Looking Back, Looking Forward- Top 10 of 2010

I enjoy New Years for many reasons. The first is (obviously) it is the start of a year. It is a time to consider all of the things of the past year that you do or do not want to repeat in the coming year. And that is what I plan to do with this post. Let’s look back and find some things that have happened this year that we do or don’t want to repeat.

10. The Tea Party Movement- American’s are great. They band together. They work together. They stand together. This movement has been so good for our country. While there are a few glitches that need to be cleaned up, I would say this is one of the best things to have happened in 2010. Yes, I know that it was started by protests in 2009, but I think the fact that it continued and influenced in 2010 is something to be mentioned.

9. The Arizona Bill—the good the bad and the ugly. While the passage of this bill was, in my opinion completely legitimate (the good), the federal government did not agree with me, nor did they agree with the majority of American’s (the bad- surprise surprise). And as for the ugly… I think this will explain that. I am in no way alluding to the physical appearance of Peggy West. I am saying that this is probably one of the stupidest quotes of the year, and therefore, I am calling it ‘the ugly’. I did, however, have a lot of fun researching this woman. Something, I am sure, the people of Milwaukee failed to do.

8. BP oil spill- oh the things that could have been done to prevent this one. On shore drilling, or at least drilling closer to the shore. I’m sure people are thinking “it would have just been that much worse for the land if it had been closer or on the land.” It also would have been easier to regulate, cap, and clean up had it been closer. I, along with many others, won’t forget that Tony Hayward went yachting during the crisis. I, however, also will not forget that President Obama went golfing during the crisis, something that others have not only forgot but failed to mention in the first place.

7. Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell- I am not a bigot. I am not prejudiced. I am concerned with our national security. And if that comes before you being able to freely express your sexuality in the military then so be it. People in the military give up a lot of freedoms. They can’t speak out against the President and his administration because it causes rifts in our system. Well, this also causes rifts in our system. There are so many reasons why I do not understand the repeal of this bill. Yes, I get it, you want everyone to be able to express themselves because “it is only fair.” Has no one else heard the term “Life isn’t fair”? This causes problems in the camaraderie shared in the units. It will cause needless sexual harassment issues. And it will create a mess for our military to clean up. What I do not understand is why it is necessary? If being gay does not have any influence on if you are a good soldier or not, then why not prove yourself as a good soldier without that stigma following you around. Why not allow yourself the freedom by keeping it to yourself and proving that you are just a soldier, and your life comes second, just as any other soldier does? This was such a disappointment to me at the end of this year.

6. TSA- The System’s A-Holes- Personally, I think this is Obama’s way of trying to get back at us for putting Republican’s into office. “Oh, so you want me to be more strict? Ok, well take this.” And no, I would not put that past him. The problem I have with this continue to pile up. Forget you, do you want some man looking at a picture of your sister, mother, daughter, naked? It doesn’t matter to me that they can’t see my face, it matters that they can see everything else. And if that does bother you, and you advise them not to, then they get felt up and humiliated. Where is our freedom? Wait, didn’t I just say that some things come second to national security? Yes. I did. This, however, does not fall under that umbrella. For one, those who put their lives on the line for us have already signed that life away. How do we solve the problem of national security in airports? Well I would say they were doing a pretty good job. There hasn’t been a successful air terrorist attack since 9/11. And the one that came close started in a country where we have very little control over how they run their airports. What is the easiest way to stop these people? PROFILING! And truthfully, those who are going to attack us are probably not going to be dressed up in traditional Muslim garb, because they are somewhat intelligent. It is the easiest, most reasonable way of discovering these people. Do you think that my 80 some odd year old grandmother deserves to go through the humiliation that these people do? Just because you have to treat everyone equally? I don’t.

5. “Don’t touch my junk or I’ll have you arrested.” I don’t think this one needs much explanation. Other than his own.

4. Mosque on ground zero- a complete shame. This is such a ridiculous thing. I don’t know why it is even an issue. Why do people think this is ok? We have taken political correctness to a shameful level. One which offends the majority of American’s to appease a small group. Like I said, it is a shame.

3. Passing the Health Care Bill- This is probably the worst thing that has happened in 2010. Taking away so much of our freedom, this Bill is truly an abomination to the American way. The overhaul of not only our health care system, but also of our already struggling economy came at one of the worst possible times, not that there is ever a good time for this bill. It is despicable and completely Unamerican for so many reasons. Let me remind you of the reason that the Democrats pushed so hard to pass this bill, “We have to pass this bill, so you can find out what is in it.” Thank you Ms. Pelosi. I really appreciate you letting me know that I can’t know what a law is until it is passed. I could truly go on about this bill for a very long time so I should probably stop now.

2. Alabama winning the National Championship- Here I must deviate a little. Ahhh to be a Champion. This year could not have started off better for Alabama fans everywhere. A National Championship to add to our collection. To this I must give a resounding ROLL TIDE!

And the number one thing I see when I look back on 2010….

1. Taking back Congress! Thank Goodness. This was a completely necessary step in taking back our country. While we did have a few losses that would have been extremely helpful, we still have the majority, which can help stop this terrible agenda that our country has been following.

As the New Year approaches, many people look forward. They begin to make resolutions for the coming year, saying they will lose 30 pounds or they will finish a marathon, read the entire Bible or go skydiving. They say they are going to start afresh, beginning the New Year on a new note. I say that as this new congress is sworn in, they begin some resolutions of their own.

So now what? We have looked back and now it is time to look forward. Hopefully 2011 will bring better tidings than 2010 did. Hopefully we will bring our country back into the hands of the people. We have already taken the first step and now it is time to continue. It is time to start campaigning. It is time to take control of the white house. Yes, the election is in 2012, but it starts in 2011. Let’s make this year one that we can look back and find more good than bad. Let us look back and see us helping one another so that we can have a better future. Let us band together and bring our country back to its foundation. I hope we have learned our lesson from our past mistakes so that we do not make them in the future, which is so close to us. Have a safe and Happy New Year!

Your Voice Counts.

It seems like with every election you hear the same thing; that it’s the most important election of our generation. Weather it comes from P Diddy or some other public figure; you are constantly bombarded with slogans like “vote or die”. While I think this may be a little extreme, I will agree with Diddy that it’s a pretty important thing to exercise your privilege to vote.

Today while I was talking to a few people about voting, I was presented with an idea that really doesn’t sit right with me.

I’ve been told a few times that one vote doesn’t really matter, that one vote doesn’t make a difference. Do I see where these people are coming from? Yes. Do I agree? Not in any way, shape or form.

Of course, I gave them the standard answer “What if everybody felt that way?” But I have a feeling that answer wasn’t sufficient. So I came up with this one.

I am of the opinion that every American should use their privilege to vote. I think it is our duty to vote because it is a huge gift that not every person has. So to those people who say their vote doesn’t matter, I would like to share this picture.

By telling me that a vote doesn’t matter, you’re telling me that my father’s service to this country is pointless. You are saying that my brother serving to protect you isn’t worth anything. You are saying that every person who has ever died for this country has died in vain.

I say this because these people died for our freedom. They serve us so that we can have the ability to speak freely, to choose our religion, and to vote on who we put into office to make our laws.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that voting is a right. Americans have this terrible misconception which is exactly what leads to this apathetic attitude about voting. Let me say it again, voting is not a right, it is a privilege.

Don’t agree? Ask prisoners what happens when they are incarcerated. They don’t get the privilege there. I only say this to help you understand why I think it is so important.

It isn’t only that you should use this privilege, you should appreciate it. If someone says that their vote doesn’t matter, I don’t see how that person could claim to appreciate their freedom.

Now, I get that there are a lot of people who vote in an election. And when you are presented with the numbers it seems like your one vote doesn’t really count. I mean, is there really a difference between 210,090 and 210,089? I guess I can see a point in that.

I just see it differently. I find it so amazing that I am that one person. I am the person who makes it 210,090 instead of 210,089. I think it is so great that I have the ability to make that difference in those numbers. I am blessed to live in a country that allows me to make that difference.

It could be that I was always taught- if you don’t vote, you have no reason to complain about what the government does. You had your opportunity to change it, and you decided not to. Therefore, you should live with the consequences of your actions, and bite the bullet.

If you don’t vote, you run the risk of letting others put someone in office that wants to take away your ability to vote. I know, sounds like a bunch of conspiracy stuff. I only say this to make a point. It is only when your privilege is taken away that you truly appreciate it.

Perhaps you need to ask those serving you what happens to their vote? Do they get one? You would be surprised how often those serving our country don't get to vote. Just this month two states have denied our military the right to vote. Those who are stationed out of New York, does their vote count? Nope. Their absentee ballots weren't sent out in enough time. Don't you think their vote should count?

How about those brave men and women from Illinois? Nope. Their votes don't count either because their absentee ballots weren't sent out on time either. Sound like an honest mistake to you? Because it sounds like a pile of malarkey to me. Ask them if they think it is important for their votes to count. Because if anyone should have the privilege of voting, I think it's those who fight for us to have the ability to vote.

It is so frustrating to me when people tell me that my vote doesn’t matter. Because I really think it does. I think that it matters to show the Greatest Generation that they didn’t fight in World War II so that we could tell them it didn’t matter; that we really don’t appreciate them keeping our freedom safe so we could vote today. I think it's important to show those men and women fighting now that we appreciate what they do for us every day.

I hope you have read this and maybe gained some kind of incentive to vote. It is important and your vote does count. Things won’t just work out; you have the ability to change what happens in this country. And that is exactly what I did. I voted for those military men and women who didn't get their ballots. I voted to change what is happening in this country.

For more reading on those people who didn't receive their ballots click here and here.

Faith In Government

I don’t know if anyone else has noticed this, but it seems as if TV shows have decided it is their job to inform their viewers on how to think on political issues. While I was watching an episode of Glee, one of my new favorite shows, I was struck by one of these moments.

The episode, “Grilled Cheesus,” was about Kurt’s father having a heart attack. The glee club goes through songs that are religious in nature. And because of this, there was a complaint made to the principal. During Mr. Shu’s meeting with the principal, Sue Sulvester says that they can’t sing these songs because it violates the constitution calling for the separation of church and state.

Of course after she said that I rolled my eyes. First off, because I think that phrase is widely overused and because it is rarely ever used correctly. The constitution never actually calls for the “separation of church and state.” The part of that document that people are referring to is in the first amendment where it states:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”

(http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment01/)

This is also called the establishment clause.

If you read it like that, then you can see that it really doesn’t call for the church to stay out of the state’s business, but it tells the state to stay out of the church’s business. This is what the founding fathers really wanted, because of the constant persecution and interference of England with their religion.

People have taken that to a whole new level though. They think that you need to take every part of religion (especially the religion of those who originally made this country what it is) out of the government. This, in my opinion, is completely ridiculous. Mainly because, as stated above, the way people use this is out of context and because if you ARE indeed a person of faith, there is no way you can separate your beliefs from your actions.

My faith takes a part of my life every day; from deciding what to wear in the morning to what I talk about during the day. It happens naturally, without thought. So, to expect me to separate my faith from my political beliefs is ridiculous.

Because I am a Christ follower, there are a lot of things that I can’t agree with that are very main stream. I am pro life because I believe that God values every human life from the moment of conception (Psalm 139:13). I also believe in the sanctity of marriage, because God intended marriage to be between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:24, 1 Cor. 7:2-16). And it is in no way unconstitutional for me to allow my faith to influence my political beliefs or my political decisions.

This whole situation with the separation of church and state has gotten out of control. It is taking the establishment clause of the constitution completely out of the context it was written in.

As a country we are trying to take our Christian heritage out of everything we do. How can we do that when this country was founded because our ancestors were facing persecution because they were Christians? As a country, we are doing to Christians what was done to our ancestors in England. We are doing exactly what our fore fathers feared. We are taking God out of our country, which is something that the majority of them would never have intended by making the establishment clause.

I guess the main stream media would like for us to believe that God has no place in our country, which is why they continue to put little jabs at Him in their TV shows. I guess I’ll just continue to roll my eyes at them. Mostly because their ignorance is at best laughable, at least to those of us who actually know what we are talking about.

For more info on this click here

A Thankful Tribute

I have recently been struck by a strong thankfulness to the men and women serving our country. I have been doing a lot of things that have to do with the military, so it’s been on my mind a lot. So I want to dedicate this post to showing these amazing people how grateful I am to them.

The first thing that prompted this post was my brother’s recent commissioning into the Army. I am so proud to be in a family that is so willing to serve this country. With both of my grandfathers and my father having served America, I have already become accustomed to men in my life serving this country. I love that my brother is a man of honor and is willing to fight for the freedoms that we all hold so dear.

The next was not as pleasant and sweet a moment. It was a comment made by one of my classmates. While doing a presentation on Alice Walker, she mentioned that this woman worked with women and children who were being “bombed by our soldiers” for no reason, other than they were suspected terrorists. I almost got up and walked out of the class.

But instead I decided that I would prove that the men and women who serve us are true leaders, and deserve a lot more respect than she gave them in class. I did my presentation on First Sergeant Brad Kasal, a marine who lost 60% of his blood saving his fellow marine. He is man who used a tourniquet to save his fellow marine instead of himself, although both their lives were in danger. He refused medical attention until his the man beside him received it first.

I pulled a few quotes from him and put them in my presentation. One of these included:

” freedom has never come free. Whatever your beliefs or political stance, our young service members of all branches are performing remarkably and making a difference. In Iraq combat was only a small part of our overall role. Military service members performed countless humanitarian projects ranging from large-scale items—such as building new schools, hospitals, and community services—to everyday things as small as handing out candy and pencils to children or helping a farmer with a flat tire.”

How’s that for you “bombing” theory?

(Click here to read more about Brad Kasal)

For me, I can’t imagine insinuating that the men and women who help keep us free are doing wrong by doing their job. And It insulted me that she would say something like that.

I also just finished watching Band of Brothers with a few of my friends (I think it was my 5^th time watching it all the way through). I love this miniseries. It’s probably my favorite. I think it truly captures the sacrifice that the men during the war had to make. It shows how war is never easy but that there are things in life worth fighting for.

I have a few favorite parts of the series and one of them is the very last scene. It has all of the interviews with the actual men who fought in the 101^st Airborne. Dick Winters says at the end that he cherishes the memory of a question his grandson asked him.

“Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?” his grandson asked him.

“No, but I served in a company of heroes,” was his reply.

If you want to see this final scene, click here

This humble attitude always strikes me. It gives me chills and warms my heart. It makes me love and respect those serving our country even more. Another endearing quality of these men is their solid determination to continue to fight a fight worth fighting.

In Band of Brothers, you see it countless times. Men who are shot, seriously wounded, and emotionally scarred returning to the battle field because they want to. They believe in what they are fighting for and they have a desire to fight.

This attitude continues even today. I stumbled across an article recently about a man who lost both of his feet in Iraq after a bomb pierced his vehicle. When he returned to the states six days later, he decided that he would rejoin the 101^st Airborne (Hooah!).

This soldier had a determination that I hope even the most cynical of people can appreciate. His feet were taken off in May of 2008, and by February 2009 he was running a mile in eight minutes. He wanted to rejoin his battalion only if he could help them and not be a hindrance.

He did rejoin his battalion. He rejoined it after he ran 12 miles in 3 hours with a 35 pound backpack strapped to his back.

Click here to read the whole article.

Heroes like this aren’t born every day. They are made. They become heroes. People can have their opinions about our military but I don’t know how you can hear about service members like these and not be close to tears of gratitude.

I pray for our military members every day. I pray for their safety. I pray for their families.

If you don’t agree with what I believe, then I hope when you read this you felt a bit of thankfulness for those who fight so you don’t have to. And if you do agree with me, then I hope this made you even more proud of these amazing people who give us our freedom.