Monthly Archives: July 2016

No Nation Is An Island

No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s
Or of thine own were:
Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.

John Donne

I must have hit a nerve with my last posting because I did not get any comments nor did I get any likes although the posting was read by a few people. Therefore I am posting a more controversial topic…the Republican Convention/Donald Trump. I was slightly miffed when I didn’t get my usual reviews but this is not a job and I am not getting paid.

The Republican Convention is over, and, in my personal view, with nothing accomplished except for hate and discontent among everybody against everybody. Even the former ex-chief of the KKK is running for senator because of the rants and ravings of that convention. The KKK love what is going on and the ignorant party members bought these rash statements of a bigoted know nothing. David Duke and the KKK love hate and dissension and they see, finally, progress in their quest for regaining power.

Why am I being so harsh about this, you say? I am an American although my skin and thinking is not that of Donald Trump. He and the KKK want to corral me into the groupings of all the people they think should not be apart of this great nation. Make the nation great again…I never thought it wasn’t. I have served my country in peace and in war and retired from it to serve again as an employee at a federal facility. By doing this, I have found the nation greater than any nation I visited. I have had the opportunity to have a look into the workings of many other governments and then ask myself one simple question. Would I want to live under that type of government? The answer was always a huge “NO”. However, ask the Republican, the one that have never been in the service or never wanted to go, which country is the greatest and all you will hear is rhetoric, never a straight answer.

Mr. Trump say get out of NATO, USAFE, SEATO, etc. and all other defensive/offensive organizations that are designed to not only protect allied nations but, in the long run, protect us. How can a person that does not know what is in the Constitution or Declaration of independence say what we, as Americans, should and can believe in. His ranting words fell on my deaf ears as soon as he started talking around very pointed questions and then started talking nonsense. There was always raves about what he was going to do to fix things but never, ever about how this was to be accomplished. All I can say is the people that heard this and went along with it are just as stupid as he is. The USA is in trouble if he gets elected, in my humble opinion.

So far, most Republican members of Congress are not with him on most things. Good. But, I wonder how he expect to get what he wants, carte blanc, without the blessing of Congress. Then, many Republican Congressmen are up for re-election this year. Will they be re-elected to maintain that majority? We will see. If they are not re-elected and do not maintain the majority, what will happen.

It is almost over and now we will have the Democratic Convention. This should be a boring four days compared to the last four. Let us hope for the best and that saner minds prevail. Pray to God that the people will open their minds and think. I truly believe that anything is better than Trump, but, have it your way. And you will. This is a democracy and as a democracy the people will have it their way via a secret ballot. Let us pray they are right with whomever they choose. Remember, no nation is an island and the bell may be tolling for us. May God have mercy on us all.

It’s Been Tough

It’s been tough to see police killed in the line of duty. I have been a career cop, military, civilian and security. I am now retired but my feelings are not insulated from what is happening in the world today. It’s been tough to see the video footage of the police killing people although I do not have the capability of analyzing the full video to see if there was any justification. It’s been tough to see the riots, civil disobedience, of people. It’s been tough listening to the comments of people that think they know but, really, don’t. It’s tough to see what happened in France. It’s tough to see the governmental conflict in Turkey. It’s been tough hearing both sides of the political “know it all” spew rhetoric yet only giving part of the truth or underlying causes of all the violence. It’ been tough.

A member of my family have joined the police force and I fear for him each and every day. It will be tough for him, whether he realize this or not. I say this because he is in a small mid-western town and I know he think he is insulated from all of this. I pray he is right. Then, there is a level of prejudice on most police forces. I have not only seen it but I have experienced it first hand. It’s not a good feeling. And, there is the fact that many people fear the person in uniform, who have a badge and gun, wanting to do harm, if not out right kill. Yet, when there is trouble, danger, or just needing police presence to abate a situation, the person with a badge and gun is summoned.

This is a tough world to live in, especially during these dark days. And, what is happening is very political. Congress, not being the force it should be, decided to be a do nothing Congress because one party, being the majority, wanted to stifle the other party. There is a Congressman, who is on the Senate Judiciary Committee, that say Congress does not confirm judges although the U.S. Constitution pacifically say only Congress have those powers. In the process many things did not get done and too much attention was placed too long on getting simple things done. This lead to many, many things getting out of whack when it should have not happened. I am combining the blogs Retirement and Religion together and will post the same article on both blogs which will mean duplicate postings on my other pages. I’m doing this because we, as people of the world, are in trouble. Not only through our American laws but as a religious people are we in trouble. Let me make a posting to prove this about the coming of the end because of what is going on now.

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. (KJV II Timothy 3:1-17)

 

Looking at today’s situation, the quagmire that we are in, all of us are in trouble. The world is in trouble. Wars and rumors of wars. Still don’t understand? Police violence, citizen violence, terrorist, out right war, gay right marches, gay rights in courts and schools, all sorts of other things all around put together is II Timothy Chapter 3. Robbing, shooting, using drugs, raping, killing, simple Godlessness is all in play right now.

Not all people are bad, just a few. Not all nations are bad, just a few. Not all things are bad, just a few. We can take our heads out of the sand and do something to correct this before it is too late. As nations stand together, not being separate or isolated from the others, we can combat this and become whole again. If we fight each other, we can not overcome the ultimate enemy. If we don’t get our lives right, we can not overcome that ultimate enemy.th3