anotherlook

Photo courtesy of MSNBC

There has been a constant move to discredit climate change and now that those in opposition of this theory have stooped to hacking into computers to prove their point the controversy over climate change has reached a new height. But do the words in these stolen e-mails change the very real threat of global warming?

Science is a discipline which seeks to clarify the physical and natural world and phenomena by using systematic observations and experiments. Scientists are the people designated to perform these observations and experiments. Science is not a definitive discipline and like politics there are various opinions.

Fact is that the earth is warming and there are visible results of this warming. Part of this warming cycle is inevitable and part is manmade. The bottom line is that, the part that is the “natural cycle” which has a lot to do with the sun cycle can not be avoided and there were safeguards that prevented the intrusion of the sun’s natural expulsion of toxic gases, as well as dangerous rays, from reaching the earth. This safeguard is known as the ozone layer.

The man made culprit is known as greenhouse gases and could be avoided or at least curtailed. Not only do greenhouse gases threaten the public health and welfare of people, according to the EPA, but they also threaten the natural safeguard that has been “created” to safeguard earth from the strong rays of the sun which sustains human life.

Although I do have to admit that the actions of some scientist involved in the discussion of global warming have be suspicious, as garnered through these hacked e-mails as it relates to the Freedom of Information Act, I can not ignore the fact that they were not the only voices regarding climate control/global warning as even NASA has pictures of the hole in the ozone layer that has been caused, reportedly, by greenhouse gases.

According to other research I have done, in the year 2012, the earth wobbles on its axis, the sun travels into the dark rift of the Milky Way Galaxy and it may take 30 years to emerge from the dark rift, causing a mini ice age that could offset global warming.

Other research shows that the solar minimum of the current sun cycle is at an all time low going days without the “normal” display of sunspots. The current sun cycle is suppose to be at solar maximum in the year 2012, with the highest number of sun spots visible for the current “sunspot cycle.”

Because of the scarcity of the sunspot minimum, scientists are seeking to understand the “whys” of the lack of sunspots. Obviously, the sun is doing something different this cycle and you have to wonder why this is happening. Will this lack of sun cycle activity have a direct bearing on the earth’s temperature? Does the lack of sunspots during this current sun cycle have anything to do with the extreme cold weather that is being experienced in Texas and California were record snowfalls have occurred in recent weeks?

More importantly, will the natural procession of the physical and natural world correct itself from what has been occurring with global warming or will mankind’s’ excesses of greenhouse gases throw off the natural balance and plunge the earth into a catastrophe that can not be undone?

As you criticize the scientist you need to recognize the dangers as well. Something different is happening in the sky above; in the very sun that gives growth, warmth and light to life forms here on earth. Part of the danger is just that, the natural procession but part is, indeed, manmade and that part can have devastating consequences on the natural balance of what is inevitable.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Photo courtesy of Crime Library

There will be no degree for Meredith Kercher, a college student studying in Italy. There will be no walk down the isle in love and in marriage. There will be neither career, nor children, nor life after November 1, 2007. The dark haired beauty’s life ended on the bedroom floor of the cottage she shared with Amanda Knox. Kercher was found drenched in blood having had her throat slashed after being viciously raped.

While the rape can not be one hundred percent confirmed based on the testimony of Rudy Hermann Guede who has been given a 30-year prison sentence for his encounter, which he states was consensual sex, with Meredith on the night of her murder, the murder is real and the life of Meredith has ended forever.

However, here in America, the story seems to be more about Amanda Knox and less about the death of Meredith Kercher. Amanda Knox, who has been found guilty of orchestrating the murder of Meredith Kercher, has disturbingly been the main focus of this outrageous crime as the American public takes pity on an American child convicted of the brutality against Kercher in a foreign land.

Although Amanda has been portrayed as a victim of the Italian police who could not speak the Italian language proficiently during her interrogation, she did study Italian, German, and Japanese at the University of Washington and gave her plea to the court in fairly fluent Italian.

Excelling in her coursework during high school to the point of winning a partial scholarship to Seattle Preparatory School, one can only imagine that she carried these study habits with her when she attended the University of Washington which also leads you to believe that she had a clear understanding of the language and knew precisely what was being said to her during the interrogation phase of the investigation into the death of Meredith.

This coupled with the fact that she not only lied from the beginning regarding where she was at the time of the murder and had, at one point actually falsely accused her former employer of the crime speaks loudly to the fact that she had something to hide in the murder of Meredith Kercher.

As friends and supporters of Amanda Knox imply that this beautiful, sweet and innocent young lady could not possibly have had anything to do with the murder of Meredith Kercher, I say this is the same thing friends and family said about the Fort Hood murderer. I say you never know what is truly clicking in someone else’s mind.

Reading about who she was as a teenager, an overweight, mousy, awkward soccer playing child who did not have a boyfriend until she was 19 and then having back to back lovers until she ran into Raffaele Sollecito, who confesses himself to a fascination with “extreme sex” and looking into her eyes, I do not see this little miss innocent beauty that the news media keeps referring to as poor little Amanda Knox.

What I see is a jealous hearted, manipulative, sexually turned out, insecure exhibitionist who has convinced herself that she can lie her way out of this situation by blaming the black man, any black man for the crime that I believe in my heart that she and Raffaele are guilty of.

Just because someone has blossomed into a fairly decent looking women does not mean they do not carry the pains and insecurities of their teenage life with them. Depending on how they internalized their experiences as a teenager determines to a large degree the jealousies and the manipulations they partake in as adults.

But to hear the reports on the news, this “beautiful, blonde, blue eyed young girl” could not possibly be guilty, on any level, of this crime and the Italians are incompetent people who tarnished the investigation from the start.

Since when did looks have anything to do with whether a person is capable of crime – ask little Caylee Anthony, oh that’s right she is dead as well by the hands of her nice looking psychopath mother Casey Anthony.

For an in depth read, on this crime against Meredith Kercher, which I garnered some information from, go to Crime Library and decide for yourself. I took serious offense as I watched the news portray Amanda in a light I did not see in her eyes, while only mentioning Meredith as an afterthought so I went to Crime Library to read for myself the details of this crime and from what I see in Amanda’s eyes and what I read, I believe Amanda is where she belongs.

R.I.P. Meredith Kercher

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Exercise Booklet for Writers

Photo courtesy of Google Images

According to an article I read this morning, “more than 12, 000 victims have already received compensation payments from a government panel exceeding $1.2 billion dollars” as payment for clerical child sex abuse.

Twelve thousand souls, twelve thousand crimes against children, twelve thousand lies that took place in the cover-up until this information became public knowledge and this was only in the Roman Catholic Church in Dublin.

A disgusting abuse of power and trust, a total lack of any moral compass, a mockery of religious teachings, the sexual, thereby mental and emotion, abuse of children, a following of millions of people throughout the world and a holier than thou attitude has me sick to my stomach every time I read of new allegations against the Catholic Church.

It makes me truly understand the mindset that people are beginning to have, to an extreme, towards their fellow man. The disrespect, the intolerance, the mistrust, bigotry is all based on the spiritual leaders that have emerged over the years in the two largest religious organization in the world, Muslims and Catholics.

While a large number of Muslims have become violent extremist who believe indiscriminate murder is the answer and the way to achieve glory from God, Catholic Priest are liars, sex abusers, rapist, who murder in a different way, a more profound way, they murder the soul of an individual.

At least with Muslims, you know where they stand – death to the non-believer, however, the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church is far more deceitful, devious and destructive to the soul of an individual, the souls they are supposedly committed to salvage.

Decades of allowing priests to get away with the rape and sexual abuse of children, both boys and girls. Secret files that implicated one hundred and fifty Priests in sexual crimes dating back to 1940, in the most recent probe. Of the 320 children that filed complaints in this case, one priest admitted to sexually abusing over 100 children while another claimed abuse that lasted for over the entire 25 years he served as a priest.

Rather than to turn these perverted priest over to police, archbishops, in their misguided belief that they can offer absolution from sins, chose to reassign these perverted priest to other parishes, possibly allowing them to continue to abuse other children. Here in America, the same types of charges have been brought to light against priest in recent years.

While payments have been made in an effort to appease the destructive nature of the crimes, is money enough to wipe away the loss of innocence, the loss of trust that these children have experienced?

There is nothing worse, in life, to me than a child sexual abuser and next to that is a liar and the Catholic Church, both here and abroad, have shown they are capable of both lying and abusing children in mass numbers.

Yet, they have the nerve, verbally, to stand against gay marriages as they give safe harbor to gay priest, the boldness to deny communion to Patrick Kennedy for simply voting on health care legislation that could allow abortion and the audacity to believe they are somehow better than all of us.

How can you, as Catholics, trust these priests? How can you allow them to lead you down a road of intolerance and hypocrisy, prejudice and bigotry? How can they profess to be spiritual leaders on the one hand, knowing how God feels about liars and themselves being liars? How can you look at them, take communion from them, knowing, thereby condoning, their actions?

As you look around in an attempt to identify the anti-Christ, I say you need to read the Bible, from cover to cover, for yourself. There are parts that specifically say do not add to or take away any of the Word. There is a verse in the Bible that tells you not to be led astray by other peoples’ interpretations of the Word.

Read, for yourself, the Bible that speaks to God’s strong dislike for liars and you will see that the anti-Christ is not necessarily one individual, but could possibly be the Catholic Church itself, for in no way do I view them as neither Godly nor “Christ-like.” Yet they have a multitude of followers who worship them and follow their lead. There is something frightening about that.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Vanilla Fields Perfume by Coty Scented Pillow Sachets

Now that the Christmas holiday season is almost upon us, “holiday trees” will be on display. However, I was born and raised in America where the politically correct holiday trees were once called Christmas trees; where the birth of Christ was celebrated by scenes of baby Jesus laying peacefully in a manger.

In today’s world, here in America, the phrase Christmas tree is a no-no and scenes of the birth of Jesus are sometimes prohibited in public places. It seems more relevant to make words such as black/white Americans, Democrats, Republicans, conservatives, liberals, left wing, right wing, as well as all other words that create mental and economic divisions, prohibited from usage.

It is a travesty that based on the influx of foreigners and the vocal complaints of atheist that my right to view, in public places, the celebrations of the birth of Christ that have been tradition in America for centuries, has been limited. It is ridiculous that, to appease those who give voice to their objections to this traditional celebration, their voices carry more weight than those who enjoy the symbolism of Christmas decorations in the country that has always been their home.

No longer is it politically correct to say Merry Christmas, but you are forced, depending on where you work, to say Happy Holidays – a statement that is inclusive of the different celebrations that occur during this time.

Tradition is tradition because it has happened for years, over time, with meaning and symbolism. Tradition becomes a custom, a ritual. The definition of “tradition” is a long-established action or pattern of behavior in a community or group of people, often one that has been handed down from generation to generation. So it is with the way Christmas is/was celebrated here in America and it irritates me to have witnessed, over the recent years, the forced changing of words and symbolism to appease others.

It’s one thing to welcome all who want to come to American and make it their home but to allow for the breakdown of tradition is both offensive, controlling and a little over the line especially in light of the fact that in America we do not necessarily demand that you dress in American clothing, speak “only” English or eat only American food. What gives you the right to destroy what is and has been tradition in America.

To attempt to display all countries religious or traditional decorations would create a busy, cluttered display and while you have the right to decorate your space, your home in any manner you choose, in America, for generations, the decorations have been based on American beliefs which have been displayed in public places and called specific things such as Christmas Trees.

With that in mind, let me be the first to say it in this post – Merry Christmas to all!!! For me it will always be Merry Christmas, Christmas trees and so it should remain in American culture.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

America The Last Best Hope 1

Picture Courtesy of CNN Justice

Empathy is defined as the ability to identify with and understand somebody else’s feelings or difficulties. The lack of empathy is exactly what was displayed earlier last week-end, at Richmond High School, as a 15-year-old girl was brutally gang-raped outside a California high school homecoming dance.

Richmond High was the scene to one of the worse displays of total lack of empathy imaginable, as not only was this 15-year-old girl gang-raped but she was beaten unconscious while at least ten people took turns raping her and ten others watched and offered no help, but instead video taped the cruelty on their cell phones to show others.

Now this comes on the heels of the senseless beating death of Derrion Albert, who was beaten to death in a “mob-mentality” free for all, in broad daylight on the streets of Chicago with grown-ups driving by and doing nothing to break up the madness.

Even as people are showing righteous indignation over both of these tragedies, you have to ask yourself, what part does society at large play in the lack of empathy shown in both of these cases as well as many more cases of violence kids today are participating in. It is all too easy to place the blame on the parents but truth is parents are not the only culprits in the raising of children in today’s world.

You have rappers, rapping about the street violence giving verbal praise to the madness, rapping in a manner that puts females on a level that encourages disrespect and the iPods as the means to blast this nonsense in the ears and consciousness of the kids, on a continuous basis, indoctrinating them into the world of violence that you see being displayed more and more often.

You have video games that take you to higher scores by beating down and killing computer generated people on the imaginary streets. You have police officers beating people down in the real streets as onlookers are denied the right to jump in and stop the madness for fear of getting beat down and arrested as well.

You have the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court, talking as though empathy on the bench, therefore empathy in the world, is something that is not tolerated in decision making. You have Social Services and legislation telling you how to discipline your children not truly understanding that some kids you can talk to, some kids you can punish by taking toys and television away, you have some kids that only understand when you yell at them and still others who straight need their behinds whipped at an early age because each of us is different.

Then there are those kids who just do not get it until they experience it for themselves. Sometimes that experience teaches them and sometimes that experience makes it worse because it is too late after the experience happens.

Despite the fact that I am horror-struck by what I see kids taking part in today this lends credence to my statements that what society perpetrates it perpetuates and until you recognize your shortcomings and change your ways how can you expect anything differently from those you attempt to raise into thinking, feeling adults.

Yes, you can punish these kids by trying them as adults but the truth is that prison does not deter crime – isn’t that obvious at this juncture? Shut those kids away for life without getting to the core of what lead to the behavior and what purpose does it serve society at large?

While those you lock away may not be able to commit a crime on the streets again there still remains the attitude and the influences that allowed this criminal behavior to flourish and there will be others that follow this path of chaos and violence.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Supernova Sequence 2 CLIMAWARM

I watched Latino In America, hosted by Soledad O’Brien, a level headed, mixed race, beautiful young lady, the other night on CNN and for some reason it saddened me. Latinos have been in this country for a while now and while I rooted for Sonya Sotomayor as she breezed through her confirmation hearings, as I watched this programming I realized the depth of my ambivalence about being born in America and my ambivalence comes from not truly having a “heritage” that all other races have. I also recognized that America is not conducive to “family” the way other nations are.

While some blacks may try to claim Africa as their heritage, I have never lived in Africa, I do not speak the language, cook the food or share their day to day struggles – my struggles are American struggles, soul food, which is the most detrimental to your health, was the leftovers from the tables of the “master” and the only culture that we, as a people have is that culture that we have made up or been passed on to us by those who hated us.

I watched as the discussion, on Latinos In America, took a turn towards assimilation and how as the children of these Latinos attempt to assimilate here in America, the family has a tendency to break-down with the parents pulling in the direction of their customs but the children wanting to become “true” Americans.

I also noted that, without calling any names, one Latino lead on CNN seems to get some perverse pleasure out of cleverly elevating Latinos at the expense of blacks, more often than I feel comfortable watching. Now I have sensed this aggression for some time but I was so glad Wednesday when a guest speaker pointed out to this Latino that there were black Latinos in America as well. People are so fickle sometimes as they cling to being accepted by people who may accept them anyway but may not accept them regardless.

Speaking from the experience of being black in America and the lack of respect for my forefathers and their families, I see the breakdown of immigrant families as a destructive nuance of American culture.

My Russian associate tells me how his, born in America six year old, makes comical comments about his accent. While we both laugh at the things she says, being in America is already straining the sense of “custom” within this family.

Even with this strain so obvious, there will be times that this child will grow up and possibly come back to her roots where I, being born in America over generations of mixing, have no true roots to return to, my features are not like those of Africans and on some levels as I watched Latinos in America, this thought broke my heart.

Not only did it break my heart but for the briefest of moments I felt resentment and the thought crossed my mind that America is in my debt. I quickly pulled that resentment back as well as the thought of the debt and grudgingly accepted that, it is what it is and the debt that is owed is too late for me to collect on but as for my children and my grandchildren, America needs to recognize just how ugly their actions were towards blacks and change their ways.

I guess my lack of heritage has always been a motivating factor that leads me to fantasize so much about living outside of the United States – at least then I could pretend easier of a connection with a heritage if I was away from the states. However, with the world as it is United States is probably the best place to be when you are as broke as me.

Latinos are the fastest growing nationality in the United States. I can not begrudge them for who they are and some of the food they have brought to my awareness I enjoy eating. The Latin beat in music is appealing to my ears and I understand that even though the “doors” are opened to many in America, American people are not as accepting on all levels as the diversity of people continues to branch out and so on some levels, the struggles of Latinos have been mines to bear as well.

My advice to Latinos is that you keep what is yours, your heritage, your culture and stay unified because as I have experienced being black in America over the years, with the games that were played on our forefathers and in our continued struggle for significance and to some degree acceptance, blacks are on no level unified and that is our biggest downfall. Hang in there Latinos and welcome aboard!!

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

The Global Advantage

As I read this article this morning regarding Bank of America CEO, Kenneth D. Lewis who received close to $100,000 more last year for personal use of a corporate jet and all the other perks and benefits these bailed out business men received and are still receiving, all I could do is shake my head in disgust. These people don’t care about you, the very people that bailed them out.

This morning I listened to a news report of how Americans are becoming depressed over unemployment. The commentator related a story of one of her friends who had a very high level position, lost their job with no hope of that job being returned to them. Basically she stated that the job defined her friend and now that the job was gone so too was the friend’s image of themselves. This has caused many to become mentally confused, caused a psychological breakdown of sorts.

As I listened to this analogy, for some reason the rage filled faces of the recent town hall meetings flashed in front of my eyes. I came to realize that psychologically, because they fooled themselves into believing they are what they do, people have lost their identities. They are essentially lost souls floating into an abyss with no direction. Most feel they are too old to “start over” and are stuck in the feeling that someone has to be blamed for snatching their identities.

Survival is not for the weak of heart or spirit. Survival is about adapting to the situation whether you caused it or it was forced on you. Survival is about re-inventing yourself. Blaming others for the situation is counter productive and a bit irrational. Blaming others leads to rage and to me, as I listened to this news commentator, I realized how Obama is being blamed for the loss of identity these people are experiencing.

All my life I have known that there are those with money who basically control the rest of us and those with money will always have money. For a brief time the trickle down effect was in play however, now that the crisis has hit the gap between those who have and those who have been fooled into believing they have has become the abyss and many who thought they had, are floating in this abyss, lost, confused and suffering the consequences of the allusion.

But is Obama truly the blame for all these lost souls? Obama can not give you back “self” that is something you have to find on your own. The tides have turned and you no longer see yourselves through the eyes of your position, your job. What you should be realizing is that the position never truly defined who you are. Who you really are is defined by your will to survive in spite of your temporary loss of identity and by recognizing truths.

One truth that should be beating you over the head is that you are more than the position you held. Along with that truth should be that it may be time to re-invent you. Take some classes in a field that is growing. Use the skills you have perfected over the years of employment that you have had. Reassess your financial situation and determine just how much it would take to hold on to what you have and if holding on is not an option, let it go because material things come back around if you work for them.

Sitting around waiting on a Politician to change your lot in life is giving up your power – it is also not what a survivor does. Blaming others for things you yourself were gullible enough to believe is emotionally draining and it shifts accountability for your life which is your responsibility.

Jobs come and go for some this is a constant reality. There are jobs out there to be had. You may not start off at the top but if your skills are what you think they are you will begin to rise to the top but it may take a few additional college credits that will broaden your scope and make you more diverse in your perceptions of self. Those that have will initially watch out for themselves and their cronies as is being demonstrated by large corporations that have been “bailed out” with taxpayers’ money.

Bailed out banks are doing business as usual with this money they begged for but they are not, thus far, including you the consumer instead perks keep rolling for them – this should tell you another truth about who is really to blame about your loss of identity.

Recognize truths, stop sitting around waiting for someone else to hand you back your identity, reinvent yourself, take responsibility for your station in life, loose the anger and accept what is, for only through positive movement will a new you emerge and in the end the new you will be stronger, wiser and more adaptable.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!!!

Give Praise To God

Looking back, now that everybody was duped by the balloon boy story and the Heene family drama, all I can say is this shows how gullible we can all be at times – keep that in mind as the health care/insurance reform is going through the process and the lies are being told to dissuade.

I watched this for at least an hour and a half as it was unfolding. The balloon did not move as though it had a six year old in it but yet I watched with the thought of the possibility.

As I watched it gently float and spin across the sky on television, I was more amazed at the heights it soared as I imagined the danger if, in fact, a child was in there. However, as I watched the movement of this beautiful contraption, I knew there could not possibly be anyone in there.

Now that everything is out in the open and the truth has come to light that this was drama with a purpose, no more than a hoax, are we mad at ourselves that we were duped so easily that punishment is mandatory for the parents of these children.

Yes, the parents should be charged, yes, the parents should be made to pay the tab for the expenses incurred, probation for the felonies they will be charged with but involving Child Protective Services (CPS), threatening to take the kids away from their parents, jail time all seem a bit much to me.

Different people raise their children in different ways. What you may view as dangerous another parent may view as a learning experience. I am sure these parents are not putting their children in harms way without a clue, chasing storms. These children may enjoy riding with their parents chasing storms.

It is no different in fact it is less violent, than putting a gun in the hands of a seven year old and allowing them to kill a defenseless animal on a hunt. Those kids are saver in the hands of their parents than putting them in the system, in a foster home where they can easily be abused or murdered. CPS does not always have such a good track record themselves so how can they judge these people. I definitely would not want any of my relatives stuck in that system.

While some may say, me included, that it was over the line to have those kids taking part in a lie. When the six year old told the truth there were no repercussions for telling the truth. Don’t be so quick to criticize what you do not understand. Just because you would never take your kids out to chase a storm does not make it wrong. I would never put a gun into the hands of a seven year old but people do it all the time.

I would never allow my young children to curse in front of me, but people allow that. I would never allow one child to bully another child but people allow that. What you need to be doing is making sure you are raising your own children in the right way – nobody is perfect when it comes to raising children sometimes you learn as you go. Whether you have children or not how can you sit in judgment of this “family” and the lessons they chose to teach their children.

Drama, the Heene family is full of it. That’s who they are, that’s how they met, that’s what they are used to, that’s how they live their lives and it is their life to live. Those are their children and as parents they have rights to teach their children what they want to teach them. Get off your pedestal stop standing in judgment of someone else’s life and stop being so ready to send these kids through a system that is overloaded, uncaring and full of possible danger.

Reality television was not invented by the Heene family and as much as I dislike reality television it seems to be the thing at this particular time. As a result, these are the things you can expect, drama from people who want that attention.

You created the Heene’s and now you want to punish them for acting out. I just don’t understand the thought process of people. I remember when the Octomom was receiving death threats after she made a choice to have more babies. You would rather see her die than allow her to raise the children she chose to have – that was so irrational.

You yell about this freedom and that freedom for yourself but are constantly attempting to limit someone else’s freedoms every chance you get – how hypocritical.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

24 MONSTER PULLBACK TRUCKS

Recently Morehouse College, an all-male college in the Atlanta, Georgia area, has instituted a new dress code for its students. According to the new dress code, things like sagging pants, clothes with derogatory language, do-rags, jeans, hats/caps or hoods and sunglasses are not to be worn to class or to school sponsored events and some of these articles are not to be worn on campus at all. The penalty can be as strong as academic suspension.

I say, it’s about time!!!! I say this style of dress should be prohibited in public schools as well (K-12). I say part of education is to teach children that there is a time and place for everything, that boundaries are important, in most situations. Once you start crossing boundaries, things sometimes become chaotic as has happened in schools across America.

Along with the dress code should be a restriction on foul language. Some high school teachers allow kids to curse in front of them with no consequence to the foul language. I have seen it happen too many times. Those children feel that if they can curse in school, they can come on the school bus and curse. Their whole conversation consists of f*** this, f*** that, you motherf***in’ b****.

When you write a child up for cursing on the school bus, after repeated warnings, nothing happens to that child and the child feels it is ok to use this language. The bus driver loses some control if they do not know how to force the issue without involving the school.

Teaching a child respect is a community thing because a parent is not always around. You teach a child to respect themselves as well as others and foul mouthed conversations do not show respect. Children today use dress as a form of disrespect. I have seen children on the way to school with pants sagging way below their behind. Is this a subtle message telling the world to kiss their a**?

While everybody runs around screaming about their freedom to say this or do that, I feel I have freedoms that you infringe upon by showing me your underwear, by cursing in my presence, by acting out with violence, by using the language Rush Limbaugh uses in his divisive rants, by demanding that I can not hang the Christmas decorations of my religious choice in my mall windows, as well as any number of other acts that are permitted in our society today.

In fact, back to Morehouse, they have prohibited the wearing of female clothing, high heel shoes, tank tops etc. and the few openly gay students there are taking offense. These are the things that trouble me about gay guys especially and to some extent gay women as well. Gay guys can not have it both ways either you are a boy or a girl. If you feel so womanly that you are compelled to dress in female clothing, then you do not need to be going to an all-male school.

Boundaries again come into play here. This is what concerns me about the “don’t ask, don’t tell” concept in the military. Will the breakdown of don’t ask, don’t tell create more openly gay men in the military? Will they be allowed to dress in female clothing on their down time while attempting to act out in womanly ways? Will your young son be caught in a life or death situation, laying in a ditch with an openly gay man who proposes a “blow job” to your son prior to possible death?

While all gay guys/females are not on this level there are those that are and I have known enough gay guys to understand that they are constantly on the prowl and that they have been known to pull in a “newbie” every now and then if only for the experience.

I say boundaries are useful in the real world. Dress codes teach lessons and it takes a community to raise a child – we are all failing our children when we abuse the freedoms that have been granted, sending a clear message to our children that rules are made to be broken, that boundaries interfere with freedoms.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!

Flexfit Baseball Hat - Solid Color with Contrast Stitching

I watched the video of the death of Derrion Albert yesterday on the news and was appalled at the shear violence, the mob mentality, the excitement of the participants and the lack of concern of the passersby’s driving through the milieu with obvious disinterest.

What the hell is this world coming to when a sixteen year old child can be beaten to death on the streets in broad daylight, with people passing by and not giving a f***. While the consensus seems to be that those who participated have no “home training,” that they are “unsalvageable” what is the excuse for those who passed by as though nothing was happening?

Have we become so afraid of the violence that we are desensitized to death on the streets? As the video tape is rolling, capturing the violence, who had a rational thought of attempting to stop the madness – nobody. As cars attempted to get through the mob of students acting out, who had the courage to stop their car and attempt to break up the fight – nobody.

This was a disturbing display of the selfish uncaring detachment people show in today’s world yet you sit in judgment of the participants of the violence, even the parents of those who participated, when in actuality you are no better, as adults, driving through the madness with one thought on your mind – let me get away from here before I am somehow touched by the madness not really understanding that in witnessing and not acting, you are touched by the madness.

Yes, Chicago is experiencing a rise in teen deaths, yes the violence is getting out of hand but we have been here before in different cities across America. Children are coming to school armed and deadly to avenge wrongs that have been perpetrated against them. Gang warfare is happening in the streets of major cities, violence and anger is on the rise in both teens and adults as demonstrated in the protests against health care/insurance reform.

Cops are being videotaped beating and kicking suspects, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, aunts, uncles and friends are being sent off to war only to come back in caskets. Turn on your television at any given time and the violence you see does not always come from Hollywood but are the depictions of real life violence; wars, protest, angry people, hate filled faces, panicked children running from schools where rampages of death are taking place.

Yet, it is so much easier to place the violence of children on the parents of the child, which may have a direct bearing on the situation, however, this violence goes much deeper than dysfunctional households – it goes to the dysfunctionality of the society we live in. As I have always said, society gets the level of violence it perpetrates on its citizens. You reap what you sow; what you put out there is returned to you tenfold.

As you drive past the violence on the streets rushing to get to your uptown housing, you need to be recognizing that the violence that you ignore will soon be in a neighborhood near you. You need to recognize the old saying that it takes a village to raise a child and dedicate yourself to being part of that village.

You need to take responsibility for your lack of compassion, your insensitivities, your need not to get involved, your uncaring, hard hearted attitudes, your own irrational, selfish, hate filled actions that allows for things like this to happen right in front of your faces – you need to CARE!!!!

But most of all, as selfishness has become the norm, you need to recognize that this could be your child, your grandchild, your niece or nephew because violence is indiscriminate, bullets claim lives of the innocent and irrational behaviors touch every life that witnesses the madness.

And that’s the way I see it!!!!!

Argyle Backpack