America Bleeds

The blood that flows from America runs thick and chaotic. The land of the free no longer so brave. I can not even wrap my head around the barrage of violence and hatred, that filters through every sound bite, of every media outlet, of millions of social media meme’s; but I’m sure there is someone I can ask, who will explain it all to me.

A persons character was once judged by their ability to face their adversaries, head on, strong and vigilant in their beliefs; willing to die for their god, their family, their country. Always lending a hand to help a neighbor, a family in need, a community. I grew up in a world where one didn’t have to pass a litmus test before they were loved, cared for and protected. Sure racism and bigotry has existed, probably since the beginning of time itself, but these were the things that I was being taught to reject, to cleanse our world of. I was being instructed to lift my fellow man up, that no one was beneath me and that we all are responsible for one another.

For a decade now, people stopped speaking up, stopped asking questions, stopped helping their brother an sisters. They no longer stood in the light of day, ready to defend their rights, they instead chose to hide behind a keyboard, held up in some obscure room in some remote place not found on a map. Tapping out hatred and bigotry. Relieving themselves of all the pent up judgments and discourse filling their hearts. Filling blog after endless blog with their conspiracies and theories of a government trying to control them, trying to obliterate their rights and stall their pursuit of happiness. Why they didn’t just demand term limits and transparency from the very government they were electing into office escapes me, but I am sure there is a politician I can ask.

Now the pot is boiling over, the steam has risen to the skies and a darkness has rolled in.  The have reappeared, slowly they have crawled from the darkness and safety of their homes and they are now running rampant on our streets, in our cities and towns. They are carrying the pitchforks of propaganda signs and spewing the rehearsed rhetoric of the day. Most have no idea what it is they really believe, but they are certain their beliefs are being trampled on, and they are looking for a leader to point the finger for them, to name a target, to give them the sacrificial lamb that will bring back what they perceive they have lost. I’m not sure what it is they have lost, but I’m sure there is a newscaster I can ask.

I do not advocate violence, though I can understand the knee-jerk thought of throat punching someone who has just spit on me. Though I am of the make love not war mindset, I have also found myself on occasion curling my fist and wishing to pummel another human being. I am after all human.  I am someone who believes in protecting all that is good in this world; our children, our elders, our freedoms and our country.  I believe that being the loudest voice in the room doesn’t make you the right voice. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m sure there is some psychologist on television I can ask.

I don’t understand the deep rooted hatred that is spilling over our country and ensnaring our citizens, like a serpent in the night. I do not subscribe to any specific religious order, but I know many who do. My favorite Aunt was born and raised in the southern vein of our country. She fiercely believed in her Christian god and prayed for me a time or two. She was never heard speaking ill of anyone, nor would she turn her back on someone in need. I’m sure there were people she didn’t particularly care for, and am certain there were many ideals in this world she would have never subscribed to though she never said so. She was of the belief that if it did not serve her god it was not worth her time. She didn’t live as though she were above anyone, nor would she ever accept she was less than anyone else. If you were of a different belief she still prayed for you and she still embraced you. After all, the son of her god regularly embraced thieves, prostitutes, adulterers and liars. It was not her job to change others, it was merely her calling to live life in such a way as to emulate the god she worshipped.

When I see Christians today chanting for the death of someone they don’t even know, or advocating for violence against anyone who does not believe as they do, I am baffled and confused. This is not the example of Christianity I was raised with, and I can not begin to comprehend whom this serves; I wish she were still here so I could ask.

There is this one cousin of mine, she and I are a lot  alike. We help those in need, advocate for peace and love our families fiercely.  I have never heard her utter a word against America. She doesn’t dribble the remnants of hate from her lips nor does she plot against anyone. She was born and raised in this country, she comes from a family of strong women. She also happens to be Muslim. I know there are radicals in this country and in others, that use their religion like armor and stand behind it in some twisted, unrealistic way to justify their need to murder. The Muslims I know, are not like that. Just as all the Christians I know are not bigoted. I am not sure why some are, but I’m certain there is a conspiracy theorist I can ask.

My daughters are young adults, they are strong and independent in their own ways. They know and believe in hard work and sacrifice. They aren’t sitting around waiting for the government to hand them a life, they were raised better than that. Yet they, like so many others,  are tired of the status quo in this country. They know that when government began subsidizing college it gave the Universities free reign to jack their tuitions up. With guaranteed funds from the government ensuring anyone could go to college, the schools had nothing to lose. Now the costs are so exorbitant the only way, our children can further their education is to submit to a life time of debt, for a degree that no longer guarantees them a job. 

I know people believe this group of 20 somethings have no clue about life, working hard and building a life for themselves. Yet those that came before didn’t leave them a piece of the American Dream, we left them with a crumbling government, no industry, no decent paying blue collar jobs, and no paths to pave to greatness. They face a country that is forcing them into suffocating amounts of debt, into purchasing health care that they will never benefit from, all so those that refuse to work can have complete health care coverage at no cost to them.  They know that working hard doesn’t mean rising up. They know a system that rewards the lazy and punishes the self-sufficient. They are facing neighbors that recite hate on a daily basis, they can’t escape the constant machine of the 24 hour news cycle. As they sit in a classroom trying to learn, they are made to practice drills in case of a shooter. They know more than any other generation how quickly things can change, how swiftly their lives can be over. They have no idea why things are like this, but I’m sure there is a political party they can ask.

I grew up shooting guns, working hard, making sacrifices.  I have many life experiences with which I can learn from. I have never believed America owes me a thing. I have watched this country go from great respect around the world to a laughing stock, and I don’t believe a single President caused that. A country is made up of millions of people, each of us representing what it stands for, and more importantly what it stands against.  No President has ever taken my guns, nor threatened too. I have never lost a job I wanted to an immigrant, legal or otherwise. My life has never been minimized because of someone else’s marriage, or choice in life partner. I have never been denied the right to have children or not, nor have I been forced to worship a particular god or sect. I have never raised my voice in hate toward my fellow man , while standing behind religion to justify my own failings. Everyday it seems the relentless back and forth of blame, discontent and loathing need only a shot of whiskey to be the next hit country song. I don’t know why people are proclaiming the things that make us different, will be the downfall of America, but I’m sure there is a songwriter I can ask.

You need only turn on the television, open your laptop or tap your phone to know that America is in trouble; and its not going to be saved by dividing it further. Building walls and dictating change won’t make it happen. Greatness has never been built when hate is your foundation. I can only deeply hope and pray that when this upheaval is over, we all awaken along this winding road with freedom still at our front doors.

Gotta Have Faith...

While 2010 left much to be desired it seems it has spilled over into 2011 as though the calendar has not changed at all.
We went to bed on December 31st an awoke on January one with the same arguments, fights and mudslinging we have darted and dodged for the last 10 years. One side claiming they are better and more deserving than the other to reap the benefits of America's Freedoms, both sides forgetting that ALL of us are deserving. One side claims it wants less government but wants the government to control that decision. The other side claims it wants more government under the guise of 'regulation' but wants the people to control that decision.
One side wants their 'god' to make the laws and the other insists 'god' has no place in government yet incites the Christian bible everytime they think it will further their cause.
The fact is we all need Faith! Faith is what builds us up, without it everything can tear you down. I am not talking about religion people! Religion has its place and its not in politics, but Faith... our government could use a lot more of that and so could the American people!
According to Webster Faith is: allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty b (1) : fidelity to one's promises (2) : sincerity of intentions.
"sincerity of intentions" "loyalty" "fidelity to one's promises".....ponder that a moment!
When was the last time anyone in office had some FAITH??
8 days into the year an already tragedy slaps the American people upside the head....again. Behind the scene of another rampage shooting is another young man with another gun and 6 dead with others wounded. Among the dead a Judge and a 9yr old girl. Among the wounded the main target of the event, Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford who remains in ICU in critical condition from a gunshot to the back of the head.
Within minutes of the breaking news people everywhere were scrambling to make sense of it, twist it, monopolize it, sensationalize it an of course point blame. Here, however, the key word would be 'point', as hundreds of people began linking up video footage of Gifford reprimanding Sarah Palin for her website which included the image of a snipers scope displayed over Gifford's district, along with all the other 'democratic' districts out there. Gifford was going on about it being dangerous and frightening. Now Gifford has been shot. Coincidence? well that would depend on how you view coincidence.
As seems to be the new American way the masses gathered on the left to point blame at the right and insist it was Palin's fault this all happened. The right gathered in a defensive line that became split down the middle. Half defending Palin's right to free speech the other half cowering in the corner an saying anything to distance themselves from her.
I was intrigued by Palin's website, no denying it had a great effect on those who follow her cracked pot beliefs and negative energy. But I don't blame her for what the boy did.
Alot of people were doing an saying alot of things and pointing alot of fingers, but what no one seemed to be doing was seeing this situation for exactly what it was, a horrific tragedy!
A horrendous display of a young mans snap from reality and the lives that were lost and no one was saying that we as a country should come together and end the hatred that is enveloping us and causing us to turn on one another. No one was preaching FAITH!
Do I think Palin should've taken the site down? Out of respect for the families involved yes she should've and yes she did do exactly that.
Do I think Palin should be blamed for an entire country filled with hate, discontent and a bubbling uprising of a revolt against ourselves? Absolutely!
Should she be blamed alone? HELL NO!! This is not one persons creation! One person did not cause this upheaval. One person did not plant these seeds of negativity. That my friend took an entire Nation.
None of us can control how others will or wont react to the things we do or say, but we all must realize our words and actions have consequences. What we do have control over is what we as individuals say and do. We can't stop others from spreading the fire the has enflamed our country but we have complete control over whether or not we PUT IT OUT!
We all MUST have and practice FAITH! mean what we say and say only what we mean, then stand behind it!!
We are a nation fully absorbed by the 24hour news cycle that technology has afforded us, we all bathe in the constant flowing waters of the media. If we submerge ourselves in negativity, hatred, prejudice and biggotry it is only a matter of time before we drowned.
Here's hoping this winding road of 2011 takes away from the crossroads and into a world of FAITH!~

They Claim They Want Small Government!~Really?

When the GOP rally's its forces, it's follower's and its many radical fear mongers it does so all in the name of 'Small Government'. Really?
Perhaps the Republican party should define exactly what it means by 'small government', as its actions often speak loudly contradictory to that platform.
They claim they do not want Government Run Healthcare, yet they clearly WANT the Government to dictate a woman's right to choose what she can and can't do with her own body!
They don't want the government dictating our healthcare and want to stop spending yet eagerly except the large financial contributions of pharmaceutical companies, insurance giants and the like. I guess its hard to spend OUR money on the things that contradict all the money they are taking in!
They claim they believe in transparency yet allow Monsanto to continue to poison our food supply while NOT having to label GMO foods! As well as NOT requiring rigorous testing of these same foods BEFORE they allowed them into our grocery store!
America is getting sicker every year and this little formula only leads to more money for the pharmaceutical an insurance companies. Think this is just coincidence?
They claim they want small government and free enterprise, yet they fail to mention that they refuse to protect the rights of women to earn equal pay. They are quite content with 'men' being superior to women. Really?
They claim they don't want the government running people's lives, yet want to amend our Constitution to deny basic rights to ALL Americans! They want small government but they want it to ONLY give rights to the 'groups' they select as worthy enough.
In Iowa there is a group desperately trying to oust our Justices for legalizing same-sex marriage in our state. They are claiming these judges are 'activists' and have no right to morally corrupt our society. Really?
How does upholding the Constitution makes you an 'activist'? The Constitution CLEARLY states that All men are created equal, that every American has the RIGHT to liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It does NOT then define what that 'happiness' HAS to be.
They claim same-sex marriage is a moral issue. Really? Then that more reason we can NOT allow our Constitution to be amended to deny rights to one group of people based on a religious moral issue. As NO law must be envoked based upon one religions belief.
If 'same-sex marriage' is a religious and moral issue then ALL marriage is a religious and moral issue and NONE should be 'legally recognized' by our government period!
This election season I do hope you all 'hear' the entire message the GOP is putting out there. They are selling more than they are claiming!

What Party Am I??

Its been a while since I posted a rant or a rave. So I apologize now for the inevitable length of this one.
Its not due to lack of subject that is for sure. The discourse an tragedy befalling our country since last I posted is running rampant an wild lending to much to be discussed. Perhaps it’s the distaste of it all that has left me wary to pen the words that so frequent my mind.
America blatantly an without a doubt voted for CHANGE yet all it has gotten is the status quo crammed down its throat. What the voter forgot was you cannot have Change if everyone isn’t on board.
Sure the democrats won huge an while they don’t necessarily ‘need’ the vote of the Republican to move many things forward it has been the persistent resistance of the right wing that has put just how things are really done in this country to the forefront.
Let’s face it they lost BIG! They are pissed an instead of ‘hearing’ the voice of the voter, of those that hire them their plan is to NOT participate. The entire republican party has turned into a group of elementary whiners whose only course of action is inaction.
They think if they refuse to support a single thing, whether or not its good for the country, then the voter will blame the democrats an they will regain their power in the next election cycle.
Uhm…..why should they? They were in power for 8 years an what exactly did they accomplish that was good for America?
Al Queida has yet to be brought to justice, Bin Laden roams free, the majority of world thinks so much less of us as we invaded a country an violated our own rules against torture that we have vehemently upheld when others were in violation.
Republicans claim to have the answer to real health care reform yet did NOTHING for 8years while they could have, nor did any previous Republican president or congress.
They claim they have the answer to real immigration reform yet voted AGAINST their own ideas because the democrats got on board with it.
They insisted a bail out was the answer when George W was President, now they claim our country’s problems are based on the bail out Obama authorized? How about a bail out was WRONG regardless who did it? Sure it could have put our once mighty country at great risk to let it fall so far financially, but isn’t that the risk of free enterprise? Isn’t that what we all signed on for?
Oh I am not supporting the Democrats either. They became so irritated at the lack of participation by the other side they began forcing bills thru for the mere point of passing something, anything whether the other side liked it or not. How was that a good idea?
Health Reform long overdue became a joke then was crammed down our throats whether or not we supported the final cut. We lost the public option in an attempt to gather support from across the aisle, mostly due to the ‘public’ not really understanding what it meant. Those of us that pay attention to something other than the twisted media knew the public option was NOT Universal Health Care that would be 100% funded by the federal government, but that is certainly the message the right wing wanted you all to hear.
The public option meant I would have the OPTION of purchasing health care from the same pool as my congressmen. The key word being PURCHASE. Yes we would still have had to pay for our own policies.
But instead we now have a load of crap on the books demanding an making mandatory that I buy insurance that only I can decide if I can afford!! An if I can’t I will be fined. Thank you Republicans for having all the answers….Yes I do blame you. Your inaction led to this an your inaction screwed me! I will remember this on election day.
I will remember on election day that all your INACTION led to the crap that passed and I WILL hold YOU accountable.
As for the Democrats that became the playground bullies of Pennsylvania Avenue you are not off the hook either.
You boast the end of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell yet nothing has changed. It’s a pretty cut an dry issue whats the hold up?
Our constitution gives us ALL the right to freedom an the pursuit of happiness. ALL of us. It does not say *except……gays, poor, disabled, green, purple or blue* it says ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL. Why can’t ALL Americans serve an protect THEIR country??
You blame the hold up on the Republicans, the party that believes their interpretation of their Christian religion should dictate all of man-kind. Really? If you didn’t need them to pass health reform then why do you wait for them on this??
So what do those of us do that don’t have a PARTY affiliation. Where do we fit into a country that is so over run an controlled by TWO party lines? How did we even let this happen?
I believe in the right to bear arms, because our constitution says so. I believe EQUAL rights means exactly that EQUAL. I don’t think I should have more rights than any other Citizen of our country for any reason.
I also believe in a woman’s right to choose, because NO government body should have control over MY body. Less government really does mean LESS people.
I believe in a power greater than myself but I am also a scientist an know evolution exists. I believe in a country as great as ours that if you work, pay taxes an don’t break the law you should have health care an not go bankrupt because of it. But the only people we give free health care to are those that don’t work or are in our prisons. How does this make sense?
If I work an pay taxes my children should have health care REGARDLESS of any pre-existing condition. Don’t we all have a ‘pre-existing’ condition of some sort? Why do a bunch of lobbyist get to decide which ones count against us?
We should ‘level the playing field’ when it seeks to harm those it claims to protect. Health Insurance companies should not be allowed to make rules that seek to disclude those they claim to be in business for, nor should they be allowed to jack the rates so high that it ensures the poor an most likely to be ill are not included.
Wall Street should be allowed to do business in such a way that makes money but it should include full disclosure to those they prey upon.
Private corporations should get to decide how much they charge for their services but should not be allowed to build its profits on the destruction of society.
Regulation is not control an Control is not regulation, its time congress knew the difference.
So where do I fit in? Where is MY America?
Its not on the tips of the Right-Wing that seeks to give rights to only a select few, nor is it with the Democrats that seek to spend money instead of regulate it.
Many of us now find ourselves unrepresented. This discourse has only lent to the formation of radical groups like the Tea Party. A group of hate mongers who are so fed up with the status quo they only seek to rock the boat to its tipping point. They aren’t about a better America, they are merely about another America that represents a single agenda..theirs!
Wouldn’t it be nice if being a politician wasn’t a career choice? If serving was an honor an limited. If no one was in office long enough to be ‘owned’ by a lobbyist or special interest group an if those we elected to office really did represent US.
Some one smack me..I am obviously dreaming!
Oh the road is ever winding an the toll keeps climbing……

So Everything’s Not Perfect. Doesn’t Matter Because I’ll Rework It!

Hi, Iowa’s Asphalt readers and guests who were misguided to this page! Let’s talk about finding professional jobs in Iowa, because it’s really hard. I’m not even looking IN Iowa for a job, and it’s still hard. I should probably move to Japan or something. I can’t wait to get my degree! I’m graduated, but I haven’t physically received it yet. It should be coming pretty soon, though. I’m anxious to see what a $55,000 piece of paper looks like. I’m also excited because I saw an old coworker of mine today that I hadn’t seen in ages! Let’s call her… “Fluffy”. All you need to know about her is that the gnomes that used to live in the cooler where we used to work now live on her roof. More important than reality, education, and roof gnomes, let’s get to our celebrity news!

Mel Gibson Gets Divorced
Mel and Robyn Gibson are calling it quits after twenty-eight years of marriage. Wow. Twenty-eight years is about the equivalent of six full-length marriages when it Hollywood is counting. Anyways, the divorce was filed under the common reason of irreconcilable differences. We’ve all heard that many times before, haven’t we? The most shocking part about this whole thing is that there was no prenuptial agreement or anything of that sort, as far as has been said. She’s entitled to half of what they own, which means she will be getting a check for about $500 million! One of the largest amounts in all of Hollywood divorce history! I think I could live off of that amount for about three lifetimes. Can you imagine your bank account having that many zeros behind a number? I mean, I’m used to zeros, don’t get me wrong, but with a number in front would be good for a change.

Lindsay Lohan Is Single Again
Lindsay Lohan and her girlfriend Samantha Ronson have broken up after a year, which unlike the Mel Gibson story is pretty typical. We’ve been hearing about all of these fights supposedly going on and other crazy stuff like that, so I suppose it was only a matter of time before this would happen. They had been living together, and I’ve heard that the locks on Samantha’s house have already been changed. However, there is no restraining order or anything else freaky going on besides the lock thing. I really can’t form an opinion on this one. I’m actually quite speechless and neutral about it, because I quit caring for Lindsay after Freaky Friday and Samantha, well, always. Does anybody really actually care about these two anymore? They feel like dead news, and that’s exactly why I had to talk about it.

Octomom Trademarked
Some people just never know when to go away. However, I promised myself we’d leave Britney Spears out of this issue of my amazing blog, so I traded one crazy for another. Nadya Suleman, the one with 14 kids because that name is just so common, wants to trademark her name. Guess what she wants to use it for! Future television projects, as well as diapers, and children’s wear. Because when I have kids (which will be never if I can help it), I’ll totally want the Octomom brand which was founded out of disbelief that someone not working and living in a small, crowded could be having fourteen children. Totally someone I’d want to support, an irresponsible person. Actually, I could see this picking up steam out of pity for the children. You can’t help but to feel bad for them because of who their mother is and what she’s doing. By the way, she already wants more kids. Just so you know!

Alright! Another terrific blog brought to a close. And we didn’t even talk about Britney Spears. Almost feels like we’re missing something because of it. Be sure to drink your mineral water and fried chicken. Until next time, everybody!