Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Chicken Sandwich Anyone?

As of late, there have been a number of issues that have gotten my dander up. The latest being all the controversy about the Chick-Fil-A owner stating his appreciation for and support for traditional marriage, and then quite literally having all hell break loose! What is this world coming to that he is not free to share his appreciation for and belief in traditional marriage, without all this harassment?

Disney has gay day, and many cities have gay parades. Clearly these are examples of the freedoms given to express their support for their beliefs and lifestyle choices. Mr. Cathy also has rights. Through the years, I have both read about, watched on t.v. and heard on radio talk shows, the countless studies proving the mental, emotional and financial benefits to children when both their mother and father remain married and raise them together. The stability factor is obvious all the way around. When a man and woman marry and  actually succeed in remaining together long into their elder years, (which most vow before God that they will do...) it should be cheered and celebrated! It's not an easy thing to do! Stats for some time now reveal that about 1 out of 2 marriages 'bite the dust!' Every human being alive must give thanks for and concede, that it was the union of a man and a woman, (married or not,) that is to be thanked for their own existence! It is the cornerstone of most all religions and of civilization! We would all be fools to not celebrate and appreciate it!

Clearly, Mr. Cathy and SO many others in our country are steadily being victimized by view point discrimination...that is, if their point of view is different than that of the political left look out! Shall we draw from this crazy attack on Mr. Cathy that if you: 1.) have a business 2.) and are Christian, (in this case,) and 3.) if you believe and feel that a traditional, long term marriage is the best situation for children and families and that 4.) this type of relationship is to be encouraged and celebrated - that those who hold other views than these should now consider it NORMAL to openly declare that they wish cancer upon your patrons like Rosanne Barr did, and do everything possible to put you out of business? The mayors of Boston, Chicago and San Francisco, thinking that they can refuse to let Chick-Fil-A businesses in their states because of this... is so far out that I cannot even get my red blooded American brain around it! With far out views like these they are clearly revealing themselves as fascist-leaning and unsafe for office, in my opinion. Same sex marriage has NOT been officially deemed a 'civil right' as of yet, though many obviously feel that it is.

Am I all alone, or is anyone else noticing this very big elephant in our country's living room? Seems that far too many people, both in government positions, and in our citizenry are far too ready to throw out our freedom to think, live, believe and speak according to our own conscience and are ready to turn these over to the 'thought and word police!' The gay rights community, and those who share in that belief system, obviously have every right to think, live, believe and speak according to their own conscience as well, but it would seem that some are trying to exercise far more control than they should over those who simply want to express joy and appreciation for what IS working for them - which is long term heterosexual marriage. We are a country run by the rule of law. Clearly, no law has been broken by celebrating traditional marriage, c'mon now!

ImJusSayin - Do we have freedom of thought, speech, and religion in this country - or do we not? If this has changed, and we don't, then once and for all the President needs to call a 'state of the union' address and declare that all citizens of America are now to live in full and total servitude to the gay community in ALL WAYS. Example: "If you want to retain the right to safety and protection, if you want to retain the right to run a successful business in this country, if you want to marry, and raise a family without harassment, you MUST be ready and willing to throw overboard all doctrines of your faith, all rights to freedom of thought, word, deed, and conscience - and become fully loyal to all of the 'political correct' views and 'doctrines' of the far left and pro-gay agenda in this country....and if you do not - expect to be attacked, harassed in every way imaginable, and possibly worse. This is the New America so get used to it!" Now that I think about it, I do believe, if the truth be known...this is probably just what the left does believe! These actions against Mr. Cathy pretty much prove it. In my opinion though, they have truly over-reached this time.

Well, until he makes such a declaration - then what the heck happened to LIVE AND LET LIVE? What happened to tolerance? Aren't these ideas meant for all sides to practice? This recent situation with Mr. Cathy and reading about the all-out attack that he is experiencing is clearly crossing a boundary line that ALL American's should renounce and resist. I personally believe that there are MANY strong Americans in the gay community who are watching this and oppose it as well! Control is control is control...and ImJusSayin' this is in your face CONTROL and nothing else!

Mike Huckabee has declared Wednesday, August 1st, as "Chick-fil-a Day!" Let's all go and express our support for freedom of speech and for successful, traditional marriages...those that have been proven to encourage healthy families. If something is healthy, then it is! There's nothing anyone can, or should try to do to change this truth!  

In closing: I will admit, however, that there was a time when I did express a slight dissatisfaction with Chick-Fil-A. In sharing my concern with them, I have reason to believe that I was most likely joined by, quite possibly thousands of others! How do I know? Well, you can now dip those awesome waffle fries in yummy cheese sauce! Many of you will remember, that was not always the case!

You're very welcome:)

 


Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Serfdom - A Concern For Us Today, In America?

Awhile back, I joined The Heritage Foundation online at www.heritage.org. The Heritage Foundation is America's leading conservative policy organization. They are dedicated to helping the cause to defeat the encroachment of Liberalism/Socialism in our lives today, in America. You know, that push for a more centralized government, by many times, unscrupulous 'planners' who won't be satisfied until they control every aspect of our lives! Through many forms of education The Heritage Foundation advances the understanding and promotion of conservative principles. They quite often, run a free online course to better understand our Constitution.

For a $25.00 membership they were offering a (small) special abridged edition of The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich A. Hayek. The word 'serfdom' quickly caused me concern! Why would they offer a book of this title, at this time - unless they were concerned about it happening to us today? Not being fully attentive in history class, I probably couldn't have written even a descent paragraph clearly explaining what serfdom was, but ImJusSayin' I think everyone who hears this term remembers that it wasn't a good system to live under and wouldn't knowingly agree to living under it today! Serfdom? I think it's safe to say, if a survey was taken, I don't think a majority of Americans would put this on the top of their list of fears for our country. But, there it was...(along with a free periodical, the Heritage Member News,) the Heritage Foundation's book of choice was entitled: The Road to Serfdom.


I was really looking forward to receiving it to see just what Heritage thought would be so important for me to understand about it. The word even sounded scary, to me.  After reading this little 48 page abridged edition of The Road to Serfdom I'm sorry to report - it WAS a very timely choice of books to be sending out! There are more than 600,000 copies in print at present. I thought it might be helpful to those whose curiosity I have peaked, to go ahead and list the chapter titles. Some of you will decide right away, that you DO WANT to read it's contents to further your education and ability to articulate just what is incrementally going on in our country, today...and it is a topic worthy of discussion.

Planners Require Centralized Power
Liberalism to Socialism to Fascism
Planning for, Not Against, Competition
(After reading the above chapter, it probably would have been better entitled:
Planning Against, Not for Competition - because that is what 'Planners' do!)
The Road to Serfdom
Why The Worst Get on Top
Planning and the Rule of Law
(My 'better title' would have been: Planning vs. the Rule of Law)
The "Inevitability" of Planning
Economic Control and Totalitarianism
Security and Freedom
If We Are to Build a Better World
Ten (Mostly) Hayekian Insights for Trying Economic Times

Through the blood, sweat and tears of our forefathers we have inherited FREEDOM, and LIBERTY, and THE RIGHT TO THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS through SELF DETERMINATION, rather than servitude under the control of (Socialist) planners...who, by the way, always start by offering up their help in the area of economics and convince everyone that allowing them to make everything FAIR and EVENLY DISTRIBUTED will bring peace and contentment to them and their country and that their lives will be grand! History proves that just the opposite is what happens! They divide up the country, causing hatred and envy among as many different groups as they can. They have been dumming down our educational system, and rewriting history for a good long time now, as part of that very plan. Then through a strategy of incremental changes, they eventually control everything - and I mean everything!! 


One reason why America has become such a 'melting pot' of cultures is because so many who lived in countries with 'planned and controlled' systems of government did everything they could to get out from under them and come here...many times escaping under the fear of losing their lives! Why on earth would we want to go under such a system again? Mainly, it is because the average American just doesn't understand 'the way' that countries come under the power of a dictator. They clearly haven't got a clue. ImJusSayin' as long as the wolf looks and sounds like their sweet, loving grandma (might the name Pelosi come to mind?) they will with full trust, faithfully go in closer and closer, until SERFDOM has them by the throat! How surprised and frightened they will all be then!    

In this little booklet you will find that Hayek uses the topic of economics to discuss and explain both the thoughts and actions of mankind, with the knowledge he gained to unveil the totalitarian nature of socialism and to explain how it inevitably leads to serfdom. Both Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher respected and appropriated Friedrich Hayek's freedom-inspired economic policies, as they restored free market economics to its central role in the United States and in Britain. (Much of this paragraph was taken from the FORWARD in the booklet, though not verbatim.)

There's a statement that's worth repeating found on page 25..."Almost all the traditions and institutions which have moulded the national character and the whole moral climate of England and America are those which the progress of collectivism and its centralistic tendencies are progressively destroying!" Just thought I'd wet your whistle a bit. It's all good. It will challenge you. Just speaking for myself, I believe that I am a much better 'informed American' for reading it...the wolf won't be fooling me or those in my circle of influence, that's for sure...unless of course, they insist on staying in the dark. They do have that right.

I highly recommend ALL conservatives...and ALL Americans, for that matter, to avail themselves to the information within this booklet. Heritage members can order additional copies of this very important book for family and friends, or others they wish to educate for liberty. The complete 320 page edition of The Road To Serfdom ($17.00 paperback) is available at probably any bookstore (online or other) or from the University of Chicago Press: http://www.press.uchicago.edu or you can order by calling: 1-800-426-1357.

Would love to know what you thought of it.