Rights, beliefs, and a mattress

Let me get a few things out in the open, I think most people know that I'm a conservative, here are a few things I would like to say about that. As a conservative:

I believe that President Obama is a US citizen, I don't believe he's Muslim, I don't dislike him because he's black. I have the utmost respect for the office of the Presidency but I don't have a great deal of respect for him mainly because I don't like his policies. I have the right to not like him.

My prayers are with the Scalia family due to the death of Justice Scalia. I don't like the timing of his death but I suppose there's nothing I can do about it. I realize that as the POTUS, President Obama has the right to replace Justice Scalia. I don't like it but I'm powerless to do anything about it. I do pray for the health of the remainder of the SCOTUS. I don't believe the President put a hit out on Justice Scalia, that's ridiculous.

Donald Trump scares me more than clowns and that is a great deal of scared right there. Maybe because I think he's a clown but he really frightens me. I can't believe that we have reached the point where a reality star is the front runner for nomination. I'm not thrilled with any of the choices but at this point I would choose Senator Rubio. I hate politics. It sickens me to hear these politicians slinging mud at each other. Why can't they talk about their beliefs and their plans for the country? Shouldn't that be enough?

Secretary Clinton, I don't like her at all and it's not because she's a woman. She frightens me too and I have the right to dislike and distrust her.

Senator Sanders, nothing is free. Quit promising that everything will be free if you're President. It doesn't work that way, that's not how any of this works. Take a basic economics course. 

I don't believe in climate change, global warming whatever you want to call it. Gore is an opportunist. Bill Nye the science ???? guy loves jetting around the world talking about it. Carbon footprint? Leonardo DiCrapio jets his way across the globe to talk about the environment. I don't appreciate the "Do as I say not as I do" approach. 

I'm grateful that I live in Texas and not in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina...the election season would drive me to drink and get on my very last nerve (I'm close to the edge now.) There really isn't a medication strong enough to bring me back from the brink. If it did exist the price would be exorbitant. For medical reasons I can't drink but I would not heed my doctors warnings if I lived in those states. Anyway, I'm glad I live in Texas because as everyone knows and should agree on it's the best place in the world.

I don't like Kanye. That should be another thing we can all agree on. It's not often we can find common ground but this should be one of those times.

I have another item to talk about. Sunday I completed an LTC class. There is another class involved in getting my license and I plan on completing it. the responsibility of owning a gun is immense. You have to realize when carrying a gun that a person could die, even yourself. I WILL NOT carry a gun unless I become proficient and confident in my abilities. I may get a gun for target practice or maybe for concealed carry. I don't know yet but it is my right to decide. If I choose to carry I promise never to carry into anyone's home without their knowledge and consent. 

I ordered a king size mattress on Amazon. Yes, someone is going to deliver a KING size mattress to my doorstep. It's going to be tough getting it in the house and getting the old one out to the curb but we live in a country where you can buy a mattress online. God Bless America!

History...it matters

I've made many mistakes and bad decisions in my life, too many to count. Many of them I regret and wish that I could erase but that's impossible. They are as much a part of my history as the good decisions that I have made. It's my history, ALL of it shaped who I am today good or bad and even if I wanted to change it - I can't. I can learn from it, and to be honest I wouldn't want it to change.

In American history we have committed horrible, despicable acts as well as many remarkable acts that changed the world. We have a dark, grisly past that the majority of Americans would likely desire to forget. Yet, we cannot erase it. It is part of our past and it cannot be forgotten, only forgiven. We can use it improve our relationships with others. We can learn from our mistakes if allowed to do so.

In the wake of the sickening crime in South Carolina many are calling for the ban of the Confederate flag in all forms (including the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard, Civil War video games, movies, books and probably more that I haven't heard of yet.) For many Americans the flag represents racism and injustice. I recognize that the flag in whatever form is seditious and I agree that it should be removed from government buildings because it sends the message that the government endorses the various interpretations assigned to the flag. However, I believe that the rapid response to expunge it permanently is wrong. Again, it's part of our history and as such it can never be entirely forgotten.

I have read of many related incidents happening, the call to rename a school named after Robert E. Lee (so far, I've only heard of one but I'm sure many will follow.)  Changing the name of the school won't change the fact that Robert E. Lee was a Confederate General in the Civil War. Trying to erase Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, Stonewall Jackson and others would make for a very lopsided history of the United States. In order to accomplish this we would have to erase the entire Civil War. The Civil War is a monumental factor in the history of the United States and cannot possibly be forgotten. It is nonsensical to even attempt.

Gone With the Wind? Classic book and movie. Get your copy now while it's still available. It has been suggested that it should "go the way of the Confederate flag" and be consigned to museums. Hattie McDaniel (Mammy) was the first African American to win an Academny Award. If she were alive today would she want GWTW relegated to a museum?

Racism is vile. Defacing statues, banning video games, movies, changing school names, altering history books will not in any way 'revise' our past. Removing the 'symbols' of racism will not eradicate it.

Yes, black lives do matter. All lives matter. History matters. Leave it alone and let us learn from it.

'Tis the Season...

...no, not football season. Sadly, not baseball season. Not any particular holiday season. And definitely not watermelon season, despite what's in the grocery store.

'Tis the season for political ads, endless polling, and vicious backstabbing.

I just thought I was sick of the mushy, tear-jerking Olympic-themed commercials. I was ready to throw something at the television every time that little girl started bragging about all the things her mom does (where is her mom, anyway...not in any of the pictures with the girl...but I digress). Determined to walk out if I saw another adorable home movie of future Olympians skiing/skating/sliding backwards. Looking for the "mute Bob Costas" button on my remote (until he got pink eye, then I felt bad about that). And don't get me started on the Sonic guys and their stupid pretzel dog...take that whichever way you like.

And then all of that was eclipsed by a sudden torrent of political ads. Everyone has his sleeves rolled up, looks eager to make sure he represents ME (I'm betting he doesn't) and takes credit for all kinds of stuff (last time I checked, one guy cannot pass a law). The attack ads are so ugly...enough to make me check the perpetrator (not the object of the ad) off my list before learning anything more about him. An awful lot of them are using God as a campaign partner, and how can we determine if their comments are genuine or just crafted to appeal to a specific voter demographic?

And now, in addition to interrupting figure skating, these people are calling me on the phone. Some call for themselves and others call on behalf of a very qualified buddy who is running for office. Some want me to push buttons even though they are talking to my answering machine, and I'm hearing them 8 hours later. It's like junk mail, with voices. This is an actual transcript (almost) of what was on my machine one day this week:

"You have eight new messages...

• Message 1. Pause. (booming, confident voice) HELLO! This is Bob Somebody, and I want to be your DELETE
• Message 2. (female computer voice, starting in the middle of a sentence) you will not vote, press 1. If you might vote, press 2. If you didn't know there was an election, press DELETE
• Message 3. (voice of school principal) Parents, this is just a reminder that DELETE (I have already gotten this call on my cell phone. Twice.)
• Message 4. (background noise from an overcrowded loud place, presumably a bustling campaign headquarters...people talking, but not to me) DELETE
• Message 5. Pause. (cheerful, pleasant woman) Do not be alarmed. Several recent break-ins in your neighborhood have prompted us to bring you this special DELETE
• Message 6. (man who sounds like he is wearing a tightly knotted tie) Good afternoon. I'm someone whose name sounds vaguely familiar, and this is not about me. My good friend Jim Guy is running for district judge and DELETE
• Message 7. (computerized voice of my city, which calls often with alerts) Kennedale residents, several streets will be closed today between 9am and 4pm for water main repairs. We apologize for any inconven DELETE (I am hearing this at 5:30)
• Message 8. (same female computer voice that called earlier, starting again in the middle of a sentence) take less than 60 seconds of your time. If you will not vote, press 1. If you might DELETE

End of messages."

Why, I wonder, do I even have this phone? No actual people have called it -- just computers or robots or phone systems. Most of the time when it rings and I'm home, I don't answer...especially when the caller ID reads "POLITICAL CALL." That one has called several times and, oddly, doesn't leave a message. Are they really surprised that I don't pick up? No, wait...it's a machine. Now if my caller ID said Jimmy Fallon was calling, that might get my attention.

Have you driven past an early voting place? Talk about ground clutter! The signs are so packed in that I couldn't read them if I tried. If I'm ever stopped long enough to read a few, I'm really just looking to see if anyone I used to go to school with -- or any facebook friend -- is running.

Back to the Olympics, I turn on the television and am stunned to see that young polar bears drink Coke. That can't be good. Nor can the soda machine that mysteriously operates in the middle of an otherwise pristine snowy landscape. And if I scream in that woods, will anyone hear me?