Dazed

Relationships are hard theses days. The need to have companions grow as time passes us by. In youth it seemed we could always find someone or somebody. We went to proms. dances, formals and it seemed that everyone wanted to go. Time was when a young woman (or man) had no issues, we walked or rode danced got sweaty and went home. Not so any more. Now it is so political that it boggles the mind. No longer do we meet persons, or introduce ourselves or have others do it for us, now we internet and facebook, networks that have impersonality. This is how we live: under the rubric of being to busy, or trying to find the "right" one, we sell ourselves (or pay the fee) to let machines do our work for us. Knowing that at a click of a mouse we can lose a gay or girl in nanoseconds!!! Mercy no wonder we are so indifferent.

I am a victim of this. Trying to be in the search engine generation I threw my hat into the ring, only to have it tossed back tattered, torn and not looking like the hat I put there. My ego has been crushed. crumbled and I am weary of the exercise...HELP I Surrender, my flag is replaced with a white one. Never again will I adventure into cyberspace it is just to maddening.

To be brutally frank I blame social skills for this dilemma. The ability to work, play and engage others. When I was young (very very young) it was a section of report cards. It was not enough to make good grades, it was important (more so) that we were socially promotable. In other words getting along was not a matter of choice it was part of education. It was also a flag to identify issues all young people have. Not to condemn but to aid in their development. But in the age of machines where we are judged by cyber qualifications, those who fall outside the lines suffer. And maybe that is a good thing. Because for the most part a lot of these people are rather flimsy no better yet translucent. Anyway for those of you that can handle it go for it. The rest of us if there is a rest of us will put our feet up and enjoy the show. Later

Passages

This would have been my mother's 79 birthday. It is hard to believe that she has been gone from us (my siblings) for ten years. When you loose mom it is at times a real struggle not to live, or move on, it is the memories of those times that show up in ones mind.


You had to know Belva Katherine, she was a woman of substance and style, before it was cool to be so. in fact if you did not know better one would have thought she was a southerner rather than a mid west woman. She had an elegance about her and she had a laugh that infected everyone she met. Such was our mother.


Passages are like the roman god Janus: they us give an unique advantage, we can see forward as well as backward. Thus, we have the ability to reassess or confess life and our part in it. Passages are full of mistakes and positives; life is the ultimate balance. We strive to make good choices and bad ones always show up. This is why we have the curse of memory: the need to see truth other worldly, to put on the face of spin to make best light shine, when it blinds us.

Death reveals true life and light. There is no way to protect or pretend; no spin control, or words to soften the death blow. It is then what it is... over and done. Like the realization in Sudden, last summer when Aunt Violet faces the truth of Sebastian's, homosexuality and her incest, causing her to flee in madness a protection of truth. So we face the lobotomy of real life as we see passages of days, months, and years, older than we were yesterday, youth spent in the wicked pursuit of dreams deferred or denied, passages.

As I celebrate the memory of my mother I am reminded that others celebrate a passage. While mom impacted on lives in a small circle, another impacted the world. One loved locally the other international; one a teacher the other a lion rather a lionized personality given in death while in life treated with scorn. On suffered the passing unnoticed saved for those who loved her and she was loved with fervor. One dies in obscurity the other passes in the glory of myth buried by growing myths that take on a life of their own, but have the same sad ending: the truth is written by the winners in life and death.

So we will mark these passages in our own way and smile at the memories in our grief. Some will be private others public, some in quiet others in the noise that is Americana; some in the sharing of memories only one shares, while others will evaluate current events decoding to construct. All have purpose yet share one thing: loss the great equalizer of life, the end of life journeys. Later

The fight of solitude

We as people have the ability to adapt, overcome, and adjust. The blessing is that we are able to deal with life issues and heal from the battles fought. We are ill we get well, we are fired from positions, we find others. We marry and divorce that is the trouble some area. Finding relationships again. there is no formula for this. The number of dating sites on the inter net and television tell the story. How many people are gong it alone these days? What and who can we allow in our inner circles, the soul that cries out at night, the need for the warm fuzzy even if it just a phone call?? It is a journey that is full of ups downs pain and sorrows: it is the flight of the solitude. This flight or journey has lots of trials, life is like this. Many are the times we will experience the hurts and despair living brings. Not the temporary set backs or losses but the real breakdown of life itself. The experiences that as the philosopher said: if it does not kill us we will be stronger". The point is that we were strong to begin with which is why those encounters do not kill us. The fact is life is all about the solitude we face everyday. The decisions we make good or bad, right or wrong;life is living to the best of our potential. This lost on this generation of youth and younger adults. It is amazing to me that this generation has access to more information than anyone or other generation, information available at the touch of a button or on television, yet we find that they are for the most part unprepared and inept. This does not bode well for them as they approach maturity without a well defined skill set to compete in the global community. Many persons write with great regularity about our inability to compete in the world. They cite education, math and science in particular as well as a decline in writing skills. There is however no definition as to why this has happened. I argue that it is not the dumbing down test or the loss of prayer in schools (more on another blog) I believe our decline has to do with arrogance. The arrogance that believed the world would never catch up, the arrogance that this was the American century; the dominance of Pax America especially after world war Two. There was a time when the world was in recovery and the only place was the United States. Those days have ended friends and enemies alike are now competitors and they do it better. Their goods and services are of such quality that we now run trade deficits in the trading world. Their workmanship is such that buy America a standard of the past is just that: the past. It is true that there are tariffs that do indeed make American goods non competitive that is Nationalism, however, the trend of America's non competitive spirit existed before protectionism. I believe that people buy what they want, and if the quality is there the price is secondary.

So, what does this have to do with solitude? The answer is everything. We live in isolation because we can not express an argument to convince people that our ideals are worth fighting for. We as a Nation have abrogated our place on the world stage due to the growing incompetence of leadership on all levels. Our Nation allows a lassiez faire government with no principles to flourish. There are no priorities left to fight for, in short this nation is adrift.

What we must do now is to recognize our malaise and reorder interest. The phrase change must begin to mean something to us as a collective. There has to be recognition that what we are engaged in is not working, and is not adequate for the times in which we live. In short we must water the tree of liberty not with blood of patriots or kings, but with thought. This is our flight of solitude. Thought: a concentrated effort, a struggle to retool, a mind set to be reached: all for the purpose regaining who we are. We have lost the identity which defines us as a people. It is now or never the quest for identity search lest we lose our selves and be a shadow of the greatness we proclaim we have. Later

Needing to move

There are times that we come to ourselves and become change agents. There are times when we realize the need to move on, out up, or just leave. These are hard decisions to make and put in to action. The reason is we are resistant to difference:we love the sameness and security it gives.

In a book called "Who ate my cheese?" the author weaves a tale about attitudes and how they affect us. What we are prone to do and the out come of action realization: action no action, and action reactionary action. These types of attitudes are the reason our Nation is stuck on stupid. Recent events show that people want health care but the insurance company does not. Forget the attack ads on television just look at the deductible you pay, the premieums you struggle to deal with (they are automatically withdrawn from paychecks so you will pay them), yet time after time people look at the wrong things. We need to move. There is a need to stop the hem and haw personality of the little people that unrealistic sense of entitlement: repalce my cheese...NOW. The cheese is gone period and it is not coming back.



The persons who need help the most and who get the benefit of this care are themselves seniors. I am a amazed, they harp, lie, shout at, disrupt and make guttural sounds all in the affect to keep information from being heard. Media shows on cable actually put up with this madness filling the airwaves with the vitriol form deranged individuals, then when they are accurately called fascist, un American, and wrong, the reaction is to say the persons who call them that are hate filled HUH!!????? Case in point, Rep Barney Frank had a mad women ask an insane (literally) question about the "T-4 program" alluding to the extermination of the infirm. This to a Jew whose ancestors lived through the Holocaust (which she probably denies). When the answer given is too acerbic people took her side when in the meeting the crowd was clearly, CLEARLY dismayed at the question. What is wrong here? Have we as a people finally lost our collective sense of decency or has the slope become to slippery to handle? This is a question we must solve before there can be any movement to a solution. The stakes are way to high the cost to expensive if we do nothing. There is already a move from the insurance companies to reduce the co pay, to 65 %, while the deductible either goes up or remains the same. These are the issues we as Americans must face.

To be honest, I have some issues with the proposal: namely I have not seen it yet!! Is it still in committee yes it is. And to be sure, I have some concerns as all of us do: where will we get the funds; are we really looking at the numbers in realistic terms or is this another "rosy scenario" (you remember Rosy scenario from the Reagen years, the deficits that grew as we built bombs, planes and weapons of mass destruction to fight communism.)n that masks the real numbers that will scare everybody. Personally I do not blame the people that are thoughtful and say do we really need this? It is responsible to do so. I am not comfortable yet to agree with President Obama that to do nothing is unhealthy, saying that the cost to the economy is dangerously high. Prove it... all of you prove the point then all of us will follow the decision.

This is the author's point in "Who moved my cheese". That the cheeses has gone and we must be able to move to new places where the cheese is. To be innovative and mobile in mind to envision new ways of providing for all persons. If we can keep the present insurance then do so. If you have no insurance because it is not affordable then we as a society must make a way to provide options. To have 46 million, 20 million 10 million or 200,ooo uninsured it way to many.

We need to move and do it now, we need to make common cause and do it now. the war no longer is with weapons, it is with dollars, yen , euros, pesos, and who ever controls the markets controls the economy of others. Tie your shoes and put them around your neck the journey started already. Later

Changes

Several years ago an artist wrote a song called "Changes". The refrain goes" time may change me but you can't change time". I heard this in my mind so I am writing a blog about it. All of life is about change, the youth we have lost, the age that brings wisdom, the wisdom we wished for and now that we are old and fading well we work with the young hoping to instill a foundation. Changing all the time.



Some change is good and some unavoidable. Facing change sometimes brings out the worst in people. Civil Rights was change pushed by liberal whites (the word liberal meaning to set free in mind and spirit) not because there was great love for Black people but because it was right. History is full of the resistance to this change. People have been killed, jailed, cut off, threatened all because of change. And of course history has made its judgment on those who resisted change to hold on to tradition. Change affects everybody. Change is then mother's milk of growth, change makes room for these who need inclusion, or ideas to flower, and most of all to expand our personal growth.



Sadly, change has another face: the stone wall attitude. Frost proclaimed that good fences make good neighbors, the protection from encroachment on the status quo. I do not believe that Frost championed separation of races, creeds, and cultures; but, there are those who do. They have not died out or changed their minds, they live on in those they have trained. The Timothy McVeigh's, George Wallace's, and John Stennis of the world ( yes it is a world issue) still love and exert power. We need look no further than what is happening now to see that change and resistance to change is alive and well.



Changes should be welcomed and in many cases they are. Change makes life better: chemistry, medicine, transportation, exploration have added to the life, and breadth of this planet, unless there is that equality item, then change meets reactions called by other names: Communism or Socialism thing deconstructionism all codes for encroachments on "entitled rights".



I have lived through some of the most turbulent times in the modern era. I have seen great things: moon landings, the end of communism the unification of countries, passage of laws that free the human condition and I have been in awe of humanity's gains. But I have also seen the outcome of a peoples hatred in the guise of assassination, beatings, deprivation de facto jurisprudence and I wonder how much longer this will go on. How many more Haitis, Rwandas, South Africa's; South Centrals Little Rocks, must we endure for all of us to grasp we must change or perish?

The Obama administration is a case in point. A lot of work must be done to stem the tide of the economic madness we are in. Forget about fault because it goes back over the years and it was covered by policy that ignored the core problem in favor of the short term political solutions. To keep the illusion alive that America has no economic problem. Now that it is apparent we do steps to correct the issues have to be made. One would surmise that this attempt would unify the nation around the ideas . That honest, open, calm, discussions and arguments can be expressed because change of this magnitude must be bipartisan. We hear so much about debt for future generations that one would think a rational exchange of ideas would merit consideration. You would be mistaken for envisioning this Utopia.

Change we can believe in was a slogan now under attack by those opposed to change for opposition sake. let us state clearly: there should be healthy debate, this is the democratic initiative. However, to be oppositional without meritorious answers under minds the action needed. Planned misstatements of positions, rude interruptions, gun toting, sign carrying (by the young who have no idea why they do it) and the old alike does not stir debate, it debases it.

There has to be an uprising against theses groups that continue to plant seeds of hate and dim witted thinking. They are un American and the founding fathers (small capitols on purpose) would be ashamed, because too many ideals are dying, too many thinkers have receded to the background, and too many people are giving up. This is not America, this is chaos which along with amorality creates evil: a change we can do without. Later

What is Important?

This is a question that all of us have had to wrestle with as we age. During our lives many people have told us certain things that are considered important and believing them these pieces of advise have affected our lives. As young people we are overwhelmed by those who give us advise and demand that we listen. As Bill Withers would say "it is their appointed duty".
Parents the first to give advise tell us how to behave, act, comport ourselves. For them character is important, respect is important, family loyalty is important; and this is reinforced with various boards of education!! The reason being that as we grow and leave the nest we will have an arsenal of arrows to live in a society of rules.


Teachers on the other hand, stress the importance of education. That good grades, good choices for college will prepare us for life: the participation as productive persons able to contribute to the betterment of the society we live in.


Pastors are those who carry the moral teachings to a community of believers. The golden rule, the commandments, an ethic of Christendom develop the fabric of living for the time of the end: when all the lives are weighed in the balance and those who are lacking are condemned. And they claim its importance and encourage membership that forsakes not the gathering of themselves. Again the question returns was this important?

To be honest it bothers me, all of these foundations of my early life. As I approach 60, and after being a good son, a productive person paying taxes, a responsible parent, a loving father and husband (although my wife would disagree, which is why after 24 years we are divorcing), and not only a disciple of Christ, but, a carrier of the word as a pastor:I still find myself in a struggle with this question and I ask myself: why?? Why, after all of the absorption, the admonishments, the efforts to be all we can be; after laying the foundations for those we encounter, raise and counsel. After all the teachings at various levels, the forgetfulness in our own lives ( the sins of omissions and commission) and yes the rules we break daily there seems to be an extreme irony: that Life gets in the way. No matter what we learn, experience live through; no matter what our parents, grandparents, family members say to us: No matter the advise from bosses, managers or supervisors, or the wives or husbands or siblings we are not ready for the living life extends to us.


We live each day in anticipation of what is next. My dad would say that life is just life and sigh saying that when I reach my 50's I would understand. Well guess what I am over 50 and there are things still beyond me.. not much but a few. In fact the one thing I have learned is this: life is damn hard to live.


We structure life around rules we demand they be followed, and we have the resources to make persons pay for ignoring them. We have more jails, penitentiaries, half -way houses then other society. We will make you pay. We have more restrictions on your ability to be reinstated in society than other nations: we make them pay. In fact I have observed we as a people are so ridged that we can not see the grey only the black or the white. And we have selective enforcement.

We teach the rules of society do not lie, cheat, steal nor tolerate those who do, and we have examples of those who do and they are rewarded. We say do not covet yet nations have built their nationalism by war killing and melding the territories of those who are the losers under the sayings: "To the Victors go the spoils or manifest destiny". Jingoism and nationalism and xenophobia enable nations to enslave, confiscate and rob helpless persons of property and possessions. Yet we are full of songs of deep patriotism extolling virtue for future generations. Is this what is important?

The answer is yes and no. It is important that we have foundations, no persons or society at large can function without them. However, the real answer lies in those who have made the effort to struggle with life itself. That is the key. It is a given that the answer to life questions do not materialize, if they did we would buy the book and do better. The challenge of living as I have found is in the trying, failing and rising. A friend of mine recently reminded me of this recently. That is why it is good to have friends. Friends that first and last will tell you truth. The fact is there have been answers to the questions and everyday we live we have the opportunity to perfect ourselves. Mistakes, visions, thoughts all change: this is the gift of living. Our attitudes shift, we look at the world (our section of it) with a different mind than we did years ago. Our success is measured by failure, yes failure because it is in the failure, missing the mark or falling down (for the religious:SIN) makes us grow. This is important. growing is the seed corn of life, the rod of measurement that we will be judged by. So what is important the ability to to be bloodied but unbowed, to still be here and to tell the story; to understand the Elders in "Roots" as they welcomed a new child with the words" behold the only thing greater than yourself." Later

The oath of office and deuteronomy 28

Reading is a dangerous past time. No I am pulling your leg! Reading is the gateway to understanding what people have on their minds. In fact if more people (especially Black persons) read then the knowledge base would greatly expand, and we would have a better understanding of the desperation that our enemy has concerning their position in the world. It is amazing to me that we as a people spend more on clothes, shoes, food, fast food, and snacks (sugar) than we spend on reading material (not magazines as King, Flava, or ethnic erotica Zane, or hair style issues). In fact a recent break down of spending habits pointed out that Black Americans spend billions on items such as Food, clothes etc.) and spent (are you ready for this) only 250 million dollars on books and magazines! We are in a position of ignorance when it comes to world and national events and attitudes. We get information from BET which does the best it can, yet in this age of Internet, cable and 24 hour access to news, I feel that we are woefully lacking in information and this is leading us to miss (or dismiss) the coming storm which is brewing. Make no mistake the Birthers, the tea baggers, the anti abortionist, and the evangelicals; the right wing proponents are gathering a head of steam that is a threat to all persons of color. And if we persist in ignoring this we stand to be victimized by these movements. The reason I sound this alarm has to do with the fact that things are not well in America: for white people. I am not a racist, or a hater of my white brothers, but I am aware as those of my generation and those who raised me, that when crises come which will affect their culture, livelihood, or way of life there is an will be a reaction. The issue however is, that the reaction they are taking and proposing is based in Biblical misunderstanding.



In an article I read regarding the oath of office for the President of the United States, I learned that the traditional text the President -Elect swore on was Deuteronomy 28. And that as time passed the text was not used in favor of a closed Bible. This struck me as curious so I read the entire chapter of Deuteronomy and was surprised at what I read. To be brief: it a warning to the Nation of Israel of blessings and curses, to wit, that if you keep the commandments of God, treat all you encounter with correctness, be above board in all you do God will take care of all your needs. however, if not then the curses will follow, I suggest you read the chapter to get the full understanding of what will befall the Nation and any nation if the commandments of God are ignored. Here is the point. For years certain people have proclaimed and quite loudly that the United States is a Nation under God. They site our money (in God we trust), our pledge of allegiance (historical note: the phrase "under God" was added in 1954 at the behest of the Catholic League because of the Communist threat, otherwise the author of this was a Socialist) and the values we hold dear namely that all men are created equal and that we are a perfect union. These are to be sure high ideals but they are myths. This country is under judgement and the sooner we as a people admit this, the better the condition we will encounter. Again, the Bible declares in Haggai, that you look for increase and it eludes you, comfort with no comfort, protection and confusion is around. These are real facts. Diseases that were thought to be eradicated many years ago are back. The issue of juvenile diabetes, both type one and two are ravaging our future. Weather patterns are abnormal causing distress on farms and the yield they produce and finally we are not safe: at home or abroad. In fact we have become paranoid and given what has happened in some cities we should be. The rise of benign racism (Gates) and the reaction of the left and the right paint a picture of a society on the verge of collapse and it is Biblical.

The writer laments the fact that Presidents do not swear on the biblical passage in Deuteronomy 28, but if they were to then this country would have to take stock in the curses contained there in. The land was under God's protection, the production was under God's protection our security is under God's protection, and as long as the nation did what was correct this blessing would continue. Sadly the history of this nation puts us all at risk. We have taken land from those that were here already, exploited those who reached out to assist us. Stole souls from other nations, denying their history and contribution and continue in this age of Obama to exert the same indifference. There have been efforts to thwart the programs of those politicians who have had foresight under the rubric of "Conservatism" limited government and lower taxes knowing or ignoring that in the long run issues not dealt with come back as Malcom X stated to roost. However, the cry still maintains the traction and there are persons who still sing the same refrain and they are good at it. The obfuscation of events have given us the disruption of town meetings and the dissemination of information needed to make better decisions for families. This is not to suggest that the plans of the Administration should not be dissected or revisited: on the contrary, they should pass public as well as Congressional approval, but, when the discourse is interrupted by "angry" outbursts from people who job it is to do this; as Hamlet said:"I smell a rat".

So what do we as a Nation do? Are we doomed by the holy writ to destruction by an angry God? Are we never to reach the potential of greatness that is the promise of the text that if we follow instructions all will be well. Have we forgotten the comfort of Judges 1:1 and following that "as I was with Moses so shall I be with you?' Or is the arrogance and fear ( this is an explanation that gathers steam daily) of a man of color being in charge. Was it that long ago that people heralded the new president on election night? Did not we swell with pride as Americans and understand the meaning of our creed: out of many one, as the oath was administered?

In looking at the poll numbers we have seen a diminishing of numbers in support of the programs that are still in the planning stage. Pundits decry the spending and it is monstrously high. But I want to remind those who cringe at the numbers this point: that in 2001 there was a surplus, the debt clock was turned off because of the Clinton administration. Now, eight years later we are in so much red ink because of a war we entered into against the wrong enemy we are in trouble. Nations now finance the debt, nations own our land, cooperation's, banks and the security of this nation. Yet we as a people argue with the need to remedy this dangerous position. Again were are we to go in this quandary? My suggestion is to re-read the text and repent. Nineveh did and was saved, people do and are spared Nations that ignore this are like the castles built on sand: pretty, magnificent, elegant; but when storms come the erosion causes mass destruction and great is the fall. Later

The continuing dilemma

Over the last few days and months President Obama has engaged the political process with change that we can believe in. In the early days of his administration there have been missteps, there have been mistakes and there have been faulty judgements due to the feeling out process that all administrations have. This is inevitable,m as the dragon called Washington DC is a huge leviathan to tame or even understand.

Yet, there are those who have systematically tried to call his efforts a failure and in some cases pray all will fail, for the sake of America. As an American, voter, producer, family man I find the aforementioned thoughts counter productive. I believe in the change Obama is pressing and to have real change is to cease with the typical and volatile comments of the past. We have a Black President so yes we can and yes we did negates everything of the past. Jesus said it best;"let the dead bury the dead." No there has to be a clearer explanation that race, creed, color or origin does not address. I would like to suggest that all of the current issues are a battle between two very powerful ideas from two very influential writers. The first is Immanuel Kant the second John Bentham. These two philosophers are in conflict because they demand we as people choose between two very difficult choices: consequence (Bentham) and obligation (Kant).

In the book "The Happiness Hypothesis", John Haidt argues that we a hard time in making those two choices. To be obligated creates consequences: one has to win; others have to not win. This I believe is the root cause of political struggle within this country. There was a time when 44 years ago the Congress could pass medical insurance (Medicaid/Medicare) for those who were in need. As Obama said in an interview in Time Magazine (August 3, 2009) there was more discipline then. The needs of accomplishment were the driving force and the good of the country was at the forefront. Also as now LBJ had a margin of Democrats to work with and also Republicans of like mind too. Thus came the Great Society and the legislation which rescued Americans from poverty. Again we have the same opportunity to rescue the poor among us. Although there are people that have health insurance and the latest poll number declares that 83% like their insurance (same Time magazine issue) there are still 15% of Americans with no insurance or who are underinsured in the Nation. This is a dilemma. If nothing happens there will be a drain on the hospitals and higher cost that gets passed to the consumer; this is the cost of doing business. If we do something the Insurance Companies, fiscal conservatives (Blue Dos Democrats) and the attack dogs on the right will water down the effort, giving a bill that has no teeth and therefore no help, or just barely giving to the effort. Again, the consequences versus obligation.

So, what is the choice? How do we balance the needs of the many with the needs of the few, or can we? The battle rages on and is more spicy because of race. Do not fool yourself, race is a factor. The fact that a black man is calling the shots reminds some of the stereotype of persons of color: lazy, shiftless, and baby makers for more money. To be truthful, there may have been persons of that nature, there always will be and that is unfortunate. But, for the most part persons in this trap (generation) are there because they are. The question is can we as a society come to an agreement and help all who want to and need help.

A Nation is judged on how it treats the least of these. With the rise of baby boomers aging and the lack of jobs to support the growing Medicare/Medicaid rolls, retirement systems and the like the call to action is greater now than in the 1930's. My hope is that we strike a balance to provide for all Americans or if not then we will perish for lack of vision and the damnation of not caring for the least of these. Later