Civil Rights or Civil Riots?

I guess I am a bit confused here.  I thought slavery ended years ago.  I thought Martin Luther King rallied for civil rights.  I thought when we had the Civil War, it was to end slavery and through the years that followed, for black people to be treated the same as every other color or race in America.  I hate that following the end of slavery there was still a division in our country.  But through protests (peaceful protests), pride and persistence, that division was slowly dissolved....I thought.  I believe Martin Luther King did, in fact have a dream, and a great dream at that.  But I do NOT believe his dream was looting and burning buildings in Ferguson, Missouri.  I have a business. I treat every person that comes through our door the same, whether black, white, purple or green. Whether male or female, fat or skinny, short or tall.  I am white.  I am an American.  I do not refer to myself as a "White American"  or an "English American" or a "Cracker American".  Just an "American".  I was born here - that makes me an "American".  So why does the media continue to refer to "Black Americans"  and "African Americans"?  I don't get it.  Everyone who was present during the Civil War raise your hand....no one? Oh, so none of the current Americans were slaves.  And none of the current Americans owned a slave.  Our country has come a long ways since then.  Every one has the same rights at present - everyone can go to school, go to college, get a job, vote, fight for our country, state your opinions, protest what you disagree with, etc.  EVERYONE.
But not everyone chooses to exercise those rights.  Some choose to drop out of school.  Some choose to sell drugs on the streets.  Some even choose to burn businesses in their own neighborhoods.  How is it that people hope to further their cause by demonstrating that way?  I have been disgusted with the many injustices in our country many times.  But not once did I think it would be a good idea to steal from and destroy the places I shop at.  And not once did I think it would be a good idea to risk going to jail for my opinion.  Actually, I haven't ever protested, because I have a job to go to, and I would have to jeopardize that job if I were to be gone long enough to attend a protest.
So, to all you people rioting in the streets and destroying property you don't own, how is it you find the time for this?  Do you not have a job?  Do you not have a family that expects you home for dinner?  Maybe if you were half as passionate about getting a job and acting like a responsible citizen and doing something productive with your life, you would be a remarkable success.  And this alleged injustice, though it might make you angry, would pass with time and you would move on with your life.
As to the specific shooting incident, does anyone realize that if Michael Brown had not robbed a store, this would never have happened?  Had he been at work that day, at a job, where he earned money, he would not have had the time to rob a store.  Had he surrendered to the policeman at the first request, this would never have happened.  And why is race an issue when a black person is involved?  There have been many white, hispanic, etc people shot and killed by policemen through the years.  It wasn't a racial thing - it was policemen doing their jobs.  The same policemen you would call if someone was trying to break into your home.  The same policemen you would expect to protect you when you needed them.  Are there bad cops?  Sure.  And they should be dealt with accordingly.  But these riots imply a total disrespect for the authority we give to our policemen.  If I am walking down the street and hear a policeman say, "Stop or I'll shoot", I am probably going to stop and do whatever they ask.  Because I don't want to get shot.  Even if I don't know why they are saying that to me.
Oh, Martin Luther King, I fear your dream has somehow turned into a nightmare.

Wedding Bells for Charles Manson???

I continue to read the news, and say, "Really????" So Charles Manson is getting married. In Prison.   I thought the whole idea of prison was to punish you by restricting your freedoms.  Guess I was way off.  One, it's CHARLES MANSON!  What a freak!  Who in their right mind would want to marry that guy? Two, isn't he in prison for LIFE?  Isn't he being punished for LIFE for the heinous crimes he was convicted of?  Doesn't that punishment mean you no longer have certain freedoms, like, say, having a wedding? Unbelievable!  And guess what?  I bet our tax dollars pay for this lovely event.  Wonder what would happen if we got to say what our tax dollars could and could not be spent for?  Personally, I don't care what he wants. He gave up his rights to do what he wanted when he committed those crimes.  I never cease to be amazed at the nonsense that goes on in prisons and with our government. 

Work is Overrated

Why do I torture myself like this?  I get up, usually by 5:00 a.m., do laundry, pick up the kitchen & wash any messes created after I went to bed, put on my makeup, fix my hair (well, sort-of), get dressed and go to work, usually by 7:00 a.m.  I work at a job I never thought I'd be doing - installing auto glass and working on cars.  Usually little girls dream of being a princess, or a mom, but never an auto glass installer.  But, life doesn't always give you what you dream of, and I am truly thankful that I have a job.  So I get to work, catch up on paperwork, etc and get ready for my day, where we open at 8:00.  I work along side my husband, and rarely play the "girl" card, doing just as much work and physical labor as he does.  By the end of the day, I am worn out, my hands are stained with black- adhesive, primer & chemicals, which all seep into the cracks of my hands and do not wash off.  My hands are chapped from the chemicals we use.  My joints ache from the beginnings of arthritis.  My back hurts every night.  Not only do I do the physical side of this business, I also do all the bookwork - paying bills, etc., keeping books, doing taxes, etc.  We close at 5:00 p.m., but it usually 5:30-6:00 before I get home, where I begin my "other" work.  Make supper, clean, do laundry, etc.  I drop into bed around 9:00 or 10:00 so I can start all over the next day. 
Now, I am a firm believer in "earning" a living.  So, I am not complaining - well, maybe just a little.  I believe God intended us all to work for what we need and want.  But being a business owner means bearing the brunt of the business, both good and bad.  Winter is our slow time. So sometimes after doing all that each week, I don't even get to take a paycheck if business wasn't great that week.  That's OK, too - you just do what you have to do.  Then, I go to the grocery store, and stand behind someone who proudly pays with their food stamp card.  I often consider telling them how hard I work so they can have free food with my tax dollars. 
I am now in the middle of stupid Obamacare.  I HAVE to have it.  Not that I enjoy being uninsured, but I can't afford it.  I was barely able to afford what they MADE me buy in 2014.  I will NOT be able to afford what they are making me buy in 2015.  So, not only will I be uninsured, I will also lose any possible tax refund due to Obamacare penalties at the end of that year.  I am not a politician or a scholar, but something here doesn't make any sense.  Maybe some of the people who voted Obamacare into law could come and work with me for a month or two and see if they still think it's a good plan.  You know, those people who have different health insurance and a whole bucket of perks, so they don't have to worry if they can buy milk at the end of the week. 
What I COULD do is quit working, stay at home with less stress, less paperwork, less aches and pains, and get all this stuff for free.  The people I see using food stamps and medicaid seem to be pretty happy. I just don't get it.  I don't get why the people doing most of the work are the ones being penalized the most and taxed the most and left out of all assistance the most. 
So, Merry Christmas to everyone I help.  I hope you enjoy your Christmas dinner and all the free opportunities my work affords for you.

Obamacare, Obamacare, How lovely are thy INCREASES!

We have Obamacare.  I am participating in a program I do not wish to.  We have never been able to afford health insurance.  We have always been in the middle.  We made too much to qualify for any type of government aid (how silly of us to actually work for a living!) and we have never made enough to purchase our own health insurance.  Enter Obamacare.  We really can't afford that either, but what we would pay is cheaper than the penalty for not having it.  So, I signed up.  On the government-ran website.  Which was a total fiasco. 
We have had this for several months.  The amount I pay is $135 per month, based on our income of course.  We can't really afford that, but we have done it anyway.  So last week I received a letter stating that my premium will now increase to $192 per month.  No reason for the increase, just letting me know it will be going up.  So the  $135 I can't afford will now be $192 I can't afford.  Great.  Thanks so much for thinking of me.  Thanks so much for increasing gas prices, groceries, etc. AND for increasing my health insurance premium.  I so look forward to spending more than I make each month. 
But don't you worry about me.  Unlike the government, I will make other adjustments to my life.  We will be having more beans and rice because they are still affordable.  And I will smile politely as I stand behind the person in the checkout line who is buying steaks, and name-brand groceries and proudly whipping out their food stamp card to pay.  I'll just take my beans and potatoes home and my generic brand groceries home and do just fine. 
I'll just keep right on getting up at 5:00 a.m., and working 10 hours a day so those wonderful welfare people can use my tax dollars to get all their free stuff, because I don't want them to be stressed out about the fact that they are not working.  I don't want them to have to get up earlier than they want to and go to a job, and I don't want them to stop having children for me to take care of. 
They say you can't take it with you, and rest assured, I won't have anything to take.  Oh, America, where have you gone. Land of the FREE - was that referring to the deadbeats of society?

VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!!!

It's time to vote!!  I saw poll on facebook (and it must be true if it's on facebook) that showed there was a larger percentage of people who simply didn't vote, than there were for either political party!  Not only is it my privilege to vote, it is my responsibility!  I can rant and rave on the internet, to my friends, or whatever, but when given the chance to cast my vote, I will most definitely be at the polls! 
I am not totally sure how much my one vote counts, but when combined with everyone else's I would hate for my single vote to be the reason something didn't get done because I didn't vote. 
So, if you're on the fence as to whether you want to get out tomorrow, just do it!!

Ebola - Obama's new BFF

I sit watching the news and don't even have words.  I do not believe that Obama is the antichrist.  But I do believe he runs a close second.  The only thing worse than having him for president is having him step down and letting Joe Biden step up.  He picked his running mate wisely, didn't he?  So, let us all welcome the Ebola virus into the United States, just like we have welcomed illegal immigrants, muslims, and various assorted terrorists.  Let's just bring all the evil we can find in the outlying countries right here into our lap.
I am not a politician.  I am not a scholar.  I am not a doctor, nor a scientist.  I am an average person.  I work my buns off just to pay my bills, and sometimes that's not enough.  I pay my taxes.  I try to always do what is right and honest and fair.  I am not a moron.  I am not stupid.  Why is it that my vote for president didn't count (too bad I don't happen to be an electoral vote)?  Why is it that our elected government officials use our hard-earned tax dollars so stupidly and frivilously?  I am NOT ok with this.  And yet, there is not one darn thing I can do about it.  I could withhold my taxes and bury my money in a coffee can, but the mere pittance I bring home would never be noticed in Washington.

So, that being said, why on earth are we bringing the Ebola virus here?  And why are we allowing millions of people to fly each day, sitting in close quarters with others who may have the virus?  I am afraid to go to the grocery store.  They say it can only be spread by direct contact with bodily fluids, but what exactly does that mean?  Isn't the spit that comes from your mouth when you sneeze a bodily fluid?  Did you sit next to someone with the virus and then come home and buy groceries at the same store I did, and sneeze on the cart I used?  How is it the CDC has all this knowledge about the Ebola virus, a virus so deadly that we only had a handful of doses of medication for it?  I don't get it.  I don't understand why there isn't one person in a position of power with an ounce of common sense.  How do they know that 21 days is just enough to ensure you don't have this virus? If, in fact, 21 days is the magic number, then how about this:  For 21 days, NO ONE flies.  For 21 days, NO ONE leaves or enters our country. If you are a medical person treating others in another country, there should be TWO quarantine periods. One at the border of the country you are in, and one at the border of the U.S.  Then, you can enter.

And to the nurse who thinks her rights were violated, boo hoo!  You are violating my right to go to the grocery store without having a sanitizing conniption after I leave the store.  You signed up to be a nurse, knowing you would be exposed to germs and viruses, and you CHOSE to go and be directly exposed to this virus.  So you sort of compromised your civil rights by those choices.  Stay in the darn quarantine as many days as it takes to know you are not sick.  Wouldn't you feel badly if they let you go home and you infected your entire family?  Quit being a weiner!

I believe Obama is allowing this to happen to throw the chaos and disdain in a direction other than himself.  For a brief time, his praise of muslims was not the top story in the news.  I have never known anyone LESS patriotic.  I used to be proud to be an American.  Obama, you have managed to disgrace us all.  Shame on you!

And to those of you who say I am being predjudiced against muslims, you bet your booty I am!  If I am not mistaken, the muslim religion is not a religion of peace.  It is a religion of violence.  The koran says if you are not a muslim, you are an infidel, and infidels must be killed.  And of course, the ultimate "reward" is if you, yourself die carrying out your religion.  We are a Christian nation, who, until the last several years, was a nation blessed by God and protected by God.  Our illustrious potentates have managed to remove God's hand from our country, finger by finger. Congratulations!  I hope on the day you stand before God and receive his judgment for all your actions, or lack thereof, you are forced to remember and relive all the tragedy you have caused. What a sad, sad state of affairs our once-great country is in!

Maybe President Bush Was Right.....

I have been following the news on Iraq and ISIS, ISIL, and whoever else is claiming to be a terrorist. I am absolutely amazed that our country, one that "supposedly" values life, has allowed not one, but two Americans to be killed.  Not just killed, but publicly beheaded.  Bush predicted that if we pulled out of Iraq too soon, it would only open the door for another terrorist group to take up residence and grow stronger.  Well, to all you nay-sayers, he was right, and that's exactly what has happened.  I guarantee you if Ronald Regan were president, after the first beheading, there would no longer have been a country called Iraq.  And I hate to think of innocent lives lost, but I kind of feel like we should be doing way more than what we are to send a very strong message to them. 
I think at this point, no American needs to go to Iraq, period.  And If you choose to go, you'd better have all your belongings with you, because I would never let you back into this country. I would give all Americans a few days to get out of that country, and screen all returning Americans very carefully before they were allowed to go on about their lives, and then I think we should send a very strong message to the terrorists. And maybe we are "profiling" muslims.  So what?  If you are not a radical terrorist, then you have nothing to hide.  And the last time I checked, the muslim religion says if your not a muslim, then you are an infidel and must be killed.  Want to be a muslim? Great.  but if you think you can claim religion to take an American's life, that's not going to happen.
I know Iraq has had some very radical rulers in the past, but they kept the terrorist groups in-check. Were they fair?  Probably not, but they were crazy enough to make all these groups fear stepping out on their own. There is no easy answer at this point.  But making speeches, taking vacations, and whatever else President Obama is doing is NOT solving this problem.  We need to stop talking and start doing.  War is tragic for all sides involved, no matter what.  But sometimes it is necessary to establish security and control. 
Just makes me really mad to know that America, a country that used to be great and noble and feared by other countries is now mocked and scorned and we are doing nothing about it.

Phil Robertson in the Headlines, Again????

I have had it up to "here" (if you could see me, you would notice I am holding my hand above my head) with the media and Phil Robertson's so-called "anti-gay" comments.  First, who cares?  I personally agree with his views, but they are just that - his views.  I could go around saying I don't like fat women who wear spandex.  (I don't, by the way) I am not anti-fat people, or anti-women, or anti-spandex, and I did not knock on a fat woman's door and tell her.  It is my opinion.  I am fully entitled to it.  If you are gay, that is your choice.  I don't agree with it, and would never be the first one to say anything to you. But if you ask me my opinion on the subject, I will give it to you. I am a Christian.  Our job is to allow God to shine through us, our words, actions, etc.  Is God a loving God?  Of course.  Does he love sin? Of course not.  Many people seem to think that because we proclaim to be Christians, we should be tolerant and accepting of all others.  That simply is not true.  God is not tolerant.  He is merciful.  Am I better than gay people?  Nope.  Do I have a different after-life path? Probably.  We all sin.  All sin is the same in God's eyes.  Our goal is to strive not to sin.  Our job as a Christian is to repent of our sin and try not to repeat it.  Homosexuals are blatently displaying their sins to the world.  Are they going to Heaven or hell when they die?  That's between them and God.  As a Christian, when I sin, I certainly don't feel good about it.  So, if you are going to sin day in and day out without trying to change, I don't feel like you are a child of God.  I don't think you are saved.  Could you be saved and still living like that? Yes, but it's not likely, but again, that is between them & God. 
I just get so angry that it seems the media is singling out Phil for this.  How about when Bill Clinton was "not having sexual relations" in the Whitehouse?  He should have been impeached for his terrible behavior, but nothing happened.  There are so many other things going on in our country right now, and this is the headline news?  Sad.

Death Row Inmate Treatment

The news headlines have been flooded with inmates complaining of the method used to put them to death.  Now, it is my understanding that you are probably not sentenced to death unless you have committed a violent or heinous crime.  That probably means that your victim was put through torture and/or pain in the process of their death.  So, who is it that said, "Yea, we will spend taxpayer dollars defending law suits filed by violent criminals who are slightly unhappy with the drugs used to give them a painless death."?  Somewhere out there is a judge who is a couple of bricks shy of a full load!  I understand their filing appeals to try and prevent being put to death - I don't agree with it, but understand why they would want to do that.  I don't understand why we are even hearing these cases.  They gave up every basic human right the instant they committed that crime.  I'm not talking about the 16 year old who got caught drinking one night.  These are murders, etc. that were violent.  These criminals have no rights in my opinion.  And the fact that they are being put to death by lethal injection is a far cry more grace than most of them deserve. 
And the majority of death row inmates haven't been there for just a few days - I have paid to house them, feed them, provide medical care to them, etc. for years.  Too bad there's not a democracy in place to say how our hard-earned tax dollars are spent, huh?

ABORTION!! Legal or not legal?

Abortion is such a controversial subject.  Personally, I am against it.  I think it is unimaginable that you can kill an innocent baby, whether it is 3 weeks old in the womb, or it's head is half-way out at full term.  I believe that life begins at conception, and that God does not make mistakes.  All life is precious. 
I heard on the news that a woman has been charged with capital murder.  Not for a shooting at a movie theater or grocery store, but for performing an abortion herself.  Now, I may be a bit of a redneck, but why is it legal for a doctor to kill a baby in an exam room, but not for a woman to do it herself?  Apparently she tried to do this while the baby was in her womb, but the baby actually delivered anyway, so she strangled it and left it in a dumpster.  Again, I can't imagine killing a baby at any point, for any reason, but why is she charged with capital murder and the doctors are not?  What's different?  Why does a drunk driver who kills a pregnant woman get charged with two lives, but that same woman can choose to voluntarily go kill her baby?  Makes no sense to me.  And as I look at this snip from Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, I am appalled that she made this statement and everyone said, "Oh, Ok. That makes sense."
What a sad state of affairs our country is in!