Tuesday, November 3, 2020

The Final Countdown

One last rant before all of this goes down..

Vote today. Please. Regardless of who it is for, please do so. I fought and defended your right to do so and I've also been to places and met people who didn't have that freedom. At this point in the game, most of us have made some important decisions about tomorrow; first and foremost whether or not you're going to vote which cascades into who you are going to vote for. This late in the game the number of undecideds is minimal and those who are have an idea but are still the tiniest bit indecisive.

The odds are your decision is made is made up, any of my adoring fans, family and friends are well aware of my proclivities as they are with those close to them thanks to the boon/bane of social media. But my main message at this point is to just please go and vote. In the grand scheme and in most years its more important THAT you vote for rather than WHO you vote for...stay with me

We are a country built on conflict, if everyone agreed on everything then surprisingly little would get done because its out of resolution that we gain knowledge, build bonds and even learn about ourselves and society. I don't agree with you..fine, you don't agree with me, fine. I respect your right to do that as much I hope you respect mine. But all of our voices should and must be heard and elections are how that happens.

I feel that American's in the past took the election process for granted and didn't realize the power of their vote “I'm a Republican in California, why bother voting for President, I'm a Democrat in Mississippi, its already pre decided anyway so why does my vote matter. Its simple. Because you're exercising a freedom that many places in the world do not have and I didn't truly appreciate what that freedom was until I lived in a society where it wasn't.

We have a CHOICE  but our choices don't have to agree. We are going to conflict as I try to talk you over to my side and vice-versa but in the end we both get the same ballot, we both make our selections and once submitted we add our voice into the national roll call because we can and because it really DOES matter.

In my opinion, we have the chance to rectify an injustice that began 1383 days ago and I ask you simply to consider where we were then and where we are now when doing so. Let's not repeat the mistake made 4 years ago, this country that I love and fought for cannot afford to. Thank you for indulging...I'm off to vote.  See you on the other side. 

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

Land of Confusion (originally posted November 2016)

I have to been to war in the Middle East and seen prisoners war and missiles aimed to kill me.

I have been pulled over by a police officer because "my type (A/A) didn't belong in that neighborhood (I clarified that's what he meant)


I have been the only person of color in a bar and told to leave because "no one there wanted my kind in there"


I have had someone call me the N-word to my face 5 times after telling him it offends


I have seen vandalism towards friends due to their sexual orientation


I have stood between a swimmer in the kiddie end of the gene pool and a female friend whom he was harassing (a few times)


I have had a girlfriend have a finger pistol pointed and "fired" at her while mouthing "N- lover to her.


I have heard two women of my same race say "see they took another one ours" as I walked out of the theater with my friend of a different race


I have seen racism, sexism, pure hatred, pure anger, a friend whose parents had pictures of Hitler in a high noticeable position


I have dealt with many examples of the ugliness that the human race has to offer in my 40 plus years.


Yet all of these pale to what I have seen on all sides of this political campaign season. The spewing of hated, the vitriolic words, memes, photos, insults and the purest forms of anger and disrespect that I have ever seen. In one day, the genesis and central point of all of this will commence and complete tomorrow but I fear deep down in places that we don't talk about at parties, that the damage and internal injuries done are not going to heal or dissipate once the winners are announced and the last ballots have been counted. This election season has been the most polarizing event that my generation has ever seen. External wounds will heal within a short period, internal wounds leave scars so deep that they may never completely heal.

People, I ask you this as election day has come here in the Central Time Zone, remember that before all of this happened, the people on your friends list, the people you work with, socialize with, are involved in relationship with and who hold a special place in someway inside are in your life for some reason. Yes, disagreements are bound to exist always but this has gone far beyond that. I've seen things said online that people would not dream of saying in person. I've seen people say things in person that leave me slack-jawed and you know what. It hurts my heart, it hurts my head and it hurts my faith that these bonds we built can be eroded and even destroyed because of this set of differences. Take a pause, take a break, take a deep breath and then go back to, shake hands, give hugs and remember that one year of all of this is not worth the longer time you spent building the social structure and bond that was created and built for whatever reason.

Maybe the damage is indeed irreparable, maybe this has shown you aside of this person or people that has exposed a side that you did not know existed and for that reason, you choose not to continue. I am not innocent of those and I acknowledge and it is something I will be working on as well. But please, do not let ones choice or decision in their selection of representation solely tear asunder what time and commonality have built.

We are a nation built on disagreement and social discourse. Built on taxation without representation and the oppressive rule of a King, we united together and became this nation we love. Look at the word there. United. United..we stand. Do not lose this, do not forget this and please, let's try to find this again. Time isn't as important as the action of finding what we've lost.

This is the world we live in and these are the hands we're given
Use them and let's start trying, to make it a place worth living in

My final two cents plus plus on this and final political statement on this all.  Now we sit and wait and watch.


1 – Land of Confusion (1986), written by Mike Rutherford, Tony Banks and Phil Collins, performed by Genesis

Tuesday, June 2, 2020

My Life Matters

I want to preface by saying that

  • This is my belief and opinion based on observation and experience. You may disagree but please respect my words even if you disagree with them
  •  In no way am I comparing what I have been through to more serious ones that have occurred and are occurring as we speak. However at its core, they do emanate from the same place; one of hatred, bias and racism elicited through a perception of power and executed by force..now, on with the show
  • The details of some this are fuzzy as i've been clouded and not exactly told. I've told this story but not really the complete story. I feel its time, fitting and clarification of my reaction towards world events

In the spring of 1994 I was in the swan song of my military career, serving the last 2 years of my enlistment at Moody AFB in Valdosta GA. Valdosta is located less than 5 miles from the Florida state line and about 100 miles NW of Jacksonville. So kind of deep south but being a college town it didn't always seem like it but when it did, it really did.

I was taking college classes at the university in town and since I worked during the day, the classes were from like 7-10 or something like that. The base was about 15ish minute drive direct or there were a couple of other ways which I would take home sometimes when I wanted to just wind down and enjoy a night drive. One of these routes took me part of the way through an affluent neighborhood where it was quiet and relaxing and helped me unwind. I didn't commonly take this route but occasionally it was therapeutic.

So one night I'm driving that route, windows down, music at reasonable volume and going just under the speed limit in the residential area when I see a car that was behind me for about half an hour is a police car. I think nothing of it as I figure patrols this area pretty regularly. I turn onto the main road and out of the area and the lights come on. I drive a bit more to get to safe area to pull over, reaching my hand up to point that i'm doing this. He speeds up a little and screeches his tires to a stop. He shines the bright light into my car and as i am reaching for my registration/insurance and license he says over the megaphone.

Freeze and place your hands on the steering wheel

Confusedly, I comply and hear him slam the door, light still shining into the car, the reflection of in the mirror hurting my eyes. I wanted to knock the mirror into that downward brights mode but was nervous to move. He walks fast up, I hear hurried crunching on the rocks and he shines the flashlight into my face as I turn to look at him. I turn to look in the passengers side and he yells again, shining the light into my passengers seat.

What are you looking at” I swear he reached for his hip but that part is foggy as my heart was racing and I was terrified. “Look at me”

“I was going to ask if I could get my license and registration” getting more nervous, my voice was probably shaking a little.

Oh, btw he was a tall, probably 6'5 or so (just a shade taller than me) stoutly built, thick southern accent and yes, white but with his intimidating stature he might as well have been 8 feet tall (I say these as statements of fact, some opinions are in this story but facts are facts as I recall them)

He shines his light around my car, its messy of course with my briefcase/school books

“Can I ask why I've been pulled over?” I inquired

Because I felt like it and because I need to know why you were driving slow through this neighborhood boy” (yes he did say boy, I was 26, 8 years military and I even had my vehicle pass on the front; he never walked around the front to see this)
I'm coming back from school”

“This isn't the way back, tell me the truth why”

I repeated myself and he frowned then leaned in a little.

We don't like your kind here, you do not belong and need to stay out I had to stifle my snark for once as I went from nervous to scared. This is not exactly a highly traveled road that I'd turned off onto to be out of traffic. I had to resist the temptation to inquire further with a why not but it came out as..

“Yes officer”

He gave me an intimidating look for what seemed like forever then walked back to the car, headlights still shining in (I was driving a Geo Prizm so his car was higher up than mine. He sat there waiting so I signaled, turned around and back into traffic, driving under the speed limit to my house which was about another 10 minutes. By the time I got home I was hyperventilating, and once I calmed down I got angry and every time 

We don't like your kind here" My kind? Is this for real? Is this the 60s again? I was in shock still. I mean I'd encountered it some forms. 

Sidetrack: At a biker bar in Wisconsin, (1992) I was told that "No one wants your kind here" Luckily a friend who was a regular there actually went down and asked every person at the bar then came back and said

"Looks like you're one with the problem here" I just smiled, nodded and took another drink. Needless to say we left soon after and found a friendlier bar that night.

But back to Georgia. I complied with the rest of his requests, shocked into silence and obeyance. I mean I grew up in a small town in Kansas but the last few years of military experience as well as living in the cultural diversities of Las Vegas and London has toughened my skin and strengthened my soul to this kind of thing. Its kind of like one of those things that I hoped didnt exist yet knew still did. 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I tell this story, usually a shorter version, it gets me angry. This is the most major example of dealing with law enforcement discrimination. It is real. Its not cliché, most blacks have dealt with some form of treatment from verbal like mine to physical, sadly, which is where I was fortunate, But words hurt too.

Its the attitude, the intimidation that they feel they can use; justified or not. It can even be looks, like second takes when I was driving or shopping in 90210, being followed in stores etc. Sometimes its blatant, others its subtle. But its there. To think its not is sheer denial and living in a fantasy world. The only change is how, be it enslavement, segregation, 3/5 compromise, the KKK and now abuse from those placed in position of power.

We deserve equality, we've fought for it, we've strived and worked for it. We get a bone here and there with the Civil Rights act (a good thing Nixon did but really had no choice if he wanted to avoid what we have now) but this has been building up and now the volcano has gone off. With us standing up and speaking our mind via legal demonstrations to draw attention and say that we won't and cant stand for this anymore.

Recent events, actions and protests are not new and have been happening since the beginnings of our country. You see contrary to what some may state or believe, prejudice, racism and stereotypes are alive and well in the USA with their roots, seemingly, where they've always been strongest; the American south. From the origins of slavery through the civil rights battles of the 60s to present day controversies over flags and statues, the south has never been a wholly friendly place to those who aren't of a certain skin color/ethnicity/sexual preference.

And in present times, it has spread and has now infected our country with no antidote. Minority abuse, discrimination and unfair, unjust, unprovoked treatment can no longer be stood for. Hear our voice. See our frustration. Respond in kind. The death of George Floyd is the match that set off an existing powder keg and now, justice must be served, swift and completely and actions must be taken to prevent it from happening again. Because without changes, it will. Systemic racism is contagious and has spread like the existing virus yet doesn't get the attention it deserves.

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

The Heart of The Matter

All research and comments courtesy of Christoph Cording

This is a post that has shown up several times on my timeline from Trump supporters embittered still by the election results. (all things in parentheses are my notes added to the post based on my own research. Feel free to check the data yourselves; I strive for factual reporting, and would like to be corrected with evidence, if I am wrong)

"For all of you Biden voters, I am making this post so it will show back up as a future memory on my timeline:
  • Today is 8 days after Biden electoral confirmation (1/20/21 at the time when I first saw this). Gas is currently $2.69 per gallon (US average is actually $2.386 according to AAA, so not sure where they got that number. The first time I saw this post was from a friend in Nebraska, where that average is $2.15 according to NDEE's website. The second and third times, they listed gas at $1.96 and $2.08, so not sure why they seem to be making it up when it's so easy to look up). Interest rates are 2.95 percent for a 30 year mortgage (interest rates are different depending on the lender,  location, etc., and I couldn't find any direct, averaged information on this, and the poster didn't know where the number came from, either)
  • The stock market closed at 30829.40 though we have been fighting COVID for 11 months (the market was still open at the time of this original posting, and it's actually higher now according to the current DOW listings, reportedly spiking as the election and inauguration increases investor confidence, and it has risen through Covid-19 thanks to government assistance and so many stocks being tech and housing, both of which are booming in a relocation-rich, locked-down, work-from-home pandemic. They don't mention that the stock market is a metric for how the rich are doing rather than indicative of the overall economy, which is in a global recession).
  • Our GDP growth for the 3rd Qtr. was 33.1 percent (33.4, according to CNBC's website, so again, not sure why they're undercutting their own message, but maybe they had a different source. They didn't cite anything, but we'll come back to this).
  • We had the best economy ever until COVID and it is recovering well (objective, just as 400,000 dead Americans sacrificed on the altar of the economy just feels a bad deal to me, anyway. Claiming that Trump is responsible for the great economy ignores the trends that had started in the last three years of the previous administration, where growth was about 2.3% and continued to grow until it hovered around 2.5% in the first three years of Trump. Coming back to the 33% GDP growth point, that was a rebound after a 33% GDP drop; it was -33.4% in the 2nd Quarter, giving it no place to go but up, so it's misleading. As for how we did compared to other countries, Neil Shearing, chief economist at Capital Economics, points out what the US did worse than China and someother Asian markets).
  • ISIS has not been heard from for over 3 years (they've claimed murders in Nigeria, Pakistan, and Chechnya this month alone. Just because the US doesn't seem to be listening doesn't mean they "have not been heard from").
  • The housing market is the strongest it has been in years (really had nowhere to go but up after the 2008 recession and housing market collapse, and the current rising prices are likely to lock out new buyers in the near future).
  • Homes have appreciated at an unbelievable rate and sell well (both subjective statements, both made without citing sources, both entirely dependent on location, but I suppose ostensibly true, though prices now are likely to be too high and lock out prospective buyers while rents remain high). 
  • And let’s not forget that peace deals in the Middle East were signed by 4 countries—unprecedented! (Bahrain, the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt did formally recognize and normalize relations with Israel, an excellent step forward that also achieved the administration's goal of distracting from the continued failure to achieve the promised Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement)
  • Unemployment sits at 6.7% in spite of COVID (it was 3.5%pre-pandemic. The "in spite of Covid" is deliberately misleading phrasing given that it doubled almost entirely because of Covid and millions are still out of work and losing their homes).

#Biden takes over on 1-20-21. Let's see how things line up in the next 4 years. (Other iterations of this post have said "Let's see how long it takes Biden to screw this up", an admittedly less bipartisan sentiment, but more honest in its directness, one must admit.)"


All research and comments courtesy of Christoph Cording

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Danger Zone

This is not sour grapes at all, I am as critical evenly, Obama did deport more people than any present (for now, I feel that record may get broke but thus I digress) for me, this is not a win/loss. I didn't like any of the candidates honestly, it was like voting for the lesser of the evils,

How many times was Obama called Muslim or not born in America or anything related? There are those who have were guilty of that and people who stood up and made statements against that were called sympathizers or guilt by association. Again, not directed at you Paula, making a statement based on yours and not calling you wrong, simply countering.

Why are there protests? Because this elected official is doing and proposing dangerous things, more than any other. Its not just me. Or left siders, several GOP members are stating it and he didn't even follow procedures as he was supposed to. -He did not talk to the Congressional committee on immigration reform I believe, or the Judicial branch (based on stories I've read in multiple media outlets) He is a loose cannon, he is still name calling like a 4th grader (Fake Tears Schumer)

-He is the only elected leader of the US never to have held ay political office or military experience (yes, I know in this election only one but that applies to Eisenhower and Grant) and it is showing. Obama had 12 yrs public office, I believe less than 4 on the national level.

-He is going to be a representative of our countries that may disagree with him (Mexico for example) is he going to go on Twitter on call them names too? That makes me uncomfortable, Kim Jong Un? Have to be careful, he has an itchy trigger finger and nuclear capability.

-He has openly made derogatory statements against handicapped, Mexicans, degraded women beyond reproach, had lawsuits for discriminatory practices against African-Americans (DoJ from earlier on).

-He wants to build said wall without having a backup plan, well okay possibly raise export taxes on Mexico to "make them pay" despite twice being told no by Nieto
-He acts without consulting first. That's a dangerous policy. Dictators have past shown that kind of behavior, I am not calling him one. Yet. He's not on that road but some of his actions are making people make comparisons. Some exaggerated, some not.

-The ban, is not thought out well. Initially as it was written, it was to detain green card holding citizens. Courts grant stays, he says its going great. Look in the streets, these are your constituents. Whether voting for him or not, like him or not, criticizing him or not, he has to act like a leader over everyone not just the ones that agree with him. Republicans, Democrats, Right, Left, Independent, Conservative, Liberal, if they disagree with him and vocalize it, he name calls or makes slanderous statements (father killed JFK?). That is petulant.

Why protests? Besides those, how about this. The 19th Amendment, The Civil Rights Act, hell even the Boston Tea Party, came about in a large part or at least lighting the fire from "the individual right or ability of people to come together and collectively express, promote, pursue, and defend their ideas"

Now, on the hypocritical aspect, everyone is discriminatory in some way be it consciously or without even realizing it. Personally from observing and experiencing it, it comes from ignorace pre judging many based on one. Are we perfect as a people? No definitely not. No one is, but as a people it is our duty to question our leaders and their actions since like it or not, he is the College elected leader of these States of America. Yes, we all can exhibit tendencies for what we are critiquing him for but also he is the highest power in the land/world. He's held to a higher standard. And right now, he is still treating American like a reality show with Monopoly money and its going to take a toll. Not maybe, is. Sociologically, he is a social agitator. He whips people into a frenzy of properly placed buzzwords. He says what certain people want to hear. To quote John Oliver on this "We've either elected a president who doesn't mean what he says or one that did" He scares people into backing him.

He needs to learn and act more like a leader. If he has ideas, he needs to think before he acts and promises. He's already backpedalling on the ACA for one and others. There is no learning curve. This is real and he still seems he does then thinks. That is unsafe and these are not perceptions honestly.

Closing with a quote regarding protests and questioning from the articulate pen of Aaron Sorkin." I’m a citizen; this is my President. And in this country it is not only permissible to question our leaders, it’s our responsibility!” I defended my country for these rights, I spent time amongst the very people who are lumped together into one Executive Order. This scares me. This polarization, more than anytime in history, is threatening to split the nation. California is working towards ceceding (need signatures to get on 2018 ballot). What does this say?

Thank you and know that I respect your thoughts on the matter. I may disagree on some aspects but I respect as I do anyone and in the words of Evelyn Hall " I may disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Thankful Givings - Veterans Day 2015

You can thank a soldier if:
  •  you can post a message board stating your opinion
  • you can walk down a street safely
  • you can assemble together freely to state an opinion
  • there are no missiles over your head
  • you can (but sadly do not enough) vote for those represent your beliefs (whether you agree or not)
All of these within the bounds of law.

Whether voluntary or draft, did not matter. I signed up for school money and to travel a bit, I never thought I'd end up 10000 miles from dealing with Saddams Alarm Clock.  Despite where we came from, what we believed in We always had one thing in common; to protect the rights of the USA and its citizens. We did of our own will, we stood side by side and did what we volunteered too do. We did it our proudly and others do it proudly.

So whether are currently serving or have served at any point in it; there is not a difference. We are veterans and nothing will ever change that. Thank you to all my fellow and family veterans, Hard to say much more that everyone else is saying better.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Coming Home

Before the rant begins (anyone who knows me knew it was coming) I want to say thank you to all of my fellow veterans past and present. Your service wherever and whenever is appreciated

 *** Disclaimer – Some of memories may be off in some
details, numbers even dates and locations possibly. But the gist of the story and its context in the grand scheme are correct. *** 


Surprisingly, for a day this meaningful, the date has slipped my mind save that it was mid-March of 1990 and we'd been in Saudi Arabia for 7 months, in support of Operation Desert Storm. They had promised our return before Easter but we heard the same thing about Christmas, New Years and Valentines Day too so when they told us we'd be home by then, skepticism ran rampant. Its fulfillment brought a muted but happy response once we actually went wheels up and got off the plane to people speaking German. We'd escaped but were not quite home yet and I said two things.

1) I'll believe it when I see it 
b) I will do that kiss the ground thing when we land..wherever 

They didn't mention where until about an hour before. If they did,I missed in my distraction of trying to see Greenland (I didn't on that trip but later on my jaunt to Britain). At the point of any flight where they give you the seat belt/tray table lecture they said/confirmed that we'd be landing at Westover AFB in Chicopee MA and there would be a little welcome home celebration and Budweiser would have a beer tent set up. Now, quick factoid, Saudi Arabia was a dry country, so no alcohol really except one night in Qatar (not Bangkok). After that announcement, most of heard blah blah blah blah Budweiser beer tent. 7 months, missiles over your head and even hitting you etc, we felt we'd earned a drink. 

We landed, we went down the steps and I did indeed drop to my knees and kiss the beautiful, AMERICAN Massachusetts concrete. Then in uniform, we walked into the little celebration of band music, flags waving and what seemed to most of south central Massachusetts,It was a celebration worthy of return of soldiers and, in my opinion though, almost overcompensation and an attempt (as most of the war accolades seemed to be a in bit of a way) to make up for how some Vietnam vets were treated, I believe we owe them a great debt of  gratitude but I digress again. It was grand, it was welcome, I was like “wow, all this for learning to play spades and dress in chem suits 8 hours a day) Most of us walked hurriedly but thankfully towards the Budweiser tent visible at the end of the red, white and blue rainbows and I was no different. 

I got to the end of the line, the tent on the right, and I glanced down amidst the craziness and saw a gentleman in a wheelchair. He looked to be a Vietnam vet (based on slightly worn looking green jacket and certain patches. He held a small flag waving it ever so slightly and when I looked into his eyes he sat straight up to a sitting attention pose, saluted me and said “Thank You”. Yes, I heard the words above the noise somehow, and then he saluted me (I was an enlisted Sergeant, I'd never been saluted and did not think I deserved one now) I stood up straight (getting bumped by the Bud Light bum rush) and saluted him back with the best salute I think I ever had and said “No, thank you, you deserve it more than I) That 2-minute encounter and exchange stuck with me more than the free beer at the tent as well as the run of a bar and our return celebration in Vegas. This was a veteran who probably was not treated very well and may or may not have been at the time. But he saluted me for my service and me for his. Mutual respect, mutual thanks and both of us veterans. 

My moral? It doesn't matter where or when you served or what you did or anything during your military service. They/we are all veterans; active or retired, battle serving or not. Say thank you, but also realize there are vets who may not be getting recognition or help that they need. Do what you can, if anything but always recognize and respect who they are and what they did and do not blame the warriors for the war they were sent to. It’s not where, it’s that we did it. Thank you for indulging this rant.

The Final Countdown

One last rant before all of this goes down.. Vote today. Please. Regardless of who it is for, please do so. I fought and defended your right...