Controversial (or “Taboo”) Subjects
Brad Paisley’s hit country song has interesting opening lyrics – “You're not supposed to say the word ‘cancer’ in a song. And tellin' folks Jesus is the answer can rub 'em wrong. It ain't hip to sing about tractors, trucks, little towns, and mama, yeah that might be true. But this is country music and we do.”
Well this section of the website is kind of like that. I talk about things and express opinions that are not “politically correct” or popular to discuss. But I think many of these topics are on our minds and deserve to be addressed – frankly. So this section is not for those who are particularly sensitive about controversial topics.
Following is a sampling – and I apologize ahead of time if I offend anyone.
May 22, 2011
This is the day after the “Rapture” and the “Day of Judgment” – May 21, 2011 – the “end of the world”. Well, I’m still here – and so are all those crazies. This latest end of the world movement is nationwide (but why only in the U.S.?) driven by an organization called “Family Radio … a Bible-based Christian broadcasting ministry with no church affiliation”. They claim that “God has given the true believers of our day the exact time of the Rapture, which is the first day of the Day of Judgment, so that they can warn the world.” They also apparently figured out for themselves that the date of Creation was 11,013 B.C. I wonder how they explain all those fossils? These “true believers” believe that they will be saved and all of us unbelievers will perish. That just doesn’t sound very fair to me.
It turns out that this ministry spends a lot of money promoting its cause – billboards, mailers – and seems to have a lot of volunteers to spread the word. It has also been reported to have $73 million in assets. Not a bad little business! Of course, they won’t need any of that money after May 21, 2011!
Bad places
Most of the world really "sucks" - or is at least a bad place to live. Most parts of the world are not safe to even visit. And most people in the world live horrible lives. If you live in the U.S., despite all of its problems and shortcomings, you are really lucky. Even most of the “poor” live better than a large part of the world’s population. The so-called “undeveloped and developing countries” comprise most of the world’s population and overall, have very low standards of living. Even in emerging countries like China and India, a large part of their populations live in poverty. We always are concerned about crime in the U.S., but how about trying to live in countries that are run by autocratic dictators – or just anarchies with warring tribes. Most of Africa is in hopeless poverty with widespread killings of innocents. In much of South America (you can even start as close as Mexico) you run a high risk of being a crime victim – robbery, kidnapping, murder – overrun by drug gangs and guerrilla fighters. And the Middle East – forget it. They’ve been killing each other for thousands of years. Don’t expect it to change any time soon. An editor in Lebanon was quoted in the New York Times about her recent visit to the United States – “I just want to live in a country where you have the luxury to worry about animal rights (not human rights)”!
I’m really not discriminating. Every continent has bad places – some more than others. There are actually only a few countries where the rule and protection of law is prevalent. I always had a list of countries where I would not travel. It’s a long list – and hasn’t gotten any shorter over the years. I guess I am just risk averse, but I feel that there are plenty of places to travel to where you have a fair chance of being safe. That’s my plan for vacations.
Bad People
There are also bad people. It would be nice to be able to avoid them, but they can be found in life, business, and government - everywhere. So it is important to identify and deal with them. They come in a wide variety of forms. Some are obviously more dangerous than others, but they can all hurt you – either physically, emotionally or financially. One of the most common forms of bad people is those that only think about themselves. The mildest form is self-centered people who are consistently selfish. These people can be really annoying, but usually not dangerous. But there are also a lot of egotists. These are ego-centric people who are always talking about "I, I, I …”. You don’t want to have to work for these people – because they don’t care about you and only look out for themselves. I once had a boss who didn’t like me dealing directly with his boss and told me that my job was “to make him look good”. And all that time I thought we were both working for a company to make it successful! These people can affect your income and career, but if you try – or are lucky – you can get away from them. Worse are those who take it to extremes and become ego-maniacs. These people are out of control and, if they somehow find a way to get into a position of power, they can be really dangerous – like Henry VIII, Napoleon, Hitler or Saddam Hussein. Unfortunately, history is full of these people – and most cultures had some. We still have a bunch of them around the world. Even in the relatively short history of the U.S., there have been some, but our system of checks and balances is better than most. And more of them have been in the business world where they could make a lot more money than in politics.
Another type of bad person is someone who is amoral, which means that they are without moral values. This may be hard to detect at first - or understand – but they can hurt you if you let them. They can be hard to deal with because their decisions and actions are not driven by conventional values. Concepts like honesty, integrity, respect and trust have no meaning to them. They will do whatever they have to do to get what they want. So you need to be observant and judge people by their actions. Immoral people are easier to spot. They just overtly do things that are against commonly accepted moral values. I think the major difference between the two groups is that one is more visible than the other, but you shouldn’t want anything to do with either one.
Then there are also criminals. This should go without saying – you should stay away from them at all costs. It’s amazing how many criminals there are. The U.S. Department of Justice reported that “there were 1,613,740 prisoners under state and federal jurisdiction” and, in addition, “local jails admitted almost 13 million persons” in 2010. Even considering that many were repeat offenders, that’s a lot of criminals. Violent crime is, of course, the most dangerous. In the United States alone over 1 million violent crimes are reported each year.
If you are fortunate enough to have friends and colleagues who are genuinely good people – treasure them – and seek others – because there are a lot of bad people out there.
The New “Minorities”
This one is not going to be “politically correct” – but here it goes. I consider myself kind of a libertarian when it comes to sexual preferences. I really don’t care what consenting adults do behind closed doors. But all this “in your face” sexual politics is just getting out of hand – and annoying. I could put this under the section on “That really annoys me”, but it is a little too controversial for most people. I mean what is it with the “Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Celebration”? They even use an acronym – LGBT to identify the “community”. Why did they leave out transvestites, polygamists, sado masochists, pedophiles, rapists, etc.? Where do we draw the line of what kind of sexual preference and behavior should be socially and legally acceptable? And why should I care – or have to know – if someone is bisexual? It’s like wanting to know if someone has a foot fetish. Just keep it to yourself and leave me alone!
And what is with this “gay rights” and “marriage equality”? What makes sexual behavior a civil rights issue? Marriage was established by religions to support and promote procreation and family. It is recognized by governments to support families – and, in particular to provide legal protection for children. So is this really an issue about taxes and benefits? It certainly isn’t about “family values” or children!
The New York Times recently ran a front page article (May 23, 2011) titled “Coming Out”. It was about “A project initiated to better understand the realities and expectations of this generation of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youths.” Since when do “youths” have a sex change? And why doesn’t anyone ever question the role of parents in the development, guidance and control of youths? Who is setting the lifestyle examples for these kids – TV, movies, music, the internet?
And it also seems like our famous heritage of "freedoms" is getting distorted or redirected. The recent legal history seems to be focused on everything "gay rights". But what about traditional rights for the rest of us? Recent state laws (Indiana, Arkansas) have been opposed by large factions from the liberal community because the laws protect the rights of individuals to refuse service on religious grounds. So the proposed alternative is to require service providers - like photographers who refuse to work at gay events like weddings - to provide the service. Whose freedom is being protected here??
I’m not “old fashioned”. I just don’t get the fixation and politically correct over-compensation for these “new minorities”. Their lifestyle is their decision and as long they are not hurting anyone, why not just leave them alone. And in return, why don’t they just leave the rest of us alone?
Native Americans
We still call them “Indians”, but of course, they’re not from India or from the West Indies as they were named by the early explorers. Who are they? What does it mean to be a “Native American”? We know that there were indigenous people in North America long before explorers and settlers came from Europe. But they too came from somewhere – we’re told from Asia. Who is a real native "Indian" anyway? Someone who has 1/16th American Indian in their blood line (as some tribes/nations accept)? And what are they entitled to? American “Indians” today have “sovereign nations” within the United States. What does that mean? Tax free casinos and “smoke shops”!! Which now seem to have no relation to reservations. While many, if not most Indians living on reservations are impoverished, there are some who take advantage of their unique political status to make a lot of tax-free money. This just does not sound like the United States.
And talking about being “politically correct” – here is a relevant example. “Geronimo E.K.A. was the coded message used by the brave Navy Seal Team to report the death of Osama bin Laden – the culmination of a 10 year search for the world’s most wanted terrorist – personally responsible for the plot that killed 3000 Americans. And “Geronimo” was the rallying cry used by brave American soldiers in battle for generations. But this time, some people – and politicians – chose to take it as an insult to Native Americans. Give me a break!
One line of my heritage has been in America for at least 250 years – perhaps as much as 350 years – long before there was a United States of America. Does that make me a “Native American”? No – my ancestors came from northern Europe a long time ago – and we’re told that the Europeans also came from somewhere before that – probably Africa. So, everybody came from somewhere at sometime. We are a world of emigrants. I don’t think I have any more rights than someone whose family history only goes back 100 years or even 10 years in this country. Why then should “Native Americans” have more rights than others? Of course, there were injustices. But there were settlements made over 100 years ago – right or wrong. And how about other groups that suffered injustices – like slaves? At some point, we need to move on. Five or ten generations of freedom and opportunity should be enough to remove the guilt and obligations of the current generation.
A key strength of the American society is its diversity and history of assimilation. So, now that we are in the 21st Century, isn’t it about time for Native Americans to be assimilated? What makes them any different than “African Americans” (and aren’t we all?), Hispanics, Asians, etc. “Some of my best friends are …” - well, you know what I mean. And before them, the Italians, Irish, Jews and others suffered poverty and discrimination. How about we just move on – together? Let’s move forward as a proud nation with a multi-racial, multi-cultural heritage. That’s our strength and uniqueness in the world.
What the (hell) is the difference?
Ronnie Dunn has a country music hit with the key line - “We all bleed red”. This means to me, that when you get below the surface, we’re all the same – just human beings. I just don’t understand “ethnic cleansing” - groups that have been trying to exterminate each other for centuries.
For example, in Eastern Europe, you have the Serbs. They have lived in the same region as the Croats for centuries – and they hate each other. Why – because of religion? They’re both Christian – one Roman Catholic and the other Orthodox. And in Bosnia in the early 90s, the Serbian military killed thousands of Bosnian Muslims – and were found guilty of genocide. In the Middle East there are the Shiites and Sunnis. They kill each other over a disagreement about the son-in-law of Muhammad! And Ireland has the Catholics and Protestants. By the way, how can they tell the difference?? They look and talk the same! Is there a pattern here – religion? How’s that for a stupid reason to hate and kill! Then there is Africa, which has the Hutu and Tutsi who live in some of the worst conditions in the world, but continue to slaughter each other. It goes on and on around the world - and has probably been going on since the first tribes emerged. These ethnic rivalries have killed millions of people. It makes no sense to me. What is it that is worth killing each other over??
Monarchies
The “royals” – what makes them any different? You can’t tell by their history – or even their current behavior. You could even argue that they are often not good people – think about Henry VIII for example. How in the 21st century can we still have kings and queens? They still exist in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Why?
According to Wikipedia “44 nations in the world have monarchs as heads of state”. For example, in Europe – U.K., Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden; in the Middle East - Brunei, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait; in Asia - Cambodia, Japan, Thailand; and even Africa – Swaziland, Lesotho.
England – the United Kingdom – has to be considered a leading developed country. Why do they need a monarchy? We often hear that “the Brits love the royals” – particularly on special occasions like royal weddings (e.g., the recent Prince William and Kate Middleton). And then there is the Royal Guard. What do they do – besides march in parades and ceremonies? I guess they just like the heritage and ceremony. But they can hardly afford it. England still has a royal class with major landholdings and special privileges – with the palaces and estates – and the Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Jaguars, Range Rovers, etc. Didn’t monarchies in major developed countries, like England, lose their relevance to democratic governance hundreds of years ago? What role do they play – and at what price? What is the benefit to the average citizen and taxpayer? I don’t get it. Maybe it’s all about tourism and national amusement.
Religion – “the good, the bad, and the ugly”
This is literally a sacrosanct subject – so, again, not politically correct to debate. Religion has been part of human life for millennia. There are literally hundreds of religious groups in the world - the 3 largest (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism) comprise about 70% of the world’s population. But the next largest group is “no religion” with about 12% of the world’s population. Hinduism & Zoroastrianism seem to have the most ancient roots – going back thousands of years.
Religion was intended to be a good thing – faith, hope, charity. And, in general, religion has established moral values that have helped mankind to get civilized. There are lots of religions, but most share common basic values and guidelines (or rules) for behavior. But religions have also been responsible for wars, violence, and terrorism. History has many examples of horrific events in the name of religion – such as the Inquisition and Crusades. Of course, more recently we have experienced the terrorism of Islamic extremists. Some of the worst things known to man have been done in the name of religion.
I grew up in a Church life. It was good – it taught values and responsibility. But I don’t understand some of the so-called religious groups today - political and social activism, the anti-abortion killers, the protesters at the funerals of war dead, the Koran burners, etc. And then there is “THE CHURCH”, which had a “system” (i.e., an infrastructure) to “manage” pedophilia including treatment centers, re-assignments, legal defense, and out of court settlements – for years/decades/centuries?
And what's with Islam? Is it a religion – as most contend and intend – or is it a political and social movement that excludes all others and promotes violence? And how did guys like Muammar el-Qaddafi, Saddam Hussein, and Osama bin Laden get away with using religion as a basis for what they did? Or countries like Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan that are continually torn by religious strife?
How about getting religion back to what is should be – good stuff!
OK, this is risky and definitely not politically correct. I personally don’t care what people do in the privacy of their homes as long as they are not hurting someone else and it’s by mutual consent. But what started out as a “gay rights” movement has evolved into an alphabet soup of strange classifications that have been added or made up by this “community” to gain more attention. And they’ve succeeded. The media and “bleeding heart” liberal politicians put this stuff in your face every day. Universities have established LGBTQI centers on college campuses. The Stonewall bar in Greenwich Village has been designated a “National Monument” (they can’t be serious). Public schools are trying to accommodate transgender children. How can parents allow their children to decide what gender they want to be? Children have not had any significant life experience yet and should be guided with traditional values by their parents until they are adults. The NBA and NCAA have canceled events in the state of North Carolina because of their law trying to bring some sanity back into the use of public bathrooms. And Medicaid now covers “gender reassignment surgery” (they’ve got to be kidding). This is getting out of control. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning (seriously?), Intersex (and what does that mean??). This is not a national civil rights issue. This is about sexual preferences. And you could argue that it is inherently discriminatory. What about all the other abnormal sexual practices? - pedophilia, polygamy, adultery, prostitution, sadomasochism, beastiality, and so on. Will they be included next? Why is this now so important? What percentage of the population does this represent? Is it really “our problem”? Liberals, especially politicians, pander to these groups because they think it’s politically correct, “progressive”, and a source of voting support. These groups can also have influence in some circles-such as media and entertainment. I have to wonder if these “bleeding heart liberals” really understand what this community is really about and their practices. These are not ethnic minority groups, they are sexual communities or cults. But let’s hope that they continue to be a minority of the population, or the human race is doomed. Sex was created in all species for the purpose of procreation and the growth and survival of that species. Fortunately for us humans, we found that sex without procreation can also be pleasurable. But that is not what drives life on earth. And, as for “marriage equality”, marriage was created by humans thousands of years ago to foster and support procreation and family. When religions and governments got involved, it got more complicated-e.g., laws, taxes, estates, healthcare, etc. So, I think we need to bring more sanity back to this situation and get it off the front page.
ALL LIVES MATTER
In recent years, irresponsible police shootings led to the formation of the “Black Lives Matter” movement – followed by the “All Lives Matter” counter-movement. Well, I believe that one of this country’s strengths is that all lives do matter.
So, I am really disturbed by the latest abortion controversy in the USA. I find that most women don’t share my views and most men don’t care. So, I need to vent.
I don’t know how we in this country got to the point where states are passing legislation that legalizes “abortion” at birth and even after birth. It’s outrageous and criminal. It’s murder – pure and simple! I can’t believe that politicians are willing to talk about it directly – they have no shame.
I have always been against abortion in principle, but I could probably be had for the first trimester, rape and when the mother’s life is at risk. But once the fetus is viable or full term, it’s a human being. Who decided that certain human beings don’t have any rights?
And how did this become a “women’s health” issue? Politicians fight back against anti-abortionists by charging them to be against women’s health. Women and their doctors should know when they are pregnant and can make decisions early in the pregnancy – especially if they really affect a woman’s health. And these days there are diagnostic tools and tests that can evaluate the heath of the fetus. How can you let a pregnancy go to full term and then decide to kill a viable baby??
I think the situation is atrocious, barbaric and reflects a serious degradation of our values. America has been critical of undeveloped countries where human life has little value. That now sounds like hypocrisy. Where are we going with this? What’s next – euthanasia? It turns out that at, this point, 7 states and the District of Columbia have already legalized assisted suicide. Horrific!
And what about the physicians involved in these atrocities? What ever happened to the “Hippocratic Oath” (“do no harm”)?
I fear that the fundamental values that made this country great are at risk – and are in the process of being abandoned.
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