Mixing Jesus with your Huff Po

Okay, so as I was trying to think of a title for this piece, I didn't intentionally target any particular news outlet. Huffington Post just came to mind. My blog posts are usually inspired by what I read on Facebook (or through fill in the blank social media) on a daily or weekly basis. I try my best to just be a casual observer as my wide variety of Facebook friends post their political and non-political thoughts. I came across one last week associating Jesus himself as a political figure in our modern times. What would Republican Jesus Do? It read "Cut food stamp benefits, cut affordable healthcare, demonize the homeless, and block equality rights) Jesus wasn't a democrat, republican, socialist, anarchist, etc. Jesus was (if you're a believer) as the Bible tells us the son of God. While I will not make this post religious, Jesus can't be equated with what our government should or should not do.

Jesus gave out of the kindness of his own heart. Giving someone food, clothing, shelter, love are beautiful things, but doing it voluntarily, not through government force is another. Being against food stamps is not being a mean person. If you're for food stamps and government assistance, it doesn't make you a better person than the person who is against it. Give of your own time. Volunteer at a local food shelter, donate clothes, make Christmas shoe boxes for children around the holidays, but whatever you do, do it because YOU want to. Not because someone tells you. Giving out of the goodness of your heart will mean ten times more than sitting back and expecting our government to do it.

Yes, government assistance is a necessary thing on occasion, and even though I don't think it should be a means of living, I understand people endure struggles, and I'm not heartless enough to understand that.

But please, please do not say that Jesus would be aligned with any political party of our modern times because you think the government taking care of people is caring. Do something on your own. That's what Jesus would do.

Life in the crossfire

Growing up in North Carolina is not quite like growing up in Georgia, Alabama, or Mississippi. We are still southern. There is no doubt about that. We have our own kind of unique southern charm. Yes ma'am and yes sir. Please and thank you. We smile at strangers, which by the way, never ever try if you're in New York City. It's going to send the wrong message and you'll end of unknowingly "flirting" with someone, or you'll end up with a black eye. 

North Carolina is also not exactly like our neighbor to the south either. South Carolina is very much so still indoctrinated in the ways of the old south. I've never thought twice about the fact that the confederate flag still flew on the state house grounds in Columbia. I've been there before, but honestly didn't think twice about it. It means nothing to me. It's just a flag I told myself, and like many others think it's harmless. 

But is it? 

I sometimes get too caught up in my own opinions, but I always try to consider both sides of an argument. While I am mostly still indifferent on the issue, I do think that it's probably time that we retire the stars and bars to a museum. It is history. A very ugly history about a war of secession (You're welcome history majors). But sometimes the right thing to do is just the right thing to do. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley called for the removal of the flag this week in light of the recent tragedy in Charleston. And many other individuals have echoed the same sentiments. 

My first reaction to this was, o.k. but is this going to change anything? Will it change attitudes? People's way of thinking? Is it going to make individuals "not racist?" Racism is still a real thing. It's not cut and dry, and it's not one-sided as some journalists and media members would lead you to believe. I've heard the term "institutionalized racism," more in the past year than I ever have before. I've struggled with understanding exactly what it meant and if it had any truth behind it and it wasn't another one of those made up terms to victimize individuals when they may not be a victim at all. Maybe it is a real thing? Who I am to say it's not? After all, I am white, and I am a male, right? The left in particular has tried to silence the white male opinion as much as possible because after all, anything bad that has ever happened is the white man's fault. There is some truth to that statement and of course I am being sarcastic, but I digress. 

Is removing the confederate flag the right thing to do? Simply, yes. But truth be told, I don't know what's to happen after that. It's going to make a lot of people angry. Most people will forget about it and move on with their lives. 

But will that proverbial flag still be flying?

People need to realize that others will always hate you just because you're you. Racism will always exist. I know that is a tough pill to swallow for some people and I know some people will argue that it will not, but as long as people are different, and as long as they come from different cultures, one side will always find angst towards the other. We have come a very long way no matter what anyone tells you. People of color are afforded every opportunity that my European descent relatives are given. Life is what you make of it, and if you constantly play the victim and are worried that someone hates you because you are a different color than your neighbor, well, that is not a life worth living in my book. I treat people the same. If you are nice to me, I will be nice to you. It's that simple. It's how my mother raised me. Doesn't matter what race, gender, nationality, sexual preference, etc. You will receive my respect and kindness if you deserve it.

I hope something good comes of this removal if it does happen. Maybe some people's attitudes and opinions will change? Maybe not? I guess only time will tell.

What is normal like?

Often times in this crazy world in which we live, we get caught up on each others differences, and trying to get along, especially in the social media age of today, takes us back to the playground at elementary school. I would venture to say most of us have varying opinions, and for the most part we are able to civilly discuss said various topics (even if they are political) without much damage or someone's feelings being hurt.

Not everything that happens in the world around us is going to be something we like or we agree with. Bruce Jenner (now Caitlyn) this week appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair, after her recent gender reassignment surgery. Gender reassignment and transgendered people are something that is not new. But for this topic to be in the limelight, and at the forefront of popular culture today IS new. Caitlyn Jenner is certainly not a transgender pioneer, as people such as Christine Jorgensen, Sylvia Rivera, and Renee Richards all transitioned in times when it was much less accepting as it is today. But Jenner should certainly be celebrated in her own right.

It takes guts to be yourself. 

If you have never had to not be yourself, then you don't understand what it's like. Being yourself is something that comes so naturally to most, but for others it can take years before they are comfortable being themselves. Please don't discount that fact if you don't simply understand.

It's O.K. to not understand everything of this world. My initial reaction to Caitlyn Jenner was that it didn't really affect me, and what someone does to their own body and with their own life has no affect on me. 

Sometimes we don't need to have reactions. 

A lot of people can confuse this with not being allowed to have an opinion. Having an opinion is a right. Whether that opinion will be well liked is another, but it's still a right. I saw many people share a photo of a double-amputee soldier with the caption, "Caitlyn Jenner won the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. The runner up was this guy: Army Veteran Noah Galloway, who lost an arm and a leg to a roadside bomb in Iraq, and now competes in Crossfit events, runs marathons, and competed in the 58-hour Death Race."

This fact has since been disproved, since ESPN does not award a runner-up for the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. The fact of the matter is, every year there is going to be someone that is absolutely worthy of the award but does not win.

Can we for once put down our self-righteous weapons and let people be who they are. Nothing is wrong with our nation for making things that were once taboo, normal. Being who you are is your normal. It may not be someone else's normal, but guess what? It's not theirs to have. You are you.

 Be yourself for god's sakes.

Trust in God

Life is way too funny the way it turns out sometime.

Sometimes or more often cases, a lot of times, it doesn't turn out the way you want it to. Sure, I've had things in my life that have not come easy, but that's most everyone. I'm through with placing these burdens on myself and give them to God. That's the only thing we can do sometimes.

I'm only 25 (*almost* 26 ... ) but my mom has always told me even from a young age, that life is not and never will be fair. I'm so glad she didn't sugar coat things for me. I never felt entitled to anything in life. I was never an A+ student, but I got by. Finding employment has never been easy for me. I've just now recently found some part-time work. I realize that God knows our path in life and I completely trust Him in where he wants to take me next.

Life is too short to be miserable. So give your worries and burdens to God, and watch him go to work in your life. Something I constantly have to remind myself.

And maybe you need reminding too.

Toying with our emotions

Gabby Giffords wrote an op-ed piece in the New York Times yesterday in regards to the senate vote on gun control.

As you can imagine, it's dripping with heart-felt emotion:

SENATORS say they fear the N.R.A. and the gun lobby. But I think that fear must be nothing compared to the fear the first graders in Sandy Hook Elementary School felt as their lives ended in a hail of bullets. The fear that those children who survived the massacre must feel every time they remember their teachers stacking them into closets and bathrooms, whispering that they loved them, so that love would be the last thing the students heard if the gunman found them. On Wednesday, a minority of senators gave into fear and blocked common-sense legislation that would have made it harder for criminals and people with dangerous mental illnesses to get hold of deadly firearms — a bill that could prevent future tragedies like those in Newtown, Conn., Aurora, Colo., Blacksburg, Va., and too many communities to count.

Let me start off by saying, I have the utmost respect for Gabby Giffords (former Democratic Senator from Arizona, who was shot in the head on January 8, 2011). She has fought a courageous battle in recovering. She has been an inspiration for many Americans, and she should be commended for that.

However, in saying that, background checks could not have prevented the actions of Adam Lanza and other madmen from doing the horribly, horrific acts they committed. The weapon Lanza used belonged to his mother, who would have passed the background checks. If we banned certain "assault" weapons, this isn't going to stop a criminal. Connecticut already had a ban on these weapons. 

Letting emotion dictate our policies is not only incredibly foolish, but dangerous.

We do need to come togehther to try and come up with a solution, but placing more background checks and placing bans on certain assault weapons isn't going to accomplish anything. The 2nd Amendment, and I will state it for you in case you have forgotten what it actually says (and means)

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

The orignial intent of the 2nd Amendment is to protect citizen's rights to bear arms against a tyrannical government. Any infringement upon these rights is deemed unconstitutional. Senators like Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz are fighting for our constitutional rights as American citizens, and it is a damn shame that protecting civil liberties is now seen as "extreme," or somehow those not in favor of gun control legislation do not care about the victims whose lives have been lost. 

You know what is a shame? Legislators, senators, and our current administration using victims of these heinous acts, as propped up political propaganda. It's disgusting. 

And even more amazingly now, there are comedians like Jay Mohr and Lawrence O'Donnel actually blaming the 2nd Amendment for the bombings in Boston earlier this week. We have to stop this blameshifting.

Our priorties are all wrong. 

Post Inauguration Thoughts

I've had a lot on my mind recently in regards to the state of politics in this country. Ok, let's be honest, I always have that on my mind. As I was driving home from Florida, Monday, I had time to collect some thoughts as President Obama was inaugurated into office for his second term.

I often think my opinion is not the popular one, but then I realize lots of people relate to me. As I mentioned on facebook Monday, I never like to be labeled anything for that matter, but definitely not another anti-Obama person. Let's get one thing clear, because of my beliefs politically, I am not a Barack Obama supporter. I never have been. BUT, let's also get one thing clear as well, the problem in this country for a long time has been status quo politics. We have politicians who claim to be fiscally conservative like Paul Ryan, who is nothing short of a moderate. Ryan is about the furthest you can be from being a fiscal conservative.

I was a fan of George Bush, the person, not George Bush the President. Many Obama supporters are obviously not Bush fans or fans of the GOP party altogether, and rightfully justified in most instances, but if we take away the Obama name, he is hardly different than Bush. Their foreign policies are the same, they are both big spenders. Obama claims, or at least claimed to be anti-war back in 2008, but he's hardly that. Obama tried to extend the war in Iraq, wanting to keep thousands of troops there passed the proposed deadline, which was set in place already by... yep you guessed it, Bush.

I imagine if Obama was a republican, most in this country would be chastising him for supporting NDAA, Patriot Act, TARP Bailouts, and don't even get me started on the drone strikes in Yemen and Libya or the whole Benghazi ordeal.

Four reasons why Obama was reelected:

1) Ignorance by his policies
2) The U.S. is becomming more socially liberal
3) Too many in this country are dependent on government handouts
4) Mitt Romney was the LAST choice of many in the GOP

Social issues are important to most people, and I consider them important as well, but to vote for a president solely based on the fact that he has come out in support of gay marriage is, well pretty dumb if you think about it. Obama is not going to somehow legalize gay marriage. It is a state by state issue. And further more, why do people not realize he has pandered to the LGBT community to get their votes. A presient's personal view on gay marriage is pretty much irrelevant. I understand that most in the gay community feel like they have a voice with a president supporting this, but in reality, he can't do anything because it's a state issue.

The republican party is seen by most as backward, because of some of the comments made by Todd Akin and others regarding abortion. The GOP is also seen as anti-science and anti-gay. This is why they are failing to attract the youth vote.

As I have said before, the GOP must embrace libertarianism, and libertarian-minded republicans if they want to change their party's platform. For a die hard conservative, you have to realize if you support a libertairan candidate, you're not giving up your socially conservative values, you just have to realize the government has no place enforcing morality. The GOP should want to limit government overall.

Grassroots activists did not support Romney, and he was the last candidate they would have chosen. If the GOP wants to win, they have to have the support of these individuals who will get out, knock on doors, put up yard signs, make phone calls, etc. The GOP must also not continue to shun libertarians, particularly at national conventions like we saw this past year in Tampa. If the GOP continues to elect more "fiscal moderates" because they think they are more electable, the GOP will continue to spiral downward.

Lastly, I thought I would post a YouTube video that clears up some of the confusion most have about libertarians. Julie Borowski is a policy analyst for FreedomWorks, and is one of my favorite libertarians.

The Day After

People are incredibly predictable. Today feels a lot like that November day in 2008. Some people happy, others very unhappy. Some people like to get philisophical about how we should all act, treat each other, etc. 

I'm always ALL for working together to solve a common goal, but how we didn't learn our lesson four years ago is baffling. This president, nor individuals in congress believe in non-partisanship. We're going to be faced with the same problems, same issues as we are today in 2016. Except of course, we'll all be paying out of our nose in taxes trying to afford Obamacare. 

I've expressed my displeasure with "status quo" politics before and until we come to the realization of not accepting this problem, we will continue to spiral downward. 

The liberty movement within the Republican party is a strong one and is continuing to gain momentum. We'll be pushing candidates like Justin Amash (reelected in MI-3), Thomas Massie (KY-4), Ted Yoho (FL-3), and David Schweikert (AZ-6), Kerry Bentivolio (MI-11, and of course Sen. Rand Paul (Ron Paul's son) who should make a strong run in 2016 for the Presidency. If you're not familiar with this movement, make yourself informed. Candidates and ideals like this are the future face of the now broken Republican party. 

So here's to 2014, and eventually 2016!