How much do we need to know?

I wonder if the news media should broadcast blunders in military equipment. In the past, and presently, there are helicopters, ships and other equipment used by the U.S. Military that is either defective, or damaged due to preventable mistakes.

I think that it decreases the military's image of military might when, for instance, a ship is stuck in coral for over a month while in shallow water off the coast of Hawaii. This is embarrassing to the U.S. Military with such expensive equipment. It also implies incompetence. The governments in other countries may view this as a weakness. I was always told to hide my weaknesses and show my strengths.

I do not believe in military intervention, but I do believe is defense. Defense is what would be needed if North Korea were to send a missile to Hawaii, Alaska, California and other areas that it has made threats against. One must always draw the line and I think the military should, also.

I was shocked when I saw members of the U.S. Army dancing to Lady Gaga on Youtube. I believed that the Army would reprimand them for doing so, but, that is now permissible due to the popularity of social-networking sites and probably the First Amendment (whichever freedom applies to such things). I think it boosts morale and is good for relieving stress, but where will the military draw the line. I do not see North Korean members of the military doing anything beyond marching stiffly and very seriously. 

The scandal aboard the videos played on the USS Enterprise should have put an end to such humor. In my opinion, and for the protection of professionalism, there must be an end to the entertainment while in uniform. The military should also be aware that while at work, phones should not be permitted to be turned on. I have several friends who are in the military and on facebook and texting while at work. Errors will continue to be made when someone is paying closer attention to their phone than their job.

In my military--that is only used as a defense mechanism-- the media does not show the weaknesses: downed helicopters, stuck ships, and so forth; military members are not dancing to Lady Gaga and other music genres on Youtube, and phones are not allowed at work.

I always wish for peace but I am also realistic. To imagine the worst case scenario is defensive pessimism and I think it is a major component of critical thinking.

The Hilarity Ensues. . .

I am a private person. That is why I am not a successful Facebook user. I do not ever feel the need to tell everyone my thoughts, credentials, or any other personal information beyond what is necessary. My dad used to call this a "need to know basis". I only offer what is asked of me.

I prefer to listen. I listened with very sympathetic ears to a woman telling me stories and I could not believe half of what was being said. There is a saying that "truth is stranger than fiction" and her truths really were. She told me that she had waited for her boyfriend to return from deployment and that she remained faithful throughout the entire deployment, roughly seven months, and when he returned, he introduced her to his girlfriend!

I guess that is a military thing: where the man deploys and usually the female is unfaithful while he is gone, but this was bizarre to me. I then started to think about the question that was posed by CNN, "Is Marriage Obsolete?" If a female, who has no sign of commitment other than the spoken word, remains faithful to a man who is not her husband, why would the man want to marry her?

I am at an age where my friends are already divorced. I have even witnessed a 21-year-old who was married twice! Everything seems awkward to me. I have a lot of incomplete thoughts, as usual. Take Care! 

Where do we go from here?

The entire Middle East remains in chaos. U.S. Marines are deploying to Libya, Syria is detaining a man believed of spying, and Bahrain and other countries are still  trying to cope with the protests. Reading has always been an escape and an inspiration for me. I had been on goodreads.com, I am a reader and I like to share with others the books that I have read and find books that appeal to me, and I discovered a guy named Latif Yahia. Mr. Yahia's book was only available in limited quantities and, supposedly, not sold in Ireland or the U.S.

Mr. Yahia was a body double for Uday Hussein and was being courted by intelligence agencies from around the world but he only wanted to live a normal life and decided against being employed by the agencies. I had never heard of him, but he seemed interesting.

I also found it interesting that the return of former Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide went uncovered by the major media outlets. Amy Goodman, from Democracynow.org, covered it while he and his family were on the plane from South Africa. I still do not understand how he was removed legally by George W. Bush.



I guess that I am too logical. I also need justifiable reasons why Walmart is permitted to pay women less and not advance them while employed at the company. I think the operative phrase would be, "in theory". . .

From here, hopefully, things get better.      

Facebook

Personally, I recommend the movie, "Catfish" over "The Social Network" because it shows how some people abuse what is supposed to be an innocent means of remaining in contact with friends. Facebook has supposedly become dangerous. Facebook has been recently blamed for divorces, depression, bullying and privacy violations.

I avoid Facebook. I do not feel the need to be in constant communication with my friends. I am nostalgic for the days of hand-written letters and snail mail. I read that a person who constantly checks their email and text messages has the same brain images as a person that smokes a lot of marijuana--that is a very scary thought. How is our brain evolving due to our overuse of technology? I do not believe it will benefit our neurocircuitry.

Facebook, however, can be used positively and that is how I try to utilize my page. For instance, I will tell my family that I am fine when a natural disaster strikes, I bring attention to links that can benefit others--my favorite is freerice.com--and I use to to congratulate or offer condolences. 

I hope that no one abuses Facebook. I think it is not worth losing a spouse or a friendship to.

2011: The Year of Protests?

Several continents seem to be protesting for changes in government/policies. The latest, London. I am surprised at the numbers in the UK. All of the so-called news channels have only been hyping The Royal Wedding. I believe that most people are hard-working. It seems that the majority of people dedicate their entire day to work and receive less compensation in the form of benefits and other sources of security that keep their quality of life at its current level. There has to be changes. I used to have a very good quality of life because the military--especially living overseas--offered free health care. Health care is now a luxury for me. Being that I am employable but no one is hiring, I have gone without health care for years. It is scary.

I was thinking about mental health care for those in war-torn countries. I remember watching the news years ago and it speaking of how Iraq did not have enough child psychologists. I was terrified to hear that. I then started to wonder about the people in the military: do they have mental health specialists in the war zone? I believe that would be logical but from what I have heard, through word-of-mouth, they are mostly concerned with mental health once the infantry men (I do not believe women fight while deployed to those areas) return to their homes/ duty stations.

An uncle? Someone who married into our family served in either World War II or The Korean War. As a child, we thought it was funny to tease him because he would doze off and erupt into violent outbursts--moving and speaking as though he were in the war, even though he was on the couch or at the table. We were scared of him because we couldn't predict when it would occur and we didn't know how to react. I feel guilty about that because I shouldn't have been so ignorant of such a serious condition. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder stayed with him until his death in the 90s and I hope that no one else has to suffer that same fate.

I can't think too clearly today. 

 

Capitalize Me!

Child labor laws do not apply in certain circumstances: youtube/blog profits and street performers. There is a street performer who appears very young that croons to the many visitors that the travel industry attracts. I have seen this girl out at very early hours in the morning--the same hours that the drunk and disorderly are roaming the streets and the prostitutes, who everybody, including the cops, knows are prostitutes, are looking for customers. The young street performer's income must be very lucrative in order for her parents to have her in such an environment. 

The Youtube generation uses social networking and other media sites innocuously but are being criticized by the national media. It seems that the latest distraction is named Rebecca Black and she has a song titled, "Friday" that everyone is commenting on. I adhere to the old adage: accentuate the positive. . .and therefore, I will not critique the song. I think that those who make negative statements must remember that Rebecca is a child. She is probably not unlike other children who have fun being silly on Youtube. The thing that bothers me is that this, once again, is the bread and circus. Entertainment diverts our attention to the salient issues that the news should be broadcasting.

Corporate news is biased. I prefer Democracy Now over CNN, Fox, MSNBC and every other major news source. Democracy Now does not have the viral videos and other distractions that are used in the "news". Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez are exceptional journalists. They have maintained the journalistic integrity that other broadcasters: Fox News, has never had and will probably never know.  

Good news: At&t and Verizon have allowed calls and texts to Japan to be free until March 31st.

Click on the link for more information.

AT&T, Sprint & Verizon Offer Free Calls & Texts to Japan From U.S. [UPDATED]

Was Obama's Libya Attack Impeachable?

Fellow Democrat Dennis Kucinich believes so and I remain confused. I am confused because there are other areas in the world that have their government committing similar crimes and there is no military response from the U.S. and the other allies; when a lot of countries gather together and bomb a country, isn't that considered a World War? And finally, what is our objective and exit strategy? There is too much confusion. Peace is simple. When a U.S. Air Force man ejected from his plane in Libya, he was not attacked. The countries bombed Libya and now no one wants to take responsibility. The U.S. has said they are not trying to kill Gaddafi--that would be a criminal act, but to bomb his compound is. . .? Why can't someone arrest Gaddafi? He appears to be in the compound and the U.S. will not kill him, so does this mean that another country's military can kill him? I don't know. Too many questions and the news does not answer any of them.

In other news. . .I am sick of hearing about these "Tea Party" people, too. Conservatives and party should never be included in the same sentence. They seem like homophobic zealots who resort to religion to defend their lame arguments. I used to like Victoria Jackson, the has-been from Saturday Night Live, but she is relevant to politics and pop culture? No wonder she is no longer funny--being associated with the Tea Party and being closed-minded is a bad route to take for a so-called comedienne.

If Ms. Jackson was so offended by the Glee kiss, she should have turned off the television. The only attention that she could attract came from her latching onto a popular show in order to bash homosexuals and spread her weird Tea Party/religious viewpoints.

I have to fake it until I make it because today I am not feeling like giving anyone the benefit of the doubt and I am losing hope in them--not hope itself, but hope in a few people. I wanted Obama to make those changes that he spoke about so frequently throughout the campaign and after the election. I have not seen positive changes. I do not care what race or party the President of the U.S. is from; what I do care about is how he treats the people in the world. War is inhumane. I hope that no one ever has to see it. Bombs, blood, bodies and fear. A thirty-year-old in Afghanistan has only known war. That is unbelievable. I hope that peace comes. I continue to seek ways to help those who are in the crossfire. I do not treat military members with disrespect or protest because they are following orders. Those who commit the shocking crimes such as Abu Gharib, and the most recent trophy pictures in Afghanistan, were probably allowed to join the military instead of doing jail time--yes, there really are waivers for certain psychos and other people who need punishment or rehabilitation rather than to serve in the military. I'm rambling, so take care. Hasta Manana.

Since When Has Standardized Testing Become The Child's Decision?

Listening to CNN, I heard the journalist say that a child had decided standardized testing was against her religious/personal beliefs--the same justification that is used against required school vaccinations. This is one of the problems with the American Education system, in my opinion. Are we allowing children to have too much power over their education?

There were some valid reasons why the child did not believe in the testing; one being that it is used to evaluate the teachers, and some teachers will lose their jobs if the students do not perform at the designated learning level. That, in my opinion, is a valid argument. Not wanting to be compared to students internationally, makes sense, too, but tests must be used in order to assess a child's learning and to use such justifiable reasons for not taking a test is unacceptable. Testing is a very important part of the learning process.

I have issues with testing. I think that it would be an easier and more accurate measure if all students were taught from the same lesson plan. I believe that lesson plans should be standardized. Education is changing. Students are now attending middle and high school online, schools are closing, and the use and knowledge of technology is now a requirement rather than an elective.

I can see this issue backfiring and all students opting to not be tested. That would make the public education system worse and be a boon to those who can afford to attend private schooling. I was fortunate enough to have attended excellent schools. I did not feel the pressure from the standardized tests because our lesson plans had been created to teach us what we could anticipate to see on the tests.

CNN also said that the recession has hit women harder than men. The reason? Female-dominated fields are now welcoming more men. Two of the fields named? Education and Health care.  

Another loophole: diplomatic immunity, aka extraterritorialism

I have the time.com app on my so-called "smartphone". I came across an article that spoke about a man named Raymond Davis who "allegedly" killed two Pakistani citizens and was being held in the country. I would not be surprised if this story becomes a lifetime movie because what saved Davis was Sharia Law. 

This entire story seems fictitious because there are so many layers in order to arrive at the truth. Here is what makes it complicated. At first, Davis was a diplomat. Diplomats--as I know from growing up around TCKs whose parents worked at the American Embassies--have a great shield that protects them known as Diplomatic Immunity.

Diplomatic Immunity can be abused. Those with this protective status cannot be held to the laws of the country they reside in or visit. There were stories that I heard of diplomats who had speeding and driving under the influence tickets issued by the host country, but that the said country could not collect on because the diplomat could use their right: diplomatic immunity.

Supposedly, Davis was a diplomat--at first--and then, CIA. After CIA, he was an employee of Blackwater--which has since changed its name to Xe. In this tangled web, I do not know who Raymond Davis is but I know that he used Islamic law in order to be freed of the killings.

Sharia law is generally used and practiced by the Wahabbis. Wahabbism is what most Western countries have an issue with. Some of the laws are interpreted in a way that justifies oppression and other crimes against humanity.   Who paid the blood money? Will other Muslim countries suggest that offenders be tried according to Sharia Law? Too many questions arise from this seemingly innocuous trial.

The British thrived in Hong Kong under the protections of diplomatic immunity because the British could commit crimes with impunity. There are circumstances where I am sure that it is needed, but in other cases, there should be oversight to ensure that it is not being abused. 

A Great Example of a Double Standard

"The hypocrisy of Democracy"--Chris Rock.

I dislike the term, "anti-war". I prefer that the protesters are called pro-peace. The protesters had an official order to not hold their demonstrations in front of The White House, but did so, and were arrested. From the news link, it seemed peaceful and it had a well-educated crowd--it included Daniel Ellsberg--but they disobeyed an order and were arrested.

Too bad this logic does not apply to the families of fallen soldiers, who cannot draft such orders when they have the religious zealots spreading fake information, and being rowdy outside of their relatives' funerals. Their erratic behavior is viewed as tolerable and is protected under The First Amendment. . .I am far too logical.

I have never felt the need to be on one side or the other. I always hope for peace, and until it occurs, I try to reason what is best to help those devastated by war. This may seem contradictory, but I refuse to be as naive as to believe that my vote counts, I know that it does not, and that my voice will be heard, I have written those in government and have not received any responses. I know that a lot of what is said is said, "in theory". It appears contradictory that we are supportive of protests in other countries but angered by those in our own.



It seems as though these wars: Iraq and Afghanistan, and the new bombing campaign in Libya are testing our rights. Do the American people want more wars? I want peace. We have tried war for too long: Afghanistan marking the longest U.S. War in American history.

Here is the link to the AP story about the protesters:
U.S. Protesters arrested at the White House

Flexing our muscles?

U.S. ships have been deployed to Libya. Historically, this is a sign of intimidation. Hopefully, it doesn't escalate beyond that. To say that the U.S. Military is overstretched, is an understatement. I always hope for peace, and when that is not possible--which, it always is in my opinion-- but when the Military, U.N. et cetera, choose other options, I think of what is the best possible outcome of this horrible quandary. My advice: avoid the politics within Libya and other countries in which, 1. We do not understand the culture; 2. We do not speak the languages of the majority and minority; 3. We do not have a well-planned entry and several exit strategies.

People often say that politics is played. Perhaps, in certain countries, it is but The Middle East is one of the most culturally and politically complex regions in the world. I would find it hard to believe that anyone--even the native-born and raised individuals--could accurately predict what the outcome will be once there is foreign intervention. The exiles have been away from their country for too long to remember and understand their own culture, from a contemporary perspective, and also have not experienced the hardships that the protesters have endured. 

Democracy to other countries is probably not the same definition of democracy that Westerners are familiar with. Traditions and tribal and other loyalties will somehow have to be accounted for and integrated into their form of democracy. Would we want the responsibility of supporting their interpretation of democracy? Surely, it will be translated to conform to their culture and not ours.

Translation is another problem. Arabic is a hard language and I think that it would benefit the translators if they had a knowledge of the Quran. Relgion is a large part of the cultures in The Middle East and I believe that in order to have a working knowledge of the language, it would also benefit to know the religion, not practice it, but understand it in terms to anticipate the ideology. The basis of so much rests in Islam and being a devout reader of the Quran. The Middle East has a lot of diversity. It is not only composed of Arabs and Muslims. I hope that I do not sound like a reductionist by proposing the religion, but I do believe it is very important in their politics. I do not believe they hold the same separation of religion and country as some Western countries do.


Since it appears that we are headed into Libya, have we decided how we will exit? For ships and planes, it is simple, but I still don't understand the purpose of showing U.S. Military might. I don't understand the politics of the Middle East. I will not pretend that I do. I hope that there is a diplomatic solution to the problem and that everyone draft resolutions and whatever else they believe they need to better their country.     

UCLA must be a huge fan of legacy admissions

I try to remain optimistic and give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but there will always be an exception--watch at your own risk:

 Supposedly--and I am saying supposedly, because UCLA has name recognition, and was once considered a "selective" higher learning institution: composed of intelligent students; this young lady is a UCLA student. That she was admitted to UCLA and that she uses the library were the only two things that I found shocking. Legacy admissions are not controversial--opposed to affirmative action, so many may not be aware that they exist. Legacy, which I am hoping is how she was admitted, is the old boy's network at its finest. It is the name dropping way of entering college. Many assume that is how George W. Bush attended Yale. I believe that G.W. could have also attended due to his celebrity, which is also a great,unmeritorious way to attend college. These students are usually sought after and it is in this great book "A Is for Admission: The Insider's Guide to Getting into the Ivy League and Other Top Colleges" by Michele A. Hernandez. I read this book in hopes of attending Graduate School. That hope died, but for anyone who still believes in higher education, I highly recommend it.

Back to Ms. UCLA's rant: Racism, apparently, is a system that has worked very well for her. I believe that she has a future as a Fox News broadcaster--perhaps, she has already had an internship with them. She manipulated the tags and used a natural disaster to propagate her hateful view of Asians. She even went as far as to mention that she understands that their family members are calling them out of concern and she remained angry at the Asian--specifically Asian, because no other race uses or has ever used a cell phone in the library. It is sad. There is a culture of negativity and her shameless, disgustingly selfish views cannot, in any way, be beneficial to UCLA. I am sure that the school has already distanced itself from her. I hope that everyone in Japan is healing and that they receive the help that they need. If there is anything that I can do, please leave a comment. I advise everyone to beware of scams because, just as the UCLA student, there are too many opportunists/scavengers/vultures out there--despite the do-gooders. 

Pikes and Minnows

My Psychology teacher told us of Classical Conditioning using a parable about pikes and minnows. A pike is a larger fish and the minnow is generally a small fish. The minnows were the food source for the pikes. The pikes were separated from the pikes by a glass divider that allowed them to see the minnows, but prevented them from swimming to them. The pikes would try to infiltrate the minnows but were unsuccessful and, subsequently, gave up. The divider was later removed, and the pikes were released into the same water as the minnows. The pikes were indifferent to the minnows. The pikes did not attempt to eat the minnows even though it would have been very easy for them to do so.

That story remains in my head and always will. It reminds me to never give up because it may be that one opportunity that arises, when it seems too easy, that changes the direction of one's fate. I hope that my teacher is still teaching Psychology and using that story.     

Why ignorance is more dangerous than being a single parent

The argument of being a single parent seems to focus solely on the mother and this is unfair. The most salient aspect of this blame game is: why do we allow one parent to be relieved of parental duties in order to stigmatize the parent who is caring for the child? I say parent because there are a lot of single fathers, too and Mike Huckabee seems to have forgotten this or not cared enough to mention this when he slammed Natalie Portman for being an unwed future mother.

Being a single parent is a choice for some who are doing so in order to escape a domestic or abusive relationship, a philandering partner, a partner with substance abuse issue and many other deplorable situations. Some single parents are widows. It is disgusting that Huckabee and others feel that they should comment on such a personal situation. To speak of a woman's unborn child and stigmatize women who care for their children is, in my opinion, misogynistic and not representative of American values.

Resilience is prized Internationally. A single parent who provides for and cares for their child or children is worthy of praise and not degradation. It is time that we study the parent who has abdicated their parental responsibilities and is estranged from their child or children and not the caretaker--regardless of who it may be.

I commend any single parent out there. Military families are often subjected to long deployments which forces them into being a single parent temporarily. I think it is important for single parents to have a role model of the opposite sex for their child but it is not a requirement. The most important thing is to provide the child with food, shelter and love and I believe that the majority of single parents are already doing so.

Book Review: "You Know When the Men are Gone" by Siobhan Fallon

White privilege is the first word that comes to mind when I think back on this book. A Caucasian friend of mine was unaware of this term and advantage until a college Sociology course. This friend was American but born and raised overseas. His ignorance seemed feigned but I tried to take into consideration that Third Culture Kids (TCK) and Adults perceive things very differently and this may have accounted for that ignorance.



Mrs Fallon either deliberately or unintentionally perpetuated stereotypes of foreigners, African-Americans, Arabs and other minorities that were included in her stories. I found this very boring because it detracts from some of her excellent writing. She created characters that would have stood out more had they not been stereotyped as the ex-banker Caucasian male; the hypersexual, sexist, blood-hungry African-American who was listening to gangsta rap and had run out of money for college. The teacher who was "too blond", the moody teenager and the Mexicans who spoke Chicano English.

Stereotypes are not harmless. When the African-American is disrespectful to the Iraqi woman-- using sexual innuendo-- the night stalker has a Latino surname and the mention of Arab women in abayas somehow merits a ghost comparison, there is a problem.  It is not due to the political incorrectness, it is due to depending too heavily on such trite notions of people. I wish that I could patent or copyright every stereotype in order for them to never be used again.

Despite being fiction, it had a very familiar non-fiction quality about it to me.It reminded me of the chatty husbands and wives who would inherit information from their spouses and use it as fodder to gossip about all day and spread rumors that circulate the bases. Bases are usually circulating with rumors and this book gave us glimpses into each characters' lives. 

Mrs. Fallon's dialect and descriptions were excellent. I think that a Mexican who did not speak Spanish, however, makes for a more memorable character than one who speaks in Chicano English--or even a character who is capable of code-switching in order to demonstrate that he is street and book savvy.

Also, the psychology of the characters who were not heavily stereotyped compensated for those who were. I do not mean to sound as though I did not enjoy reading this book. I did, but I am looking forward to a book where the African-American is the general; the night-stalker is the least expected, most high-ranking official on the base and the stories are completed and not just glimpses into each characters' life.

3 out of 5 stars. What are your thoughts?

That Gray Area: How One Minute You're Hot and the Next, You're Not.

Growing up, I was plump. I cannot deny it because I have marks--stretch marks--that prove that I gained and lost weight very rapidly. It was strange to lose weight because people treated me as a new person. A friend once said that I have an inner fat girl and I think it is true. I also have the scars. Scars serve as a reminder to a lot of people.


Those who have served in a war or lived in an area that has seen the building or destruction of their land will probably have a better memory of what occurred. They carry physical or emotional scars. Scars are not the only way to remember. Those who are diligent will pay attention to what is happening, create a memory of it and reference back to it, if there is a need to do so.

 I have had a passport since I was five. I lived outside of the U.S., overseas, and on several islands. I didn't have an issue with air travel until Lockerbie. I think the Lockerbie bombing was a story that stayed with me. My parent was in the military, and military people usually leave the news on t.v. Due to the redundancy, I saw the story several times and I became anxious about flying. I became anxious about everyone flying because, until then, I thought the only dangerous thing about a plane was that it could crash.


Since then, Gaddafi was labeled a criminal. From what I understand, he paid billions and then he was the world's friend again--thanks to the United Nations--until recently. I do not understand the complexity of another country's politics. But, on behalf of American politics, I did not understand how we forgave so easily. Once again, I must consider Capitalism and then it makes sense. 

Gaddafi was such a good friend, that American celebrities: Beyonce Knowles, Usher and Mariah Carey, believed it was all right to accept a substantial amount of money from Gaddafi for their performances. This is that gray area: Gaddafi is no longer a friend and the money has been asked or ordered to be returned. 

How swiftly one turns his back on a friend. I have tried to keep all of the political relationships in memory because the gray area comes about so quickly. Rumsfeld is shaking hands with Saddam Hussein and then they are enemies; Gaddafi was somewhat exonerated and now he is a criminal again.

The only gray area is that his criminal activity should not have been forgiven. Relationships change, good people can change into bad people and the truth can be concealed. However, when there is a wrong--and it is clearly a wrong-- for the most part, the issue will be black and white.

I have yet to understand how world leaders and political figures are star struck by celebrities. It seems that in order to meet Obama, I have to be Justin Bieber or any of the other celebrities that appeal to The First Family. Isn't it strange that Usher, Beyonce and Mariah were hanging out with Gaddafi? Or that Hugo Chavez met with supermodel Naomi Campbell?  It seems to be the trend in politics and I am not a faddist.

That is why it helps to be beautiful and talented--or just beautiful because Kim Kardashian's appearance fee is enormous. Wouldn't it be strange if Obama were meeting with the cast of the Jersey Shore instead of the public? Especially the political science majors, law students, economists, social scientists, etc. That seems more likely than anyone in politics meeting or listening to me. That is also why education is a lie. Governor Schwarzenegger understood how powerful fame is and he used it to gain political office--despite having a business degree.

Be famous, be beautiful and then-- and only then-- can you meet with the political leaders of the entire world.    
I am sure that the protesters in Wisconsin could meet with the political leaders if the Green Bay Packers were to join their rallies. 

The Supreme Court: Protestors are violating privacy

The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the "religious" fanatics that insist on picketing military funerals with  hate-filled messages, desecration of the American flag, and most importantly, lack of respect for the grieving family.

The underlying message is that homophobia is tolerated under the guise of "religious" freedom as supposedly interpreted under The First Amendment's rights. It is an injustice that is institutionalized in order to perpetuate homophobia. 

I avoid speaking out against religion but what they are doing, I believe, is creating a religion to justify their actions. Their God is very foreign to me. I will not speak on behalf of anyone's God. I do not understand how these lunatics think that they can, either. These hate-mongers should do all religions a favor and speak for themselves instead of utilizing God as their puppet. They should separate themselves from every religion because such anger and hate is more consistent with evil than anything else.

Despite being heterosexual, I am hurt by their messages. Not that I have any issues with homosexuality, but how do the protesters know the troops' sexual orientation? These protesters freely use the "F" word--not the four-letter one, the hateful word for homosexuals. Such repugnant written, spoken and sung messages are equivalent to public indecency to my eyes and ears--especially my ears because not only are their songs filled with hate, they sing horribly. I would rather see nudity--at least I could close my eyes and it is natural. It is unnatural for people to have such anger and hatred displayed publicly.  I do not consider these protests peaceful. I would be terrified to walk past such hate-mongers.If it is protected under The First Amendment, I suggest they practice their rights elsewhere. They could practice it at their church, homes, and online but this behavior does not belong in public.   


Hate will eventually escalate into violence. The Supreme Court has allowed the Ku Klux Klan--well-known throughout history for burning crosses and lynchings to continue operating. I feel these groups should be regarded as terrorists and they should not be able to have protection under the law. Their ruling was a huge injustice to humanity. Do the families no longer have the right to privacy? To grieve the loss of their loved one without the noise and media distraction that the protesters are providing. Do the fallen troops have the right to rest in peace? Is it not defamation?

Isn't it against military law to desecrate the flag? That was always the impression that I was under because to this day, if I see a flag that touches the ground, or is somehow tattered, I cringe and think to myself that it is a violation of the flag. That may seem strange to civilians, but the flag is honored and requires special care and handling.  

I hope that the Supreme Court's decision is reversed. These are, in my opinion, the legal reasons why The Court should reconsider.  
     

Confusion

A few things that I am extremely confused about include Galliano being fired by Dior for being a racist while other racists thrive in their jobs: Mel Gibson, Charlie Sheen, Imus and too many others to name. Why the U.S. Patent office isn't hiring and why the "Save the Dream" rallies have gone ignored. I think that I understand, all too well, why the rallies have gone ignored but it merits our attention.

Racism does not surprise me. I expect Racism, Sexism, Ageism and every other -ism out there because such systems are institutionalized--to a certain extent--and thrive because the beneficiaries remain in power and get richer. I know that idioms make for bad writing, but they have historical value and accuracy, so I will continue to use such trite sayings.

Race-based slavery was a boon to every person who did not have African blood. In fact, it was so good, that those who did have African blood but could "pass" for something else, often did. Race was also a factor in the U.S.' 19th century Chinese immigration policy and too many others in history. There are bureaucracies that were created for the sole purpose of protecting people from racism. That is why I do not understand how racism is clearly wrong and yet others are selective about penalizing the racists. I applaud Dior for firing Galliano. I would prefer that the policy become universal, but racism works for one group and hurts another. Some people can afford to be racist and others cannot. I believe that Galliano will work--either independently, or for an employer like Fox News (wink, wink).

I get mad when I like racist people's art. I always think there is underlying racism in Pat Conroy's novels, but I think he is a great author. There are so many movies that I have watched that could have done without using racial slurs, but they were used and repeated so much that it made me wonder if they were a fan of "The Birth of a Nation", which is cited as one of the best movies of all time.

I enjoyed Faulkner and Pirandello's works but I believe they, especially the latter, were racists. Fox News is blatantly racist. I do not think that anyone can have a strong argument against that statement but I really don't watch Fox--I am usually the antithesis of their style of journalism and their baseless ideology. I find Fox News on in a lot of waiting areas and that is usually the most viewing time it receives from me. In conclusion, if anyone wants a "fair and balanced view" of racism, watch Fox News. They will spin everything to make racism less of a bad thing--even though it is clearly wrong.

I have the Time.com app on my phone and there was an article explaining how the U.S. Patent office takes forever to approve of inventions and that there may be a vote to make changes to the long process. It had me thinking: "job creation"! The numbers were outrageous and I am sure that those interested can find and read the story, http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,2055812,00.html if that link didn't work. I am hopeful that an invention in there has solutions to the problems that are faced by humanity. I value ingenuity
and even though it is often mentioned that there are a lack of U.S. students in fields such as engineering, I think that we cannot truly know because so many of the patents have not been reviewed and approved.

I hope that an approved patent will help to "Save the Dream". It is very important that changes are made in this country, as well as abroad. I hope that those attending the rallies receive the attention that they deserve. Some aspects of the Democratic process have worked well in the past and I am hoping that they will work well in the future. I think I aid the culture of negativity sometimes and that is not the purpose of this blog. I want this blog to encourage others to think independently about solutions to the issues that we are facing and to help each other--regardless of race, age, ideology and so on. As Aerosmith sang, "dream on, dream until the dreams come true."