WITHOUT A HOME

WITHOUT A HOME

      When I was a schoolteacher I had direct knowledge of situations where teenagers were forced out of their homes for reasons of sexual identity. It was hard to believe then, and it is even harder to believe now, that in a modern society a parent would deny a child the privilege   of living at home for some insignificant reason.  It is a serious matter when a child is forced to live on the streets when the foundation for that enforcement is based on a few words that some man wrote in a book several hundred years ago. It is an absolute outdated doctrine that serves no worthwhile purpose in a diverse society.

   When parents force a child to live on the streets they are basically signing the child’s death certificate.  It is impossible for a teenager to live homeless on the streets of any American city without being physically, sexually, and mentally abused.  As a result, many teenagers commit suicide. I have listened to the confessions of guilt from many parents and on some occasions supplied a shoulder for their tears after the death of their teenage gay child. Nevertheless, this is not a classic case of confusion, but a case of unadulterated ignorance based on false

information.    

    Contemporary Christian religion maintains a leadership position as being one of the major causes for confusion in American society. Something is bad wrong with the religion when it becomes the problem rather than the problem solver. According to a recent HUD report, nearly 50,000 teenagers live on the streets of US cities.  50% of them identify as LGBT and have been told by their parents to leave home because of their sexual orientation. One of the main purposes of any religion should be to strengthen family ties. Christian leadership is wrong to advise parents to put children on the streets for something as simple as sexual orientation. Many Americans already recognize this, and some outspoken religious leaders are saying that it is time for Christianity to get its act together. 

    The problem of sexual identify far exceeds the implications of morality. Scientific data proves that gender identification is established at conception. Therefore, when religion attempts to place immorality charges against a lifestyle in which the individual has no choice, the individual rebukes the religious doctrine.  

   Many parents listen to and depend upon religious leaders for guidance. However, it has been proven time and time again that many religious leaders make mistakes. They have been mistaken about their own sexuality and for decades have been mistaken concerning individuals of different sexual orientations.  Parents should never allow a religious leader to drive a wedge between them and their child. Parents should never have to live with years of guilt after something serious has happened to a child because of a misunderstanding about his or her sexuality.

   The proper approach for any society is to encourage the contributions of the LGBT individuals. Several governments around the world have   recognized these talents and good things are happening. Their economies are booming, tourism is on the rise, and good paying jobs are increasing.  But most of all—their people are HAPPY.   

SHUT UP----BUT----- (SOME SAY) KEEP ON TALKING

SHUT UP--- BUT--- KEEP TALKING

   I often wonder why I cannot remove the battery from my thinking cap and not say a word while my country goes to hell in a hand basket. I question why I can’t stop the grinder’s stone that grinds at my heart and wakes me in the middle of the night to say “you can’t keep silent about this.” I speculate why I did not acquire the talent of one who speaks with such an eloquent tongue that makes opposition nearly impossible. I don’t know how to answer many of these questions, but there are some things I----- do know.

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    But ---- as to the past ---- I have read over a thousand documented testimonials concerning the benefits of medical marijuana, ---- but I have not found one positive testimonial concerning the benefits of tobacco.

   I taught in a high school where there was a designated area for male students to smoke cigarettes. I sat in the teacher’s lounge and heard teachers condemn long-haired hippies for smoking weed while they had a thick fog of tobacco smoke circling above their heads.   I said then---- as---- I say now---- there was something wrong with that picture.

   I know there are health problems related to smoking tobacco, and I have no difficulty believing sincere parents who have witnessed the benefits of medical marijuana for a child with epilepsy.

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   ----But--- as to the present ----- I have heard Americans call President Obama all kinds of unscrupulous names. I have watched individuals look facts directly in the face and deny them ----- such as ---- the number of unemployed Americans has decreased ----- the American dollar is strong on the world’s market ----- the value of the American home has increased ---- the price of a gallon of gasoline has decreased. ---- But---- I am unable to identify the problem because I know that Americans are better off today than they were eight years ago.

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   I do not understand why some individuals believe that enforcement of Christian principals is not the same as forced Islamic doctrines. But, deep down, I know the policy is the same.

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   I am horrified when an esteemed member of the community declares that all individuals of a different sexual orientation should be placed on an island and shot. ---- But ---- he is welcomed in the “amen” corner of the local church. ----- I know----- that both the church and the individuals are wrong in this assumption.  

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   I find it impossible to remain silent when the Chicago Police Union, other adult men and women, and one major news outlet attempts to justify a policeman shooting a teenager sixteen times or when a policeman shoots and kills a twelve-year-old kid playing with a toy gun. There can be no justification for a cold-blooded murder. ----I know---- there are many ways to handle civil disobedience without the use of deadly force.

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   But I’m certain of one thing ---- there should never be a power in heaven or on earth strong enough to silence a tongue from speaking the truth.   

A CREATION FUMBLE

A CREATION FUMBLE 

    If I was God, which I am not, if I had created the universe, which I did not, and if I had created man, which I did not, I would be greatly disappointed in my creation. After living on the planet for centuries humans have not learned how to get along with each other. There has never been a moment on earth when humans were not killing other humans.  

   There are no words in the English language to sufficiently describe the atrocities that humans will do to other humans. The human is the only creature on the face of the earth who will cause great harm to others, and to do it in the name of God.  Humans will enslave others and die in a war attempting to defend the institution of slavery. Humans will watch other humans starve to death and go home and eat from a table of plenty. Humans will use chemical warfare on women and children and go home and get a good night’s sleep. A human is the only creature who can control a life-saving drug, inflate the price five thousand percent, and smirk while his neighbor is dying for want of that drug.  A human can advocate that all gays be placed on an island and shot, walk inside the church, sit in the amen corner, and smile while the preacher is preaching. Only in the world of humans can an individual devote a lifetime in a leadership position discriminating against minorities, and in death receive praise from other humans. A soldier can throw a baby in the air and let it come down on a bayonet and walk away laughing. A human can push another human off the roof of a tall building and laugh before he hits the ground. It baffles the mind to think of the evil that can come from a human who has a heart of stone. Of all the creatures on earth, humans are the meanest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A SUPPOSITION TO OPPOSITION

A SUPPOSITION TO OPPOSITION

 

   Every American has the right to oppose. But it is a sad state of affairs when individuals knowingly use supposition for opposition.  Supposition is an uncertain belief that cannot be proven by facts and is commonly used in politics to misrepresent the truth. One of the biggest suppositions of modern times has been the false reporting of the accomplishments of the Obama administration.  It was publicly stated from the get-go that the opposition would find something wrong with every proposal made by President Obama even if the proposal was good for the American people. If opposition makes a strong person, President Obama should be Superman.

   The accomplishments of the Obama administration have been many. President Obama saved the United States and the world from a severe economic depression. Some of the methods might have been questionable, but nevertheless they worked.  He fought for and won the battle for universal health care for all Americans.  Even though the Affordable Care Act has some flaws the right thing to do is correct the flaws but not abandon the act.  In the beginning there were flaws in the Social Security Act of 1935 and the act was opposed by thousands. There are flaws in the Social Security Disabilities Act. There are recognizable flaws in welfare, food stamps, and immigration programs.  Also, there are major flaws in the way the IRS collects taxes from large corporations and the wealthy. So, when we speak of flaws, the door is wide open in most governmental operations. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that you throw the baby out with the bath water.

   The opposition has tried everything possible to find something wrong with the Iranian Nuclear Agreement. Nevertheless, the agreement is withstanding.  The world has not faced a nuclear war, and Iran does not have a nuclear bomb. Many in the media and most of the presidential candidates yelled loudly that the agreement was wrong because it did not include the release of the American hostages. When the hostages were released one of the biggest flip-flops in American history occurred.  Those same individuals yelled again, but this time they proclaimed it was a major mistake for President Obama to enter into an agreement with Iran for the release of hostages. This has been such a comedy of errors that it would make William Shakespeare turn over in his grave.

   President Obama is an intelligent man and an exceptional leader.  He has saved the lives of hundreds of young American men and women by using diplomacy instead of boots on the ground in the conflicts of the Middle East.  In addition, he has saved millions of taxpayer’s dollars by making careful decisions concerning America’s military involvement in the Middle East and other world conflicts.

   It is amazing how some Americans can look at facts and deny them. The fact is that the number of unemployed Americans has decreased to 5%.  No matter how you look at it or how many excuses are made, it is still better than the 7.3 % of unemployed in December of 2008. The real estate market is stable, and the value of American homes has increased. The American dollar is strong on the world’s market, and Americans have more money in their pockets today than eight years ago.  

    It is doubtful that some will ever admit that President Obama is a good president, and it is a shame and a disgrace that many Americans have judged a man based on the color of his skin rather than the content of his character.  

 

THERE'S NOT MUCH LEFT TO SAY

THERE’S NOT MUCH LEFT TO SAY 

   In 2008 the first man of color was elected as the president of the United States.  For many it was a time to rejoice because it was assumed that America had turned a new page, and prejudice and racial hatred had become a thing of the past.  It didn’t take long to prove that assumption to be incorrect. Immediately, the white back-lash began.  Instantly, the leadership of the opposing party met and made the decision to oppose every word that came out of the president’s mouth.  

   There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that Americans are better off today under the present administration than the previous. When individuals look facts directly in the face and deny them, there is a serious intellectual problem. When individuals disguise prejudice and declare that undocumented opposition is a political right, the definition of prejudice has been changed.  For decades prejudice has been, and still is, an enjoyable social trait for many Americans. And the medicine that is prescribed by the leaders is not a cure but a promotion. 

   Today, America has a political party that is the equivalent to the Know-Nothing Part that sprang up in the middle of the nineteenth century. The one word that described the party was ANTI: anti-black Americans, anti-immigration, and anti-religious freedom.  It is significant to note that in 1855 Abraham Lincoln wrote a letter expressing disgust with the Know-Nothing Party. He said that if they were ever elected to office, America would have to rewrite the Declaration of Independence.

   The unwritten motto of this present-day wealthy class of Americans is “I got mine, so the heck with you getting yours.” And they go a step further—“I got mine, and I will do everything possible to keep you from getting yours.”  This is a sad commentary on American politics, but it is even sadder when working middle class Americans are brainwashed to vote to keep the wealthy class in office. 

   Americans, and the people of the world, should thank their lucky stars that Obama was elected president, because with his leadership, America and the world was saved from an economic depression.  Many middle class Americans who are presently ‘eating high on the hog’ would be lucky to be ‘eating pig tail soup’ if a member of the opposing party had become the President.

 

THE POLITICAL GAME OF GOVERNING

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOLD ON TO HAPPINESS

HAPPINESS IS A LAUGHING MATTER  

    The number one ingredient in the recipe for successful living is happiness, but the road to achievement is filled with bumps and curves.  In order to develop a positive social environment, America’s youth must be taught the value of happiness. Not only should they be taught, but they must witness the art of successful living.  It is unrealistic to expect positive behavior from America’s youth when they are completely surrounded by hate. The pulpits have become hate machines, and political platforms have become instruction books for hating. To turn the good book into a book of hate will one day be considered a big mistake for the Christian Church.  

   I am reminded of the days when I was a college student searching for my pursuit of happiness.  I still wonder how I was able to make passing grades while I was struggling with my own sexuality.  I knew I was not happy, and I spent years besieged with guilt because my sexual desires were not in accordance with my religious faith.

   I will never forget the hours I spent on my knees begging the heavenly father to deliver me from a gay man’s body. And those other days when I was mad at God, and stormed at him for making me different.  But I will never forget the day when I realized that my deliverance was in my acceptance.  When I accepted myself as God had made me, it was the event that turned a troubled life into a life with a purpose. It was then I recognized he had given me a great gift in the form of an open mind. To be able to walk in another man’s shoes and to see the world through the eyes of another was the reason for my existence.

    Finally my pursuit of happiness was complete. Today, I enjoy the same happiness that Sister Simmons experienced when she shouted during the week-long revival at the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. I now experience the joy that Brother Will Taylor experienced when he shouted in the middle of the road because the joy of the Holy Spirit could not be contained until he reached the church. Today, I experience the happiness that Brother Meyers experienced when he preached so long and so hard that there was not a dry thread on his body, but he continued until he fell on his knees and started barking like a dog. To Brother Meyers, that was not a Billy Sunday Act, but a reality check when the Holy Spirit actually descended from heaven and took up residence in a physical body.

    Happiness is the most valuable ingredient in the art of successful living.