01.13.10

Sarah wasn’t the one going rogue . . .

Posted in Essays at 8:47 am by LeftBrainFemale

It was, in reality, her predecessors and most of the politicos currently practicing politics who went rogue - and who continue to do so!

Looking at the various definitions of the word rogue, it just fits too many of their ilk - and resembles Sarah but little:

1 : vagrant, tramp
2 : a dishonest or worthless person : scoundrel
3 : a mischievous person : scamp
4 : a horse inclined to shirk or misbehave
5 : an individual exhibiting a chance and usually inferior biological variation

As you can probably guess, I just finished Sarah Palin’s book, “Going Rogue - An American Life”.

In all honesty, I admired Sarah even before she hit the National political scene - I’d read about her work in Alaska long before John McCain chose her as his running mate.  I didn’t really expect reading her book would change my opinion of her, but in fact, it caused me to have even more respect for her and what she has accomplished in Alaska, and more angry and disgusted with the treatment she received at the hands of the media and the so-called “handlers” of the presidential campaign.

It was actually those handlers who tagged her with the moniker of “going rogue” when she candidly answered a reporter’s question without first clearing it with senior staffers in the campaign.

Sarah was able to walk a very fine line in writing about her experiences - she tries very hard to put a positive spin on the motives of even the most corrupt of those she has dealt with in her public and private life.  I enjoyed very much reading about her upbringing and what lead her to enter public service.  It’s never easy to buck the system and the “old boy network”, but Sarah’s integrity wouldn’t allow her to accept the corrupt business as usual.

After being tapped as the VP running mate by the McCain campaign, it was disappointing to Sarah to find that she was now subject to constraints that she had shaken off as Governor of Alaska.  She had developed a good rapport with several media outlets and knew some of her local reporters very well - but the GOP handlers would not allow her to even speak with them.  And they wonder why the press doesn’t trust them, and their reports are so biased?  How do you think those folks felt when, having been accustomed to free access to her, suddenly were shut out - and did not hear from her?

I have to say, it has really caused me to think that perhaps there is a reason why our media is so biased.  Could it be that for years, they have felt shut out by the conservatives to the point that it seemed that we were hiding something?  And if we have nothing to hide, then let’s let the sun shine in!  We’ve created a monster media - a group of reporters and journalists who not only do not trust us, but who feel that they have to spin everything to fit what they believe about us.  Folks like Andrew Breitbart and PJTV are doing their best to lead the charge, but you know, if some of the *politicians* would stop campaigning and do what Sarah did - damn the torpedos, do what’s right for your constituents, talk to the media, open the windows, we might just get somewhere.  Yes, there might be some negative spin from your press at first - they might not trust you, they might think you’re setting ‘em up - but if you’re walking the walk - not just talking the talk, you might really begin to develop a modicum of trust.  We could even end up with a press that is friendly to conservatives!  Certainly not all, but even a few more than we have now would be a start!

I’ll just wind this up by saying that if you don’t know much about Sarah, you really owe it to yourself to read her book!

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11.30.09

Quick link to a Blogger/Tea Partier

Posted in Essays at 10:39 am by LeftBrainFemale

If you haven’t heard of Lloyd Marcus, you just haven’t been to the right tea party, LOL (tongue firmly in cheek here).

Lloyd is a very talented writer/speaker/songster and he posted on his site last week a post that goes hand in hand with one I wrote a couple weeks ago.  His topic?  Obamazilla.  Trust me, it’s worth a read!  Go.  Here.  Now.

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11.24.09

Rally Update

Posted in Essays at 10:23 am by LeftBrainFemale

Well, never say something is set in stone, LOL!

Our friend, Glenn Beck, announced a new rally for August 28, 2010, and that effectively killed the M.O.M. for America Rally date of August 14, 2010.  It wasn’t the first time I’ve hitched my wagon to a falling star, LOL, and it probably won’t be the last.  The folks at M.O.M. for America are quickly trying to revamp to have a jamboree and meet and greet for the same weekend, and I wish them well, and hope to meet some of the moms that I’ve gotten to know virtually.  For me, the focus has changed to be that of education as Glenn has called for, and to that end, I’ve joined the I Love the USA group.  Our mission is to share information on our founding documents and history, to educate ourselves that we might know how to go about salvaging this great country!

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10.29.09

Encouragement

Posted in Essays at 10:38 am by LeftBrainFemale

On Monday, I wrote of our need to stick together as we all work toward a common goal:

Simply joining several groups is not really helping any one cause. It’s really just preaching to the choir. If you have that much free time, choose a group that appeals to you, and stick to ‘em like glue! Do everything you can to help them to reach their goals. Don’t waste time trying to denigrate the work being done by others - because when you do, you’re part of the problem - and NONE of us will be successful!

This week, for those who are interested, I’m divulging my *personal* preference. As a concerned-for-my-family-and-my-children’s-future mom, I have joined several different networks. Up to the last month, however, I have not been particularly active in any of these networks.

What changed that was the group M.O.M. for America. M.O.M. sprung out of the As a Mom group of Glen Beck fame, and I was part of that group for a short time as well - but it grew so quickly that it appeared to me to be spiraling out of control. It’s still a great group for networking with other moms, but frankly, I wanted to do more! I wanted to ally myself with a group of women that I felt at home with, and that were really more interested in working toward a common goal - i.e. the Millions of Moms M.O.M. for America Rally. If you are a like minded mom, or husband of one, I highly recommend this organization. We’re truly grassroots, but with a great organizational leadership in place. Our rally date of August 14, 2010 is now set in stone, but we’re still small enough that we’re still in the planning stages. We can use good help in a number of areas, so sign on and join the official group and your state group!

Now, aside from my chosen group, a few suggestions for anyone who is ready to be in activist mode - no matter which network you’re affiliated with. There are many things that come up, some of which sound very plausible, some not so much. If you get word that someone in authority said something outrageous, double and triple check your sources before you share it! Remember that you represent something much bigger than yourself. If you don’t want your organization to be marginalized by the alphabet soup of network news programs, you MUST not subscribe to any information that is circumspect at best. Don’t give them any reason to prove that you’re just another network of right wing nut jobs!

On our group right now, we’re getting ready to share in reading the Healthcare Bill. We’re also protesting and writing our letters to editors of our local newspapers on healthcare.

There is much more going on, but I’ve gotta get busy reading!

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10.26.09

Time to shake out the mothballs!

Posted in Essays at 2:17 pm by LeftBrainFemale

I’ve been debating with myself for weeks now - after months and months of frustrations, I just couldn’t seem to get to the point that I felt ready to commit to writing again. But with the way things are going, I think if ever there was a time when *I* need an outlet, this would be it!

I’ve left this blog up for several years now, and personally a few things have changed. I no longer homeschool my daughters - but I’m still certainly an advocate of homeschooling. Homeschooling gave me the time to work with my daughters and give them the firm foundation of character that has always been more important to me than a straight A report card. For those who are interested, yes, they adapted very well going into 7th & 8th grades, now in 8th & 9th, and while I frequently miss having them at home, and often spend as much time each week teaching as I did when we homeschooled, for us, this was the right decision.

Another change is that I am no longer a part of The Liberty Papers. I really enjoyed being a part of a group blog back when that was first formed, but after the original founder, Eric, had to leave, it seemed their focus shifted - and the entire tenor of the blog changed. Despite checking back periodically over the last 3 years, it seems that they have relegated themselves strictly to a big “L” libertarian viewpoint, and many hot topics that we would once have jumped all over were left unremarked upon and relegated to being completely ignored.

And now to get to the point of this post - and why I feel so compelled to help this blog rise from the ashes . . .

This country is at an absolute crossroads. Never in my life, nor indeed in the life of my parents or grandparents, have we ever been in such a precarious situation with regard to our Life, Liberty & Pursuit of Happiness.

This morning, while helping my high schooler study her history, I found this quote in her McDougal Littell World History book - in the Chapter on “Classical Greece” under the heading “Tyrants Seize Power”.

“Unlike today, tyrants generally were not considered harsh and cruel. Rather, they were looked upon as leaders who would work for the interests of the ordinary people. Once in power, for example, tyrants often set up building programs to provide jobs and housing for their supporters.”

How’s that for rewriting history? And at the same time, who can not see that by that very explanation, the abomination in the white house is a tyrant!

To slightly paraphrase Shakespeare, “Friends, and countrymen, lend me your ears!” At this point, there are so many different groups that are assembling to work toward defending our nation and our constitution (which is, arguably at this point almost unrecognizable) that I feel a few words need to be spoken to ALL.

It is important for us all to remember, that whether we are part of Freedom Works, Resist Net, The 912 Project, M.O.M. for America, As A Mom, Team Sarah, Smart Girl Politics, etc. that we are all, in the big picture, working toward the same goal. If you have the time to keep up with them, by all means, join one or more active groups, but few of us really have that kind of time.

Simply joining several groups is not really helping any one cause. It’s really just preaching to the choir. If you have that much free time, choose a group that appeals to you, and stick to ‘em like glue! Do everything you can to help them to reach their goals. Don’t waste time trying to denigrate the work being done by others - because when you do, you’re part of the problem - and NONE of us will be successful!

It is absolutely imperative that we all support each other - not try to tear each other down. If one group chooses to march on Washington a particular month and another does not - that’s okay! Our country is filled with MILLIONS of people. If you’re a conservative Christian reading this, you need to realize that there are some atheists and agnostics out there who are just as dismayed as you are by what is being done by the current administration. Recognize that you need to reach out to some who may not share all your values and beliefs. If you can remember to let your light shine without trying to convert every soul you meet, you might find yourself more successful at rallying support.

If you’re a little more left of center and reading this, recognize that if you’re opposed to the socialization of this country, of necessity you may find yourself surrounded by some fairly staunch conservatives. You might just have to swallow some of those retorts that spring to your lips if you happen to be atheist or agnostic! If you want to work for the greater good, then really strive to NOT take offense.

If you’re a member of any group, and you can’t figure out what to do, or how you can be of help, look to your leadership. Pass out fliers or pamphlets whenever you’re in town. Wear your tea party shirts. Contact your radio stations. Speak up when the opportunity arises - but do it in a respectful manner. Write or call your congressmen and women.

Remember, above all, that a house divided against itself cannot stand. If we sow the seeds of divisiveness among other groups that are working alongside us with a common goal, then we are no better than astroturf - because the weeds will grow up and choke out all the good grass.

A final word. As we studied her history this morning, one of my daughter’s vocabulary words was phalanx. It’s no longer much used, of course, but I want to leave you with this image in your mind. A phalanx was a fighting formation of foot soldiers who stood shoulder to shoulder, each holding a spear in one hand, and a shield in the other. Together they formed a formidable foe. Let us all stick together, and form a phalanx that we can not be torn apart.

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05.18.06

American Idle?

Posted in Essays, Life, Liberty, Property at 7:13 pm by LeftBrainFemale

Okay, I confess - I have actually watched American Idol - once or twice - for a few minutes, and only this last season as I was curious as to what all the furor was about. Even though I didn’t watch any of the previous seasons, the names of the winners are stuck in my brain from the headlines on Yahoo and our Fox affiliate morning news.

There are aspects that I can even see as mildly entertaining - in an “I’m bored and can’t think of anything else to do right now” sort of way - but I’ve never even considered dialing in to place a vote for a contestant. I guess you could say I don’t “connect” with any of these folks. I know that these shows are springboards for many of these kids to make it in the music biz, but the practical, pragmatic realist in me sees a lot of people wasting a lot of time - and I’m not referring to the contestants!

It’s really amazing - and appalling - that more people can rattle off the names of the American Idol contestants from the last few years than can recall the names of the Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense, and Vice President.

What is this escapist mentality that so permeates our world today? Why do we (and I’m speaking collectively) spend so much time living vicariously through these strangers that we don’t know - and can’t really know - as they sing and dance and cavort across our screens? Does the fascination that we seem to have with these wanna-be stars do anything to enrich our lives, our families, our neighborhoods or our countries?

How much time do we spend in front of that idiot box? What could we be doing for the benefit of our home or family in the time wasted? There is a time and a place - and there are worthwhile programs that stimulate our brains and spur us to do good and noble things - but those are definitely the exception rather than the rule.

I’m so very thankful that the founding fathers of our nation didn’t have to compete with the television and biased media in their day - I don’t think we’d be in as good a shape as we are if they had. As it was, pamphleteers like Thomas Paine and Alexander Hamilton were able to capture the hearts and minds of the citizenry of their day. We have many wonderful bloggers today who are carrying on the pamphleteer legacy, but I fear that as bloggers, we’re mainly preaching to the choir.

Is our collective nation really so shallow that our own lives are slipping swiftly and silently away as we idle away our time watching these idols? I’m quite afraid that generally it is so. So many of my own peer group (40’s) and even that of my parents (60’s) seem to be disconnected from what is going on in the world - on the one hand it sounds like hopelessness - and a feeling that they could not do anything to make a change, but I fear that even worse than that we have become a nation addicted to lethargy and laziness which makes us the real American Idle.

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05.03.06

And More Common Sense on Immigration . . .

Posted in Essays, Life, Liberty, Property at 1:06 pm by LeftBrainFemale

This article written by Heather McDonald really cuts through the BS . . .

Here’s an excerpt -

The first myth is that illegal aliens live in the shadows. The “shadows” claim then becomes an urgent reason why Congress must pass a legalization plan: so that 11 million people can come out of hiding. In fact, illegal aliens live in the full blaze of day. Only when confronted with the merest hint that immigration enforcement is even possible do they curtail their movements—and then elite thinking immediately declares such curtailment a gross injustice.

But even if it were true that illegals lived in the shadows, why is that unfair? The bargain they chose was clear: if you come here illegally, the law says that you should face deportation. It is a measure of how surreal our immigration practice has become that it is now “mean-spirited” simply to raise the possibility in an illegal’s mind that his deportation risk is real, much less actually to deport him.

Continue reading . . .

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04.30.06

Immigrants or Migrants?

Posted in Essays, Life, Liberty, Property, History at 1:26 pm by LeftBrainFemale

I’ve been thinking about this for a while - and it occurs to me that a great many of the illegal immigrants (so-called) in this country are not immigrants, but migrants.

I remember as I was a youngster, my parents and grandparents referred occasionally to the “migrant” workers who worked in the Orange groves near my grandparents home. I understood them to mean some of the poor families who worked in the Orange groves in season and travelled to other areas of the state or country as there was need - picking fruit, ferns, vegetable crops, etc. These were folks who were known for what they did - it wasn’t meant as any kind of slur, it’s just who they were.

It has become apparent in the last few years that using the term “migrant” is apparently no longer PC - but I think it’s time we call a spade a spade and begin using the proper terminology.

The word “migrant” means someone who changes residency - usually to better their financial or living situation - but not particularly for any permanency. This means they go where pickins’ are best.

An immigrant is one who makes a permanent change of residency.

Now, it follows, that one who makes a permanent change of residency is probably someone who is working toward helping himself and his family in his new home - and to help positively impact the surroundings of his new home (whether we’re talking a neighborhood or a country). Thus I would contend that legal immigrants - that is those who have come through legal channels, are going to add value to the community and not be takers. In fact, in my experience with most of the legal immigrants I’ve met (either in person or through their writings) is that they are stronger patriots than most of my compatriots. They appreciate the opportunities which this country affords and they would not even *think* about accepting welfare. If they’re sending money “back home” to family, it’s generally with an eye toward helping those family members who are too old to immigrate or to help them to come to this country legally.

On the other hand, a migrant who has come into this country just because it is a land of opportunity, but who has no love for the country may and probably does accept welfare, medicaid, as well as sending money back to family and encouraging them to enter the country in the same manner in which they did. Can you imagine an illegal immigrant assisting anyone to come into the country legally? Not bloody likely.

There is a completely different mindset today than there was 100 years ago. I know I was and am blessed to have lived in this country all my life. I’m probably about a 12 generation native as most of my ancestors came over long before Ellis Island was established. But even 100 years ago the mindset was not about holding on fiercely to the old culture at the expense of the new.

The point really came home to my sister (and vicariously me) a few weeks ago. St. Patricks day fell on a “casual Friday” this year, so my sister wore her Irish Tee shirt to work in her primarily Hispanic office. She was stunned when several of her co-workers remarked to her “hey, we didn’t know you were Irish”. Her response I thought classic. “That’s because I’m an American” she said. Therein lies the crux of the matter, and the reason that we’re likely headed for another kind of civil war in this country - because while some of us haven’t forgotten our heritage, we consider ourselves first and foremost AMERICAN.

Those from other countries (whether legally or no) who think that they’re going to engender love and acceptance from those of us who’ve been here all our lives by requiring that we change to suit their needs (by learning their language or having their culture shoved down our throats) have got another think coming. This is not how you show love to your fellow countrymen.

But I digress - back to my original point. The word migrant is often used when talking about birds - migratory birds generally travel South in the winter (to more hospitable climes) and back North in the spring. Kind of “fair-weather” birds. D’ya see the parallel? And do you see that as long as we make this country always more hospitable than their own, they’ll never leave? Do you understand that those of us who love this country and are legal residents are supporting these illegals - not the other way ’round as the media would have you believe? I’d venture to say that these “migrant birds” are not only migrant - they’re predatory birds. Predators are opportunists - and these predators are picking us dry.

Cross posted at The Liberty Papers.

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