RUN!!! It's The Muslim Brotherhood!!!

Well, once again I encountered another misinformed trucker. I really don't know if he was misinformed or just had a hate of all Muslims in his heart but...I'm gonna go with the latter because that characteristic has been proven over and over by these people.

Obviously, with all the ongoing protests and demonstrations in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has been in Western news a lot more often than usual. The Muslim Brotherhood is an Islamic group that embraces the advancement of the Muslim faith through PEACE and NON-VIOLENCE. The same as I support the advancement of the love of Christ through peace and non-violence. They were among the FIRST to denounce the 9/11 attacks. They are a group that is opposed by many Islamic terrorist groups because of their non-violence stance.

So, of course this southern trucker says, “...and the Muslim Brotherhood is one of the most radical terrorist groups there is.” REALLY? This group that denounces the attack on America? This group that is opposed by the same terrorist groups we're fighting? Hmm...hate, bigotry, fear, ignorance, racism, intolerance...all these words describe this trucker, not the Muslim Brotherhood.

I think what we forget so often is that America is not in a war against Islam. If we were then we would have to abandon the very core of our foundation, freedom of religion. We are in a war against hate, bigotry, fear, racism, intolerance, all characteristics of this...well...stupid man. Islam is not my enemy, those that use that faith for violence and hate are my enemies. Just as those that use my own faith, Christianity, to promote hate of Muslims are my enemies. Who's the better man or woman? The Muslim that does not wish to harm others? Or the 'Christian' that uses God to promote intolerance of any and all Muslims? That's easy...the peaceful Muslim.

God is about love and compassion...not hate and intolerance.

The Lord is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

The Lord is good to all,

and His compassion is over all that He has made. -- Psalm 145:8-9

As Christians shouldn't we try to live by that rather than by fear of anything different?

So I just took a political quiz...just curious to see what it would come up with. I gotta say this was pretty accurate (except for the fact that I don't believe in separation of church and state...I believe that a person's relationship with God can and should influence their decision making. At the same time I feel that a person's lack of a relationship with God should be allowed to influence their decision making).

The Quiz

The following are your scores. They are based on a gradual range of 0 to 12. For instance, a Conservative/Progressive score of 3 and 0 will both yield a result of social conservative, yet 0 would be an extreme conservative and 3 a moderate conservative

Conservative/Progressive score: 4
You are a social moderate. You think the progressive movement is overall well meaning, but sometimes it goes too far. On issues like abortion and affirmative action, you see the negatives of both extremes on the issue. You probably value religion, but at the same time you think it should still stay separate from the government

Capitalist Purist/Social Capitalist score: 6
You are a Moderate Capitalist. You support an economy that is by and large a free market, but has public programs to help people who can't help themselves or need a little help. Pretty much you believe in the American economy how it currently is.

Libertarian/Authoritarian score: 2
You are libertarian. You think that the government is making way too many unnecessary laws that are taking away our innate rights. You believe that the government's job is primarily to protect people from harming other people, but after that they should mind their own business, and if we give the government too much power in controlling our lives, it can lead to fascism.

Pacifist/Militarist score: 10
You're a Militarist. You believe that since the United States has so much power in the world, it has a responsibility to keep the world safe. You think that if the US does not exert its power in the world, it may eventually lose its power, and that we can not look weak in the face of terrorists, and must take them out where they live.

Personal Responsibility

You’re driving down the highway, been driving for a while. You’re many miles from home and in the middle of nowhere. But everything is fine. You’re making good time and the kids are sleep in the backseat. Suddenly, POOF! Your engine sputters and smoke begins to rise from under the hood. You dash lights glare at your, you alarms scream at you. “What the hell?” you think to yourself. Then you’re wife looks at you and says, “See, you should have changed the oil when it needed to be changed!” You want to yell back but you know she’s right. Had you taken care of your personal responsibility and had the proper maintenance done on the care this would have never happened. But…you were lazy and refused to make the time to do it.

It's been quite some time since my last post here (one week short of an entire year). Much has happened in my life in the last year, both good and bad. I've decided that personal responsibility would be a great way to restart The Kool-Aid Drinker.

In the past year I've met many, many new people. Some have been great! And others...well, not so great. One of the things I noticed between those that had a positive impact on my life and those who I would rather not meet again was the concept, and understanding, of one's personal responsibility.

Here in America, and I believe, around the world, millions and millions of people have taken hold of this misguided sense of entitlement. People feel as if they are entitled to just about everything. I've seen it when I go to work, co-workers believe they should get the schedule they want or the duties they want because...well because the bosses are always just 'wrong' and 'mean'. There is this sense of, "they're just out to get me so I'm gonna get what I can from them, even if I haven't worked to deserve it". "They owe it to me because I'm here!" I've seen it at the store when shoppers mistreat workers and expect to be treated as royalty. They expect to be treated with the best customer service when they are rude, obnoxious and unpleasant to be around. I've seen it at city council and town hall meetings where people believe that they should get all their medical, food and living expenses paid for by me, the tax payer, because "it's the government's job" to do so.

I have a little phrase that I love to use, "it's the government's job to take care of the general welfare, not the national healthcare, of the country." I'm not ignorant or uncompassionate (I don't think that's even a word but I'm making it one of my words), so I know that those in need do require assistance. But it should be exactly that! Those who need the help should be the ones to get food stamps, Medicaid and other welfare services offered by our government. I've seen it time and time again, in place after place after place, people lying and cheating on welfare applications to get help they really do not qualify for or get more than what they are qualified for. One thing that has stood out to me more than anything is watching these criminals (they are criminals because they are committing fraud against the government and me, the tax payer) use their benefits then go out to their 30,000 dollar cars, 200,000 dollar homes and 1,000 dollar wardrobes. This isn't just an isolated problem, it's a problem all over the country.

I'm a hard worker in every aspect of my life. When there is something I need or want I work for it. When I can't afford it I save up for it. I get another job so that I can afford it. I do what I need to do to take care my duties because it is MY responsibility to do so. So many in the country are unwilling to do the same because they feel they should only have to work a certain number of hours or a certain job. They see themselves as "too good" to do other work. What these people don't understand is that their unwillingness to take care of their personal responsibilities translates into more poverty, a weaker infrastructure and a division of people within the nation. Now, I understand that this isn't the case for all, or even most on welfare. I also understand this isn't just a welfare problem. This is a problem for people on all income levels. Laziness hurts us all.

I guess what I’m trying to get at is that the concept of it taking a village to raise a child is a misguided one. Sure, help is always a good thing and we should be willing to help those in need. But we are not entitled to luxury, it is our personal responsibility to take care of our financial, medical and emotional needs. A parent with great personal responsibility can raise that child better than a large village of people with little or no personal responsibility.

What's Wrong With Obama's Speech to the Students?

There has been much much criticism and speculation surrounding President Obama's speech to America's students. What will it be about? Should he being doing this? Should parents be mandated to have their children listen to the speech? With the exception of one school district (Broward County, FL) Obama's speech was optional in most school districts.

My observation of the speech? It was great. Like many of his previous speeches, this was another outstanding speech by the President. Now that we've heard what he had to say, will all the commotion be over? I think not..At least not for me.

I feel better now that I've heard the speech and seen that it was not a partisan speech. It was a great message for students to hear. My problem, as it has always been, is with the manner in which the administration went about preparing for the speech, and the timing of the speech. Sure, other Presidents have given speeches to students, but never on the first day of school (for many schools) and never with so little advanced warning to school officials to prepare. It kind of gives the impression that they wanted to rush this, much like health care in Congress, and not give parents or faculty the chance to make a choice.

I also have an issue with the administration advising teachers on different activities they could have students do to prepare for the speech. This is where the indoctrination argument comes into play. It is also very disrespectful to teachers across America. Basically telling them how to come up with a curriculum as if they, as professionals, cannot, or are too incompetent, to come up with a curriculum on their own.

To want students to write about how they can help the president is wrong, immoral and just plain indoctrination. Had my daughter been old enough for this, I would have sat down with her and taught her why we should do all we could to stop some of the things that this president wants to do with America. And to speak to kindergarten students? C'mon, their minds are so impressionable at that age. He knew what he was doing, and it wasn't just for encouragement. High school and junior high students are one thing, but 5 year olds?

If the president wanted to address students he should have done it at a different time, without the accompanying curriculum (indoctrination) suggestions.

Hate, Bigotry, Intolerance...Where Does It Come From?

So often we hear the right in America described as bigots, as pillars of hate and intolerance. We're called racists and “a**holes” (thanks former Czar Van Jones) simply because of our traditional values. Simply because we don't just go along. If we don't completely agree with Barack Obama and the rest of the Democratic party then we must hate blacks and other minorities. We must not care about the poor, the sick and the underprivileged.

Well I ask this, is the left completely blind and deaf, or do they have selective sight and hearing? It's not too hard to see, and hear, that the majority of hate, bigotry, intolerance and plain vitriol in America is spewed by the left day after day. Sure, there are those on both sides that have their miscreants, but it is much more common on the left (although the media would have you believe the opposite).

We're described as mean and cold-hearted, but when push comes to shove it's the right, for the most part, that doesn't resort to name-calling, the race card or victimization. We choose to love our country, instead of condemning it, for the necessary measure taken to ensure our freedom and place in the world. We choose to speak for our country, instead of apologizing to those who hate us.

Why, when conservatives protest, is it mocked, yet when liberals do it then it's praised as patriotism?

All I know is this...this 'teabagger' will continue to teabag.

Gay Marriage is a Civil Right?

Pastor Miles has it exactly right. A person's ethnicity can, in no way, be compared to their choice of a partner. You have no choice in the color of your skin (unless you're Michael Jackson), but you have full control over the person you choose to be with. You are not "born that way," you choose that life, and you have every right in this country to be with whoever you choose to be with. But it is a choice, not something that "just is".

It is absolutely absurd the way that many have attacked Miss Prejean. She has been cast as a hateful person when the only hate coming out in this issue is the hate coming from her attackers. Supporting traditional marriage does not hinder gay/lesbians from being together. There is nothing hateful, or bigoted, about supporting traditional marriage. It is not an attack on the rights of anyone in this country. I don't understand how the gay/lesbian community expects everyone to be accepting of their lifestyle when many in that community are so hateful of anyone who disagrees with them. Marriage is one man/one woman. Marriage is a religious institution, if you want to claim that my support of that is an attack on you, then I claim that you're support of gay marriage is an attack on my right to practice my faith., plain and simple.

Now I'm not hateful or a bigot. I fully, and completely, support the right for every person in this great country to be with whomever they chose. I may not approve of your choice to be gay, but it is your right and I support that right. Civil unions are what I support in substitution of gay marriage. I have an issue with the naming of it because marriage is not a government institution, it is a religious one. I support the rights of all Americans and respect your point of view, please respect mine.

The Judicial Branch Does Not Legislate!!!

The judicial branch of government does not legislate, that job is supposed to be the responsibility of the legislative branch of government, you know, Congress. This is what I was taught in middle and high school and now in college. Apparently Obama's leading Supreme Court Justice candidate, Sonia Sotomayor, does not agree with that teaching, or the Constitution.



"Court of Appeals is where policy is made"!?! Where the hell does Obama find these people. This administration wants to talk about the rule of law and the Constitution yet considers people like this woman, people with complete disregard for the Constitution, people that think this is something to laugh about, for one of the highest positions in the United States judicial system and government. Judges like Mrs. Sotomayor are exactly what is wrong with our courts...The Judicial Branch DOES NOT Legislate!