tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80268248043308465272024-03-13T09:37:23.980-07:00Brentwood RightNemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-4040268874901416872019-08-24T12:18:00.000-07:002019-08-24T12:18:20.684-07:00Racism - What it it?In recent months, it seems everyone is using the words "racism" or "racist". So much so, those words no longer have any real meaning. Racism is having "colored" and "white" drinking fountains, it is having "colored" and "white" restrooms, it is having one school for the "coloreds" and another school for the whites. Racism is having one small section of a movie theater on the second story and a separate entrance for the "coloreds". Racism is making the "coloreds" sit in the back of a bus. Racism is refusing to serve "people of color" at all! Racism is making a person of color wait in line until every white person in that line has been served.<br />
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Do we see that kind of racism today? No, we don't. When I hear accusations of racism, that is what I think about, not some sound bite taken out of context. Today, when a person doesn't like another person's opinion, instead of having a discussion, that person calls the other names like "racist", "homophobe", "xenophobe", "white supremacist" (even if that person is black!).<br />
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What happened to peaceful arguments and discussions? What happened to critical thinking? Instead of providing facts to support one's position, we get "offended" and we feel "threatened" and "unsafe". We resort to name-calling. That is most ridiculous line of thinking I have ever seen in my life!<br />
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First, facts have no feelings. They are simply facts. If you try hard enough, you can find "facts" to support your position instead of ending the conversation with name-calling. Second, feelings are NOT facts! My feelings change like lightening -- most of us are the same way. One minute I might be feeling happy because my cats are getting along and then the next minute, I am upset because one of the cats has turned over the trash and scattered paper all over. (Sorry to use the cat analogy) Feelings change with our circumstances and so often they are not based on any facts at all. It is just how we feel at the moment.<br />
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When did we become so afraid to have honest debate rather than angry name-calling sessions? I don't like the fact that I feel like I walk on egg shells around people who don't share my political view points and I am talking about my own family and some friends! I have decided to educate myself about the facts now rather then being fearful of getting into an argument or having a family member or friend decide I am racist, homophobic, xenophobic, misogynist, etc. I am none of those things but in order to stand for things I believe in, I better have some facts on hand rather than succumbing to name-calling myself!<br />
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It is just too easy to react with name-calling these days. It's like it has become the meme of the day or something. I have written here before that we choose to be offended. It is more true now than when I first wrote that. Being "offended" is once again a "feeling". We can choose to give others the benefit of doubt that their viewpoint is not intended to "hurt" our feelings. It is simply their opinion, their viewpoint. It has nothing to do with me unless I choose to make it so. For example, if someone cuts me off changing lanes on the street, does that person intentionally do that to hurt me personally? Of course not! That person is in a hurry, not paying attention to me at all. It has to do with them not me. I can choose to get all upset and angry, yell and use vulgar hand signs, right? But again, what good does that do except get me all upset and stressed out.<br />
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The point is we choose how we feel. However, the facts don't change. If I see a news item that purports that a politician said something racist or any of the other "ists" things, I take the time to find the facts rather than get all upset and self-righteously angry. Facts are not feelings and just because we call each other names does not make those names so.<br />
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Let's have meaningful debates and conversations. Let's not be so "sensitive" that we can't talk to one another. Let's stop using the accusations of being a racist, white supremacist, homophobic, xenophobic, et al. as a way to stop meaningful debates and conversations. I am in, are you?Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-34084367935127487422019-07-30T11:46:00.000-07:002019-07-30T11:46:35.380-07:00I am a victim too!It seems like the thing to be these days is a victim. Aren't we all victims in some way or for some reason? Think about that for a minute. Some of us believe we are victims because of the color of our skin, or the God we worship, or the gender we are or our ethnicity, etc. So I will jump on the bandwagon too -- I am a victim. How, you ask?<br />
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First of all, I am a woman. Supposedly, that makes me a second-class citizen. I am told that women have a hard time breaking through the "glass ceiling" simply because I am a woman. I have personally not experienced that but according to the "experts", I just didn't know it or was in denial. I worked as a legal assistant/administrative assistant in Family Law for 20+ plus years. To be honest, I wasn't looking to advance beyond that because I loved what I did. True, after a while, Family Law can get to be depressing, frustrating and sometimes sad. I believe it takes a special "call" to work in Family Law not only as a legal assistant but as an attorney. I even owned my own business helping people complete their own divorces (30 years ago). There are a lot of people who simply don't have the money to hire an attorney and/or their divorce is pretty straight-forward. No fights over the kids or who gets what. They pretty much have all things agreed. I helped people through the maze of paperwork and there is a lot of paperwork. As time went on, the laws became even more complicated and I wasn't doing anyone any favors helping them due to those complications. So I retired.<br />
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Second, I am white. You say that isn't a "victim" category? I beg to differ. Any more, those of us who are white are becoming the minority and we should be a protected class. I certainly did not have any "white privilege" and I don't see that among the white people I know either. In fact, the ways that whites are discriminated against are staggering. If you are white, you are automatically not first choice when going to college, getting a job, getting the best education. Other ethnic groups or races get first choice especially in big corporations, schools, etc. I say that now is the time for whites to be a protected class so we not further marginalized!<br />
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Third, part of my heritage, my ethnicity is that I have Jewish blood in me. My maternal great-grandparents were Jewish so that makes me one-quarter Jewish. If I had been born in Nazi Germany, I would have been taken to the death camps. Today, with rise of Antisemitism, I am a victim there too. Who knows what this new rise will mean to me in the future? I can only ask for God's protection in that event.<br />
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Fourth, I am a born-again Christian. This is the biggie. The bias against Christians is so rampant that I fear it will only get worse. Plus, according to the Bible, it's guaranteed to get worse. So I think we Christians should be a protected class now rather than later. We have to be careful what we say not only in social media but among friends and family. The only way we will be able to function in society is to be a protected class.<br />
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So, on at least four levels, I am a victim. Now my question is: do I get any special privileges? It seems that victims are felt sorry for, pampered. Can I look forward to being protected for any of the above?<br />
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The truth is that I don't feel like a victim. I have a good life. I have a wonderful husband, two great adult kids, 4 wonderful grandchildren. I am not rich but our needs are met, sometimes miraculously. Why is it so great to be a victim anyway? Does it help in any way? I'd like the answer to that because being a victim seems to the "cause of the day".Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-81128584447419105942019-05-24T14:56:00.000-07:002019-05-24T14:56:26.878-07:00New Positive NoteI wanted to share that I am blessed. Yes, I have often written about political issues and our negative culture but, for a change, I want to share how good God has been to me. I have a wonderful husband. He is a gift from God. That is a long story that I won't go into right now but he is an answer to prayer. I think he knows that. He is easy-going, even when he doesn't feel good. He is steady. I can count on his steady mood. He isn't moody at all. He is not short-tempered. It takes a lot to make him angry. That is such a blessing!<br />
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I have two wonderful adult children. They know me. They know how I could be moody, short-tempered, unstable sometimes. They know me but still love me. They have also blessed me with four wonderful grandchildren. Of course, every grandma says their grandchildren are the best and I am not an exception. 😉 Three of them are now adults according to the law (over 18). The other is 16. They love me too and I am so proud of all four of them. They are growing into responsible adults, have goals, going somewhere in life!<br />
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I have not written much about myself on this blog but I do want you to have a glimpse of me. Besides being a mother, grandmother, wife, I am a woman nearly 75 years old and have seen a lot over the years. I have been negative in the past, but because of my relationship with Jesus Christ, getting to know Him and His Father, God, and the Holy Spirit, I am much more positive. Studying the Word of God, the Bible, has been crucial in my growth to be a positive person.<br />
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Why is that important to me? I am happier and healthier and I think it's because I tend to be positive, and have faith that things will work out for my good. In our society today, I see so much hate, anger, bitterness and unforgiveness. All of those negative emotions are so hard on one's body and mind. They will shorten lives but, more importantly, these emotions will cause our journey through this life to be miserable as well as unhealthy. Yes, things need to change in the political spectrum. Yes, there are some who are being unfairly. All of these things we see are not good but I believe that holding on to negative emotions doesn't solve any of it! All it does is make US sick and miserable.<br />
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If you have a relationship with God, pray. If not, then think positive thoughts. Cast away hate and unforgiveness. Look at nature -- the flowers, the birds, the trees, all of the magnificent natural beauty. None of that has changed over the centuries. We still see blue skies and puffy white clouds just as Abraham in the Bible did. God is constant and He holds the universe in His capable hands. Worrying about things we have no control over will just rob us of all the blessings we have around us. I know that some reading this will think I don't have a realistic view on life. I beg to differ! It is much easier to count my blessings than to worry about things and people that I can't control. Be blessed!Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-60188923737435724292019-05-10T11:18:00.001-07:002019-05-10T11:18:28.644-07:00The BlobWith the new movie, <i>Unplanned</i>, having been shown and now is gone (at least it is here), there has been much more attention to the abortion issue. Those who are "pro-choice" insist that in an early pregnancy, it is simple "tissue" and not a life. They say it is just a "blob". However, at 8 weeks, the fetus (boy, I hate that word!), has a heart, a developing brain and looks quite a bit like a baby.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFjhn9iegWjdb35uYqCDFJ_tfhKPJ5_MKK5dhsaOuAa4Z6IWJOZF27Hv4kCG2oPL_lMoPXRmsFOJ9BGBLdA-qfooeKdiQ8_MEUaPHQkc1It4a88EfyosZWo4cPFtMpD4eco4qScNmEbOE/s1600/2month.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFjhn9iegWjdb35uYqCDFJ_tfhKPJ5_MKK5dhsaOuAa4Z6IWJOZF27Hv4kCG2oPL_lMoPXRmsFOJ9BGBLdA-qfooeKdiQ8_MEUaPHQkc1It4a88EfyosZWo4cPFtMpD4eco4qScNmEbOE/s200/2month.jpg" width="173" /></a></div>
Obviously, this is an artist's rendition and not entirely accurate but, according to <a href="https://www.kidspot.com.au/birth/trimesters/pregnancy-week-by-week/your-pregnancy-week-8/news-story/2f454d13b53d6e59e397cd19a41e931a" target="_blank">Kidspot</a>, the fetus (or baby) is "becoming recognisably human", arms and legs are getting longer as you can see above. The baby already has a beating heart although not as we think of a heart. I read where early on (say 4 weeks) the heart consists of two chambers rather than the four we normally think of. However, this tiny heart is beating at 5 weeks. Did you read that <b>five</b>; The sad thing here is that abortion advocates don't tell the woman any of these facts and they are opposed to a pregnant woman seeing an ultrasound. It is all too real seeing the ultrasound. Many women opt not to have an abortion upon seeing their ultrasound. This is as it should be.<br />
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Long ago, in biblical times, the Israelites were heading to their Promised Land. Before they crossed the Jordan River, God commanded them to completely wipe out the people living in Jericho. These were the Canaanites. Why did God command this? Because they worshiped a false god who they believed demanded they sacrifice their newborn infants (passing through the fire). God takes new life seriously and what these people did was an abomination to Him.<br />
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Okay, so maybe you don't believe in the Bible or in God. I get that too. Although I am a believer, not everyone is. However, no matter if you believe in God or not, upon conception, that "blob" IS a baby! How can we justify this murder? Here are some reasons:<br />
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1. It is inconvenient -- the woman is still in school, unmarried without any means of support, in the middle of a career, etc.<br />
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2. Fear -- fear of judgment by others if the pregnancy is outside of marriage (this doesn't happen so much any more), fear of losing a job or a scholarship, fear of losing the relationship, etc.<br />
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Abortion has been around since the days of Adam. I know that. I also know that prior to <i>Roe v Wade, </i>abortions were done in secret by some people who believed they were helping a woman out. Some abortionists were doctors who risked their medical license. Some were mid-wives and some were just regular people. Yes, there were terrible consequences sometimes. It affected me personally. My maternal grandmother died as a result of an abortion when my mother was only 15. So, yes, the circumstances were not always the best. There were perforated uteruses which caused bleeding and many times, death. There were infections due to non-sterile instruments.<br />
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However, that happens in abortion clinics today, too. The movie <i>Unplanned</i> has a scene where the doctor perforated a young woman's uterus and the woman almost died. She was really just a teenager - not a woman the way we think. Her father brought her in "to get rid of it". There have been news stories over the years where some abortion clinics were found to have non-sterile conditions and instruments. Abortion clinics try to keep this information out of the public awareness but it does happen. If a woman has an unexpected turn for the worse, the clinics do their best to NOT get that woman to a hospital for treatment. Sadly, some of these instances have resulted in death.<br />
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What amazes me is that having an abortion is really major surgery! Instead of having a cot or bed to rest on after the procedure, these women sit in chairs. This is what I saw in the movie and I can't verify that all clinics do this. After a couple of hours (I don't know the exact amount of time - just a guess here), they are sent home. There is no follow-up or post-surgical care. It's like they get a tooth pulled or something! That is frightening to me. What happens if they start bleeding at home? Is there any care available to them?<br />
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The last thing that troubles me is the psychological impact that an abortion has on a woman. Sure, the radical left "celebrates" having an abortion but in reality, on an individual basis, does any woman really celebrate killing an unborn child? At some point in time, that regret, that guilt comes. The woman who has had an abortion feels shame too. Who do they turn to? If they feel guilty and don't want anyone to know they had an abortion, they feel so isolated. Fortunately, there are websites today that are there for that woman. For example, <a href="https://www.afterabortion.com/" target="_blank">Post Abortion Healing and Help</a> offers no-judgment help. It isn't political or religious - they just offer a safe place to "talk" with others who have been through an abortion. I spent a few minutes there and was very impressed with this site. I am sure there are others -- some that are religious and/or political. The important thing is that there are places to get some psychological help. I know seeing a counselor is available too but that costs money which may be a barrier for getting help.<br />
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I feel so sad that we are killing unborn children. I believe in God and I know it breaks His heart too. My prayer is that some day, in my lifetime, abortion will be a thing of the past in our nation; that if a woman gets pregnant, she will either raise the child or place the baby for adoption. There are many couples out there who so want a child and can't have one. Why do we not offer these unplanned babies to them? I pray we do.Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-27446904204029191762018-08-08T18:19:00.000-07:002018-08-08T18:19:23.079-07:00SexDid that get your attention? 😊 There is so much in the news and in our conversations about sex, gender, who you have sex with or don't have sex with. My grandmother was shocked back in the 60's when Jane Russell started advertising Playtex bras. I would imagine she is spinning in her grave at what is advertised today! In the 70's, it was a big deal when a toilet flushed! A ground-breaking event.<br />
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Now, today, even our kindergarten children are forced to try to figure out what to call their classmates. In a charter school in Rocklin, California, a student was re-introduced after recess as a different gender. One child was sent to the "office" because she slipped and called "her" "him". Honestly, what are we expecting from 5 year-old children today? Why was this done in the first place?<br />
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Why is society (or whoever it is) calling so much attention to less than 1% of our population anyway? I had the privilege of calling two different "trans-gendered" individuals my friends. The first one ended up regretting the decision and had another major surgery to go back to his biological sex. For many years, he lived life as a woman and was even featured on HBO in the 80's for his radical (back then, it was extremely rare) change. This individual was one of the kindest persons I had ever met and I ached for her when she became so unhappy with her decision. It was a spiritual, emotional as well as physical decision she made. Her significant other who was married to him when he was a man (original sex) had to divorce him because, as you know, same-sex marriage was illegal in the 80's. But, as far as she was concerned, she loved the person he/she was and she was her best friend. (confused, yet? sorry). So they stayed together until the significant other died.<br />
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The second person I called my friend completely floored me when she told me she had been born male. There was nothing masculine about her - not her mannerisms, her voice, nothing! She was a lot of fun and a very compassionate person. As far as I know, she is still living her life as a female. She didn't tell me why she felt as if she was "really" a female in a male body. I didn't ask because I figured if she wanted me to know, she'd tell me.<br />
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I relate these two stories to express that I am not a "hater" or a "transphobe". What I am concerned about is a current bill before the California State Assembly (AB2349) that would prevent a counselor, psychiatrist, pastor, etc. from even listening much less trying to help a person who had what is called "gender dysphoria"; who become psychologically depressed, distraught, confused about the sex change. Books that address this situation would be banned for sale. I don't quite know how California is going to stop Amazon from selling them however. This bill isn't fair or kind or understanding for the person who decides that they are now not sure they are or are not the biological sex they were born to. Who are they going to talk to? Where are they going to get help? Does this mean they have to go out of state to get the help they need? Again, we are talking about a tiny percentage that this bill is supposed to "help" but my question is what is the point of it?<br />
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Is the bill simply the State's heavy-handedness to say what counselors we may see or what books we can read? Some have said the bill would ban the Bible but I hope that is just hysterical hype. California has some serious problems that its government needs to address that has nothing to do with sex! Our water, our raging forest fires that happen more and more frequently, floods, crime, gangs, etc. Why is our state spending time on something that is so trivial and affects so few individuals?<br />
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I am calling our State Assembly to table the bill and take care of issues that affect all of us!Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-26349425837980453162018-06-27T10:47:00.000-07:002018-06-27T10:47:43.931-07:00Really fed up!I haven't posted in this blog for a long time. There is so much going on that I didn't know where or what to post about. I plan to change that as of now. My post title is "Really Fed Up" and this is what I am fed about it: the constant negativity from the main-stream media and liberals. Talk about sore losers!! Geesh!<br />
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I was not happy at all when Obama was elected and then re-elected but I didn't lie about him, say mean, hateful things about him publicly. What I did was pray for the man. My standard of reference is the Holy Bible and in 1 Timothy 2:2, Paul admonishes us to pray for those in authority over us so that we may "lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." My prayer for Obama and all those that lead in government is that they all come to know Jesus Christ as his/her personal Savior; that they would have godly wisdom when it comes to handling sensitive issues.<br />
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What good does it do to continue to stir up hatred? I don't get it. Why can't we have a discussion of our differences of opinion without filthy, foul name-calling? That is not a discussion. Because I support President Trump, I have been called a racist, a white supremacist, a Nazi, a homophobe, a xenophobe, and other names I won't call out here because it's foul language. How can we have a rational discussion when name-calling is the only response to a thoughtful question? We can't.<br />
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What happened to public debate that didn't include taking aim at a person's core values, or attacking a person's character? The biggest thing is that these attacks don't solve anything. When we behave like this, we are only part of the problem and certainly not part of the solution.<br />
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Kindness, compassion and thoughtful debate are what others hear. Oh, sure, we hear the name-calling but all that does is cause defensive mechanisms. We lose sight of the core issues and nothing gets solved. I encourage our leaders, starting with President Trump to stop name-calling, character assassination and telling lies. Someone has to start acting like adults!Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-69110048744120598302015-07-08T21:36:00.000-07:002019-05-08T17:19:44.699-07:00Victim of an "ism"You know, I am really getting tired of everything being called "racist". Yesterday was the final straw for me when I read that some teacher decided that peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are racist. Why? Because some children don't eat (or have it at home) bread but rather pitas, tortillas, etc. So those poor children are feel left out, she says. Come on!<br />
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When I was growing up in the 50's and 60's, there was not a single ethnic group that didn't have an ugly name. For example, Italians were "spics", Asians (didn't really matter where they were from) were "slant eyes", Polish folks were "Pollacks" (probably spelled wrong) and so on. My ethnic background is Scottish, Irish and Jewish. If you are a history buff at all, you would know that centuries ago, England tried to completely wipe out the Scots particularly the Highlanders who were considered savages. They almost managed to do it too if not for the pure stubbornness and pride of the Scots. Then there was the ongoing battle for Ireland. I don't recall what the Irish were called when they came to America but it wasn't kind; it was offensive. And we all know that for the last 5000 (not sure of that exact number) years, antisemitism has flourished to this very day. The Russians were called "ruskies" (spelled wrong I think), the Chinese "chinks", and on and on.<br />
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No, none of this was nice and I am not defending it. I remember as a high school senior, I wore and Star of David necklace that my great-grandmother had given me. She was orthodox Jewish, had a kosher kitchen and took her religion very seriously. Her son, my great-uncle, married a Roman Catholic but to honor his mother, he would serve a Sabbath dinner on Friday night once in a while. I really had no idea of the significance of the necklace until one of my teachers asked me, "You're not Jewish, are you?" It was like "you're not carrying the plague, are you?" I was so taken aback and ticked off that I said yes I was. That was a lie but I was angry.<br />
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That year when we lived in an old Polish neighborhood, we received hate mail because my brother was going to preschool at a Jewish Community Center. I am telling you this because I do know what it's like to be at the end of a slur or, as I call it, an "ism". My mother told me to ignore it. All the adults in my family told me that it didn't matter what others said about me, it was what I thought of myself that mattered.<br />
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I don't and have never liked humor at the expense of someone else. Making fun of anyone is not funny to me. My kids know that and say that I am "sensitive". I think it is unkind and if a person can't think of something funny to say that isn't at the expense of someone else, then that person isn't funny. But, this business of being offended at anything and everything is only causing division now. When someone would tease me or make a joke about me, it was my own insecurity and my own lack of worth that would make it personal to me. No one, and I mean no one, MADE me cry or made me angry or made me "offended". I CHOSE to react that way.<br />
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As I have said in this blog several times, being offended is a choice one makes. I wouldn't purposely hurt anyone's feelings but I have still said and done things that were hurtful. I don't assume when I walk out my door that because of my heritage, my religion or the color of my skin that "people" are going to offend me because of it. Yes, I am white and I am also tired of hearing about my white privilege and that it is in my DNA to be racist. That is a lie. The way I understood all that prejudice I saw when I lived in the South (Jim Crow days) and the subtle slurs and prejudice I saw in the North, those people were insecure about themselves, had a poor self esteem and could only feel better about themselves by putting others down, particularly those who "talked funny" (their words), who had darker skin than they did or who had different customs than theirs.<br />
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Still, being offended is a choice you make. Truly, I don't think most people "hate" any one group more than another. Our food choices, our clothing choices, our job choices, etc. are not statements of racism - it is just who we are. If you eat something I would never eat, that is your prerogative. I am not going to tell you that you can't eat it nor should you force me to eat something I don't like, right?<br />
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The point here is that we have all been subject to some type of prejudice. How we react to it is what we own. Eleanor Roosevelt said something very wise once. She said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." She was right. Rather than feeling offended, I am going to choose not to be. I am not going to let others run my emotions and, being offended is an emotion and it is a choice you make. Let us look for ways to be united, to be friends, to be kind and caring neighbors rather than trying to decided that what others do or say is to offend us. I want to be the champion of my own feelings and I am the only one who can do that.<br />
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Enough of the division and "isms". Stop CHOOSING to be OFFENDED!!Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-82612248014001534312015-03-21T11:49:00.000-07:002015-03-21T11:49:21.774-07:00Lawlessness<span style="font-size: large;">A couple of days ago, I read a news article about a woman who literally performed a cesarean procedure on a woman 8 months pregnant while the woman was visiting to purchase baby clothes! (the woman was not sedated either) Naturally, the pre-born baby was only 8 months gestation and the end result was that the baby died. The pregnant woman answered an ad on Craigslist. She was looking for used but undamaged baby clothes for her baby. While this is a horrid act to say the least, I don't know about you but I hear horror stories similar to this almost daily. It is as if people have gone mad!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Then there is the story of the woman whose manager kindly provided a handicapped spot for her near her apartment. She is missing part of a leg and no, I don't know if it is the whole leg or what but she has a prosthetic to get around. One of her neighbors wrote the most disgusting, selfish note to her that basically said he'd park where he wanted and up hers! Where has kindness gone? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here locally on an almost daily basis, drivers run red lights, don't stop at Stop Signs, pull right in front of other drivers and so on. It seems all of these from the least to the most stems from a sense of entitlement. "I am special. I NEED to (get somewhere right now, my own baby, someone else's property - well, fill in the blank) do this." It is only with hyper-diligence on the part of drivers that there are not more accidents, injuries and even deaths on our local streets and highways. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is a sense of one's importance is more than anyone else's. God, in His magnificent wisdom, had Moses write down the Ten Commandments. God didn't put these rules in Mose's hands to be mean or to deprive us. Think about it - don't steal, don't lie, don't be jealous of other's things (which leads to further sin of stealing), don't kill others, don't commit adultery, etc. If we would only follow His rules, think how pleasant our world would be! But since our society and culture has thrown God under the bus, so to speak, people's behavior indicates that "anything goes" as long as they get away with it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Because we have decided that we are more important than anyone else, we lie, cheat, steal, have sex with other's significant others and/or spouses, and even murder. I am not talking about murder where a person is convicted - oh, no, it is murder of our unborn children for one thing. This is perfectly legal. Now more and more states are legalizing euthanasia and California has a bill right now before its legislators that does so as well. What will stop those who think they know best to "kill" the elderly, those who are desperately ill and perhaps, with medical care, can survive, and those who are disabled? None of these can contribute to society, right? Medical costs mount either for families or insurance companies, right? So here is another excuse for murder. A perfect example of how utterly wrong this is? Terry Schaivo. She was left to die a horrible, excruciating death and the two people who loved her, her parents, were powerless to do a thing about it. They tried but failed - the legal system failed them. And, oh, by the way, Governor Jeb Bush did nothing about it either. Do you really trust him to run our nation? I don't. But, I digress.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">With our sense of entitlement, we now have entered an era of lawlessness because we are ENTITLED to whatever we want! It is no matter how what I want affects you any more. It is my way or the highway, as it is said. I saw the movie, "Cinderella" last week and the theme of the movie, if you will, is "have courage and be kind". Wow, if our society would only do that! How different and civil our world would be.</span>Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-80096291131521728392015-02-21T16:18:00.000-08:002015-02-21T16:18:29.407-08:00The World Has Gone Mad!I know it has been a long while since I have posted but you know what the problem is? There is so much going on and on a day to day basis, it is hard to decide just what to write about. Today I read a news <a href="http://www.christianheadlines.com/blog/obama-administration-issues-rules-requiring-charities-to-refer-child-refugees-to-abortion-facilities.html" target="_blank">item</a> that just sickens me. You won't hear about it on the news or in your newspaper either. The Obama administration is sneaking through regulations that require organizations that help refugees to "force" women and/or girls who are pregnant to get "emergency contraception". You know that that the "emergency contraception is? An abortion.<br />
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The very sneakiness of these regulations makes me ill. There is no public debate because the administration is isn't the public interest. Do you believe that? I don't! The administration knows very well there would be public outcry especially from religious organizations who provide services for refugees. If these religious organizations do not obey these regulations, they will no longer get any federal aid. This puts them at the crossroads of either obeying their consciences or not so they can continue receiving federal aid.<br />
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None of the organizations has a ton of money to run their operations and rely heavily on public and private donations and most need federal aid as well to survive. So many Catholic charities such as adoption facilities have had to close their doors due to the loss of federal aid. Why? They refuse adoptions by same-sex couples. They are following the dictates of their religious beliefs and I concur with them.<br />
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As I said before, I don't honestly know what I would have done when I was a young woman and faced with a pregnancy outside of marriage or, worse, in a marriage where I was abused and I needed OUT. My maternal grandmother died of a "back-alley" abortion when my mother was 15. My maternal grandfather had drinking problems - that I know for sure. Is that why she chose an abortion? Or was it due to not wanting to raise a child when her youngest was 10? I don't know the answers here. My mother never told me about the cause of death of her mother - I learned from another family member. So I missed out knowing that grandmother sadly. If this had been me, I would hope that my faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to His Word would have given me strength to continue on with the pregnancy. However, when I was a young woman, I wasn't serving the Lord very much, and sometimes not at all.<br />
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I am appalled the Obama Administration is doing this and I hope that religious organizations, churches and synagogues would rise up and take a stand. So far, I haven't seen much of that about any single issue from the Christian world. I am more than disappointed in main-line churches and their refusal to take stands on the issues today that are diabolically opposed to the Bible. Please write letters and talk to your pastors and church friends about this. We must stop it!Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-49684926922993132052014-02-06T00:43:00.000-08:002014-02-06T00:43:46.949-08:00Immigration?I realized that I have been lagging posting here on my blog. After reading two different blogs/web pages on the subject, I felt I must weigh in on it. I left a comment on Speaker Boehner's website but didn't really say all that I wanted to say. My first consideration in the immigration debate is that our borders are porous and we have no idea who really is coming here. Yes, I am sure there are those (families and adults) who want to work and make a better life and/or send money to poor relatives. That is not the point. If these same people's homes were invaded in Mexico (or wherever), it would be illegal, right? They'd take what measures they could to protect their loved ones and things of value.<br />
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Why is it so difficult for these same people to understand that coming here "under the cover of darkness" is no different? We are supposed to feel sorry for them because they "live in the shadows". They make that choice once they cross our borders to live like that. I know they are hard workers. I live in northern California where there is a large population of illegals that work in landscaping, gardening, labor, farming, etc. I see they work hard and the sad thing is that they work "under the table" and are taken advantage of. They are paid low wages that are way below minimum wage The reasoning (I say excuse) is "to keep the price of food down" - that is one of them anyway. Or they pay low wages because THEY CAN. Who are the illegals going to go to? Again, though, they make this choice to live and work like this.<br />
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I keep hearing "comprehensive immigration reform" and I agree with Thomas Sowell that it is really a huge plan for amnesty. I also agree with Senator Rand Paul that Congress should take all these types of issues and break them down into manageable parts. In the case of immigration, the first thing we should do is truly secure our borders. Build a real fence (there are parts of the southwest that have already built them). The fence should have no "break" in them. In other words, 300 yards down from the edge of the beautiful, high-tech fence is nothing. So what good does fencing do if it is not consistent? Yes, of course, there will be "border towns" and border checkpoints. There would have to be - we can't just shut down Tijuana or Nogales and such. Let's take some of those returning from Afghanistan and Iraq to guard the fences. Heck, I bet there some unemployed folks who could do the job as well!<br />
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The point is before we do anything else, we must secure our borders and no half-measures either. Then move on to step two: reform ICE and DHS. Why do we need several alphabet agencies doing the same things. Think of the money we'd save if we did that! Completely re-write the immigration laws so that it doesn't take a law degree to fill out the necessary paperwork. We need to keep track of those who are here on temporary visas. Let's take a look at the types of skills we need here. In case no one has noticed, we have an unemployment problem here What point is there to let U. S. unemployed workers compete with those that are wanting to work here too? I realize common sense is in short supply these days but we better start finding some.<br />
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Lastly, the thing I want to touch on (there is far more to this problem than the above) is what do we do with those who are here already illegally? What do we do with their children who came with their parents not intentionally breaking the law? To be brutally honest, they need to take responsibility for their illegal acts. It is not our problem they made the choice to break our laws. I read in a comment tonight that there are a lot of children whose parents are in jail or prison right now, today. I am not talking about children of the illegal immigrants either. I am referring to those children of felons, some of which have committed heinous crimes. Is it our duty to take them into our homes and take care of them? NO! So why do we have this guilt thing about those children whose parents broke the law in coming here? Do you see the logic in what I am saying?<br />
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Let us come up with some rational solutions with no accusations of bigotry or racism. We can't solve a problem by calling each other names when we disagree, can we? Just some thoughts.Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-80018181788039212852013-11-07T21:44:00.000-08:002013-11-07T21:46:03.734-08:00Teachers, what is your union doing?I know the vast majority of teachers in not only Brentwood but in the U.S. are dedicated to their jobs and to the children they teach. My warning to them is to scrutinize just what their unions are doing with their union dues. Recently, there have been attempts by Federal and State governments to require that anyone working in the school system, from principal to janitor and in between be subject to a background check. Please read this <a href="http://unionwatch.org/getting-criminals-out-of-schools/" target="_blank">post</a> .<br />
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I know that Union Watch is biased so I don't "buy" everything that they say but this article IS true and, if I were in your shoes and paying dues, I'd be highly incensed that letters written on YOUR behalf state your objection to common-sense laws to protect our kids. This is not a partisan issue at all. This is also not a racist issue as one letter suggested. Whatever happened to common sense? Ah, well, that is another issue. What concerns me is that union officials are not looking out for the students OR the teachers they purport to represent in this case. The only way this is going to change is if you, the teacher, start making demands on those who represent you to ask you what you want.<br />
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Please read the <a href="http://unionwatch.org/getting-criminals-out-of-schools/" target="_blank">link</a> and start taking control of your union officials. Our children need protection. Thanks for reading.Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-7032011238943323782013-10-28T18:02:00.001-07:002013-10-28T18:11:59.185-07:00Just the Truth PleaseOver the last few months, well, years actually, I have been conned into believing anything and everything that right-wing bloggers put out there. Yes, I know. I am a right-wing blogger too but with the last few debacles (O'care and the government shutdown), I had an epiphany. Our nation has become so divided that in order to "make people see the truth", we have participated in the division and we ourselves have not told the entire truth.<br />
The last few days I have listened to Obama and the guy is a great salesman. I'll give him that. And, just as any great salesman, he has certain tools he uses, phrases and manner of speaking about a given subject that just sound just so right, so clear and so truthful. Except, it isn't completely. Had he told all of us back in 2010 when he went around the country trying to "sell" his health care plan just what the goal of that legislation was and that because of that goal, we were going to see some insurance companies fold up their tents and go away OR that other insurance companies would increase their premiums.<br />
Insurance is a risk, right? The whole gamble from the insurer's point of view is to not spend any money on you or me. Our goal is that if we get sick, the insurer will spend money on us as contracted in our plan. Sadly and wrongly, a lot of what was not covered or caps, etc. were in very tiny print and individuals, particularly, were buying a plan that didn't cover much. An example I heard over the weekend is that a single mother of 2 children paid $50 a month for health care through her employer. But get this: this company had an annual cap of $2000!! Have you ever gone to an emergency room for even the slightest thing and the cost been less than $2000? No, I didn't think so. Now, this is flat-out wrong. So I get that the goal of insurance reform was to make all insurers cover certain key things. (The mandate that coverage for dependents must extend to the age of 26 is something I don't understand at all, however.) From what I have read and heard, maternity care, mental health, preexisting conditions and other things must be offered in whatever plan sold by any insurance company. Also, there can be no cap, either annually or life-time. As I said above, insurers do business to make money. All these things mandated by the Act will make more money come out of their pockets. Since profit is the goal for the companies and their shareholders, they, of course, are going to raise their rates. Just plain business sense. This insurance company with the $2000 cap just shut its doors. They saw no other option and/or didn't want to really offer a viable product.<br />
I may have some of this wrong because I don't totally have the complete picture. I will admit that up front. If Obama had spelled out that fairness was the goal of health care reform and true coverage not just promises from an insurer, just maybe he could have sold it better. But here's the thing: it seems that due to the division in our nation from any kind of dialog, we didn't get a clear picture from anybody! Because Obama is such a good salesman, he knows (or at least he thinks he does) just what to say and how to say it. He speaks to low-informed voters mostly and/or assumes those who listen just aren't smart enough to understand it. One of his biggest downfalls is that he IS condescending.<br />
Also, if anyone asks for clarification, that person is vilified. Name-calling like hater or racist starts rather than let's figure this out. What does that mean? What does that cover? Everything we have heard since October 1 has been what this and that doesn't cover, how high the premiums are etc. Please note: these are all about individual plans and somehow that doesn't quite get clarified. It is doom and gloom. Now, I have some serious issues about certain mandates, fees, fines, etc. It is not that I am sold on the bill at all. I feel that the creators of the Act were rushed first of all and secondly, there is nothing about tort reform and that is critical. Part of the reason health care has become so expensive is due to litigation-happy attorneys out there. Yes, I understand that some lawsuits are legitimate and the patients (or loved ones left behind) need compensation for negligence, fraud, etc. But some of them are frivolous and the jury awards outrageous and over-compensate the plaintiffs. The more money awarded, the more the attorney gets. No, I am not against attorneys either and I'd say the vast amount of them are not ambulance-chasers but a few have made it hellish for the most.<br />
Not only were the creators of the Act rushed but the companies tasked to put this huge website together rushed. The portal wasn't not alpha or beta tested and just not ready for prime time. Putting together what is essentially a major database (several, actually) is a huge job and much can go wrong. Each piece must work with all the other pieces to get the product up and running. Using a no-bid contract, old software and then rushing the coding were just recipes for disaster. But because the Republicans were screaming for repealing, then defunding the bill altogether, the Democrats dug their heels in and went online anyway. This is what happens when there is such vile division among people and parties. All constructive dialog never happens.<br />
Folks, we need dial all this rhetoric down - a lot! We will never get completely honest answers about anything if our first reaction is to attack. What happened to polite conversation? Forget polite, just plain conversation instead of automatically calling others names. Let's inform each other rather than assume the other person is just plain wrong. How is that for an idea?<br />
I have seen sites where Chicken Little would have been comfortable. Do you know what I mean by that? The topic, whatever it is, calls for screaming that the sky is falling. The extremes are spouted rather than any kind of real information. I can't tell you how many times I have seen this happen about bills that have passed here in California. None of the doom and gloom prophesied by the religious right has happened. Yes, it still might but some of these bills were passed a decade ago.<br />
Just like the government shutdown - that was totally unnecessary but the Republicans didn't shut the government down. Every time I hear it said, I see red. What happened is that BOTH parties were responsible! Again, due to the extreme rhetoric on both sides simply shut any type of conversation down. I understand what each side wanted but to get to the edge (fiscal cliff - whatever) puts political pressure on both sides of the aisle and no one wants calm down. I was very disappointed in the actions taken by Obama in the shutdown. Most of what he did was childish. I guess we all need to grow up so these types of things don't keep happening.<br />
My message is don't lie at ALL; tell us the whole truth; don't wait until the last minute to get things done and take rational actions. Mostly talk to each other so we can get things done.Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-36495170955673429552013-05-07T19:10:00.000-07:002013-05-07T19:10:25.131-07:00The Real War Against WomenThere is so much going on today that it would require I do nothing but post on my blog to keep up with it all. Geesh! But, I can't let another day go by without expressing my outrage at the "REAL" war against women. Of course, I am talking about abortion and the lack of oversight of the abortion industry.<br />
First, let me tell you that I never met my maternal grandmother. The reason? She died from a "back-alley" abortion. So abortion is personal to me and the last thing I wanted, and still want, is for women to die from botched or, in my opinion, "back-alley" abortions. <br />
When <i>Roe v Wade</i> was decided, it opened the gate for abortion clinics. My understanding is that in order for a clinic like Planned Parenthood to open its doors, it must register and have a licensed physician (or maybe in California, a licensed nurse practitioner) and that said clinic must adhere to certain medical standards. Standards like sterilization of all instruments and equipment, etc. This is for the protection of everyone: the staff and the patients. After all, it is an invasive procedure for the patient and there is loss of blood and fluids. Yet, I read and hear about another death or serious medical complication as a result of a "routine" abortion at least once a day if not more.<br />
I realize that those who are tasked to oversee clinics like this are probably under-funded, under-staffed and just not enough hours in the day to do a proper job. I am sure that at least one person is going to raise her/his hand with this comment. That is not the point: don't these people who run these clinics give a damn about their patients and/or staff? I like to assume that the doctors, nurses and other medical staff have had training regarding sanitation and such. Maybe not. And, who are these doctors who seem to come out of nowhere and can't do a proper job? Women have had to be rushed to emergency rooms just to have their lives saved (and that doesn't always happen), or due to a botched job, they are left sterile and if they had any hope of having a child, that isn't going to happen or the staff is exposed to God knows what (as well as the patient).<br />
I thought this was NOT going to happen!! Having legal abortion was the answer: no more deaths in the back alley or on the kitchen table, whatever. Honestly, it seems LESS safe now than when abortion was hush-hush and illegal.<br />
The other thing that really troubles me is that these clinics are so often in impoverished neighborhoods where the patients and their families don't speak or understand English. These women, in my opinion, are really taken advantage of. Not everyone speaks English or Spanish! How do they communicate with the staff? How do they tell the patient what serious signs of complications are? They don't! Further, it really breaks my heart that so many black women abort their babies. Sadly, I understand. Caught in the poverty and gang-run neighborhoods, I would imagine it is very difficult to see anything better for the child and the woman must ask herself: do I want to bring another baby into this lifestyle?<br />
Yes, I do believe "it" is a baby. I believe life begins at conception. I also believe that abortion is murder but I am not naive to think that what I think and believe matters at all to a woman making the choice to abort. She'd tell me to mind my own business. And, rightly so. It just hurts me to think of all the babies who have not been born. Still, if I had become pregnant before I was married, I honestly don't know what I would have done. I would like to believe that I would have taken the high road and went through the pregnancy and given the baby up for adoption.<br />
Liberals, both women and men, scream at the top of their lungs that conservatives and/or Republicans are waging war against women. I don't think so. Because they (liberals) felt they won a victory with <i>Roe v Wade</i> and subsequent legal decisions and statutes, they refuse to shine the light on the clinics, their staff, and the reports of women either dying or becoming sterile. Any light might just be a "slippery slope" to making abortion illegal, am I right? Of course, all of this really came to my thoughts due to the Gosnell trial. Haven't heard about it? No surprise there. The liberal media would rather talk about Lindsay Lohan and her drug rehab that tell the public what is happening not just by Dr. Gosnell (I hate to even give him the appellation of "doctor") but other clinics, other emergencies, other horrors. It is happening everywhere and way too often but the liberals are silent and accomplices to the atrocities. <br />
It is time for the truth to be reported. I honestly don't believe it will force abortion back into the "back-alley" but I do think it will make those clinics and their staff accountable and, hopefully, much safer for the woman that chooses to abort. I abhor the partial-birth abortion or the late-term abortions. I can't even bring myself to talk about the horrible atrocities to the babies born. I can hardly read about it much less write about it. Yet, liberals believe that making any laws about these procedures would be that "slippery slope". We must do better for these women. The media must step up and report not just the good but the bad about their "pet" projects. <br />
We who are Christians need to get on our knees every single day and ask God for forgiveness for our nation; ask Him for wisdom on how we can be loving to our neighbors and speak the truth so that they will hear it. We cannot change the law. If abortion is made illegal again, it won't change the minds of those who feel that abortion is their only option. What we can do is write to our lawmakers and demand that real oversight of abortion clinics starts happening. This war on women must stop.Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-33756157597959753942013-03-28T19:33:00.002-07:002013-05-07T19:12:15.519-07:00The Supreme Court's JobWell, I finally thought I'd put my two cents worth here about the issue before the Supreme Court. Actually, as I understand it, there are two cases before the Court but the bottom line, according to the media and everyone else (Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, email, etc.), the court is tasked with defining marriage. I really thought I had my opinions and beliefs nailed down, but some interesting thoughts and other views have presented themselves to me. Things I really hadn't thought about.<br />
First of all, I am a born-again Christian and would describe my political views as that of a libertarian conservative. I used to call my political views "liberal conservative", but that doesn't even make sense, does it? See, the thing is that I try to see things from both sides and hear views that may be contrary to what I think I believe. To me, same-sex marriage doesn't even make verbal sense but beyond that verbal nonsense (to me) is that there are people who want their relationships validated in some way. I have read everything to "they are going to burn in hell" to "let their love be known to all". The other side of me really does hate hating. I don't want to call anyone names just because they don't think like I do BUT I don't want to be called names for my beliefs either.<br />
Here is my fear: the hating hate I see already, the name-calling, the vile anger and language between people who disagree will only get worse no matter what the court decides. Isn't that true? I just can't get over how polarized people are now. It isn't just about homosexuality either - it is also the color of one's skin as well. I recently was in Walmart and heading to the back of the store for something. I accidentally bumped into a young (around 14 I'd guess) black (oh, excuse me, African American) boy. I immediately said "Oh, I am sorry! I didn't see you!" Honestly, it chilled me the way he looked at me. If looks could kill, I'd be dead. I personally have never experienced that before. Remember I lived in the deep South in the 60's and even then I didn't see it! What the heck is that?<br />
There is a lot of talk about bullying and that is what I see not only in the schools but among adults. This bullying is such a degree today that you can't miss it any more. I had no idea that in elementary school the kids call each other "gay" or "faggot" in arguments OR in jest! That kind of name-calling would mean a trip to the principals' office when I was in grade school. Why is it allowed? Why is it even used, for heaven's sakes? So there is one issue that concerns me: more bullying no matter what the court decides. More hate. More name-calling. More friendships ending. More families split apart. And WHY?<br />
Secondly, I happened upon a <a href="http://blog.heritage.org/2013/03/26/video-ryan-anderson-debates-marriage-with-piers-morgan-suze-orman/" target="_blank">video</a> yesterday that presented some issues that I never thought about or was aware of. Suze Orman was on Piers Morgan's show debating with Ryan Anderson from the Heritage Foundation. Ms. Orman has been in a lesbian relationship for many years with K.T. (I apologize for not remembering her name) so what she stated as fact I took as fact. I hadn't thought about that truly committed relationships get no recognition when it comes to tax matters and other government policies. She mentioned that even though they have been together for years, if one of them dies, the other doesn't get her Social Security widow's benefit. Never even occurred to me! The same is true of any family members who lives together but not married however. Two sisters or two brothers who just didn't find the "right" one or whatever the reason for not marrying and living together would be left with nothing. Of course, there are also those heterosexual couples who live together and never marry as well. Yes, I know about joint tenancy and also about domestic partnerships but not all states have such laws and there is virtually nothing on a federal level,<i> i.e.</i> Social Security, Internal Revenue, etc.<br />
To me, that is unfair and honestly, it just didn't occur to me until I saw this video. I don't like Piers Morgan; I want to state that up front. I don't like how he treated the young man from the Heritage Foundation and I really took exception to the way Ms. Orman treated him too. Having said that, she did give me some facts to consider there. It is not only unfair to those in a same-sex relationship but siblings and others. I agree with Mr. Anderson that much of the economic unfairness at the federal level could be reduced by a complete overhaul of the burdensome tax code. I could envision changes in the Social Security laws too that could be fair to everyone. If we had a flat tax, for example, and no deductions or credits for spouses, children, dependent adults, etc., that we would all pay our "fair share", right? I guess I am naive to think that would ever happen, but a flat tax seems so much easier and fairer. The federal government's budget would be much better off, and I suspect it would help our deficit in a short period of time. I don't know all the numbers, but it seems that if Bill Gates and Warren Buffet paid 10% (for example) of their gross income every year, that has to help our government spending issues. :) Of course, Social Security and Medicare is rife with fraud and Obamacare is going to cost way more than originally sold to us. There are no easy answers. I know that. I am not saying there are. It just seems to me that the economic issues presented by Suze Orman could be dealt with in a manner that doesn't include marriage.<br />
Yes, here is the other point she made: we as Christians have done a horrible job at marriage, haven't we? What examples have we set on committed relationships? Not good ones - that is for sure. Some of that high divorce rate (among believers and non-believers), I blame on the "no-fault divorce" revolution. There are too many couples who enter into marriage with the idea that "if it doesn't work out, we can always get a divorce". I was taught that marriage is a promise, made before friends, family and God, between a man and a woman to stay together through thick and thin. I still believe that way in spite of the fact that I went through not one, but two divorces! I was blessed by the Lord with the husband I have now but I cannot begin to describe the guilt I carried (and to a certain extent, still carry) that I have had two divorces in my past.<br />
Can we expect same-sex couples to be a better example though? Just because heterosexual marriage relationships haven't been a shining example, does that give us an excuse or a license to throw that out? I have even read where the "secret" desire of homosexuals to get rid of marriage altogether. That doesn't even make sense to me. Why the big push for recognition of their relationships as marriages?<br />
Please, no matter what happens at the Supreme Court, can we have a dialog that is rational, kind and loving? Can we try to fix the things that are wrong with tax laws, etc.? Can we agree to disagree? I don't know the answers to the problems these couples face but I have enough faith in the human race that we should be able to figure this out. I also think we need to stop pushing an agenda either way. We are criticizing and silencing those in school who have different opinions. That is not right either. I don't want to argue with anyone about this. I just wanted to write all the things that have been spinning in my head. You don't have to agree with me. All I ask is that if you want to educate me or give me a different point of view, that you do so in a kind and respectful manner. Is that too much to ask?Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-32237813459485117452013-03-25T18:50:00.001-07:002013-05-07T19:13:50.750-07:00Open Letter to my SenatorI am appalled at what my U. S. Senator has been trying to pull with gun legislation. Just what are they trying to do to our Constitution? I wrote the following letter to Senator Feinstein, who, unfortunately, is my U. S. Senator along with Barbara Boxer. Senator Feinstein got quite angry and upset with Senator Cruz when he pointed out certain provisions in the U. S. Consitution saying he "lectured" her. Well, she obviously needed to be and she still does! Here is what I wrote to her:<br />
<br />
"Dear Senator, I am quite familiar with your opinions about guns. I am one of your constituents and I am appalled that you fail to see that removing guns from the hands of citizens is constitutional. Yes, I know you don't like lectures on the constitution but I suggest you read it, Senator! Please take a moment and consider the statistics of cities and other nations who have taken guns out of the hands of its citizens. The murder, rape and robbery statistics have skyrocketed and are still doing so. Consider the city of Oakland! Oakland has banned guns yet there are murders just about every day. Why? Because criminals could care less about the law; that is what makes them criminals! Taking guns out of your citizens will not, I repeat NOT, take them out of the hands of the criminals. And, what next? What other protections of the Constitution will you take from us? Remember, you work for the voter not the other way around. I know you will answer that you don't agree with me but I would be remiss in not letting you know how I feel about your gun grab. It is wrong and it is, as you WELL KNOW, unconstitutional."<br />
<br />
My family live here and it would break my heart if I would have to leave the state. But I may have no choice if I am going to live peaceably with no further attacks on my liberties. California is a socialist state as is the state of New York. Both states have draconian laws already and among the most expensive states to live in. Raising the minimum wage to $22 an hour, as stated by Pelosi won't make the state any more affordable either. How can a supposedly educated person even think that would work? All that would do is make everything so expensive NO ONE can live - we'd all be street people eating out of trash cans. What a lame idea. It is an embarrassment that she speaks for California. <br />
<br />
California and New York both are not family friendly or business-friendly. I don't blame businesses and families from leaving our state and moving to Texas. Right now, it seems like a very good idea. Listen people, we MUST start making a lot of noise now or we will find ourselves unarmed and living in a communist nation.Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-41397290557354982982013-03-16T01:35:00.000-07:002013-03-16T01:35:12.940-07:00Hating Hate<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have you noticed that the word "hate" is bandied about more and more these days? Usually, hate is an accusation when one person disagrees with another. Instead of having a reasonable, sensible, well-thought-out points to one's beliefs, the reaction is "well, you are just a hater and haters gotta hate".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is the most ridiculous logic I have seen in my entire life! We are all entitled to our own opinions. You don't have to believe as I do and the reverse is true as well. That doesn't make us haters, bigots, racists, homophobes, etc. (you get the picture, I am sure). How is my opinion hate? If I have expressed it, and not called you names or disrespected your viewpoint because you believe differently, why can we not have a discussion stating the points we believe support our opinion? Or, if all else fails, why can not just agree to disagree?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is not logical to believe that everyone is going to feel the same way about different issues. We come to the table with our own life experiences, our own core beliefs on how we want to live - right? Based on that, there are definitely going to be differences in how we see things and what we believe. I don't hate someone who believes differently - not at all. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What I DO hate is the name-calling, the use of vile language directed at me, the raising of the voice with the name-calling and language. I feel battered and abused and I know that any further rational discussion isn't going to happen. How can we learn from each other if we are so rigid in our belief systems that we refuse to hear anything slightly different?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have seen tweets on Twitter that are perfectly innocent...say a statistic on crime. No mention of race, age, sexual orientation - none. Within a few tweets that person who came up with the statistic will be accused of being a racist and in the instance I remember, the tweeter was Native American and accused the original tweeter of being a racist. It is mind-boggling. I couldn't believe my eyes....how in the heck did a statistic with no percentages of who does what become a slur against Native Americans? How did the tweeter become a hater by reporting the statistics? See what I mean? Logic is just lost here and I see it all the time across the internet: Facebook, Twitter, blog comments, TV and radio talk shows.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why do we all have this huge chip on our shoulder and LOOK for a reason to be offended? Can we remove the chip please?</span>Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-80845954933519316732013-02-24T21:45:00.001-08:002013-02-24T21:45:15.426-08:00Gun HysteriaI don't know about you, but I have about had it with all this gun hysteria. Clearly, this is the left's "excuse" to stomp on our 2nd Amendment rights. Those of us who call ourselves conservatives see it for what it is. The mainstream media and Democrats are using the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut for their own agenda which is to take guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens.<br />
To take this tragedy and make it a political issue is disgusting. I believe a young blogger, Ben (?) Shapiro said it best....the left is "stomping on the graves of these dead children" to further their agenda to leave citizens with no way to defend themselves. It simply doesn't work to say "call 9-1-1" when a gun is shoved in your gut. Further, would a criminal even stick a gun in your gut if he/she knew you could defend yourself? Would a criminal have second thoughts about invading your home if there was a possibility he/she might be shot? Is this who we are protecting? The criminals? It must be so because laws that are being proposed in California and in other liberal-leaning states do not protect children in schools, do not protect those who are attending a religious service, do protect those who are just plain minding their own business. Those children and teachers who were murdered in Newtown were not protected by the strict gun laws in Connecticut, were they? If just one teacher or one administrator had a loaded weapon, I believe the statistics that day would be far different.<br />
Our own senator, Diane Feinstein, would love to outlaw ALL weapons, including handguns yet she feels it necessary to protect herself by carrying a loaded weapon. Why is she so special? Would banning all weapons protect her? No, it would not because those who want to aim a gun at her (or any of us) have no interest in obeying the law. I don't know what logic the left uses to come up with the arguments they bring us. But causing hysteria is not the answer. Banning all weapons is not the answer. There are so many things in our every day life that are far more dangerous than guns: automobiles, inept medical practitioners are just a couple I can think of right off the top of my head.<br />
Why are the laws that are already on the books not enforced? The main reason is that criminals have absolutely no intention of obeying any laws that would get in the way of doing what they want to do. I read recently that in the United Kingdom, knives are becoming the weapon of choice. See what I mean? If a person is intent of invading our homes, raping women, robbing a store, etc., the criminal can use a gun, knife, baseball bat or whatever! Again, criminals have no intention of obeying the law - any law! When are people who want to write more gun laws or ban them altogether going to understand that?<br />
The thing is that most conservatives know that it isn't the gun they are trying to ban. The left want the citizen to be disarmed so that they can do whatever they want with no fear of an armed militia being able to take our nation back to the Constitution. I don't want an armed revolution at all and I don't know any who do - that is not the point. Here is the definition of the Second Amendment:<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As ratified by the States and authenticated by Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State:</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="templatequote" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19.1875px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div class="Bug6200">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. (Wikipedia)</span></div>
</blockquote>
Do you see those words "being necessary to the security of a free state"? Sadly, in today's America, I believe it necessary for citizens to remind government just what the U.S. Constitution provides. All of it - not just the Second Amendment. In today's America, we are less free than Soviet Russia was. The only difference is we can still voice our opinion - mostly. There may come a time, if we don't wake up, where speaking up and having an opinion that doesn't agree with those in charge will be gone too. Please wake up. Please pay attention. Please stand your ground and don't give in to a single infringement of our constitution - let's take it back!Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-22924653186590762202013-01-15T23:55:00.000-08:002013-01-15T23:55:16.850-08:00Innocent Life?Well, all day I have seen the hysteria and drama of the One's photo op-ed tomorrow with the children. He will be presenting his 19-point gun control plan, he says. No more killing of innocent lives. Really? Is he kidding us or what?<br />
What about the unborn children that are murdered every day - 1 every 94 minutes (or is it seconds?). How do you justify gun control, Mr. Obama, and yet promote abortion? This is just a ploy to disarm Americans and then God knows what you'd do after that. <br />
I was horrified at what happened at Sandy Hook, the theater in Colorado, etc. and many others over the years. Yet nothing would have kept this from happening! Criminals are right this minute murdering innocent citizens with guns they bought on the street. Those who buy from a gun store aren't looking to murder anybody. I don't know what the percentages are but I would bet that a gun owner is safer than most drivers around here! Oh, I could pitch that we need to protect our homes and our families and also pitch that hunters should have guns, etc. But, here's the thing: the 2nd Amendment was placed in the Bill of Rights so we as citizens cannot be tyrannized by our government. Read it - nothing in there about hunting, right? Our forefathers knew quite well how government can run roughshod over its citizens and impose its will on us. The British were literally days from imposing their own gun control prior to the Revolution. <br />
I have learned a lot here in recent days and bottom line is that no gun walks into a school or a theater and starts killing people. Guns don't have legs or arms. Guns don't think. The killers are the shooters not the guns. It is sort of like reading our local Cop Logs here where the writer describes that a vehicle hits a utility pole. Now you and I both know the vehicle didn't drive by itself, right? The same thing applies to guns! <br />
My biggest objection to all of this is how two-faced and hypocritical the Democrats are. They want to apply onerous laws to those citizens who have and/or want to own a gun to "save the children" (gag me) yet they refuse to do one thing or lift one finger to save an unborn child from its own mother killing it. The next biggest objection is that Mr. O is not a king or a prince. If he pulls one of those Executive Order things with this, I will be writing all of Congress to impeach him. He has done far too many things using his Executive Orders and I am furious that Congress has done nothing to challenge him on it! They get up and spout fine speeches yet do absolutely nothing. <br />
I don't personally own a gun but I don't want my right to own one infringed upon either. Folks, we are coming to a crossroads and Americans have to choose: Constitution or Obama?<br />
God help us.Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-20314947535206833502012-12-01T19:44:00.001-08:002012-12-01T19:48:28.040-08:00The Rich?I keep hearing about the 'fiscal cliff" and the dire predictions of economic doom in the mainstream media. Even Fox is spouting it to a certain point. Republicans who pledged to not raise taxes are now considering to disavow their pledge. Maybe they should and here's why: I agree with some of the conservative pundits that say the Democrats should get their way and when the economy tanks, it will clearly be their fault not the Republicans. No matter what is done, we are going over the cliff anyway. Obama and his followers don't seem to understand that without a budget and spending what you don't have, you face bankruptcy.<br />
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As you and I know, if we did this kind of spending on credit, we would have to file bankruptcy at some point. Either that or have the "repo" man come and get our stuff. Right? So why does government think it is somehow immune to simple economics? Here is the other thing that is puzzling to me: Obama seems to think the "rich" are those who make an annual income over $250,000. I personally know a few people who earn over $250,000 a year and, you know what, they are not rich! Now if we were talking about true millionaires - you know they actually make a million dollars a year, that could be considered "rich".<br />
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The thing is that the people I know own and operate small businesses. Although they may make over $250,000 a year, they work like dogs, pay for their own medical insurance, buy all their supplies and in some cases, hire employees. The dollars they take home go to pay their mortgage, buy groceries for their family, pay utilities, etc. and they don't have a lot left over. They do not live like the truly wealthy at all. You know what I mean....those who have 25,000 square feet (or more) homes, full-time household staff, multi-car garages (I mean more than 3 too), do not drive their expensive vehicles but are driven. Now, to me, that is rich. That is wealthy.<br />
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The sad thing is that liberals think by raising their taxes, it is going to do something for the economy. Obama's "plan" predicts that in 10 YEARS it might lower the national debt by 1.6 trillion dollars. Ten years? What if China calls in their loans? What if some other catastrophic national disaster happens? There are all kinds of "what if" scenarios and the truth is that if you taxed the truly wealthy 100%, they would still be wealthy and our economic troubles would remain. <br />
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What the liberals refuse to see is that we MUST reduce spending! None of this "talk" going around (and nothing is promised, mind you) doesn't truly reduce spending. Paul Ryan's budget was a start and Senator Rand Paul has some great ideas too. But those who are the recipients of entitlements from the government don't even want to hear about any reduction of their benefits. Sadly, they are the same folks who re-elected the One as president. Since the Democrats hit the White House, Congress and Senate (2009) spending has been out of control. Entitlements have mushroomed and these same folks want you to come and get YOUR freebies too! Yes, I know that George W. Bush and his bunch spent money like drunk sailors too but he is not the cause of where we are today. <br />
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Okay, let us tax the truly wealthy - I can go with that. But, let's hear about realistic spending cuts too. Obama and friends want to raise taxes and don't want to even give one specific about how they will reduce spending. "We'll get to that later." Well, I hope to God that the Republicans don't fall for that. Just as in personal relationships, when we've been burned and the olive branch is extended, we should be very wary of accepting it when there is no definition of what that person is going to do differently. What are the Democrats going to do differently? Nothing, as far as I can tell. At least, they don't want to say and my guess is that they not only are not saying but they don't intend to cut spending at all!<br />
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Here is another thing and my fellow Brentwood citizens, pay attention to this: my grandson, on the night of the election, told me what a bad person Mitt Romney is. "He only helps rich people, Grandma." Now, I know his parents well enough to say that they didn't tell him that. I would bet he got it from school; either from his friends and/or teachers. I wish I had been quick enough to tell him that if taxes are raised, it will affect his family directly since his dad is a small businessman. They already pay an enormous amount in state and federal taxes. It'll only get worse for them. God help us all!Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-28910399780801117742012-11-12T00:22:00.000-08:002012-11-12T00:22:28.973-08:00Voter FraudI have seen quite a bit in conservative news, blogs, Twitter, etc. about the possibility of voter fraud last Tuesday. Quite frankly, I said this election night! How is it that thousands of people showed up for Mitt at rallies in the "swing states" and only hundreds showed up for Obama and Mitt lost? How is it that polls had Mitt several points ahead of Obama yet Mitt lost?<br />
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I just saw another <a href="http://westernjournalism.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b58f5402a9ab54bddf0c908c8&id=242c357c1c&e=8e47973ca0" target="_blank">video</a> from Philadelphia that once again tells the tale that it didn't matter (and still doesn't) what the law says, liberals will do as they want! There are reports where 130% of the voters cast their ballots in one county in Colorado and 108% in Ohio. The voting process itself is an opportunity for fraud. These voting machines can be stolen, hacked, etc. How is that one machine would say "Obama" when the voter entered "Romney"? No one, well not enough anyway, is asking why. We should be screaming about this! <br />
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It is just not sour grapes with me about the presidential election
either. I noticed this trend in our state election too. I simply
cannot believe that, for the first time in decades, Californians
approved Proposition 30 increasing their taxes! And for what? California
assemblypersons and senators have shown absolutely no fiscal restraint;
have not reduced their spending and, in fact, have increased it. Now
our fine governor (not) wants to build a bullet train that no one will
use! Where is this money coming from, pray tell? I simply cannot believe that California voters approved it. I swear that California is the role model for Washington's bad business practices!<br />
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What to do? Join <a href="http://blackboxvoting.org/" target="_blank">Black Box Voting</a>, first of all. Read all the news; download the tool kit. I intend to update mine. We simply have to stop sitting around complaining about this voter fraud and do what it takes to make sure our votes really count. Watch the videos on the site too. Remember this: during the American Revolution, it was a small minority of the population that made things happen. Most of the citizens either didn't know what was going on or were horrified that this "radical" group was taking action against the king of England. Read this again: a small minority! If you think about it, a small minority is still making things happen and we need to push back on them with our own!<br />
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Notices of massive layoffs have been written about in the last few days. Many of our military are not happy either. What is going to happen to those men and women when they are sent home? There will be no jobs for them! I hate to say this but I can see an unemployment rate of 25% coming in our near future. The point - sorry I got sidetracked - is that these unemployed and military personnel and those of us who want our republic back need to make ourselves heard. Those of us who want to see government run according to our U. S. Constitution better be the ones starting any "revolution". No, I don't mean war, please. The thing that I do fear is that with the anger and disbelief at what is and will be happening, there are those who WILL want a war and worse, those revolutionists may not be interested in a republic. <br />
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Get informed and start doing what needs to be done. First of all, pray for God's wisdom and direction. Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-63955520614140631942012-11-07T19:42:00.001-08:002012-11-07T19:44:22.333-08:00Sad Day in America and BrentwoodI haven't posted here as much as I would like but feel the need to do so more often now. Yesterday, America began its transformation into a socialist state completely. Oh, to be sure, we were heading that way for decades but it was clear to me that at least 50% of Americans prefer a "nanny state" government rather than take personal responsibility.<br />
The vitriol during this election cycle was beyond the pale. Rather than set forth a true campaign platform, both sides and their PAC's just threw mud and worse. We had no clear information as to what Mitt and/or Obama planned to do to make America better. Oh, we know what Obama wants to do since we have seen four years of it already but what did Mitt offer? Not much in the way of true difference. The problem with Republicans is that if there is any conservatism in the party, it is truly by accident.<br />
There is little difference between the parties and it has been that way for decades. True conservatism is not evidenced by the Republican party leaders There are far too many "neo-cons" running the party and, as long as this continues, true conservatives are going to shy away from supporting wholeheartedly ANY person running with an "R" by his/her name. Mitt is a perfect example of a moderate Republican. When he was governor of Massachusetts, he put together his own state health care program and his "promise" to repeal "Obamacare" didn't ring true for me. He would have definitely CHANGED it but we would still have some form of it. That is my opinion.<br />
The U.S. is now a laughing stock and I believe all but Israel are thrilled about Obama being re-elected. Iran will grow as a more dangerous force in the Middle East - count on it. Israel's hand may be forced to take military action to protect itself. Europe and Great Britain are also perfect examples of where we will be economically and soon! With our military strength at bare bones, we are so vulnerable not to mention the social engineering taking place within the military. We still don't know the total effect of that.<br />
But we were offered no real solutions except the same old/same old. True conservatives don't want war; we want military strength to protect our borders. There is a big difference between what the neo-cons want and what conservatives want. Ron Paul was accused of being an isolationist and that was just a flat-out lie. He proposed not buying our friendship with foreign aid but rather supporting those nations who are our friends and ACT like they are our friends. And "support" doesn't mean money! All that foreign aid has done is line the pockets of those in top places of foreign governments. The citizens have seen a rare nickel of it. What makes this "aid" worse is that we have to borrow money in order to send the aid. The biggest point he made about our foreign policy is that everything about is unconstitutional. We have no business having military bases in other countries. If we do, then why are there not foreign military bases in the U.S.? What gives us the right to be there? None! <br />
We are in real trouble here. I fear for our nation and especially for my children and grandchildren. My grandchildren will be asking themselves what in the heck happened to the United States that is portrayed in the "old" history books? How come when I work, all but 25% of my income is mine? How come I can't get decent health care? A decent education? I pray to God that He will step in but unless those of us who call Him Lord change our ways, I fear He will not.<br />
We simply cannot thumb our noses at His Word and expect to be blessed any more. We can't weaken the Gospel and only obey those commandments that we like. By taking God out of the public square, we have certainly let Him know that we, as a nation, want nothing to do with Him. God is a Gentleman and will not force Himself on us. He respects our will. We have chosen to ignore Him and to punish those who still love and worship Him by ridicule, disrespect and downright hatred.<br />
Finally, I believe that our entire system of voting has been compromised and we will probably never know the entire extent of the voter fraud that was perpetrated yesterday all the way from local elections to the Presidential election. I am laying blame on the Democrats or the Republicans for this. Both parties are to blame and have had a hand in it. I believe that we will learn of many incidents across the nation where votes were either not counted or over-counted; voting machines were tampered with either manually or via technology; and that some registered voters were not legitimate ones, <i>i.e.</i> illegal citizens, felons or dead.<br />
But hey, we still get our freebies, right? That is what counts! God help us.Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-11987488621821532012-06-26T01:00:00.000-07:002012-06-26T01:00:03.788-07:00Scam in BrentwoodToday, on the sidewalk in front of the post office on Oak Street, hubby saw a small booth set up with a sign that said "Impeach Obama" and another poster with a photo of Obama with a Hitler mustache on him. There was a third poster but he can't recall the exact wording. As he passed by, he overheard a woman talking to a young man that apparently was "in charge" of the booth. There were 2 women and a guy in the booth. The gist of the conversation was that these people were from San Francisco, they were taking donations to "impeach Obama" but admitted to the woman speaking to them, that they were taking donations FOR Obama's re-election campaign.<br />
I don't know how the woman figured out their scam but I say, "good for her!" I am not clear how this group set up on a city street but I intend to call the Brentwood Police Department to find out the procedure and to report this fraudulent behavior.<br />
If I was donating to a specific "cause" or person, I'd expect my money to actually go to that cause and/or person. I believe it is fraud. We'll see what Brentwood PD says. In the meantime, please be aware of these people and, if you see anyone collecting money for a political cause or even a non-profit medical research cause, ask questions like this smart woman did. Make sure your money is going where you want it to go.Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-15737149188013235092012-06-23T00:38:00.001-07:002012-06-23T00:38:14.597-07:00Local Government CountsWith the latest happening in Washington regarding Fast & Furious, it just drives home the importance of starting locally making a stand for issues that come up in city and county government and doing my homework on those that represent my community. <br />
When I lived for a short while (4 years) in San Luis Obispo County, I worked for the county as a clerk. During that time, the Superior and Municipal courts merged and became a part of state government. Oh, it was a wonderful time! California had a surplus and we could get anything we asked for. Ergonomic chairs were given to every employee in the court to the tune of $800 a piece, for example. <br />
But here is the deal, both hubby and I worked for the county and we saw the waste of not only buying expensive items (those same chairs were half the price at a well-known office supply chain) but the time wasted by everyone. See, it does start locally. I am not saying all county offices were wasting time because some of them like the District Attorney's office and Family Court Services were over-whelmed and could never get caught up. But certainly, money was wasted. Here is an example, one courtroom had to be completed gutted and re-done for a certain criminal trial due to the defendants being opposing gang members. Not only did it take months to do, but everything from the electrical, paint, jury box, spectator section had to be re-done to the tune of thousands of dollars. Meanwhile, the defendants were cooling their heels in the county jail, mind you, on the county dime. This is the stunning part: just days prior to the start of the trial, all of the defendants took a plea bargain. So all of that money spent and resources used was for nothing. <br />
This kind of thing happens all over the state, in all the counties and I would bet in most of our cities and towns. I know some of it can't be helped but, as a tax-paying citizen, I need to know what is going on and see how I can educate my neighbors, family and friends.<br />
The truth be told here is that I really didn't pay all that much attention to local government until the last ten years. I am not proud of that. Something woke me up. Maybe it was 9/11 or maybe it was the presidential election of 2000. I am not sure but awake I am and I hope that my little piece of the blogging world will open other's eyes too.Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-29079249739083161772012-06-17T02:06:00.000-07:002012-06-17T02:06:20.771-07:00Update on Brentwood thingsAfter becoming a member of Twitter last week, I was pleased to see either through it or Facebook, a blog post of a fellow Brentwood citizen, <a href="http://carissapillow.com/" target="_blank">Carrisa Pillow</a>. Not only does she report on the City Council meetings, she is now running for a position on that Council. I say, good for her! We NEED women on that council!<br />
I have lived in Brentwood since 2004 but have lived in the Bay Area for most of 40 years (with occasional moves here and there). Back in 1976, when we lived in Concord, my then mother-in-law and sister-in-law went with my children and me to Brentwood to pick apricots. This was my first visit and I fell in love with the town. Then it was a small farming community. During the 80's, I came out here for fruit and vegetables during summer picking season, and I could see the development starting to take place. I lived in Antioch then and the growth of Antioch had already doubled much to my alarm! I commuted to Martinez and Walnut Creek on Highway 4 and kept asking the question of my friends: how are all these people going to get to work? There was no industry out here except farming. Some of the manufacturing that was in Antioch were either shutting down or cutting way back. The blue-collar jobs were disappearing and the white-collar commuters were moving out here.<br />
There was good reason for it - land/property and therefore, homes were reasonable to buy. We bought our first house in 1980 in Antioch for 79K (which was a bit high even then but that is another story).<br />
By 1990, and some personal changes, my new husband and I bought a home in Mira Vista Hills for (I think) $134K. Of course, it is a bigger and newer home but still, that is a huge jump. Meanwhile, Lone Tree Way which was a two-lane country road was changing dramatically and homes were being built as rapidly as could be. I was shocked just to see how close together they were then and that's nothing compared to what I see in Brentwood today.<br />
I moved away to San Luis Obispo county in 1997 and returned in 2001. I could not believe what had happened to Antioch and was appalled at what was happening to Brentwood! My husband and I moved to a condo in Antioch but the population changes, budget cuts, etc. made us both feel unsafe. My daughter and her husband bought a home out here and we moved here in 2004. I still shake my head at what is happening to Antioch. I don't understand it at all. However, there was so much building out here, I wondered, is this going to be another Antioch? Well, we all know what happened to the economy but, frankly, I think that the slow down in developments out here was the only thing that saved Brentwood. <br />
It gave all of us a chance to take a breath and start asking some hard questions. A lot of seniors, like my husband and I, were concerned and we don't even have children in schools here! I don't want the City Council to become like other government agencies that only think of who helped them get elected. I hope that is not happening here so please don't think I am accusing the Council of it - just hope it isn't. I wondered, however, when the Council decided that the new Civic Center had to be so huge! I didn't understand how Oakley was able to build their new Center for a fraction of what Brentwood paid. I still don't and I am not happy at what happened to the city park. I truly feel the City reneged on the commitment made to the woman who donated the land. <br />
I did get a chance to meet Steve Barr when he was running for City Council and was pleased to discuss my concerns with him as did my husband. So far, so good but I am still uneasy at the decisions made not just by him but by the entire Council. For these reasons, I am happy that Carissa is running and I hope to meet her too. I plan on attending a Council meeting soon depending on my health. Please be sure and read her blog post dated June 12 for her description of events that took place. I hope to have more input on the Council soon.Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8026824804330846527.post-12160482143360517072012-05-31T00:33:00.003-07:002012-05-31T00:33:43.395-07:00Have you heard?<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Have you heard about Obama's Fast and Furious Scandal where the Executive Branch has been found to have used our tax monies and several federal law enforcement agencies to buy and provide assault rifles to the Mexican drug cartels importing all the illegal aliens and drugs into America? I know that conservative bloggers and news sources are reporting it but isn't it strange the mainstream media have barely told their viewers/listeners much at all. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What is amazing is that people DIED during this fiasco! Two Americans and hundreds of Mexican citizens. Mexico should be outraged at our government. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What is scandalizing is that our Attorney General has refused to cooperate with Senator Issa and even lied under oath? Where is the news about that? Eric Holder does not uphold the law but only those things that are important to him and his boss. I am so tired of this corrupt government....not just federal but all the way down to municipal! </span></span>Nemahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13078298123387407311noreply@blogger.com0