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September 25, 2005

Cultural Prejudice and Religious Intolerance Alive and Well on Cape Cod

The following remarks are quoted from the Cape Cod Today blog, RappCity. In case you were tired as I was, and did not read completely through this post, here is JC's opinion of those who differ in their views:

“The Bubba is Bursting

Now in my humble opinion (hit comment for yours), most of the truly misinformed people in this country get their news from the local pulpit on Sunday, and/or from the "Butte-Mesa Canyon, West Yahoo-Land Newspaper." The OP-ED pages in that town are not usually very open-minded, nor given to the opinions of many "outsiders" (Like anyone else in the USA)! I think the local library in Butte-Mesa Canyon also has a permanent, "Out to Lunch" sign on its door.

But, now that Satellite Dishes and cable, have brought many of these folks "inside the barn"...”

Now maybe I am wrong, but I take this attack as maligning people who get their news from the local pulpit (or anywhere else that conflicts with his or her narrow minded views). The rest of the dialogue I will let you judge for yourselves.

It is just this kind of disrespectful zealousness, painting people of differing views as being somehow inferior, that has so alienated good, conscientious people from the left. When the next elections roll around, you had better check your well informed cap at the door, because we “misinformed people” don't take kindly to being called “out to lunch Bubbas.” Now that we are “inside the barn,” and have the opportunity to observe your web pages, forums, blogs and comments, the principles and religious intolerance of the left have become increasingly visible.

It was John F. Kennedy who said, “forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.” We will not soon forget the aspersions cast, or who so belittled our views after this natural disaster.

Posted by capecodcyclist at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)

September 24, 2005

Hurricane Katrina's Aftermath: Where Are We Headed?

This entry contains my copied comments from RappCity's post: "Nature is an Awesome Force" GW Bush

You had me right there with you JC, right up until “Especially if Mr.[President] Bush gets the Supreme Court he wants and women don't even have a "morning after" pill to take with their morning after coffee.” Although I can agree with you on most points (aside from your unquestioning certainty about global warming) I am curious about your population control philosophy. Is that really the answer? Abortion and the morning after pill? I am just trying to get you to clarify what you are saying there. If earth's immune system is trying to fight anything off, I would propose that it is the steady decline of morals and personal responsibility that this statement represents.

“Seeing sick, starving, homeless people on our front steps is something a little harder to ignore.”

While this statement on the outside is very caring and understanding of a sensitive topic, it ignores the underlying issues behind it. What we were confronted with after hurricane Katrina was a segment of our population that was “set up for the fall.” Much of the poverty in our country can be traced back to years of learned reliance on welfare. We have a whole segment of the population that could not help themselves if given the tools to do so because they are so conditioned to having someone else do it for them. For every poverty stricken person who was waiting for rescue in New Orleans, I can show you a person new to this country (perhaps not even here legally), unable to speak the language, and yet completely capable of beginning a life here – and able to evacuate themselves and others in their community. I am not saying there should not have been better evacuation plans. There certainly should have. I am saying that we are not addressing the real problems resulting from overwhelming teenage pregnancy, absentee fathers, welfare reliance and dropout rates. It takes a responsible family to raise a responsible child and we are completely ignoring this issue. We have a whole segment of our population caught in a cycle of degeneracy: broken families, welfare, crime, violence, drugs and alcohol abuse. These are all symptoms of a disease that nobody likes to admit plagues America: decaying moral values.

You can poo poo Pat Robertson and his ilk, but they are on to something that some seem too willing to overlook. They are very conscious (more than most of us) of the deterioration of our values, families and communities. The good works of these faith-based organizations are shunned, ignored or unnoticed by those offended by the idea of religion. The battle these groups are fighting to preserve our country's moral fiber should be accepted by all of us as critical to the survival of our society. The path we are headed down is a dark one. Even one who does not believe in evil should be able to recognize that. When headlines read of newborns dumped in trash heaps and we have different levels of sex offenders on our streets, it is time we woke up and recognized the seriousness of our degenerating society. Regardless of beliefs, we all have a common interest in climbing out of this hole we are digging for America. We are kidding ourselves if we think there was that much difference between what we witnessed in New Orleans before and after Katrina. What we saw was a snapshot of what this society is becoming. It quickly degenerated into a pit of hopelessness, moral decay and suffering. To blame government for this free fall into misery is both ignorant and wrong.

Posted by capecodcyclist at 09:00 PM | Comments (0)

Progressives and Conservatives: Face to Face With Poverty

The reaction to and politicizing of hurricane Katrina and its tragic aftermath will forever change the way many of us view the media in this country. For some, this tragedy has also been an education in the dangers posed us by the misdirected activists of this country. While the shock of the storm and the subsequent inundation of New Orleans were the focus of our attention, we were quickly distracted from the task at hand by these misguided fanatics. It is from these activists we first heard grossly exaggerated death tolls. The day that Katrina hit, they were blanketing the internet with duplicate messages declaring that Bush had cut levee funding. Later, they desecrated victims by using images of dead bodies as ammunition in their attacks on America. Claims of government indifference and negligence were aimed at a system they feel unjust, and they obviously hoped that the chaos and turmoil would foster some support for their socialist views. Through mass distribution of pamphlets, web sites, blogs, and emails, they sought to perpetuate the mistrust of our government, even suggesting intentional harm aimed at those in poverty. For them, this natural disaster supported their conspiracy theories regarding the haves versus the have nots. They lay blame for post-hurricane events on our entire social system and government. Hurricane Katrina exposed issues of poverty that most of us previously felt more comfortable just to ignore. This is perhaps the one area where we might find some measure of agreement, but when we broach the subject of causes and solutions all reason disintegrates.

“Man is man because he is free to operate within the framework of his destiny. He is free to deliberate, to make decisions, and to choose between alternatives. He is distinguished from animals by his freedom to do evil or to do good and to walk the high road of beauty or tread the low road of ugly degeneracy.”

~Martin Luther King, Jr., The Measures of Man, 1959

Today we have come to a crossroads, where those in positions of influence (our leaders and the media) must either stand up and speak the truth or accept the consequences of denial. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of the low road of degeneracy, and in this hurricane's aftermath we witnessed the results of that road being traveled. When it comes to poverty, in black communities in particular, it seems everyone is afraid to address many of the causes. We have issues of teenage pregnancy, fatherless children, illiteracy, high school dropout rates, and all the illegal activities that inherently accompany these: violence, crime, drugs, guns, prostitution, etc. This is not to say that any of these are unique to a particular race, but in recognizing poverty as an unequally black issue, these are problems that must be acknowledged. For fear of being called racist, there are few who venture into this territory. The few that dare to speak out, whether they are themselves minorities or not, are quickly demonized by a press looking to feel good about themselves for defending those they view as incapable, or by those who seek to continue in the current system and its failings.

Some of the remarks showing the greatest courage, honesty and understanding after this disaster have come from Linda Chavez, the President of the Center for Equal Opportunity in Virginia. I will not lapse into my media bias thoughts here, but this is a fine example. Rather than correctly describing her as head of an Equal Opportunity organization, the media makes the point to label her as “a former Bush nominee for secretary of labor.” The quote she has most been criticized for in the media is the one many of us wished to say but dared not. Chavez characterized many of Katrina’s victims as people “for whom sitting and waiting is a way of life.” I wish I could find where and when this quote was made, but I could not find any references to its source. I must admit that since reading this comment, I admire Linda Chavez more than any commentator on this issue. Her article today was especially eye opening, as she questioned what happened to the 200,000 plus Hispanics who were living in or around New Orleans before the storm:

“The city's Hispanics didn't need the cavalry to come to the rescue, even though many of them are very poor. They did what immigrants always do: They relied on informal networks of family, friends and fellow countrymen, and pooled their resources to get out while they could. Fear of being deported was no doubt a big motivator for some not to stick around, but the loss of work probably played an even bigger role in their decision.”

Linda Chavez offers thoughtful and obvious analysis of the crisis of poverty we are witnessing here in this country. Here on Cape Cod, I have had only one direct contact with a young married man who was with the New Orleans evacuees here at Camp Edwards. He was attempting to get a used truck he had purchased repaired so he could safely travel back to New Orleans and his job as a waiter. Taking his wife to see some of the country and getting back to work were this fellow's only concerns. My sister spent fifteen hours cramped in a vehicle trying to get out of Louisiana after fleeing New Orleans. Her final destination a day after this journey was Washington D.C. - to try and get her old job back and look for an apartment. I am sure there are many more like her that traveled off to find new work. There have been stories in local papers across the country of incidents with another sort of evacuee. I will call them the “uninterested in working” type. We had complaints that there were no decent gun shops, complaints that the camp ground's pool had not been cleaned, complaints that bars and liquor stores were not open twenty four hours, complaints about drinking restrictions at their housing, and complaints that living quarters were cramped. These are but a few of the examples (I am sure there are many more). What is the issue of a woman who arrived here on Cape Cod carrying her thirteenth child, and what of men so dependent on drugs and alcohol they could not function? Evacuee's frequent trips to the local Wal Mart have included public drinking binges at the storefront and lots of merchandise being purchased. We can not blame them for replacing lost goods, but in times like this, responsible people have priorities like the young man I met. Countless thousands work to rebuild their lives and their home states along the gulf coast, while these users of the system waste away their meager allowances and complain about their conditions, their location and their situations.

On Tuesday I received a comment to one of my posts that I found worthy of repeating: tired of the negativity wrote: “The goal for society should be FORWARD THINKING, not restrictions, not "witch" (liberal) hunts, not casting aspersions, etc...” In premise, I would have to agree that our primary aim should be forward thinking- a quality I feel we all sorely lack. However, when forward thinking must be based solely on your beliefs, that is actually limited or restricted thinking. When contrary opinions are considered “casting aspersions,” and seeking to see fair and unbiased reporting is considered a “witch hunt,” we have gone back to the dark ages have we not? True progress will only come when contrary opinions aren't equated with attacks and we are honest in dealing with very real issues we face in this nation. This country shows its true colors in responding to tragedies of this magnitude. Could we maintain half of that effort in addressing the real problems underlying the wounds that have been opened, we might begin the healing process. Personal attacks accomplish nothing but alienating us from each other. Love of country and concern for people of all races spans both sides of the aisle. Are we ready to confront the truth?

Posted by capecodcyclist at 08:54 PM | Comments (0)

If It Takes a Village to Raise a Child...

Which Village Taught You to Hate America?

Despite the playful title, I am really quite serious about this question. I had hoped that people might deliberately read this with an open mind. However, I am afraid the chances of my escaping the typical liberal tongue lashings are doubtful. It would be nice to toss aside the labels (liberal, conservative), throw down the gloves and get down to the real, underlying causes here. However, the emotional pull runs deep and violent arrogance seems a rampant addiction. Just how have we gotten to this point?

It seems everyone considers themselves an activist today. We have peace activists, environmental activists, political activists, human rights activists, animal rights activists... you get the idea. Without activists, it seems we would have no positive action at all. The world would be a sewer of filth, violence and ignorance. Do you think that is really the case? Why? The average, non-activist person does not share the same goals, beliefs and morals as you? The problem I see here, and correct me if I am wrong (as I know you will), is that if you aren't my kind of activist, then you must be part of the problem. It is the “if I haven't seen you in MY church on Sunday, you must be goin' to hell” mentality that I am talking about. It is the attitude that most turns me off about some religious groups. This is also the motivation behind my recent decision to officially register as a Republican. I can't stand being judged without evidence of my guilt, or at least being given the opportunity to prove my innocence. If my beliefs fall outside your prejudicial bubble of reality, I have been forever lost to the dark side. Good riddance, sayonara, have a nice life in Bush land with your undeserved tax cut idiot. Very intelligent and grown up sounding, don't you think?

So, back to the causes. Was it the influence of teachers telling you America had it all wrong? Perhaps it was some feeling of being disconnected, some urge to be part of something. The liberal left seems to be the self-appointed champion of every worthy cause, yet they will not accept that there are others who share these same values. The most militant liberals actually perpetuate and actively participate in much of the prejudice and lack of progress they claim to be crusading against. It seems that for many of us, some sort of “group-think” kicks in at some point along the line. In political or philosophical debates, the dialogues become somewhat predictable. The response to any dissenting point of view is first, downgrade the opposition to the lower form of life that they are through a personal verbal assault, second, place a recognizable label on the offender so as to identify them to your side as the enemy, third, take their opposing view and twist it beyond recognition to suit your predetermined beliefs about the label you have chosen for this person. But, wait a minute. There was something I just slipped in there you missed. I said, “the label you have chosen for this person.” We are talking about people here, fellow human beings, and that seems to be something we have forgotten.

In Human Options, Norman Cousins describes the pervasive nature of prejudice and discrimination:

“The great failure of education... throughout the world, is that it has made people tribe-conscious rather than species conscious. It has placed limited identification ahead of ultimate identification. It has attached value to the things man does but not what man is...”

It is this concentration on the differences between us rather than our many similarities that seems to be the root of not only extreme acts of prejudice, but also the more subtle ones I am addressing here. In school we learned that these were called stereotypes: over-generalized beliefs about a group of people. These more subtle forms of discrimination often have life-changing effects on a prejudged individual's behavior. It is for this reason and others that the liberal left scares the heck out of me, as I probably do them. Now, I have outlined in clear, easy to understand writing the causes as I see them. So, what is to be done?

This phenomenon of discriminating between people with differing views is not limited to modern America. I will again venture into the work of those more knowledgeable in these areas than I. In Status and Conformity, Richard W. Murphy describes this apparent “evolutionary” need:

“In every society throughout history, individuals have been classified into categories that rate them as being inferior or superior to one another. The criteria by which people are arrayed [in this stratification, or classification into categories] ...vary from culture to culture, or even within a culture. These criteria may include occupation, religion, race, wealth, knowledge, age, sex, appearance... and many other factors.”

Even the experts verify that dividing ourselves seems to be an innate human trait that has repeated itself throughout history. We also find that there are often “mini-groups” within these groups we have segmented ourselves into. The danger arises when our primary ambition in life becomes inclusion or acceptance in one of these “Inner Rings” as C.S. Lewis so eloquently described them. Lewis warns of the potential for a person to become a “scoundrel ...an unscrupulous, treacherous, ruthless, egotist” in abandoning morals, ethics and beliefs to be part of an “inner ring.” There seem to be many on both sides of the aisle who have fallen into this trap of late.

Yes, I have beliefs that differ from yours. I am an intelligent human being, and I am entitled to my opinions. We need to start treating each other as the individuals we are – not be so quick to judge or condemn. Our diversity in America necessitates different views. Until we are capable of respecting these differences, instead of judging, rejecting or attempting to change them, the rifts between us will only grow deeper. “What village taught you to hate America?,” is a question that can be taken in different ways. How you choose to interpret it will be the path you choose. Regardless of what you divine of this, there is really no place for such hate.

Posted by capecodcyclist at 08:48 PM | Comments (0)

September 18, 2005

How Katrina Turned me Republican

I find it personally insulting that the media has all but written President Bush's obituary in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Unfortunately for the media, we have met the enemy and they are us. Many of us recognize that we have been our own worst enemies in our response to this disaster and the preparedness beforehand (the media included). The conduct of left wingers over the past several weeks has erased any lingering doubts in my mind as to why I have been leaning more toward the conservative side as each year passes. Any progressive views that I share with the left (such as environmental concerns and energy conservation) will remain secondary to the belief that the Republicans are our only hope of maintaining and protecting everything that makes America great.

While people were just beginning to be plucked from roof tops in New Orleans, the anti-America, blame-government-first, Bush-haters were immediately on the hunt for a political spin they could put on this tragedy. A situation that boggled the mind, that left us all in horror at its magnitude, was immediately turned into an attack on our President and evidence for his impeachment. This is the most disgusting example of muck raking we have ever witnessed in this country. Accusations were even floated about racism playing a part in the chaotic response to this catastrophe. Never mind that Louisiana has been primarily Democrat since the civil rights movement. Who cares that our system is set up in such a way that local and state authorities respond first? Forget about the Democrats broken promises to the people of Louisiana and utterly failing them. We should ignore that this was one of the swiftest federal responses to a disaster in history. The liberals smelled blood and seized the opportunity.

For anyone who still needs to know my justification for changing my status as a lifelong Independent, I would refer you to the information highway - the internet. The evidence is here, for us all to see. The vicious, mean-spirited, verbal attacks are forever recorded in blog posts, comments, articles and forums at each click of the mouse. Were I less inclined toward the patriotic view that America is worth every ounce of blood and protection we can afford, I might have been swept up in some of the initial concerns. I am willing and capable of admitting wrong. However, the bitter, nasty, combative attacks of more educated than, better informed than, holier than thou, liberals who swarmed to their keyboards would have been enough to forever repulse me from ever wanting to be identified with this kind of self-centered, hate. With fellow citizens like this, who needs enemies? If you doubt this liberal proclivity for rudeness, you are in denial; examine the evidence for yourselves.

Originally, this post was to include examples of the attitudes and language used. Later, I decided to remove these. Enough is enough. Having to preface the copied comments with apologies for the language used was enough for me to realize they weren't worth repeating. Should you choose to investigate the validity of my claims, there are personal attacks by the hundreds in articles, blogs, and forums across the web. I have read them, and I am sickened by them. This only magnifies my disgust at their having used this death, destruction and misery to further their own premeditated agendas.

A word to the wise (or the unwise in this instance): should you wish to convince people of your beliefs, it is advisable that you not belittle or verbally assault them. Most people don't respond to that sort of enticement, although the few that I was witness to handled it quite well. I was left with the perception that these people were so enthralled with their own wit, so convinced of their saintliness, that they had no equals.

This is not to say that there were not civil dialogues. There were those who, although they shared the same beliefs, were quick to chastise these egomaniacs for their hateful attacks. There are still civilized people out there. Agreements were reached on failures, just not on their causes. Although willing to agree that partisan politics was robbing the American people of their due, no consensus could be reached as to a solution.

What I found most comical about several of the more nasty of these individuals, was that when called out on their behavior, or repeatedly faced with opinions they did not want to read, they "stomped" away, never to return. One such individual (who continuously used profanity in attacking those who disagreed with him), went so far as to disallow and close all comments to his blog. His justification for this was so conservatives could not "spread their propaganda." Okay, I can understand and accept that. What I found most laughable was his complaining in his own posts that his comments were being deleted from other sites. So, let me get this straight. You don't allow comments on your own site, you viciously lash out at anyone who disagrees with you, and yet you are wondering why your comments are being deleted? It wouldn't have anything to do with your nasty disposition, would it?

There is another recent trend I have noticed in the blogosphere that bears mentioning. When someone disagrees with a commenter, they will often criticize them for commenting anonymously. Well "Mr.X," I find it interesting that you are criticizing someone for commenting anonymously when your comments are so clearly yours "Mr.X." This has occurred on numerous occasions, on numerous sites, and they don't seem to see the hypocrisy in it. Unless the person is proud to stand behind their beliefs, how on earth are we to know whether the name on a comment is real or fictitious? Just for the record, I always include my full name with any comments on what I consider a serious issue (except here, I just use “Drew”).

As of this week, I am officially a Republican. Until we are free of people like this at the "moderate" center of the Democratic party, they may be surprised at the results of future elections. Until some alternative party comes along that is not so bent on their own chosen crusades that they ignore reality, my status will remain unchanged. I have been motivated to get more involved, and I am sure I am not the only one.

Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:30 PM | Comments (0)

See No, Hear No, Speak No Bias: Liberal Bias in the Mainstream Media

The mainstream media in America owes us all an apology. Coverage of Hurricane Katrina down south has been the most glaring example of liberal bias in the media to date. It was journalism without the “J.” It was “our”nalism; they were giving us what they thought “our” version of events should be. The liberal left was waiting for an opportunity to pounce on the President, and pounce it did.

Here are some words that you would expect to hear in the wake of a huge natural disaster: disaster, storm, flood, destruction, relief, water, aid, emergency, mobilization, National Guard, Coast Guard, search and rescue, etc. Instead, these are the words we heard: President George W. Bush plays guitar, Condoleeza Rice shops for shoes, Vice President Dick Cheney vacations, Halliburton gets contracts, etc. In the wake of a disaster, the only reports we typically hear of any President are two things: 1) “The President has declared “”“disaster location”” a state of emergency,” and 2) “The President flew out to survey the damage today.” Most of us have witnessed a few disasters (of course, none comparable to this) and we are aware of the role the President normally plays in the aftermath. A President that had exhibited panic in the face of this disaster would have transferred that panic to the public. I have to feel that regardless of the President's, or any one on his his Cabinet members', actions after this catastrophe, the media had a predetermined scapegoat. The President did everything in his power correctly in this situation, yet the media and the left wing elite began this attack on President Bush before this storm's dead were even cold. Any blame, if you can find blame after a natural disaster, remains firmly planted on people and circumstances wholly out of our President's control.

This is not about deflecting blame from the President. This is about responsible, unbiased journalism. In Hurricane Katrina reporting we were fed an Alphabet Soup full of capital “L's” for liberal. What upsets you more as an American... as a media consumer? Being fed news that has been plagiarized, or being fed news with blatant, unashamed bias? Personally, I would rather read something that someone felt worthy enough to repeat, than a report that the media considered me too ignorant to draw my own conclusions from the facts. And lets talk about facts. The media is very quick to excommunicate anyone who fabricates or plagiarizes, yet what of the convenient omission of facts pertinent to the story? What of twisting words to suit liberal opinion? What of flagrant attacks on our President thrown into “factual” event updates? These abuses offend me more, and should offend good journalists more, than any borrowed story line.

Without freedom of the press, we would be silenced. There would be no opportunity for discourse. All of our criticisms would be stifled. Keeping the dialogue open between parties is a healthy and important part of the democratic process. However, all this said, the mainstream media needs to seriously consider whether it truly wants to remain mainstream. The who, what, when, where and why are critical to reporting – feelings and opinions are for editorializing. As an American, when I want editorializing I will BLOG, watch or participate in a debate, listen to talk radio or read the editorial page. When I want the news, I look to the news pages and listen to and watch news reports. It is this part of the process that I am finding increasingly difficult. Where can I find the news without hunting it down myself? The media owes us an answer to this question.

Posted by capecodcyclist at 06:28 PM | Comments (0)

September 16, 2005

The Pledge of Allegiance in Our Schools: Are judges violating our Constitutional freedoms?

The Innocence of Childhood

Some of my greatest childhood memories revolve around the Henry T. Wing School in Sandwich. For me, the 70's were wonderful years of plaid pants, bowl haircuts (scotch tape in my case), and a voracious appetite for learning. The anniversary of our country in 1976 brings back great memories of an American flag design contest and participation in a bicentennial parade wearing colonial garb. Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and learning the words to such songs as God Bless America, America the Beautiful (authored by one of our locals, Katherine Lee Bates), My Country Tis of Thee, and the Star Spangled Banner were all part of my elementary education. There were many other wonderful tunes as well – some patriotic, some popular, and a few from other cultures and religions. Perhaps it was just me, but I don't remember thinking about the word “God” in these oaths and lyrics. There was certainly never anything taught us in public schools about any concept or reality of “God” and, as near as I can tell, our teachers' respect of varied beliefs has never changed. So, where does this current attack on the Pledge of Allegiance in our schools come from, and what purpose does it serve?

Violating Our Inalienable Rights

Thomas Jefferson on the first amendment and religion:

"One of the amendments to the Constitution... expressly declares that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press,' thereby guarding in the same sentence and under the same words, the freedom of religion, of speech, and of the press; insomuch that whatever violates either throws down the sanctuary which covers the others." -Draft Kentucky Resolutions, 1798

In the question of The Pledge of Allegiance, displaying The Ten Commandments, or any other recent issue of our freedoms, it may not be Congress usurping these rights, but our judiciary certainly is. Our Constitution very clearly prohibits any federal legislation or interference by any form of government in matters of religion at all. Yet, our representatives sit idly by while the Judicial branch, sworn to uphold our laws, twists the letter of the law to their fancy. Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying that this is a malicious attack on our religious freedoms. This is a matter of human beings (judges) acting individually on what they feel to be correct. Our laws were not meant to be open to interpretative analysis; they were meant to be clear cut, unbiased protection of our rights. This trend is comparable to the liberal slant in the media. Unfortunately, the personal beliefs of individual journalists often influence their approach to reporting. We now have judges who allow personal beliefs, those of others in their social circles, and in some instances, even the opinion of foreign powers, to prevent them from following Constitutional law. The subject of religion is explicitly declared off-limits to federal judges, yet they continue to make rulings affecting individuals and states on matters of religion and our freedoms. The implications in this should have us all up at arms, yet we do nothing.

Our founders never considered that judges might someday misinterpret the separation of church and state. They certainly never considered the possibility that our Constitution might be used to justify the separation of religion from our civic and public lives. It was just this sort of oppression that they were resisting and wished to prevent from recurring. Our forefathers' primary mission was the protection of people of all faiths. They sought to lay down a blueprint for a government under which a moral and just society could flourish. Gradually, the foundations of this society are being chipped away at, bit by bit. As a result, we are a nation awash in crime, our families and communities are disintegrating, and the values that our founders sought to perpetuate have gone by the wayside.

Is it American's growing hate of politics or simply boredom that has created this apathy toward these abuses by our judiciary? Is it the lack of media attention to such attacks on our rights? Perhaps Americans agree with these rulings or are not moved to question the legal grounds for such actions. Whatever the causes, these judgements seem to rely on the fact that the Constitution has not been read closely or will be ignored. The first and tenth amendments clearly give powers over such matters exclusively to individuals and states, and they bar any form of federal intervention. These judges choose bits and pieces of the Constitution that suit them and throw out the rest. That these rulings are rendered in favor of those purporting moral convictions, should have us all questioning our values. What morally sound religious ideas could possibly conflict with these people's values? The majority of laws that we follow are central to the beliefs and teachings of most religions. How does uttering the word “God” do any harm to a child, regardless of their upbringing or beliefs?

Those who claim to be morally opposed to the word “God” being part of their children's educations have simply not matured in their morality. True morality does not have a problem with other peoples' religious beliefs. On the contrary, mature, adult morality supports and shows an unselfish interest in learning and accepting the religions of others. The pledge of allegiance does not teach our children about “God” or what to believe. It honors the convictions of our forefathers who gifted us the freedom to follow and practice the beliefs of our choice. In upholding our laws and protecting our freedoms, our judiciary must first acknowledge the role that our founders' religious beliefs played in the creation of this country. They must protect people of all faiths (and those with none) from any infringement on their most deeply held beliefs. Banning the public use of the word “God” from the school lives of our children is the most base violation of these rights. Our values suffer enough in this country without denying our founding fathers' beliefs in a divine influence on this country's beginnings.

The Declaration of Independence holds that we have the right to alter or abolish a government body that does not stick to these principles. We may fast be approaching that point.

Posted by capecodcyclist at 05:27 PM | Comments (1)

September 12, 2005

Do Not Look Back

No matter what looms ahead, if you can eat today, enjoy the sunlight today, mix good cheer with friends today, enjoy it and bless God for it. Do not look back on happiness - or dream of it in the future. you are only sure of today: do not let yourself be cheated out of it.

~ Henry Ward Beecher (1813-1887)

I was feeling somewhat cheated by the head cold that slammed into me - as if on cue for my one week vacation. I refuse to let it get the best of me. I will rest, but I am not going to let the sniffles and coughs ruin my time off.

Posted by capecodcyclist at 08:35 AM | Comments (0)

September 10, 2005

Impressions on America

There has been quite a lot of negativity in the news about America lately, both at home and abroad. As the pundits like to point out, the world is watching us. Although some would suggest the image we project is not what it could be (I would have to agree), there is also a positive side to the attention we get from foreigners. There is much we take for granted here, especially when our focus is on the negative as it has been of late.
It is often interesting to hear foreigners' impressions of America. Here are some that we often forget:
We often take for granted how well off even the poorest among us are. Foreigners are quick to point this out.
Many are amazed at the silence here. Those of us who live in the suburbs rarely take the time to enjoy the solitude (in fact, we often complain about noise), but from the foreigner's perspective, we are blessed with amazing quiet.
Although we suffer some of the poorest air quality in the country here on Cape Cod, tourists from industrialized nations are in awe of our skyward views at night and the cleanliness of our beaches.
Our supermarkets are truly something for the foreign observer to behold. The supermarket offers everything under the sun - a luxury not available in many countries.
And what of the comforts that we so often take for granted? Even the very least of us can walk up to a faucet and have water flowing out (and that water is often drinkable!).
We don't often stop to consider our ability to, at the flick of a switch, have light.
Many of us have the ability to sit down at a screen or pick up a telephone to communicate, pick up a remote to switch channels or we may change the room temperature at will.
The list is endless, but easily forgotten. The complexities of some that we enjoy cause some among us to rue simpler times, but we must admit that most of us enjoy the fruits that the American way of life affords us. The daily grind may seem unkind and monotonous at times, but we are blessed to be in a country that gives us such opportunity and comfort. How easy it is to forget.
This week, try getting away from it all to explore these freedoms we so often take for granted: family and love, a walk in the woods, pedal the bike down a quiet street, quietly read a book outside, photograph a scene, mow the lawn, weed the garden, chop wood, play with the dog or the cats, or breathe in the sea air. Try to savor each moment. We are so lucky.

Posted by capecodcyclist at 07:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 07, 2005

Walk the Walk

A man of words and not deeds is like a garden full of weeds. ~English Proverb

Some words pack a punch, and these hold especially true after the last couple of weeks. Need I say more?

Posted by capecodcyclist at 09:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 05, 2005

Keeping the Motor Running

"To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear." ~ BUDDHA

Yesterday, the urge was overwhelming to get out there and run. Since a stomach ailment last November, and some knee trouble shortly thereafter, I have fallen out of my normal fitness routine. I wouldn't say I am out of shape, but I am not the shining example of fitness either. Due to the knee troubles, I hit the treadmill rather than the pavement. I also managed a short workout on the weight bench. The results were instant and lasting, although I missed the outside air and scenery. My sleep last night was restful. My mood and energy level today are elevated.

Paying attention to ourselves is of equal importance to that of our families and other responsibilities. Without our health we are of little use... and the morning-after soreness feels oh-so-good!

Posted by capecodcyclist at 09:15 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 03, 2005

Self-Centeredness Abounds

As selfishness and complaint pervert and cloud the mind, so love with its joy clears and sharpens the vision. ~Helen Keller (1880 - 1968)

Unfortunate that a disaster such as that we now face in the south should bring out the worst of the political hacks. Confrontation seems more important to these blow-hards than cooperation. Their political self-centeredness brings finger-pointing and blame placing at a time when unity and humanitarianism should be our priority.

This blog's goal is a celebration of life, so politics have no place here. However, when political partisanship is interfering with ambitions of good will it deserves mention... even in forums non-political.

Posted by capecodcyclist at 03:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 01, 2005

Taking Life for Granted

We never know the worth of water till the well is dry. ~Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732

Happenings in the gulf states, and the ripple effects felt across the nation, should give us all cause to reevaluate our consumptive lifestyles. Watching MSNBC video footage of hurricane victims in New Orleans confronts us with how lucky we really are in so many aspects of our lives. It is not just the every day little things we take for granted. How often do we express gratitude for our families, our homes, our pets, neighbors and coworkers? What delight do we take in the water flowing clean from the tap, the fresh produce displayed neatly at the market and the lights glowing bright in the dark?

We are witness to the fury of nature followed by the cries of its victims - their pleas for help piercing our bubbles of comfort. How many water bottles would each one of us carry to these people if we could? The most basic necessities are out of reach for Katrina's victims while the miracles of modern media stream the death to us live. We can look in on this horror, while they can not even escape it. Somehow this seems twisted... like a nightmare spun from a Stephen King novel. I feel guilty as I sit here typing and sipping my Gatorade. We find ourselves wishing we had the forethought to have sent buses and trains to pluck the poor, sick, weak and ignorant from the path of this monster storm.

Here, safe from the destruction, we have beds to curl up in, roofs over our heads and showers to climb into before we shuffle off to our jobs again tomorrow.

Today is all we have... make the most of it!

Posted by capecodcyclist at 08:55 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack