Cartwright—If you use Facebook or Google or Apple or Amazon and you have a problem with domestic surveillance, you’re out of touch with reality. Facebook, Google, and your cell phone provider know about you and what you do than Uncle Sam does. Do you think the federal government is listening in to the phone calls of nearly 400 million people in America? That’s not happening, but is Google tracking your every move on the internet? You bet your ass they are. Ever get pop-up ads for something you looked at on Amazon a week ago? Think that’s a coincidence? Think again. They know what you’re looking at online. They know what you like, what you want, what your habits and patterns are. They know all this about you. Your cell phone provider may even know where you are right at this moment. Does Uncle Sam know that you looked at a pair of shoes on Amazon last week? Probably not. Continue reading
Category Archives: Politics
Symposium 2015: Should the federal government increase progressive taxation or the federal minimum wage as a way to address income inequality?
Cartwright—Neither! Income inequality and the efforts to address this issue are typical socialist arguments and policy initiatives. It’s not for the federal government to redistribute wealth though the Democrats would certainly like nothing more than to legislate income equality via redistribution of wealth. What politicians and those who want income equality fail to understand is that you can’t tax your way to prosperity. At some point, they rich are going to take their money and go somewhere else or worse. They aren’t going to sit idly by while the federal government continues to take more and more from them and punishing them for being successful. Continue reading
Award-Winning Mystery Novelist Digger Cartwright Participates in Thinking Outside the Boxe’s 12th Annual Symposium
Orlando, FL, Miami, FL & Washington, D.C. February 2, 2016—The office of Digger Cartwright, award-winning mystery novelist, released the transcripts of his responses to the question and answer session from Thinking Outside the Boxe’s 12th Annual Symposium held in Orlando from December 26-31, 2015. The symposium focused on a variety of topics such as the politics, the environment, foreign policy, social issues, and more.
The transcripts of Mr. Cartwright’s responses in the question and answer session are available at www.DiggerCartwright.com or www.MysteryDigger.com. The transcripts of Mr. Cartwright’s opening statement and additional interactions between Mr. Cartwright and other panelists were not made available by Thinking Outside the Boxe.
About Mr. Cartwright—Digger Cartwright is the award-winning author of several mystery stories, teleplays, and novels including The Versailles Conspiracy, a modern day political thriller, Murder at the Ocean Forest, a traditional mystery novel set in the 1940s, The House of Dark Shadows, a psychological thriller, The Maynwarings: A Game of Chance, a mystery set in the Old West, and Conversations on the Bench, an inspirational/motivational novel. His books are available in hardback, paperback, and e-book format through his website, www.DiggerCartwright.com, on-line booksellers and bookstores. The House of Dark Shadows, The Maynwarings, and Conversations on the Bench all won first place in various categories in the 2015 Regional Excellence Book Awards. The House of Dark Shadows and Conversations on the Bench both won silver medals in the 2015 Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards.
Mr. Cartwright has contributed to a number of articles on a wide range of financial, strategic planning, and policy topics. He frequently contributes articles, commentaries, and editorials focusing on current economic and political topics for the private think tank, Thinking Outside the Boxe.
Mr. Cartwright is an enthusiastic supporter of local no-kill animal shelters, the Wounded Warrior Project, and local Meals on Wheels programs.
He enjoys golf, participating in charity golf tournaments, and attending WWE events. He divides his time between Washington, D.C., South Carolina, and Florida.
Press Contact:
Website: http://www.DiggerCartwright.com
Blog: http://www.MysteryDigger.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DiggerCartwright
Twitter: @mysterydigger
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/mysterydigger
Daily News Briefing: www.MysteryWriterNews.com
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What if we elected an independent candidate for president?
Positives: The end of party bickering and partisanship in Washington. This could force the parties to work together more for the benefit of the people.
Negatives: Compromise could be difficult.
Release of Transcript of Award Winning Mystery Novelist Digger Cartwright’s Top 10 Reasons To Hate America Speech
Orlando, FL, July 24, 2015—The office of award-winning mystery novelist Digger Cartwright released the transcript of Mr. Cartwright’s speech, Top 10 Reasons to Hate America. His speech was delivered at the Thinking Outside the Boxe Independence Day Champagne Summit in Orlando.
Mr. Cartwright issued the following statement regarding the release of the transcript:
I want to thank Thinking Outside the Boxe for once again inviting me to participate in their Independence Day Champagne Summit. It is always an insightful and intellectually stimulating event. In light of what has been happening in America the last few years and particularly the last few months, I thought it appropriate to address the attempts by some to weaken and destroy the constitutional republic in America. We are no longer the country we once were, and I think it’s time that Americans have a serious examination of where we are as a nation, where we’re heading, and what we need to do to make sure our nation remains strong, prosperous, and secure for generations to come.
Make no mistake. I don’t hate America. I still believe in the promise of America. I believe in our constitutional republic, and I believe in the Constitution. Despite all our problems, America, the institution, remains the greatest country and institution of government in the world. But there are things in America that I dislike and there are things happening in America which should concern us. We need to have a careful examination of these issues, and how they are affecting our lives and our freedom.
About Mr. Cartwright—Digger Cartwright is the award-winning author of several mystery stories, teleplays, and novels including The Versailles Conspiracy, a modern day political thriller, Murder at the Ocean Forest, a traditional mystery novel set in the 1940s, The House of Dark Shadows, a psychological thriller, The Maynwarings: A Game of Chance, a mystery set in the Old West, and Conversations on the Bench, an inspirational/motivational novel. His books are available in hardback, paperback, and e-book format through his website, www.DiggerCartwright.com, on-line booksellers and bookstores. The House of Dark Shadows, The Maynwarings, and Conversations on the Bench all won first place in various categories in the 2015 Regional Excellence Book Awards. They were also finalists in the Beverly Hills Book Awards competition in 2015.
Mr. Cartwright has contributed to a number of articles on a wide range of financial, strategic planning, and policy topics. He frequently contributes articles, commentaries, and editorials focusing on current economic and political topics for the private think tank, Thinking Outside the Boxe.
Mr. Cartwright is an enthusiastic supporter of local no-kill animal shelters, the Wounded Warrior Project, and local Meals on Wheels programs.
He enjoys golf, participating in charity golf tournaments, and attending WWE events. He divides his time between Washington, D.C., South Carolina, and Florida.
About Thinking Outside the Boxe—Thinking Outside the Boxe is a private, nonpartisan think tank that is dedicated to providing a wide variety of perspectives on issues that are of interest to the general public. The views that are expressed in Thinking Outside the Boxe’s commentaries and research are often times uncommon, provocative, and controversial. Thinking Outside the Boxe’s mission is to formulate and promote positions and to provide research, independently, that would otherwise be deprived of an outlet in the mainstream media. Thinking Outside the Boxe’s commentators and researchers seek to broaden the parameters of public knowledge by addressing issues in such a fashion as to provoke thought and debate on some of the most pressing issues of our day.
Press Contact:
Executive Assistant to Mr. Cartwright
Website: http://www.DiggerCartwright.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DiggerCartwright
Twitter: @mysterydigger
Blog: www.MysteryDigger.com
Daily News Briefing: www.MysteryWriterNews.com
###
Digger Cartwright’s Speech: 10 Reasons To Hate America
Orlando, FL, July 4, 2015—This is the transcript of Mr. Cartwright’s speech delivered at the Thinking Outside the Boxe Independence Day Champagne Summit.
The constitutional republic in America is nearly dead, though many in America refuse to accept this particularly as they celebrate their nation’s 239th declaration of independence from Great Britain. America has long been reviled on the international stage for its perceived arrogance. The hatred towards America is probably attributable more to jealousy and resentment than to a hatred of the constitutional republic itself. Those in socialist, communist, and even many democratic countries envy the brilliant constitutional republic developed by America’s Founding Fathers. For the first time in the history of the world, the people told the government what its rights and powers are as opposed to the other way around. To this day, our system has largely stood the test of time.
But America is no longer the place it once was, and the constitutional republic is weakened and in disarray. The American people were blessed with a tremendous gift given them by the Founding Fathers and the sacrifices of those patriots who risked everything that this nation might live. The American people have taken this for granted and have slowly allowed their rights to be infringed and eroded. The Constitution has been trampled by the President, the Congress, the Supreme Court, and federal courts throughout the land. All the while, the American people have stood by helplessly; some have even applauded the efforts to undermine the constitutional republic.
So, what do I hate in America?
- I hate the lazy and ignorant masses that are breeding more lazy and more ignorant masses. Schools are forced to teach to the lowest common denominator as opposed to separating advanced students from mediocre students from those who learn at a slower pace. Schools are failing the kids, but so are the parents who need to take a more proactive approach in their kids’ lives. Kids need to learn a thing or two about hard work and the benefits of a good education.
Jobs aren’t being stolen by immigrants. A lot of Americans are too lazy to work and too stupid to do the work because they don’t apply themselves and don’t work to get the benefits of free K-12 educations. Kids today would rather have stuff handed to them on a silver platter than to work for it, and the parents have contributed to this laziness. Applying oneself in school and hard work pay off. This isn’t an opinion. This is fact. Lazy, ignorant kids grow up to be lazy, ignorant adults. There’s no excuse for being lazy or ignorant in America, but the epidemic of people being ate up with stupid is growing in this country. Let’s promote hard work and education. I’ve preached for a long time to return to the Jamestown colony principle: If you don’t work, you don’t eat (with exceptions for those who are too old or too infirm, not including too lazy or too fat to work or those who have been put on “disability”).
- I hate the media. Our Founding Fathers recognized that the press plays a vital role in our constitutional republic. They are supposed to keep the public informed about the events that matter, the events that impact our lives. They are supposed to be impartial and objective. In the last several decades, however, the rise of the 24-hour news outlets has resulted in increased media bias and partisanship. The media no longer reports the news; they “make” the news. If they’re not pushing a political agenda, they’re “spinning” a story for political or other agendas. They’re always seeking sensationalism and controversy. In this, they do not help the general public; they hurt the general public. They manipulate the facts for their own agendas. They lie to the American people who don’t take the time to fact check what’s reported. They tell the public what they want the public to hear. They lie and manipulate while waving the flag and hiding behind the Bill of Rights when it is convenient for them to do so. They tear down good people and gain sadistic pleasure from it. They are not friends of the constitutional republic anymore, and they are not friends of the American people. There is evil in what they do. The press is, in this day and age, the enemy. They need to report the facts and only the facts. They do not need to spin the stories or sensationalize them. They need to be objective and unbiased in their reporting and leave out their editorial comments. Let the American people come to their own conclusions on what you report.
- I hate the entitlement system which today represents the financial rape of the American taxpayers and provides a disincentive to work and succeed. Welfare is the modern day plantation. Recipients are slaves to the plantation owner—in this case, the politicians and the federal government. Welfare recipients are wholly dependent on the ruling political class for food, clothing, housing, and so on. In return, they are expected to vote a certain way…and they do. More and more people are becoming slaves on the plantation of Uncle Sam, and many of these people are not even US citizens. There’s something fundamentally wrong with this. More importantly, we are near the point where almost 50% of the population is not contributing financially to the system. This doesn’t mean they’re receiving welfare or benefits; they may simply not be paying into the system. America cannot survive where half the population is living off the other half of the population. Everyone in America needs to contribute to the system in some way, no matter how great or how small, to make America work. Again, I return to the principle of the Jamestown colony: if you don’t work, you don’t eat.
- I hate the politicians in America who are largely corrupt, gutless, cowards looking for personal profit and enrichment. Congressmen and Senators enter office as men of modest means but quickly become millionaires. They are wined and dined by lobbyists and special interest groups. They are enriched by selling their votes and their influence in the Congress. They are like fat plantation overseers who benefit from the toil of others while enslaving others with handouts for political purposes. They say one thing to get votes then do another when they are in office. They become part of the establishment, and the establishment has become the enemy of the people and the enemy of our constitutional republic.
Our Founding Fathers served for the good of the country, and when their terms were done they went back to being planters, merchants, professionals, and so on. They didn’t make a career out of public service only to enrich themselves.
We are no longer a nation with elected leaders who are our peers. We are a nation ruled by an oligarchy and an elite political class who believe they know more than the rest of us and who feel they are entitled to be sent to Washington. We are like the French in the years before their revolution. The politicians in Washington aren’t looking out for the American taxpayer; they’re looking out for themselves.
- I hate the push for political correctness in America. This media concoction is trampling over the 1st We can’t call someone fat or short for fear it may hurt their feelings. We can’t say anything bad about anyone. I certainly don’t favor racism or bullying, but simply saying someone is fat doesn’t constitute a hate crime. Calling a midget a midget shouldn’t be offensive. Calling illegal immigrants criminals shouldn’t cause people to gasp. If they have come to America illegally, they are criminals; they’ve broken the law. If that hurts their feelings, too bad. People need to get thicker skin. We have the right to call Islamic extremists terrorists. The rebels in Syria aren’t freedom fighters; they’re terrorists. I have the right to call someone fat and lazy as much as they have the right to call me Ichabod Crane or Slim Jim. Let’s get back to calling a spade a spade. We have more important things in America to worry about than if someone gets offended by lack of political correctness. The media’s bullying of the American people for saying something they in the media deem politically incorrect has scared people into silence. This is abjectly wrong. Americans need to fight back against the media’s bullying tactics and political correctness bullshit.
- I hate the redistribution of wealth from those who contribute to the success of America to those who are bringing America down. Half of the American people are paying taxes to support half of the American people who are just takers from the system. Half are paying in to provide benefits and services for all 100%. This is unsustainable in the long-term, as it creates a disincentive for work and success. The efforts of the media and politicians to demonize those who are successful, whether individuals or corporations, are appalling. Success should be applauded not denigrated or penalized.
- I hate that America is weak; we don’t strand for strength, or for that matter anything anymore. Our priorities have become mis-aligned. Islamic extremism is on the rise throughout the world and even here at home. ISIS and ISIL are getting better organized, better equipped, and more influential in Iraq and Syria. They are terrorizing the people of these nations and plotting attacks against America and our allies. Here at home, radical Islam is on the rise. The atrocities—the mass executions, the murders, and so on—that the terrorists are committing in Iraq can just as easily happen here. While the Department of Homeland Security and intelligence agencies work hard to protect the American people, our military is becoming weaker.
Our leaders are more concerned with protecting the rights of Muslims to wear burkas than they are with protecting the safety and rights of Americans. Our leaders bow down to those who do not acknowledge our Christian values and who want to destroy those values.
We used to be a nation of law and order, but in the last few months we have seen rioting and lawlessness take over places like Ferguson and Baltimore; all the while, law enforcement stood idly by while private property was looted, burned, and destroyed. Some feel this is acceptable behavior, but this shows an unwillingness of leaders to maintain order and punish those who break the law. We used to stand for military might, strength, strong foundational values, peace and freedom. Wrongdoers were brought to justice and punished.
Now, our own leaders have engaged in efforts to denigrate America throughout the world and here at home with apologies, inaction, and unresponsiveness. We are no longer respected in the world; we are seen as weak. Worse, our focus on inconsequential matters in the entertainment world and an investigation into FIFA, which is of no relevance to the American taxpayers, are orchestrated to divert our attention from the failings of Washington and from the true problems plaguing our nation. Our nation has over $18 trillion in national debt and over $120 trillion in unfunded liabilities, yet the big news of late has been allowing gays to get married. What’s more important: an issue for a group of people who represent less than 2.5% of the total population or an issue that equates to nearly $500,000 for every single person in America or the possibility of terrorist attacks here in America?
- I hate that the federal government is becoming a “nanny” state. The government wants to take care of you from cradle to grave and in return you’re expected to vote a certain way. More importantly, to accomplish this, you’re expected to willing subrogate many of your rights to Washington. An all powerful and dominant federal government is the furthest thing from what the Founding Fathers envisioned in America. The American people, though complacency, ignorance, laziness and greed, have allowed Washington to embark on a massive power grab that has resulted in a trampling of the Constitution and an increasingly dangerous concentration of power and dominance over nearly every aspect of citizens’ lives. Government funded and run healthcare gives the federal government virtual control over life and death. Those who think this isn’t the case have their heads buried in the sand or are either too stupid or blind to accept the truth. Our constitutional republic is slowly being replaced with a socialist oligarchy. All the while the American people are more concerned with who’s wearing panties this week and who isn’t. This concentration of power in Washington is dangerously destabilizing for America. Social and economic programmes are being developed to fundamentally transform America and the lives of ordinary Americans. The burden for the ever expanding federal government is being placed upon half of the American people who actually pay taxes. Unfunded federal liabilities amount to nearly $500,000 per person in America. The responsibility for this financial burden will ultimately be increasingly borne by a smaller and smaller portion of the population. Beyond the financial cost, there are other consequences of a growing nanny state: as the federal government increases, the rights of the people decrease.
- I hate that our federal elections are rigged. The last two presidential elections have been rife with voter fraud which has been widely documented. Yet, nothing has happened. No one has been imprisoned for the fraud perpetuated against the American people. Illegals have been allowed to vote. Legitimate voters have been allowed to vote multiple times. Ballot boxes have been stuffed. The American people have sat back and allowed it to happen. Efforts to curb this with voter ID laws have been stymied. If we don’t have open, free, and fair elections, what is our nation? I have long held that we are simply given the illusion of free and fair elections. Going to the polls on election day is just a dog and pony show to keep the masses happy. Yet, the outcome of each election is largely predetermined. The establishment, in both parties, ensures that only the candidates they want and hand select are put up for public office. Mitt Romney was the heir apparent for the Republican nomination after John McCain’s loss in the presidential election in 2008. Yes, there were other candidates for the Republican nomination, but the establishment ensured that Mitt Romney was the ultimate nominee though a systematic dismantling of the competition through vile character assassinations and muckraking. In the current election cycle, Hillary Clinton is the heir apparent for the Democratic party, having seemingly been anointed by the establishment. Constitutional republic or oligarchy?
Equally as disappointing is the fact that the American people basically have to choose between two candidates from the main parties. Third party candidates are kept out of debates and have no media exposure for fear they will poach votes from the two main parties and compromise their holds on power. The politically aligned media ensures third party candidates remain in the political wilderness. We have free and fair elections…but you really only have two viable options to vote for since the third party candidates have no chance of getting elected.
- I hate that the federal government is more concerned about the rights of immigrants and minorities than the rights of taxpaying citizens. Anyone who denounces illegal immigrants is a racist bigot. Anyone who opposes the views, wants, and demands of certain minorities is a racist bigot. If you feel we should deport illegal immigrants from Mexico, Russia, South America, Africa, the Middle East or Europe because they have broken the laws of our nation, you are a racist bigot. If you don’t feel that they have a right to stay here and work and get government benefits and vote and all the while not pay taxes, you are a racist bigot. If you don’t agree that illegal immigrants here have the same rights as true American citizens and taxpayers, you are a racist bigot. If you believe that Muslims should not be given the right to wear burkas in the workplace, even if it intimidates you or your family, you are a racist bigot. If you object to homosexuality on religious grounds, you are a racist bigot. If you don’t believe that the rights of illegal immigrants and the views of those in the minority are more important than your own rights and views, you are a racist bigot. If you don’t believe we should allow illegal immigrants to come here and stay, you are a racist bigot. If you believe we should protect our borders and enforce our immigration policy, you are a racist bigot. If you don’t believe we should bow down to immigrants and those from other religions and cultures and their desires to fundamentally change America to their way of life and their belief systems, you’re a racist bigot. Well, then, I guess I’m just a racist, bigot, bastard!
I still believe in the promise of America. I believe in our constitutional republic, and I believe in the Constitution. Despite all our problems, America, the institution, remains the greatest country and institution of government in the world. That’s why millions of peoples throughout the world seek desperately to come here for the opportunity of a better way of life for them and their families. No one is flocking to China or Mexico, and no one is flocking to get Euros or Yen. Yet, Americans born free in our country and bred here take this for granted. It is altogether too easy to do this. Likewise, it is altogether too easy to sit idly while rights are trampled and while the federal government seeks more and more control over our lives. And, it is very easy to criticize America and fault the institution for the problems plaguing the nation.
Rather, the blame for the decline in America should be blamed not on the constitutional republic but a number of other factors. I love America and what she represents. I want America to be the greatest place on Earth and in the history of the world, but we’re falling short of that. I certainly don’t hate America, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I hate what’s happening in America and what’s happening with our society to weaken this great nation from within.
I hope that we have not gone too far down the path of self-destruction. However naive, I still want to believe in the goodness of the American people and that collectively we will make decisions to ensure that America remains the land of the free and the home of the brave. It will take courage and effort. It will take education about the issues and the problems facing our great nation. But collectively, I hope that we will come together to right the American ship which has been adrift the last few years.
About Mr. Cartwright—Digger Cartwright is the award-winning author of several mystery stories, teleplays, and novels including The Versailles Conspiracy, a modern day political thriller, Murder at the Ocean Forest, a traditional mystery novel set in the 1940s, The House of Dark Shadows, a psychological thriller, The Maynwarings: A Game of Chance, a mystery set in the Old West, and Conversations on the Bench, an inspirational/motivational novel. His books are available in hardback, paperback, and e-book format through his website, www.DiggerCartwright.com, on-line booksellers and bookstores. The House of Dark Shadows, The Maynwarings, and Conversations on the Bench all won first place in various categories in the 2015 Regional Excellence Book Awards. They were also finalists in the Beverly Hills Book Awards competition in 2015.
Mr. Cartwright has contributed to a number of articles on a wide range of financial, strategic planning, and policy topics. He frequently contributes articles, commentaries, and editorials focusing on current economic and political topics for the private think tank, Thinking Outside the Boxe.
Mr. Cartwright is an enthusiastic supporter of local no-kill animal shelters, the Wounded Warrior Project, and local Meals on Wheels programs.
He enjoys golf, participating in charity golf tournaments, and attending WWE events. He divides his time between Washington, D.C., South Carolina, and Florida.
Press Contact:
Executive Assistant to Mr. Cartwright
Website: http://www.DiggerCartwright.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DiggerCartwright
Twitter: @mysterydigger
Blog: www.MysteryDigger.com
Daily News Briefing: www.MysteryWriterNews.com
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The Bill Of NON-Rights
The following has been attributed to Lewis Napper, a Jackson , Mississippi computer programmer.
He didn’t expect his essay — a tart 10-point list of “rights” Americans don’t have — to become an
Internet legend.
‘We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some
semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure
the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great-grandchildren, hereby try
one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt
ridden, delusional. We hold these truths to be self-evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by
the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a Bill of NON-Rights.’
ARTICLE I:
You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth.. More power to
you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.
ARTICLE II:
You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means
freedom for everyone — not just you! You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different
opinion, etc.; but the world is full of dummies, and probably always will be.
ARTICLE III:
You do not have the right to be free from harm. If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be
more careful; do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently
wealthy.
ARTICLE IV:
You do not have the right to free food and housing. Americans are the most charitable people to be
found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation
after generation of professional couch potatoes who achieve nothing more than the creation of another
generation of professional couch potatoes.
ARTICLE V:
You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing,
we’re just not interested in public health care.
ARTICLE VI:
You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or
kill someone, don’t be surprised if the rest of us want to see you get the blue juice.
ARTICLE VII:
You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce away the goods or
services of other citizens, don’t be surprised if the rest of us get together and lock you away in a place
where you still won’t have the right to a big screen color TV or a life of leisure..
ARTICLE VIII:
You do not have the right to a job. All of us sure want you to have a job, and will gladly help you along
in hard times, but we expect you to take advantage of the opportunities of education and vocational
training laid before you to make yourself useful.
ARTICLE IX:
You do not have the right to happiness. Being an American means that you have the right to PURSUE
happiness, which by the way, is a lot easier if you are unencumbered by an overabundance of idiotic laws
created by those of you who were confused by the Bill of Rights.
ARTICLE X:
This is an English speaking country. We don’t care where you came from, English is our language.
Learn it!
Lastly
ARTICLE XI:
You do not have the right to change our country’s history or heritage. This country was founded on the
belief in one true God. And yet, you are given the freedom to believe in any religion, any faith, or no faith
at all; with no fear of persecution. The phrase IN GOD WE TRUST is part of our heritage and history,
sorry if you are uncomfortable with it.
How can we hold parents accountable for their children?
If children don’t know how to act in public, it’s because the parents have failed to teach them and to discipline them. This could be a function of just pure ineptitude of the parents or perhaps their parents didn’t teach them. Parents are ultimately responsible for their children’s behavior, and there are really no excuses. There’s no way to penalize the parents as a means of holding them accountable for their kids per se. I think there are several points to make here. Continue reading
Is political correctness infringing our freedom of religion (if you’re a Christian)?
Yes, there’s no doubt about that. The liberal, anti-Christians want to religiously emasculate us. You can’t say Merry Christmas. It has to be Happy Holidays so you don’t offend someone else. That’s bullshit. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, that’s fine, but why get offended by it? If someone wished me Happy Hanukah, I wouldn’t be offended. I’d tell them thank you and same to them. I think the underlying theme behind the holidays, regardless of which holiday you celebrate, is peace and goodwill, which I talked about at length in my speech yesterday at lunch. So, why are people so worried about expressing the Christian faith during Christmas?
Maybe those who object also object to peace and goodwill? Is that why they want to take away any mention of Christmas? If you don’t believe in Christ, that’s your right, but if you don’t want to allow others to celebrate a message of peace and goodwill, what does that say about you and your tolerance? If I celebrate Christmas and say Merry Christmas, that doesn’t mean you have to believe what I do or that you have to agree with me. If, however, you’re offended by it, you need to get thicker skin, and if that’s the only thing you have to worry about, you need to get a life. Instead of worrying about Christmas, how about focusing those energies on something productive like feeding the hungry or helping those who have been displaced or caring for homeless animals?
I really think we’ve allowed the entire political correctness issue to go too far, but I’ll not digress into that bigger discussion. Clearly, we’ve also allowed the secularization of Christmas to go too far as well. The argument that you can’t display the Nativity or just about any other sign of Christmas on some government property as a violation of the separation of church and state is ridiculous. This country was founded by Christians, more devout Christians that we can probably imagine today. Our Founding Fathers showed their faith through prayer and the numerous references to God in the federal government. They mention the Creator in the Declaration of Independence. Each President has placed his hand on The Bible and said “So help me God” at the end of the Presidential Oath of Office. Yet there are still some who want to take all references to this away.
If you don’t celebrate Christmas, that’s ok. You’re not obligated to do so, but don’t tell me that I can’t celebrate it openly as we have done in this nation for hundreds of years. And, if you’re a foreigner here and you’re of another faith, learn to live with it. I sincerely doubt that your homeland would scrap any celebration of your faith if I went there and objected to it.
What is sad as well is that businesses of all sizes are getting sucked into this ‘Happy Holidays’ nonsense lest they potentially offend someone and that someone may not do business with them. These business owners need to get some guts. I don’t care what holiday people celebrate. I do business with them based on their reputation, their honesty, their quality, and so on. I’m certainly not going to be offended if I go into your business and you’re celebrating another holiday.
Let’s get real people. Time to stop this nonsense. Quit trying to secularize Christmas!
Is it time to re-think a space program?
I don’t think so. NASA’s budget is something like $17 billion per year. What do we get out of this program? Frankly, I don’t see a whole lot of benefit to the American people. Over the last fifty years, NASA has spent over $500 billion dollars cumulatively, and what do we have to show for it? We allegedly went to the Moon. We don’t have a shuttle program. Seems like an awful waste to me. There is a certain appeal to the space program, but let’s let the private sector take over. If there’s a market to go to Mars or to build a base on the Moon, let some private entrepreneur or aerospace company spend their money. I don’t think we should be using tax dollars from American taxpayers to fund a program that is yielding little these days. I’m always for spending cuts in the federal budget, so let’s cut the spending on NASA as a first step in shrinking the size of the federal government and eliminating wasteful spending, fraud and waste.