EXPOSED BY THE LIMELIGHT

EXPOSED BY THE LIMELIGHT

Although Americans did not go to the polls particularly to vote for Mike Pence, the 2016 presidential election did revitalize his political career. The people of Indiana know more about Mike Pence than the American public. Before he was selected to be Donald Trump’s running mate he was campaigning to be reelected as the governor of the state of Indiana. Public opinion polls showed that it was a tight race between Mike Pence and the democratic candidate John R. Gregg. The approval ratings for Mike had dropped into the low 40’s and over 52% of the citizens of Indiana disapproved of his handling of education and gay rights issues.

Mike Pence is presently basking in the limelight as Donald Trump’s selection for VP. He was handpicked solely to guarantee that Donald Trump would receive the evangelical vote. Mike Pence has a long record   of supporting policies that work against women and the LGBT community. Donald Trump knew if he chose a white, homophobic male as his running mate, white Republican Christians would rally behind that decision.

Right-wing, conservative Christians support Mike Pence not because he wants to incarcerate murderers, rapists, and thieves, but because he wants to jail any same-sex couple applying for a marriage license. All they know, and all they want to know about him, is that he hates homosexuals. Mike Pence is the greatest threat to the LGBT communities of any leader in recent history. He is by far the most extreme anti-gay candidate ever to run on a national GOP ticket.

Mike Pence received boos from the audience and cast of the Broadway production “Hamilton” because they knew of his strong stance against human rights issues in the state of Indiana. After the performance actor Brandon Dixon spoke directly to Mike Pence: “We, sir, are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us . . . .”  

FACT: In 2013 Mike Pence signed a bill that would put gay couples in jail for simply applying for a marriage license.

He attempted to use anti-gay bigotry as religious liberty. He was willing to jail marriage clerks who supplied a license or clergy who performed the weddings. He spent millions of taxpayers’ dollars to enforce this bill.

FACT: In March of 2015 Mike Pence signed a bill entitled The Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

On the surface this bill appeared to be something beneficial for religion.  But in a detailed analysis it proved to be designed primarily to discriminate against LGBT citizens.  It was another one of Mike’s attempts to use religion as a disguise for discrimination. From the very beginning this bill provoked an outrage from the general public.

FACT: In 2007 he voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

FACT: As the governor of Indiana he voted against equal pay for women and minorities.

FACT:  He voted against raising the minimum wage.

FACT: He publicly stated that smoking cigarettes “DOES NOT KILL.”

FACT: In 2015-2016 Christian ministers stood in pulpits all across America threatening church members with the wrath of God if they did not vote for the Trump-Pence ticket.

Never before in history have preachers taken such an active roll in the election of a US President as they did in the 2016 presidential election.  Knowing that the next president would be able to appoint at least three   Supreme Court Justices, their main objective was to overthrow the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage and Roe v. Wade. The Marriage Equality Act gives same-sex couples the legal right to marry, and Roe v. Wade gives women the legal right to make a choice pertaining to abortion. Millions of Americans believe it is wrong for Christians to attempt to pass laws that will force religious principals   on a free society.

  

Mike Pence is an advocate of conversion therapy. This therapy is a misguided approach for the cure of homosexuality. All of the nation’s leading professional medical and mental health associations have rejected conversion therapy as unnecessary, ineffective, and dangerous.

Yet Mike Pence has publicly stated he intends to establish conversion therapy centers all across America. When he was governor of Indiana he tried to convert funds used in the prevention of HIV/AIDS to establish conversion therapy centers. California was the first state to pass a law forbidding the use of conversion therapy, and that action now has been followed by many other states. 

Mike Pence has shown time and time again that he cannot govern for all the people, but only for the ones that he approves. Americans have in Mile Pence a vicious, smooth talking wolf wrapped in a religious WHITE fleece of sheep’s clothing, and soon he will be just one heartbeat away from the presidency of the United States. 

For over two hundred years gay Americans have been beaten, jailed, and murdered for the simple reason of being gay.  Thousands of gay individuals have paid the ultimate price with blood so that all LGBT citizens could one day be free. Now Americans have elected a bigot and a homophobe to be the future leaders of the US government.  How long will it be before America will be able to live up to the creed of allowing all Americans to be free?   

 

THE MASTER GATOR

THE MASTER GATOR OF AMERICA’S SWAMPLANDS

The MASTER GATOR has chosen as his first priority to drain the swamp. But a TV celebrity stands in the middle of the swamp without any experience in political swamp draining. Draining the swamp will be difficult because the voters have returned to the swamp the same slime that created the swamp in the first place. The swamp is filled with a poison where Congressional votes are for sale to the highest bidder. America’s working-class know this but apparently do not care because they continue to vote for the same swamp gators year after year. If recent cabinet appointees provide any signal, it is that the swamp is being flooded rather than being drained.

The political reality is that Americans have elected a TV celebrity to be the next president of the United States. He has disrespected women, made fun of the handicapped, called Latino Americans disgraceful names, and stood unashamed while thousands of his supporters cheered. He built a campaign based on a series of falsehoods, and he used Fox News to promote them as the truth. Preachers have condoned his sexist remarks, while Christians shouted amen.

Political opportunists have encouraged his narcissistic behavior with so many pats on the back that his suit has been rubbed thin.  He has refused to show his tax returns but his supporters do not care. He is a bully, homophobe, sexist, and racist, and yet thousands of Americans believe this leopard can change his spots. He did not receive a majority of the popular vote, but his popularity has soared to the point that many in the media are now afraid to disagree with him. Donald Trump believes his truth is the only truth, and he represents an extremism that is a disease that can kill a democracy.

Political campaigning has reached a point in America where words spoken have no meaning. Many Americans have become so numb to a corrupt political system that they do not expect a candidate to follow through on his campaign promises.

Many of Donald Trump’s supporters are saying we should give him a chance to see what he can do. I strongly disagree. Donald Trump was a part of the coalition of Republicans and Fox News who refused to give America’s first black president a chance. In fact, they tried every political trick in the book to destroy him. Donald Trump denied Obama’s birth certificate and then blamed his opponent when the truth was revealed. He has little regard for the truth and he needs to be tested in the early days of his administration. Donald Trump does not have the stamina, temperament, or the intelligence of Barack Obama.  If he is given a dose of the same medicine that was given his predecessor, he will collapse, and his supporters need to witness the collapse.      

The real ignorance of Donald Trump is already shown in the Carrier Deal. Carrier made 7.5 billion dollars in profits in 2015. They paid their five top executives an annual salary of 50 million dollars each.  In the Trump deal Carrier received 7 million dollars in financial incentives to keep 1000 jobs in the US.  But 1300 jobs will still be outsourced to Mexico and one facility in Indiana will be closed.  Now every corporation in America can hold the United States government hostage by threatening to send jobs to Mexico in order to receive financial incentives plus huge tax breaks. The man who brags about being a master dealmaker has just made one of the worse economic deals ever made in the history of the United States. 
  

TRUMPISM CAN BE STOPPED

TRUMPISM CAN BE STOPPED

The year 2017 will welcome the biggest political divide in American history, with the exception of the years during the Civil War. No one has the crystal ball, nor can any one accurately read the tea leaves, to say what will happen in the next four years. However, if Mr. Trump continues to surround himself with bigots and appoint racists to cabinet posts, the next four years will be volatile. Every time he appoints another bigot, Fox News, the KKK, White Supremacists, and the American Nazi Party celebrate. Fox News celebrates because its ratings increase. The KKK, White Supremacists, and the Nazi Party celebrate because they believe the appointments are a means to take back the country they lost. All they needed was a demagogue as their leader.

Looking at the other side of the coin: after the final election countdown was complete, Democrats received a majority of the popular vote. Therefore, the Democratic Party is far from being dead. Everyone knows that America’s political pendulum swings back and forth every four to eight years. So if the Democrats in the House and Senate demonstrate strong leadership, the Democratic Party will survive. Millions of Americans are going to be greatly disappointed with the Trump administration, but the greatest disappointments will be within America’s working middle-class.

The Democratic Party must rebuild; America’s working middle-class must be the center of the rebuilding process. Democrats must fight for an increase in the minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour, and nothing less will do. They must continue to fight for tuition-free colleges and universities and use every means possible to fight for America’s youths. If the Democrats can win over the millions of average working Americans who are now devout followers of Fox News, the greatest change in all American history can occur. But it is going to take strong words and strong leadership, followed by strong actions, to prove to white working–class Americans that they have been brainwashed by this so-called news media whose sole purpose is to keep the Rich Man’s Party in power. 

Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House, will perhaps get his legislative agenda passed through the Republican-controlled House and Senate. His plan is to cut funds from Social Security, Medicare, disability programs, and programs that provide food for the needy. When retirees actually hold reduced Social Security checks in their hands and see with their own eyes that the funds have been cut, maybe reality will set in. Although at this time in American political history it is difficult to predict the reactions of any citizens. 

When working-class white Americans realize they have been manipulated by Fox News and the Republican Party and will have to work another four years without an increase in salary, it is possible they might wake up. They will also be faced with the problems of the Republicans increased inflation that will further reduce their purchasing power. For the next four years America’s working-class will continue to work but will receive a salary that is below the poverty level in the Great American Society.

Some churchgoers already have broken away from the Republican-controlled Christian churches, and many more are sure to follow that example. Parishioners will not continue to sit quietly in church while preachers spew rhetoric of hate disguised as Christian responsibility. Many intelligent church members will no longer continue to be brainwashed by money-loving preachers who have turned the gospel into a multi-million-dollar Ponzi scheme. 

Within the next four years a Great American Coalition will be formed. This coalition will consist of working-class Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, LGBT Americans, disabled Americans, Muslim Americans, Jewish Americans, and displaced American Christians. When this SOLID coalition is formed, it will be a force that cannot be stopped. The Republican leaders have already realized the possibility of this coalition, and that is why they have continued to support Fox News with unprecedented loyalty. They know the only thing keeping the Rich Man’s Party in power are the millions of average white Americans who are brainwashed by Fox News.

I have problems understanding parents, particularly those living in the South, who want to revive the fears of the KKK, the unrest of White Supremacists, and the renewal of the scars in flying the banner of slavery. Why they desire their children and grandchildren to live in the turmoil of bigotry is something I’ll never know. There are small communities scattered throughout America in which diverse peoples are living together. Christians are living with Muslims; Whites are living with Blacks; and heterosexuals are living with homosexuals. Recent surveys show that these are the happiest communities in America.   

America is running out of land for military graveyards and granite for headstones, but hate still continues to breed wars.  The astonishing fact is that the chief promoters of hate in America are the Republican-controlled Christians. They hate Muslims, Jews, African Americans, Latino Americans, and the wide diversity of Americans in the LGBT community. Republicans have no idea the kind of hornet’s nest they have stirred up. We are the hornets who have been mistreated all our lives and we are prepared to produce a severe sting. The Christian church has lost the complete meaning of the cross. The truth is the devil controls the minds of most so-called Christians because hate is a demonic characteristic.   

Many of my acquaintances are presently involved in a great advent of gloating. My advice to you is this: you best do your gloating now, because it will be short-lived.  May I remind you that four years, seen from a historical perspective, are no more than a few grains of sand on the beach. The chest you are now beating is a drum that contains the heartbeat of all humanity; within a few, short years that drum will be fine-tuned to the sounds of a different drummer.  

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

The results of the recent election make it apparent that most Americans do not want to solve America’s social ills. They have lived so long with hate they enjoy the turmoil that hatemongering brings. A few Americans realize they are living in distress but seem helpless to know what to do about it.

An American tragedy is in the making. The election of Donald J. Trump proves that America is front and center in the “dumbing down era” of American history. To make the assumption that Donald Trump is America’s great Santa Clause is a grave mistake. Americans voted for a Christmas wish list of campaign promises that will not be fulfilled. It is morally wrong to accept a sexist, racist, bigot, homophobe, and xenophobe as the leader of the free world. Racism alone will create more problems than a Republican police state will be able to solve.

The only way to end this tragedy is to adopt an inclusive progressive agenda. That has not happened and apparently will not happen within the next four years. America’s social mixing bowl consists of people from all over the world and that is one of the nation’s greatest strengths. The exclusive Republican agenda, plus the selective teachings of the Republican Christian ministries, will not solve the problems. 

There is no doubt that a vote for Donald Trump was a vote for a “political savior.” A confused citizenry is an open invitation for a dictator, and Americans are headed down that path with incredible speed.  A one-party political system, which Americans have just adopted, is only one step away from communism, and communism is a form of authoritarian rule.

The jobs of the future depend upon the creative ability of American citizens.  Creative individuals cannot reach their full potential under a repressive form of government. Any move on the part of the government to stifle creative growth is a major mistake. At the present, Americans have no idea the harm they have caused to themselves and to the democratic form of government.   

Americans claim they cannot trust an established politician, yet they reinstated several lifelong Republican politicians to the House and Senate. It is one thing to throw a corrupt politician under the bus, but it is another to destroy an established politician with a pack of lies conjured up by an obviously corrupt political machine. 

It is also evident that Fox News played a major role in the defeat of Hillary Clinton.  A man from outside the United States came to America with a little money and the idea that, if he could fan the flames of hate, he could attract a following that would render him a billionaire. He cared nothing about the American people then or now; he just wanted to become richer. He hired a group of so-called news anchors who will do or say anything for money. They have developed a massive following of confused individuals who have turned into a cult. Therefore with the use of brainwashing techniques—which meant pounding the airways 24-7 with one lie followed by another—they were instrumental in electing the President of the United States. 

Like the bully he is, every time Mr. Trump got into trouble on the political playground, he ran to Fox News to heal his wounds. “Of course, you won the debates,” they lied to him and many other confused Americans. So now the President elect is a puppet to Rupert Murdock and perhaps even to Roger Ailes, who is still working behind the scenes.  Americans are left with the tragedy.

Americans have no idea how bad the situation is going to get. Here are   a few examples of the beginnings of the tragedy.

~There are videos of students running in the hallways of America’s Junior High Schools with signs shouting, “White Power!”

~There are also videos of elementary students shouting down the teachers with chants of, “Build that wall! Build that wall!”

~Bullies have reestablished themselves on America’s playgrounds controlling their playmates as if to say, “Listen up chums, being a bully will get you to the White House.”

~American citizens are already questioning, “If the president pays no tax, why should we?” 

Mr. Trump, your favorite phrase—“IT’S A DISASTER”—has quickly taken on a completely new meaning. You are just about to see what a real disaster is, and this is only the tip of the iceberg.  

On January 20, 2017 Americans will have a new president. Already this man is showing signs of being a puppet, because he just isn’t qualified to take on the job. Have you heard the latest news? Donald Trump has said he is going to relax and play golf and let Mike Pence run the government. My, my, how quickly things change. It was just a short time ago that Republicans were criticizing President Obama, and   calling him all kinds of nasty names, if he even thought about playing a game of golf. Now we see what was NOT okay for a man of color has just become OKAY for a white man. But according to the leaders of the Republican Party there is no PREJUDICE within their ranks.

The process of brainwashing is not going to work with me. The statements saying “now is the time for everyone to get along and work together” are hogwash.  Fox News and the Republicans in the House and Senate chose to give President Obama not one second, not one hour, not even one day for the so-called political honeymoon. The very minute he set foot in the White House they started an organized program to destroy HIM. There are no second thoughts, there is no doubt, Fox News and the Republican Party did everything within their power to destroy America’s first black president. If the Democrats in the House and Senate have any kind of a backbone, they will give Donald Trump a double dose of the same medicine that was given to President Obama?

I have experienced—first hand—threats, verbal abuse, even physical abuse as a gay man when I lived in America’s Southland. I believe a heavy responsibility rests on my shoulders to tell the world of the evils of homophobia in the entire nation. I plan to do everything within my power to see that the future generations of young gay boys, young lesbian girls, transgender teenagers, and bisexual youths born in the United States of America do not live in a bigoted environment surrounded by homophobic prejudices. However, that responsibility has just developed into a greater challenge with the President-elect and the Vice President-elect being two of the most extreme bigots known around the world.  It is going to take some strong words, and yes, maybe some robust actions, to prevent them from destroying the progress that has been made in human relations in America in the last fifty years.

COUNT ME OUT

COUNT ME OUT!

(Suffering from Post-Traumatic Election Disorder)

As I sit in my condo trying to make sense of what has happened in American politics, I am befuddled. I don’t even know the meaning of that word, but it is the only word that seems to describe the way I feel. I see the future for America as a rodeo where a cowboy is about to hop on the back of a mean bull. For the next eight seconds he needs to hold on tight because he is in for a rough ride. Those eight seconds for Americans will be extended into days, weeks, months, and years.

 

The “dumbing down” of America is a mystery yet to be solved. I have difficulty getting my head around minimum-wage workers going to the polls and casting a vote for the political party that has looked them directly in the eyes and said, “We are not going to increase the minimum wage for working-class Americans.” So you are stuck with at least four more years working for minimum wage that is not even a living wage. But because Fox News told you that you must vote against the lady who used a private server for her emails, you voted for the Republican Party. If this is intelligent voting—COUNT ME OUT!

I have further difficulty understanding retirees, many of whom are barely making ends meet with Social Security checks, voting for the political party that has publicly stated they will reduce funds for Social Security recipients. Plus—those who plan to retire must work an extra two years because the Republicans plan to up the retirement age.  But because Fox News told you that if a lady used a private server for her emails she is evil and you must vote against evil, you voted for the Republican Party. If this is intelligent voting, please do not hesitate for a second—COUNT ME OUT!

Hold on just another minute. I personally know many individuals who count on monthly disability checks as their only means of income. But they went to the polls and voted for the political party that has also stated they will cut federally funded disability programs. Let me put this in terms that are easier to understand.  This means that your monthly check is going to be less. It isn’t something that will happen to someone who lives a hundred miles away; this is something that is going to happen to you. But you listened to Fox News and you believed all the lies about the evils of the Democratic Party, and you went to the polls and voted to cut off your nose to spite your face. If this is intelligent voting, don’t give it another thought—COUNT ME OUT!

But wait, I’m not finished. I personally know many Christians who voted for the man who told evangelicals that he will appoint judges who will overturn the Marriage Equality Act. There is absolutely nothing on record that proves same-sex couples have caused any harm to anyone.  But those same Christians voted for the political party that has cut funds for programs that feed hungry children. Not only that, they have stated they will cut more funds from the same programs. Same-sex couples have caused no harm, but cutting funds that feed thousands of hungry children has caused much harm.  I will tell you straight out, actions such as those have caused me to have little or no faith in man-made Christianity. If this is an example of Christian voting, please—COUNT ME OUT!

Now I come to the final point. I know a few gay men who have been very vocal in their support for Mike Pence. Apparently you fellows don’t know that he spent millions of taxpayers’ dollars to DENY the rights of LGBT citizens in the state of Indiana. He even went so far as an attempt to jail same-sex couples who applied for a marriage license. I know that straight America loves this, but I have difficulty understanding gays who support these actions. Apparently you don’t understand “conversion therapy”—a program Mike Pence intends to institute all across America—and the harm it will do to young gay boys, young lesbian girls and transgender students. I hope it’s because you don’t know, rather than you don’t care, because your vote has already done much harm to gay America. I assure you that the millions of gays yet to be born will be much smarter; they will do extensive research and find out who voted for what, and when. They will continue to write the book of gay accomplishments and name the great gay leaders who sacrificed their lives for the cause. It is highly improbable that your names will ever be inscribed in that book. If your vote for candidates who have caused harm to LGBT citizens is, in your heart and mind, the right kind of vote, then by all means—COUNT ME OUT!

(Of course, I got the idea for the title COUNT ME OUT from the lady, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, who used the important phrase “DEAL ME IN” successfully in many of her campaign speeches. I want to give credit where credit is due.)               

      

  

     

                                                                                                

OBSTRUCTIONIST LEGISLATORS

OBSTRUCTIONIST LEGISLATORS

    American democracy was founded by the process of compromise. The Great Compromise laid the foundation for the bi-cameral legislative branch of government. It was a compromise between the large states and the small states that led to the adoption of the US Constitution. 

  The American form of democracy has been successful for over two hundred years, but within the past few years the Republican Party has tried to hold the government in jeopardy with a no-compromise approach.  This approach is based strictly on the fact that a man of color was elected President of the United States.

   There is evident proof that on the first day of President Obama’s administration the leadership of the Republican Party sent out a mandate, spearheaded by Fox News, that they would find something wrong with every word that came from the President’s mouth. Also, all members of the party were encouraged to obstruct any presidential proposals.

    Republicans presently have the majority in the House and in the Senate, and their only purpose is to make sure the administration of America’s first black president is a failure. Nevertheless, they have failed! They have offered no plan, no suggestions, and no positive legislation that benefits Americans. They are highly paid elected officials who have done nothing but obstruct the President’s policies. Never in American history has there been a political party whose only objective was obstruction.

   Every minute of the day for over seven years Fox News and the Republican Party have tried to find something wrong with every thing the President has proposed. Instead of offering something positive that would benefit Americans, all they have provided is criticism.

   There is a hidden danger in all of this. They have been able to brainwash many average Americans to support the Rich Man’s Party. A perfect example: many working class Americans support the party that has publicly stated they are against any increase in the minimum wage. The party’s leaders advocate cutting funding for Social Security recipients. They plan to decrease all federally funded disability programs. They have already cut funding—and plan to cut more—from programs that feed hungry children. Yet they propose the biggest tax cut in American history for 1% of the country’s population—the mega rich at the top.  Also, with the help of Fox News, they have been able to use brainwashing techniques to get many Americans to support these anti-social policies.

    Everyone in the world knows that the wealthiest nation on earth should be able to provide health insurance for all citizens. The fact that Obama’s healthcare program prohibits insurance companies from dropping customers due to preexisting conditions is itself enough to save the program.  But instead of helping the program because it is the right thing to do, all Fox News and the Republicans can do is try to find something wrong.

   President Obama has accomplished something that has helped over 20 million Americans, but, according to Fox News and the Republicans, that is bad. And the reason it is bad is because it is an accomplishment by a man of color. This is pure and simple pre-Civil War prejudice.  Prejudice has always been something tucked away in the hearts of many Americans, but no one knew just how deep it was until a man of color was elected to the office of President of the United States.                 

    The way some Republicans and Fox News have treated President Obama, his wife, and his children, is a disgrace that will never be erased from American history. But through all of the criticisms and the name calling, the President now has an approval rating of over 52%. 

   On November 8, 2016, if the public opinions polls are correct, there is a great possibility that the American people will show the Republican Party that they are not going to allow a political party to jeopardize the progress of American government.  The American voters will probably elect Democrats to regain the majority in the Senate, and perhaps even in the House. Just as soon as the majority of average Americans realize that they have been brainwashed to keep the Rich Man’s Party in power—all done by the Republicans and Fox News—great change will come to America.

THE DANGER OF MIND CONTROL

THE GOSPEL OF MIND CONTROL

    Some religious leaders have turned Christianity into a multi-million dollar business. The pulpit is being used as an instrument for financial gain and many preachers have become very successful in the process.  Nevertheless, preachers are not satisfied with 32 room mansions, luxury jets, chauffeured limousines, and house servants; they still want more. Therefore, gospel ministers have learned to use the power of the pulpit to control the minds of their followers. For years they have used brainwashing as a tool to justify the killing of gay, lesbian, and transgender individuals. They spent months, as well as thousands of churchgoers’ dollars, to influence lawmakers to pass laws to limit the right to marry. They have continued to teach parishioners to disobey the Supreme Court ruling of marriage equality. They have banned same-sex couples from the church and made heroes and heroines of those who denied basic civil rights to individuals of different sexual orientations.

   In recent days preachers have looked women directly in the eyes and told them that men have the god-given right to make nasty, vulgar, and disrespectable remarks about them.  The greatest horror of this is that some women believe it. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, preachers are using the wrath of God to dictate how people should vote. They have stood before congregations and told thousands of people they will go to hell if they do not vote for a certain candidate.

    There is a bright light at the end of this tunnel. Those who call themselves the masters of the pulpit find it difficult to control the minds of America’s youth. Recent public opinion polls prove that the majority of young Americans do not think that preachers have the right to tell them how to vote.

    America is a nation born in hate, lives in hate, and enjoys the turmoil that hate brings. America’s youth are trying to shape a different America. They have seen the beauty in the diversity of skin color. They have learned there is no threat in the friendship with individuals of different sexual orientations and that knowledge can be acquired from people of different ethnic origins. In spite of what is being taught in many churches, young Americans bring hope to a closed social environment where change is slow, and a stagnated mind opposes all forms of progress.        

THE POLITICAL GAME OF KICK THE CAN

(This was originally written and posted in November of 2015.) 

THE POLITICAL GAME OF KICK THE CAN

   The toughest game played on American soil is the game of politics. In the political arena there are no penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct, and there is no referee to prevent punches below the belt.  The only rule that applies is ALL IS FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR.

   The one word that draws Americans to the voting booth is the word CHANGE. However, for several decades Americans have been voting for change but getting much of the same. An individual who enters the political arena with the intentions of making major changes must realize that politics in the U.S. is a dangerous game. Once elected to a political office the official is quickly tossed into the arena and must swiftly learn the rules of the game. A beginning player has little or no chance of getting constructive legislation passed for major change against experienced players who have played the game for many years,

   Thus, American politics has become a game of kick the CAN a little farther down the road.  However, the time has come that America is faced with major political problems and must recognize that up ahead the road is forked. The direction in which the CAN will be kicked is left up to the voters. To kick the CAN to the right means the rich will continue getting richer, and America will continue to be an oligarchy rather than a democracy. To kick the CAN to the left means to rebuild the working MIDDLE CLASS and to reestablish the democratic principles that made America great.

   The creators of American democracy were some of the most intelligent statesmen the world has ever known. They created a government in which the power to govern was placed in the hands of the people. In other words, American government can be controlled at the voting booth. However today, American voters are faced with some of the most powerful brainwashing techniques ever used on American soil. A politically motivated and biased media has developed a cult-like following that presents a dangerous threat to American democracy. Never in American history have working class voters been so misinformed that they have gone to the polls and voted against themselves.

   For one who loves America and is greatly concerned about America’s future, I can only hope that very soon Americans will realize that the future of our country is in our hands.  Major issues—veteran’s benefits, social security, minimum wage, college tuition, and universal health care—are the issues that will ultimately determine America’s future.

   It is the POWER OF THE PEOPLE that must be reestablished in a highly polarized society in order for that society to remain a permanent global leader. Americans need to be reminded of the words spoken in the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858: “A HOUSE DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF CANNOT STAND.” And that election to public office is not a game, but a serious commitment to citizens who deserve to be governed in a fair and honest manner.

POTATOES ARE BACK ON THE MENU

HOW DO LIKE YOU YOUR POTATOES?

    Within the United States government there is now a division that attempts to abolish diversity, the same diversity that has been the statue of strength for the land of the free and the home of the brave. The superior white arm of power has been raised from the trenches where it lay dormant for a few years; it was only waiting on an opportunity for resurgence. Americans are once again asking to be served a large order of white potatoes, seasoned with white salt, and covered with pure white gravy. This has been America’s favorite dish from Jamestown to the genocide of Native Americans. 

   Americans demand the white potatoes to be grown in white fields, cultivated by slave labor, and served in white kitchens by colored maids who added a dash of black pepper every now and then. White potatoes continued to be served on American tables during the Jim Crow days and with the gerrymandering of the potato fields to guarantee that no others species of potatoes could ever exist.

   Now the oligarchy of the white arm of power is shaking a fist at America, saying we might have slipped up once and allowed our potatoes to be served with a heavy seasoning of salt and pepper covered with an off-color, mixed dish of white gravy, but never again.

   America’s white potato will never be served to a female in the White House backed by black pepper and with a different recipe for brown gravy. The American white potato cannot be served by the side of a rainbow-colored salad bowl filled with black-eyed peas, brown lima beans, yellow grains of corn, and pink tomatoes.

    Walk carefully my friend, avoid stepping on the weeds and tiptoe gently through the garden of white tulips.  

RESPECT GIVEN

 RESPECT GIVEN IS RESPECT GAINED 

     Disrespect for America is much deeper than one football player refusing to stand for the National Anthem. It has shocked the world to see the disrespect given to a respectable family-of-color when President Obama was elected to occupy the White House.  Americans have shown the world just how deep the roots of hatred are embedded within American society.

   Colin Kaepernick may be forced to stand for the National Anthem, but he cannot be forced to respect a society that has, for over two hundred years, disrespected people of color. Force is a method used by dictators around the world as a tool to secure power.  Respect is not gained by force and the use of force will do nothing to solve the problem of the racial divide that is within American society.

    If Americans want respect, Americans must give respect. Throughout the history of the United States African Americans have faced unspeakable forms of discrimination. Americans have yet to accept the fact that forcing humans into slavery created long-term problems that are far from being solved.  People of color are still being mistreated by law enforcement officials who carelessly use deadly force as a method to attain social order. And today American prisons are filled with working-class individuals who are victims of an unjust judicial system.

    Every day the world sees an America that is moving away from the land of the free and the home of the brave. To even consider the idea that in the land of the free an individual can be forced to conform to a public formality of respect is to show just how close America has moved in the direction of a dictatorship. The fact is: most great Americans were nonconformists.  Nonconformity produces the actions that later turn into the characteristics of greatness.

   From the beginning of American history an attempt has been made to force gays to conform to the heterosexual lifestyle. There are hundreds of examples of LGBT citizens being bullied by members of a so-called straight society in which little or no punishment was given to the abusers.  LGBT individuals continue to be victimized by name calling, denied job promotions, refused housing, and locked out of religious organizations. Gay and lesbian citizens have endured verbal and physical abuse, nevertheless the gay lifestyle has flourished from the closet to the public square. Presently, the talents of the gay communities have been recognized around the world.  

   Instead of a public uproar over the act of standing to show respect, the real concern should be the evidence of disrespect for African and Latin Americans, LGBT citizens, and other minorities living in the United States.  In America there are enough examples of disrespect to go around. The capitalistic economic system has become known as the system of disrespect. There is disrespect for the American workers by employers refusing to pay a living wage.  There is disrespect for the veterans of war who are denied adequate health benefits. There is disrespect for the honest taxpayer in the series of the tax loopholes given to the rich. There is disrespect shown to women who do not receive equal pay for equal work. Therefore, many rich Americans should not stand for the National Anthem, but should be down on their knees begging forgiveness for the harm they have caused other humans.  

THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL

THE HANDWRITING IS ON THE WALL

A political script is being written on the wall and the majority of Americans are reading it.

It wasn’t conservatives who fought the battle that brought down the Great Wall of Jericho.

It wasn’t a conservative who said, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”

It wasn’t a conservative who rebuked the church leaders and developed new inclusive policies for the Christian Church.

It wasn’t conservatives who fought for religious freedom within the original thirteen American colonies.

It wasn’t a conservative who wrote, “All men are created equal.”

It wasn’t conservatives who fought for women’s right to vote.

It wasn’t conservatives who fought to end slavery on American soil.

It wasn’t conservatives who passed the Social Security Act of 1935.

It wasn’t conservatives who enacted the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

It wasn’t conservatives who passed the Fourteenth Amendment giving all citizens equal rights under the law.

It wasn’t conservatives who fought to give all children a quality education by integrating public schools.

It wasn’t conservatives who have fought for over two hundred years to gain equal rights for all minorities including LGBT citizens.

It was not conservatives on the Supreme Court that passed the Marriage Equality Act.

It has not been conservatives who have fought to provide free meals for hungry children.

It has not been conservatives who have fought for the rights of women to receive equal pay for equal work.

It has not been conservatives who have fought for increased pay raises for America workers.

It has not been conservatives who have fought to provide universal health care for all Americans.

   Everything that has made America a better place for humans has been accomplished through a progressive agenda.

  If you believe that conservative principles have brought progress to the United States, you need to do one thing. Forget about praying for others, forget about being down on your knees, but stand in front of a mirror and look yourself directly in the eyes and pray for yourself, because your mental capacity is in need of prayer.

   The agenda that is standing in the way of American progress is the political system. All other systems are on go.  Every recent public opinion poll proves that the majority of Americans are ready to move on. Americans have seen the harm caused by discrimination and are now ready for a better day. Americans realize that same-sex marriage has caused absolutely no harm to anyone and now is the time to move forward.  An overwhelming majority of Americans have learned that there are benefits to medical marijuana and Americans are ready for nationwide legalization.

   The conservative Southern Bible Belt will soon be a thing of the past.  Although there are still a few grandmas and grandpas who are trying to teach their grandchildren to hold on to the principals of the Confederate Southland, their grandchildren are rejecting the outdated policies. In a matter of a few years, institutions such as the Southern Baptist Church will disappear if they do not change. They must change leadership or change policies. Today, membership in conservative churches is on a rapid decline. The only Christian organizations gaining members are those taking progressive steps to meet the needs of a modern society.

   It was only a few years ago that the esteemed godfather of the Republican Party spoke the profound words, “Mr. Gorbachev, TEAR DOWN THIS WALL.” Now the leader of the Republican Party has developed a rallying cry, “BUILD THAT WALL.” History has not been kind to the building of walls, and it is difficult to believe that in November the majority of Americans will allow themselves to be confined behind an IRON CURTAIN. In all probability Americans will reject isolationist policies. The globalization process will demand that America continue to be a part of the global society. 

   The majority of Americans are demanding real change. President Obama, through a multitude of difficulties, laid the foundation for major change in America. Bernie Sanders listened to the voices of young Americans and has been instrumental in including many changes in the political party platform. If elected president, it is believed that Hillary Clinton will continue the progress. For every drop of blood that has been shed, for every body part that has been sacrificed, and for every emotion that has been shattered on the battlefield, the hope for a better America is just around the corner.  From the dark shadows of America’s busy streets, from the lowlands of the ghettos, or from the backside of nowhere, a leader will emerge. This leader will be able to use millions of one-dollar donations to lead Americans into the Promised Land.

    God is tired of discrimination being disguised as a righteous robe of dignity. God is tired of the love of his son being turned into hate. Rest assured—the handwriting is on the wall.      

        

    

IT WAS ONLY YESTERDAY

IT WAS ONLY YESTERDAY

   I was born on the backside to nowhere. My house was at the end of the road. The only thing that went past my house was the footpath used by the Indians who lived deeper in the Louisiana swamplands.  I was raised at the end of the trail, but with a little help from my friends, I turned limited opportunities into a series of smiley faces.   

   I knew the woods the same way a city boy knows the streets. For me to get lost in the woods was something never to happen.  I could say to my buddy, “Meet me after school over at Pine Cone Ridge, Cedar Tree Alley, or the old hollow cypress,” and he knew exactly where to go.  

   Deep in the woods behind my house was a swift flowing creek. I knew every log that crossed Indian Creek, and I knew on the other side was a vast territory of endless woods.  A venture to the other side required a gun because Louisiana had a large number of dangerous animals.

   What I experienced as a youngster would astonish the avid woodman of today. I survived the charge of the Louisiana wild boar. I saw a white wolf grab a pig and disappear with the speed of lightening. I watched the diamondback attempt to charm the red squirrel. I saw the old blue buck prance proudly through the forest with the grace of a thoroughbred stallion.  I heard the scream of the black panther and felt the hairs stand up on the back of my neck.         

    My closest neighbors lived about five miles away, but a mile meant nothing to a country boy. They all had large families but none had cars.  The only place we had to go was to school and church, so we created our own entertainment. In the back of the school bus coming home from the junior or senior plays, or returning from basketball games, we engaged in activities that would have surprised the church-goers of our community.  We were determined the city kids would have nothing on us when it came to living an exciting life.

    The woods provided a large playground for the younger generation. The adults had no idea of the wild social activities that went on in the woods. Boys experimented with girls and girls with boys, and occasionally the opposite occurred.

    All the girls knew the shortcut through the woods to take food to ailing Aunt Molly. And boys knew how to confiscate more than food from the girls who made a deliberate pathway through the woods.  Poor old Aunt Molly never realized how much pleasure her sickness brought to the young people of our community.

    A good place to meet friends on any summer day was on the way to the swimming hole. There was an ideal spot in the chilling waters of Indian Creek meant just for swimming. The swimming hole was deep and big enough to accommodate a large number of swimmers. Mixed with water moccasins and large catfish, it was a summer meeting place for teenagers, and if one word could describe it; it would be fun. 

    No one owned a swimsuit and if we did it was not allowed at the Indian Creek swimming hole. Male and female nude bodies were looked upon as the norm and norm was the usual in country living.

    We were a group of friends who probably knew too much about each other. But we were kids and we didn’t care. We were a tight-lipped group, and we kept secrets that have never been revealed not even until this day.

    On Sundays we knew how to put on the invisible robe of righteousness, give a quick wink to our friends, stare the preacher directly in the eyes, and sing the gospel hymns.  At a young age we had experienced hypocrisy, because we had seen the examples set by the adults.        

    We knew the best places to build the Saturday night camp fires, and even though no one had a telephone, we just knew to be there. We experienced the pleasures of a midnight dip in the cold waters of the old swimming hole. And even today, there is a lingering memory of the vision of the moonbeams that danced across the waters from the waves being made by nude, well-defined, suntanned bodies.

    Youthful days seemed to pass slowly but in the reality of time they passed quickly. We were eager to grow up and experience the bright lights of the big cities never realizing we were leaving behind the camp fires of paradise. But it happened. We quickly became adults but never dreamed that one day we would be the senior citizens. And as strange as it may seem, we now face the twilight of our lives. The days past quick and the nights are restless. We have a full understanding of the meaning, “Young men will see visions, and old men will dream dreams.” Retirement is made tolerable because we dream about being young, and in our dreams we relive those days of our youth. 

    Today, as I read the obituary of an old-time special friend, something strange happened. I started trembling and dropped the newspaper. Then I heard a roar. It came like a hurricane. It knocked me to the floor.  A vision appeared and suddenly turned into a flashback. I heard the voices and I saw the faces of my young friends.  We were on the school bus ride. We were laughing and talking with a joy so deep we did not recognize it as a source of pleasure.  Then the bus ride turned into a summer day at the swimming hole. The vision was clear. I was standing by the side of my obituary friend, and I reached out and put my arm around him. We were laughing, talking, and having a great time. Our youthful bodies were glistening in the sun. We were young, proud, and happy.  But the vision changed. Suddenly, I was seated on the third row of the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.  And this time I was listening to golden voices.

   Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine,

   We’ll understand it, all by and by. 

    The vision faded and I pulled myself into a standing position. Then in an uncontrolled voice I shouted, “I’m alive!” Still in a confused state, I used the words, “Master, what is it that you would have me do?”

   The answer came, “I command you to live each day with hope.”

  “Hope,” I answered, “Where is an old man’s hope?”

   “It is the hope for a tomorrow.”

   “But wisdom says there are more yesterdays than tomorrows.”

   “If given the opportunity would you return to the backside of nowhere and do it all over again?”

   “You bet ya!”

   “Then I’ll consider your request tomorrow.”

   “But what if tomorrow never comes?”

   The answer came with a paraphrase from the scriptures.

  “Even though a man liveth, without hope he is dead.”     

"WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS"

WHO ARE THE CHAMPIONS? 

     The song “We Are the Champions” was written by the rock and roll legend Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the British rock band Queen. The song was first released in 1977 and has been heard by millions around the world. Even though Freddie died on November 24, 1991, the world has not heard the last of this great musical talent. He was a flamboyant performer and is remembered as one of the greatest talents the world has ever known.

     Any great piece of music has multiple meanings. Therefore “We Are the Champions” has presented the world with a public debate concerning the meaning of the lyrics.  Some argue that Freddie was strictly referring to his life and the lives of the band members, whereas others believe the meaning goes much deeper. They believe he was referring to all gays as champions.

     There is no doubt he dreamed of the day when the lyrics of all his songs would be understood because he placed messages in the lyrics. Through his lyrics he addressed the struggles of gay individuals around the world. “I’ve had my share of sand kicked in my face, but I’ve come through,” he said. There is not a gay person on the planet earth who has not experienced the disrespect Freddie speaks of in his songs.

    He often spoke of the difficulties presented by living a life on the road rather than settling down to one single love affair. “It’s been no bed of roses, no pleasure cruise,” he said. He chose life on the road because there he could be a greater influence to the world. He knew he had been accepted into the world’s societies because of his exception talents. But he also knew that his acceptance would make it easier for other gays who would follow.

    “We Are the Champions” was recently played by the GOP as Donald Trump made his entrance onto the stage at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. The unauthorized use of the song has caused much controversy.  Since Freddie Mercury was an outspoken advocate for gay-rights, it is unlikely he would have given permission for an anti-gay American political party, particularly one that has done everything within its power to dehumanize LGBT individuals, to use his song.  There is one thing for certain Freddie—did not write this song, or any of his songs, to be used by a group of straight people to glorify themselves.  

    Many suggest that the use of this song at the anti-gay Republican Convention has caused Freddie to “turn over in his grave.” Even if this were literally true, there is a possibility that it may have had a positive affect. It is nothing less than a miracle that this song has been reintroduced to the world by an anti-gay political party. As a result, the world has gained a greater respect for the man—Freddie Mercury—and his lyrics. God does work in mysterious ways. 

  

  

PULPIT COVER-UPS

PULPIT COVER-UPS

 

    For years, rumors have circulated concerning the shenanigans taking place behind the pulpit. No one should take pleasure in repeating rumors, but investigative reports have proven many of the rumors to be true.   Deceptions have arisen within the ranks of gospel preachers. It is impossible to list all of the sexual assaults committed by this group; they have become experts in finding ways to cover up their deviate sexual behaviors.  If Jesus walked on the earth today, he would expose these hypocrites BIG TIME. 

    In general, the Christian ministry has lost much of its creditability.  Ministers have taken a dictatorial attitude on many social issues and have become deeply involved in partisan politics.  They have turned religion into a multimillion-dollar business and continue to ask parishioners for more.  Preachers have used the tax-free status of religion to hide billions from the IRS, and they have developed a lifestyle far above the working class.

    Ministers have overstepped the bounds of the gospel to a Christianized form of brain washing, and the results tell the tale. There is a good reason why membership declined in Southern Baptist churches by over 200,000 in 2015. It wasn’t enough for churches in the South to defend the institution of slavery and use the Bible as the defense, but they have continued to use hatred to discriminate against other minorities.

    Across America, preachers have made death threats to gays. Death threats are against the law, and not only that, they are overt public statements to promote social violence. Yet in a predominately Christian society, church leaders have been allowed to break the law and get away with it. Others who have done the exact same things have ended up in jail.     

    The right thing to do would be for gospel ministers to clean up their own acts of transgressions before making disparaging remarks about others. But there is arrogance among many gospel preachers who have taken the attitude of a dictator that reaches far beyond the bounds of a democratic form of government.

    Unfortunately the church has become a place where people go to find concealment for sins.  Using the good name of Jesus to cover up bad deeds is a practice done in the name of religion all over America.  If Christianity is to continue to thrive as one of the world’s major religions, these facts must be exposed.

   The false teachings of some church leaders have had a negative affect upon church-goers. In the name of religion, Christians have called the President all kinds of derogatory names and used slur words to describe gays and those who participate in the Black Lives Matter movement. But at the end of the day this has done nothing to solve the problem of citizens learning to get along with each other. Learning to live with others is not an impossible task, but it is a rewarding experience.

   To the dismay of many Christians, a new generation has evolved. No longer will minorities be pushed into positions of second- or third-class citizens. African Americans are not going to return to the cotton fields, and gays are not going to return to the closets.

   A few Christian ministers have publicly endorsed the GOP political platform, primarily based on the anti-gay rhetoric. The LGBT movement is the fastest growing social movement in America today.  Gays have been some of the first to publicly expose the cover-up transgressions within the leadership of the Christian church. And some Christian leaders have attempted to make the gay community pay the price. However, the Pope and a few other gospel ministers have come forward and denounced the evils being done against minorities in the name of religion. The surprising fact is that recent public opinion polls prove the majority of Americans agree.

  

SO, LET IT BE

            SO, LET IT BE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN 
                                      HEAVEN

    It is possible an all-knowing, an all-powerful, and an all-seeing God made a mistake in creating man. The creator had a choice.  He could create a preprogrammed robot or he could create a being with the ability to choose.  It is evident God chose the latter.

   In an omnipotent (all-powerful) environment, the existence of evil can be eliminated. Why an all-powerful God allows evil to exist is a question the most intelligent theologians have failed to fully answer. Followers of the Christian faith have for centuries asked why God allows it to rain on the unjust and why God allows evil men to prosper. The most important question is: Why are evil men looked upon as heroes in the eyes of other humans? This unanswered question leads more humans into atheism than any other.  Nevertheless, an omniscient (all-knowing) God has the answer, but it supersedes the knowledge of the human brain.

    Now the all-knowing God admits giving man a choice was a mistake.  The Bible is filled with examples of God’s frustrations with his creation. The Jesus Experience is the ultimate example of God’s displeasure with the behavior of the human race. It is possible God did not realize how far into the pits of evil mankind would descend. Therefore, he sent his own son in an attempt to rectify the mistake. 

    God thought when he blessed America—and allowed the nation to become the example of freedom for the world—he had made the right choice. But from the beginning, the pilgrims brought the seeds of hate to the new world. These seeds multiplied into a series of malicious acts until hatred shaped the character of the nation. Then men created a government in which one race was allowed to murder, rape, and enslave another race, and call it a democracy.  God’s displeasure with man’s choice is now displayed within a confused, unhappy, murderous, generation dominated by fear.

   The motivating force of evil is hate. However, there is nothing in the nature of God that involves hate. And if human interpretations of God’s words involve hate, the human interpretations are wrong. When the followers of the Christian faith participate in mean-spirited behavior they degrade the nature of God. It bewilders intelligent men and God when they witness the capabilities of man to create the forms of evil used in the past and present worlds.  A society, a nation, and the world is in considerable danger when the ways of evil men are accepted as the way to a successful life.

   A disappointed God now sits on the throne. He questions his own judgment. When given a choice, humans made a mess of the art of successful living. When hatred is made to be right and prejudice is glorified, the comfort zone for humans has been destroyed.  Evil has now reached unprecedented levels. Even God has difficulty understanding why sin has become the dominating characteristic of the human race. 

   In the creation experience man was given a choice and humans have predominately chosen evil.  In choosing evil over good, man has brought about his own demise.  Theology confirms God has no choice but to destroy his creation.  God is fed up and will not allow mankind the opportunity for a last minute act of redemption. God will punish evil. 

   Even though God will destroy man, presumptive theology believes he will not destroy the planet. It will take thousands of years, but the planet earth will go through a process of rejuvenation.  When this process is complete, once again God will create man, but this man will be different. The new man will have the common sense to choose good over evil.  Finally, God will be able to look upon his creation with pleasure. His satisfaction will be in seeing that man was given a choice and by his own volition chose good over evil.  With the creation of the perfect being, God’s plan for UTOPIA ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN will finally become a reality.