As I surf the channels on TV, going from news outlet to news outlet, I am troubled by what I see. It seems as though the political influences over the media are becoming more and more powerful, and at the same time more and more phony. The national media is beginning to show signs of why the majority of people are turning to internet outlets to get their news and insight. Now I am a registered Independent voter, partly because my beliefs fall on both sides of party lines and partly because I do not feel like supporting either group financially as one is just as corrupt as the other. But what I have started to see more and more recently is that the liberals in this country, especially the media, are seeing, if not only speaking, with blinders on.
As more and more people in this country are starting to get uneasy over the amounts of money being thrown away with issues they do not believe in and fears of a more costly health care system, I see a dangerous theme being played through the media. Yes they are reporting the unrest, but the stories are lined with innuendo that this is all orchestrated by the Republican party and that it is all a scare tactic. You also hear a loud sentiment that those causing this stir are only doing so because they want to see the Obama administration fail. These thoughts are totally preposterous! The fact is people are beginning to get worried because they see their jobs being lost and their income shrinking yet their expenditures increase. Taxes are going up and up with no end in sight, and every "improvement" and "bailout" the White House approves means more taxpayer money. Yet instead of reporting just the facts, the liberal media and hardcore Democrats try to mask these issues with ideas of racism and party bias.
I am not going to say that some of this is not true, because I will admit there are plenty of extreme right wingers who are racist and who will never support this President. But those people are few and far between anymore. For the most part, people in this country regardless of their political beliefs want what is best for this country and for themselves. We want job opportunities, money in our pockets and a government that is going to protect us and our interests. Regardless of who is in power in the White House, they are going to make good decisions and they are going to make bad decisions. Every President is going to have times where a large group might not agree with one or several of their policies. This is politics, this is democracy. God knows that people criticized George W. Bush for many things, most of them rightfully so. Yet when their is criticism towards Barack Obama the media and Democrats alike get on the defensive and cry foul and racism. This is not only unhealthy, but it is so plainly transparent. When people stand up and say they are tired of banks and car manufacturers getting handouts while the rest of us are squeezed even tighter, I don't feel like that is a racist or even a partisan complaint. The people of this country have legitimate reasons to be worried about their own financial situation, and the media needs to report that fairly and accurately.
The bottom line is all who serve our country need to be held to the same standards. Because George Bush was considered such a terrible leader does not give this President a free pass. When your policies and goals have our estimated national debt four years from now to be double what you inherited, that says something and it needs to be reported fairly and accurately. When you signed a "stimulus package" that totalled almost $800 billion, and it's main focus besides special interests is funding road and infrastructure projects, there are a lot of questions that need to be raised. The vast majority of people have seen and will see no financial benefits from this package. Yet it has come and gone and the mainstream media did little to question how this got passed knowing it is not going towards the everyday person's fight for a better life. In addition, you did not hear an outcry from the media outlets about how so many billions of dollars were paid out to GM with next to no guidelines, and in turn they ended up filing for bankruptcy and now the government has ownership in the company with US the taxpayers as the ones at risk to lose money from it. And again, it does not matter what side of party lines you fall on, the fact is the story needs to be explored from both sides, not just one while the other is left blank.
So next time you watch CNN or MSNBC make sure you then log on to your computer, type in the topics you saw and read some of the articles that pop up on the web. You will be surprised what you find might be different from what the TV told you, or it might be the same only with a more in depth detail. And whichever side you fall on, no matter your beliefs, do yourself and this country a favor and be a well informed voter. Just because you voted for Barack Obama does not mean that every choice he makes is the right one for the country, just ask all the people who voted for George W. Bush...
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Let Kids be Kids
Okay, so is it just me or are kids being raised these days with absolutely no skills that are going to help them become well adjusted adults in the future? I see it and hear it every day. It's like we are so afraid to upset our children or have them suffer or want for everything, that they are growing up not knowing the facts of life and hard realities. My fear is that these children that are growing up today have no idea how to get along in the real world, and they are the ones who will be taking care of my generation when we get older. We are raising a generation of children who are coddled so much and we shield them from disappointment. I have my suspicions on why we are doing this, but I am also afraid of the direction it is leading us in.
I saw a disturbing segment several months ago on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumble. In the piece, they highlighted how schools across the country are starting to ban activities such as Tag and Dodgeball. These are games that go back decades; who doesn't recall playing these at school and/or summer camp when they were younger? Well it seems as though certain educators feel that these games are a danger to our children, both physically and mentally. There is the danger of a child tripping and falling during a violent game of Tag, or a possible welt from a well directed ball during a heated round of Dodgeball. But besides the physical hard, we are told of the mental scars a game such as Dodgeball can inflict on our precious little angels. The fear is that a child is being taught that if you get hit with the ball you are out and you lose. The fear of intimidation. All these things that I must have somehow blocked out of my conscious mind, because I took out of it that Dodgeball was a fun activity that promoted competition, physical movement and coordination. I must have been one of the lucky ones that escaped my years of Dodgeball hell without any mental scars.
Also in the segment on HBO was a Phys Ed teacher who instead of having his students jump rope, he had they go through the motions without actually using a rope. The whole point was that they can skip the imaginary rope as little or as much as they desire without having the failure of tripping on the rope. I suppose somewhere hiding among us are people just stewing inside because of the shame and disappointment of getting their feet caught up in a jump rope when they were children, right? Once again I was one of the lucky few who escaped only taking out of if hand to eye coordination and the art of exercise. In addition, there was a woman who I wanted to jump through the TV screen and strangle. She was a principle at a school in Arizona who declared her elementary school a "no touch zone". In other words, no child is allowed to touch another student AT ALL. This means hugging, high fives, whatever. They play "shadow tag", where instead of tagging each other they tag one's shadow, and give each other "air five". And the way the woman smirked and giggled when asked about the insanity of these rules, it just made me sick to my stomach.
We are creating an entire generation of sissies...children who experience no failure and do not know what it feels like to have their feelings hurt. Many schools around the country now forbid teachers from grading papers with red ink. The reason for this is because the color red supposedly relays anger and is intimidating. So God forbid children get upset when they read the corrections on a paper they turn in. Supposedly we all grew up bitter and shameful because whenever we got a paper back with red corrections on it we shuttered and hid in shame. This also goes along with many youth athletics in where the games or competitions end without a winner or a loser. And in the rare cases where they do declare a victor, the losers are also given an award or are said to have come in "second" as opposed to being labeled the loser. Somehow we have lost our competitive edge in this country. No wonder other countries around the world have closed the gap, if not taken over the lead when it comes to sports and industry. We are so afraid of hurting our kids feelings that we are holding them back.
My suspicion as to why we are doing this to our children today is because of the old adage "give your children a better life than you had". Now I am all for that simple desire, to try and give your kids every opportunity you didn't have, to instill in them the wisdom you gained from your experiences both positive and negative. But are people, especially educators and lawmakers not going overboard in order to shield our youth from any possible negative experience? After all, has anyone not heard the adage "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" or "learn from your mistakes"? We are bastardizing life so as to take away any chance at our kids failing, so that when they are in the real world and have to deal with failure they do not know what to do. I am all for giving our children a better life, but we can not take away the possibilities of the disappointments we endured in our youth from them. Kids need to live life, they need to be kids, they need to get bumps and bruises and get their feelings hurt, so that they can learn how to deal with it. Because God knows that as adults they will have plenty of disappointments and hurt, and if they don't know how to cope they will end up the ones shooting up a school or hurting themselves because they have no other outlet.
So please, let's not continue on this ridiculous path we are going down when it comes to the sheltering of our children. Yes, we all cherish our kids and want what's best for them. But by holding them back and not teaching them how to deal with losing and disappointment and shame, we are raising a generation who knows not emotion. We do not want a nation of robots, so please allow our kids to be kids...
I saw a disturbing segment several months ago on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumble. In the piece, they highlighted how schools across the country are starting to ban activities such as Tag and Dodgeball. These are games that go back decades; who doesn't recall playing these at school and/or summer camp when they were younger? Well it seems as though certain educators feel that these games are a danger to our children, both physically and mentally. There is the danger of a child tripping and falling during a violent game of Tag, or a possible welt from a well directed ball during a heated round of Dodgeball. But besides the physical hard, we are told of the mental scars a game such as Dodgeball can inflict on our precious little angels. The fear is that a child is being taught that if you get hit with the ball you are out and you lose. The fear of intimidation. All these things that I must have somehow blocked out of my conscious mind, because I took out of it that Dodgeball was a fun activity that promoted competition, physical movement and coordination. I must have been one of the lucky ones that escaped my years of Dodgeball hell without any mental scars.
Also in the segment on HBO was a Phys Ed teacher who instead of having his students jump rope, he had they go through the motions without actually using a rope. The whole point was that they can skip the imaginary rope as little or as much as they desire without having the failure of tripping on the rope. I suppose somewhere hiding among us are people just stewing inside because of the shame and disappointment of getting their feet caught up in a jump rope when they were children, right? Once again I was one of the lucky few who escaped only taking out of if hand to eye coordination and the art of exercise. In addition, there was a woman who I wanted to jump through the TV screen and strangle. She was a principle at a school in Arizona who declared her elementary school a "no touch zone". In other words, no child is allowed to touch another student AT ALL. This means hugging, high fives, whatever. They play "shadow tag", where instead of tagging each other they tag one's shadow, and give each other "air five". And the way the woman smirked and giggled when asked about the insanity of these rules, it just made me sick to my stomach.
We are creating an entire generation of sissies...children who experience no failure and do not know what it feels like to have their feelings hurt. Many schools around the country now forbid teachers from grading papers with red ink. The reason for this is because the color red supposedly relays anger and is intimidating. So God forbid children get upset when they read the corrections on a paper they turn in. Supposedly we all grew up bitter and shameful because whenever we got a paper back with red corrections on it we shuttered and hid in shame. This also goes along with many youth athletics in where the games or competitions end without a winner or a loser. And in the rare cases where they do declare a victor, the losers are also given an award or are said to have come in "second" as opposed to being labeled the loser. Somehow we have lost our competitive edge in this country. No wonder other countries around the world have closed the gap, if not taken over the lead when it comes to sports and industry. We are so afraid of hurting our kids feelings that we are holding them back.
My suspicion as to why we are doing this to our children today is because of the old adage "give your children a better life than you had". Now I am all for that simple desire, to try and give your kids every opportunity you didn't have, to instill in them the wisdom you gained from your experiences both positive and negative. But are people, especially educators and lawmakers not going overboard in order to shield our youth from any possible negative experience? After all, has anyone not heard the adage "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" or "learn from your mistakes"? We are bastardizing life so as to take away any chance at our kids failing, so that when they are in the real world and have to deal with failure they do not know what to do. I am all for giving our children a better life, but we can not take away the possibilities of the disappointments we endured in our youth from them. Kids need to live life, they need to be kids, they need to get bumps and bruises and get their feelings hurt, so that they can learn how to deal with it. Because God knows that as adults they will have plenty of disappointments and hurt, and if they don't know how to cope they will end up the ones shooting up a school or hurting themselves because they have no other outlet.
So please, let's not continue on this ridiculous path we are going down when it comes to the sheltering of our children. Yes, we all cherish our kids and want what's best for them. But by holding them back and not teaching them how to deal with losing and disappointment and shame, we are raising a generation who knows not emotion. We do not want a nation of robots, so please allow our kids to be kids...
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Let Your Voice be Heard
There was a record voter turn out for the 2008 Presidential election, and along with it came a sense that people wanted to begin to have their own say in how this country is run. As good as that turn out was, there still lies a great problem in this country when it comes to the very essence of our political system, and our own well being for that matter. Yes, it was and always will be very important for as many as possible to register to vote and have their voice heard every four years when the presidency is decided. But what is being missed year after year, term after term, is that there is a lot more to politics than deciding who the next president will be. In fact, those who are voted into local, city, state and congressional positions can be just as, and in some cases are more, important than the presidency. Sure this may sound crazy to some, but allow me to explain.
The President is thought to be the most powerful person in the country, and rightfully so. But he is far from the most important. The President can not make law or policy by himself. For that he needs the blessing of elected congressmen and women, from appointed judges and cabinet members. Those senators and representatives are voted on by the same people who vote for the President, only in most if not all cases far less of us vote in those elections. It then trickles down to the state level, in which more laws and policies effect our day to day lives than anything at the federal level. Your state income tax (if any), your state sales tax, your alcohol and tobacco taxes, your gas taxes, the costs of registering your car/boat/motorcycle, all these things are driven by state politics. Then you get to the local level, where you have mayors or town councils that decide on things such as school taxes and property taxes. Again, these are things that effect our every day lives much more than anything that is agreed upon in Washington. These are the things that most, if not all, people complain about on a daily basis. Why then are most of these elections ignored by the majority of people?
I must admit, I have been just as guilty in the past as the next person as far as overlooking the local elections. I suppose the thing about them is they are not as sexy as the national elections, and the names aren't usually as familiar to us. And then there is the overwhelming feeling of "my vote isn't going to change anything", or as is a popular sentiment in New Jersey where I live "they are all crooks anyway, what's the difference?". Well it is about time we stop feeling this way. It's time that we as a collective whole wake up and realize that our future is in our own hands. It may sounds cheesy, but it is the truth. Forget the rhetoric and all the political mumbo-jumbo...it is time we take back control and begin to take stock in our lives.
By continuously voting in the same people we are making them rich and the majority of us poorer. You don't have to read the newspaper from cover to cover or learn a whole new political vocabulary to be able to make informed decisions, all you need is to pay attention and know the facts. I admit that with the propaganda that each side throws back and forth it can be hard to know truth from fantasies, but if you pay attention you will know. But the one thing that needs to be done is for people to start to care again. Complaining about how things are going means nothing when you had no part in deciding who is making all the decisions.
To me, there needs to be a change in the way the general public sees politics. The majority see politics as something that the older generation care about and talk about over coffee at the diner. But the reality is it effects the younger generations more than the elderly. We are the ones who have the longest left here, the ones who will be paying taxes longer. But we are also the ones who can make a difference. Politics, especially at the local level, is something everyone can get involved in. You can help campaign, help with fundraisers, or even attempt to run for office yourself. The idea that "it's the same old people" needs to be forgotten, and replaced with a group of individuals that care enough about their future and the future of their families that they are willing to get involved and let their voices be heard.
With the internet, and with social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, there is an untapped landscape that needs to be exploited. Information is no longer limited to TV and radio ads that were paid for by only those who had the resources to get their words out there to the masses. You can now have your voice heard by millions, if not billions across the country and the world through the web. So this can and should be the way for our generation to begin and get their hands dirty, to start having their voice be heard. It is easier now than ever to spread ideas and thoughts and open up other's minds to ideas. We need to take advantage and take our towns, states, and country back...
The President is thought to be the most powerful person in the country, and rightfully so. But he is far from the most important. The President can not make law or policy by himself. For that he needs the blessing of elected congressmen and women, from appointed judges and cabinet members. Those senators and representatives are voted on by the same people who vote for the President, only in most if not all cases far less of us vote in those elections. It then trickles down to the state level, in which more laws and policies effect our day to day lives than anything at the federal level. Your state income tax (if any), your state sales tax, your alcohol and tobacco taxes, your gas taxes, the costs of registering your car/boat/motorcycle, all these things are driven by state politics. Then you get to the local level, where you have mayors or town councils that decide on things such as school taxes and property taxes. Again, these are things that effect our every day lives much more than anything that is agreed upon in Washington. These are the things that most, if not all, people complain about on a daily basis. Why then are most of these elections ignored by the majority of people?
I must admit, I have been just as guilty in the past as the next person as far as overlooking the local elections. I suppose the thing about them is they are not as sexy as the national elections, and the names aren't usually as familiar to us. And then there is the overwhelming feeling of "my vote isn't going to change anything", or as is a popular sentiment in New Jersey where I live "they are all crooks anyway, what's the difference?". Well it is about time we stop feeling this way. It's time that we as a collective whole wake up and realize that our future is in our own hands. It may sounds cheesy, but it is the truth. Forget the rhetoric and all the political mumbo-jumbo...it is time we take back control and begin to take stock in our lives.
By continuously voting in the same people we are making them rich and the majority of us poorer. You don't have to read the newspaper from cover to cover or learn a whole new political vocabulary to be able to make informed decisions, all you need is to pay attention and know the facts. I admit that with the propaganda that each side throws back and forth it can be hard to know truth from fantasies, but if you pay attention you will know. But the one thing that needs to be done is for people to start to care again. Complaining about how things are going means nothing when you had no part in deciding who is making all the decisions.
To me, there needs to be a change in the way the general public sees politics. The majority see politics as something that the older generation care about and talk about over coffee at the diner. But the reality is it effects the younger generations more than the elderly. We are the ones who have the longest left here, the ones who will be paying taxes longer. But we are also the ones who can make a difference. Politics, especially at the local level, is something everyone can get involved in. You can help campaign, help with fundraisers, or even attempt to run for office yourself. The idea that "it's the same old people" needs to be forgotten, and replaced with a group of individuals that care enough about their future and the future of their families that they are willing to get involved and let their voices be heard.
With the internet, and with social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, there is an untapped landscape that needs to be exploited. Information is no longer limited to TV and radio ads that were paid for by only those who had the resources to get their words out there to the masses. You can now have your voice heard by millions, if not billions across the country and the world through the web. So this can and should be the way for our generation to begin and get their hands dirty, to start having their voice be heard. It is easier now than ever to spread ideas and thoughts and open up other's minds to ideas. We need to take advantage and take our towns, states, and country back...
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
A Second Chance?
So I keep hearing something over and over on TV, radio, the internet, work, and anywhere else people communicate..."Everyone deserves a second chance". It's not in relation to a child who made a mistake and was suspended from school, not about an addict who lost it all and can't get back on their feet. The person who brings up this comment so frequently is Michale Vick, who plead guilty to and served jail time for charges related to running a dog fighting operation and animal cruelty. The man organized and financially sponsored the ring, as well as helped first hand in the execution of several dogs, and went away to do hard time because of it. In the fallout, he lost a good portion of the record $125,000,000 contract he had signed a few years prior to this coming out.
So now Vick has finished serving his time and people are stewing about his future. You have those who are staunch animal rights activists that feel he should not be anywhere in the public eye and will protest anywhere they can be seen. You have current and former players who are 100% behind his return to football. You have such a mixed bag of feelings about this topic, because it touches on so many levels of our being: animals, sports, money, ethics, racial tension. But from those who back Mike Vick and his return to the NFL, you hear over and over the catchphrase "everyone deserves a second chance". As much as I believe this statement to be true, and also third and fourth chances, it is greatly flawed as it pertains to this situation.
Along with the statement "everyone deserves a second chance", you almost always hear it followed by "he has a right to make a living". Now as true as this statement is also, again it is flawed as it pertains to Mike Vick and the NFL. A second chance means the opportunity to prove you belong as part of free society, and earning a living means to be able to be employed and make money for it. But nowhere in the Constitution does it say that once you are an NFL player, or a professional athlete in general, that you have the RIGHT to make your living in the same manor once you have fallen from grace. And that is where our social conscience has taken a turn for the worse.
We see these athletes and celebrities and think that is what they were born to do, that it is the only thing they can and should do. And so when they break the law and get in trouble we feel it is a natural thing for them to go right back to doing what they were before, because it is what we associate them with. But tell me this: if you were arrested and serve jail time for what Michael Vick did, would your employer bring you back in the same capacity once you were released? Chances are they wouldn't. Chances are it would be extremely hard to find employment with a criminal record, especially with several felony charges that you fled guilty to. and if you were able to find employment, the choices would be limited and you would have to start at the bottom and work your way up the food chain. So why is it so many people just like you and I feel that it is Mike Vick's God given right to be offered a position on an NFL team now that he has served his time?
Okay, so the Philadelphia Eagles signed Vick to a one year deal paying about $1.6 million, of which reportedly he will pocket $750,000 once he pays back prior debts, and that is a huge step down from the money he was making before his transgressions. But at the same time, $1.6 million, or even $750,000 is more than 75% of us will ever make in a year. So forget if it is fair or not, because it is a free world and employers can hire who they want at their own risk. My problem is with average, everyday citizens of this country that are struggling with their own bills, having a hard time in today's tough financial situation, yet they feel that Mike Vick has the right to play football for a living. Are we that hard up for entertainment these days that even when we don't have money in our savings accounts we still want criminals to get rich so that we can be entertained for 3 hours each Sunday? I sure hope not...
So now Vick has finished serving his time and people are stewing about his future. You have those who are staunch animal rights activists that feel he should not be anywhere in the public eye and will protest anywhere they can be seen. You have current and former players who are 100% behind his return to football. You have such a mixed bag of feelings about this topic, because it touches on so many levels of our being: animals, sports, money, ethics, racial tension. But from those who back Mike Vick and his return to the NFL, you hear over and over the catchphrase "everyone deserves a second chance". As much as I believe this statement to be true, and also third and fourth chances, it is greatly flawed as it pertains to this situation.
Along with the statement "everyone deserves a second chance", you almost always hear it followed by "he has a right to make a living". Now as true as this statement is also, again it is flawed as it pertains to Mike Vick and the NFL. A second chance means the opportunity to prove you belong as part of free society, and earning a living means to be able to be employed and make money for it. But nowhere in the Constitution does it say that once you are an NFL player, or a professional athlete in general, that you have the RIGHT to make your living in the same manor once you have fallen from grace. And that is where our social conscience has taken a turn for the worse.
We see these athletes and celebrities and think that is what they were born to do, that it is the only thing they can and should do. And so when they break the law and get in trouble we feel it is a natural thing for them to go right back to doing what they were before, because it is what we associate them with. But tell me this: if you were arrested and serve jail time for what Michael Vick did, would your employer bring you back in the same capacity once you were released? Chances are they wouldn't. Chances are it would be extremely hard to find employment with a criminal record, especially with several felony charges that you fled guilty to. and if you were able to find employment, the choices would be limited and you would have to start at the bottom and work your way up the food chain. So why is it so many people just like you and I feel that it is Mike Vick's God given right to be offered a position on an NFL team now that he has served his time?
Okay, so the Philadelphia Eagles signed Vick to a one year deal paying about $1.6 million, of which reportedly he will pocket $750,000 once he pays back prior debts, and that is a huge step down from the money he was making before his transgressions. But at the same time, $1.6 million, or even $750,000 is more than 75% of us will ever make in a year. So forget if it is fair or not, because it is a free world and employers can hire who they want at their own risk. My problem is with average, everyday citizens of this country that are struggling with their own bills, having a hard time in today's tough financial situation, yet they feel that Mike Vick has the right to play football for a living. Are we that hard up for entertainment these days that even when we don't have money in our savings accounts we still want criminals to get rich so that we can be entertained for 3 hours each Sunday? I sure hope not...
Friday, August 14, 2009
The Best Father's Day
I know that it is hard to label anything "the best", especially when you are talking about moments in your life knowing that there are still many more moments to come. But in this case, I feel pretty comfortable saying that this past year I had what was without a doubt the Best Father's Day ever.
My father grew up in New Jersey as a Brooklyn Dodgers fan. After they left for LA he became a New York Mets fan when they came into existence, thus I was born and raised a huge Mets fan. So much, that since my daughter was born during the last year of the Mets home of Shea Stadium, my wife and I named her Samantha Shea. Well since moving to Florida somewhere around 30 years ago, my father has taken up rooting for the Tampa Bay Rays as well, being his new "home team". So when the baseball schedule came out for 2009, I saw that the Mets were hosting the Rays on Father's Day weekend at their brand new ballpark, Citi Field, which was visually molded after Ebbets Field, the old home of the Dodgers in Brooklyn. So I promptly got tickets and had my Dad book a flight up for the weekend.
Needless to say, it was an amazing day. My father with me, me with my daughter and wife, spending Fathers day at a brand new ballpark that pays tribute to both of our teams. The only problem was my dad was torn between his longtime of rooting for the Mets and his new interest of the Rays. So he wore a Mets hat and Rays shirt. The game wasn't necessarily the important part, it was spending the time with my Dad, as a dad myself, in a place that cemented our bond.
To be able to share that day with my dad and my family was a moment I will cherish forever. Say what you will about sports, there is something about baseball that brings us together, and on that day it was magic...
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Obama: American President or Rock Star?
The last month or so there has been a growing uneasiness around the country. What was at one time this great feeling of "Hope" has slowly turned to frustration and concern. When we as a country elected Barack Obama as our new President, there was a ground swell of excitement at what he brought to this country: youth, racial diversity, charisma, new political blood, forward thinking. But that excitement has now been tempered as he is trying to put forth his plans for change, the change people so desperately wanted.
This whole change in dynamics is a result of unreasonable expectations on the part of the voting public. Is begs the question, "Did the people of this country elect an American President or a Rock Star?" It might sound like a ridiculous question, and I am sure many will criticize me for it, but if you hear me out it should make sense as a legitimate thought.
Go to any flee market or tee shirt store on the boardwalk or China Town in New York and you will see tee shirts and hats and the such with Obama's face or name on it. We have never seen such a thing for past presidents unless it was to ridicule them for something they had done in the past. Now I understand that this President is historic because he is the first one to be of color, and that is fine to be celebrated. My concern has been the idolization of this man, making him an icon before he had even taken office. He became a Rock Star in this country before even setting foot in the Oval Office. And this is not a race thing, because there were and still are just as many white people who are guilty of this as blacks.
But this kind of effort can be dangerous, because as much affection as people have for this President for his speeches and persona, once he took office he had a job to do. Sure, the Presidential election usually boils down to a popularity contest, we all know that. But what is most important is that the person we elect has to make decisions that effect all of our lives. So once in office, this President, just as all others in the past, has very hard decisions to make, and they aren't always going to please us all. What you had was these extremely high expectations that were and probably still are too high for even the best President to meet. And so what you are seeing now that the car companies are still struggling and banks are not lending money and the debate is ongoing pertaining to health care, is a sort of backlash from people who saw Barack Obama as the savior of our country.
The problem with either side of the argument is that the story has not been written yet. we are not even a full year into his presidency, and people are either crying foul or defending him to the end. But this is an ongoing term, and there is a long way to go. For the millions who voted for Obama based on "Hope" and "Change", these were simply catch phrases, designed to capture your attention and key on your bitterness towards the last administration. But when it comes down to it, whether you are Right or Left, conservative or liberal, white or black or any other nationality, it's all about doing what is best for OUR country. This President will be judged on how well he heals the open wounds our country has, not by how popular he is or once was.
I think it was great that so many people became active in this past election and came out in record numbers to vote, because that is what makes this country great. But lost in that is the issue of WHY people became so interested. Sure, a lot of people likely turned out because they were concerned at where the country was headed, but a much higher percentage came out because they were mesmerized by this new, fresh face who spoke so eloquently and told them what they wanted to hear. And not to say it was the wrong decision, but to vote simply on that alone can be dangerous. But the real problem is those are the same people who are outraged at the fact that this President is taking any criticism whatsoever. They again hold him dear to their hearts, as a Rock Star they idolize. The truth of the matter is he is our President, and every President, from every generation, Republican or Democrat, from Lincoln to Kennedy to Clinton to Bush, has taken on criticism, both warranted and not. They are politicians, lawmakers, the keys to our freedom and future.
So please, look at this President as you should any before or after, as the leader of this great country we live in, not as a Rock Star. Do not expect more from him that is possible, and do not feel it is a personal attack when someone points out his short comings. It doesn't matter which side of the political aisle you fall on, we are all in this together...
This whole change in dynamics is a result of unreasonable expectations on the part of the voting public. Is begs the question, "Did the people of this country elect an American President or a Rock Star?" It might sound like a ridiculous question, and I am sure many will criticize me for it, but if you hear me out it should make sense as a legitimate thought.
Go to any flee market or tee shirt store on the boardwalk or China Town in New York and you will see tee shirts and hats and the such with Obama's face or name on it. We have never seen such a thing for past presidents unless it was to ridicule them for something they had done in the past. Now I understand that this President is historic because he is the first one to be of color, and that is fine to be celebrated. My concern has been the idolization of this man, making him an icon before he had even taken office. He became a Rock Star in this country before even setting foot in the Oval Office. And this is not a race thing, because there were and still are just as many white people who are guilty of this as blacks.
But this kind of effort can be dangerous, because as much affection as people have for this President for his speeches and persona, once he took office he had a job to do. Sure, the Presidential election usually boils down to a popularity contest, we all know that. But what is most important is that the person we elect has to make decisions that effect all of our lives. So once in office, this President, just as all others in the past, has very hard decisions to make, and they aren't always going to please us all. What you had was these extremely high expectations that were and probably still are too high for even the best President to meet. And so what you are seeing now that the car companies are still struggling and banks are not lending money and the debate is ongoing pertaining to health care, is a sort of backlash from people who saw Barack Obama as the savior of our country.
The problem with either side of the argument is that the story has not been written yet. we are not even a full year into his presidency, and people are either crying foul or defending him to the end. But this is an ongoing term, and there is a long way to go. For the millions who voted for Obama based on "Hope" and "Change", these were simply catch phrases, designed to capture your attention and key on your bitterness towards the last administration. But when it comes down to it, whether you are Right or Left, conservative or liberal, white or black or any other nationality, it's all about doing what is best for OUR country. This President will be judged on how well he heals the open wounds our country has, not by how popular he is or once was.
I think it was great that so many people became active in this past election and came out in record numbers to vote, because that is what makes this country great. But lost in that is the issue of WHY people became so interested. Sure, a lot of people likely turned out because they were concerned at where the country was headed, but a much higher percentage came out because they were mesmerized by this new, fresh face who spoke so eloquently and told them what they wanted to hear. And not to say it was the wrong decision, but to vote simply on that alone can be dangerous. But the real problem is those are the same people who are outraged at the fact that this President is taking any criticism whatsoever. They again hold him dear to their hearts, as a Rock Star they idolize. The truth of the matter is he is our President, and every President, from every generation, Republican or Democrat, from Lincoln to Kennedy to Clinton to Bush, has taken on criticism, both warranted and not. They are politicians, lawmakers, the keys to our freedom and future.
So please, look at this President as you should any before or after, as the leader of this great country we live in, not as a Rock Star. Do not expect more from him that is possible, and do not feel it is a personal attack when someone points out his short comings. It doesn't matter which side of the political aisle you fall on, we are all in this together...
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
What Road Rage?
So, I have been told on many occasions that I have Road Rage. My answer is always that I don't have Road Rage, I just have very little tolerance for stupidity. I very rarely am in a hurry to go anywhere, I just feel like we all took a test on how to drive and are supposed to understand the basic rules of the road. In addition there is such a thing as driving etiquette, which seems to have been lost some time ago.
Take, for instance, the simple act of staying to the right except to pass. This not only is something you are taught in driving school, something you sometimes see posted on highways, but it is also a law in most if not all states. Yet you do not see this ever being enforced. I can not tell you how many times I have been driving on the New Jersey Turnpike and hit a log-jam across three lanes of traffic, only to find out in time that it was someone parked in the far left lane doing 60 when the speed limit is 65. And chances are it is either someone who is driving totally scared to death or someone on their cellphone having the conversation of their life. This is not my problem, this is not Road Rage, this is just people being plain stupid and not respecting those around them.
Another thing that drives me nuts is people who are going along at a certain pace, then when you go to pass them they decide at that time they are going to speed up. I don't know if this is some macho game, some sense of pride that "I can not allow you to pass me", but whatever the reason it is plain stupidity. So yes, I want to (and most of the time do) curse at you when I finally get to pass. Call it Road Rage if you want, but to me I am not the one with the problem, it is the pinhead in the other car with the issues.
Driving should be a pleasant experience, a scenic ride from one place to another, in the comfort of a climate controlled vehicle. Instead, it is becoming more and more of a headache. Cops should start writing tickets for "Stupid Behavior While Driving a Vehicle"...just imagine how much money this could bring in and possibly help our economy!
So please, when you are out there on the roads think of me next time you encounter someone parked in the left lane, talking on their cell phone at a green light instead of moving, speeding up when you try to pass them, put on their hazard lights and slow down to 30 mph when it starts to sprinkle, and things of the sort...and tell me that I am wrong for having Road Rage.
Take, for instance, the simple act of staying to the right except to pass. This not only is something you are taught in driving school, something you sometimes see posted on highways, but it is also a law in most if not all states. Yet you do not see this ever being enforced. I can not tell you how many times I have been driving on the New Jersey Turnpike and hit a log-jam across three lanes of traffic, only to find out in time that it was someone parked in the far left lane doing 60 when the speed limit is 65. And chances are it is either someone who is driving totally scared to death or someone on their cellphone having the conversation of their life. This is not my problem, this is not Road Rage, this is just people being plain stupid and not respecting those around them.
Another thing that drives me nuts is people who are going along at a certain pace, then when you go to pass them they decide at that time they are going to speed up. I don't know if this is some macho game, some sense of pride that "I can not allow you to pass me", but whatever the reason it is plain stupidity. So yes, I want to (and most of the time do) curse at you when I finally get to pass. Call it Road Rage if you want, but to me I am not the one with the problem, it is the pinhead in the other car with the issues.
Driving should be a pleasant experience, a scenic ride from one place to another, in the comfort of a climate controlled vehicle. Instead, it is becoming more and more of a headache. Cops should start writing tickets for "Stupid Behavior While Driving a Vehicle"...just imagine how much money this could bring in and possibly help our economy!
So please, when you are out there on the roads think of me next time you encounter someone parked in the left lane, talking on their cell phone at a green light instead of moving, speeding up when you try to pass them, put on their hazard lights and slow down to 30 mph when it starts to sprinkle, and things of the sort...and tell me that I am wrong for having Road Rage.
What is this World Coming To?
Can someone please tell me what the hell our society is becoming? The things that you see on TV today, the clothes that young kids are wearing, the language that is becoming a regular part of our accepted vocabulary, it is all decaying at a rapid pace.
Now do not for a second take me for a do-gooder or an extreme right-wing conservative, I take pride in being very much middle of the road on my views. I am just looking around all the time and thinking "what is this world coming to?" Things are becoming downright scary, and we are all at fault.
You need look no further than the Teen Choice Awards that were on earlier this week. On a show that is aimed at young teens, you had the queen of teen imagery, Miley Cyrus, in a skimpy outfit swinging around on a stripper pole. Now I enjoy watching a stripper as much as the next guy, but there is something fundamentally wrong with a society that feels it is okay for a 16 year old to act that way in from of a targeted teenage audience. But this is just the latest in young girls being exploited for money and fame. And the thing is, it is more common and ingrained into our pop culture that it seems to be less shocking anymore. I have a 16 month old daughter, and the last thing I want when she grows up is for her to think that kind of behavior is acceptable for a child.
It's also the language and content that we hear and see on TV shows these days. I remember growing up the most risque show in TV was Threes Company. These days that show wouldn't even get aired because it would be considered too corny. Today you see more and more flesh, sexual innuendo and foul language, and it is on DURING DINNER TIME! As an adult in my 30's, I curse as much as the next guy and don't mind seeing nudity. But there is a time and a place, and our society and the regulators seem to have forgotten about a little thing called TACT. Again, I am far from being a prude, I just feel there is a time and place for everything.
And the effects all come to a head when you take a walk in your local shopping mall. When you walk around, you see young girls wearing less and less. Teenagers who are following the people they see on TV, prancing around half naked because "it is the style". It seems our generation figures we didn't like being told what to do, and hated being told NO, so in turn we are allowing our kids to do what they want so that they "like us" more than we liked our parents. Well guess what? You are a parent, NOT A FRIEND! As a parent you don't always have to be liked, most important is that you are RESPECTED. We need to stop trying to be our kids' buddies and start teaching them how to be respectful and how to be respected.
Hopefully I am not the only one who feels this way, because if I am we are in for a lot more trouble in the coming years...
Now do not for a second take me for a do-gooder or an extreme right-wing conservative, I take pride in being very much middle of the road on my views. I am just looking around all the time and thinking "what is this world coming to?" Things are becoming downright scary, and we are all at fault.
You need look no further than the Teen Choice Awards that were on earlier this week. On a show that is aimed at young teens, you had the queen of teen imagery, Miley Cyrus, in a skimpy outfit swinging around on a stripper pole. Now I enjoy watching a stripper as much as the next guy, but there is something fundamentally wrong with a society that feels it is okay for a 16 year old to act that way in from of a targeted teenage audience. But this is just the latest in young girls being exploited for money and fame. And the thing is, it is more common and ingrained into our pop culture that it seems to be less shocking anymore. I have a 16 month old daughter, and the last thing I want when she grows up is for her to think that kind of behavior is acceptable for a child.
It's also the language and content that we hear and see on TV shows these days. I remember growing up the most risque show in TV was Threes Company. These days that show wouldn't even get aired because it would be considered too corny. Today you see more and more flesh, sexual innuendo and foul language, and it is on DURING DINNER TIME! As an adult in my 30's, I curse as much as the next guy and don't mind seeing nudity. But there is a time and a place, and our society and the regulators seem to have forgotten about a little thing called TACT. Again, I am far from being a prude, I just feel there is a time and place for everything.
And the effects all come to a head when you take a walk in your local shopping mall. When you walk around, you see young girls wearing less and less. Teenagers who are following the people they see on TV, prancing around half naked because "it is the style". It seems our generation figures we didn't like being told what to do, and hated being told NO, so in turn we are allowing our kids to do what they want so that they "like us" more than we liked our parents. Well guess what? You are a parent, NOT A FRIEND! As a parent you don't always have to be liked, most important is that you are RESPECTED. We need to stop trying to be our kids' buddies and start teaching them how to be respectful and how to be respected.
Hopefully I am not the only one who feels this way, because if I am we are in for a lot more trouble in the coming years...
The Beginning
Well, this is my fist attempt at writing a blog. I had not been a fan mostly, but figured since I can not take the politically correct world we live in much more, be it TV or radio or whatever, I might as well write down my own thoughts and see if anyone actually likes hearing the unedited TRUTH, whether they agree or not.
That is the point of my blog...the truth whether you agree or not. Too much time is spent these days with sparing people's feelings. What I want to do is speak the truth, and not hold back. If people want to comment with an opposing view more power to you. My mind is open. I am a VERY opinionated person, but I also appreciate a well thought out rebuttal.
I will be talking about anything from sports to politics to TV or social issues. WARNING though: I hold nothing back, and I encourage my feedback to be the same.
Enough with the politically correct BS, let's be open and honest about what people are really thinking!
That is the point of my blog...the truth whether you agree or not. Too much time is spent these days with sparing people's feelings. What I want to do is speak the truth, and not hold back. If people want to comment with an opposing view more power to you. My mind is open. I am a VERY opinionated person, but I also appreciate a well thought out rebuttal.
I will be talking about anything from sports to politics to TV or social issues. WARNING though: I hold nothing back, and I encourage my feedback to be the same.
Enough with the politically correct BS, let's be open and honest about what people are really thinking!
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