hallelujah or amen

I as a Gay man am so tired of all the power I am assumed to hold. I am so tired of being the cause of the end of both Judaism and Christianity. I as a Gay man am so tired of the ability to demolish the great democracy of the United States. I as a Gay man am so tired of the ability to wreck the Institution of Marriage. I as a Gay man am so tired of being the one devaluing family values. I as a Gay man am so tired of honest men and women, our Troops, wanting to abandon the flag, motherhood and apple pie because I love and want to be loved.

It took me 37 years to find the strength to admit that who I am and was, was not anything to be ashamed of. It took me 37 years to face my fears that I might seem a failure. It took me 37 years to realize I am so much more than just a Gay man.

Now at the age of 61, 24 years after coming out to myself and those I love, as a citizen of the United States am so tired of small minded, fearful people using God and their own conceived interpretation of his words as reason to deny me any and all rights. I am so tired of self righteous, self serving politicians obscuring the real reasons for failure and forlorn in this country with a blame it on the Gays theme. I am so tired of heterosexual parents who have no idea how to raise their own kids and their failure in doing so screaming and hollering about families of two dads or two moms. I am so tired of men marrying women and women marrying men because of the pressure of the church, from their parents, or their own personal questions about their own sexuality and not because they are or were or ever will be in love with their spouse.

I am tired that people still make headlines, cause consternation, rely on hate, fear, injustice to prove a very frail and fact-less point. I am so very tired that what should be a simple part of equality in this nation has been run roughshod by politicians, recklessly used as reason for people’s own personal failure, and ruminated by religious zealots as evil and bad.

I am like all other Americans, I am like all other people who believe in God, I am like all other parents who love their kids, I am like all the others except I do not hate that I do not know, and I will not deny the rights written in the Constitution that state life liberty and the pursuit of happiness to people because I fear them.

Rabbi Yehuda Levin the Rabbi ofCongregation Mevakshei Hashem (Those Who Seek the Lord) Synagogue in the Flatbush and Spokesman for theRabbinical Alliance of America. Levin is a vocal religious conservative and opposes homosexual rights and abortion.

Levin is also a member of the advisory committee of the organization Jews against Anti Christian Defamation. Yehuda Levin tends to be in alliance with Christian Evangelicals on efforts opposed to homosexual rights and other social issues. This led to his 1996 support for Pat Buchanan.

Levin has run for public office numerous times. He ran for Congress in 1984 on the Republican ticket, for mayor of New York City in 1985 on the Right to Life ticket, and for New York City Council in 1991 and 1993 on the Conservative ticket. He was unsuccessful in each of these elections.

Levin was involved in stopping a gay pride event from taking place in Jerusalem.He apparently supported the use of violence by protesters in opposing the planned event saying "I promise that there's going to be bloodshed". (Wikipedia).

Joel Osteen is a native Texan and pastor of Lakewood Church, which according to Church Growth Today is America’s largest and fastest growing church. In an interview that aired Wednesday night on CNN’s Piers Morgan Tonight, Pastor Joel Osteen spoke about things ranging from faith, charity and finances. What really brewed the storm was the fact that he completely condemned homosexuality, calling it a ’sin’, and emphatically declared that Sir John Elton in a confirmed sinner.

Pastor Joel Osteen elucidated, saying that his viewpoint was actually based on what the Scriptures themselves said. (etidbits.com)

Do I hear a Hallelujah or an Amen!

three women

What do you go for,
Go see a show for?
Tell the truth
You go to see those beautiful dames.
You spend your dough for
Bouquets that grow for
All those cute and cunning,
Young and beautiful dames.
Oh! Dames are temporary flames to you.
Dames, you don't recall their names,
Do you? 'Dames', from 42nd Street, by Al Dubin and Harry Warren

In the musical 42nd Street, we were introduced to a chorus of women all jazzed up with tap shoes, boas, and bangles. The song Dames was to showcase the power of women on stage. It was sung almost in sexist tones, but with a whole lot of respect included as to the power women held. Shamefully so in 2011 there are many Americans who still have this love hate affair as to the worth of women in power positions. Many insecure males still worry that a powerful woman will emasculate an already frail male ego.

In 2011 we now have a slue of women who are not asking for any permission from their male counterparts, and who have taken the bull by the horn. The sad thing however is that three of these Dames, may have the gumption, but lack the intelligence, integrity, and insight to lead this nation. They are center stage, with the follow spot catching their every move, and want the top billing of this nation's political stage, the Presidency.

Sister Sarah Palin comes out from Tweeter darkness and ruminates about the Presidents State of the Union Speech. She uses the term WTF to describe her chagrin, dismay, and disgust and like a giggly girl of 14 decides to try some satire and describe all of the remarks she finds as Un-American as WTF.

Her winky, 'doncha know' facial expressions all bubbly and bouncy as she speaks to the one network that permits cartoon characters to take spotlight, FOX, Sister Sarah is all Mama Grizzly, Hockey Puck proud and she tries to lampoon the presidents speech. Her trash ridden foul mouth... the same holier than thou mouth she uses to defame Gays, and Muslims...the same mouth she kept silent in not telling Bristol about all of the choices she should consider if she is to whore around...that I am a true Christian and you are not mouth, just spouted one WTF after the other and she was oh so proud of herself as she insulted the President and those viewers with a conscience.

Sister Sarah, blames EVERYONE for misinterpreting, misrepresenting, misunderstanding her intentions and motivations. She is always misquoted she clamors, even though her quotes are on audio and video, she is always the victim she condescends, even though she loves to take to the ivory tower as she bullies all those around her, and she is the most American of Americans she claims even though her greatest joy is to divide and conquer and establish a "we vs they" atmosphere.

And her options are still open to run for President on the Republican/Tea Bag Ticket.

Sister Michelle Bachman, a pistol packing tea bagging female is all fired up and telling the world that Obamacare, Unemployment Benefits, any regulation on any corporation or business is a Communist plot and pure Socialism.

She can recite history, but never be precise in her facts, just pernicious and petty... she can recite the Constitution, but never all of it, just the phrases written by Jesus or the Christian loving Founding Fathers...she can point at the mistakes this Kenyan born President has made, but never reflects on the 8 years of gluttony and greed her Republican cohorts committed towards this great nation.

Sister Bachman seeks the camera as long as it is a camera belonging to one of her own tribe. Sister Bachman surveys the lemming like loon and the uneducated bigot spurning distrust and blame toward others who she says made those individuals lame and losers. She is good at pointing to others for fault filtering it with fiction and fable. And to anyone who wishes to discuss or debate demand an ounce of truth, Sister Bachman pulls out the Bible, the American Flag, her Readers Digest home schooled version of the Constitution and says die bastard die.

And her options are still open to run for President on the Republican/Tea Bag Ticket.

Sister Sharron Angle, the defeated Senate candidate from Nevada, who proclaimed that bullets make better sense than ballots, who thinks that incest, rape are like lemons and women on the receiving end of those atrocious acts should make lemon aid out of it, who stated that the unemployed are all lazy and are unemployed because they prefer not to work is back in the news.

Sister Sharron was robbed of the election so she claims because Harry Reid played dirty. All of the video tape that Harry Reid used, of Sharron Angle actually saying stupid and stupider things was an unfair media campaign. Sister Sharron insisted that those comments were made to a select group of people and not for the entire state to hear. She continued, she could say those derogatory, dumb things because the people in attendance knew what she meant and unlike the general public never had to read between the lines to find fault.

And her options are still open to run for the Senate or President on the Republican/Tea Bag Ticket.

I wish I could not recall their names as the lyrics in the song 'Dames' states, Palin, Bachman, Angle, but these three women don't want to go away, and those who prefer the nasty to the nice keep on chanting and encouraging their presence. Broadway musicals usually end with happily ever after and once the applause dies down and the curtain drops we can go home humming our favorite tune. The only song that goes through my head when I see Palin, Bachman or Angle in the news, is a dirge of the death march for America. Kind of scary that so many out there are humming the names of Palin, Bachman, Angle.

American exceptionalism

“American exceptionalism” (i.e., the view that this country is uniquely different from other nations).

Most recently in the politics of America the term American exceptionalism has been mentioned as a concept that the Democrats and in particular President Obama know nothing of and care little for. Nothing unique about America can happen, according to the self proclaimed owners of American exceptionalism, when all you do is spread Communist and Socialist agenda’s. There is little to no correlation, say the definers of American exceptionalism, of what the Founding Fathers of this nation intended for its Christian citizens and how the Liberals/Progressives proceed in making laws for its non Christian minorities. And there is very little cohesive bond, state the self perceived Constitutional scholars, in how the Constitution is mis-read, mis-used, and very abused by those who think current events should even cause any concern on amending a very old statement of fact.

President Obama said in his State of the Union speech last night: “The idea of America endures. Our destiny remains our choice. And tonight, more than two centuries later, it is because of our people that our future is hopeful, our journey goes forward, and the state of our union is strong."

I listened intently as the President spoke, I was the critic, I was the one translating his words into reality and I was the surveyor of truth. I then listened to the pundits and talking heads of three cable outlets just to do a reality check and see if what I heard was going to be repeated by the media. MSNBC heard almost the same as I did. They were more critical as to the how and why of the Presidents words, but felt he indeed propped up the mantel of American exceptionalism. CNN tried to be neutral and looked closer at what was not said, at least according to them, and found a dimly lit star radiating American exceptionalism. FOX News decided to cut out the good, re-emphasize what they considered the bad, provided token Liberal response and said that once again all the President does is talk in words too glossy to be believed and never mentioned any inking towards his understanding of American exceptionalism.

As is a very fair American tradition a response to the State of the Union by our sitting President, is provided by the opposition party. It is an opportunity for the non occupants of the White House to try and correct the assertions by the party in power that the state of the union is better while they govern the nation. The man, this year, given that major responsibility was Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). Ryan said. “This is a future in which we will transform our social safety net into a hammock, which lulls able-bodied people into lives of complacency and dependency.” He insisted that the President disassociated himself from wanting to solve the real issues of this country, and stated indirectly that the greatness of this county to maintain American exceptionalism is diffused by the outrageous deficit spending in the Presidents economic policies. Mr. Ryan wondered out loud if our economy might crash and burn in a similar manner as the current Greek government has done due to their continuous catering to social safety nets.

Crash and burn because... a nation is concerned about Health Care, providing unemployment checks to people who lost their jobs due to gluttonous and greedy vandalism by big corporations, Wall Street and financial institutions... wants seniors to retire and be able to afford to pay rent and buy food. Crash and burn because... a nation that feels equality in wealth and taxes spent is important, and those who have little should not be paying the same taxes as those who a whole hell of a lot? Crash and burn because... by saving the jobs of the workers in the American auto industry...stopping a trickling down affect of having unemployed American auto workers devastating millions of other people’s careers? Crash and burn because... light rail, fast speed rail, infrastructure can create a safer environment, and create millions of jobs? Crash and burn because part of generating American exceptionalism is providing opportunity to those who may need some help to pull themselves up from their own bootstraps? Crash and burn because diversity has and should be the one defining accolade that helps American exceptionalism?

As has never been the case before in this country, a third political party, the Tea Party Express decided it too should voice its official opinion on both the President’s State of the Union speech and declare its own philosophy for the year ahead. (Because of American exceptionalism free speech is welcomed in this nation, but too bad it is not written in the Constitution that free speech should be based on truth). Congresswoman Michelle Bachman (R-MN) took to live streaming and then picked up on the CNN channel to lay claim to another point of view about the State of this Nation. The Tea Party Express said American exceptionalism started happening again, after a two year hiatus, this past November when true Americans were elected to the majority of the House of Representatives, and gained more seats in the Senate. She inferred that compromise did not bring American exceptionalism to this nation and once those who believe in the constitutionality of the Constitution, the conservativism of the Constitution, the culture that the Constitution created American exceptionalism will be stymied. (She did not use the word stymie as it was too difficult for her to define, but that was the gist of her statement.

American exceptionalism it seems via the definition of the Tea Party Express likes less government, but prefers restrictions within the government for those deemed not really good Christian Americans. If you are female and want protection over your own body, or female and want to earn an income similar to a male, or a homosexual and want equal rights to marry, or a child of an undocumented but have been raised in this country for most of your life and want to become a citizen or go to college, or if you do not believe in the correct Jesus and can’t be trusted or even build your house of worship where you choose there is an exception for you as an American to understand American exceptionalism.

If this country is to be viewed as one uniquely different from other nations… then why have we seemed to move closer to countries who identify themselves a one religion is only tolerated environment… or a country where dogma replaces compromise and compromise is not finding the middle but leaning to the right or the left…or differences are not tolerated…or violence can and should replace government?

American exceptionalism, seems it is easier to provide melancholy machinations yearning for the good old days, but doing everything possible to prohibit it from ever arriving on our shores once again. Are we uniquely American or have we become uniquely Un-American?

lack of political will

The 2008 financial crisis was an “avoidable” disaster caused by widespread failures in government regulation, corporate mismanagement and heedless risk-taking by Wall Street, according to the conclusions of a Congressional inquiry.

The report will probably reignite debate over the outsize influence of Wall Street; it says that regulators “lacked the political will” to scrutinize and hold accountable the institutions they were supposed to oversee. The financial sector spent $2.7 billion on lobbying from 1999 to 2008, while individuals and committees affiliated with the industry made more than $1 billion in campaign contributions. (New York Times)

I am curious, perhaps more angry than curious, but curious is a neutral kind of word, as to why the term ‘lacked political will’ is tolerated in this Nation. How many years did our elected representatives lack political will before they looked at their conscience and said slavery was wrong, looked inward and said women deserve the same benefits as men, that if people of two separate races want to marry no one has the right to deny that opportunity.

Why does it take political will instead of human kindness, religious goodness, Constitutional courage to approach all Americans as equals? Why must we look at the fringe of our community cater to their bigotry and bias before we look at the common good and consider quality as the means to equality?

Our democracy becomes more fragile when we ask our politicians to find differences in our society then consensus among us. Our democracy becomes less reliable when discussion is observed as dissent, intent as interference and fact replaced with fiction and fallacy. And our democracy becomes useless when those we elect lack any political will to do the right thing for all instead of the right thing for those who pay high bribes to make a select few happy and happier.

Regulations we are told by the Republican/Tea Bag Brigade make America a Socialist nation, a Communist state. We are told that the more the Government establishes regulations the less rights the average American receives. We are told that regulations hurt. But somehow as we are told less is better, we still suffer the consequences of high Health Care costs if you are lucky enough to be granted the right to buy insurance, Corporations racking in huge profits as the average American struggles to pay their bills, oil spills, reeking havoc, while Oil Cartel profits don’t go for safety features, and houses being foreclosed while the Financial Institutions pay high bonuses to their CEO’s.

We are told regulations are the bane of human existence in America and that we are free to express ourselves as Americans any which way we choose. But if you choose to have an abortion, or marry someone of the same sex, you are a criminal and need Government restrictions.

And most recently we are warned that any restriction on gun control will motivate this nation to implode, and that the American way will disappear. We are told we need no restrictions on gun ownership and to say so is so Un-American. We are told it is not the gun that kills but the wrong person holding the gun. We are told that as many magazines as needed for your gun is not the problem, but the wrong person buying three extra magazines is the problem. We are told it is not the Christian way to ask for gun regulations, and say it must be an anti Christian who abuses his/her gun.

We will listen to the President give his State of the Union speech tonight, then hear the opposition parties response and for the first time ever hear the opposition to the opposition party provide their take on the nation. We will hear three points of view on matters that have great consequences good and bad for all Americans. We will witness a whole lot of ‘political will’ by the people, of the people for the people, or we will watch in horror the ‘lack of political will’ serving the select few who prefer little regulation for the majority and a whole lot of reward for the few.

Benny B

“…You’ve got to do what you feel is right, not hope for anything in return, just do it because it makes you feel good, and perhaps the favor you provide for others will be returned or not…” Howard (Benny) Buncher, circa 1957-1963

My Dad was a Sergeant of police in the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Squirrel Hill. We lived in a very affluent part of town, and the majority of people living in Squirrel Hill were Jewish, and a majority of them were quite wealthy. We were not.

As the Sergeant of Station #11, my father was at the seat of where the buck stopped both for the police making an arrest and the citizen being arrested or at least charged from anything to a parking ticket, DUI, or worse. It was the late 50’s early 60’s and times were less computerized and a bit more humanized.

My Dad grew up in the Shadyside neighborhood in the teens of the 1900’s. His family was the only Jewish family in that neighborhood at the time and lived there because my Grandfather owned and operated a tailor shop a few blocks from their home. My Dad’s name was Howard but his father’s name was Benjamin, so all the kids assumed that the eldest son would be named after his own dad, thus the nickname Benny.

My father, was a great athlete and even though he was respected for his sports acumen, he was still considered a Jew, and when he beat a non Jewish jock in basketball or football it was too much for many kids in the neighborhood to consider that someone as low life as a Jew was better than them. My Dad was harassed, humiliated and hounded because he was considered different.

As in many lives, when we are young we aspire to goals and dreams we so much want to have come to fruition. My Dad wanted to be a football or basketball coach. Coming from a very orthodox Jewish family, his parents would not entertain even a bit of his dream and insisted a nice Jewish boy become a nice Jewish doctor.

Long story short, my Dad said no to doctorhood, and rebelled by joining the Army, then the Navy, and then the Pittsburgh Police Department. He became a fixture in Squirrel Hill, one of only 6 Jewish Cops at the time, and became a very important man for those Jewish individuals living in Pittsburgh who had run-ins with the law. My Dad helped many people find a way out from their parking tickets, domestic disputes, or young kids being found DUI. (The favors my Dad performed were many and most, but seldom and few were ever given back to him.) Thanks and if you ever need for anything were always exchanged, but actual actions hard to come by. My father knew he had the power to help but often there was little glory that followed. Until later in his life did he ever mutter out loud were his actions worth the results?

“…People are selfish, and care about the moment and nothing beyond that. If you want to help people, Gerry, do so but know the only thing you will get in return is an empty response...” Howard (Benny) Buncher circa 1972.

I wonder how and why we all behave, interact, inspire and participate in the lives around us. Are we altruistic, in how we treat others? Are we expecting something in turn as great as the gift we just gave another human? Is it human nature to treat others as we would prefer others to treat us, or is it human consumption to take from others and leave nothing but crumbs? In the midst of a crisis do we only take what others give and once out of the fire or on dry land walk away thinking we deserved the help?

My dad struggled with wanting to do what he considered the right thing and I believe as he grew older struggled with his motivations in trying to do the right thing. Although he debated if any gratitude would come from a heartfelt gesture, he began to think that if the gesture was expected than how could something expected be defined as heartfelt.

The President will be addressing America with his State of the Union address this evening, and it made me wonder when he delivers his speech what approach he might take. Will he be making statements about doing for others as you would want for yourself, will he say any action is truly heartfelt, or will he tire of doing for others knowing he ‘ain’t’ going to get anything in return for his deeds.

I have witnessed this President when he ran for office. I remember how he said he would fight for those who had little power, how as President he would be in a place where Change Could Happen. I have witnessed this President try to make a difference, then be knocked backwards and then renege when his altruism became replaced with politics.

I have seen this President say “…You’ve got to do what you feel is right, not hope for anything in return…” And I have witnessed this President run into obstacles where he must silently admit “…People are selfish, and care about the moment and nothing beyond that…”

Two different men, the President and my Dad, both hero’s in my life, one faced his disillusionments and tried to make it better by helping people, one still wondering how and if he can fix anything at all.

I look forward to finding out upon which road President Obama begins his next journey.

religion resonates

I wonder, when religion no longer resonates with reason, takes on a holier than thou hate haughtiness, becomes more human and less God like, will the Higher Powers we say we believe in step forward and intervene? How many more years do we ignore the enlightenment of religion and replace it with a self serving, divisional delirium, that is only designed to destroy and conquer?

When we are told by those who, say they have good conservative Christian values, that health care for all is evil, that the unemployed are only unemployed because they are lazy and deserve little to few benefits, that assistance to the disabled, those needing organ transplants, the home bound are too costly I wonder how the hell is that being a good Christian at all. When I watch Orthodox Rabbi's joining allegiances with politicians who hate minorities,who don't support same sex marriage, want to deny basic American rights to all Americans, I wonder how God like Jewish is that. When the Pope refuses to set in motion any REAL Vatican law to stop, to pursue, to place on trial Priests who are molesters and pedophiles, but find the wherewithal to protest homosexuality, anti AIDS education, I wonder how Jesus does not come to earth and smash St Paul's Cathedral.

We recently witnessed an assassination attempt on a politician in Tucson, and the murder and shooting of 20 people. We all had our moment of silence, those of us who need to pray to a God found our houses of worship, we looked inward for reason and rational. And many of us questioned why do we need so many bullets when we use a gun, why do we need assault weapons, why is it so easy for anyone to get a gun. And the answer we received from those who say they are of good Conservative Evangelical calling told us that those questions about guns had little relevance to this or any other shooting. That it was Un-American and Un-Christian to pose those questions. Good people do not kill, only sick and evil minded people kill, the NRA and their legion of legislators lectured us.

We sing God Bless America, we pledge our allegiance and say under one God, we pray to our Gods when our troops are brought home in a casket asking for God's mercy and justice. We end all our political speeches and proudly add let God bless this great nation. We talk a lot of God talk, and somehow it just stops at the words, with fewer actions taking hold.

We have poor, we have sick, we have those without much, we have hungry, we have kids who have no place to call home. We have reason to allow our God to intervene, yet, somehow in the past many years, we never invite God to heal, but encourage he/she to hurt. We define God as human like as we permit our God to hate, become bigoted, bestow bias and mimic our human behaviors.

The weather in LA today is 78 degrees sunny with a mild wind blowing. I took a long walk permitting the wind to brush against my body, breathing in the minor gusts as I watched some clouds swirl by. As I walked I felt this amazing sense that there is a greater power watching, listening, and hoping. I believed that the God I know is out there and today in particular he is walking beside me. I know there is goodness, I know there is fairness, I know there is righteousness...I know that. But I wonder why so much good seems to be dominated by so much bad. Why those who say they speak for God, seem to only speak in negatives and nastiness.

I worry what WILL happen when religion no longer resonates with reason and the minions of mindless people think they speak for God. What will they say?

offended

I am offended...

...when Governor Bentley, Republican of Alabama, told a crowd at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church on Monday that if they haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, they are not his brother or his sister. I am offended when he takes two days to be persuaded by his handlers to give a non apology, stating that if HE did indeed hurt anyone he certainly did not mean to. I am offended when an elected official within the United States forgets that there is a division between church and state, and implies that Christianity is the supreme religion and those who believe his way earn his respect.

AND I am greatly offended when each and every Preacher, Priest, Imam and Rabbi in America remain silent in their protest regarding the separation of church and state.

I am offended...

...when NOM (National Organization for Marriage), continues to harass, harangue and hinder the rights for American Gays and Lesbians to gain equality in marriage, but refuse to list their donors. I am offended when each and every debate, or court hearing about the equality for marriage asks for facts from NOM as to why they oppose equality and the only reason supplied is we don't think it is normal. I am offended that if you believe in non-equality for Gays and Lesbians, you are such a coward as to not identify yourself to the public.

AND I am greatly offended when those who marry for the second, third or fourth time, those who participate in adultery, infidelity and cheating and lying to their spouses are not accused of destroying the Institution of Marriage and how silent NOM remains in their disdain for those kind of actions.

I am offended...

...when the Glenn Beck displays Nazi symbolism and paraphernalia on his blackboard, refers to the President as Hitler like, infers and implies that what is happening to this country is the same that happened in Germany. I am offended when he diminishes the office of President with lies, hate, bigotry and bias and never once admits he is speaking from his own insecurities. I am offended when he relies on fear, loathing, destructive diatribes and says all he is doing is acting like a red white and blue American.

AND I am offended when real true Red White and Blue Americans do nothing at all to counter his offensive lies, call his bluff, and correct his definition of what being an American is all about.

I am offended...

...When suddenly all the hate talk, all the re-load speech all of the target practice, all of the bringing your guns to political rallies all the vile vitriol created by the Republican/Tea Baggers is suddenly a problem of anyone but them. I am offended when the Republican/Tea Baggers open Pandora's Box of bullets over ballots, let the cross hairs on the map genie out of the bottle and blame their behavior on anyone but themselves. I am offended when compromise comes from anyone but the Republican/Tea Baggers.

AND I am offended that the bully gets away with his/her actions and when approached cowers in the dark distance saying you made me do it.

I am offended that the good guy is always the one apologizing, playing by the rules, looking for consensus and the bad guy simply snickers as he sets the trap to snare and spoil the advancement of compromise and care. I am offended when those who speak for God never hear what he has said. I am offended when the Constitution of this great nation is read as if it was like Cliff's Notes and some of the facts and reality goes missing. And I am offended that too many people sit idly by as the fringe, the freaks, the fearful speak louder and louder, empowering the selfish, sinister, and self serving control the agenda.

a pattern of lies

Today I heard a report about the misleading and sometimes out right lies being told about the newly passed Health Care Bill. The report came out a day after the House of Representatives, of which the entire Republican class and three Democrats voted to repeal the bill.

The many people who for whatever reason hate the government, don't like the black president, disregard the election results, don't like the status quo changed, or who need someone to blame their woes and worries on, feasted heavily on the innuendo, fabrication, falsehoods presented by a majority of Republican/Tea Bag politicians whose only reason to lie to the American public was to try and further their own careers and professional agenda. With the help of wealthy CEO's of the Health Insurance cartels looking to further their financial bottom lines, no conscience was necessary in leading the lemming astray.

It seems that America of 2010/2011 has fallen into a pattern of lie first, lie loud, when found out you lied, lie a bit more to cover your tracks. If you are found out as a liar, deny. If you are found out you are a liar, destroy as much evidence as possible. If you are found out to be a liar, defend yourself by attacking the accuser as a hater. Never admit to the lie of course because you may then have to admit to fallibility.

Consequences never seem to follow evil actions or intentions in this country. We seem to think about what is good for me first, or God has told me to do this, or that tolerance is a special trait for only those I want to tolerate. It seems that no matter how we scream we are a Judea /Christian nation we behave the exact opposite and reward selfish and self serving behavior.

We watch reality shows, and the most popular are the ones with drunk women beating up other women, or steroided men treating women like objects, or mean spirited judges calling people losers, or people shooting animals for the fun of it. We watch married people who love the money and not their relationship, we watch preachers and pastors who every other minute remind you that you too can be closer to God if you give your life savings. We watch entertainment personalities (identifying themselves as journalists) who love to build fences and identify what it is that keeps us separate and makes us look differently.

We evoke Gods name and say it is his word that allows us to shoot doctors who perform abortions. We protest funerals because God hates Gays. We know God was white and thus there is not room in America for all those brown skinned Latins. We deny health insurance to ALL Americans because God founded this nation and he certainly did not found a Socialist country. God's politics, so many believe, is an Evangelical Conservative Christian, Orthodox Jewish, Vatican Catholic, and he is certainly not a Progressive, Humanist, or Liberal. And we will destroy, disrupt, and devour anyone, in God's name who gets in the way of our interpretation of Gods will.

Today the House of Representatives repealed the Health Insurance Bill. They promise something better. They dislike the socialist thing called Obama care, but love the socialist medicine they have received as government employees. They say they have the morals to make America better. (But no discussion on any kind of gun ban). And there is a sucker born every minute so it seems who believe that they are right.

There is a pattern of lies that seem unstoppable. Truth is based on lies. The lies become believed and soon there is no way to prove the truth. And the truth can change at the whim of those who love to create a pattern of lies.

rows of prose

Seems in our 24/7 news cycle, our instant messaging, out Tweets, our hurry up and rush it is easier to get things said and maybe heard if they come in smaller doses, fragmented sentences, and only resonate a slight bit in our conscience. Everyone, including me is offering his/her opinion, hoping to be heard, hoping to make a point, hoping that some words make as much sense to others as they do to those who originate them.

My harangues sometimes use up to seven or eight paragraphs to make a point, a point I truly care about. My rantings sometimes are precise and exact and I use 250 words or less to say how I feel. My indignity sometimes is magnified and only outnumbered by my infuriation and frustration and I can go on and on and on with all of that.

There are lots of areas of current events that bother me, bug the shit out of me, and make me worried. Today I felt the need to share many of them. So I thought I would phrase my concerns in a four sentence prose. Venting is at times a cowards way to find a solution, when the vent has no bite. Finding a solution should be much easier to do, but usually the last thing that happens. I vent therefore I am, but would rather hope I vent therefore I can prevent.

Profits high and our bonuses reeking.

Unemployment, but we really don’t care.

We made mistakes, but the Government bailed us.

It’s good to be bankers; it’s so good to be rich.

You get sick, hope you have coverage.

Rates are high so our shareholders win.

It’s the biz it’s not about people.

Health care for some, but not if you’re really sick.

Talk of guns, but this is our duty.

More we have, the safer we are.

It’s a right we deny all that tyranny.

Reload and take aim, is now the American way.

Jesus said you should love one another.

But we know that he meant something else.

Not like us, then for sure he ain’t my brother.

Its difference I hate, and sameness makes me sane.

If I lied, if I hurt with you with falsehoods,

If I tried, to make you a fool.

It’s because I am fearful of my faults

Afraid I’m a failure and apologizing totally un-cool.

If you’re rich you need to be richer,

Why pay tax when the poor do it best

If we pay our politicians to help us

Now that’s money I believe we all should invest.

There is so much on our agenda. So many ways we see the world differently. Is it not how we live our lives that count? We so often find ourselves talking but never listening. Why must it be good for some, but others are never good enough to get the same?

MLK

In LA, we held a parade in honor of Martin Luther King. We were told by the news anchors today's parade was one of the largest and better attended in recent history. I watched as I sat in my living room and was happy to see this honor taking place. The parade took place in a predominately African American neighborhood in LA. Lined along the streets were a majority of African Americans.

In West Hollywood in June we celebrate Gay Pride in honor of the milestones and freedoms the LGBT community has gained, and garnered. Aside from a handful of Born Again Evangelicals hired by the devil, the majority of participants are from the LGBT community. The parade and the festival happens in a VERY Gay neighborhood in LA.

When I lived in Pittsburgh and worked at the Jewish Community Center, located in a predominately Jewish neighborhood, Squirrel Hill, we used to celebrate with an Israel Day Parade. We marched across two very important intersections in Squirrel Hill, which for the Jewish community was the heart and soul of their environment. One could see hundreds of Jews in attendance.

In the days of maps, (no Map-quest, or GPS), whenever I was driving in a new city and got lost, never knowing where I was, I did know I was in a predominately black neighborhood if I happened to be on or near a street called Martin Luther King Blvd, Road, Avenue.

We used to pride ourselves, as Americans, as being a melting pot, a place that once welcomed strangers, a land where anyone could and should use their initiative, innovative energy, inventive spirit and become a part of something greater and something good. Emma Lazarus told us to "...give me your tired your poor...", JFK asked us "...what can you do for your country...", and Katharine Lee Bates wrote "...God shed his grace on thee... and crown they good with brotherhood..."

In 2010 and 2011, what was once hidden under a rock, sermonized by some churches as if God himself had cursed America, spilled and sorted out on the extreme right talk radio stations, silently acknowledged in alleyways or sanctuaries of bias and bigotry, has erupted and enveloped the atmosphere seeing the bright lights of daylight and delusion. It seems different is bad. It seems consensus is a Communist manifesto, it seems separate is good but separate but equal is bad and equal is worse.

For so many years we have reluctantly permitted the Blacks to celebrate MLK Day, the Gays to parade and pose in June, the Jews to act giddy for Israel as long as they kept those shenanigans in their own neighborhoods. It became tolerated by most but still admonished as bad by many. We had state laws, federal laws allowing minorities to find some kind of pride, with some kind of hero, with some kind of reason. We accepted it but embrace the diversity ourselves just seemed a little less all American then we were ready for. It was all done under the practicum of "Political Correctness"..., a pain in the ass concept for those who found hate a better way to practice their life.

America has had a history of violence, vitriol, victory and vigor. It has seen dark hours and somehow found the courage to pull though, lift up and move ahead. Sane heads, good hearts, and clear conscience out paced bias, bigotry, bullying and baseless BS. We have yet to find the finish line but have tried to race toward it. (Martin Luther King's words, deeds and legacy is a perfect example of moving forward.) But recently scary has taken grip of this nation. And scared people seem to be taking a death grip on this nation.

I worry that the small pace of fairness that we have gained, is being quickly eroded by a flood of fear. I wonder if any momentum made is being replaced with meaningless babble about boogie men seasoned with bogus reasoning. I am weary that falsehoods and fabrications based on lies are becoming the reality in this country.

It is MLK Day, and HE had a dream filled with words, sentences and meaning that embraces all of us. It would be an honor if ALL of us took HIS message applied it to ourselves and to those with whom we share our world. We can evolve when we involve ourselves in the lives of others.

my dad

Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Day, a holiday to celebrate a leader in civil and human rights.

I remember, while living in Pittsburgh, when Dr. King was assassinated, and how his unjust death spurred some unbelievable trauma, tumult, and terror in the city of Pittsburgh. Living in a very white neighborhood, not really having much interaction with the black community, it was a shock for many of us to consider that Dr. Kings death could and would create such outrage.

My father was a cop, one of six Jewish cops in the city of Pittsburgh at the time, and he had received his fair share of anti Semitic bullying from his fellow police workers. My father had started his career working in the neighborhood of Homewood which in the sixties in Pittsburgh was totally all black in its demographic makeup. He had been on beat patrol, and walked the streets of Homewood with his billy club and gun. My father had done a whole lot of person to person interaction and intervention, and had his picture in the Pittsburgh Press delivering his share of babies in Homewood. He felt close to the people living in Homewood, and although raised on his own dose of bigotry tried hard to remove the scars of poor parenting to find an open mind and be as fair as he could in working with the citizens of Homewood. And my father knew that it was not only color that made people create enemies, it was religion, it was ignorance and it was the simple fact that others always needed someone a rung lower then they on their ladder of life.

But try as he may in understanding and tolerance, my father was taken aback with the riots after Dr. Kings death, came home from a 15 hour shift, and told my sisters and I from now on we would would lock our front door, we could not drive into any of the black neighborhoods, and we should all look twice before approaching anyone.

The news coverage in Pittsburgh concentrated on the fighting, the burning, the looting taking place in our city, and not until the anger subsided and calm was restored, did the press, the preachers, the people even ask the question how could this have happened.

It took quite a few years for some semblance of order to find its place in Pittsburgh. The talking heads argued as to the causes, some refusing to admit their own responsibility, some ringing their hands wondering why, and some continuing to hate, to blame, and not acknowledge the possibility of consensus.

On the eve of Dr. Martin Luther King Day, America is still in the throws of mayhem, murder and myth. We are still arguing who is to blame, who is at fault, who caused this. We offer dissent, and very little consensus. Since Dr. King’s assassination we have seen disaster and doom find its footing in this country. We have had people like my father who thought they understood how to communicate, how to be real, how to reach out only to be thwarted by something they felt was bigger than their own fortitude.

Who becomes the victim in America when something as horrendous and horrible as the Tucson shooting takes place? How do we stop the victimization of America? When do more of us become brave enough to enough is enough?

quality

In Washington, bills were being drafted to step up background checks, create no-gun zones around members of Congress and ban the big-volume magazines that allowed the Tucson gunman to shoot so many bullets so fast.

Gun control advocates say they believe the shock of the attack has altered the political atmosphere, in no small part because one of the victims is a member of Congress.

“I really do believe that this time it could be different,” said Paul Helmke, executive director of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Yet gun rights advocates and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle said Thursday that there was little chance the attack would produce significant new legislation or a change in a national culture that has long been accepting of guns.

If anything, they said, lawmakers are less receptive than ever to new gun restrictions.

If the politically sophisticated N.R.A. has struck a quiet pose, the Crossroads of the West gun show will go on as planned this weekend at the Pima County Fairgrounds, 13 miles from the shooting site; another gun show is scheduled for the next weekend.

“We had no hesitation about going ahead with the show so soon after the incident,” said Lois Chedsey, secretary to the Arizona Arms Association, a show sponsor. “Gun sales have been up since last Saturday. (NYTimes)

Once again, we cried, we sighed, we held our breath in disbelief. We looked for some kind of answer, some kind of common ground, some kind of solution…and found none.

What seems to me to actually be an evil experience in this country, chilling most of us, should call upon bipartisan, bilateral, bi-human cooperation in addressing, solving and stopping it from happening again. But most likely it will be a blimp on the history charts of this nation, most likely debated, discussed and dropped, until we all experience the nightmare once more, and respond by saying how did this happen this time? Gun control, nope how about addressing the question correctly, life control!

In rolling out their "Pledge to America" last year, House Republicans repeatedly cited Congressional Budget Office research as proof President Obama's health care overhaul was too expensive. But when a new CBO analysis found that the GOP's health law repeal bill would itself add billions to the deficit, Republican leaders dismissed the conclusions as irrelevant. (Washington Times)

House To Resume Health Care Repeal Effort Next Week
After a weeklong pause in legislative business to honor the victims of the Arizona massacre, House Republicans intend to resume regular congressional business next week with a vote to repeal the health care law, a top GOP aide said Thursday (CNN)

In the state of California, the major health insurance carrier, Blue Cross, is about to lambast the state and its insurance policy holders with anywhere from a 30 to 66% increase in rate charges. People in this state as in other states either have insurance they can afford, prioritize paying for insurance they can’t afford, but know they need, go without insurance because more immediate items such as food, rent demand their dollars, or just allow themselves to get sick hoping eventually they will heal without any lasting scars.

We hear that Obama care is a job cutting program. We don’t hear about those who are too sick to work either being fired from their jobs, or working less hours due to illness. We hear that it is unconstitutional to have people take health insurance. We don’t hear about those who are so ill that counties must pay for their visits to the emergency room, family and neighbors must find them ways to alleviate the pain and suffering, individuals just rot on the shelf like rotten vegetables.I suppose it is more constitutional to let that happen.

Let’s control the socialist tendency to take over health care, let’s control job growth, but let’s not discuss the cost of life control.

In this nation where we pride ourselves in such sayings as “In God We Trust”, “one nation under God”, what have we done with God when it comes to controlling the quality of life? For all those religious zealots who own an arsenal of guns, who protest (with their guns in their holsters) against health care, who proclaim this to be a Christian nation, who ask “what would Jesus do”? Where is your inspiration when it comes to keeping people healthy, people safe, and what about people’s quality of life?

It seems that a whole bunch of self righteous, self pious, self serving people who say they have Gods ear have no idea what God is saying when they refuse to discuss Gun Control, Universal Health Insurance and the lack of the quality of life. I am so amazed that anyone can not sit down as they discuss this and that, not even mention that at the bottom of this and that are lives, not only lives, but some kind of quality to each and everyone of those lives. Just amazing!

remember?

Remember when there was an assignation attempt of President Ronald Reagan, and James Brady remained permanently disabled paralyzed by a shots from John Hinckley Jr. And remember when America was confronted by gun control, mental illness, and after a few weeks of headline news with news specials, themed news programs, we must do something now news. And suddenly the issue of gun control and mental illness could not even be found on the last page of a newspaper.

Remember when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast and in particular the city of New Orleans and for a week we were riveted to our television sets worried, angst ridden, and scared. FEMA sucked, ‘Good Job Brownie’ did a bad job, the Federal Government abandoned a part of our population, and we rung our hands, rubbed our brows, and for the next few weeks talked and talked and talked about it. And then suddenly we didn’t.

Remember when finding Osama Bin Laden, the number one face on the top 10 List of most wanted was the enemy we needed to find to bring justice and dignity back to America. We had to ratchet up our security color code at airports because there was a terrorist waiting to blow up another plane. How during the Bush years, the more fearful we were the safer we felt. And suddenly Mr. Bush had better things to do then hunt down Osama.

Remember the horrific shooting at Columbine, and tragic and undefinable deaths of all those young citizens of this nation. Schools, safety, guns, crazy people were subject of conjecture, concern by caring people, wondering how and why could this happen, and swearing never again. And suddenly we did nothing at all and more shootings on high school and college campuses happened, and happened.

Remember the shooting in Tucson ending in 6 deaths and 14 injured. Remember the issues of mental illness, gun control, civility or lack of it in Government all throbbing and twisting all over the news, the Internet, and newspapers. Remember the fuss and fuming, the frazzled and the fear. In a few weeks from now I wonder how much we will remember.

Remember when cause had affect, when evil needed to replaced with good, when something wrong was plain and simply wrong. Remember?

fact to the matter

Now we hear that the Democrats/Liberals/Progressives should not blame the Republicans/Tea Baggers/Conservatives for any mention of lock and reload, target practice, and 2^nd Amendment Rights, but should instead try to work harder in finding consensus. Now we hear what could be more American than debate and the heartier and robust debate gets, the more Patriotic those who use their fists, raise their guns, and carry derogatory signs become. It is similar said Sarah Palin to the kind of rebel rousing used in the 18th and 19^th century politics of America, and least we don’t challenge anyone to a duel, doncha’ know!

Our newly named Speaker of the House, John Boehner, so concerned with reading the Constitution on his first day as Speaker, cried bitter tears over the horrendous and insane action in Tucson. Just as he left the reading of the Constitution in the House Chamber to attend a Republican fund raiser, he also declined the invitation to fly on Air Force One to attend the memorial service in Tucson... to once again attend a Republican fund raiser. He is the speaker for all Americans but some how can only hear those who speak via their check books.

We are not to blame the rhetoric from the Red, White and Blue Tea Baggers for dissent in this country, but to praise their ambitious and dedicated energy for creating real change EVERYONE can believe in. The fact that many of the gun totting Second Amendment Rights, Tea Baggers carried guns to town hall meetings, identified themselves as Tea Baggers when they made death threats to those Politicians in favor of health reform, recite the mantra if ballots don’t work don’t forget your bullets we are reminded has little to nothing to with any kind of violence against any politician. As Sarah Palin said one person’s action does not reflect on a community.

The President praised the heroes for coming forth in saving of lives in Tucson and FOX New PAC called it a good speech, finally the President spoke as President of all the United States.Glenn Beck, with somber voice and insincere sincerity, praised the President for acting Presidential, and they all were relieved that the President did not mention anything about the hate speech FOX News and its cohorts had laid on the doorsteps of all Americans. Pundits we are told are Liberal, they only know how to deter and reject the grassroots movement from real Americans, the Tea Baggers. Debate is useless when you have ‘lame street press’ ready to pounce upon every word and sentence trying to find the facts behind it. Our words were only meant as analogies, we used examples of bull’s-eyes, guns, lynching to illustrate our words, which never meant to hurt anyone. Your words accusing us that our words are evil make you more evil than anything we could have imagined.

Gun control, bah humbug, permitting Congress people to carry weapons as they speak to their constituents is the way to control crazy gun behavior. We pack heat and if someone wants to fire into the crowd we will knock them dead first. It’s not the gun that kills, it is the one crazy person shooting the gun that kills. This is America and the Second Amendment came from our Founding Fathers and Jesus. It is the Christian thing to adefend your self.

Facts we have found in America 2010 and 2011 are founded on folly, fable and fabrication. If we don’t like how it fits we can alter the findings. If we said it once and changed our minds, then when it was first misquoted by our enemies we made sure it is quoted correctly this time around by our friends. Facts have no place in America 2011, it was facts that elected the Democrats into the majority in 2008, and dismantling those facts in 2010 that will bring salvation in the form of Tea Baggers reshaping, reclaiming America now.

And the sad thing is that there are a whole bunch of people, who need very fact to function. There is no longer fact to the matter, cause facts just don’t matter.

libel of lying

What is 'blood libel'?

Abe Foxman, the national director of the Anti-Defamation League, said that it was "inappropriate at the outset to blame Sarah Palin and others for causing this tragedy," but added that "we wish that Palin had not invoked the phrase 'blood libel' in reference to the actions of journalists and pundits in placing blame for the shooting in Tucson on others."

"While the term 'blood libel' has become part of the English parlance to refer to someone being falsely accused, we wish that Palin had used another phrase, instead of one so fraught with pain in Jewish history," he said.

And Simon Greer, the president of Jewish Funds for Justice, called Palin's use of the term "totally out-of-line."

"The term “blood libel” is not a synonym for 'false accusation,' he said. "It refers to a specific falsehood perpetuated by Christians about Jews for centuries, a falsehood that motivated a good deal of anti-Jewish violence and discrimination." (NBC News)

Instead of saying: perhaps my metaphors, perhaps my innuendo, perhaps my rhetoric, perhaps my actions may have been misconstrued but I meant no harm. Instead of saying, let me reflect on my own words and deeds and better understand how others viewed them. Instead of saying, I believe my freedom of speech has made others anxious, dubious, and skeptical, let me take a look closer at that. Instead of all of that Sarah Plain has now added another dimension to an already out of control situation inflamed the fury of discontent and dismissed those who argue with her tactics as being blood libel. Instead of what may I have done, it is look what you did to me.

Instead of addressing a problem that started with scare tactics like death panels, bullets over ballots, time to reload, “you lie”, socialism, communism, Nazi’s, second amendment options, crosshairs, violence, murder, civil discontent, fiction instead of fact, Ms. Palin’s handlers grabbed a sad state of Christian history to compare her plight as a Christian(a victim) pelted and hunted by Jews. Once again when the bully gets caught they try to become the victim.

And if those who feel guilty because of their actions… or guilt by association because of their deeds… or guilty because they refuse to see the escalation of fear mongering rising due to loose words without respect, ethics values or morals to others, NOW want to change the subject… shame on all of them. And if the media, people with clear conscience permit those guilty parties to reshape the agenda, change the agenda redefine the agenda from the real to the perceived to shield them from any responsibility… shame on all of them!

Until those who incite violence, live by vitriol and venom admit they are a part of the problem (as is the usual case in this county) history will repeat, repeat and repeat itself. Until the dance of denial is stopped in its tracks history will repeat and repeat itself. Until we address the truth and stop the lies, history will repeat itself. Until people like Sarah Palin stop creating a division assuring her lemming like followers it is safe to hate, we will never conquer the real demons. We talk about you Sarah because all you do is divide and conquer.

I had not even considered the term blood libel for this situation nor thousands other, but now that the genie’s out of the bottle and Pandora’s Box has opened as it was with the death panels, birth certificates, God hates Gays, we all will waste our time debating whether Sarah is right or wrong, at the consequences of ignoring the real issues. One of the most divisive people in America has once again managed to keep the ‘us vs. them rhetoric alive. Next thing is, I wonder when the Jews will be the new target of blame for the horrendous actions that took place in Tucson. If we did it to the Christians once we sure as hell are capable of doing it again. Sarah, the libel you are guilty is lying.