Americans, Really?

Here we go again.  The bastard children of the Republican Party known as the Tea Party are at it again as they attempt to once again, shut down the United States federal government, thus shutting down the lives of ordinary citizens especially the most vulnerable.  They call themselves patriots but I think not!!!! Better, I know that they are not.  Why?  Because they claim to be advocates of the U.S. Constitution and even worse, Christians.  Follow me as I expand on who they really are albeit many of you already know that they are wolves in sheep’s clothing but goodness maybe that is sullying the wolf because we know wolves don’t pretend to be what they are not.  They are communal beast, dedicated and loyal to their pack; not so these Tea Party folks, their heart desires are grandiose for “their” political climb, maybe up to the Oval Office.

Before I continue my ramble, I have to point out one of the Tea Party’s golden boy, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.  Now, I don’t know about anyone else but when someone who holds a position of power within our government heap praise upon a former senator who exemplified all that is hateful within the human genome, yes America, we have problems.  Ted Cruz lauded the very caricature of racism and bigotry, Jesse Helms, stating that there should be “100 more like Jesse Helms”.[1]  Now, I have three links because no one in their right mind could even conceive that with the Republican Party attempting to “broaden” their political tent that one of their own would even utter these words.  Grant it, it was a celebration of sorts of Helms but one can acknowledge the life of a person without such pontification; this was bonkers and boy will it haunt not only Cruz but Republicans because no one in a leadership position even stood up and denounced the words.  Que sera sera!!!

Okay, back to the task at hand.  If anarchy means a chaotic situation, a situation in which there is a total lack of organization or control; that would make those who pursue such measures anarchist.  While I do consider them dangerous for the good of the nation, I do not consider them [nor would I] home grown terrorists, however, within the legal vernacular, their “threat” to shut down the government yet again would be considered a “credible threat” and “The term credible threat means a threat that is “ real and immediate, not conjectural or hypothetical. Kegler v. United States DOJ, 436 F. Supp. 2d 1204, 1212 (D. Wyo. 2006)”.[2]  So my fellow citizens, I ask you, have we become a bunch of lazy sit on our collective asses citizen pansies who will allow these individuals to do this again!!?? These people take an oath and that oath says, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”[3] This is not what they are doing.  If any group of peoples have the right to shut down the government, it is “we, the people”; not elected officials.  The Framers of the Constitution must be writhing in their graves on the audacity of these individuals to harm our great but imperfect Republic in this manner.  For them: “Anarchism is founded on the observation that since few men are wise enough to rule themselves, even fewer are wise enough to rule others” (Edward Abbey, 1928– 1989); and for the rest of us “If I sit silently, I have sinned” (Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh, (1882 – 1967).

 

 

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[1] http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/09/ted-cruz-we-need-100-more-jesse-helms  http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/scarce/praise-jesse-helms-ted-cruz & http://www.scribd.com/doc/167489438/Transcript-of-Sen-Ted-Cruz-s-Remarks-at-the-Heritage-Foundation

[2] http://definitions.uslegal.com/c/credible-threat/

[3]http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Oath_Office.htm  

Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays

I would like to address the stupidity of some who have nothing better to do but squabble about petty sentiments.  First of all, I don’t see the term “Christmas” anywhere in the Bible because it is a term coined by man who saw a way of making a profit and flexing their religious piety and as it includes the coming year it is indeed holidays; not only that but one of definition of the word “holiday” is “holy day”.  I don’t see anywhere in the New Testament that they celebrated the birth of Christ any more than they celebrated His death and resurrection.  They celebrated His life and the purpose of it, the power of it. Petty sentiments as ‘Merry Christmas’ or ‘Happy Holidays’ does not sway our Creator, only petty people.  Displaying the nativity scene or the Ten Commandments does not change the fact that the energy used by these zealots, has no bearing on easing the sufferings of our fellow human beings.

In truth, if one was to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas, one would open the doors of their heart and homes to those who have nothing.  JESUS was born to save us; He was a sacrifice for us, yet we are not willing to sacrifice except for our family and loved ones.  We do not sacrifice for His cause which is to take care of the weak and despised of our society, those who are inscribed on the Statue of Liberty.  To paraphrase, “Give me your tired and your poor, your humbled masses yearning to be free.”

He IS the reason for the season yet we fail to live as He showed us.  Going to church and singing songs is not enough to celebrate CHRIST.  If it was truly about Him, why do we buy gifts to give to those within our little circles?  If it was truly about Him, why do we have one month alone to share and spread the love, joy and peace?  If it was truly about Him, would we not live the love, joy and peace all of the year?  If it was truly about Him, why don’t we hear of the homeless being housed; those without parents being taken in and adopted?  If it was about Him, why don’t we hear a cry so loud, in unison, to do away with the injustices?  If it was about Him, why isn’t the love He has shown us not permeating at home and abroad as well?  In all honesty, when it comes to the forgotten and ignored of our society, “What Would Jesus Do?”

We are a very ignorant society.  We force our children to sit on the lap of a stranger dressed up as Santa Claus, without knowing who the person is or what Claus stands for.  In truth, ‘santa’ is another word for ‘saint’.  The story is that this person went to the homes of the poor, delivering not only much needed fuel and food but also toys for the children as well.  There is a Christmas carol entitled “Good King Wenceslaus”, about a king who went out into the deep freeze of night to deliver fuel and food to the poor of his kingdom.  These actions exemplify what the celebration is about, not the celebration of Christ’s birth but the celebration of His life.  We look to His birth and the power of it in its simplicity.  We look to His death, knowing He took our place and the power of the sacrifice.  We must celebrate His life, not just on one given day but all year round.  “But whoever has this world’s good and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart from him, how can the love of GOD be in him?  My little children, let us not love in word or in talk but in action and in truth, {1 John 3: 17-18}”.

  
Sandra M. Corder
12/19/05

           

Black Folks – Our Story,Do We Know?

Do we know who we are?  Do we really know our story?  Many of us are narrow-minded or ignorant to whom we are as a race.  Many of us are narrow-minded or ignorant to the truth of whom and how many has fought by our side.  Many of us just don’t care and would rather live in a small narrow-minded or ignorant world.

Here’s some truth for you to digest:  Not all Caucasian (white) folks are racists or our enemy! Before White men landed on the African shores, many of our ancestors were already slaves.  If tribe A battled tribe B, the losing tribe was enslaved by the victor.  Half the slaves coming over where traded from African master to American master, slavery is still slavery, no matter the color of the master.  During the battle for freedom and justice, let’s not forget people like John Brown, a White abolitionist, who died trying to stop slavery.  Remember that Sojourner couldn’t have operated the Underground Railroad with success if not for the White folks who helped her, because Black folks did not own homes back then.  You have to know the truth before you can live; you have to know the truth so that the shackles of confusion and hatred can be released. 

What is the meaning of Black History? Is it of African savages naked and wild and Tarzan saving the natural inhabitants from themselves; or is it of the days of the Southern rule on slavery, when mothers killed their child(ren) to save it; or when the saying was “the best niggrah was a dead niggrah”?  Or is our history of strong hopes, ambitions and dreams; of bloodshed, tears and rapes; of deaths of young Black men, dangling like rag dolls from tree limbs, castrated from the fears of ignorant men? To whom do we owe our circumcised freedom?  We owe it to those who fought for this, both Black and White.  We owe it to those who weren’t able to sit anywhere, eat anywhere or own anything. For whom shall we struggle, for whom shall we enrich our minds, strength and soul in our history?  Our virgin history that was plundered, stolen and borrowed until it is ours no longer.  We shall struggle for ourselves, for our children and theirs, to search and find our super heroes, Black people who lived strong in their beliefs and died fearless for their belief; so too shall we grow strong in our race and ourselves.  In learning our story, we shall be afraid no longer.  No longer shall we belittle each other, for if we cannot progress as a race, we shall cease to exist, until we are no more.

The truth is that we need to know who we are in our Creator’s eyes first and then deal with our issues as a race.  If we know who we are in GOD’s eyesight, then His spiritual truth will set us free to learn and accept the truth of our racial story.  Not all Caucasians are against us and not everyone of our race is working on our behalf.  Know the truth to free yourselves from the spiritual, mental and racial prisons.  Because if all men are created equal, why are we trying so hard to keep up?  

Sandra M. Corder

8/1/05

         

 

 

 

Black Folks – Racism

There are two sets of truths that exist, spiritual and physical and although I try to live by the spiritual, living on this earth sometimes make it quite difficult.  Before I go into my perspective, I will start with two spiritual truths; they are “GOD is no respecter of persons” {Acts 10:34} and “from ONE blood GOD created EVERY nation of men” {Acts 17:26}.

Racism is evil in itself and all who practice it, even Christians, are stiff-necked, hard-hearted people.  Beyond that, it never fails to amaze me that Black folks would have the audacity to practice this evil not only against others but each other. Somewhere along the way, Black folks assumed that they had that kind of power, NOT.  I am so tired of hearing about ‘foreigners’ first because my parents are foreigners as am I and second we are all of one race, human.   I am tired of hearing Black folks whine and complain about those foreigners.  They do the jobs Black folks are too good to do anymore, so what’s the problem? Black folks complain about how many of them live in an apartment or a house but they are working together to better themselves, what are we doing for each other?

In retrospect, the signing of the Civil Rights Bill did more harm than good because we lost our souls; we lost ourselves.  I say that because the racism practiced against us still exists but we are no longer united.  Before the signing of the C.R. Bill, we were there for each other, for comfort, for strength.  Although we’re now allowed to sit anywhere on the bus many still resort to the back.  Those of our race who ‘have made it’ have forgotten those of who haven’t.  Usually it’s the light skinned, long hair females such as Beyonce, who is thrust upon us as the measure of beauty.  Black children and adults who have the nerve to strive for something better are labeled as trying to be white.  What is wrong with us? 

For the talking some Black folks do, they don’t or can’t seem to back it up by taking action.  What happened after the Million Man March?  I don’t see Black men stepping up to the plate.  What about the Million Woman March?  Black women are still treating each other with disrespect and distrust. The things Black folks had to contend with before the signing of the bill, still exists.  Racism hasn’t been erased; those who practice it just can’t do it as openly as before.  The problem also lies in the fact that people like Clarence Thomas and others of the Black race practice racism against their own race [known as reverse racism].  It’s all about image and what they got and what they can achieve for themselves and their peers.  If they were about us, they would have fought harder for equality and justice.

The owner of a dog will do what is necessary to keep it quiet.  Within the global community, the U.S. was the owner; Black folks were the dogs.  The neighbors were watching to see what was going to happen, so to quiet us they gave us a bone.  Once we got that bone, we settled down with a whimper.  We have no power because we are divided. I will close with two adages that says, “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem” and “Silence is golden”.

 

Sandra M. Corder

7/10/05           

Usurpers of the Faith

As people prepare to close out 2011, they scurry around to buy a present for someone or a few loved ones, while others are wondering if they will be able to afford even one tiny gift for their child(ren). The question I ask though is what is the actual celebration of the holiday, Christmas?

Before I continue, I must reiterate the fact that there are two sets of Christians, man’s perspective and God’s. It was a stroke of commercial genius for whoever started the tradition of buying gifts for family, friends, and others on the day allegedly marked as the birth of Jesus Christ, however, there is no mention in the New Testament of this practice. Just stop and ask yourselves, what is the purpose of buying gifts for those you are close to on one particular day when you have 364 other days in which to buy them a gift? If one was truly to follow the lead of Jesus Christ, should one not do something for the least of these our brothers, as He did? Does it prove you are faithful to the celebration of His birth because you buy those gifts? The three magi brought those gifts as signs of reverence for what God had shared with them and do note that none of them where of the house of Israel. Those notified of Christ’s birth were at the bottom of the economic status, they were shepherds. At no time did God see fit to inform the wealthy, the learned, the political and religious leaders, no He sent angels to deliver the glad tidings of hope, love, and peace, to those who were of meager existence.

Man’s Christians see this celebration of a means of letting God know how much they love His Son, however, they forget the very purpose of Christ’s birth. He is also the Lamb of God, born into this world to be a sacrifice for our very souls yet we cannot sacrifice for those who are least of these our brothers. Within the Gospels of the Bible, Jesus never mentioned or tells us to celebrate His birth neither is such a thing mentioned in the rest of the New Testament. Please remember that the New Testament means a new order of the spiritual and as He walked this earth, Jesus Christ gave of Himself to anyone who needed Him, as He gave Himself to pay for our sins on the day He was crucified. As spiritual believers, we are to be thankful for not only His death and what that means to us and for us; we are to be thankful for His birth and the hope it brought. Now, it is time for us to bring hope to those who have none, not to be selfish in how we share the blessings of our lives, as Jesus Christ was not selfish. At the end of the day, we have to know that we have done what is right in the sight of God, not man. When these questions are asked - when I was hungry, did you feed me; when I was thirsty, did you give me drink; when I was homeless, did you give me shelter; how will you answer? In the commercial activity in which we partake on the premise of celebrating Christ’s birth, we besmirch the purpose of His birth, His life on earth, and His death. The celebration of Christ, His birth, life, and sacrifice; is to be there for those who are the least of these our brothers; to do less is a futile attempt to appease God.

Sandra M. Corder
6 December 2011

Erroneous Perspectives

As I watched the final installment of Harry Potter, which I thoroughly enjoy (I am still a kid at heart), I think of all the missed opportunities for so many children who were forbidden to watch because of judgmental mis-guided parents of the Christian religion. So focused where these adults on the magical spells, they denied themselves the opportunity to teach their children of the realities of life – that one always has choices to do what is right in times of darkness or how taking the easy path to avoid adversity only causes one to go through life with no real direction and most importantly, not having inner strength and moral fortitude to fight for what is right; to have something worth fighting for. Now most of these adults would say to me that denying same sex marriage, denying a woman and her doctor from making decisions for her life; and attempting to force their way of being upon everyone is fighting for what is right. Oh, so wrong are they. What they do is no more than bullying and to address the religious aspect, “do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God” [Romans 14:22]. I would wager that at least half of the bullies within our society, children and adults, would claim a religion that does not support their stance, on any level, which makes it all the more pitiful that they missed a teachable movie series.

The diamond in the rough is seeing the good qualities of a person’s heart, their spirit; this is the epitome of the Harry Potter series. While the Twilight series may rival Harry Potter in box office earnings and popularity, it falls short; it pales in comparison in quality and substance. If one takes away the dressing of magic, one is left with a very gritty story of hardships; choosing to do what is right despite the adversity and sacrifices; it is about loyalty, the character and the unbreakable bond of friendship in the midst of adversity. This creation came from the angst of a single mother, her life’s journey, and what she has seen in the human condition. After the murder of his parents, Harry is dropped off at the home of his mother’s sister, her husband, and son, only to be treated like a slave. Upon entering Hogwarts [school], he has the opportunity to befriend another student from a wealthy, privileged family but Harry recognized the arrogance and haughtiness and chose others to be his friends. The unfortunate aspect is that in watching the bullies within this movie, those pompous religious bullies may have recognized themselves; may have glimpsed the ugliness that reside within them and their children and hopefully, would make positive changes.

Harry Potter is more than a movie about magic, it is a teaching movie on what makes one noble; it’s about honor, qualities sorely missing within our society from politics to individual lives. There is no age limit to learning that true virtues are. The erroneous judgment of every religious snob who rejected this movie extrapolates on “don’t judge a book by its cover.”


Sandra M. Corder

Sacrifices

On Sunday, 24 April 2011, innumerous citizens crowd churches celebrating the Christian religious holiday known as Easter. For those of you who do not have knowledge of this religion or the purpose of this holiday; it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Who allowed Himself to be sacrificed to save mankind from the spiritual darkness one may find themselves in. One of Jesus’ titles is “Lamb of God” as during the days of the Old Testament, lambs were used in sacrifices.

Now that that has been clarified, let us look at that word “sacrifice”. “Sacrifice” means the destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else. I am quite sure that many of the Republican/Tea Party denizens partook of this religious holiday without really understanding the significance this day represents. The faith they allegedly prescribe to does not support their stance of supporting the wealthy on the backs of the poor, fatherless children, and the elderly. If our Creator, whether you call Him God, Allah, or Yahweh, loved mankind (not just Americans) enough to willingly send His Son to be sacrificed; if His Son willingly, out of love and compassion, allowed Himself to be that sacrificial lamb, then why cannot these allegedly patriotic denizens do their part to ensure the stability of this nation? There is Donald Trump, like an irritating pest that will not go away, denouncing President Obama just about every time he parts those lips that looked like he just sucked on some lemon. With all the gas he is emitting, especially on his prowess as a businessman, I have yet to hear him say that he would be willing to have his income tax raised for the benefit of this nation. One cannot say they love this nation, yet shirk their responsibility to do their part. Sarah Palin does not have a leg to stand on either, instead of being responsible as the elected governor of Alaska, to sacrifice her desire for a national podium and the money; she turned her back on her “great state of Alaska” and the constituents who voted her in. Hypocrites would be too nice of a word for these characters whose only real goal is to bring President Obama down, not caring that they are contributing to the slowly creeping decline of this nation. So focused are they in destroying this man, who has done them no harm, that they are willing to sacrifice the economic stability of this nation. As they decry the government spending, they purposely forget that it was one of their own who put this in motion; they purposely forget that Republican presidents ALWAYS put this country in an economical cesspool. They forget that when Bill Clinton, a Democrat, entered that Oval Office, this country was bleeding like an unstoppable geyser and it is the same now and then some.

Some of us indeed act like spoiled little brats, wanting what we want, when we want it. GROW UP, for goodness sake. It is not the president doing harm to this nation; it is you, Republican/Tea Party. The majority of you are Caucasian, so please remember the sacrifices of your great grandparents and grandparents during the two World Wars and the Korean War. For those of you mis-guided minorities, please remember the undignified way your great grandparents and grandparents were treated. They endured years of humiliation and being treated worse than animals by those of the very gene pool you associate yourselves with. They sacrificed to make sure their children and grandchildren would not have to endure what they did and you repay them this way? Vince Lombardi said, “Football is like life-it requires perseverance, self-denial, hard work, sacrifice, dedication and respect for authority.” Republican/Tea Party, you exhibit none of these, even those of you who may not agree with your party. In those of you who do not agree with your party, in refusing to show backbone and honor, you follow in the way of Edmund Burke’s quote of, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing” and this is you, doing nothing. In the refusal of the Republican/Tea Party to do what is right in the sight of God for “the least of these”, you desecrate the very sacrifice of He you allegedly follow. Wayne Greeson wrote, “Too many Christians and too many churches do nothing” and while he is correct to a point, far too many Christians and too many churches are voting for the modern day Pharisees and Sadducees because of “moral values”. Where, pray tell, in the New Testament did Jesus socialize with or supported any of the political and religious leaders of His day? How many times did He chastise them? How does your behavior or actions mirror anything that Jesus did? Did He not associate with the very people you do not care about, “the least of these”? Sacrifice? It sounds good but you do not seem to know anything about it as you fiddle away while our country slowly disintegrates. Hey, any relations to Nero?



Wayne Greeson – http://www.padfield.com/1997/goodmen.html