Like everyone in America, I am stunned by the tragedy in Newtown, CT. I have been trying to determine what I want to say, but there are no great words of wisdom. There is nothing to say that will comfort anyone. All of us feels a sense of anger; a sense of outrage; a deep sense of sadness; and a sense of confusion. We all ask, "how can such an horrific act happen?" And, of course, there is no answer.
All of the questions we ask in this terrible moment are rhetorical. "How can this happen?" "What would make someone do something so sick?" "Why would someone so gruesomely attack innocent people?" And likely the most unanswerable - "What can be done to stop this?"
We've all seen the news coverage. We've been reminded again and again about the recent mall shootings, the Colorado movie theater shootings, the shootings at places of worship, the massacre at Virginia Tech, and Columbine. And every time, we ask those same rhetorical questions. And, sadly, there truly seem to be no answers.
The first thing we hear everyone say is that we need to outlaw guns. Of course we know that is not the single answer. I know it's considered overused, but I have to say I agree: "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." Would it make a difference if guns were outlawed? Probably not, if the person plotting to kill people is serious. Some here and there might be deterred, but not the true monsters. I would venture an uneducated guess that Newtown, Va Tech, Colorado, and Columbine would not have been avoided. Something as large as these examples, and many others, doesn't happen on a whim because someone happened to see a gun sitting on the table. But I am not trying to exhibit support for one group or another either. Imagine the OK Corral shootouts that might occur if everyone had guns.
I have heard opinions for quite a long time promoting that video games have desensitized people to a point of no return. There have been opinions that many of the young Soldiers currently serving our country are able to do their job so robotically because they have lost the sensitivity to death. The proponents of that argument believe the intense killing and life-like graphics in today's video games makes it less horrific to someone to take a life. I don't know. I know many guys who have played the hard-hitting video games and they show no sense of lessened remorse toward death. Maybe that is also a grasping at straws.
It certainly seems that there is little or no real ability to "read" someone as a potential killer. It would be great if there was some highly-visible sign - like maybe some bright facial rash - when a person was about to commit such an unspeakable act. But there is no sign. Think about how many times we see the news interview with the neighbor who tells that there was nothing out of the ordinary about the killer. "I've lived next door to him for 5 years. He's never been anything but a good, quiet neighbor." What are the signs? What do we look for? I wish someone could give us real, tangible signs to look for. But there seem to be none.
So what do we do? I wish I had some answer. We all wish we had some answer. For now, I suppose we can only do what everyone seems to feel at times such as these: Hug those close to you a little tighter; a little longer. Pray to God for guidance and protection. Never miss the opportunity to say "I Love You." I know I will be saying it more.
And, as horrible as this will make me sound, maybe we can hope that these terrible monsters, these cowards who attack innocent, unarmed people and then kill themselves, will cut to the chase. Before they go out and find innocent people to murder, just turn to the last page and kill themselves first.
With the grip something like this places on the heart, today I do not digress.
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Saturday, December 15, 2012
Sunday, December 9, 2012
...About My Armpits
There are people who think I have strong opinions. I do. I have always said that "opinions are like armpits -- everybody has a couple and they all stink!" Today's little sermon is FULL of my armpits. I hope you can stand it.
All my life it has been a joke with my father that "it's too bad everybody can't be like we are." That feeling, or the sense of it, was a big fodder-piece for the destruction of my relationship with the 1st former Mrs. McNeeley. All of us believe that what we feel strongly about is the way life should actually be. I mean, after all, as a matter of fact, I DO know everything! But... I digress!
Here are some of my opinions and feelings.
Cam Newton is a pretty good quarterback. He was while at Auburn, and is in the NFL. Is he the greatest? No. But he's pretty good. He makes things happen with his ability to run, pass, read defenses, etc. BUT - I absolutely despise all of the "it's all about me." He makes a good play - maybe even a great play - and it's the dance and "Superman" shirt peel and arms waving demanding applause. I get the exuberance and the adrenaline flood. Control yourself; there were 10 other people who made that possible. You can do great things, but not by yourself. What I truly enjoyed were the several weeks during which the Panthers weren't winning - badly weren't winning. I enjoyed how sad and pious and humbled and defeated he sounded during the press conferences after the games. Good enough for you. Be a gracious winner like Drew Brees or Aaron Rogers or Eli Manning or Peyton or so many others whom you, Cam, can only hope to be like one day.
I have had enough of the other countries in this world being in better shape than our own. We are putting our people out of work every day by taking our industries to other countries so the big-wigs can make more money. I get the whole profit thing. I understand the desire to cut expenses and increase the bottom line. Do you know that we import $50 billion each year from China just in computer equipment, while the largest export from the U.S. to China is $8 billion worth of... wait for it... waste paper and scrap metal. Things our workers don't make.
A man I know owns an embroidery business. He and his wife opened a small business in north Alabama. They grew their business large enough that, at one point, every flag emblem on the pocket of a TOMMY HILFIGER shirt was sewn by them! Every Polo pony on a RALPH LAUREN shirt was sewn by them! They bought over $1 million of additional high-end equipment to keep up with the customer's needs. And in a very short time, in the blink of an eye, BOTH companies yanked their business to farm out to other countries to make more money. He and his wife were devastated.
We MUST stop this from happening. We MUST return to insisting on products that read "Made in America!" My friend Jon pointed out that if we spend just $100 per month on US goods, instead of Chinese goods, we will bring BILLIONS back into our own economy each year. If we don't, we will continue to see our neighbors lose their jobs and the fat boys of the big companies grow fatter. And more importantly, other countries will begin to replace us as the greatest country in the world. NOT ACCEPTABLE.
This is also true of education for our children. We MUST make the education of our children better. We are so concerned with who might be left behind, or losing our summer vacation, or being politically correct in our schools, or making little Johnny or Susie feel good about themselves that we have lost focus on the process that educating children is the only way we will stay a leader in this ever-advancing world.
During the "Occupy" bullshit... I mean movement, I saw a picture of a guy publicly defecating on an American flag while the large crowd around him cheered. I know that it's his right as an American to do that. I also believe that, if I had been there, I would likely have exercised my right as an American to pummel the living hell out of him. 'Course my buddy Kevin would advocate that it should be my right as an American to put a .45 cal round right between his beady little eyes. I agree.
Because we tolerate this kind of disrespect for our own country, we are the laughing stock of the rest of the world. It's one thing for some less-than-stellar individuals in another country to get sand in their crack and burn our flag, but to allow it at home is unconscionable.
[This is the point where I was going to address the government issues like Healthcare, Fiscal Cliffs, and politicians, but that's going to be lengthy also, so I'll save that for the next time.]
Here is my platform for being elected: The other countries around the world hate us. Fine. Bring every one of our people home. The Germans hate us. Fine. Close our huge Ramstein Air Base and bring our people and all of that revenue the Germans love home. The Middle East countries hate us. Fine. Bring every one of our troops home. When you finish destroying your country and yourselves, we will come in and plant our flag and rename it "America Annex 32."
Next, take all of our Soldiers and put them shoulder to shoulder around the outline of the United States. NO ONE gets in. You want into America? Apply. Go through the proper, legal steps and come on in. I bet our Soldiers would love to stand guard at our borders and sleep in an American bed each night.
Next, when a plane lands at an airport from out of the country, stand at the bottom of the stairs and check IDs. You ain't from here? Get back on the plane. You want to be here? Read the paragraph above.
Now before you get in a twist, I'm not against people coming to America. DO IT THE RIGHT, LEGAL WAY. That's all I'm saying.
Next, there is no more welfare. No more Government assistance. Get a job. "There ain't any"? Now there are. The people who were here illegally, who have gone home to apply for entry and citizenship, left all the jobs. You start work tomorrow picking oranges, or potatoes, or onions. We will pay you minimum wage. Problems for farmers, solved. You don't want that job? Get another one. You don't like that job? Tough. Get another one. Whatever. We ain't paying for you to sit at home and have babies and drive an Escalade anymore. Stop your whining, put on your big-boy panties and get a job, pay your bills, and pay your taxes -- LIKE I DO!
Now... go vote for me!!
Today's rant over.
.
All my life it has been a joke with my father that "it's too bad everybody can't be like we are." That feeling, or the sense of it, was a big fodder-piece for the destruction of my relationship with the 1st former Mrs. McNeeley. All of us believe that what we feel strongly about is the way life should actually be. I mean, after all, as a matter of fact, I DO know everything! But... I digress!
Here are some of my opinions and feelings.
Cam Newton is a pretty good quarterback. He was while at Auburn, and is in the NFL. Is he the greatest? No. But he's pretty good. He makes things happen with his ability to run, pass, read defenses, etc. BUT - I absolutely despise all of the "it's all about me." He makes a good play - maybe even a great play - and it's the dance and "Superman" shirt peel and arms waving demanding applause. I get the exuberance and the adrenaline flood. Control yourself; there were 10 other people who made that possible. You can do great things, but not by yourself. What I truly enjoyed were the several weeks during which the Panthers weren't winning - badly weren't winning. I enjoyed how sad and pious and humbled and defeated he sounded during the press conferences after the games. Good enough for you. Be a gracious winner like Drew Brees or Aaron Rogers or Eli Manning or Peyton or so many others whom you, Cam, can only hope to be like one day.
I have had enough of the other countries in this world being in better shape than our own. We are putting our people out of work every day by taking our industries to other countries so the big-wigs can make more money. I get the whole profit thing. I understand the desire to cut expenses and increase the bottom line. Do you know that we import $50 billion each year from China just in computer equipment, while the largest export from the U.S. to China is $8 billion worth of... wait for it... waste paper and scrap metal. Things our workers don't make.
A man I know owns an embroidery business. He and his wife opened a small business in north Alabama. They grew their business large enough that, at one point, every flag emblem on the pocket of a TOMMY HILFIGER shirt was sewn by them! Every Polo pony on a RALPH LAUREN shirt was sewn by them! They bought over $1 million of additional high-end equipment to keep up with the customer's needs. And in a very short time, in the blink of an eye, BOTH companies yanked their business to farm out to other countries to make more money. He and his wife were devastated.
We MUST stop this from happening. We MUST return to insisting on products that read "Made in America!" My friend Jon pointed out that if we spend just $100 per month on US goods, instead of Chinese goods, we will bring BILLIONS back into our own economy each year. If we don't, we will continue to see our neighbors lose their jobs and the fat boys of the big companies grow fatter. And more importantly, other countries will begin to replace us as the greatest country in the world. NOT ACCEPTABLE.
This is also true of education for our children. We MUST make the education of our children better. We are so concerned with who might be left behind, or losing our summer vacation, or being politically correct in our schools, or making little Johnny or Susie feel good about themselves that we have lost focus on the process that educating children is the only way we will stay a leader in this ever-advancing world.
During the "Occupy" bullshit... I mean movement, I saw a picture of a guy publicly defecating on an American flag while the large crowd around him cheered. I know that it's his right as an American to do that. I also believe that, if I had been there, I would likely have exercised my right as an American to pummel the living hell out of him. 'Course my buddy Kevin would advocate that it should be my right as an American to put a .45 cal round right between his beady little eyes. I agree.
Because we tolerate this kind of disrespect for our own country, we are the laughing stock of the rest of the world. It's one thing for some less-than-stellar individuals in another country to get sand in their crack and burn our flag, but to allow it at home is unconscionable.
[This is the point where I was going to address the government issues like Healthcare, Fiscal Cliffs, and politicians, but that's going to be lengthy also, so I'll save that for the next time.]
Here is my platform for being elected: The other countries around the world hate us. Fine. Bring every one of our people home. The Germans hate us. Fine. Close our huge Ramstein Air Base and bring our people and all of that revenue the Germans love home. The Middle East countries hate us. Fine. Bring every one of our troops home. When you finish destroying your country and yourselves, we will come in and plant our flag and rename it "America Annex 32."
Next, take all of our Soldiers and put them shoulder to shoulder around the outline of the United States. NO ONE gets in. You want into America? Apply. Go through the proper, legal steps and come on in. I bet our Soldiers would love to stand guard at our borders and sleep in an American bed each night.
Next, when a plane lands at an airport from out of the country, stand at the bottom of the stairs and check IDs. You ain't from here? Get back on the plane. You want to be here? Read the paragraph above.
Now before you get in a twist, I'm not against people coming to America. DO IT THE RIGHT, LEGAL WAY. That's all I'm saying.
Next, there is no more welfare. No more Government assistance. Get a job. "There ain't any"? Now there are. The people who were here illegally, who have gone home to apply for entry and citizenship, left all the jobs. You start work tomorrow picking oranges, or potatoes, or onions. We will pay you minimum wage. Problems for farmers, solved. You don't want that job? Get another one. You don't like that job? Tough. Get another one. Whatever. We ain't paying for you to sit at home and have babies and drive an Escalade anymore. Stop your whining, put on your big-boy panties and get a job, pay your bills, and pay your taxes -- LIKE I DO!
Now... go vote for me!!
Today's rant over.
.
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