Hate Crime or Love Crime

Today, I watched a horrible video of a woman being brutally beaten in a MacDonalds Restaurant by two women. It seemed that no one was willing to keep her from being battered by these two female animals. Earlier that day, I heard a local district attorney on a radio talk show bragging about how he’d just sent some men to jail for beating a black man as a racial hate crime because the men offenders were white and the victim black. He went on to explain that the men were charged with a hate crime because the offenders blurted racial slurs as they beat the man.

As I watched the video, I noticed that two black women were beating a white woman. Then I began to wonder if this too was a hate crime?

When will we understand that we are ultimately part of the human race in spite of the hue of our pigment? I do not believe there should be such as thing as a hate crime because there is no such thing as a love crime! People should be punished for crimes against fellow humans regardless of the color of their skin. Or, to paraphrase the words of an old song, “will this madness ever cease, are we men or are we beasts?”

You decide!

That Dark Ghetto In The Valley

One of Ronald Reagan’s most memorable speeches talked about American being that shining city on a hill. Mr. Reagan believed in American exceptionalism and greatness. He believed that each one of us contained the ability to pull himself up by his boot straps through ingenuity, smart work and sheer determination.

I bought into Mr. Reagan’s views and went on to become the first person in my family to finish college and to get a post graduate degree. I went on to author several books and dozens of articles on topics of Americanism, inspiration and ways to help others.

Fast forward to a speech delivered by President Obama in which he discussed how his parents and grandparents had to get government help to make it. I did not feel a bit inspired but felt pulled down by his view of reality. I believe that anyone who does not try to encourage me to stand up on my own actually pushes me down. My dreams go past having just enough to get by to the belief that anyone can go beyond the positions espoused by Mr. Obama.

The Great Society did little to inspire towards greatness. Other liberal programs constantly hurt those who they say they want to help. One person once said, “if you give a person a fish, you can feed him today, if you teach him how to fish, he can feed himself.” I am afraid that our government has been giving out some many fish that is it running out of fish money. Sadly, many of the present administration’s policies are beginning to smell like fish.

The shining city has been replaced by the dark ghetto. Unless we do all we can to return to the place of inspiring greatness, even that ghetto will be repossessed by some government lending agency. Let us reach for the stars instead of becoming satisfied with the squalor of mediocrity.

The Choice: A Screeching Angel or A Smooth Talking Politician?

I was recently talking to a friend about the unfolding political climate in our country. I told him that I am concerned about the direction and economic condition of our once great country. He replied that the conservative movement doesn’t have any viable candidates and he went on to talk about some of the potential candidates and their speaking ability. He specifically spoke about former Governor Palin’s screeching voice. He said it really bothered him. While I did not totally agree with him, I inquired as to whether he would prefer the smooth talking Mr. Obama and all his policies? My friend rather shyly agreed that he could not take any more of our smooth talking president, yet he still complained about Governor Palin.

After reflecting about this conversation, I came up with some thoughts: Americans have become addicted to style rather than substance. As a result, we have lost the ability or desire to think critically on issues. Objectivity has been replaced by our senseless acceptance of mostly liberal socialism. We seem to have a proclivity for accepting a smooth spoken line bereft of any logic or common sense instead of policies that work.

Aiding this slide into an intellectual abyss is our education system. Many public school teachers are arguably liberal or were trained in liberal institutions, our kids are being indoctrinated in liberalism instead of being taught to read and do Mathematics. Consequently, they vote perennially for a system that pays their salaries and promotes the liberal way of life.

Contrary to my friend’s point of view, I would vote for Governor Palin not because of her tone of voice but for her deep love for this nation. I believe she embodies views that made us great and will keep up great. Those views include self-reliance, thrift and a love for God. I hope those of us who can still recognize substance over style will do likewise!