The Feminists, The Media, and Sarah

At the outset, I must say that I am not a big Sarah Palin fan. I agree with some of what she says but am not convinced that she is presidential timber. Time will tell, of course, and a lot can happen between now and the campaign season of 2012. However, I do know that she does have a huge impact on the American public.

Today her book, "Going Rogue," is being released nationally. Long lines have formed at bookstores around the country waiting to purchase their copy. Some think the reason for this turn out is because she was on Oprah and is popular. Some think it is because she is "hot." Still others are in line out of pure curiosity. Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that Sarah Palin is center stage in the political world at this time.

The ex-governor of Alaska has endured a barrage of criticism mainly from the liberal, mainstream media. They have attacked her intelligence. They have assaulted her family. They have written her off as a dunce. They have demeaned her by putting a photo of her in shorts on the cover of the once respected magazine "Newsweek," a photo that she posed for to highlight running in fitness publication. Had all of this happened to a liberal woman, there would have been howls of protest from the media led by the feminist movement. Instead of protests of the exploitation of women and degrading of a woman who is a national figure, there has been the sound of deafening silence from these groups, especially the feminist community.

Where is the outrage? Where is the indignation that one of the feminine persuasion is being unfairly branded as an unintelligent, out-of-touch idiot? Where is the demand for apologies from those who have dragged her family into the fray? In short, where is the fairness from the feminist wing of liberal thinking America?

I think we all know the answer to this question. You can be a feminist only if you agree with the feminist agenda. Sarah Palin is from Alaska, a long way away from the supposed intellectually rich northeast. She seems to be one of the people for whom the media has disdain. She connects with people, speaking their language and about things that truly concern most Americans, such as jobs and security. She does not hold back and speaks her peace in plain English. She does not pretend to be something that she is not.

Let's face it. The mainstream media looks upon the ordinary American as less than intelligent. They are condescending in their demeanor towards us. They constantly dismiss our opinions as uninformed and unimportant. They think that all problems can and should be solved by big government and bigger government rather than hard work done in the trenches of daily life in the real world. They sit at their computers and criticize the ordinary American for not going along with such liberal ideas such as abortion and gay marriage. According to them, we out here in Ordinaryville are either too stupid to truly understand these issues or we're just plain bigoted and mean spirited. They certainly don't think that we can see through their high-minded words and thoughts for what they really are. And they certainly cannot understand how in the world Sarah Palin can connect with so many people in the way she does.

Word of warning to the liberal media as well as the feminist movement: Do NOT underestimate Sarah Palin. She may not have the grace of speech that the current president has. She may have a little accent when she speaks that does not sound anything like a northeastern accent. In underestimating Sarah Palin the liberal media underestimates the American public. Contrary to what they think, we do have intelligence and something extra that they do not have: common sense!

Regardless of whether or not you like Sarah Palin, let's celebrate her spirit. She's not afraid to express herself. She is willing to fight for those things she believes in and she is certainly not afraid to get involved in order to change things for the better. So let us enjoy the success of Sarah Palin as she tours the country selling her book. Let her be a reminder to us all that the ordinary American is what this country is all about and without the people who go to work daily, pay taxes, raise kids, get involved in their schools and communities this country would be a mere shadow of what it has become. Without us, it would be a very small community of liberal thinkers producing very little beyond their own opinions and empty promises.

Armistice Day

Today used to be known as Armistice Day. It was on this day at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918 that the armistice (peace treaty) was signed to end the war to end all wars, also known as World War I. There were great hopes at the end of this brutal war that this would truly be the last great conflict between nations.

Little is really known of this war today. Sadly, the brutal facts of the bloodshed of this war has been eclipsed by the even greater brutality of World War II that followed only a few years later. But World War I was brutal. Few people today, I am sure, do not realize that the United States sat on the sidelines as Europe plunged deeper and deeper into war from 1914 on. America was only too happy to remain isolated from the ravages of the violence in Europe. However, as time went on, it was clear that the US would have no choice but to join the fight. And we did so in 1917.

Also little known and realized is the fact that the United States used poison gas as a weapon on the battlefield. This was a common practice in those days. And this is where the War gets personal for me.

My grandmother had a brother (my great-uncle) who fought in the war. He was at the front on this day in 1918. When the armistice was signed on the morning of November 11, he was in the trenches in the Black Forrest in France. Because communications were not then what they are now, his unit had no idea of the cease fire that had been declared the moment the peace treaty was signed. In the middle of the afternoon, orders were issued for his unit to launch a gas attack on the German entrenchments across the way. The wind was favorable and the battle would be quick. Or so they thought.

As the noxious mustard gas drifted over the field toward the Germans, the wind suddenly and without warning, began to change directions. Before they knew it, the cloud enveloped the Americans. Some of the troops managed to don their protective gas masks but most did not. One of those was my grandmother's brother. He died there on the battlefield at the age of 23.

Back in Pekin, Illinois, where my grandmother, her father, mother, and sister lived, plans were being made that very day for their beloved son and brother's return. He had plans to enter the seminary and become a Catholic priest upon his return home. He was due back shortly before Christmas. He would, indeed, be back before Christmas, but not in the way hoped for.

One can only imagine the grief of the family and many friends that Lawrence had. From all accounts, he was a popular young man, always willing to lend a hand to any who may need one. Now he was dead, a casualty of a war that had officially ended only a few short hours before he died. He is buried in a small Catholic cemetery in Pekin and every Veterans Day his grave is marked with a fresh American flag.

Since that fateful day 91 years ago, millions of families from all over the world have experienced the pain that my grandmother's family felt upon hearing word of Lawrence's death. The twenty-first century was the bloodiest century in human history. The War to End All Wars obviously did not end warfare! World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the First Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan are only a small, incomplete list of wars that have been fought since WWI. Countless smaller wars between third world countries have raged killing millions more either through the violence of war or the tragic consequences of such armed conflict.

Today, we must pause and pay tribute to those who voluntarily put themselves in harms way to protect the freedoms that have been won for us over the years. Those who serve in the military do so with the knowledge that some day they may be called upon to give their "last full measure of devotion." They leave homes with wives and children and husbands counting the days till their return. These sacrifices effect us all whether we know a soldier who has gone to war or not. We are free because of their sacrifices. We have become strong through their efforts. We have become a nation that serves as a beacon of freedom and hope to an oppressed world. Without their service, we would never have been able to enjoy the kind of life we now have.

Yes, this nation has many ills. However, one of the most noble elements of this country is the United States Veteran. Through them we have become free and strong and have improved the lot of the world. Much revisionist history has been written over the years to distort many people's views of the American Veteran. Yet, one truth cannot be changed. Veterans of all generations have been heroes of freedom and sentinels overseeing our freedom. Thank you to all who have served this country in the military. Without you we could not have freedom!

Sunday Evenings

Sunday evening is a special time of the week virtually unlike any other. It is a time when the family settles in, quietly going about its business with a thought to the upcoming week. Yet, there is still time to relax without plunging into the responsibilities of day-to-day life.

We look forward to what the week might bring, what work might hold or what new adventures school might bring. Those searching for work in this troubled economy have time to take a breath and revitalize a sense of hope that this new week will be the week that changes everything. We look back to the week that was and wonder what might be different over the next seven days. At this time of the year we begin to look to the weeks that lie ahead and formulate plans for the holiday season that is nearly upon us.

Sunday night is a time of preparation as well. We begin to prepare mentally for the week ahead. But for the moment, things are quiet. Sunday night is also a time to make sure the kids have their homework finished. It is a time to straighten up the house so that when the burden that is Monday rolls around, one less chore will remain to cause aggravation.

Sunday night seems to be a night set aside for family. Any visitors we have entertained over the weekend have long since retreated to the comforts of their own homes. Our doors close to the outside world and we feel safe and secure. It is a time when the world seems to slow down a little and we can actually relax for a few minutes.

On a Sunday such as the one that has just passed, we may reflect on our accomplishments over the last couple of days. Bits of paint on our hands may linger reminding us of that paint job we had been meaning to do all summer long but just never found the time to do until this unexpected summer-like November weekend arrived. Christmas lights may now decorate the outside of our house as we took the opportunity to string them up in the warm weather. They will not glow until at least Thanksgiving night, but we feel good for having gotten this chore out of the way without fingers turning blue or ears about to snap due to the cold. Plants that have long needed transplanting now reside in their new homes taking root in fresh soil.

Sunday night is a time for hope. We hope the week goes quickly. We hope the week passes without too much trouble. We hope that the kids do well in school. We hope that Friday gets here fast so we can enjoy another weekend in the warm sunshine even though we are aware that in November warm sunshine isn't exactly plentiful. We hope that the holidays don't come on us too quickly and that this year they don't pass so fast so that it seems that they were hardly here.

Yes, Sunday night is a special time of the week. The world slows down if only for a short while to afford us the opportunity of this kind of introspection that all of us need at one time or another. The bonus of Sunday night is that you don't even have to do anything special to make it that way! It just is. And maybe that is the lesson that is most important about this evening. Sunday night just is as it comes. maybe one of the things that we can hope for in the upcoming week is that we seek to be ourselves and nothing more. For that is the luxury that Sunday evening presents to us. On Sunday evening, we can be ourselves because there are no expectations for this first night of the week. We just settle in and enjoy. That is my wish for you this week, that you settle in and enjoy life for life is far too short and precious to experience in any other way but who you are!

November

And now November. Nature's annual festival of color has peaked and now the stars of the show lay about on the ground awaiting their final pickup. In the spectacular side show's wake is November. November. The first month with consistently chilly temperatures. The month of transition. Time changes. Trees change, exchanging their blanket of leaves for a skeleton against the sky. The sun sets earlier and earlier with each passing day. Nature begins her long sleep through the cold months of the coming winter.

We humans change, too. Our thoughts turn to indoor activities. We think of visiting others more often. Menus change from the lighter fare of summer to the heartier offerings of chilled autumn evenings. We become indoor creatures once again. Jackets replace tank tops and t-shirts. And the world continues to move onward, ever changing yet, somehow, always the same.

With the passing of Halloween and the advent of the first day of the month, we begin to look toward the horizon of time and see that the holidays loom ever closer. Thanksgiving now becomes a reality as menus are laid out and provisions for the coming feast are procured. Guest lists are made as the annual visit of grandpa and grandma is anticipated. There is a warm feeling in these preparations as this special holiday of November brings a feeling of familial warmth that other holidays don't seem to quite match. It is the time of the year that many begin reflecting on the year that is now nearly passed. In a real sense, it is the beginning of the yearly renewal of our spirit.

The seasons are mystical benchmarks of our lives. They are some of the only consistencies we ever experience in life and November leads the way from autumn to winter with a particular grace and style. There are no more warm, humid breezes to soothe us after a long hot day. Chill winds and cold rain are often the dominant natural forces we encounter and yet there is an unquestionable warmth to the month. There is a coziness that no other month conveys in quite the same way.

The month also marks the passing of our loved ones who may have left this life over the last twelve months. We remember them with fondness and a sense of emptiness and sadness. On the second day of the month, we mark their passing with the observation of All Souls Day. Then, nine days later, we salute those who have lost their lives and who presently serve their country with Veterans Day. On this day we stand in humble thanks for those who "gave their last full measure of devotion."

November prepares us in a relaxed way for the upcoming frenzy that we know as December. We rest in November knowing that the busy season of the year is only days away. Thanksgiving afternoon could be seen as the afternoon for a national nap as many a Thanksgiving turkey has been consumed and now, in living rooms across America, sleep descends on the populace. At the crack of dawn the very next day, many otherwise completely intelligent citizens arise out of a warm bed in order to get a good place in line at the local Wal-Mart for this year's hot Christmas gifts.

November. A quiet month if ever there was one. A time to pause between two seasons to look back and ahead. A time to adjust our daily lives once again as the patterns of our daily routine change to meet the decreasing amounts of sunlight. A time for contemplation and enjoyment of friends and family. A time of slowing down. And a time for all of us to be thankful!

Autumn

With respect to my daughter-in-law who loves Summer, is there really any better season than that of Autumn? The heat and humidity of summer have long since faded into the background and that same kind of uncomfortable condition will not return for months. Now is the season of quiet contemplation; of peaceful afternoons in the woods, soaking in the vibrant colors of this magnificent season.

On one such Autumnal day, we took a walk along a path that circles nearby Lake Creve Coeur. The quiet of the afternoon was stunning. The only sounds you could hear were those of a few chickadees twittering as they flew from limb to limb in the forest. Leaves of every imaginable color rustled in the treetops above us as the wind gently made its way through the tangled woods.

On the lake itself, the figure of a lone fisherman in his boat near a small cove spoke of Fall. The mists began settling in as an anticipated cold front neared. Colors were muted just enough to give the scene a dream-like quality.

We walked mainly in silence, quietly taking in the treasures of nature at this time of year. Little had to be said, really, since the beauty of the place spoke all the words necessary. It was a time to clear the mind and settle the soul. A time to contemplate the truly important things in life. It was a time to think clearly about one's present circumstances in life. A time to contemplate the spirit of God and what I have done to be a good steward of the many blessings he has bestowed upon me.

I thought especially of my granddaughters and their lives and what may be ahead for them. What excitement and anticipation their futures hold! When I think of all the things I have seen in my lifetime, the possibilities of what they may see and experience in their lives in this 21st century seem endless.

All of this because of much needed time out in nature. Amazing what a touch of nature in this wonderful season can accomplish. I feel like I have cleared my head and allowed for more energy to pour into my very being. This quiet walk with my beloved wife in the silence of a Missouri afternoon was a gift from God. I recommend a stroll in his cathedral soon!

Two Future Tax Payers!

$1.42 trillion dollars. That's $1,420,000,000,000! That is the amount currently of our Federal deficit. That is not the National Debt. The National Debt stands at $11,957,469,307,131.18!!! To make that a little more understandable, that means that all of us, men, women, AND children, each of us, owes about $38,933.73 in order to pay this debt off. Who among those of you who reads this has this on hand or will be willing to pay it off in increments? C'mon now, let me see a show of hands!! Any takers? No, I didn't think there would be!

But this is the dilemma that we're in. We have lived so high and mighty as a nation without regard to any fiscal responsibility at all, that we have managed to tie our next several generations' livelihoods up completely before they're even born. For the next several generations, our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, great-great-great grandchildren and so on will be saddled with finding ways to pay for our excessive spending.

I put my two grandchildren at the top of this piece to illustrate just who the future tax payers of America are and how we have severely mortgaged their futures. They will be faced with taxes that we can't even imagine. Their life-styles will probably not equal ours. Fifty years after I am gone, they will still be paying for Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Wall Street, GM, AIG, and thousands of other interests that are simply too numerous to mention.

This country faces very critical times. I believe our fate as a republic hangs in the balance. Oh sure, you hear the pundits and representatives from the White House proclaim that things will get better and we'll get on with life as usual. But we cannot afford to get on with life as usual. We cannot, as a nation, continue to spend like there is no end to the money supply. We are spending money we don't have. How many of you can take your checking account balance, whatever it happens to be, and keep spending once your balance has dropped to zero like there is no tomorrow? None of us as individuals has that luxury. Banks would not allow it. Then why are we allowing our elected representatives spend money like they're on a drunken binge?

I all of our recent financial crises, not one elected official has been heard talking about sacrifice. Yet, sacrifice is what is called for if we are to avoid handing our future generations this mess. If we do nothing in a meaningful way to try to change our spending habits as a government so that those who come after us will not have to give up as much as it appears they will at this point, then we can only come to the conclusion that we, as a generation, are selfish and egotistical preferring to let the next generation clean up our mess. I am not suggesting that we have the ability ourselves alone to clean things up. What I am suggesting, however, is that we do have the power within us to begin acting more responsible where governmental spending is concerned.

We must put pressure on our elected officials by making our voices heard loudly and clearly that we will not tolerate this out of control binge we are on any longer. So what if they call us organized mobs? We are the citizens of this country and have been endowed by the constitution with the authority over those who represent us. We have to realize that government cannot possibly provide for every whim and wish we may have. Earlier generations certainly didn't depend on the government for their every need! What makes us different?

Take a long look at the picture at the top of this piece. Then take a look at your kids or grandkids and try to come up with an explanation to them as to why their lifestyles will probably be below ours because we just didn't care enough to get involved! Tough assignment, isn't it? Yet that is what we must do unless we begin to demand accountability from the government WE have elected to represent us. What will you say to the next generations?

Obama's "Compassion"

Yesterday, on his way to a multi-million dollar political fund raiser, President Obama stopped by New Orleans for a close up look at what "progress" has taken place in the city devastated by Hurricane Katrina four years ago. It would be a four hour stop to express his concern and compassion for the citizens of the city much of which still stands in ruins after all these years.

At a "Town Hall" meeting, Obama took questions from the audience. One of the citizens asked the President why, after four years, there was no rebuilt hospital in the area in which he lived. After all, the questioner posed, billions, if not trillions, of dollars had been used to bail out banks and other financial institutions who found themselves devastated by the greed of Wall Street.

Obama, in his "deeply compassionate" response, smiled, and with a laugh, responded that he couldn't just write a check. After all there were things like legislation and the constitution he informed the audience.

Now think about it! How much could a well-stocked, modern medical center cost? Certainly nowhere near the billions that Wall Street "had to have" to avoid the total destruction of western civilization as we know it! Yet the president blew off the question with that bright smile and easy cool way he has of delivering bad news.

Where is the compassion, Mr. President? Where is the change promised that would turn us around from the brazen coldness that was the hallmark of the Bush administration? And why did you only spend a few paltry hours in the city where thousands of impoverished people suffered so deeply after the violent storm destroyed their homes and the federal government, you now represent, seemed to abandon? Then you flew off to raise millions to elect more "compassionate" candidates who will come to the rescue of the poor people.

It seems to me that there is a huge disconnect between the government and the ordinary citizens of this country. When Obama was a senator he promised that there would be change and that things would be different. He was going to right all the wrongs of the last four years and people would know that there was a new man in town. It is insulting to the intelligence of the American people to have a president promote the idea that he is the vehicle of change when all of his actions point to the fact that he and his administration are just a continuation of the same. The government continues to grow larger and larger, gobbling up everything in its path. Lives that were forever changed by a long gone hurricane, languish in the inability of a federal government to change anything.

We need to begin to look to ourselves to help ourselves in this society. We cannot expect the government to fix things unless we have deep pockets that will attract every politician in the country. Obama stopped in New Orleans to show he cares! Then he winged off to California to gather in the really important thing he cares about--campaign funds! It is sheer hypocrisy in my mind to proclaim that you have feelings for the beleaguered people of New Orleans only to brush off a legitimate question about building a hospital and then jetting off to the fat cats of California. Oh yeah, and Obama is supposed to want health care reform. How about starting by building a much needed hospital in New Orleans, Mr. President!