The second draft

 Mirage of Marriage

There is no reason why Gays, or Lesbians should not be able to marry. It is a basic civil liberty that we as a people have the right to pursue happiness. It is guaranteed in the Constitution. Civil Unions are the alternative poised by the opposition, which falls under the principles of separate but equal. We know how that turned out. Separate is never equal. You may object to the premise behind a man expressing love for another man, but outside of religious text, give me one good reason that they can not share the bonds of matrimony? "And if that is right, it is problematic treating like cases differently, “separate but equal,”discrimination for the law to recognize homosexual and infertile heterosexual couples differently, even if, as under a civil union regime, the difference is only of name" (Steorts 2011) People clamor about the sanctity of marriage when there are more divorces in our country then ever before. The Kardashians made a mockery of marriage by televising a multimillion ceremony that ended hours after the last check was cashed.

In 2004, President George W. Bush said: "If courts create their own arbitrary definition of marriage as a mere legal contract and cut marriage off from its cultural, religious, and natural roots, then the meaning of marriage is lost and the institution is weakened." He offered no support for the cultural history of marriage and obviously failed to review that portion of history. The natural roots of marriage are in fact a legal contract to provide clear succession of title and wealth for the spouse and any children that could have come from the union. "Marriage reform, and the discussions that it provoked, raised questions not simply about love and personal happiness, but also matters of prime importance to the State: issues about the nature of equality and individual liberty; the role of the State or Church (and their institutions of administration, judicature and governance) in personal comportment and affiliation; the nature of the household and of property transfer; duties of individuals to each other; citizenship rights; population increase; the meaning of care and obedience." (Achinstein 2010) Achinstien goes on further to break down the legal and contractual issues of marriage in her paper.  While the 1600's might not be a huge account throughout history, it shows a precedence that is a mere four hundred years old.

In addition the reference to the sanctity of marriage brings up yet another point of the contract issues of marriage. Sanctity by definition is a holy word, it has religious connotation rather then a legal ramification. "I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between church and State." (Thomas Jefferson) If a founding father felt that the intrusion of of the church in affairs of the business of government was of such great importance, I am sure there was a damn good reason. So let us get to the real issue here, as to how a another couple getting married reflects on our own views of marriage, or what does the married couple get out of it. There are of course tax breaks, immigration issues, and without citing the variety of issues that come with those fiscal benefits, tell me how a homosexual couple would violate those privileges any different then a heterosexual couple would?

The modern perception of marriage is not based on these fiscal or parental needs anymore. When you think marriage you think love, not coitus resulting in the production of offspring. It is not permissible to divorce your spouse on the simple basis that they failed to provide you with children. I am sure you can use that as a basis of an argument, and even in that it is easier to get divorced then it is to get married in our country. Divorce laws support something as simple as irreconcilable differences can result in the termination on the marriage contract. Yet to get married you have to submit to the license acquisition process, pay several fees, and many times receive consoling from a member of the church you wish to be married in. You have to get married by an official invested with the legal power to oversee the ceremonial union. In some states you merely need to share cohabitation with an eligible person for a set period of time to be presented as a married couple though. With such paradoxical restrictions on the terms of what is legally marriage though, I find it hard to defend the idea of the sanctity of marriage being protected for any other reason then enforced religious discrimination.

Modern marriage has an affiliation of a more emotional regard. The accepted norm is that two people fall in love, if that love last they celebrate it with a union. That union is refereed to legally as marriage. Part of the magic of love is that you do not get to pick with whom you fall in love with, and that is not a quantifiable aspect that government has the right to judge or rate. It is an emotional counterbalance that needs to be separated from the state as the church, and for the same reasons. Logic and civil expectations are not welcome in the emotional acceptation of religious ideology. To do so opens more doors to disrupt the civil liberties of others that do not happen to agree with the religious views of those in power. I cite Afghanistan or Iran as a prime examples of the dangers of a theocracy. It is an understanding of the definition of marriage that we have to tread carefully in order to support our rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. In that assumption of the freedom of religion also implies the freedom from religion. Laws should enforce the social morality without regard to the emotional affairs of the citizenry of the country. In essence laws should not impede upon happiness, but rather protect the pursuit thereof.

In establishing this as a civil right one might argue that being homosexual is a choice, and therefore does not warrant the protections under law of racial views or cultural behavior. A person does not choose to be black, or white, they are simply born that way. Some might say that you have a choice in sexual preference, while the jury is out on that, it would be moot to use that as a basis of argument. Choice is the essence of freedom, and choosing to be or not to be something does not alter the validity of that behavior or need to be affiliated with a set group. If so then persons of any religious perspective could be questioned on their right to practice their faith based on it being a choice. However we have laws established to protect homosexuals from hate crimes, and those of all religious views. To me that establishes a precedence that regardless if it is a choice or not, it is still subject of discrimination. So either being homosexual is a civil liberty regardless of it being a choice, or religious views are not a protected civil right because they are a choice as well.

Many years ago it was taboo to marry across racial boundaries. In the sixties it was frowned upon for a black person to marry a white person. The same issues of bigotry where used to support the defense of marriage. While many arguments were presented about the disregard of the cultural beliefs and history of marriage, laws were in enacted to preserve and protect the right of mixed race couples to marry. No church or social group was allowed to force their beliefs on another for such simple racist or bigoted beliefs. It in no way harmed the value of the marriage of those preaching about racial purity. On that basis what reflection would two women being married reflect any different on the marriage of a heterosexual couple? We have to ask ourselves did that Black man, who married his White lover really harm our own relationships or concept of marriage? Or perhaps we are just no ready to accept the happiness of others when we ourselves struggle to be happy, and have trouble living up to outdated concepts of social constraints?

So as a straight traditionally married man, I offer this as something to ponder. If you allow others to be tread upon, how long before your own ideology is tread upon. What makes this country great is its ability to adjust and adapt to do what is right for all. Doing the right thing does not always mean doing the right thing for you, it means doing the right thing. In order to enjoy your freedom, you must respect the freedoms of all people. You must defend them as you would defend your own, or you will find yourself reflecting on the work of Martin Niemöller, "First they came for.." and standing alone with no one else to help protect your rights as well.

Works Cited

Steorts, Jason Lee "Two Views of Marriage" National Review; 2/7/2011, Vol. 63 Issue 2, p39-42, 4p .Academic Search Premier. Web. 25 Nov. 2011.

Achinstein, Sharon. "Saints Or Citizens? Ideas Of Marriage In Seventeenth-Century English Republicanism."Seventeenth Century" 25.2 (2010): 240-264.Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Nov. 2011.

Crystal, so damn crystal

Clarity is always good. So I am going to see if I can make things clear and concise. I am not opposed to the occupy movement, I am against those that attempt to martyr themselves. Yes there are people talking about camping after hours and having their tents torn down, while others celebrate greed and commercialism and camp out side of stores before black Friday. Yes there are a handful of police pepper spraying with the causal comfort of a good pair of khakis. There are stories of veterans getting their heads bashed in. There are stories of pregnant women being man handled by police. There is even a tale of a little old lady getting a face full of aggression from police. There are websites dedicated to the movement that list more then a few demands, and even talks of revolution.

For further clarity do I think it is wrong to rob a bank, of course I do. Also see that is extremely evil for a bank to rob you. I do not think that people have been held accountable for this finical crisis, and I do not see the very people that are being paid by them holding them accountable. Yes I am pissed. I am watching my country change dramatically from the country I have grown to love, and it is far from the understanding that I held so many years ago in regards to what it is supposed to be. However I can not get behind this movement of martyrs. Yes I said it. I still stick by that these people are attention starved children enjoying a first amendment protected temper tantrum.

As for the tents, those laws were in place long before the bear knocked the shit out of the bull. You see that stores have the right to eject those tents from the land they do business on. They don't because it is good for their business. However they passed laws a long time ago to keep people for squatting on public land because we thought homeless people were to much of an eye sore and they should be hidden from public. Yep we are embarrassed because we have poor, not because they are poor. Yet we did not see this coming. We have been giving more and more of our life and our freedom to the government, and we are surprised when greedy people strive for a bigger slice of wealth. You see for them to acquire more wealth it has to come from somewhere. So think about that when you see those videos of those tents being torn down.

The other issue that gets me riled up is when they use a person to rally sympathy for. Yes there was a vet in Oakland that got the shit kicked out of him. Well him being a vet was not the reason he got the shit kicked out of him. Yes it sucks that violence was that excessive, and Oakland had blown the fuck up, but him being a vet did not have a damn thing to do with it. That pregnant lady should be slapped too. Believing in the cause or not, the news had already shown outbreaks of violence and she still made the choice to risk her unborn child, and we offer her sympathy? Seriously? Am I part of the minority when I think this lady was an irresponsible douche? Yes that lady was eighty years old and probably posed no real threat to a cop in riot gear that meets physical standards to serve as a cop, but just because she is old does not make her wise or lessens the odds of her being a douche. Seriously how many old people have you met that are just fucked up, or more fucked up then a young person.

Now before I get off my soap box and let things ride I am going to say its great you support change. I am going to say stop being a poser though. I see so many people speaking out for the occupy movement and laying claims as if it is there own, and speak their words like they are the gospel. They speak of atrocities committed by the cops but have not given more then a passing glance to the actual movement going on in the there own towns. How can you say that these are law abiding peaceful protestors when you have not been down there. How can you call yourself one of them, when you have not been there over night with them. If I was actually one of those in the movement I would actually be pissed about this, rather then feeling all warm and fuzzy about it. As a vet, I get pissed when people tell me how they can relate to me, or try to say they understand my sacrifice. Seriously if you say you stand with me, you tell me when you gave up holiday after holiday. So don't you dare say you are in my shoes, or pretend you can even put them on. So even though I do not agree with the occupy movemetn tactics, I can say at least offer them the respect of not claiming to be one of them when the only thing you have occupied is your car, couch or cubicle. You do not get the honor of claiming their sacrifice. You do not get to share their outrage. You can be upset on your own, you don't get to use theirs.

I hope that was clear. I hope people understand my animosity now. Its the tactics not the message. Its the lack of understanding of responsibility. Its the making of martyrs and shoveling of bullshit. You don't like a law, disregard it, but do not bitch when you are called to the carpet over it. Life is about consequence, you have unprotected sex, you take care of the kid or live with the disease that might result from it. Don't blame Trojan for not making you wear a condom. You carry your burden in life, and keep your grimy paws of mine. Give credit where credit is do.   

Help?

I am writing an argument for my English class, and the subject I have choose to discuss is Gay Marriage.  While I am not gay, nor do I desire to marry a man, I do not see a serious legal reason why two men, or two women can not be married.  This is what I have so far. While I intend to add more citations to the paper, I am not making them a part of this blog post. I am merely looking for help to check the viability of the argument, and to see if my point was made clear. This is a serious emotional issue and very dear to my heart, I am trying to approach this with little emotion and use logic to approach the topic. So please read, comment, and let me know if this paper is lacking or spot on? Grammar help would be beneficial as well but I am looking more towards my ability to deliver my points. Thank you in advance.

 Mirage of Marriage

There is no reason why Gays, or Lesbians should not be able to marry. It is a basic civil liberty that we as a people have the right to pursue happiness. It is guaranteed in the Constitution. Civil Unions are the alternative poised by the opposition, which falls under the principles of separate but equal. We know how that turned out. Separate is never equal. You may object to the premise behind a man expressing love for another man, but outside of the western religious text, give me one good reason that they can not share the bonds of matrimony? "And if that is right, it is problematic treating like cases differently, “separate but equal,”discrimination for the law to recognize homosexual and infertile heterosexual couples differently, even if, as under a civil union regime, the difference is only of name" (Steorts 2011) People clamor about the sanctity of marriage when there are more divorces in our country then ever before. The Kardashians made a mockery of marriage by televising a multimillion ceremony that ended hours after the last check was cashed.

In 2004, President George W. Bush said: "If courts create their own arbitrary definition of marriage as a mere legal contract and cut marriage off from its cultural, religious, and natural roots, then the meaning of marriage is lost and the institution is weakened." He offered no support for the cultural history of marriage and obviously failed that portion of history. The natural roots of marriage are in fact a legal contract to provide clear succession of title and wealth for the spouse and any children that could have come from the union. "Marriage reform, and the discussions that it provoked, raised questions not simply about love and personal happiness, but also matters of prime importance to

the State: issues about the nature of equality and individual liberty; the role of the State or Church (and their institutions of administration, judicature and governance) in personal comportment and affiliation; the nature of the household and of property transfer; duties of individuals to each other; citizenship rights; population increase; the meaning of care and obedience." (Achinstein 2010) Achinstien goes on further to break down the legal and contractual issues of marriage in her paper "Saints Or Citizens? Ideas Of Marriage In Seventeenth-Century English Republicanism." While the 1600's might not be a huge account throughout history, it shows a precedence that is a mere four hundred years old. In addition the reference to the sanctity of marriage brings up yet another point of the contract issues of marriage. Sanctity by definition is a holy word, it has religious connotation rather then a legal ramification. "I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between church and State." (Thomas Jefferson) If a founding father felt that the intrusion of of the church in affairs of the business of government was of such great importance, I am sure there was a damn good reason.

The modern perception of marriage is not based on these fiscal or parental needs anymore. When you think marriage you think love, not coitus resulting in the production of offspring. It is not permissible to divorce your spouse on the simple basis that they failed to provide you with children. I am sure you can use that as a basis of an argument, and even in that it is easier to get divorced then it is to get married in our country. Divorce laws support something as simple as irreconcilable differences can result in the termination on the marriage contract. Yet to get married you have to submit to the license acquisition process, pay several fees, and many times receive consoling from a member of the church you wish to be married in. You have to get married by an official invested with the legal power to oversee the ceremonial union. In some states you merely need to share cohabitation with an eligible person for a set period of time to be presented as a married couple though. With such paradoxical restrictions on the terms of what is legally marriage though, I find it hard to defend the idea of the sanctity of marriage being protected for any other reason then enforced religious discrimination.

Modern marriage has an affiliation of a more emotional regard. The accepted norm is that two people fall in love, if that love last they celebrate it with a union. That union is refereed to legally as marriage. Part of the magic of love is that you do not get to pick with whom you fall in love with, and that is not a quantifiable aspect that government has the right to judge or rate. It is an emotional counterbalance that needs to be separated from the state as the church, and for the same reasons. Logic and civil expectations are not welcome in the emotional acceptation of religious ideology. To do so opens more doors to disrupt the civil liberties of others that do not happen to agree with the religious views of those in power. I cite Afghanistan as a prime example of the dangers of a theocracy. It is an understanding of the definition of marriage that we have to tread carefully in order to support our rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. In that assumption of the freedom of religion also implies the freedom from religion. Laws should enforce the social morality without regard to the emotional affairs of the citizenry of the country. In essence laws should not impede upon happiness, but rather protect the pursuit thereof.

In establishing this as a civil right one might argue that being homosexual is a choice, and therefore does not warrant the protections under law of racial views or cultural behavior. A person does not choose to be black, or white, they are simply born that way. Some might say that you have a choice in sexual preference and while the jury is out on that, it would be moot to use that as a basis of argument, because choice is the essence of freedom, and choosing to be or not to be something does not alter the validity of that behavior or need to be affiliated with a set group. If so then persons of any religious perspective could be questioned on their right to practice their faith based on it being a choice. However we have laws established to protect homosexuals from hate crimes, and those of all religious views. To me that establishes a precedence that regardless if it is a choice or not, it is still subject of discrimination.

Many years ago it was taboo to marry across racial boundaries. In the sixties it was frowned upon for a black person to marry a white person. The same issues of bigotry where used to support the defense of marriage. While many arguments were presented about the disregard of the cultural beliefs and history of marriage, laws were in enacted to preserve and protect the right of mixed race couples to marry. No church or social group was allowed to force their beliefs on another for such simple racist or bigoted beliefs. It in no way harmed the value of the marriage of those preaching about racial purity. On that basis what reflection would two women being married reflect any different on the marriage of a heterosexual couple? We have to ask ourselves did that Black man, who married his White lover really harm our own relationships or concept of marriage? Or perhaps we are just no ready to accept the happiness of others when we ourselves struggle to be happy, and have trouble living up to outdated concepts of social constraints?

Here thar be Turkey,..

On this day of giving thanks, at least for my American readers, I can say I am thankful for a lot. I will say though that this holiday is typically surrounded by negative feedback. So many focus on the lack of foresight for the indigenous population of the Americas. They use it to point out the exploitative beliefs of religious fanatics. It is followed by the largest day of expression for the consumer based mass corporation fueled market that has become a cultural icon. Those pointed hat buckle people were the first immigrants natives bitched about, and its good to see we still have the tradition of bitching about immigrants in our country, but sad to see we fail to offer them hospitality.

You see this day is not about family. Though I might say different tomorrow, believe it or not it is not about football either. It is not about that delicious turkey, no matter how it was prepared. It is not about your God, or about mine. It is not about America. It is for damn sure not about those Black Friday Ad's or the Macy's parade of consumer delight. It is not about a lot of things we pay so much attention to.

It is about hospitality though. It is about opening your home to the unknown and sharing your bounty with others. It is about people coming together and sharing in survival. It is about giving thanks for those things that make life possible, and about those that make it enjoyable. It is about things bigger then you or I. So that being said I will offer my thanks to those that have helped me survive and thrive over the years.

I am thankful for;

A wife worth loving.

A daughter that is happy healthy and smart.

A country worth fighting for.

Friends worth talking too.

People who challenge my beliefs.

My family of choice.

The meals I eat everyday.

My needs being met.

There is so much in this world to be thankful for, and I am sure many of you will think of better things to say. To many people focus on the things they do not have, and wish to force their ideas on others to show they are right. They focus on what they can take from other people, but they miss what they have. The miss so much and take things for granted. So today be thankful for what you have, and even if only for a short period let that be your focus, rather then what others have. Kiss the one you love. Eat all you can and for those that can't. Indulge but indulge with wisdom and joy.

Today be thankful. You have many blessings, they are yours. Share them if you like, and accept those that others want to share with you. Be thankful for life. Be thankful for all you have, and you might find you have all you need. Be thankful for the people who love you. Be thankful for the roof over your head, no matter what form it takes. Be thankful for the food you eat. Just be thankful. Life is enough to be thankful for, no matter how shitty you think you have it, you are still breathing and can do something about the rest.  

Pray to the boob tube! All hail basic cable.

I love the planet we live on, really I do. It is the two legged fur-less creatures that plague its surface that piss me off. People as individuals can be horrible, but most times I can deal with people as individuals. It is the groups that get em all spun up, and once again the  manipulation we tolerate. We moo and move and eat what ever they put in or troth. We gobble up the news, sing jingles from ads, we look for logos, and we really think that having that 50 plus inch television is really going to bring us happiness.

You see I got real pissed this morning watching the news and saw this subtle yet direct manipulation of us as a culture. They talked about going green today, the most sacred buzz word, and the masses listened. The topic cars that get over 40mpg. While that is awesome that we are looking into the responsibility on the front, the report was delivered in  a fashion that upset me. They talked about these gas cars being better for the environment, and how green they where compared to the hybrid models. The sung the praises of consumer based fossil fuels, and how great it was that the industry was making shifts to accommodate rising gas prices.

We are nowhere near that ilusterious Mr. Fusion that Doc Brown used to power his DiLorian, but letting our focus be shifted back to the blood of the long dead lizard kings does not help us. People, wake the fuck up. We can ask our government to step in and write laws against the very people that pay for their campaigns and line their pockets with special interest money, or we can stop buying into the label hipness. We can be responsible for our own life, and exact that change we so desperately need.

How you ask? I mean really what can one little person like me do besides whine about my government? Simple solutions actually, and most are not to life changing. You want to remove our fuel dependency, try public transportation, ride a bike, car pool, cut the use of fuels every way you can. You don't like what your government is doing, look at the companies buying their interest and stop buying their products. Seriously the label is what you pay for half the time anyway. How about you build, make, or create as much of your own crap so you don't have to deal with the big business controlling your life.

Stop shopping at Wal-Mart or even better, actually think about the crap you buy.  What is in the food you eat, how much cellulose is in your food? High Fructose Corn Syrup can not be that bad right, I mean they have commercials for it? I mean ad campaigns can not be that bad right? Hell the Mormons are even using them, telling the world that they are extraordinary people through ad campaigns, to what purpose? So you can keep handing off your personal responsibility to whom ever you like as you drive your gas hog down the road to you favorite mass market shopping facility to pick up your mass produced super sugared tree bark, or you can start thinking more about your role in all of this.

This blog was brought to you today by Apple, Exxon, Walmart, and the WTO. Have a nice day. :)

too easy.

I have been asked some weird questions in my life, yet the one that always hits me is the infamous "how can you do what you do?" So many people tell me how horrible our government is. They tell me how evil and corrupt that our country is. I have to agree in part with them. It is not the most moral and just system on the planet, but it also the best that is out there. I have been to some pretty shitty countries. I have also been to some good countries. I have seen the effects of most forms of government, first hand. It is not me looking over papers or studying the works of scholars. It is me seeing these things with my own eyes. I also firmly believe that we can enact the changes we feel we need to make this country better. Right now though it is the best thing that can work for us. Some smaller countries might have other systems that work for them, but we have what is best for us.

I also do not do what I do for those simple principles of patriotism alone. I do what I do because of the guys and gals willing to do it with me. I do is because there are things that we do that can not be understood by others. Each generation that suffers the call of war will see it different. There is a moment we all can share, but the actual war you fought in will change the experience you have. It will also change how you deal with those experiences and what they leave behind.

That is the sick indecency of the evolution of war. We come up with different ways to kill each other whenever we decide it is the only way to resolve our issues. With these different tactics and weapons comes different ways to die, and different things the living have to carry with them. World War I brought us the whole sale slaughter of chemical weapons and the numbing rushes on trench after trench. Then we evolved into the World War II with some increase of range, but the additions of the machines of war. Vietnam was the unseen enemy. Korea was the adjustment of power with the introduction of new methods of air power. Iraq brought us IED's and close quarter combat. Afghanistan a mixture of Iraq with a dash of religious fervor and the zealotry of desperation.

The blood has not changed, just the amount and how it is spilled. So each time it has its own separate issue that needs to be addressed. The end results are the same though. Two groups of people decide they can not live with the actions of another, so they send other people out to deal with with. I do this because it is my lot in life, and I have already done it a few times, no reason to hand the burden over to someone else and let them deal with their own variety of damage. So I do this so some other kid with puppy eyes, innocence and a head full of wrong ideas does not have to. I do it because the people who do it with me actually have a shared understanding. I do it because I like the rest of the world do not like being lonely. I do it so I have someone to talk to.

It really is that easy. Sometimes that is all it is.

Nothing. Like Seinfeld but not as stupid.

I have nothing today. Nothing I want to write about. I have nothing I want to voice my opinion on. It is not that I am speechless, its that I am not looking to deal with peoples bullshit. I am all about being the center of my own universe. Trust me I know the value of self esteem and understanding my universe indeed revolves around me. I know this to be a truth in my heart, and I know that other people can and should feel the same. I know that peoples life worlds will over lap, its call communication. We are not alone in out worlds, even if they are our own worlds. Yep deep shit huh? So much for really being nothing. Well I am going to get back to the nothing I wish to declare. You see while you are the center of your universe, it is not always about you. Shit happens all around you, it does not mean that you are so damn important it about you.

When I talk in my blog you are free to comment as you see fit, or feel compelled to. If you take offense to what I say, I say its fanfrickingtastic. You get pissed enough that means you care about something and might actually have to engage in a thought of your own that was not spoon fed to you. Anger is yours, you are mad or your not, but things outside can make you mad, the anger is all yours. You have to think, the only rule I have is that you need to take ownership of your own ideas and your own emotions. Do not spit back something a faceless preacher crammed in your head from the the podium of some huge commercially based mega church selling salvation in economy sizes. How people trust that mass manipulation baffles me in the first place, but I will let you know I am an elitist in that regard; I do not talk to sheeple. Yep if your thoughts are not your thoughts, but the regurgitated amalgam of mashed up verbal diarrhea, I really have nothing to offer. You can get that bullshit somewhere else, and I prefer something more organic to grow things in my mental garden.

Next part of this discussion on nothing is just that, if I say something here and you are not named or called out directly, what does it have to do with you? That is right, nothing. You may have a thought on it, but it does not mean it is about you, or an attack on your soft little feelings. Be self centered, as long as you don't forget the centered part. This also does not mean you have a free ticket to be self absorbed. It does not mean I am spotlighting you and your pity party, or attacking you because I don't like something you apparently love. You may be the biggest advocate of the purple cuddly kitten foundation, but if I tell you I am not a cat person, that does not mean I hate you and want you to choke on your mass produced cream filled pastries you shovel down your obnoxiously open pie hole. If I hate you I will tell you that, its not because you are cat lover. It is probably because you are a narcissistic drama starved ass hat.

So if you take offense to this blog refer to the actual text on the page. What does this have to do with you? Just because I wrote bad words like shit, fuck, damn, piss, bitch or cunt does not mean it is about you, unless your guilty conscience is telling you that. Because my language is harsh and direct does not mean I am going to lay waist to bunch of unborn children. Seriously if I am saying things about you, its because I really feel them about you, and I will say them to you directly. So if you have not gotten an email, phone call or bitch slap directly from me then odds are what ever subject I am talking about is not about you. I do not car how coincidental you feel it is. I do not give a shit if I am talking about dealing with an ex right while you are having issues with yours. It does not mean I am reaching out to you, or its about you. Its shit in my life, its my views on them and they are mine. What do they have to do with you and your current situation, once again refer to the title and theme of this blog for the answer.

So once again I say to all of you sending me emails, get the fuck over yourself. You are not the focus or center of my universe. You can barely handle being the center of your own, so why the hell would I bother to shift my focus to you? To the rest of you, keep being cool. If you have something you want to get my views on let me know. To those I have directly written about, well you can still fuck off. :)

What the word Doc means...

This is a narrative essay I wrote for school. I thought it might be something worth sharing. While it is laced with metaphor and meant to be universal rather then attached to one particular event or person, it is more of a description to those that have never know what the word Doc can and should mean. So enjoy, give me feed back or what ever. To me it also sums up what it means to be alone in the crowd. You are a part of the team, but you are not one of them completely. Something different, valued, but different.

The sun strobes through the tent flap. The dry wind dances around the doorway, it's the only noise in the space. He sits on the edge of the cot, with labored even breaths. Each breath brings a small amount of pain. The smell of sweat is overpowered by the fresh turned earth that makes up the floor of the tent. Fantasies of a hot shower dance through his mind, mingled with much more unclean thoughts of the day. Rows of makeshift beds, line the sides of the medium sized general purpose tent. Each one bares the mark of its owner. Right now he is the only warm body in there. He is not alone though, his thoughts keep him company even when he closes his eyes. They are there like his breath, each one carrying a small touch of pain and excitement. He pauses long enough to gather those thoughts and slow his heart beat.

It was not an hour ago that they had engaged the enemy. All of his boys are still breathing. Granted, two of them were sent on for higher care, but they were still breathing. That is the job in a nut shell. Blood goes round and round and air goes in and out. If something should disrupt that process he made attempts to fix it. Too easy, right? Easy enough if you can look at the job as just that. In the real world you treat strangers. That is not his luxury. In a place like this, those people are your family. It is something more akin to a deeper sense of that word. This is not a family of birth, but a family of rebirth. Treating them with a deeper sense of worry, you can not help but feel their pain. You can't help but worry about their other family. How will their wives, mothers, sisters, brothers, or fathers feel about what you could or could not do for them. He can feel all of that, and all of the concern. 

The sharp tear of the Velcro straps break the silence, as he pulls off layer after layer of gear. The relief of the weight shows as he rolls his shoulders forward and pops his neck with a sharp snap. He sets carefully on the edge of his cot, feeling more weight leave him in relief. He holds his armor in his lap, tracing the straps with a bloody finger. The smell of gun powder lingers in his nose and memory. It burns deep into his mind. It is one of those smells that's impossible to forget. It burns a memory deep into your soul. There is a persistent ringing in his ears, that will fade in time. The blood on his hands and on his uniform can be washed away. Those stains will fade with time. He smiles remembering the simple joy of a washing machine. Those things you take for granted are missed more than his friends right now. Oh how sinful a nice hot bath sounds right now. The warm water breaking up the tight muscles, and washing away all of his concerns. Perhaps he dares to dream of a home cooked meal served on an actual plate, with silverware. The good stuff, the stuff typically reserved for company.

His thoughts move to removing his boots as he drops his vest on the cot behind him. A strange noise follows the deep thud of the vest. It sounds like a few marbles being dropped on a drum. He turns and watches a small ball of lead dance on the surface of the taunt cot. He picks his armor up again thinking those happy thoughts of home. One by one he pulls out the reminders of his mortality, nine in all. The one dancing on the cot could be his daughters prom. The next one a missed marathon. Each one comes out of the armor and all the the things he could have missed come out with them. Nine small holes in the otherwise perfect form of his standard issue body armor. New plates can slide in to replace the damaged ones. The body armor could be used anew. The holes though would be there. Each of these perfect little circles, blackened with rough edges, unnoticed until this moment. His family was fine. It still hurt to take a breath, but his boys were okay.

The blood will wash, the stains will fade. The armor could be cleaned and repaired. What will not fade is a heightened sense of mortality. Nine holes of varied shapes; four in the front, five in the back. Each of those holes corresponding to bruises on his torso. Each of those deep purple marks will fade with time, but the shock will be there, forever. It was then that he noticed nine times death had been cheated. A cats bounty spent in one day. He matched bruise for bruise, noting the anatomy. Two for each lung, one for his heart, one for his liver, once for his diaphragm, and the last his spleen. Nine holes. Anywhere else it would have such a different meaning. Nine holes could be a good game on an executive course. Nine could be a six pack and a half, a hell of dent in a case. Nine bucks could get him into a movie. Nine hours is a solid work day with a full lunch. Nine months and a new life could be brought into the world. Nine pounds could mean another dress size to his wife. Nine hours would be a great nights sleep. So many other things, so many other great things, but these nine holes stared back at him like soulless eyes. Nine lives, not this life though. Not this one life.

The dirt is cleared from his cheeks in even tacks, as a few tears roll down. These are not tears of fear or sadness though. These are not the tears of madness, though it always dances in the back of his mind. It is simple joy in the moment. This simple precious moment. He cheated death nine times nine. Nine on him, and the others he treated. No one paid the ferrymen on his side of the river Styx. It wasn't about death though. It was about that golf course, that twelve pack, that work day, the dress she wore, that baby to be born, that movie to watch. It was about all those things that laid ahead.

Death had not been cheated, life had just been realized. So many little things taken for granted. Those moments lost in the noise were no longer lost. He could see them all, for all their wonder. Those simple things that made him happy, just meant so much more. It was no longer about big brothers politics and vengeance. It was about dry socks. It was not about those moments when their was no bullshit. To him it was about life. He thought for a while as he pulled each of those little balls of lead out. They had more value then gold to him. They paid a toll for him. They opened his eyes. He was richer now then he ever had been. This is a treasure that will not go in a bank, but will always remain in his mind.

He waited for his friends to come back to their humble little home on the far side of the earth. He waited for his family, and was ready to listen to their stories with new ears. He breathed deep, feeling the pain of the bruises. Each one was a reminder he was still alive, or rather he was more alive then he had ever been. Air goes in and out, blood goes round and round. Too easy. Just like life, too damn easy. It was a beautiful thing. Easy enough if you can look at life as just that. Nine holes filled him up, and gave him a whole new way to see this world we live in. He sat the armor down. His boots came off one at a time. He laid down and watched the light dance on the ceiling, waiting for his family to come home, and smiled. 

A step away,..

This is something new, I am offering a bit of fiction instead of my normal political and social rants. So sit back enjoy and see the basis of one of my short stories;

There is no concept of time, there is only pain. It is sharp and consuming. Ice moves through every cell of the body. It burns so cold. It was not to long ago it started with a fever. I vaguely remember things before the fever. It burnt me up. I do not know how long I have been in this place. I assume it is a hospital, I can smell a strange mixture of death and bleach. The fever is still here but I can't get warm. I am so hungry, but no one responds to my calls for help.

The fever took my eyesight. I can see some light and dark shapes, nothing around me is moving. The light hurts though. It adds to the constant headache. It adds to the full body ache. It is so hard to think about simple things. A name plays in my head, Mike, or Michael. I am not sure if that is me, or someone important to me. I struggle to get up. The cold hurts so much. Maybe if I move it will take some of the cold away. Each step is so difficult. I have to focus on each step. They come out as more of a shuffle. The pain is mind numbing.

I remember the fever. I actually miss it. It was warm, yes it hurt, but not nearly as much. I try to call out for the nurse, but no sure how it sounded. My mouth is so numb, I can barely move my lips. The sound is so muffled like my ears are filled with cotton. The effort to call is greeted with so much more pain. It hurts so damn much. I rubbed my arms, and the touch brought me so much pain. I am not sure why, but maybe going out of here into the hall might lead me to the nurse. Maybe they can help me.

I stagger and shuffle into the hall. The silence is welcome and disturbing. There is no one here. I can hear some muffled noises in the distance though. I amble over toward the noise. Slow and easy, trying not to move more then I have to. The movement does make me feel a bit better, but the pain is still there. The cold is still there. Everything is ice to the touch. Halloween dances to the front of my thoughts. I could not remember the significance though, pain to hard to focus. I do remember dry ice though. The cold air turning to a mist.

The noise is louder, and even though it hurts I move closer. I get as close as I can, before I try to call out again. I can make out a vague shape in front of me. It is so warm. I reach out toward the warmth. For one moment the warmth is blissful. I call out for help just as my palm touches the person in front of me. It comes out slow and painful. "Heeellp meeee." It is faint and weak in my ears. The person is startled and they move so quick it is hard to follow their moment. They start hitting me. The pain is so much, it hurts so much. The world seems to me moving so fast now.

I try to wrap their arms up, make them stop hitting me. The warmth is so nice. I hold them closer to me. I pull them in. The pain lessens. Thoughts form briefly. I am Michael. I was bitten by a homeless man. I remember them saying I have rabies. He bit me. The hospital helper is trying to hit me. I head butt them, and try to tell them to stop. Their neck brushes against my mouth. I am so hungry. I am not sure why but I bite. Warm blood fills my mouth. It feels so good. The ice leaves my body. With each mouthful the pain subsides. My brain clears up. My eyes focus a bit more. I can feel my hands. I feast until the warmth starts to the fade. I look up as I hear another noise. I see their warmth more then I see them. These are not hospital people, they are regular people and they have guns.

I stand up letting the warm blood sooth my skin. Oh my god, I see the bloody mess I made. I see myself in a reflection. My gown is soiled. My face,. my face. What the hell happened to me. What the hell happened to me. I look to the group running over to me. Once again I say help me, and I try to smile as I see one of them raise a high powered rifle level with my head.  

If you pass go, collect 200 dollars.

Monday comes early and as I write a few papers for school, I drift into thought. Before I lose that thought I will write it down and share it. I am looking at another deployment, and I know I will be going again in no more then thirteen months. Odd that I am not bothered by that at all. War sucks, sure, but that is not what bothers me that much. There are certain joys that held in actually doing my job. The not pretending and practicing the job, but actually doing it. It adds into that equation of purpose, and the things that help me identify who I am. Purpose is something that add serious meaning to my own life.

You see it is hard walking a line between civilian life and the military life. This is not a PTSD thing, so make no mistake in that. This is not an adjustment disorder, it is a cultural difference that I find insufferable. There is a switch that I can hit to shut down one part of my life moving into the other. That switch works better when moving from the sweat and lead to the tie and gas mileage life though. Trouble is the green machine takes more time to ramp up, so you turn it on early, and let it build or you don't have it up and running when you need it.

You have to think different. You have to see things with different eyes. If you don't you will carry back more then you should. You see people die at home, but death carries a different scent in military order of business. Seeing dead people is one thing, knowing that there are a lot of other people out there that would not mind seeing you as one of those dead people given the chance, is another thing all together. So the mindset of mistrust is beneficial. The mindset of enjoying small moments is beneficial. The truth carries more weight then people talking about how much you weigh.

You see the things that matter and you develop a lack of patience for games. Being that civilian life requires patience, and many who do not know the value of their own breath seem to really like playing games, the difference in mentality can be awkward. So its easier just not to deal with people. This is how it works in my head at least. So I distance myself from people with distractions and merriment. I know I have a need for connection, but the connection is hard to enjoy when you see the very things you have no patience for in most everyone you deal with.

There is a difference with being right and needing to be right. There is a difference in argument for insight and argument for ego. There are a lot of differences you do not see or want to see when you are part of the game. With the outside looking in you see those steps of the game, and there are those pieces that I find disgusting and once again lack the patience to deal with. You start looking at people that you normally like and enjoy their company and start second guessing their motives. You wonder if they are being nice to you because they want to, or because there is something in it for them.

I do not like doubting the people around me, so I limit the contact I have with them. It is not personal, its just my lack of patience. Some of it though I think I might like to keep. You see people I know seem real happy to do right by them and look to tell others how to do right by them. I think this is what drives my view on politics as well. I think people already know pretty well what is good, and what is bad. You starting pushing those concepts of what you feel is right on people and they tend to shut you out, push you away, rebel, or they lay down and drink the cool aid. So I like to trust my instinct on what is right more then trust somebody else telling what I need to do too do right by them,

Yeah it is a simple thought process but do not confuse it with anarchy. You see I know there will be people that do not listen to that voice inside them that tells them something is wrong. There are others out there that can't hear that voice, or its just broken. Those people need to know accountability. That is what law is, and how things should be enforced. You can see that better when you are thinking about the things that matter, and when those things that matter change. There are good and bad and things about both ways of thinking, I am just hoping people understand. I am ready though to go back where the thinking is easier. Not because one is better then the other, its just the way my mind is geared. When the time comes I will down shift and let things lay the way they are supposed to. I will pick up my dice and jump back in the game. Right now though I am happy to know I can deal with stepping away from the table for a bit. I just ask that you all understand that, and show the patience I don't have.

Just dis time,..

 It is not about choosing sides, or at least it shouldn't be. It should be about right and wrong, nothing more. You take care of the children, they are the investment of the future. You let go of hate when ever you can, and you hang on to love with everything you got. You take care of your family, that is right. You do not take from another family, that is wrong. If you are wronged, doing something equally wrong does not make it right, but do not let anyone take what is rightfully yours. Yep its simple but it fucking works.

So many people lately are obsessed with their personal issues. They worry about who is on what side and the perceptions of others in these social conflicts. I have been accused of choosing sides one way or the other, and I will tell you this I do choose sides and I choose carefully. I do my best to speak up for what is right, not what is right for the day, the moment, or right to gain me more cool points. I just choose what is fucking right and stick up for it.

Some people talk about peace, and they talk about how much they want it, when they don't even know what it is. You see people assume that peace is the absence of war. That is just not having anybody fuck with you, that is not peace. While peace and quiet often go hand and hand, they are not the same creature at all. If peace was just the absence of violence then peace is in more places then people think. There is peace in Iran. There is peace in places of Afghanistan. There is peace in the dark alleys of the world, for most the hours of the day.

To me peace is more meaningful, its not love, its not joy, but rather when I am no longer required to stand up for what is right. As the it as been said before, it is not the absence of war, but rather the presence of justice. Our country makes the bold promise of liberty and justice for all. It is a bold promise indeed. Liberty is a great gift, and the promise of freedom. It is justice though that is a responsibility of all who receive it. Liberty is something to be defended for sure, but justice requires a constant vigil and practice from those in its care.

While compromise might be the important factor in politics, if their is to be peace in the truest sense, we can not comprise justice in anyway. This is for all peoples, not just those in our favor. It is for a every soul or it carries no weight for one. It is also not a path of favor, it is not how you become popular. It is not how you become loved. It is telling people you love they are doing wrong. It is standing between your friends and someone else, maybe even to stop your friends. It is about weighing the damage of your actions and not letting others carry your burdens.

It is not until everyone understands this, it is not until it is believed by all, that we will achieve true and lasting peace.

Vet school,..

 When you run from your issues there are two things that happen, you get winded, and you are further from a solution then you were right on top the problem. Today we pay homage to the 11th hour, of the 11th day, in the 11th month. Formally known as Armistice Day, today better known as Veteran's day. These are the men and women that have not run from the problem, but rather ran through it, to get at the solution. Currently around one percent of the entire population serves in the United States Military. With us being involved in serious conflict for over a decade there are only a few people that put on the uniform that have not deployed at least once. We are still fighting in Afghanistan and we have US troops all over the globe ready to receive fire and return it with greater care and accuracy.

The world English dictionary defines a veteran as a soldier who has seen considerable active service, to me it is something more. It is a willingness to engage in active service for your nation, its beliefs, ideals, and to defend those beliefs and ideals from enemies both foreign and domestic. I look to the people in the service now, my comrades in arms, and see something some people seem to over look or take for granted. You see as we approach the 11th year, we do not see that fateful 11th hour in sight. This means that all of those sons and daughters that are in boot camp now are not under the delusion that they might not have to deploy. They signed up with the understanding that it is more likely they will be going into harms way. They signed up knowing they where going to have to run at the problem.

What ever reason was theirs for signing up for service, they did this in spite of, if not because of, this imposing task. Now lets look at the courage it takes with this understanding. For many they are just now legally adults. This is the first time they are really leaving home. Throw in the chance of going to war and you get one hell of a mix. To top it off many of them are put in the charge of people that are equal too or exceed myself in their ability to perform as a total asshole. That takes more then courage, it takes a unrecognized level of dedication.

They start this journey not with the warm embrace of a parent, or supportive words of a sibling. Rather are shocked into this world of the elite with the anger filled screams of the Drill Instructor, Drill Sergeant, or the infamous brown round. These are men and women trained to push each recruit to the breaking point and beyond so they can take the pieces left behind and rebuild them into a Soldier, Sailor, Airmen, or Marine. The sacrifice starts there, with sense of self offered on the altar of freedom.

Many people forget that those in service forgo many of the very same Constitutional rights they are sworn to defend. So this starts long before the first shot is ever fired. They are subjected to verbal abuse as their bodies are pushed to the point of failure, and then two steps more. They miss birthdays, Thanksgiving dinners, and so many other things people take for granted. They do this even when their government threatens to not pay them, their budgets are cut, and people chastise them. They do this when everyone around them accuses them of having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

So yes I like to berate the latest FNG that is thrown in front of me because that snot nosed little shit might not know the ins and outs of how the military really works. It is my job to teach them how to conduct themselves in a manner that they can not only do their job but do it well with out getting killed. I am not here to be their friend. So while I will beat them into a shape better to serve our country, I do not consider their feelings in this process. In this though I still respect them for the choices they made. I respect them for the actions that put them in front of me. I thank them for their sacrifice, and I honor all those that came before me by doing my best to prepare them from that inevitable conflict that will season them into veterans.  

You pay your power bill?

Life is a power struggle according to the rules of communication. We jockey for position over each other, or relinquish our personal power daily and with each interaction with the people we encounter. There are even exchanges of power, but the vast majority of communication results in one person assuming the more dominant roll and walking away with more power. In doing so we all give power away in our lives on a daily basis. It is not a bad thing, its just the way communication works.

This is why I choose to surround myself with good people. This does not always mean people I agree with, but good people none the less. If I am going to trade social power and engage in emotional commerce I would like to do it with people that do not launder their currency. I have friends I do not agree with. Hel one of those friends gets so heated in debates that his wife yells at us for waking up his nine month old son with our raised and passionate voices.

To once again quote my favorite founding father I offer this "I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend."
Thomas Jefferson

So it is imperative that we look to those we call friend, and those we interact with and ask if they are involved in fair social trade? Do they offer you their power as well as you offer yours. When they give you their power, ergo bend to your ideas of whims, do they do so in a solid and stand up way. Is there a taint to what they offer you? They do not even have to agree with you but in this play for dominance in a conversation are you both left with a clean feeling? Do you walk away from these social occasions feeling improved or better for having it?

When you offer them your power do they do good things with it? Do they consider your interest as well as you attend to theirs? How do they spend your emotional currency when you put it in their register? Do they use it for good, like burning down and orphanage run by evil nuns that randomly attacked them first? Or do they use it for evil in situation like furthering the cause to destroy free good quality porn on the interwebs?

So who do you share your words with? Who's words do you hear? What do they offer you? Do they challenge you to improve yourself or do they just drain the marrow from your bones? If you have nothing to offer me in this life long quest for self improvement are you offering me a service or a disservice? That to me is what life is all about after all. Its not about buying all kinds of cool substantial baubles and gizmos, but rather using well earn social currency to buy understanding.

With that in mind I do not want to surround myself with people that tell me how awesome I am. I already know that. I find it hard to believe that much humble cool headed super smart sexiness can be contained in mortal form. Yeah I know, and I also know my friends appreciate the moments they are allowed to bask in my glow. They understand the need to feed that glow with their own awesomeness. So craptastic douchebaggery will not dominant, but rather be dominated. If you are not good in your nature you will not be allowed to engage in trade, you are just not cool enough.

Does that make me a bully? Maybe? Does it make me an elitist? Sure does, but that is because me and mine are elite. So be good or be gone. I don't have time for that negative drag people down self serving crap that a lot of people seem to like to swallow like a hooker in a dark alley.

On a lighter note Happy 236th Birthday Devil Dogs!! I don't a damn what anybody thinks about US Marines, but if your first birthday is celebrated in a bar you have a bright future of opening giant fucking cans of whoop ass. Like I said I like to hang out with good people and its hard to find better then the United States Marine Corps.

Blarg

Today is one of those days when my thoughts dance on the edge of my skull. So many things coming in, so few coming out. I am having issues focusing enough to completing my school work, and it is not because of writers block. It is actually the opposite. Its a log jam of thoughts and ideas bottle necking at my hands. I am trying to write down what I can and getting the clutter out of the way. Focus is actually making things more difficult because my thoughts are all running for a very narrow door way at the same time.

Right now I am dancing thoughts of the perceptions of others. I am trying to think like other people do. I am trying to get into the heads of those around me and in my life. I am trying to see what motivates a person to do the things they do. I am trying to see the incentive for some strange actions. I am trying to see how some people kid themselves into thinking they grasp how the world works. I am trying to understand how people kid themselves and either over or under rate themselves.

Other thoughts are of the hurtful things some people do to other people. I am nailing down the difference between killing someone and murdering someone. Some of these thoughts are dark and go into the realm of things that are worse then death and what makes them worse then death. Step by step thoughts go from isolation, embarrassment, torture, and the need to take the power from others.

I am looking at the good things about life and letting them bring little happy warm spots to my mind. I see love, joy, and look at the things that help cause those things and bring positive thought processes to life. I look at the surrender to bliss and all of its forms. Physical bliss, social bliss, mental bliss, emotional bliss, and so many other ways to feel good and exude good from yourself.

All of these things are contributing to the chaos in my mind. So many ideas moving in concert. Happy dark thoughts of manipulation and ecstasy. Friends hanging out and hanging people in the same room. Story ideas turn to songs and the music has no beat. The flapping wings drum in my head, but they are flightless birds. I am here, I can see myself, I am not lost, but I have no clue where I am.

Images of ego parade in the dark parts of my gray matter. I link thoughts to persons and paper based on their desire to spread their influence. I see the power struggle in every conversation, deed, action, nuance. I see the links of people and things. I see the issues and methods of myself and others. I see the concepts that people call morals and how they use them. I see the selfish behavior and the over inflated sense of self importance mixed in with the broken identity well self esteem so low it could only fall up.

So many things, so many sides. So many thoughts. Man I am gonna write a fucking book if I can get these things in order. Depending on who shapes up first, it might be something dark, bright, or something in between. I think I need a nap or a glass of chocolate milk. Man I miss kindergarten, anybody else ever feel the same way?  

They are an Ex for a reason dumb ass.

Gather round boys and girls and grab some carpet. I have a little tale to tell. I am hoping to offer some insight in this endeavor. I also offer a part of my life for scrutiny and careful observation. You see we all have relationships, they start out well. I do not know anybody that goes into a romantic relationship plotting the break up. They happen though. When they are over they are over for what ever reason and the only thing I can say on that is move the fuck on and grow the fuck up.

I hear horror stories of dead beat dads, crazy ex wives, and bitterness that spans the genetic differences of XX and XY. The first thing about that is X. If you break up with someone that is just what is, a break up. However for many that is just the beginning of grudge they carry until they die. This bothers me more then you can know. If it didn't work out, it didn't work out. Once again get over it.

You see when you dump, divorce, or break up with someone this is a sign that a relationship was not compatible. This does not mean you get to continue to dictate the terms of their life. You gave that up when you stopped sharing your bed, table, or other word for life, with them. Alimony is a farce in my opinion. On either side of the fence, male or female. You are not entitled to a lifestyle you have grown accustom too. You want them out of your life, so you don't get to keep that life. Its not how it should work.

Child support is another issue altogether. If you have a kid you will always be connected through that child, but you are not doing that child any favors by spreading your bitter influence into that other persons life. If you want them out of the child's life because they hurt you, well that sucks, but they are still the other half of the genetic contribution that brought that child into the world. While you failed as a couple, this does not mean you have to transfer that toxic behavior and fail as a parent. This also means you need to pay your share in raising that child, I understand that. Kids are not cheap. So pay your support, but if you pay your support you should also offer the other part of that support with love and guidance.

You have it both ways. If you don't like their parenting style, to fucking bad. They are still a part of that chemical mixture that created that life, and they have just as much right to influence that kid, for good or bad as you do. If they agree they don't want to share their influence though, no matter how shitty that is, you should not hold them fiscally responsible for that child. You take the money, you have to take their views as well. This does not mean you get to control those views, unless they are causing harm to that child.

What I mean by this is you as the ex have no say in who they date, who they live with, or what they eat in their home when they are visiting that other parent. My current wife has nothing to do with my ex wife, other then the fact she is not my ex. If the new person in their life is not harming the child then shut up. You should not hold that grudge when they want to be just as active in your child's life.

Children are not leverage. Using them as a tool to get back at an ex, regardless of why you broke up is just fucked up. Using child support, visitation or parenting decisions as a way of extending your influence into a life you wanted out of is just wrong and shows shitty parenting skills. Its childish and bullshit. You are not doing anything good for that child, ever. You are just teaching them how to do bad things and using a bad situation as an excuse.

So that relationship is over. That means that, its over. It does not mean you need to keep it going. Seek closure and be the adult. Grow the fuck up. How many ways you can ruin someones life should not be your focus, maybe focus on getting on with your life. The best revenge is living well after all. This applies to friendships as well.

A good rule is think about how your nastiness is talked about by your fiends and the friends of your ex. If its bad or refereed to as evil or cold hearted, then maybe you shouldn't do it. Move the fuck on. Stop being a kid in the middle of a temper tantrum and remember you are not together for a reason, and build that separation rather then plotting piety childish revenge. Even if they are being a douche that does not mean you should be the douche nozzle. Be the better person, and think about why you are not together rather then think about ways you can hang onto things and stay in their life. 

We don't need no education, da da da da

Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government. 
Thomas Jefferson 

In our country there is a lost of trust. That trust is a sacred duty of those we ask to keep us informed. This is nothing new though. Thomas Jefferson even stated the only truth in a news paper was in the advertisement. So with that how does one become informed. The open format of the internet tell us that all people have a voice and the ability to get their personal truth out to support their own cause. So yes it is easy to read the works of those that support your cause, and debunk those that do not.

So many people rally to what they see on the news and use it to discredit their opposition. They use it to validate their point of view, and discount through malice those that are on the opposite side of heir point. We see this time and time again. One news station offers their editorial view of current events, and it supports your view of how things should be. This then becomes your truth and you spread it like like an evangelist.

We support the causes of others based on our personal bias and cultural guilt. We support this mockery of education, yet we draw no line on the methods we sacrifice in our schools. You see education is not about belief, but about truth. Truth is harder to sway with opinion. Yet people tend to use the same tactics that they use when they absorb their news when they refer to education. They want their beliefs and ideals to be promoted. Intelligent design is proof of this. There is no basis of fact, merely belief that motivates this education. This only stresses the importance of this implied separation of the church (belief) and state (reality).

The mission of our schools should not just be the memorization of facts, but also teaching our future how to learn. You see by telling our children that there is one way to do things, and this happened because of this does not allow them to come to their own conclusions lending a greater weight to their knowledge. Our mission in schools should not be to train our kids to a standard (no child left behind) but rather offer them the ability to see possibilities. In essence we teach them how to continue to seek knowledge and learn for life, not just while they are in school.

So we counter act the media by understanding how to acquire the information on our own. We learn how to teach ourselves. We look to knowledge rather then personality. In this we find that common sense is not that common. We learn to find the truth through scientific method. We test theories of those in the news. Perhaps we need to trust ourselves, and trust our minds rather then popular opinion. In this we should question everything even our own views. Those that stand to questions can then become values, and those are values based on truth and knowledge.

It is our duty to demand transparency from our government so we can hold them accountable. We need to get to the truth of matters concerning our country, rather then get consumed by sensationalism and rhetoric. So teach your children and the children of your tribe how to seek their truth. Teach them how to learn their whole life, and being informed you are insured a better future for the world we share. Understand the difference between belief and universal truths. Teach them about bias, and learn about them on your own.

In this we do not just improve our government, but our character. In this we do not suffer a lie, and we speak to the truth. In speaking for the truth those that service injustice are restrained, contained, or made ineffective. This is how you destroy bullies, remove guilt, and truly pursue happiness for yourself and those that share this life with you.  

You can bank on me not banking on it.

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies."
Thomas Jefferson 


There is no greater burden then debt. Most work for others, and pay for things that are beyond them and their means. We look to the fancy car, the big house with the white picket fence, and see these things as the American dream. How many work to pay debt rather look to pay themselves. This I believe is the heart of this great debate between the 99% and the 1%. 


Yet we struggle to understand the anger behind the movement, and fail to understand how our consumer economy got us into this mess. Everybody seems to have their opinions on this and have their own set of facts to back those opinions up. I am leaning towards a more simple solution. How about this, if you don't have money for something and it is not a need, then don't buy it. 


A need to me is something that can be defined as something that keeps you warm, dry, or full. So you may not love your house, but does it keep you dry? Your clothing might not fit the latest fashion, but does it keep you warm? Does your belly rubble? If it doesn't rubble long then you perhaps have enough food to meet your needs. So that 64" HDTV does what for your dryness? That BMW does what to keep you dry? That forty five dollar steak might take care of the full for the moment, but beyond that where are you?


You see we are the ones that gave the banks the power over us. We put the emphasis on material desire and excepted their lines of credit. We afforded them the opportunity to indenture us. Our labor is placed on a value based on currency. We are paid in currency for our labor. So by owing people money we owe them our labor. We borrow on future labor and offer a bit of ourselves to those that control our debt. 


Banks trade the fruits of our labor to perpetuate that system because of course that system is what feeds their existence. Of course they are going to look to ways to increase your indebtedness to them. They want you to spend all your labor until the day you are unable to labor and beyond, because then the power lies with them. The most powerful tool to control a person is debt. Guilt comes with debt, and guilt will obligate people more so then fear. 


Today people are judged by their credit score. It is your honor and identity so much that things that effect it are linked to identity theft? So we have allowed ourselves to be a number based on borrowed and future labor, and we cry foul when the system that is feeding on those principles goes bat shit crazy. This is what I talk about in personal responsibility and self government. This is what I talk about when I say that WE gave the banks the power. This is why corporate sponsorship of government representatives does not fit our best interest. 


Our interest should not be interest. We as a people took those loans that led to the collapse of the  mortgage industry. Those masses wanted more then they could afford because they where told they needed it. One child did not justify a four bedroom home. Why do we need a four car garage but to hold more stuff. This consumer behavior has become so ingrained in our culture we struggle to see it in ourselves. Look to your own possessions and ask yourself how often you used this must have item in the last year? Ask yourself did it meet or exceed your needs? 


We are so wrapped up in labels that we pay three times as much for an item because it has logo on it that feeds our identity. We look to that number and gauge our value in society. So pull out your Mac books and go to free credit report dot com and see your value to our culture. Me I am gonna look to living by my means, and stop worrying about the value others place on me. This is my goal is to be out of debt, and not use a credit card. Eventually I would like to go back to cash only where realistic. If I don't have the cash for something I am not gonna get it. In regards to a home I am not looking to get the home with the largest payment I can afford, but rather one that keeps me warm, dry, and safe. 


I toss or give away things I have not used, or no longer have a use for. I purchase enough food to keep me full. I am looking to occupy my own life. I do not need my government to tell me this. I know it is common sense. Greed kills more things then war. So I am looking to rid myself of greed and instead look to live comfortably within my means and nothing more. This is how we take the power back. We are not the sum of our credit limit. We are not the special visa card exclusive membership. We are not the hipster ipod touch generation. We are not defined by what we own, but rather what we do. 


This is really how I feel, and I am working each day to be the change I want to see in the world. So instead of saying fuck corporate greed, I choose not to feed it. Instead of laying the blame of my woes on some reclusive old white guy that is so rich he is detached from society, I choose to be responsible for my own actions. I choose not to offer my labor to those that do not deserve. I refuse to be a slave to that system. If you own my labor, you own a part of me and last I time I checked we are in the land of the free, home of the brave.