Bowl Movements 6 & 7 (double issue)
I thought that I had nothing to rant about really, but I was reading something yesterday that caught my eye, and I wanted to share it since it is pretty timely for something published almost 500 years ago, and it got me going…
“For most princes apply themselves more to affairs of war than to the
useful arts of peace; …they are generally more set on acquiring new kingdoms, right or wrong, than on governing well those they possess: and, among the ministers of princes, there are none that are not so wise as to need no assistance, or at least, that do not think themselves so wise that they imagine they need none; and if they court any, it is only those for whom the prince has much personal favour, whom by their fawning and flatteries they endeavour to fix to their own interests; “
-----from “Utopia”, by Saint Thomas More 1516 AD
With the mid term elections come and gone, and the near immediate scapegoating of Donald Rumsfeld, I thought this passage rather apropos today.
I am a registered Republican, but I consider myself a fairly open minded one, who tends to lean a bit left on some issues. I am a man of faith but not a religious fanatic. I personally believe abortion is wrong, but I am 100% in favor of a woman’s right to chose. I am for the death penalty, but in favor of gun control. I think stem cell research is important, and Morning Prayer should be kept out of public schools, but the pledge of allegiance kept in.
I am a firm believer in charity starts at home, and if the rest of the world hates us so much, then we should let them help themselves, and start minding our own business a little more, however, not at the expense of our own security. I believe in the free market, but allowing ourselves to be strangled by our own thirst for energy will ruin this country if we do not rid ourselves of our Arab “friends” and their “cheap oil”.
I believe we did help the Iraqi people, and they are better off now than they were before, but it’s time to let them figure it out for themselves now. I think our troops should spend more time defending this country here, than other countries there. We have a border that is like a giant sieve with Mexico, and we should build a big fence around it… not to keep us in, but to keep those who do not wish to come here the right way out.
I am proud that this country was founded by immigrants, my family started out as simple immigrants from Greece in the early 20th century, but they learned the language, assimilated themselves, and became AMERICANS, who lived the AMERICAN DREAM, not Greeks who came to America, and lived a Greek dream in a more hospitable country. I believe families should preserve their culture, and the heritage of their families, but to do so and not also adapt to the ways and laws of the people in this country is a slap in the face.
I believe the laws and rights of this country should be upheld, and apply to all our citizens, regardless of race, color or creed, but the key portion of that phrase is “to all our CITIZENS”… The protection and privileges we enjoy in this nation, we enjoy because they are the fruits of our forefathers struggles, and the spoils of being an American, not to be given out to anyone to hide behind because they were able to sneak in under cover of darkness or under false pretenses.
I believe the welfare system in this country is in shambles. Billions of dollars wasted by giving hand outs not hand ups. I believe assistance for those who are struggling and want help, not funding those who are content to wallow in their situations. Unemployment in this country should be ZERO… I read the papers every Sunday, and there seem to be one hell of a lot of open jobs that people who are currently saying, “I can’t find a job” could be working in… Is 7 dollars an hour a lot of money? Of course not, but it’s still more than zero dollars an hour. Too many people around who think that jobs are beneath them. If you work a job and are unable to sustain yourself and your families, THEN, you should be given help. I believe the days of people living off that monthly check, even worse, those monthly checks, PLURAL, need to come to an end.
I believe we need more affordable housing and fewer strip malls and that it’s an affront that the people we count on to teach and protect our citizens aren’t paid enough to live in the cities they work in.
I believe that if you commit a sexual battery on a child, you should pay with your life. If we need a nuclear deterrent to protect us from foreign aggressors, then should we not provide the same type of deterrent to our most innocent and helpless citizens? Furthermore, hiding behind black vestments and a collar should not make you immune to that rule either.
I believe gay people/couples should enjoy the same rights as everyone else. I thought I read somewhere that all men are created equal, not all straight men are created equal. I may well feel it is wrong or un-natural for me personally. Maybe it says it’s a sin in the bible and maybe it doesn’t, but neither my personal feelings nor the bible should be dictating who should be allowed health coverage or death benefits and who shouldn’t.
I think the President of the United States should be impeached if he lies on the witness stand under oath REGARDLESS of how petty the reason he is on the stand might be. His… and someday HER… job is to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and to lie on the witness stand is inexcusable. Do I care if he cheated on his wife? Absolutely not. That matter is between him, his wife, and his God. But if you take an oath to uphold the Constitution you lose the right to flaunt the laws you pledge to govern others by, and you should be held accountable to those same laws.
There is probably a lot more I could write here, but I’m running out of gas, so I better stop now…
What does all this mean? Probably not much, but I will forever be thankful that I live in a country wonderful enough to allow me to say it all without worrying a soldier is going to be knocking on my door to drag me off somewhere, never to see my family or friends again.
I think of the labels we place on people for political/ideological purposes; Democrat… Republican… Independent…they don’t really matter. A great coach once said, “It doesn’t matter what the name on the back of the jersey says… It’s the one on the front that counts”
Mine says American.
GOD Bless America.
“For most princes apply themselves more to affairs of war than to the
useful arts of peace; …they are generally more set on acquiring new kingdoms, right or wrong, than on governing well those they possess: and, among the ministers of princes, there are none that are not so wise as to need no assistance, or at least, that do not think themselves so wise that they imagine they need none; and if they court any, it is only those for whom the prince has much personal favour, whom by their fawning and flatteries they endeavour to fix to their own interests; “
-----from “Utopia”, by Saint Thomas More 1516 AD
With the mid term elections come and gone, and the near immediate scapegoating of Donald Rumsfeld, I thought this passage rather apropos today.
I am a registered Republican, but I consider myself a fairly open minded one, who tends to lean a bit left on some issues. I am a man of faith but not a religious fanatic. I personally believe abortion is wrong, but I am 100% in favor of a woman’s right to chose. I am for the death penalty, but in favor of gun control. I think stem cell research is important, and Morning Prayer should be kept out of public schools, but the pledge of allegiance kept in.
I am a firm believer in charity starts at home, and if the rest of the world hates us so much, then we should let them help themselves, and start minding our own business a little more, however, not at the expense of our own security. I believe in the free market, but allowing ourselves to be strangled by our own thirst for energy will ruin this country if we do not rid ourselves of our Arab “friends” and their “cheap oil”.
I believe we did help the Iraqi people, and they are better off now than they were before, but it’s time to let them figure it out for themselves now. I think our troops should spend more time defending this country here, than other countries there. We have a border that is like a giant sieve with Mexico, and we should build a big fence around it… not to keep us in, but to keep those who do not wish to come here the right way out.
I am proud that this country was founded by immigrants, my family started out as simple immigrants from Greece in the early 20th century, but they learned the language, assimilated themselves, and became AMERICANS, who lived the AMERICAN DREAM, not Greeks who came to America, and lived a Greek dream in a more hospitable country. I believe families should preserve their culture, and the heritage of their families, but to do so and not also adapt to the ways and laws of the people in this country is a slap in the face.
I believe the laws and rights of this country should be upheld, and apply to all our citizens, regardless of race, color or creed, but the key portion of that phrase is “to all our CITIZENS”… The protection and privileges we enjoy in this nation, we enjoy because they are the fruits of our forefathers struggles, and the spoils of being an American, not to be given out to anyone to hide behind because they were able to sneak in under cover of darkness or under false pretenses.
I believe the welfare system in this country is in shambles. Billions of dollars wasted by giving hand outs not hand ups. I believe assistance for those who are struggling and want help, not funding those who are content to wallow in their situations. Unemployment in this country should be ZERO… I read the papers every Sunday, and there seem to be one hell of a lot of open jobs that people who are currently saying, “I can’t find a job” could be working in… Is 7 dollars an hour a lot of money? Of course not, but it’s still more than zero dollars an hour. Too many people around who think that jobs are beneath them. If you work a job and are unable to sustain yourself and your families, THEN, you should be given help. I believe the days of people living off that monthly check, even worse, those monthly checks, PLURAL, need to come to an end.
I believe we need more affordable housing and fewer strip malls and that it’s an affront that the people we count on to teach and protect our citizens aren’t paid enough to live in the cities they work in.
I believe that if you commit a sexual battery on a child, you should pay with your life. If we need a nuclear deterrent to protect us from foreign aggressors, then should we not provide the same type of deterrent to our most innocent and helpless citizens? Furthermore, hiding behind black vestments and a collar should not make you immune to that rule either.
I believe gay people/couples should enjoy the same rights as everyone else. I thought I read somewhere that all men are created equal, not all straight men are created equal. I may well feel it is wrong or un-natural for me personally. Maybe it says it’s a sin in the bible and maybe it doesn’t, but neither my personal feelings nor the bible should be dictating who should be allowed health coverage or death benefits and who shouldn’t.
I think the President of the United States should be impeached if he lies on the witness stand under oath REGARDLESS of how petty the reason he is on the stand might be. His… and someday HER… job is to uphold the Constitution of the United States, and to lie on the witness stand is inexcusable. Do I care if he cheated on his wife? Absolutely not. That matter is between him, his wife, and his God. But if you take an oath to uphold the Constitution you lose the right to flaunt the laws you pledge to govern others by, and you should be held accountable to those same laws.
There is probably a lot more I could write here, but I’m running out of gas, so I better stop now…
What does all this mean? Probably not much, but I will forever be thankful that I live in a country wonderful enough to allow me to say it all without worrying a soldier is going to be knocking on my door to drag me off somewhere, never to see my family or friends again.
I think of the labels we place on people for political/ideological purposes; Democrat… Republican… Independent…they don’t really matter. A great coach once said, “It doesn’t matter what the name on the back of the jersey says… It’s the one on the front that counts”
Mine says American.
GOD Bless America.