Are you American? Maybe you better check yourself...

The United Selfish States of America

"United We Stand" - Bullhonkey!

Don't believe me?
Keep reading then.

"If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month."
                                    - Pres. Theodore Roosevelt

The last few months have had a lot going on in the USA. Same-sex marriage ban has been ruled unconstitutional, #BlackLivesMatter movement, sexism, police shooting/corruption cases and Confederate Flag removal movement have been blasting all over the news, social media and even in our daily discussions at work, home and in public places.

In fact, when I have been on Facebook the last few days I've seen memes along the lines of "My Facebook is a war zone between the Confederate Racists and the Skittles Factory Police". (I'm not implying things FYI, I just grouped words together so don't misunderstand my groupings for anything more than just BS).

Let me make one thing extremely clear before I go any further. I'm not here to bash any particular group/persons or state my specific opinion on any of these issues. I'm not hear to change anyone's mind on which stance they should take. As far as I'm concerned, there are bigger fish to fry. Those are just the "minnows" of issues so to speak. I'm also not going to be very nice, and I'm going to figuratively "smack" every American in the face. 

"Why the heck are you doing that?" or "WTF is this idiot talking about?", is what I can hear coming from the internet right now. Honestly, looking around at America and what it has become in the recent months, it is EXTREMELY clear that many if not most of us (Americans) have had blinders put on them, by themselves because of our extreme sense of selfishness. We are so blind that I would be surprised if we can see past the end of our own noses and it needs to STOP.

So now for the deep stuff. I hope your brought your waders, because the crap is about to get thick. 

For the grammar police, please let me know what I've done wrong. I would love to fix it! :D

We are all citizens of the United States of America are we not? Good, so say it with me. "I am a citizen of this great country, The United States of America!" Good! Don't you feel a sense of pride when you say that? Now follow me again. "As a citizen of the USA, I have become divided, selfish and I have a stick up my rear end." Phew! I'm glad you were able to admit that, now we can move on to the next portion of this therapy session.

Think about the title of our country. The United States of America. We are The UNITED States, it literally says "United" in our title. We are not the Confederate States, Gay States, Straight States, Black States, White States, Racist States, Police States of America are we? At the moment we are. We are being torn at the seams across the nation. We have become so blinded to everything around us, maybe we should become The Separated States of America or as I would personally rename it, The Selfish States of America.

We have become so accustomed to "Me, Mine and screw it if you think it's Thine" kind of mentality. Demanding things are perfect, that they happen immediately have taken the quality of life down for us. Instead of working hard, we think that we should hardly work at all and just be given everything on a silver platter. 

Our opinions have become so important to just us that we cannot open our minds that other ways may be better for our country and are so focused on individual rights that we have lost sight of what the Constituion covers. It covers every man, woman and child. Regardless of race, sex or religious beliefs but we are so caught up that things don't match for our race, sex or religious beliefs that we fight in court and among ourselves and we don't give up until everything meets our expectations with no willingness to compromise or consider others around us or long term impacts.

"Speak softly and carry a big stick, you will go far", - Pres. Theodore Roosevelt 

So I have a question for you. I want you to take a deep breath, let it out slowly and think. Concentrate. Now, say you are talking to someone about what kind of cookie you like. We'll say chocolate chip. Now. When that person says that Snickers should be considered a cookie, what would you tell them?

Would you tell them that their definition of a cookie is inherently flawed?
That Snickers is a candy bar, not a cookie?
What if they told you that chocolate chips in a thin cake shouldn't be called a cookie either?

Can you see where I'm going with this?

I know that this isn't probably going to divide you, although the discussion could actually become heated and other things might be said that could cause a rift between you and this person that would stop you from becoming friends or at least minimum, acquaintances. Who cares what one person's belief on what a cookie is? That's their belief/opinion. It doesn't make it wrong. It doesn't make them a bigot of cookies or candy bars. That's simply their opinion. Why not merge the two and get something even more delicious? Something you could share?

The same can be said for the situations that are facing us today. Gay-Marriage. You know what, if that's what the people want, then fine. That's what the system is for. However, because someone believes that same-sex marriage is wrong and maybe that their religious beliefs state the same does not make them a bigot, ignorant and stuck up person. They are following their beliefs! Same as you are following yours! Same goes for the vice-versa. If someone believes in same-sex marriage is a normal thing, that's their opinion also! Have constructive discussions, but don't belittle one another. That is what is dividing our Country!

Next, can someone please please please tell me what is going on with this racial movement?! Why do we continue to put labels on one another? You're "White", you're "Black", you're "Asian", you're "African-American" and you... You're a "RACIST"!

Remove the labels! Everyone claims that racism isn't dead, that's because we continue to use labels to separate ourselves from each other.

Why can't it be, A Police Officer from _________, shot and killed another person from ______. Who cares what race they are? Who cares if they're African-American, White, Asian, Latino etc. If we live in America, we need to just be called an American. If a person visiting is not American, then we say "a citizen from _____".   If someone does something wrong, then we have courts, we have laws that take care of that. Quit pushing the racial agenda's in order to push one race above another. We are just Americans gosh dang-it! Let those things define you or influence you in your culture and things you do with your life and traditions. But don't allow them to become a barrier for you. 

I could go on for days about each and every one of these issues. But alas, no one would read my post if I did that. I have three remaining items, solutions or thoughts. Because what would criticism be without solutions or thoughts to offer up? It would be disrespectful. It wouldn't be constructive. It would be demeaning to the people who don't have those blinders on and are trying to make a quiet difference in the world.

First: for those of you old enough to remember.. 9/11/2001 or the Boston bombing?

Probably the most recent reminders of when America had a shock that a nation came together. Men and Women rushed in, regardless of everything else going on. Nothing mattered except helping others. Many people died, they gave or risked their lives to protect others. Military members fight daily that we can live here without risk of our basic human right being removed or threatened.




How did you feel on those days? Would you have rushed in to save whoever it was that was at risk, even if you didn't like them for whatever reason?

Second: We need to be United once more. This time not due to terrorism or violence. We need to be United so that we are not torn asunder. We cannot allow ourselves to become divided and separated. We need to fasten our stitches, tighten our belts and stand side by side, as equals. The main keys we need to take away from being United are:

U - Undivided - We must stand together every day, hour, minute and second. We cannot allow things to split us apart.
N - Nice - We must be kind to everyone. We must respect opinions and not allow ourselves to think others opinions make them less than ourselves.
I - Intelligent - We must be able to wade through the crap that is swirling around us, threatening to drag us down. We need to think things through and provide solutions, not arguments.
T - Thoughtful/Trustworthy - Being mindful of others and being able to put our trust in one another, even though we may be different. Many puzzle pieces fit in a way, but can come together to form a beautiful picture. Even if a few pieces may be missing.
E - Excellence - Do not allow ourselves to become anything less than excellent. If another's rights are threatened, even if we do not see eye-to-eye.
D - Determined - If someone else's rights are threatened, we must not give into laziness to watch idly as it goes by. If we do not agree with that they say, we must still stand together and find a compromise if necessary.

Lastly. What this country truly needs is SERVICE. I'm going to apologize for the caps for this word. It is such an important word and action. It is what brings us together more than ANYTHING! When we help another person, not matter how big or small, we stand united! If we allow those moments to pass us by, we become separated.

If everything negative seems to be swirling around and sucking us into despair, into a pit full of crap. Find someone to serve! You will be automatically pulled from those pits of darkness that threaten to consume every one of us. Lastly, remember. If you or someone else is getting lemons from life.

As Alex Boye would say... Make LEMONADE! Stand UNITED! Be a citizen of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!




-Fin-

People who video police

Okay.

Let me open with this disclaimer: I believe in our rights as citizens of the United States of America. I do believe you should be allowed to video police and public servants as long as it does not interfere with whatever they are trying to do. I have nothing against these rights, nor do I want them removed.

Now, on to what grinds my gears.

Seriously? I really don't want to discuss this subject. But my brain is moving and a million miles a minute and I really wish I could be next to someone who records the police.

First off, if you want to record the police. Please, be my guest. I applaud you for putting your rights to good use.

However, for those of you who record the police just to "catch them in the act", WTF is wrong with you? I mean c'mon, they have a job to do. Don't be the ding-dong recording the video going "Don't Shoot! He's unarmed!" or "Why are you doing this? This is police brutality, I have you on camera".

Stand there and SHUDDUP and stay out of the way! The police officers do not need 30 hecklers, recording them, getting in the way, yelling at them that they are not doing their jobs right. Plus, you are just fueling the person they may be trying to arrest or interrogate to react negatively to the police which could end in them being arrested, hurt or even worse. They could become a threat to others or the officers themselves and wound up getting themselves shot!

Don't mouth off to the officers, be nice and cordial with them. If the laws where you live will allow you to not give them information due to whatever circumstance, feel free to deny them that information. As always, be respectful and follow the laws! Use your rights, just be smart about it. Don't be a idiot.

When you post the video, don't put that they are harassing a person or arresting them for being a certain race or whatever. Account exactly what you saw. There may have been more happening before you showed up to film them and it helps no one to assume anything.

-Fin-

Rant about removal of funding from the Boy Scouts of America

Dear Disney, Lockheed Martin, Caterpiller, Major League Soccer, Merck, UPS, Intel and others who have recently pulled or discouraged their funding for the Boy Scouts of America:

I'm extremely saddened in your decision to pull funding from the Boy Scouts of America. This organization teaches young men to become better prepared for what the world will throw at them. Teaches them how to save lives and to be better members of their communities.

Why would you remove funding from that type of an organization, when very few others can even come close to the way that the BSA helps young men? We take an oath every week to "Do our best, to do our duty to God and our Country. To obey the Scout Law! To help other people at all times". (Scout Oath)

We teach each scout to be "Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent". (Scout Law). We do not teach hatred, discrimination, bullying or other demeaning practices. In fact we teach how to prevent these things from happening! We teach our young men how to become leaders in their respective religious communities, area communities and nations. Our boy's safety is also our #1 priority over anything else.

Yet, we are constantly being attacked for one policy when the boys and their leaders should be getting praised for those things the boys learn each and every week we hold scouts. I am not aware of any other organization that takes that amount of time to teach young men those things, or is willing to teach those same principles because of fear they will not fit in with the world, or because it is deemed unnecessary in the "modern" world.

It has been made apparent that many companies and individuals, wish to discourage those things which the BSA teaches our young men by removing funding, to make us more "appealing to the world", by being forced to accept the "things" which the world deems as "important". So as not to damage those companies "reputations" by being in cahoots with that "group".

We save many lives, we help others, we perform service, we become exemplary citizens, we are some of the hardest workers and are WILLING AND ABLE to always "BE PREPARED" (Scout Motto) to take on any challenges asked of us or thrown in our path.

Please reinstate your funding! Our boys need these things to help improve the nation. Do not deny the youth those things! Show you care about the Boy Scouts of America and help them become the future leaders which we may desperately need. Show these boys that others are willing to stand by them and live the same OATH and LAW that they promise to live by every week.

I post this in hope that MANY people all over the world will see this, and you will see what kind of support the Boy Scouts internationally receive from every parent and person who has been helped!

If you have a story of how Boy Scouting has helped you or others. Please post it to here. Show your support, please share too! This is not the time to stand idly by!

- Signed Nick Dennis
Scout Leader - Eagle Scout - Proud Supporter and Donor to Boy Scouts of America.

Scapegoats

GAH...

So I know there has been some pretty tragic accidents recently.

1. Asiana Airlines Crash
2. Quebec Train Blows Up
3. Scout Dies at Scout Camp

I'm pretty broke up about what happened to all the people who were hurt and injured in these accidents.

It's so tragic the loss of life, especially children. My heart really does go out to all those who have been affected and are in my prayers.

BUT... There is no excuse for finding a scapegoat to blame on these issues! This gets me going, and a bit flared up? The fact that people are blaming someone who is not at any fault is so ridiculous! Don't get me wrong, I think there needs to be judgement for actions and decisions. But sometimes, you just can't help that things happen!

Let's talk about this Asiana Airlines crash at SFO Int'l. People are blaming the pilots, oh, they didn't know what they were doing, they were brand new in that plane. But give me a break! How many of you have stepped into doing something you didn't know what you were doing, and have broken something or messed it up!? I can hear you all arguing... Sir, they shouldn't have been doing training in a flight that has passengers. Sir, the pilots weren't trained right. etc etc. EXCUSES! That's all those are. While I think the airline needs to look at their training procedures and restructure their training program. Can you really blame those pilots for trying to actually save lives? (Read the reports on the news, they tried to abort the landing and couldn't make it). If they hadn't done what they did, more lives might have been lost. We should (after the investigation is concluded), either praise or then blame them.

The Quebec Train incident. People are blaming the CEO, saying he needs to go to jail, calling him a murderer. How can he be responsible for what his employee did? There were even reports that someone had tampered with it. Maybe everything was done correctly and because of a hole in security for the train, it was able to be tampered with. But that doesn't make him a murderer. Again. Excuses.

The final one strums a cord that just really, really doesn't sit right with me. 

A 14-year old boy is picking up garbage, and is probably loading up a trailer, when he slips and rolls underneath the trailer as it's moving and is crushed. Nobody pushed the kid, and I highly doubt this is what people could call a preventable accident. You can't predict that someone will slip. You can try to prevent everything you can, good boots, safety training, watching closely, but in the end, you can't always stop everything. 

What boils my blood about this one, people blaming the Scouting Organization (BSA), the leaders, the Mormons (see story from 7/10/2013). THIS is stupid! Why are you blaming people who have no blame in this matter? I'm a Boy Scout (former I guess since now I'm 28), but I went on hundreds of camp-outs and activities and never had more than maybe a minor cut or a sprained ankle that wasn't that bad. All the other guys I went with never had a major injury, and I can only remember a few major injuries that resulted in kids being transported to the hospital. I can tell you why each one of them happened though.. The boys were doing something they shouldn't have, or there really was just an accident that wasn't preventable. Most of the time we got injured is because we didn't think,(use common sense), didn't listen to our leaders, or follow standard protocols and we got hurt. I think a tree fell on one boy once while he was walking around the park, but, how can you predict that a tree will fall right then? You can't! 

So .. before you go finding a scapegoat, calm your emotions and think... could I have prevented this accident if I had been in this person's shoes? Remember, what you think looks easy is usually not. They are just professionals and they can still make mistakes. Don't jump to conclusions because all it does is cause more drama.

Over and out. 

Cartoons Kids Watch

You want to know what really gets me going today!?

The crap our kids have to watch on TV nowadays. I'm talking the Dora the Explorer, The Regular Show etc. etc. etc.

I mean, c'mon!!

What the heck is this crap? Our kids are becoming sissies now-a-days. All I hear is "That's not fair, you can't treat me like that, that's too hard". I'm going to blame this one on the parents. They let their kids watch this stuff.

What does this stuff teach our kids?!

Dora - While I admit, kids knowing more than one language is a GREAT thing. However, I think the dumb thing is the whole, be kind to everyone all the time, people will be kind to you, and everything will be lovey dovey groovy poovy. I'm calling BS! This is a load of crap. Why are we misleading our kids to think life is fair and that they will be treated this way?!

Regular Show - I've watched a few episodes of this, and while it's slightly funny, it's got a messed up message! The bird and what I'm assume is a raccoon are lazy pieces of crap! They do everything halfway and yet, they always seem to make it. They are always being told they are going to get fired, and they have to go through a ridiculous amount of crap that is in no way reality to stop from being fired and they always barely just make it in the nick of time. Let's see.. if I got everything done at the last second at my job. My butt would be on the line after the second or third time. Life is in no way like this show, it's much harder and scarier.

Kids need to watch Looney Tunes, while they don't really relate to life, they have little hidden messages:

Wiley Coyote and Road Runner - no matter how many times you get beat up, mess up or make mistakes keep going.

Porky - No one makes fun of him for his stutter. (Ok, maybe mocking/teasing a bit), but do you ever hear him complain about it? People are different and I think this shows a great way to handle it. People are going to mock and tease you in your life and you just have to let it slide. There is a line where it's gotta stop, but you can't just go suing someone for making fun of you. Everyone makes fun of someone at some point.

I could keep going, but I'm not going to.

Kids are becoming way to lazy! They get their feelings hurt quick and they feel like everything has to be equal. Parents! I'm not saying you can't let your kids watch this stuff, or that it will be a determent to their emotional and mental well being. But don't let your kids grow up thinking this is how life is.  I've noticed the younger and younger kids get, their work ethic slides, their communication skills stink, and they get way too angry, frustrated and bent out of wack way too fast.

So the synopsis? TV shows now days for kids suck. If your kids are going to watch them, talk to them about real life, because these cartoons can give them a false sense of how the world needs to treat them, instead of how they should treat the world. Because the world will continue to spin on and won't give two cents if your kid sits there pissed off.

Over and out til next time!

Getting started

You know what really grinds my gears? Gears that don't touch each other in pictures.....

Almost all of us have seen the episode of Family Guy where Peter gets his own news spot where he gets to talk about what really grinds his gears (S4:E28) - I love this show. It makes me laugh every time I watch Family Guy, because so much of it show true life, but in a much more stupid light. Like the worst it can be. That way, when it happens to me, I just don't feel as stupid.

Well... I really wanted a place to vent. Maybe this isn't the best place to do so. But I liked the idea anyways. hahaha. So.. well happy reading!