You Built that Expletitive

I'm going to talk about myself in this piece and it's not to grandstand or make my lifestyle or choices the central theme of this blog entry. I need to acquiesce my acceptance of nomenclature of what it means to be successful yet remain passionate about moral values and less antiquity. When I was a very young man, my father provided examples for me to work hard. I wasn't raised in poverty per say, but rather from the enlistment of my father's participation in the Vietnam War and later his education, he provided me with a framework of principles & moral standards that I still use today. My dad once said, "In those days you went to war or to college and I wasn't rich, so I went to war." Now let's look at that statement and consider that were talking about. This is in 1957 and I feel it's an excellent example of an era that signifies the past great industrialized era of our country. Back then, to be a member of a minority was to be poor. That was it there was no equal rights even though civil rights were in they're developmental stage of becoming reality, you were poor and their was no class divide. The only divisions were you were poor black or white and even other race, but you were all poor. With this thought in mind, you can imagine that being shipped thousands of miles from home to another country where entire swaths of nationalities were either living in bedlam or utopia, you were acclimated to assimilate to new surroundings. I bring this up because it seems to be the point that is missing in today's society. Were living in times of division and chaotic discourse in society yet no one seems to be speaking up about these issues from a historical stand point that seems to provide any reasonable solution. So in attempt to put forth some plausible reason, I'm going to use my upbringing as an example of how hard work and determination really do pay off not just in lifestyle or worldview, but in moral & ethical standards. My dad is a veteran. He came home to citizens of his own country spitting in his face for serving his country. "You were alone," were his words. He was referring to the way the officers and enlisted men and women traveled. He mentioned that from the foreign countries they were together in groups, but once entering the United States, they split up and traveled alone not to bring attention to themselves as veterans returning from an unpopular war. He quietly returned home and worked. He eventually went to college to receive his education and return home again to serve his tribe. This where I point out that my upbringing was a little different from others because of my father's experience. He rose through the ranks of laborers and eventually became an innovator of programs that matched others skills & abilities with labor they were qualified for. In this part of his life, say around the late sixties to the mid seventies is when my sister and I were brought up. I was born in 1969 and it's the year the U.S. put a man on the moon. I always remember my dad working. He built things with his hands and we were always going outside to put something together or work in some fashion. My memories of hot summer afternoons and working until the sun went down are the most impacting to my life, as I have no doubt that it is the core principle instilled in my mentality and approach towards life. I belief you get what you work for. That in itself is a simple concept that was the example of my upbringing. If you wanted something, you worked for it. I never have been afraid of hard work because in my mind there was always a pay off for one's efforts. It didn't matter if you just had the satisfaction of sweating profusely or developed callused hands, but there was a level of satisfaction that came through achieving something. One of the most vivid memories I have in this time of my life were the other people I learned from besides my dad. My father was a real cowboy and we lived on a reservation, so he was an Indian Cowboy. Some people might not know what I'm talking about, but for those that might not understand it was the idea that you have the mentality of grit and pure toughness. The added the dynamic of being humiliated because of your race or the color of skin tends to add understanding to what I'm talking about. These men in my life associated to me a lifestyle that had a very profound impact on my outlook. Complaining wasn't a thing anyone ever did on a regular basis. A lot of decisions were made out of necessity rather than convenience. The world was tough, but you had to be tougher if you wanted to survive, so that is foundation of my experience at a very young age. My dad didn't want me to go to the military. Well, I had health problems, so it wasn't a reality for me to do that anyway. He provided a strong structure of discipline and communication that can only be characterized by results. This is the way life was you didn't appeal to higher authority if things weren't to your taste or convenience. You sucked it up and dusted yourself off and moved on. Today we live in a touchy feely society where everyone is entitled. I have come across this many times in my life and have always just ignored it because it never seemed to be a viable option. For me, that was just something other people did as last resort whenever they couldn't get what they wanted through their own efforts. Eventually, I started to realize that some people operated that way and that is just how they viewed the world. If you don't quite understand, I'm happy for you, but if you don't it's the idea that the world owes you something or that there is some benefit your missing out on because someone else is keeping it hidden from you or out of your reach. I'll come back to it later. The point is that my perspective relies on what can only be determined as a self made man. My thoughts are simple be respectful of others and treat people the way you want to be treated. I didn't make those points of view up because they were instilled into me from a very young age. Fast forward some 35 years and today the world is confusing. I left the country briefly in 1986 to go to China. I went to Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and then Canton, China which is in the middle of the Asian continent by the Great Wall. The things I saw impacted me greatly from an overall view on life. I would encourage anyone if given the opportunity to leave the United States and travel somewhere in the world. Just being exposed to other cultures and nationalities gives you an open view on society as a whole. You come to appreciate everything you have ever taken for granted. For example, today we have this wedge between institutionalized law enforcement & the public safety. To serve communities is to take a vested interest in said community and walk around introducing yourself to people and getting to know specific details about areas under your responsibility. Now going back to a concept of respect & dignity for yourself and others, it's simple in my mind that when you fail other people, you fail yourself. It is your job & duty to communicate ideas and concepts that allow for open and fair discussions in your everyday activity. I'm going back to an old traditional style of thinking here in that if you take pride in your work your effort will be undeniable. I bring it up because in foreign countries the military is the law enforcement and they are not expected to be civil and obedient to societies standards. They answer only to their superiors and that's it. The general rule of thumb in other countries is don't step out of bounds and you will be okay. Now That's a very brief description. You have to understand what I mean by don't step out of bounds because it applies to your behavior including the words you say. Etiquette is a good social skill to have in western society, but the whole world is not like our experience in a democracy where you have inalienable rights. In other countries if you speak out about your personal opinion on leadership or government, you simply disappear. I'm not using scare tactics to make a point, but it's a well known fact that political asylum only applies to those who carry valuable information. It's just like I described the days of minorities pre civil rights era, everyone was poor and there was no difference. That means if your a journalist or the off spring of someone rich & powerful you might have a chance of surviving a kidnapping or some other form of being physically detained, but if your nobody you just disappear in some foreign countries. So taking that matter into fact, why do you think so many people risk their lives to come to the United States? Think about it when I say entitlement and appreciating your life here in this country. I brought up my father's service in the military because of his effort and every single person that has served in the armed forces currently or in the past is the reason we have the freedoms we enjoy. Speaking openly against your leaders is a privilege in this country and although you have the right to speak your mind openly there are still consequences to inciting hatred & vitriol into society. Pitting citizens against law enforcement and races against each other is not civilized behavior. Chanting "Lock her up," at a political convention is not rallying the supporters of a free society. I can go on and on, but it would be the equivalent of preaching to the choir in a blog entry. I have some extremists in my friends list. They are kept there on purpose, so that I know that my bias and rhetoric is kept to an acceptable level of reason and understanding. I come from a background of do it yourself and get it done mentality. There are no short cuts in my book there are no scape goats in my thinking. If you act outside of the boundaries of law, you pay the price, but today I watched a lady, a school teacher get yanked out of her car and thrown against a pickup truck before she was thrown to the ground by a man with a badge and a gun that was at least three times bigger than her. She's been quiet about this for a month and finally she's getting the chance to have that incident brought to light because of all the other incidents proceeding it. Now she's alive and has video evidence of the incident. Sure she was screaming and flailing about through the whole video, but who wouldn't be? It's like I said, in other countries you don't get a choice you just disappear. Is that what the leaders that are pitting one race against the other are proposing? The onslaught of build a wall and kick everyone out sounds like a return to the 50's to me, is that what were proposing? Are we considering turning back the hands of time 66 years? The candidate that gave a speech yesterday took his outline from 1962. He had the option to pivot to the center for a major political election, but he decided to go full Mussolini in front of the whole world. Today David Duke released a video declaring his candidacy for senate. He credited his opportunity to run for office because of the success of the previous candidate I mentioned. For those who don't know who David Duke is he is the Grand Wizard of the Klu Klux Klan a white supremacist group. The men that I talk about that fought and died for this country would never let anything like this happen, so the question is how do people who are entitled that never worked for anything get to the point that they want everything and don't want others to exist? That's the question I think a lot of people are asking today and if they are not than they are perhaps unaware or scared. It's our job as decent human beings to recognize threats to our future and the safety of others. This type of rhetoric isn't political grand standing it's inexplicable. The dark soul of the real American heritage has been awakened in the form of bias, prejudice & superiority. It doesn't matter that the man leading the charade isn't even a politician. The system of checks and balance is off kilter because in reality these snake oil salesman have been setting up the conditions for this to happen for at least three decades. Divide and conquer America and sell off the rest has been the goal all this time and that spectacle of a public gathering solidified it's legitimacy. All I can think is the metaphor of music when it comes to the conclusion of the convention. The Rolling Stones was one if not the greatest rock bands of all time. The songs they became famous for were taken from jazz and rhythm & blues artists of the south. These artist were African American. The Rolling Stones didn't know where the songs originated from, but after many years of success acknowledged the roots of the music and made effort to bestow the credit of the music's source to the rightful owners. America was never discovered. It was home to millions of Native Americans for centuries. It's destruction and rebuilding was provided by immigrants of all nations from all over the world. This is the last frontier. If you destroy this nation and everything it stands for there is nothing left to destroy and rebuild. We the people have the right to live given to us by god and no other. Rather if your Christian or Catholic or Protestant or Methodist you have freedom of religion. Anybody in their right mind would recognize that those words were hateful and meant to destroy anyone who didn't agree. That's your monster conservatives, "You Built that!"

Note to Consider

Yeah camaraderie that's what it's called. I wasn't really good at that when I was in school. Although, I wasn't anti-social or anything I guess I never valued it as much as I do now. I think when I was young I was so focused on results for myself. When I hear parents talk about their children and grades, I understand the value of grades, but I never pushed myself when I was that age. That's an important part of learning. Now I pay attention to what I do because others are watching. The youth go through different challenges today and I try to see myself in their shoes. I read a lot in order to have the right words to say. Speaking of teachers, I respect the people I work with. In order to properly represent our culture, we seek mentors. I find it kind of funny because guys like me and others are the last people I would've guessed to be examples because we were athletes. I didn't care about expression of ideas until I saw it hindered. The first time it occurred to me is when I was in a position to help others. For instance, remember that gal from Spokane who was the leader of the NAACP? She was exposed for not being African American. I thought that was so hypocritical of anyone to criticize her. This lady worked her butt off for the issues. At least that was my opinion. When I saw the pictures of her when she was younger, it was pretty obvious she wasn't a minority. Isn't that like gender confusion or something? Instead of her sexuality it was her race. She identified with people of color. Lawyers, Doctors, professionals from all walks of life have done it before. The worlds so dedicated to political correctness. Like were watching each other so closely. I'm implored daily with readings on interpersonal communications. It probably doesn't help that I focus on race. Nine times out of ten that's the problem. Actually, I'm going to correct myself because it's class & stature relations that's the problem. I reverse course on that thought because even within different cultures and classes, the disparity between rich & poor is wide. Race is represented, but based on our biggest differences become about our economic status, otherwise how could an Anglo Saxon become the spokesperson for the colored people? We all tend to retreat to our comfort zone when challenged. Take Sarah Palin for instance, a momma grizzly that can see Russia from her porch. She's a great example of what I'm discussing. A great image on the surface until a person starts looking past all the pageantry. I was really impressed when she came on the scene. That admiration quickly turned into head scratching though because she started out good, but suddenly she couldn't even tell us what books she had read. She defended herself by saying reporters are looking for the moment of opportunity with Gotcha! Questions. I thought naming an author is hardly scandalous. What's funnier is when Rick Perry couldn't tell us the three branches of government he would eliminate if he became president. I kind of went into the supporting evidence afterwards concerning his credentials. You see if a person is legitimate and discusses these issues on a regular basis, they are deeply familiar with the details. Sarah, not having read a book and Perry promising to end a government program that he can't even name is an all-time low in intelligence. That's the type of ignorance scares me. I keep these subjects in my blog to remind myself that qualification to be commenting on a subject requires that one should first know the subject. I know I write progressive rhetoric and that's the concept that I'm going for. I figure if I can motivate people to resist demagogues than it's an indication of proper messaging. I picked that narrative because this state is split in opposite and opposing parties. On the west side are Urban idealist and the like and out here we have all red state folk. I figure if I can thrive amongst the opposite political types eventually I can take serious analysis into my own parties agenda and eventually implode stereo types. I think that's the point of modern activism because obviously the status quo isn't looking out for anyone, but themselves. I need someone to examine the mechanics of my words though. Just like the political figures who stumble and fall, if I don't do my homework, I can fail at writing. I don't have expertise to organize my thoughts into language, so I'm just kind of free styling without judgment.. Punctuation is key, but framing the sentences is critical in being able to articulate a message. Command of the facts help to obtain credibility. Anyone can mangle the English language like a fifth grader, but it's the art of persuasion that I pay attention to. I don't worry about plagiarism because I feel the flaws in writing are an obvious indication the words are my own, but I do copy my favorite authors style. Sherman Alexie was my best friend's neighbor in our youth. He had health issues, so we weren't allowed to play outside. His mom was vital in instructing him. His life was quite tragic yet for a Native it was typical. Now he's one of the most recognized writers for the type of books he writes. I think the key is his style. He speaks truth from the heart yet he dramatizes the narrative. He's giving the reader basic facts of life on the reservation, but he creates interesting characters to draw you in. I know because I recognize them in real life. They are based on real people who are not that interesting. I can see that it's from our particular perspective or viewpoint that we don't find our own lives peculiar, but when we expose our reality to outsiders the opposite is true. I like George Will to. The waves of controversy he sent across the political spectrum by leaving the G.O.P. is an indication of lowering the bar. People are into tearing down political figures in this era and it's no different than the French revolution or America fighting for independence. These are full time operations with think tank recommendations bordering on ridiculous. I can imagine social scientists are working around the clock like during the Cold War. Manipulation of public opinion is big business. I think that's my caveat in notoriety. We tolerate some questionable behavior in order to get a glimpse on how the mind works. Although it's the outrage of peddling ignorance, if it wasn't for the scandal & outrage, I wouldn't have reason to push back. I think all educated people are probably looking to dissolve the current state of ignorance ever present in America. Cool heads will prevail, but we have to fight these arguments one at a time. Things like inventing your own math need to go away, as well as inventing your own facts. It's not a repudiated attack on disseminated information , but it's definitely a proclamation to hold the uninformed accountable. Basically what I want to achieve is that when I write an opinion piece academics will instantly recognize the scholastic influence and improve the argument. Today I read a piece on ,"Opioid of the Masses," referring to the decay of moral fiber in hometown citizens. This quote caught my eye, “We’re expected to be shepherds to these children, but they’re all raised by wolves.” those wolves are here. There not coming in from Mexico, not prowling the halls of power in Washington or Wall Street, but here in ordinary American communities and families and homes. The indication that folks are turning on each other in that statement is reality. We setup a strawman in the form of an oppressor, but it's us who are attacking one another. What type of example is that for children or what can we say for ourselves in front of the elders. Sentiment is everything when concerned with the state of affairs, but where is our morality? That is why I am combing through the past to find the evidence of our future. Influence is the commodity were peddling like a street market produce supplier. In order to sell your product, people need to see the value in what you're saying. Right now the Semitism (accountable) is present. The racial slurs are thriving and the suspicion of each other is growing like a tumorous lung puffing on a cigarette. United We stand and divided we fall. We all know the words by heart, but have we ever stopped to consider the message. I will borrow the words of James Comey, current F.B.I. director immediately after the takedown of George W. Bush's domestic spying program, “We know that our actions, and those of the agencies we support, will be held up in a quiet, dignified, well-lit room, where they can be viewed with the perfect, and brutally unfair, vision of hindsight. We know they will be reviewed in hearing rooms or courtrooms where it is impossible to capture even a piece of the urgency and exigency felt during a crisis,” adding that such pressure made reasoned thinking all the more necessary: “‘No’ must be spoken into a storm of crisis.” I also borrowed this from an anonymous source regarding the blindfold lady justice wears: "The blindfold represents objectivity, in that justice is or should be meted out objectively, without fear or favour, regardless of money, wealth, fame, power, or identity; blind justice and impartiality." These inspiring words guide our thoughts and just as we were taught to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, One Nation under God Indivisble with Liberty and Justice for all. So in the spirit of independence and celebration of our vast history of turmoil, grownups must lead the charge to bring some civility to our life today. Don't you agree? The pursuit of freedom is not the same as the protection of freedom. When you swear an oath you are prescribing to certain conditions under which sacrificing some alienable rights will assure the safe passage for others. That's the concept being ignored today yet many long for the time when America was great. "Make America Great Again," prescribes to this idea, but without the valor to achieve it. Being that is the substance of our modern day philosophy, it is sham, a doppelganger being used to supply vitriol to the unincorporated and disenfranchised. "The Wolves," come in sheep's clothing to offer themselves as the victim yet they are undisciplined in judgment. They cry, "fair opportunity to have their needs met," yet they are looking to conquer all those who are truly in need. This is moral and ethical question today.. Just ask yourself, Who is to gain from the lessoning of convenient memory? Make lists of those allowed to move about freely? Subjugate monitoring policies for the oppressed? Hasn't history told us what this behavior leads to? Yet there are those that will claim it's needed. Reverse racism isn't a thing. A monolithic system that derides freedom & equality cannot be considered patriotic. Turmoil, blood and civil war are anarchist at best. Feudalism turns a population of tenants into service towards troughs that offer protection. Giving homage as tenets of society while being obliged to live as serfs is not freedom. The American war machine is no longer productive abroad so now it is imploding within. Take Great Britain as example where infighting and referendum have resulted in invoking article 50. Every finalist in the conservative contest for leadership has stated that it is a discussion of the terms in which Britain will leave the European Union. They are very careful not to bring up the fact that it is a negotiation. Now what does that tell you when leaders will not mention the fact that it is a negotiation? It means that fallout from two opposing sides has resulted in chaos & confusion. What is the leading principle we have here in America holding democracy together by a thread? Civility! When civil unrest occurs, civil disobedience follows and that results in a police state ruled by marshal law. Invoking laws and triggering state of emergency is wartime activity within secured borders. Now I must ask, is this the result of political saliently on behalf of the voter or the conservative party? In other words, who is inciting violent protest? Are the voters? I know I see evidence of squirmishes at rallies, but the worst I saw was violence at a KKK rally. Now for whatever the reason the KKK started showing up at political rallies is anyone's guess, but lately the connection between one candidate in America is stoking racial aggression. The statements that violence is acceptable and financial bailout will be available for riot inciters is reprehensible. This is where we are in America. Reasonable debate is no longer the foundation of our democracy. Political Science Majors can and will tell you all of the circumstances in which civil unrest occur. I can make graphs & charts to pinpoint the topics and explain the indicators. I think it's easier if I just state that political tactics have been exhausted to sway public opinion. The microbial adjustment of the needle in public opinion has barely moved in the last eighteen months. News cycle after news cycle produce outlandish claims that every little story has unleashed a torrent of scandal that has devastated the party leaders and yet the polling shows no public opinion has changed drastically. At the conclusion of each week the news is reported, "bombing in some foreign country, shooting in our own and party affiliates tote the line of the establishment as usual." Yesterday, the F.B.I. released a long awaited enquiry into a proposed scandal of epic proportion and what did we learn? No charges will be brought because although negligence has been found, it does not require a criminal charge. This lead to meltdowns and hair pulling by conservatives to cry foul and vow to bring yet another enquiry and spend even more of the tax payer dollars. When does it end? When do the wolves in sheep's clothing become satisfied? Is there anything that fills this void of moral aptitude or ethical examination? I'm not just siding with the liberals here either. Everything they do and say seems to be a calculated move to paint the competition as unreasonable and foolish. The problem is were past the return to sane and professional behavior and it has the public firmly entrenched in a unforeseeable future. Is our next step to wall off our borders and implode from within like Great Britain? What about the outcome of the next election? We haven't seen regular or normal behavior from those required to lead in over thirty odd years. Scandal after scandal after scandal is a waste of energy and frankly compromises the integrity of everyone it touches. The sole purpose of capturing the moral high ground is to help others achieve the same understanding and raise the bar of intellect & education in America. I started this post by mentioning camaraderie & education. I talked about speaking to young people with examples and attitudes that provides good information on how to communicate to others. I chronologically documented the beginning of the downfall in political correctness and attitudes of civil and patriotic unions of allegiance. Apparently in 524 years we've progressed merely an inch in society. With all the technical advancements in communication and science or medicine, we've seem to come to a consensus that our democracy is still just an experiment.