anotherlook

The crash of the stock market, the American economy, the bailout of the banks and the car industry, the arrogance of the Governor of Illinois, the Mumbai attack, the indifference of Dick Cheney, the shoe thrower’s disrespect of Bush, Bush’s disrespect for the American people, the Israel attack of Gaza, the election of the first Black President of the United States Of America – this has been a turbulent, exciting, violent and financially challenging end to 2008. 

What can 2009 offer to top this – time will tell but me personally, I have hope that it has got to get better.  I also hope that I am not disappointed in hoping for better.

These last few months of 2008 have taken me on a seesaw ride of emotions and while on the one hand, I feel alive with the emotions, on another level, these emotions have been more feelings of sadness and concern for the direction the world is taking and I can’t help feeling that in my entire live, things have not seemed this bad. 

Now that we are all sitting at the table, let us open up the lines of communications and remember that communications is a two way street but a four way transaction.  

Listening – in any dialogue, listening is the key to hearing the concerns, requests, feelings, thoughts and despairs of others. 

Analyzing – analyze the information you have received in a way that shows empathy and understanding of the totality of the situation because only in understanding the totality of cause and effect, are issues truly resolved.  

Verbalizing – communicate in an open, honest and trusting manner so that the issues you have will be heard in the proper context and can be dealt with in a manner that will be most effective. 

Action – based on all that is said, the non-biased evaluations made and the need to alleviate the problem, take action towards that goal. 

LAVA – Listening, Analyzing, Verbalizing, Action - for all of you who have seen lava and the destructive force of it, understand and witness to, how the lack of lava in communications creates the destructive force of the molten rock that hardens the heart of man.

No one wants to take the time to discuss issues with Hamas; it is easier to say they are terrorist and therefore not worthy of dealing with or listening to, it is easier to discount them and their words. 

But when you begin to discount people who may have a concern, that for them is serious, then you generate ill will and ill will leads to what we have been seeing in the world, to the extreme, in the last few months. 

The time for change is upon us as human beings, as connecting forces in the world.  How will we make 2009 better than 2008 - only time will tell, but that responsibility is on each of us. 

Happy New Year 

And that’s the way I see it.

Blagojevich, in his smooth style and arrogance, makes his pick for the Senate seat he is accused of attempting to sell.  Everybody sits in shock and disbelief at his defiance.  I say that in his mind he sees his prior behavior as something that may have been inappropriate, but not criminal.  I wonder if that is why he is still able to hold the office of Governor. 

It’s like he ran to the line, but never crossed the line thereby, never committing the crime that would have disqualified him from the race.  This appears to be his attitude and the attitude of his attorney as well.  If this is the scenario, then I can see where Blagojevich is getting his arrogance and defiance. 

If they have no tangible charges, only a Governor misbehaving, being foul mouthed and threatening to sell the Senate seat then that’s on one level, however if they had caught him accepting the payment for selling the seat, that would make the act a crime.  Maybe that is what he is basing his present actions on. 

Does he have a legitimate claim to freedom?  So far all I have heard is words and threats from his opponents, no actions just the filing of papers with the court, but no concrete allegations or successful actions that have lead to the removal of Blagojevich from his seat as Governor of the state of Illinois. 

Keeping your eyes open and your mind in, what is, instead of what could be, if the appointee has a clean record, as well as a record of serving the people of Illinois, should he be sacrificed because of who appointed him?  Does the Secretary of the state of Illinois or the Senate, have the power to block Blagojevich’s decision to appoint the person who will take the place of former Senator, President elect Obama, when they can not even get Blagojevich to step down, let alone, legally force the Governor out of office? 

Blagojevich is playing his hand like he knows he has a winner, while his opponents are filing, thus far, unsuccessful paperwork with the courts that have not, at this time, been able to initiate the removal of Blagojevich from office nor stop him, in any way, from conducting business as usual.  Is there something missing from this picture or what? 

I heard someone say that Lincoln’s birthday was an important day for Illinois people and that by Lincoln’s birthday Blagojevich would be out of office.  Well, time tells on everybody and Blagojevich and his self-assured attitude have me waiting for the outcome with great reservations as to the power of his opponents. 

And that’s the way I see it!!

I know that there will be those that are going to hate me for speaking truth but I have to say what I feel, what I see and understand. 

After listening to the CNN report on the situation in Israel, I have come to the conclusion that America is on the wrong side in this Israel Garza situation. 
Israel is the bully in this case and has probably been the bully all along because it is the same language as before, and before, and before – occupation. 

It sounds as though those people in Garza want a certain amount of respect and freedom and Israel is like the strict parent saying no, I’m in control here.  This is why Hamas is and has been firing those missiles; this is why militants are becoming more and more aggressive because no one is hearing their cry.   

Actually, I am glad I took the time to watch that program because I have a much clearer understanding of the pettiness that has been happening over there on the part of the Israelites.  In my eyes, they have been made to look like fools.  Wanting total power, they have launched an air strike that is killing hundreds of innocent people in retaliation for the handmade missiles that Hamas launches on a continuous basis over to Israel in hopes that Israel or someone in the world will hear their cry.  

Rather than to bring compassion to the table when talks of peace come into play, Israel is bringing arrogance and intolerance with the threat of serious weaponry and mass murder, in an effort to show the world who is in charge over a tiny piece of property.  They do not want peace they want conformity, power, control and obedience and they will accept nothing less.   

Israelites are like the people in the Bible who have hardened their hearts and become so into their law, rules, religion and rights, that they are not willing to compromise or allow for anything else but what they believe.  Maybe they are running scared, not wanting to step outside of the box, but on some levels that is the message in some of the parables Jesus used to show the people another way.    

Truth be told, Israelites, as well as the Palestinians are still living out of the Old Testament of the Bible.  They are not recognizing the lessons of Jesus and if they do not recognize the lessons Jesus brought into the world, they are in essence discounting who Jesus is.  In the process, they are creating chaos and hatred in the world and because we have chosen sides with Israel, we are being criticized and hated as well.  It feels as though I understand it clearly now or maybe I just understand it differently now. 

Hamas’ main commitment, at this point, is the total destruction of Israel, the replacement of the Palestinian Authority (PA) with an Islamist state, on the West Bank and Garza and the raising of the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine.  Israel does not want the land taken over by Palestinian people and Palestine feels strongly that they can not live with the enemy, the enemy they have been fighting for an eternity, the enemy that, at this point, deserves no forgiveness. 

How could this have gone on in the world for so long?  How the world could be so closed hearted, to support a country that in two minutes I realized has been acting out, on the basis of the feelings of entitlement.  Is the world afraid of Israel because of the religious connotations associated with it?  God does not approve of injustice, inequity, ego these are all the things that Israel has been displaying and Israel is becoming a murder in the knowledge that they have the support of the world.  

Instead of jumping on sides, American and the world should have been acting as a mediator because with each year, with each decade, with each century that
Israel has gotten away with the oppression of a people, they have become stronger in the knowledge that they are indeed right in their behavior to continue to fight for a little strip of land. 

As long as the world backs Israel, in the oppression of a people, the worst will be the terror that terrorist inflicted upon the world; if the world does not see it now, they never will, as the situation becomes graver and graver for everyone in the world.  What a shame and how blind we are to have allowed this to go on for so long, unchecked. 

I feel the pain of the terrorist now; I truly understand them a little bit more.  I am not saying I condone what they do, but I do have a better understanding of why they do what they do.  Israel needs to be put in check and at this stage of the game, with ego expanded, that is going to be a difficult task. 

Hamas has said “Our leaders do not fear death” and I can understand the intensity that they feel because again it goes back to that saying that “I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees” and that is exactly the way they have been acting with the extreme acts of terrorism plaguing the world we live in.  They may see it as a matter of right, of principle, that they should own this piece of real estate.  They are not afraid of death because death is a very real threat to them on a daily basis anyway.  They are not afraid of death because death is better than living as they do, to die for a cause is glamorous, fearless and it is martyrdom. 

And that’s the way I see it!!!

Wouldn’t it be nice if, in all the world, approaching the New Year, at a specific time, when the first group of people experienced the new day of the New Year, we all collectively raised our heads to whatever God we worshipped and said a prayer for peace. 

What would be even better is, if each of our God’s would collectively agree that since the desire came from all, that peace would be granted.  Not just the peace that comes when we commit not to violence, but the peace that comes when all is right in the world and within each individual; a peace that comes out of understanding, justice, fairness, trust, equality, respect and caring. 

My God makes all things possible and I would give the glory to Him, for I know that only through Him can this thing, this all illusive, ever hoped for thing called peace, be made possible.  Free will that mankind has been given is not working, as far as I can see, and we have had years and years of this proof.  The evil inside of mankind propels him to the depth of callousness, inhumanity, ruthlessness, pain and war, consistently and continuously.  

My question becomes should free will be taken away from mankind.  If God touched the heart of all who live and all who will be born, in generations to come, made choice non existent and replaced it with love or a deeper understanding of the totality of the link each of us holds to the other, would peace last?  

If everyone was allotted the same amount, the same ability to participate, the same opportunity to voice grievances, the same opportunity, at least, to be heard, sometimes we would agree to disagree but at others the communications would be agreed upon based on the value to the masses and the link we have with each other, would the experience be any the worse?   

With mankind being what he is today, that seems an unlikely scenario because mankind always wants what is not his to have and is never satisfied once he has the forbidden, but instead, moves on to see what is left to conquer, to corrupt and to bend to his will.  As though, he himself were god and therefore, entitled to all that he can take. 

I am of the age where I am on my way out.  That is to say I have more years behind me than in front of me.  With all that I have seen in the world in the years since my beginnings, marred only by the violence and the sickness I have had to endure, by just being knowledgeable that the violence and the sickness were occurring and not being able to do anything, but accept the fate, of those I did not know nor would I ever have the opportunity to meet. 

I still believe in the beauty of life, the positive people, the mountains and oceans, the change of seasons, the universe and its mysteries.  I have gotten more pleasure from a simple smile shared between strangers passing fleetingly on a crowded street than if I had had all the money to allow me to do whatever. 

If all our basic needs were met, would free will be of any real importance?  Is mankind better off, guided, as sheep in a flock, following one master, who looks out for the masses in a loving and caring way, making sure there are no have not’s only those who uniformly have, since having is an issue that causes so much dissention.  I’m afraid in all my years on earth I have never truly been at peace, for how could I be in peace when I look around the world and see so much suffering and pain. 

If I could have my wish for us, I’d wish for peace to come, to all of us and all to come, I’d want this peace to last. 

Have A Happy and Safe New Year 

And that’s the way I see it!!

This morning I woke up, stumbled into the living room, turned on my computer and discovered a message requesting that I read Samuel 1 and 2 in the Bible.  Without getting into the reasons I was asked to read these chapters, I would like to discuss what I found in these chapters. 

The story goes in the Old Testaments that at this time Eli, who was a priest of the Lord, had two sons by the name of Hophni and Phinehas.  Now Eli claimed servitude to the Lord however his sons where of a different breed, they were sinners and they laid with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation which made the Lord’s people to transgress. 

This evil that the son’s of Eli did perpetrate angered the Lord and as a result he approached, through a man of God, Eli and said regarding his sons and his father: 

And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father, when they were in
Egypt in Pharaoh’s house?

And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel [to be] my priest, to offer upon mine altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the children of Israel?

Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering, which I have commanded [in my] habitation; and honourest thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the offerings of Israel my people?

Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed [that] thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.

Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thine house.

And thou shalt see an enemy [in my] habitation, in all [the wealth] which [God] shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in thine house for ever.

And the man of thine, [whom] I shall not cut off from mine altar, [shall be] to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.

And this [shall be] a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.

And I will raise me up a faithful priest, [that] shall do according to [that] which [is] in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.

And it shall come to pass, [that] every one that is left in thine house shall come [and] crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests’ offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.

During this time, Samuel, son of Elkanah and Hannah was devoting his time and energy in the servitude of the Lord under Eli.  Samuel was born of a barren mother who beseeched the Lord to let her bear fruit.  The Lord answered her prayer with Samuel.  And this child, Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli.

And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord.

In the days of Samuels maturity, Israel went out against the Philistines to battle and was smitten before the Philistines and the Philistines slew four thousand
Israel men.  The Israelites thought that as a result of this great loss, they would fetch the ark of the covenant of the Lord and it would save them out of the hands of their enemies, the Philistines.

So the Israelites sent for the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts and the two sons of Eli were there with the ark of the covenant and the ark and the two sons of Eli came down to the camp of the warriors and the people were happy that the ark was amongst them to give them strength.

At first the Philistines were afraid because they saw Israel with the ark and because they were aware of the things that had gone before in Egypt with the Israelites and their God.  They did not know of the punishment the Lord had promised Eli and the message they received was to quit yourselves like men and fight.

And the Philistines fought and Israel was smitten and they fled every man into his tent and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen and the ark of God was taken and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain. And the glory was departed from Israel for the ark of God was taken and the promise of the Lord to Eli was enforced on that day and when Eli heard of his sons’ death, he fell over, broke his neck and died himself.

But the ark of the Lord in the hands of the Philistines created chaos and death to them because they were not true believers of the ark or the Lord for their god was Dagon so they eventually sent the ark of the Lord back to Israel and the people under Samuel, offered up burnt offerings and acknowledged the sins that they had committed. 

And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel.

So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the coast of
Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 

And here we are today, witness to the never ending battle between the same people and forever will this violence be a way of life until the end of time or so it seems.  How sad some truths are and I am exhausted with this knowledge. 

And that’s the way I see it!!!

I am deeply disturbed by the happenings in the
Middle East.  Israel, Garza, India, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan - It seems as though some type of violence is forever happening over there, violence that truly affects the entire world we all live in and me on a personal level.  Their behavior is selfish beyond belief with the availability of nuclear armament and the very real destructive power of those weapons. 

Here it is coming up on 2009 and the
Middle East has been warring off and on for centuries with nothing resolved because even with the centuries of warring, with each new day there is still left over hatred from the day before.  The thing that is so ridiculous about this is nothing ever changes. 

 All we see is violence, hatred, death and more of the same each decade.  I say the violence needs to stop!!  Grown people need to recognize, just through the
Middle East situation, that violence is not the answer.  When will this lesson be learned? 

I would like to share my take on a Bible verse that points to achievement and harmony in the world and it is as follows – how simple it is. 

GENESIS 11:1 

Many people have interpreted this chapter in the Bible to mean many things, but for me there is a secret to life and harmony amongst people written in the pages that we all need to take a second look at. 

Babel was the first major city developed after the floods of Noah’s time.  The first time I read this story, I had to laugh because I began to say to myself and to others that this was the biggest laugh God got off of mankind for not following his word.  After seeing the power His words held and the influence He wielded in the world, people still sinned.    

The story goes that at this time in the history of mankind the earth was of one language. While traveling the people found an area in the plains of Shinar and decided to build a city there.  In the process of building the city, they decided to also “build a tower whose top may reach unto the heavens; and let us make a name lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:4). 

Now when God saw what man had done and knew their hearts as to why they had done this, he said “Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do; and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.  Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.  So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth…  “Therefore is the name of it called
Babel” (Genesis 11:6 – 9). 

Many people have interpreted these verses to mean different things, such as the Lord was angry at the vanity of mankind.  The tower was not build to worship and praise God but was dedicated to glorify man and to ‘make a name for the builders’.  Now I am not going to put a reason behind what He did, I am just going to say that from His statement He recognized the strength mankind could have as one.  Yet I know from reading the Bible that at times the Lord was deeply disturbed by the wickedness in the hearts of man. 

However,  here we are, centuries later still with our speech confounded, confused as to what is right and wrong, acting out on so many negative levels because of this lack of understanding, when basically we are all the same, we all basically want the same things.  In my life time I have not done much traveling but I have lived in four different states in the US and I have visited Holland.  From these travels alone, I recognize that people are basically the same wherever you go, regardless of what language they speak.  

In the verses mentioned above even the Lord recognized that as one nation (regardless to whether we speak the same language) we as a people have the ability to achieve any and everything – in God’s words ‘and now nothing will be restrained from them’.  Yet instead of using this knowledge for the good of mankind, man has used this for the destruction of mankind, throughout history, using the phrase ‘divide and conquer’ as their motto instead of unite and achieve!!  

Grow Up
Middle East – Do You Need Attention Forever - Get Past The Past and learn to LIVE!!!!!!!!! 

And That’s The Way I See It!!!

It has been a month since the siege on Mumbai, where the deaths of 164 people took place and the destruction of Landmarks, which where damaged by fire and explosive, was viewed by the world.  While I have not been keeping track, on a daily basis, with the outcome of the two investigation, I do recall that Pakistan was not too sincere in their efforts of rounding up the people who where allegedly involved with this disaster. 

Even though the lone survivor of the attack placed the organization of the attack on LeT, who I was under the impression operates out of Pakistan and Pakistan had arrested, but refused to turn over to India, certain people who where allegedly guilty in this act of violence, it is Pakistan who is moving thousands of troops to the Indian border in anticipation of an India attack. 

This in turn is frustrating the United States because these troops are being diverted away from tribal areas near Afghanistan and the United States has been pushing
Pakistan to step up its fight against al-Qaida and Taliban militants near the Afghan border. 

As of this morning, as many as 20,000 Pakistan troops were on the move and according to a security official all troop leave had been canceled. 

While analysts are saying the redeployment of troops was likely meant as a warning to India not to launch missile strikes against militant targets on its territory, It is a strong message to India that if they think they can get away with strikes, they are sadly mistaken, Talat Masood, a retired general and military analyst based in Islamabad has said. 

India is simply requesting that Pakistan arrest the perpetrators behind the Mumbai attacks.  A small request and one that would show India that Pakistan had a desire to ease tensions in the area.  Lashkar-e-Taiba or LeT is believed, by India, to be a militant group created by Pakistani intelligence which is used to fight Indian-rule in the disputed Kashmir region. 

Instead of doing what is right in this instance,
Pakistan is setting up for war.  Pakistan is engaging in self denial even though the lone survivor has stated his truths that it was LeT who was behind the hit to India.  Is he believable?  

At one point Pakistan had arrested individuals they felt were involved in this act of violence.  However, they are now saying they want to cooperate in any probe, but insists it has seen no evidence backing up India’s claims its citizens were involved. 

It feels as though Pakistan wants war.  My hope is that India shows restraint in this ignorant show of force that Pakistan is demonstrating.  Pakistan has promised to respond aggressively if India uses force, an option the Indian government has not ruled out. 

You can not reason with unreasonable people nor can you effectively deal with irrational people.  India has come a long way and to resort to violence because of a bully mentality would be a fatal error that Pakistan is attempting to push India into.  Pakistan needs to open up their eyes and point those 20,000 troops in the direction of that criminally, violent element they have within their boundaries which would eliminate the need for war. 

And that’s the way I see it!!!

A 47-year old Philadelphia mother was sentenced to three months to a year in prison for providing her son with explosive material and access to firearms she purchased.  She also has to serve five years of probation after pleading guilty to one count of child endangerment.   

Her teenage son, who had been bullied at the high school he attended, had taken enough and had planned to attack the school with guns and explosives last year.  He is now in juvenile custody after admitting the planned attack. 

Wouldn’t it have been better to transfer the son out of that school if things were becoming unbearable for him?  Could she have possibly home schooled him, sent him to live with relatives, allowed him to go to adult education or allowed him to take classes for a GED instead of encouraging him to kill other people. 

At age 47 it seems as though she would have learned some level of problem solving.  She would have realized that there were other viable solutions to the problem besides homicide yet, these grown people are taking part in their children’s life and leading them into situations that have deadly consequences. 

I tried to put myself in the mother’s situation and feel the hurt she may have felt watching the sadness build in her son but my imagination never took me to the point that I would even feel comfortable in the knowledge that I could encourage someone to participate in the murder of other children.  How do you get there from a sane mind? 

I look at little Kaylee Anthony’s mom, such a nice looking young lady, I see her tears and I wonder what went wrong in her mind.  Is she really guilty of this horrendous murder and the game she has been playing with law enforcement personnel?  Was the murder an accident, and when it happened she just snapped and blocked it out?  Were these mothers on drugs? 

In my effort to understand, I am bewildered and baffled, confused and mystified at just how “normal” these people appear.  Casey Anthony will not be allowed to attend her daughter’s funeral – does she even care that she will not be allowed there? 

The things I see in the world are unbelievable sometimes even to me.  I do not shock easily because I believe some people are basically capable of anything and everything, yet, when these things happen, my mouth drops open with shock and disbelief and I am left wondering how could this happen without those around these people never suspecting what was playing in the heads of the accused. 

Homicide is a giant step across a broad line for me unless it comes down to self defense. 

And that’s the way I see it!!

A Washington DC appeals court, on December 16, 2008, was ordered to review its January 2008 ruling quashing the lawsuit against former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld and 10 senior US Military officers, saying the ruling that prisoners held in
Guantanamo Bay Cuba had a right to challenge their detention in civilian courts. 

The complaint filed by four former British detainees claim torture and religious bias while held at Guantanamo Bay military prison.  The British detainees claim that they were supposed to be protected against torture by a US constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.  In addition, they claim the violation of their rights to practice their religion which was guaranteed under the US Religious Freedom Restoration Act. 

This act was the latest in a string of legal rebukes to the military justice system set up by the administration of President Bush to try “enemy combatants” seized as part of the government’s war on terrorism. 

The four Britons claim while being detained, they were beaten, threatened with dogs, shackled in painful positions, deprived of sleep, food and care and subjected to extreme temperature.  They cite the playing of loud rock music at prayer time, the confiscation of prayer mats and the placing of the Koran, their holy book, into a toilet bucket constitutes grounds for their cases to be heard. 

These four men were held for two years and released without being charged of anything, yet, they were tortured, and denied the right to their religious practices while in Guantanamo Bay.  Will someone answer for this or will this behavior be ignored and dismissed.  Between Cheney, Rumsfeld and Bush, I can understand the ill will directed at the United States and if the United States is not careful, we could all end up suffering a fate similar to Israel, and the lands over in that area – continuous chaos. 

Weaken the financial structure, divide the forces, and you have a weakened state of being, easy prey for enemy retaliation.  I truly worry about some, if not most of the choices made by the Bush Administration. 

And that’s the way I see it!!!

“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein 

There is always someone who will not be happy with things being done.  Obama has been moving right along picking his cabinet and doing a unique and, on paper, effective job towards his goal of decisive action, once in office. 

His pick of Evangelical Rick Warren as the person to give the invocation during his inauguration ceremony on January 20, 2009, added to the fact that there are no openly gay people chosen for his cabinet, has created dissention in the gay community, his lack of enough women in his cabinet is creating dissention among women’s groups. 

People have criticized him for not taking a stronger stance with this issue or that issue regarding the economy.  People are criticizing him for his associations with numerous people, from Wrigtht to Avery to, Blagojevich embattled Illinois Governor  to Jim Leach, Republican from Iowa, to Brent Scowcroft, National Security Adviser under the first President Bush, the list goes on and on. 

But through it all, Obama has not been intimidated; he has stood strong and decisive.  Obama is showing the true character of a leader day by day and people are still disapproving. 

My pride in the way Obama is managing his affairs has not diminished since the first day that I heard him speak.  My only hope is that the criticism, the unrealistic expectations, the negativity, does not corrupt the spirit of the man.  I hope he continues to surround himself with efficient, knowledgeable, manageable, independent people and that he remains open to the conversations of people from the left, the right and the in between.  Only then can he truly grasp the full picture in all he is left to deal with.   

And that’s the way I see it!!