or a court or a rink playing the game.
In closing I would like to add this:
Go Vancouver Canucks!!!!!
Never make a useless comment about a Canadians hockey team. Especially during the Stanley Cup Finals. Reason is very simple and I have heard this saying before but obviously it slipped my mind:
Canadian's take their hockey seriously.
Now, I wasn't durogatory about the game or it's team. I am not that big of a sports fan to make it a point of saying " yeah this or that team is better than your's." Quite honestly it never made much sense.
Now, don't get me wrong, my reader's, I do have teams in basketball, baseball, hockey, and football that I do like, but that doesn't mean that I don't like the other guy's or girls team because in all honesty their equally the same.
It doesn't matter what the sport is every team in it has had their share of victorys, losses and championships. I guess it might be because I am not that big of a sports fan that I dont get the whole picture.
Before I continue, I think I should make it clear that I am not trying to say that liking ones country or city team is a bad thing because it isn't. One thing these teams do in any given sport is it takes you away from your daily routine when you sit down and watch it. To a degree it is entertainment. Either you or your friends and family are taking time out of your busy daily life to sit down either in a stadium or an arena or at home to watch these men or ladies play their respective sport.
There is nothing wrong with that at all. I have seen my share of superbowl games and I have rooted for the team that I thought would win, thats not to say that by the end of the game when said team might have lost that I didn't give credit were it was due to the team that did win.
I wouldn't doubt that even if my friends hockey team doesn't win I dont picture him to be the sort of person to degrade the winning team. He may not be a fan, he doesn't have to be, but at least he would give credit were it is due and might say it was a well played game by both teams.
From what I understand, not everybody feels that way.
Recently, during a baseball game in California a man got into a fight with another man over whos team was better. One of the men is in jail for beating the other guy so bad that his chances for recovery are slim.
And all this happened over two baseball teams.
Now, granted, the man in jail had some realy serious problems and according from what I heard on this news report he had a violent streek in him prior to this. But, this all started over two fans of two sports teams playing a game of "my team is better than yours"
I have been to my share of, basketball, baseball and football games and yes you do meet the occasional person that thinks he or she has to play the afore mentioned game, but it's all in good fun.
You may or may not agree with what I am going to say or what I have said in this blog, but I will give you one more hypothesis on sports.
In any given baseball, basketball, football or hockey game you have each team saying they are going to win the game. In all fairness, they have the talent, but for either team the only way to know this happens once the game is played. I think it basically is about what team wants it more. And neither team knows that untill they are out there on a feild or a court or a rink playing the game.
In closing I would like to add this:
Go Vancouver Canucks!!!!!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Standing In The Corner + Time Out= Same Thing
I have said this before, but this time I mean it. This will be my last blog entry untill I move.
Trust me.
Do you remember when you were growing up and as a young child you would do something your parents did not approve and be told to 'go stand in the corner'? I think just about every child has been told that.
Now a days its called 'time out'. It doesn't matter what you call it, it is still the same thing. It could be standing at a wall or sitting in a chair or what ever the parent doing the disiplining deems necessary.
I think the reason for calling it time out as aposed to the corner might have to do with the length of time a kid was supposed to stand. Depending on the parent it might have been anywhere from five to ten minutes. If you were a smart parent. I recall hearing once on a news report and this is no lie, that a parent got arrested for having her child stand in the corner for over five hours. To me and I guess to any rational thinking parent thats too long.
But, regardless and I am not trying to excuse this woman's behavior, but you are the parent ( if you are a parent) and from what I have learned is that no parent likes to be told how to disapline their kid. To a degree I can't say I blame them. I would only take exception if the parent makes the evening news and outright abuses their kid, even than I don't know if I would say or do anything.
I feel as a single male with no children I can learn not just from other parents about how to be a effective dad when and if God allows me to, but I can also learn from my experiance as a child and how I was disaplined.
Now, with all due respect to my mother she did the best she could with myself and my sibling and looking back I would have to say she wasn't abusive with us, but with that being said, she got her point accross. I hope that one day I can do the same with my children.
I remember watching an old episode of Little House On The Prairie where in a flash back episode of the Micheal Landon character as young boy. He had did something to his teacher, the teacher knew the boy had did it and told the boys father. The father while still in front of the teacher, let the instructor paddle the boy. Only thing was the teacher didn't stop when the boys father wanted him too.
I personally see a problem with this happening in real life situations and that is some times other people don't know when to quit the disapline if the parent of the child agrees that they can do so.
Mom and dad come home and they notice that some one went over board.
Thats not only wrong in my opinion but a crime as well.
If you recall I had wrote in an earlier blog about a friend of mine who misplaced his cell phone and went all around his house asking his wife and kids if thay had seen it. When it was finally figured out that one of his kids, after telling my friend no he didn't see or use it, my friend told me he had to 'Be a dad' and put a bit of a restriction on him. The child in question was a teenager, but it doesn't really make a difference a parent has to do what they feel is right if they think their kids are not being honest with them.
Lastly I will leave you , my reader's with this. First, I will honestly tell you I do not know the percentage of parents that do this, but I am aware that some use what I like to call 'the counting method'. Basically, the parent wants the child to either do or stop something, if the child doesn't than the parent would start counting. The hypothesis is by at least the number two, the kid is on their way to do whatever or has stopped doing what ever. If the parent got to three and the kid didn't stop, he or she was in some hot water as they say.
I once knew of a kid who's parents did get to three. He told me and I quote " I shouldn't have pushed them"
If anybody reading this is a parent this blog was in no way shape or form trying to tell you how to raise or disapline your kid. I trust you are a fair parent and you all go about the task with honesty and integrity.
Trust me.
Do you remember when you were growing up and as a young child you would do something your parents did not approve and be told to 'go stand in the corner'? I think just about every child has been told that.
Now a days its called 'time out'. It doesn't matter what you call it, it is still the same thing. It could be standing at a wall or sitting in a chair or what ever the parent doing the disiplining deems necessary.
I think the reason for calling it time out as aposed to the corner might have to do with the length of time a kid was supposed to stand. Depending on the parent it might have been anywhere from five to ten minutes. If you were a smart parent. I recall hearing once on a news report and this is no lie, that a parent got arrested for having her child stand in the corner for over five hours. To me and I guess to any rational thinking parent thats too long.
But, regardless and I am not trying to excuse this woman's behavior, but you are the parent ( if you are a parent) and from what I have learned is that no parent likes to be told how to disapline their kid. To a degree I can't say I blame them. I would only take exception if the parent makes the evening news and outright abuses their kid, even than I don't know if I would say or do anything.
I feel as a single male with no children I can learn not just from other parents about how to be a effective dad when and if God allows me to, but I can also learn from my experiance as a child and how I was disaplined.
Now, with all due respect to my mother she did the best she could with myself and my sibling and looking back I would have to say she wasn't abusive with us, but with that being said, she got her point accross. I hope that one day I can do the same with my children.
I remember watching an old episode of Little House On The Prairie where in a flash back episode of the Micheal Landon character as young boy. He had did something to his teacher, the teacher knew the boy had did it and told the boys father. The father while still in front of the teacher, let the instructor paddle the boy. Only thing was the teacher didn't stop when the boys father wanted him too.
I personally see a problem with this happening in real life situations and that is some times other people don't know when to quit the disapline if the parent of the child agrees that they can do so.
Mom and dad come home and they notice that some one went over board.
Thats not only wrong in my opinion but a crime as well.
If you recall I had wrote in an earlier blog about a friend of mine who misplaced his cell phone and went all around his house asking his wife and kids if thay had seen it. When it was finally figured out that one of his kids, after telling my friend no he didn't see or use it, my friend told me he had to 'Be a dad' and put a bit of a restriction on him. The child in question was a teenager, but it doesn't really make a difference a parent has to do what they feel is right if they think their kids are not being honest with them.
Lastly I will leave you , my reader's with this. First, I will honestly tell you I do not know the percentage of parents that do this, but I am aware that some use what I like to call 'the counting method'. Basically, the parent wants the child to either do or stop something, if the child doesn't than the parent would start counting. The hypothesis is by at least the number two, the kid is on their way to do whatever or has stopped doing what ever. If the parent got to three and the kid didn't stop, he or she was in some hot water as they say.
I once knew of a kid who's parents did get to three. He told me and I quote " I shouldn't have pushed them"
If anybody reading this is a parent this blog was in no way shape or form trying to tell you how to raise or disapline your kid. I trust you are a fair parent and you all go about the task with honesty and integrity.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Stain America Can Not Wash Away
Over the weekend I was watching an episode of an old televison series called The Waltons. In this episode, filmed around 1978 followed a character named Virdie Foster, an African American who, if you remember the show was a friend of the Walton family and thus a recurring character played by actress Lynn Hamilton. This particular episode delt with Virdie and her daughter.
The daughter who just recently came back home has had trouble finding work. Mostly the show centered around racism and just because this woman was black she couldn't find the type of job she was trained for. Like I said for anyone who remember's the Waltons knows it was set in the southern part of the United States in the late 1930's early 1940's and this 'Virde' had to deal with what was once known as 'Jim Crow' law.
Racism is a stain America cannot wash away and we only have ourselves as a country to blame. Early American settlers in the 1700' who had an abundance of land didn't want to hire people to do the work, ie picking and plowing the feilds so they thought kidnapping people from their native lands and forcing them to do the work was a bright idea.
It wasn't.
Ove 200 years later we still can non shake it. Granted there has a been alot of progress. One and this has to be the most obvious the first black president,Barack Obama.
Regardles of how much progress we have made we still take one step backward when we aren't as nice as we should be and start being a tad racist.
Everyone is guilty of this.
At one time or another we all have used the "N" word when refering to an African American. Perhaps we didn't mean to, but we did it anyway.
Years before I had my computer, I used to go into what is known as (at least in the state of Califoria) internet cafe's, where you could be able to either play popular computer games or you could surf the world wide web. So, I am in this cafe and some one is playing music. I think as a joke, (a very bad one in my opinion) starts playing this song that was so racist towards blacks, I had to leave.
I have friends that are African American, and I consider anyone who uses the 'N' word ( you know what word I am refering to) in front of me to be criticizing those friends of mine. They have never met my frends, but I feel that since they used the word, I have to to a degree defend them.
But racism works both ways. It's not just whites ( some of them) against blacks, its blacks as well.
I will give you an example.
In the late 1990's I was asked by two good friends of mine if I would be a usher for their wedding. They told me I would need a tuxedo and where to go to find it. I get to the place (a shopping mall in southern california) walk all around it both first and second floors, but I couldn't find the store. So, finally I start asking. I see this one gentleman with his family and I say maybe four to five times 'pardon me, sir', the guy doesn't answer. Finally after my last try one of his children says to him, " dad, this guy is trying to talk to you" The guy turns toward his kid and says and I quote " I ain't talkin' to whitey" and than walks from me
All I wanted to know is if he knew where this tuxedo shop was.
Personally I feel that it is in how you or we are raised. If you live or lived in a family where hatred runs or ran ramped you yourself might turn out the same way bcause you would think their is nothing wrong with how you feel.
Earlier in this blog I mentioned current United States President, Barack Obama. Possibly ever since he won the office or maybe even before that he (Obama) wasn't born in America, so to prove that he was showed his birth certificate to the world proving he is an American citizen.
There are two sides to this: One is the Republican side that thinks because Obama is a Democrat that he isn't doing that good of a job and want him out of the White House.
Second is racism. It has to be, unfortunately. There are people in this country that do not want a black person as president. It's sad, but it's the truth.
In the early 1990's an African American named Rodney King was pulled over by three or four police officer's for a traffic violation. These officer's were caught on camera beating King up in the middle of the street. about a year or so later, King took these officer's to court to which they were found innocent of their actions and thus started the Los Angeles riots. A few days into the riots, King made a televison apperence where he asked those who were rioting to quit and thus uttered the saying " Can't we all just get along?"
Can we?
The daughter who just recently came back home has had trouble finding work. Mostly the show centered around racism and just because this woman was black she couldn't find the type of job she was trained for. Like I said for anyone who remember's the Waltons knows it was set in the southern part of the United States in the late 1930's early 1940's and this 'Virde' had to deal with what was once known as 'Jim Crow' law.
Racism is a stain America cannot wash away and we only have ourselves as a country to blame. Early American settlers in the 1700' who had an abundance of land didn't want to hire people to do the work, ie picking and plowing the feilds so they thought kidnapping people from their native lands and forcing them to do the work was a bright idea.
It wasn't.
Ove 200 years later we still can non shake it. Granted there has a been alot of progress. One and this has to be the most obvious the first black president,Barack Obama.
Regardles of how much progress we have made we still take one step backward when we aren't as nice as we should be and start being a tad racist.
Everyone is guilty of this.
At one time or another we all have used the "N" word when refering to an African American. Perhaps we didn't mean to, but we did it anyway.
Years before I had my computer, I used to go into what is known as (at least in the state of Califoria) internet cafe's, where you could be able to either play popular computer games or you could surf the world wide web. So, I am in this cafe and some one is playing music. I think as a joke, (a very bad one in my opinion) starts playing this song that was so racist towards blacks, I had to leave.
I have friends that are African American, and I consider anyone who uses the 'N' word ( you know what word I am refering to) in front of me to be criticizing those friends of mine. They have never met my frends, but I feel that since they used the word, I have to to a degree defend them.
But racism works both ways. It's not just whites ( some of them) against blacks, its blacks as well.
I will give you an example.
In the late 1990's I was asked by two good friends of mine if I would be a usher for their wedding. They told me I would need a tuxedo and where to go to find it. I get to the place (a shopping mall in southern california) walk all around it both first and second floors, but I couldn't find the store. So, finally I start asking. I see this one gentleman with his family and I say maybe four to five times 'pardon me, sir', the guy doesn't answer. Finally after my last try one of his children says to him, " dad, this guy is trying to talk to you" The guy turns toward his kid and says and I quote " I ain't talkin' to whitey" and than walks from me
All I wanted to know is if he knew where this tuxedo shop was.
Personally I feel that it is in how you or we are raised. If you live or lived in a family where hatred runs or ran ramped you yourself might turn out the same way bcause you would think their is nothing wrong with how you feel.
Earlier in this blog I mentioned current United States President, Barack Obama. Possibly ever since he won the office or maybe even before that he (Obama) wasn't born in America, so to prove that he was showed his birth certificate to the world proving he is an American citizen.
There are two sides to this: One is the Republican side that thinks because Obama is a Democrat that he isn't doing that good of a job and want him out of the White House.
Second is racism. It has to be, unfortunately. There are people in this country that do not want a black person as president. It's sad, but it's the truth.
In the early 1990's an African American named Rodney King was pulled over by three or four police officer's for a traffic violation. These officer's were caught on camera beating King up in the middle of the street. about a year or so later, King took these officer's to court to which they were found innocent of their actions and thus started the Los Angeles riots. A few days into the riots, King made a televison apperence where he asked those who were rioting to quit and thus uttered the saying " Can't we all just get along?"
Can we?
Friday, May 6, 2011
The Death Of Osama Bin Laden
With this Sundays news of the death of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin laden brought a lot of relief and celebration for alot of people. The thing is, was it all necessary. His capture, yes most definitely, but all of the crowds gathering in certain locations like in front of the White House and in New York at Ground Zero wasn't necessary.
But, it happened.
Dont get me wrong, I was very saddened the morning of Tuesday, september 11th, 2001. An estimated 3000 lives were lost and for really no reason other than one man's hatred for a country he most likely had never been to.
I cannot unerstand that, I doubt anyone really can for that matter, but to have hatred for something you have either never seen or have never been to.
I have heard tons of storys of countrys that either, One: have little or no freedoms to them, for instance, North Korea where from my understanding it's leader makes his citizens obey him. Or country's that have laws that, well quite simply shouldn't be allowed. I may not agree with it but I don't hate it.
Hate is a word I think that has been taken out of content. In America some aspects of hate can be considered a crime.
You may or may not agree with someones way of life. That is not a crime, its called a disagreement. It becomes a crime when you do bodily harm to a person because for lack of a better term, they don't see things your way.
To a degree that's what it was with bin laden. For what ever the reason was, he didn't agree with America's right to freedom. At least that seems to be the story alot of people say. Perhaps it is far more deep seeded than that.
I have stated this previously in another blog about dictatorship and for me as an American and living with the freedoms that it has allowed me, some times I find myself asking why can't countrys like Pakistan, Iran, and other's have the same liberites we have. Its easy to say that when you live in a country that allows those freedoms, it is probably more difficult to live somewhere for instance like North Korea where from my understanding if you have the slightist question of authority you could be jailed for it.
It took almost 17 to 18 years to catch bin laden. He has been on the FBI 's most wanted list for more than 10 years and it wasn't easy. Even when he was found this past weekend, it was a guessing game because they really were not sure if he was there or not. Regardless, the hunch paid off and bin laden is no more.
Whether or not the world will be a safer place remains to be seen.
The sad part is and I will say this again, weather it is because of our freedoms, or laws that say here is what you can or cannot do or what ever the case may be some one somwhere is not going to like it and may try to do something. it could be in any country not just America.
I will leave you with this thought: Regardless of what it is and why terrorist do it wouldn't you want your country to be defended if necessary?
But, it happened.
Dont get me wrong, I was very saddened the morning of Tuesday, september 11th, 2001. An estimated 3000 lives were lost and for really no reason other than one man's hatred for a country he most likely had never been to.
I cannot unerstand that, I doubt anyone really can for that matter, but to have hatred for something you have either never seen or have never been to.
I have heard tons of storys of countrys that either, One: have little or no freedoms to them, for instance, North Korea where from my understanding it's leader makes his citizens obey him. Or country's that have laws that, well quite simply shouldn't be allowed. I may not agree with it but I don't hate it.
Hate is a word I think that has been taken out of content. In America some aspects of hate can be considered a crime.
You may or may not agree with someones way of life. That is not a crime, its called a disagreement. It becomes a crime when you do bodily harm to a person because for lack of a better term, they don't see things your way.
To a degree that's what it was with bin laden. For what ever the reason was, he didn't agree with America's right to freedom. At least that seems to be the story alot of people say. Perhaps it is far more deep seeded than that.
I have stated this previously in another blog about dictatorship and for me as an American and living with the freedoms that it has allowed me, some times I find myself asking why can't countrys like Pakistan, Iran, and other's have the same liberites we have. Its easy to say that when you live in a country that allows those freedoms, it is probably more difficult to live somewhere for instance like North Korea where from my understanding if you have the slightist question of authority you could be jailed for it.
It took almost 17 to 18 years to catch bin laden. He has been on the FBI 's most wanted list for more than 10 years and it wasn't easy. Even when he was found this past weekend, it was a guessing game because they really were not sure if he was there or not. Regardless, the hunch paid off and bin laden is no more.
Whether or not the world will be a safer place remains to be seen.
The sad part is and I will say this again, weather it is because of our freedoms, or laws that say here is what you can or cannot do or what ever the case may be some one somwhere is not going to like it and may try to do something. it could be in any country not just America.
I will leave you with this thought: Regardless of what it is and why terrorist do it wouldn't you want your country to be defended if necessary?
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