Throwing Medals

I remember vividly, as a sophomore in high school, watching the soldiers throwing back their medals in Washington back in 1971. It was an event that took place in April, and I watched it with other kids my age at a friend's house. These men and women realized they'd been duped by our government into fighting a war that couldn't be won. I was proud of them.

Fast forward to May of 2012; a full 41 years later. I just finished watching "Democracy Now!", where veterans at a protest of the NATO Conference in Chicago did the same thing the other day. When I was a sophomore I'm sure I didn't cry as I watched it on TV. As a grown man in his mid 50's, I had my own permission to this time.

There were only 45 vets who participated in this display of the hatred of war, and all that goes along with war. They spoke of the civilians killed. They spoke of the harm that came to themselves. They spoke of the way women in the military were mistreated. They spoke of the lies told to them. Their message was as loud to me now, as the thousands back in '71. And if I remember correctly, what happened back then was the beginning to the end of that war. May history repeat itself.

The Scourge That Is Leftism

I happened to live next door to a boy who had leftism when I was 10 years old. It was awful! At all hours of the day (and night) you could hear the shrieks and screams of his exhausted mother, frustrated that he was unable to do tasks with his right hand. His parents were often at odds over his condition, which caused insurmountable strain on their marriage. The financial burden faced by these folks in having a child with leftism only added to their grief.

I recall asking my mother what was wrong with him, and she told me in a lowered voice that his affliction was not his fault, and she hoped someday they'd find a cure. In the mean time, she advised me to keep my distance, because at that time they weren't sure if leftism was contagious. In the next few years I noticed more and more children with leftism, and no one knew why this epidemic was spreading. From 3 in 100 to 1 in 15 over the course of 5 years!

Thank God Leftism Speaks was organized in an effort to combat the negative effects of leftism. They were funded primarily by rich white folks who had a connection to a child with leftism. Professional athletes, Hollywood types, and other people able to spread the word, and solicit funds. They managed to become the "go to" voice for anyone in the community who wanted to appear to be a friend of people with leftism. They organized charity walks all over the country, bringing in millions of dollars in the name of finding a cure. their PR was impeccable.

Around that same time, people who had leftism themselves began wondering why Leftism Speaks had such a low opinion of them. Many people with leftism were thriving and contributing in their communities. They could be found on college campuses getting an education. They were working in good paying jobs. Many were involved in science, mathematics, and other scholarly pursuits. Artists, poets, musicians, they could be found vitually every where. And many were speaking up themselves about what they believed was unjust language from Leftism Speaks. They were able to find skewed numbers, quid pro quo behaviors, and unwarranted "research" that was going no where. Could it be? Was Leftism Speaks more about money than about the altruism they publicly espoused?

As I've grown up, I've been fortunate to have met many people with leftism. They seem fine to me. In fact, I've not only worked and befriended people with leftism, but was blessed with the opportunity of having my own nephew who has leftism live with me for several years. I just can't seem to wrap my mind around the idea that people with leftism somehow need to be "fixed". For every "difficult" person who has leftism, there are probably 50 difficult people who don't have that label. Umm... you are reading one of these difficult people's blogs right now...

You Go First

This is interesting! The Oregon GOP, led by Senator Bruce Starr, have decided that low income people receiving assistance from the state, need to be drug tested. I guess such a notion is going on in other states as well, and I have some strong feelings about it. Below is part of the Legislative update that came to me in email yesterday...

Abuse of Oregon assistance programs must be addressed

Salem, OR – Senate Republicans will continue to push legislation that can safeguard the integrity of Oregon’s public assistance programs. Data recently released to The Oregonian revealed disturbing evidence of misuse of these funds. In an effort to protect programs for needy Oregon families, Republicans introduced legislation in 2011 to require drug testing for individuals on public assistance.

"Oregon’s assistance programs are meant to help struggling Oregon families pay for groceries, gas and rent while they get back on their feet," said Senator Bruce Starr (R-Hillsboro) who sponsored the 2011 legislation. "A few bad apples are abusing these payouts to gamble, drink and visit strip clubs. Putting a stop to that type of exploitation protects taxpayer dollars and shields the resources for those who need them most."

Note that there is no mention of how and why Legislators spend the money they receive from the state. I guess the idea is that if you are an elected official, it's nobody's business but your own, what you do with the tax dollars that pay your salary. However; if you are poor, you should be expected to be held to a higher level of accountability. Doesn't that define the word "discrimination"?

Are the citizens of Oregon expected to believe that elected people DON'T include "bad apples" who gamble, drink, and visit strip clubs? How about those who take illegal trips, have illegal vacations, and profit from the suffering of others? If they want to insist on disciminating against poor people, I say, ok, let's go for it! But YOU GO FIRST!

To The Opologists

I'm always amazed by the pseudo fighting between Democrats and Republicans! Each blaming the other for the condition of the USA. I guess what bothers me the most are the people who call themselves "progressive", witout speaking out against the wars, or the money making corporations behind them. At least the "conservative" crowd stays true to their color.

To the "Opologists" who want to blame everything on George Bush, I'd like to say; "GW Bush did not order 241 (and counting) drone strikes, launch FBI raids on antiwar activists, expand the Patriot Act, authorize the assasinationsof US citizens abroad,appoint Monsanto executives to the FDA, and deport ofver a million (and counting) immigrants." No, that was someone else.

Keep that in mind as you campaign from now until next November.