if not now

Free enterprise, say the leadership, the pundits, and the politicians from the Republican/Tea Party, let the chips fall as they may and if jobs are lost, people are sick, people are homeless it is part of the process to eventually find progress with private investment and enterprise. The future will be brighter we are told and if in the process of seeking the future the present is dull and dreary so be it, but the markets know best and free markets know better say the Corporate CEO’s their lobbyists and the elected lackey’s bought and paid for by the top 1%.

In Michigan today, Mitt Romney and his surrogates argue that the bailout for the auto-industry was a very Un-American action managed by the President. They say it was not the government’s responsibility to invest in American economy or jobs adding the government should not come to the rescue of any failing industry. Capitalism thrives with the ebb and flow of money, the ability to create and destroy, improve and remove, artificial involvement by government officials eliminate the will of the people to remain successful, so say those who also identify Corporations as people.

On the campaign trial the Republican/Tea Party candidates for president are insistent that one of the first actions they will take will be to eliminate “Obamacare”, stating that it is the first sign post to the road of Socialism. The candidates and their cohorts on Fox News, or the RNC define health care for all as a plot to remove freedoms for Americans, and an omen threatening to weaken our democracy. The free market, we are preached to, will find a fair price point for health care, and if it takes a decade to do so, so be it because a true America must rely on the markets and their fluctuations.

Educators, first responders, janitorial professionals, nurses to name a few are lazy individuals who demand outrageous salaries and gluttonous benefits so we are lectured to by the Republican/Tea Party majority led state legislatures. These workers are lemmings for a union leadership more concerned about their own political ambitions and less worried about what is good for ALL America and Americans. If a government has to pay its citizens minimum wages and then kick in for benefits or a safe work environment all that happens is a depletion of dollars to balance a budget that eventually will not include the health and welfare for a majority of population say the union buster bully’s.

Had we waited for the free market to assist in the resurrection of the auto industry as we waited, we would have witnessed millions of unemployed workers unable to pay mortgages, purchase food, pay for health care and maintain any kind of sane home life. Had we waited for the market to fluctuate or the CEO’s and their Board of Directors to debate the profit loss of their bottom line how many people would be hungry, homeless and hassled? If we go back to the free market to set a price waiting for the Health care Cartel to debate how much profit they need for the year how many people will go uninsured, die because they can not afford costly procedures, live a shorter life because of health issues. If we deny fair wages, healthy works spaces because right now we feel we should balance a budget without raising income how many people will struggle to just survive, retain some semblance of middle class life, thrive?

I can not understand how the here and now seem to be unimportant for the Republican/Tea Party voters. If people are hungry feed them, if people are homeless find them shelter, if people are ill make them better, if people must work pay them fair wages, if people grow old let them grow old with dignity. If we want a future of promise then why are we laying the ground work for the present to deny, delete and demean? Why should we be told we must be better for tomorrow when none of us are given the correct tools to survive today? If we would have waited for the fair market to handle the auto crisis, how many millions of people would have been unemployed, homeless, desperate? How many people currently can not afford health care now that it is at the whim of free markets? Why are wages for many only providing meager allowing for a priority of how to pay, food, shelter, health, imagine no minimum wages or fair wages?

I continue to worry when I see the throngs of people cheering on Santorum, Romney, Gingrich or Paul propelling them to restrict, deny, divide hoping they will be president to destroy today for some tomorrow which will only find the wealthy survive. I continue to wonder how the many millions of minions without decent health care, living at the poverty level , lacking proper education applaud the self serving and selfish machinations of Santorum, Romney, Gingrich, Paul. I am in sick awe as the crowds wave banners and signs supporting men whose rhetoric is filled with lies fiction and false prophecy encouraging them to lead this nation.

We need to look at today with clear head and clearer eyes.If we don’t this nation will have a very dreary tomorrow.

separation of sense

In the race to the bottom or as we know it the Republican/Tea Party primary to nominate a candidate to run for president, we are told in one ear that what this nation needs is a strong dose of understanding the Constitution. In the other ear we are lectured that only those running for office for president from the Republican/Tea Party really understand the Constitution and what the Founding Fathers were thinking when they wrote the Constitution. We are told that the Constitution is the Law, but the the interpretation of the Constitution should be left up to the men who want to be the next president of this nation. We are told lots of bigoted BS but provided with very little fact.

Most recently in his linty of how America has gone bad, including women’s reproductive rights, Gay anything, higher education, the need for poor people so we can have rich people, the Devil this or that, Rick Santorum now insists that the separation between church and state is Un-American and above all else un God worthy. As he clings on to both his Bible and the Constitution. Mr. Santorum likes to read content from both that does not exist anywhere but his own imagination, loathing and hatred.

Two men, one a president at the time and one a candidate to be president and eventually one elected spoke about the importance and necessity of a division between church and state that makes this country a great democracy. The one man hoping to hype hate, dine on division, and relying on religious bias and bogus, is busy rewriting history and eliminating historical relevance. And the sad thing is the momentum Rick Santorum has garnered in his wake to destroy the personal freedoms of the citizens of our nation.

The first amendment to the US Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"

The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state. In the United States, the term is an offshoot of the phrase, "wall of separation between church and state," as written in Thomas Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in 1802. The original text reads: "... I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." (Freedom.com)

I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute--where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote--where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference--and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him. (September 12, 1960, address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, by John F. Kennedy)

I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish--where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source--where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials--and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all. (September 12, 1960, address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, by John F. Kennedy)

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum continued to make controversial statements Sunday. The latest is about the separation of church and state, which Santorum says prohibits people of faith from the "public square."

"I don't believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute..."

"Because the first line, first substantive line in the speech says, 'I believe in America where the separation of church and state is absolute," the former Pennsylvania senator said. "You bet that makes you throw up."

Santorum said Kennedy "was trying to tell people of faith that you will do what the government says, we are going to impose our values on you." (Presidential candidate for the Republican/Te Party, Rick Santorum speaking on ABC’s “This Week”.

This IS America 2012? Huh!!!

god and america

A friend of mine was finally able to celebrate his 18 year relationship with his partner, by finally realizing at least in the state of Maryland they legally marry. After 18 years of commitment, love and devotion the two men were now permitted to exercise a freedom taken for granted by the heterosexual community and in the eyes of the law, at least in the state of Maryland say “I do”.

Any true American who understands the value of our Constitution should celebrate this victory against separate but equal, but it seems some who insist that their God has higher authority over the laws of the land refuse to understand. With the vim and vitality of prejudice and hatred based on a God who seems to hate his/her creations, many a person using religion as a scapegoat for their own deep-seeded bigotry instead protest this ruling. They site ownership of the understanding of religion, God’s words and act as a translator of his/her wishes with arrogance and ignorance.

No one owns God, no one.

One of the wonders of America is the opportunity to worship God, any God and be able to express that joy openly.

One of the wonders of America is to be free not to worship God, any God and speak just as freely and proudly about that choice.

One of the wonders of America is that the rights of both a believer of God, any God and a nonbeliever in a God, any God are assured in our Constitution. Our Constitution provides all citizens to express their lives in an equal, free manner. How you believe in God or his word is a personal choice, but a choice that does not permit discrimination for those who see God differently than you.

America was founded as a nation where if God is a primary force for your deeds, actions or plans you can worship as you wish. America was also established as a bastion where the politics of God have no greater or lesser stance or value.

In America there is permission for those who worship a vindictive or bigoted deity to share their beliefs with those who celebrate a God who enjoys harmony and inclusion of all. America is a land of equal opportunity worship. And now Maryland is a land of equal opportunity for marriage in or out of the eyes of God.

No one can ever judge a person’s relationship with God, no one can ever communicate that your devotion and interpretation of God is correct or false. The beauty of America is freedom. The intent of those who wrote the Constitution many men who believed in God was that all citizens be equal.

My God did bless America with his grace permitting the Maryland State Legislature to go beyond the petty, the fear, the inaccurate and finally loudly and proudly say bias, bigotry no longer exist when it comes to marriage. We can all embrace our God as we wish, but the bold and very American effort made by the Maryland Legislature embraced the Constitution of this nation a guiding principal for all.

some stand

When a government-run lab accidentally lets loose a deadly virus, most of the population of the world is wiped-out. Survivors begin having dreams about two figures: a mystical old woman, or a foreboding, scary man. As the story tracks various people, we begin to realize that the two figures exemplify basic forces of good and evil, and the stage is set for a final confrontation between the representatives of each. Those who are immune from the virus subsequently form into two camps. The first is lead by Mother Abigail and the second by Randall Flagg. Within a few months, it becomes apparent that those who support good will need to confront evil if they are to survive. (Rick Munoz) synopsis of “The Stand” by Stephen King.

With each passing day a new strain of a virus seeps through the veins of those who identify as the Core of the Republican/Tea Party releasing rhetoric and venom against Gay civil rights, women’s reproductive rights, the right for fair pay/ fair benefits, and the right to grow old with dignity. With each passing day a virus erupts from the mouths and actions of those elected officials proudly claiming to represent the Republican/Tea Party stressing Big Government intrusion in our bedrooms, doctors offices while restricting who we love, how we love, and how we maintain our health. With each passing day a line in the sand is drawn on the freedoms, equality, and respect toward some by those who either hear the Lord’s calling to hate, God’s whispers to discriminate,The Almighty’s shouts to persecute.

With each passing day, the definition of good and evil are being defined by those who refuse to respect the tenets of the Constitution but indulge in the religious bias of a Bible never left to fact but infused with fiction. With each passing day those who love to speak for God, but never bother to listen to his/her words insist that their morals are correct, and the values of those they deem less than are meaningless. With each passing day more Americans are the victims of less freedom and justice, access and equality.

With each passing day the rift of stated difference grows wider and the chance to bridge that gap less. With each passing day inclusion evaporates, exclusion exhilarates, and common cause is exasperated by denial and indulgence. With each passing day those who swear America is THEIR land of Christianity become abusive in action, confrontative with deed, and insist that they take a STAND against anything they refuse to understand.

For some reason a virus of indulgence, ignorance, and inaccurate fact have taken hold on a portion of the citizenry of this nation, providing them with the false belief they are soldiers of God fighting a war he never really started. For some reason the fear, loathing, hatred of a small body of Americans is running rampant and infecting the souls and backbones of politicians who suddenly want to become leaders of a nation that excludes and removes. Suddenly a self defined good is at war with a self defined bad and along the way the victims from women, to the LGBT community, laborers, poor and elderly are falling prey left to rot on a very vile vine.

What has happened to a nation like ours when the middle ground seems further away then moving left or right? What has happened to a country like ours when all fact is based on fiction, fear or fancy? What has happened to this place we call home when the only choice we seem to be faced with is take a STAND on my side or yours? Why is it so hard to STAND together?

a lorax looming

The covert actions initiated by the Progressives, Liberals and the Democrats have been uncovered and their urge to undermine Democracy, kill Capitalism, and ruin the Economy of the US have been rebuked by the ever vigilant Republican/Tea Party Christian culture war, soldiers of fortune. The ever ready Christian Crusaders have also discovered the heinous agenda of The Hollywood Elite to rob this nation of family values and remove any morals from mere mortals. And according to the self appointed conscience keepers of this Nation, those who side with some God who favors bigotry and bias, they have also found that any side of the argument that may make any sense to the complete nonsense espoused and pontificated on FOX or Conservative radio is wrong, UnPatriotic and rhetoric one might hear from the Devil himself.

In 1999 a self proclaimed prophet of God, Jerry Falwell stated that The Teletubbies children’s show was a propaganda marketing plan by the LGBT community and the one character in particular, Tinky Winky a ploy to recruit children toward the Gay agenda. (That pesky Gay agenda)The Liberal media was sly, was evil, was a divisive mechanism to destroy American families and the lives of ALL American kids. And Jerry Falwell would be the key to stopping this UnAmerican, UnChristian undermined behavior and demonstrate to the lemming, God fearing crowd this despicable behavior.

But alas alack America laughed at this solider of Christian war. America ignored his dire warnings of the overthrow of Democracy as we know it. The nation guffawed at his insistence a children’s animated character could be more powerful then the Constitution and maybe even Jesus. And now Mr. Falwell as he sun bathes on the shores of Hell I am sure is turning over in his rotten grave feeling vindicated that his preaching and fervor against the evil childhood medium has come true.

The most recent sinister attacks against our the red, white, blue and Christian nation started with Sponge Bob Square Pants and his attack defending the premise of global warming. It moved to the Muppets and their hard fought battle against corporations. And finally the devious Liberal agenda traveled to the newly released ‘Lorax’ by Dr Seuss where cartoon characters support the trees growing tall, the water remaining safe and the air we breath healthy. The Liberal, Progressive, Democrat Agendas are in a conspiracy attempting to support the fallacies of global warming, clean air, and a safe environment. The animation is the ammunition of choice in cahoots with Hollywood to brainwash our kids into thinking Pollution is bad, Corporate Greed evil and Destruction of the Earth’s resources for bottom line profits scary.

And the pundents, politicians, talking heads, trained attack dogs, self appointed prophets of God speaking hard and heavy for all things Republican/Tea Party are resurrecting the mean spirited fiction from Mr. Falwell and warning about the End of Days.

From Nickelodeon to Disney to Jim Henson, according to the Bible thumping, Corporation loving , Citizens United groupies, America is in the grips of a subversive group of people, who among other things want to express a little bit of the truth. The boogie man has taken shape and he looks like the Lorax. Beware we are warned the Lorax is looming large and he will destroy the future of America.

zombies

In late 1967, there was a notice in the then Pittsburgh Press for those interested in auditioning as extra’s for a new movie which would be produced in Pittsburgh by a local celebrity George Romero titled “Night of the Living Dead”.

The job of the extra would be that of a zombie!

Now in Pittsburgh, we all knew all about zombies since on any given Saturday night Chiller Theater hosted by Chilly Billy Cardilly played at least one zombie movie a night. But the zombie movies seen on Chiller Theater were more about people turned into zombies because they had voodoo spells placed on them and usually only lived some where in the Caribbean.

The audition article in the Pittsburgh Press added that the zombies for “Night of the Living Dead” would be a new kind of zombie a zombie who looked like your mother or father or next store neighbor.

Interesting, a new kind of zombie who could be someone in your family or your best friend!

All the kids living on our block of Denniston Avenue were really, really excited to head out to the Monroeville Mall, the location for the auditions. We all had at one time or other seen zombie movies on Chiller Theater and were certainly ready to act as a new kind of zombie, a more modern zombie, we supposed.

We begged and pleaded, we knew if we went to the Monroeville Mall the directors of the movie would surely choose the six kids from Denniston. The deal after great deliberation was struck that the big kids (the older siblings) could audition. Part one completed, now we had to approach Aunt Ruthie, the only neighborhood Mom who drove. She was usually amenable toward the task of schlepping the Denniston brood anywhere, but somehow this zombie thing bothered her. After another great debate about how we could become either rich or famous from this zombie extra thing, she agreed. Part two completed!

By the time we got to the Monroeville Mall we were about numbers 1010 and all they really needed were about 400 people. We never ever became zombies. We tried and cried but to no avail. In 1968 the movie “Night of the Living written and directed by George Romano premiered in Pittsburgh without anyone from Denniston Avenue.

“Night of the Living Dead” introduced to American pop culture a bolder, braver more brazen kind of zombie. It was a creature who looked just like you, minus a missing arm or bit of flesh or cheek, and who five minutes ago was eating dinner with you before eating you as dinner. This new kind of zombie became infected with some unknown disease perhaps radiation, scientific experiments, a meteor from space or the drinking water. This new kind of zombie has taken on iteration after iteration but each zombie film applied the concept that you might not be able to trust the most trusted people in your lives. Suddenly there was a soon to be zombie apocalypse.

The more recent zombie movies ask the question how does this happen why does it happen in America and when will the zombie plague strike again?

In 2010 in the United States of America, a plague struck the American voter. She/he wanted to vote the bums out and in their hurry to do so they came down with dumb, stupid fever a precursor to any zombie infection. As in most zombie movies little attention was paid to the abnormal behavior resulting from this action. Soon, some notice was taken as newly Republican elected state legislatures stopped worrying about jobs or employment or fair taxes and instead prioritized sex, sexual behavior, discrimination and hate. The more people noticed that their Federally elected crop of Republican/Tea Party candidates roamed the hallways of the Capital Building shouting he is a muslim, he is not a citizen of the United States his agenda is pro minority, pro poor some worry ensued. Was this a temporary ailment many pondered, and just like any plot to any zombie movie avoidance just provoked the virus to grow and encouraged the zombies to thrive.

Now in 2012, with the onset of the bigot, anti woman, homophobe, Christian Crusader, anti Muslim, anti poor, anti elderly end any safety net of Republican/Tea Party candidates running for president, America has finally (sadly not all of America however) realized something is very rotten, something is strange something IS very zombie like.

One Republican/Tea Party led state legislature after another forgoing the economy, jobs over reproductive rights, equal marriage rights, cutting education eliminating social security or job security are chewing off the body parts of heir contituents and infecting them with propaganda that what they do is done for Jesus. Proponents of small government are now running rampant with big government zombie fever insisting that bedrooms, genitals, and private lives are the at the purview of any government that wants to consider itself Christian. And the US is now on the verge of a possibility of a zombie take over leaving everyone infected with bias, bigotry and hate.

In most zombie movies beginning with “Night of the Living Dead” we see those with the insight of knowing something is not natural always being told shut up, you are imagining it or you are an elitist. We witness as people who we deem as normal become convinced that if any zombie come their way they will certainly be able to stop them in their tracks. (Only to find in the next scene those normal people have been eaten or infected). And in many zombie movies we find that the only survivor in that town is confronted by the military or police and shot, even after he/she has survived the original onslaught. And as the credits close we see the swarm of zombies waiting in the horizon.

We are watching as a portion of America is enthralled with demeaning, discriminating and dividing this nation into we vs they, God vs the Devil, good vs bad. We are watching as a group of people infected with hate and bogus chew away at the rational and reason of other psyches and plant seeds of dissent. We watch as zombies walk among us and seem to have no idea how bad this invasion is and may get. Why is it that some never seem to see a zombie when it lies to them in their face?

Me and the kids living on Denniston Avenue in Pittsburgh Pa, never had a chance to be in the movie “Night of the Living Dead” but somehow now we are playing a key part in a zombie movie called Election 2012, Year of Living Like You Are Dead”.

Help before it is toooooooooooooo late!!!!

my God!

Theocracy: a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, the God's or deity's laws being interpreted by the ecclesiastical authorities.

Zealot - a fervent and even militant proponent of something

Hypocrite- a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion. a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings

Evangelist Franklin Graham dodged questions about President Obama’s religious faith in a morning show interview on Tuesday, saying he couldn't know for sure whether Obama was a Christian.(msnbc)

Graham, the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham and CEO of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the heir apparent to become America’s numero uno Evangelical Holy Man. Graham senior a self proclaimed servant of God once said:

(“This stranglehold has got to be broken or the country's going down the drain," the nation's best-known preacher declared as he agreed with a stream of bigoted Nixon comments about Jews and their perceived influence in American life. "You believe that?" says Nixon after the "stranglehold" comment. "Yes, sir," says Graham.) (Chicago Tribune Internet)

On MSNBC today Franklin Graham said"I cannot answer [whether someone is a Christian] for anybody," Graham said. "All I know is I'm a sinner, and God has forgiven me of my sins because I put my faith and trust in Jesus Christ.” However when asked if Graham thought Rick Santorum or New Gingrich were true Christians, he added of course they are they have said so. Graham can not answer for anybody except if that anybody is a Democrat president of the United States.

Today another Crusader for Christ has made it clear that his Lord and Savior plays politics, hates the blacks when they are in power and overlooks the comments of bigots, homophobes, liars, and adulterers. Today a man of some chintzy cloth, worthless morals and absolutely no conscience decided to to jump on the God bandwagon and use God’s name in vein. Today a mere mortal who assumes because he is a sinner, he has God’s ear,and has used God’s voice to spew hate, venom and vile. Today, once again the war against religion has been waved by, once again a charlatan who has disdain for difference and the disillusion of grandeur for self. Once again one more false prophet has stepped to the fore insisting that he and only he know what and who is a good and true Christian.

There is a war not on religion as Romney, Gingrich, Santorum and their Republican/Tea Party cronies state but a war on anyone’e version of religion if it is not as they state its definition. Now a high and mighty pompous closer to God then thou has stepped up the battle and in doing so seems to be walking closer to hell and further from God.