The Gloves are OFF!

If pockets of the citizenry were uncertain on the views of the “tea baggers”, everything should be crystal clear now. In Sarah Palin and her buddy Michelle Bachmann using the term “gangster” government, which could be derived from the term “gangsta rap”, an arena dominated by African-American males, there’s no doubt of the innuendo and the message is no longer veiled.

This fringe of insanity within our society is trying to bring back the good ole days for racists. It is most unfortunate that there are those with color in their pigment who are either confused because they don’t see themselves as Black; brainwashed because, like Uncle Ruckus, feels that Caucasians can do no wrong; or delirious because they’re playing a part in what they perceive as the greater scheme of things. Hey, it could be all of the above. For those unfamiliar with the aforementioned character, Uncle Ruckus is a character in the cartoon Boondocks. Boondocks is the creation of Aaron McGruder, a brilliant young African-American, who addresses the complexity of African-Americans in their foolishness, biases, etc., from the perspective of two brothers, Huey and Riley, who live with their grandfather in the suburbs.

Sarah Palin is stretching her 15 minutes of fame and how pitiful that we pay so much attention to someone who has nothing of substance to contribute. Her bloviations is like cotton candy; it’s sweet to eat but still leaves one empty, of course, her words are only sweet to the ears of those who actually believe her words. In another article, I quoted Andre Gide, a French author and Nobel Prize winner in literature, who said “it is easier to lead men to combat, stirring up their passion, than to restrain them and direct them towards the patient labors of peace” and this is the goal of Sarah Palin and the neurotic band of Fox’s personalities, to create and lead in a battle formed in their miniscule minds. Another quote I previously used is from Ovid, a Roman writer who stated, “fair peace becomes men, ferocious anger belongs to beasts”. What a minute, doesn’t that sound like these ultra-conservative tea baggers and their supporters? Their apparent hatred of President Obama was barely disguised to those of us who saw pass their smokescreen of “not wanting big government” but again, where were these intellectually defunct citizens when little Bush was wasting money? Oh, I forgot, they didn’t mind that his decision to invade Iraq was putting us in the red because of the Bush Tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans, so it didn’t affect them. Reminds me of Reagan’s trickle down philosophy but it doesn’t work if you’re at the bottom of the economic ladder and what these citizens fail to realize is that there could be a battle brewing. There are so many disenfranchised people in this country and who’s to say that one won’t rise from amongst the disenfranchised to stage something similar to the French Revolution? The tea baggers assume that only they have the right to stage their ridiculous gatherings in public venues but it is for those who have next to nothing who should be airing their grievances and maybe at some point, the two will clash as they did during the French Revolution. It’s a good thing for the tea baggers that usage of the guillotine is no longer the norm.

Any who, I digress; sometimes I just get so carried away with my thoughts and my passion for politics. It’s just so mentally exhilarating to me. With Arizona taking the measures they took with not only how law enforcement address Hispanic looking citizens but the addition that one must provide documentation of citizenship or more specifically, a birth certificate to prove that they are indeed a U.S. citizen to be on a ballot in that state is a bold statement from those desiring the ole days. We well know that the “birthers” and tea baggers had much to do with this and the second part of this bill is a direct attack on President Obama. My mind may be a little fuzzy but isn’t all of that already addressed in federal law in the requirements to run in a presidential election? All I can feel for these deluded fellow citizens is pity; any negative emotion is far too much to give to this misguided group. President Obama is being true to his beliefs, as “we then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak and not to please ourselves”[1]. My thoughts of these folks are summarized with this, “He who walks in darkness does not know where he is going”[2].

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[1] Romans 15:1

[2] John 12:35

The Fear of Change

I read an article on Yahoo’s site about President Clinton, who during an event, warned of the power of words especially incendiary words in this hostile climate. He also reminded us how such words fall into the audio receptacles of the sane and insane, those on the very brink of madness or as I see it, twisted patriotism, to perpetrate an act as heinous as the one committed by Timothy McVeigh on April 1995. What really disturbed me were some of the comments left by those wishing to share their opinions on the article. There are so much twisted and truly troubled minds out there, the venomous hate just seeping through the very harsh rhetoric not only by notables such as Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin, to name a few, but the average citizens living under the delusions that their “leaders” speak the truth.

“Any change, even a change for the better, is always accompanied by drawbacks and discomfort”[1], because “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another”[2] and this is what frightens those opposed to President Obama. I have always felt that the “tea baggers” aren’t fearful of the government and their excuse in their behavior is not acceptable. My assumption of them during last year’s April 15^th noise making has been proven correct. They are those who can afford to do as they do as they are not among the poverty-stricken yet not one of them raised a voice as Bush was bleeding this country. Obama didn’t put us into debt, it was Bush but there can be no mistake as to why their fury is as insatiable as a junkie needing the next fix; it is their fear of a Black man and a Democrat at that, who’s in the driver’s seat. I remember during the Clinton administration, how Newt Gingrich and the GOP battled with the president and everything he wanted to accomplish. I realized one of the reasons they hated him so much was his popularity with the average citizen as well as his strategically political moves, as he stepped on their toes frequently. The current political atmosphere is similar with the exception of the skin color of our current president. There is no mistake of the seething hatred of the “tea baggers”, starting with the insidious rants starting with the “birthers” and now enmeshed with the “tea baggers”. President Obama and Clinton where raised by single mothers and witnessed firsthand the struggles of these women and the reason that they have fought and fight for those with less. Within the realm of the “tea baggers”, they don’t understand the struggle and they don’t care. They are spoiled children having a temper tantrum because they didn’t get their way, nothing more, and nothing less. It was the citizenry with the “tea bagger” mentality, that helped tipped the economy to the precipice but they’re so wrapped up in their own little world and blinded by their hate of all things outside their way of being, they don’t see the part they have played and are still playing in de-stabilizing our society. The leaders of the pack and their followers make assumptions forgetting what happens when one makes assumptions, ignoring the fact that they are truly making asses of themselves. They are beyond reasoning, beyond comprehension. They are the blind leading the blind, groping around in the dark trying to find something to hold on to out of their fear and hatred. Their fears stem from the fact that under any Republican president, they have prospered but under a Republican administration, “the government, which was designed for the people, has gotten into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interest. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy”[3]. Isn’t that form of government far more dangerous than the alleged “socialist” government they say Obama is operating?

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[1] Arnold Bennett

[2] Anatole France

[3] Woodrow Wilson

The Art of Diplomacy

“He who is slow to wrath has great understanding; but he who is impulsive exalts folly”[1]. On April 12^th, President Obama finished a summit to address the proliferation and/or the attempt to stop such an action with 47 of the world’s leaders and China actually participated. It has been said that there hasn’t been a meeting like this since the end of World War II. Thomas Jefferson said, “peace and friendship with all mankind is our wisest policy, and I wish we may be permitted to pursue it” and I believe that is the attitude taken by President Obama. It is interesting to me that Democratic presidents seem to do more in reaching out to others than those of the Republican persuasion.

While Richard Nixon’s visit to China was indeed an ice breaker or Ronald Reagan’s shout of, “tear down the wall, Mr. Gorbachev” was acted upon; neither they, Ford or the Bush’s had the power to make a real dent in the world’s society as Carter and now Obama. Yes, I know that Reagan had a somewhat friendly relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev, just as Bill Clinton had with Boris Yeltsin and started the steady meltdown of the Cold War but did it change how this country or the world viewed Russia? Jimmy Carter was able to get two enemies, Egypt’s Anwar al-Saddat and Israel’s Menachem Begin, to sit down in the arena of diplomacy and see their similar needs to agree upon and sign the “Camp David Accords”, which has neutralized the animosity between these two nations. Not to say that everything has been peaches and cream since then but that relationship was akin to the current situation between Israel and the Palestinian. Unfortunately, due to zealots in Israel and Egypt, not unlike our current tea baggers, both men were assassinated due to their stance on peace.

“Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime”[2], something the tea baggers should meditate on, and President Obama has dedicated himself to such a lifetime, starting with being a community activist. A closed fist cannot achieve the same results as an open hand of friendship and this is what warmongers fail to realize, whether it’s those in this nation or abroad. It is most interesting that the only two presidents who have ever received a Nobel Prize are two aforementioned and only one during his administration. While Democratic presidents strive to pursue diplomacy as the first line of action, leaving violence as the last resort; Republican presidents see diplomacy as a sign of weakness and do not hesitate in using violence as the primary response to any nation who causes an affront. Well did Andre-Gide say, “It is easier to lead men to combat, stirring up their passion, than to restrain them and direct them toward the patient labors of peace”. The neglect of diplomacy in any matter but especially in foreign affairs is akin to allowing a vicious animal to roam free knowing that the outcome is always fatal. Republicans see diplomacy as a sign of weakness just as society sees compassion and understanding as signs of weaknesses, however, “peace hath higher tests of manhood than battle ever knew”[3], which essentially means that any bully can start a fight but one who can resolve the issue is one who has strength. I will close with another quote that puts this topic into perspective and it is this, “fair peace becomes men; ferocious anger belongs to beasts”[4]. So, I ask you, are you man or beast and which will you follow?

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[1] Proverbs 14:29

[2] Adlai Stevenson

[3] John-Greenleaf Whittier

[4] Ovid

Minds and Hearts

“The liberty of democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it comes strong than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism-ownership of government by an individual, by a group or any controlling private power”, is a quote by FDR and such is the case of the conservative branch of the GOP, and you know of whom I speak. An adage says, “it’s better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you’re a fool than to open it and prove them right”. Well, they’ve opened their mouths and darn it, they are fools and what’s worse is they take a little bit of real facts, add their spin and voilá, their brand of insanity. Stupid is for someone who doesn’t know any better while fools are those who think they know a thing in their own mind. A William Faulkner quote says, “unless you’re ashamed of yourself now and then, you’re not honest”. Well, they seem to have no shame in the mis-information they share with their merry bands of seemingly mindless followers who eat up everything, as though it is gospel, so if they have no shame, they’re not honest. They became a pack of rabid dogs chasing their tails, gnashing their teeth and foaming, not only at the mouths, but at the brains as well after Obama won the presidential election. The madness intensified during the debate on Healthcare Reform. For example, after a day on the Hill when an 11 year old recounted the death of his mother from high blood pressure, one of these conservatives, Michelle Malkin, heartlessly stated that “Senator Harry Reid was hiding behind an 11 year old child”, while ignoring the facts presented which is this child’s mother is dead from a treatable disease. Rightly, did FDR quote, “men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds” and these conservatives are truly prisoners of their mean and miniscule brains.

Back on May 2^nd, 2009, the hierarchy of the GOP had a meeting up the street from me in Arlington, Virginia, to discuss a strategy on how they could re-group in this one of their most abysmal periods. No Ronald Reagan personalities among them and one of their more senior members, Sen. Arlen Specter, made like a ghost and disappeared from their ranks, boo-hoo. Then of all days, Mother’s Day, Dick Cheney spewed his distaste for all things different from his way of being, yeah, he’s living up to his first name, especially after siding with a putrid boil of hate named Rush Limbaugh. Hey, you two, having a different point of view doesn’t make one right or wrong, just another way of seeing a thing. Even Sen. McCain’s mother, on Jay Leno in May 2009, stated that Rush Limbaugh doesn’t speak for her as a Republican, so if that’s true and there are other Republicans like her, where are they? Why are they allowing this festering pool of bigotry, racism, hate and hard-heartedness to speak for their party?

As a Born-again Christian, Democrat and a Black single parent, there is nothing decent about the GOP especially the conservatives, absolutely nothing. They are religious, pompous blow-hards desiring power to control how others live. They have not one compassionate bone for anyone beyond their way of being but they call themselves Christians. Jesus Christ spoke to His version of conservatives, Pharisees and Sadducees, saying to them, “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things”[1] . He also said, “Not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man”[2]. The problem with these people is them assuming that their way of being is infallible while their modus operandi is both insidious and duplicitous. How can anyone support Limbaugh’s statement of wishing “the Obama administration fails” and say there’s no evil in that? Not even during the eight disastrous years of the Bush administration did any Democrat not even the most liberal, stoop to the level of vile and disrespect shown by conservatives. Their key tactical weapon is fear; fear of race; fear of weakness; fear of compassion and fear of being different from the pack. FDR says of fear, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” and the Bible tells us, “for God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind”[3]. I don’t know about you, but they don’t seem to have sound minds or good hearts.

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[1] Matthew 12:34-37

[2] Matthew 15:11

[3] 2 Timothy 1:7