Bet Post 7 or "The Rainbow Coalition"

Ok Pandora...I can't believe you're actually going to make me stick up for Rosie O'Donald. There will be consequences...

Gay Marriage.

There it is. I just spat it out there for you all to see. I'm gonna do it again...

Gay Marriage.

Did it hurt to read that? Did God come down and cover your eyes? Well, I didn't hear any thunder so maybe God isn't all that concerned. Republicans are.

Why is this even an issue for presidential debate? Aren't we dedicated to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? Evidently not, considering the vast amount of political rhetoric for and against.

This cold world of ours can be a pretty shitty place sometimes. We all stumble around, hoping to find that one person that completes us and helps give meaning to our lives. Why should gay people want it any less that heteros? I know, I know, I've heard all the crappola about how it threatens traditional values, will place a burden on health care and spouce death benefits. That's all nothing but a cop out.

It's bigotry folks. Plain and simple.

"God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!" Well dear children, if you're a strict believer in the Bible, technically, God did make Adam and Steve. You just get irky when thinking about Adam bending over Steve. No matter how nasty and wrong you may think it is, Steve likes it. Can't imaging getting bent over by anybody but Adam. Loves him with all his heart. If it had been Adam bending over Eve, y'all would be cheering and telling the happy couple they needed to get hitched. Adam and Steve, on the other hand, can't. Oh sure, they can have a civil union. Marriage Lite, if you will. Tastes great, less inconvenient.

If anyone is even out there, reading this, other than Pandora, How is a traditional marriage threatened by this? I fail to see it. But then again, my own track record with marriage and long term relationships kinda sucks, so I'll grant you. I might be missing something. I think two men or two women have the same right as I do to get hitched, discover they've made a horrible mistake and be miserable, just the same as any man/woman union.

Think about it this way... If the Rainbow Coalition ran the world and refused to let hetero couples marry, but have civil unions, can you imagine the roar of protest?

Folks, happiness is such an amazingly rare thing. Finding someone you want to wake up with every day for the rest of your life is a jewel beyond price. Where is the compassion, the morality, of denying it to people just because they are gay? Are we heteros really that damned insecure?? Evidently we are.

And the conservative republicans are leading the fight to deny people that right. And if a conservative shrugs and says he or she doesn't have a problem with it, it's whispered that the person must be >gasp!< a liberal!

Come on guys.. put your heads out of your tight conservative asses and really look around. Is it worth building a political career on the back of people whom you've told aren't good enough to be married?

Glad I'm an independent now...

Bet Post 6 or "Jesus was a conservative republican"

Why must I be a good christian if I want to be a member in good standing with the conservatives?

Can someone tell me?

What if I'm Jewish? Mitt Romney proved you can't be mormon. What if I'm a muslim? What if I don't believe?

Can I still be a conservative?

If you listen to Rush, he'll tell you NO!

These bastards are comin' over here and getting involved and demanding we remove the symbols of our christian heritage from the money, from governmental seals, you name it. We won't stand for it! God is on our side!

Yeah, yeah, dude. What the fuck ever...

Seems to me that I'm always hearing about Catholic priests forcing alterboys into giving them a knobber or bending them over for a tender piece of boy butt. How much money has been paid out in legal fees or hush money?

Now I'm all for a warm and wet blowjob, but personally, my preference is to get it from a consenting warm and wet woman. But the Roman Catholic Church is ferociously inflexible when it comes to creating an atmosphere within their religion that prevents such things. Catholics are all about tradition, too.

Kind of funny that so many republican legislators get busted for bending their pages, male and female, over for a knobber or warm butt. Is this the tradition they are defending?

Now, personally, I want to see "In God We Trust" on the money. I've never known American currency to not say that. Doesn't say who's god.. just God. Can't we make that work for everyone? I want it there because it's always been there, not because the Lord God will knock me out if it's otherwise.

I can be all about tradition, too, but seriously fellas... Let's push for American traditions and not religious ones.

Who knows..I'm tired, I may have missed the point here, or maybe not. I'm just sayin'...

Bet Post 5 "WWRD"

My friend Pandora is just going to LOVE this one...

Republican Conservatives have declared themselves the defenders of "Traditional American Family Values." You guys really want to do that?

VP Cheney is being looked at because of a two year old letter indicating he was trying to influence passing of a bill to run a pipeline through the Alaska legislature. He was working with Sen Ted Stevens, who was just convicted on about a zillion corruption charges. Money may or may not have changed hands...

KKOB afternoon drive time news anchor Laura Macalham resigned after station officials pulled her story about republican vote buying. This was done because of pressure from the Bernalillo County republican delegate nominating commitee.

Republican Rep Rick Renzi has been indicted for extortion, money laundering, wire fraud and other charges in an Arizona Land deal.

A former GOP congressional aide peaded guilty to molesting two boys...

The list goes on and on. If you're interested in looking for yourself, go to .

So much for traditional values...

Bet Post 4 "Pardon me Ma'am, but did you see my party go by?"

Rush Limbaugh
Sean Hannity
Mark Levin

I am SO damned tired of ditto-heads, "Sean, you're a great American" and the typical load of horse shit.

I think that there is a better than average chance it was idiots like these that contributed to the Republicans getting crushed. Rush's Operation Chaos, the Beat Hilary/Obama Express. Really did a lot of good, didn't it fellas? And then, then, you guys have the balls to say that the dems cheated, rigged the election. As a former republican, guys, seriously, shut the fuck up. You're just making yourselves and good, hardworking republicans look foolish.

The other day, I heard Rush state that moderate republicans should just leave the party and become democrats, since they obviously loved them so much. That the moderates should "Leave OUR party alone." Mr. Limbaugh, respectfully, piss off! It's pompous blowhards like yourself that are just making it harder for republicans to win, to get their message out.

You guys spew this shit over the public airwaves that a good republican conservative MUST be a good christian.. MUST be pro life.. Must think that Global Warming must be made up to scare us. You say that you are all for rugged individualism. As long as we all become good lil clones and march in lockstep with what you claim to be the truth.

I AM agnostic.
I AM Pro choice.
I AM unsure about Global Warming, but I think it needs further study.
I WAS a republican...but not anymore...

Gentlemen, you are all simply entertainers, and those that listen to you are idiots if they think you are anything else.

You broke my party. Made it something it never really was before. You broke it and twisted the pieces. Fix it, bring home all the former party members you have alienated, then give it back. Then take your sorry asses back to Top 40 radio, where you belong.

An open letter to President-Elect Obama

To President-Elect Barack Obama

Dear Sir,

Congratulations on your election as our 44th President.

I will be up front by saying that I did not vote for you. Bearing that in mind, I will not turn this into some ill conceived mantra about parties or experience. At this point, that is a moot discussion. You have won the election, so it is time to look forward.

I am writing, because I think that government officials are there to serve the people they govern, not the other way around. I believe that I have a right for my voice to be heard; my concerns addressed. I believe I have the right to speak, man to man, to my president.

I am no 'Joe the Plumber.' I am 47, live in the Midwest and manage my family's business. I am an average citizen. I have traditionally voted with a conservative republican slant. I have to say, at this point, I feel betrayed by both parties. To the point that I am giving up my party affiliations and am becoming a declared Independent.

President-Elect Obama, I am also a parent. I have a 19 year old son that will be graduating from recruit training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma this weekend. My son will be spending three years serving in an army that will look to you for leadership. I would ask that you always remember that the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines under your command are not just id numbers or numbers to be used to fill force readiness reports. They are husbands, wives, sons, daughters, mothers and fathers. They are all volunteers. Use those men and women to safeguard our national good. Please do not waste their lives. I am putting my son's life in your hands. I expect you to give him back. If fate determines that you cannot, search your soul and make sure that he and his brothers and sisters have not died in vain.

As a veteran of Reagan's military, I understand that conflicts happen. They happen and sometimes, you just can't walk away from them. Fight those conflicts. Fight them intelligently and well. Then bring my son home to me.

As I said earlier, I manage my family's business. A small family run grocery store that serves a community of less than 1500 people. Over the past few months, I have listened to captains of industry come and beg for money, because it's "Just too expensive to do business in this economic climate." It strikes me that there has been a vast amount of fiscal irresponsibility and downright greed. I have heard automakers complain they can't do business. It has been a hallmark of American business to be flexible and responsive to the economic climate and the wants of it's customers. The automakers have seen and chosen to ignore new technology that would have made them far more competitive, yet instead, they flooded the market with vehicles that people increasingly didn't want. Now they want American tax dollars to bail them out. I ask you, Sir, would the government be willing to bail out my grocery store? No, and they would be correct not to do so, because it is my job to make good decisions for my business. Are we any more correct to do so for bigger businesses because they employ more people? They are still called to make the same kinds of choices that I am. They still need to be good businessmen. You, as our President, must ask yourself "Are we rewarding bad choices? Greedy behavior?" So I ask you, Sir, think hard before putting my tax dollars to such use. Once done, it sets a precedence that can't be undone.

Finally, President-Elect Obama, I would ask you to consider the repercussions to our country before speaking for amnesty for illegal immigrants. I keep hearing that unemployment could rise to 8%. How can amnesty help that number? President Bush has said that there are some jobs Americans just will not do. If that is the case, we should be ashamed of ourselves. If such work needs to be done cheaply, wouldn't it be more reasonable to use prison inmates for things like agricultural fieldwork? As most of the illegal immigrants are Mexican, is it not the responsibility of the Mexican government to improve conditions for their own people and not leave it to America? What would the world say if we were to engage in that kind of behavior?

There is also a need to control our boarders to keep out those that would try to use the US/Mexican boarder as an avenue to enter the United States and do us ill. 9/11 was a wake up call for the United States, but it is a call that we have forgotten. Please, Sir, keep my countrymen safe.

Sir, as I've said, I did not vote for you, and I see dark times ahead for our country. Man to man, I ask you to consider carefully your actions over the next four years. I didn't like a lot of the things you had to say over the course of the campaign. Please, Sir, prove me wrong.

Bet Post 3

Since that horrific morning of 11 September, 2001, Americans have suddenly looked upon their harbors, airports and boarders with fear. For most of our history, we have lived by the words "Give us your poor, your tired, your huddled masses longing to be free." Now, in these days of international terrorism, we want, even need, to put up the "No room at the inn."

We all agree that the US needs greater security than ever before. In a large part, that falls upon the boarders. Especially the boarder with Mexico. Without even considering the issues of terrorism, we have vast numbers of Mexicans pouring into the US, looking for jobs, looking for money, looking for a better life. Before I can told how uncompassionate I am, for those that follow the rules of proper immigration, I say 'Welcome to the United States. Follow your dreams and live the kind of life you have always wanted. I will embrace you in good fellowship and brotherhood." But the proper trail is so difficult and so out of reach for the average Mexican, they prefer to take their chances crossing the boarder.

This has created an ongoing problem for the US that is only getting worse. We have called to our government to fix this problem. What are we told?

There are some jobs Americans are unwilling to do.

We will embrace these people as guest workers.

We can't build the fences we agreed to because it impacts negatively the environment of a species of desert turtle.

All these statements came from the office of President Bush and were picked up by most of the republican party. If you will forgive a paraphrasing of JFK: We don't do these things because they are easy, we do them because they are hard. We should do them because they are the right thing to do. And the truth is, we, through the vehicle of our government, a republican administration, don't have the guts to see it through.

I live in Iowa and within the last 6 months, the INS staged the largest anti illegal immigrant raid in history. The logistics were near impossible, the cost was prohibitive, the end result was questionable. There are raids all over the country, but these raids are just addressing the symptoms. We have to, have had to, close the boarders. Lock them up tight. The government has given lip service to this need, but has done nothing to make it a reality. This is the greatest failing of the Bush administration. And it goes beyond simply failing to keep a promise. It is willfully placing every American, man woman and child, at risk. And that is unforgivible.

Shame on you President Bush. Shame on every staunch republican in government. I hope you can all live with the potential consequences of your inaction.

Bet Post 2

I'm angry.

Angry enough to have changed my mind on what I originally wanted to write about here.

I was going to write about boarder control, but that's just going to have to wait until next time.

Way back in the day, when I was but a lad and registering to vote, I registered as a democrat. Something I mark off as a youthful indescretion. In my heart, I was a republican. I've never voted for a democratic president. I've wanted Tom Harken out of office since I was old enough to realize what an amazing idiot he is. I proudly considered myself a Reagan Republican. Those days are gone now. No..Pandora shouldn't get her hopes up. I am not turning into either a democrat or a liberal. I am a new born Independent.

Why the change?

Because my party has been coopted and has become something I no longer recognize. I have said for years now, that our political system is no longer about democrats and republicans, but about conservatives and liberals. The conservative talk show hosts proclaim themselves to be the new media. Guys like Limbaugh and Hannity claim they are for the truth. That they are the voices of The People. On Thursday, 6 November, Rush Limbaugh, when speaking with a caller, said that it was the weak spined, wishy washy republican moderates that cost John McCain the race. Mr. Limbaugh, sir, I disagree with you and for such statements, you are invited to kiss my lily white butt.

As I said in my last bet post, I don't believe that conservatives are the majority of the republican party, any more than the liberals are the majority of the democrats. They just have a louder voice. With that voice, they say some of the most foolish things I have ever heard. Things that have guarenteed that I can never be a conservative again.

Abortion:
A conservative can only be pro life. Every child concieved must be carried to term. Regardless of the consequences. This sets the precidence that the government has the right to tell you what you can and cannot do with your body. I know, I know..they've been doing that anyway with laws regarding drugs and drinking. That is an entirely different can of worms and anyone with half a brain recognizes that. The decision to carry or not to carry a child to term rests ONLY with the mother of that child. The only other person that comes close to having any say, other than the mother, is the father. And I believe that his voice is one of an advisor only. He should support her decision, but respect that it is her decision. Some women say that they would be able to undergo an abortion. Others say that they couldn't live with themselves if they did. That's why it's called pro CHOICE. As for myself, I do believe in parental notification. I don't think a teen mother should be able to cross state lines to be able to get an abortion. A parent should, and should want to be, informed of what their minor children are doing. But to overturn Row v Wade is to send our women back to the back alley butchers again. Republican Conservatives applaude and congratulate women that carry their kids to full term. But who is there to help and support young teen mothers, rape victims, extremely poor women in their 4th, 5th, 6th, etc. trimesters? Not the conservatives.

The Economy.
Two words: Bail Out. Never in my life have I heard of such a dangerous plan. Governmental instructions and private sector greed were the major cause of the current crisis. The Dow, if I heard it correctly, has dropped like 900 points since the bail out was passed. 10% since the elections. The bankers have their hands out...The automakers say it is too hard to do business in this climate, so their hands are out... Now they want to send out even more checks to John Q Public. When did we think it was a good idea to allow Captain Jack Sparrow and his pirate crew to run major american business?? We have created the precidence for any major industry to cry hard times and come to the government begging for help. And we are GIVING IT!!! I didn't expect overnight turnarounds, but we should be seeing some change. I'm sure not.

Immigration
See next post.

Religion
I must believe in Goddda to be a conservative. For anyone that knows me...you have to know how well that sits with me. Personally, I don't care who or what you worship. As my president/senator/congressman/governor, I'm more interested in how you think, your capacity for reason and logic, than I am with how you spend your Sunday mornings.

Reagan used to talk about compassionate conservatism. The shining City on the hill. I look at those who used to be my fellow conservatives and wonder what happened to those days of compassion and morality. Ethical behavior. Did it ever exist? Pandora will tell me that it didn't. I served 5 years in Regan's military and I say that it did. But ultimately, that doesn't matter. That compassion and honor are long gone. Perhaps to those distant shores that Nancy said that Ron had finally journeyed to. They took a basically good man and tried to make him something he just isn't, then trot him out in front of us all and say that McCain's our man! Listen up lads! Conservatives and arrogance and bad decisions lost you your election. Don't come to me looking to help you make it better. You really don't give two shits what I have to say. So I'm just taking my sword and shield and am going to look for greener pastures. Who knows...Maybe we can still convince Jessie Ventura to run for president in 2012...

In the meantime, dig deep, build the walls high and be prepared... Storm clouds are coming...

Paying off my bet

Here we are on 5 November. Obama swept into the white house yesterday. Today being the first of what will be proclaimed "The era of change." I made the bet that if he were to win the election, I would make 30 entries illuminating the ills of the Republican party. I will do this, as I gave my word.

A bit of a political background on me. I am a registered democrat. I haven't changed it in the years since I reregistered after moving to Central City. Typically, I vote republican conservative, as that is where my beliefs usually take me. I am, however, going to register as an independent, considering I believe that both parties have lost their way, forgotten their values, and have allowed the lunatic extremist fringe to dictate policy. Obama ran on a platform of change. How can there be real change when, really, candidates have to deal with the same old party crap?

As a rule, while I'm bashing the republicans, I will do my best not to mix in Obama bashing. Two separate issues, and they will be treated as such.

So let me start with anti-republican post one of thirty.

Any such diatribe would not be accurate if the issues of the election were not addressed first. I don't believe that there were any issues like hanging chad or voter fraud, or if there were, that it was in great enough numbers to ultimately call into question the end results. Senator Obama won the right to become President Obama, I believe, fair and square and congrats to him for his win.

The republicans lost focus. There was/is such hatered for Bush in the country, they never seriously tried to challenge that. Again, I blame extremist conservative talk radio for a great deal of that loss. Once McCain became the presumptive candidate, they, and he, tried to make him something he really wasn't. McCain has never really been a conservative. And the pundits spent way too many years saying he was pretty much a do nothing senator. McCain should have run more on his record, what he really stood for. Allow himself to be judged on his own merits. Granted, he'd have gotten his ass handed to him far sooner, but it would have been more intellectually honest.

I don't honestly believe that the Republican Party is primarily made up of conservatives. They just tend to be more active and have louder voices. I do believe in the basic values. Smaller government. Personal and fiscal responsibility. Give people the tools they need to craft their own success and don't just throw money at people and babysit them. Something given at no cost has no value.

The Republicans allowed the Democrats to dominate the airwaves. Once McCain became the go to guy, you just didn't hear very much about him. The fight between Clinton and Obama kept his name and the Democrats in the public eye. That is near criminal stupidity.

There were really just two hot button issues people wanted to hear about. The war and the economy. The Rebulicans never satisfactorily addressed either one. I have and continue to believe that the war is a conflict the USA needed to be involved in. We need to do the job, do it right and get out as soon as is proper. Cutting and running isn't the answer. McCain saying we will stay there for a 100 years if needed, won the hearts and minds of no one. He needed to be a bit more comprehensive on that.

My own feeling is that both parties blew it. We are on the "Bail Out Express," and I don't know how we are going to get off it. We just need to be telling the various industries that are crying hard times to suck it up and do what Americans have always done best. Be smart and innovative. Set positive trends. Don't follow bad ones.

So I guess, in summary, my point this time is that the Republicans have no clue who they are, where they want to go. They have no real leadership (which is why loud voices such as Rush Limbaugh's are seen as a form of leadership.) in a time where America is starving for it. They failed to articulate their ideas in such a way as they struck any chord in the electorate.

I was reminded last night that after the Carter administration, we got Ronald Reagan. We now have Barrack Obama. I can only hope the shining city on the hill has one more son to give us.

Be safe. Be strong.

Where are the gold ribbons

Everywhere you look, you see those damned support this or support that kind of ribbon. The pink ones, the red ones, the yellow ones, even the rainbow ribbons. But where are the gold ribbons? Who even knows what the gold ribbons support? This month (October) is breast cancer awareness month. Everywhere you look, you see those damned pink ribbons. Now, of course I'm not against research to find a cure for breast cancer, But, gentle reader, did you know that last month was Childhood cancer awareness month?

Of course you didn't.

It is symbolized by the Golden Ribbon.

But you never saw celebrities pleading with you on TV to donate to save the children. Target, Walmart, K mart didn't get behind it in a massive month long ad campaign. Campbell's Soup didn't dedicate gold labels in support. Este Lauder didn't sell fun little gold ribbon bracelets.

Why is that?

I think a big part of it is that if it got the constant coverage that breast cancer gets, >gasp<>

Random thoughts

I was just sitting here, uploading pics, and was thinking. It's the start of the new year and typically, this is the time to reflect on the past year. And...I have questions.

When exactly did our daughters start dressing like they were going to Playboy playmate tryouts? I mean seriously. I have to take my daughter (who's 5) to school. She's already asked if I will get her low rider jeans and tummy shirts. Umm...No! Granted, it's not so bad in the winter, but when it's warm out, you see more exposed teenaged girl flesh than you used to see at the local swimming pool. I will admit to the occasional pervy old guy moment where I do take a minute to admire the nubile young bodies being displayed for me, and to bemoan the fact that such flesh is forever beyond my reach now, but seriously! WTF are we, as parents thinking?? We can't really be surprised when the local young lads come sniffing lustfully at our daughters. Shooting the lads is kind of frowned upon (except by the fathers who have their own teenaged daughters). Also, I work with a lot of these girls and in conversations, have discovered that a disturbing amount of them believe that having oral sex doesn't really constitute having 'real' sex. Good lord! Gimme some of that non real sex!

Maybe as a corollary to the above, I glance, from time to time, at the tabloids at the checkout stands. These are the people our kids are making into role models. Sports figures used to be considered worthy of emulation, but look now. The baseball steroid scandal, Mike Vick and his dogs, (and since I live in Iowa) the shameful behavior of college athletes, Kobe Bryant, Mike Tyson. My mother used to be hooked on the classic movie channels. Remember when actors and actresses were glamorous beings with the looks of Greek Gods? And now? We have Brittney Spears (and her lil sister), Tom Cruise, who seems to me to be making himself into a bigger and bigger joke, Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, the Pitt-Jolies. I dunno...maybe I'm just getting old.

Maybe all the above is prompted by a fear of change. Maybe I'm just not keeping up. But there is one thing I will always speak out against and that is the evil of Political Correctness. It's a continuing theme in every George Carlin bit I've ever heard, but we are modifying our very language, taking it further and further away from the truth it was to represent. Look at how we refer to other people. Back in the day, Negroes were called blacks. Now, we must be sensitive to the horrors of the American slave trade and refer to them as African Americans. Well? Which is it? Are you guys African or American? The same for any one of a different ethnic background. We are told that we need to recognize the heritage of others, no matter how they emigrated to the US. In a fit of anti Political Correctness, while we are asked to celebrate their ethnic diversity, white Americans are asked to cover up our own. I was born in Fredericksburg, VA. The site of a brutal Civil War battle. I have ancestors who fought on both sides. I have always been proud of both sides. And as long as I'm celebrating my 'Union' heritage, if I express pride in my southern background, somehow, I'm being a racist. We are asked to respect Kwanzaa (did I spell that right?), yet every southern state, who's flag includes the old confederate battle standard has been asked to remove it and show their sensitivity to the black community. What about my heritage? How am I supposed to feel when I'm told that heritage is bad? I'm not against Kwanzaa at all. I believe we should be sensitive to others. But I also believe that there should be one level playing field for all.

Am I wrong here? You tell me

Making life worthwhile

What makes life worth living?

Wealth?

Sex?

Power?

All the bits of stuff we think are so important?

There's no arguing that for some, for many, it is exactly that that makes life worthwhile. Many folks just say that being happy is what makes life worth it. How do you define happiness?

Yes, success in a career, success in relationships is a definite part of happiness, but in my opinion, it isn't enough. In this world of plenty (at least in the first world and many of the second world nations) and technology, things like computers, DVD players, cell phones and the internet have been reduced from luxury items to instruments of survival. My question is this:

Is it enough to survive? To merely exist? Or do we need for there to be something more?

I believe that we do need more. But we have to go back in history a bit for some examples. Some of the most enduring stories and legends of the Christian world revolve around people like Robin Hood, King Arthur, and the knights of the Crusades. Having said that, one could ask why these stories just seem to stick. One answer is that there seem to be countless books and movies devoted to the subject. While true, it only feeds into perhaps the real reason. We live in what sometimes seems an empty world. Devoid of any higher meaning. It is assumed that church goers have found their higher purpose. The Holy men and women of the East can seem almost alien to our culture, but you just have to close your eyes and reach out with your feelings and you can sense a power, an energy there. But by and large, there seems to be little in our world to believe in, to have faith in. No higher callings than self service. The old stories I mentioned earlier have a common thread. Once, it was known as the Chivalric Code. One version of it looked like this:

The Ten Commandments of the Code of Chivalry
From Chivalry by Leon Gautier

Thou shalt believe all that the Church teaches, and shalt observe all its directions.
Thou shalt defend the Church.
Thou shalt respect all weaknesses, and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them.
Thou shalt love the country in the which thou wast born.
Thou shalt not recoil before thine enemy.
Thou shalt make war against the Infidel without cessation, and without mercy.
Thou shalt perform scrupulously thy feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God. Thou shalt never lie, and shall remain faithful to thy pledged word.
Thou shalt be generous, and give largess to everyone.
Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil.

Reading this old code, you can almost hear clashing swords and the cries of battling knights! Basically, this code tells us that we must be brave and courageous, loyal and respectful, honest and forthright. We must protect those weaker than ourselves. That, I think, is the single most important aspect. Helping those that are weaker than we are, that cannot help themselves.

Efforts have been made to reclaim some of the spirit of the old code. Those efforts usually are focused in community service organizations such as the Kiwanis, the Jay Cees, the Knights of Columbus, the Freemasons. With the internet, groups of people from around the world have gathered in chat rooms and on message boards, looking for the modern equivalent of the Chivalric Code. One of those communities is the Jedi Realist movement. The members of this community don't believe they can do mind tricks or levitate things, but rather try to apply the philosophies gathered from fiction and apply it to their world. They also have something of a code. Several actually, but all say basically the same thing:

We therefore agree that the ideals of our Order, which will live in our membership, should always be based on the premise that a Jedi must embody at least these principles:
1. Believes in, and has faith in, the Force and the inner strength it provides.
2. Disciplines the mind with study to gain knowledge and wisdom.
3. Disciplines the body with exercise to gain strength of will and of body.
4. Disciplines the spirit through meditation and connection to the Force to gain serenity and focus.
5. Tempers the emotions with self knowledge to gain humility and compassion.
6. Strives to achieve balance in accordance to the will of the Force.
7. Demonstrates respect and compassion for others as well as the self.
8. Serves others rather than rules over them, for the betterment of all.
9. Accepts the responsibility to pass on learning to those who wish to know the Force.
10. Views the world critically and objectively, and is willing to challenge conventional thinking.
11. Strives to use inner strength, conviction and wisdom to defend, protect and serve.
12. Respects life in all its forms.
13. Accepts and exercises the responsibility to do what needs to be done, without thought of recognition or reward.
14. Approaches life in a forthright and honest manner.
15. Faces the challenges of life with courage, humility and wisdom.

This code says many of the same things in a more detailed way. It does add an emphasis on self knowledge.

Why am I so long winded about this? What is it I'm trying to say? The original question was what makes life worth living? I tell you that what makes life worth living is to live to a higher purpose. Our world is one where each of us has countless means of communications available, yet we so rarely talk. We don't want to get involved in the lives and problems of others. We don't want someone else's clutter in our lives.

I say it's a matter of perspective and choice. Some will consider getting involved as opening themselves up to the 'clutter.' For those of you who chose to get involved, I believe that you are participating in life, itself. You grant yourself a much richer and more fulfilling life. One with substance and meaning. It means creating a greater connection between yourself and the world around you. The Buddhists have a concept where life is like an infinitely vast fishing net. Every knot in that net holds a bead. Each bead reflects every other bead. The idea is that all life is interconnected, like the reflections in the beads. Affect one thing, one person's life (hopefully in a positive way) and you have an affect on all things. Raise the level of compassion in the world.

If you've gotten this far, and are still interested, you may be wondering how to achieve this. Start small. With a reasonable goal. Stop and consider what you believe in. Maybe even write down a code of your own to follow. What are you passionate about? Make a pact with yourself to do one thing for someone every day. Help someone study in school. Help a little old lady carry groceries to her car. Hold open a door for a mother or father pushing a baby stroller. I guarantee that if you do this, you will receive a surprised and thankful smile. If you are wanting more, consider doing volunteer work at your local school, library or even hospital. These places always need help. Turning into a glutton, wanting to do more? See if your community has any Community service organizations like those I mentioned earlier. All are looking for new members almost all the time. Especially young, enthusiastic members.

Ok, I've written just about as much as I think I should for one blog entry. Let me close this with a couple of questions. 1. Do you believe that chivalry is dead? 2. How do you think you could help your community

Something's missing these days

When I was a kid, the 21st Century was presented as an era where all our problems would be solved, we’d all own flying cars, would eat our meals in pill form and we’d talk to each other through video radios we wore on our wrists. Well, here we are in 2008 and I still have to cook, my car doesn’t fly (much) but I am communicating through my trusty cell phone.

Life, however, isn’t really any better. Of course, we have the major global problems: Possible global warming (even though a little global warming would be welcomed around here, I think), terrorism, and a political system I think a lot of us have a hard time trusting (when was the last time you voted for someone you wanted, instead of the lesser of two evils?). Social problems I’m not sure we even really see anymore. Poverty, crime, our sons dropping out of school, our daughters bearing children. I heard a statistic on the radio (The Jim Bohanon show) that one in three murdered women are killed by an intimate partner, and one in six of our women have been the victims of sexual abuse. I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing! What are we becoming? What are we teaching our kids?

Evidently, not much.

In the world we know, a two parent family is becoming the exception, rather than the rule. In those families, it’s almost required that both parents work, just to get by. So who’s raising our kids? Schools? Day care? TV and the internet? What kind of example is that setting? Listening to the news, I’d have to say not a very good one. There is just a fundamental something missing.

That something could be called ’Chivalry.’ Now, I’m sure that some of you are rolling your eyes, but think about it. What does chivalry mean? Off the top of most people’s heads, they are thinking about knights, King Arthur and such. If you dig some, you discover that its really much more. It’s about showing respect, helping people that need it, being a true and honest person. It means living for more than just a paycheck and hanging out with friends on the weekend. It means becoming a more ethical and moral person. It means being a good citizen and neighbor. Isn’t that worth working for?

Ok, having brought it up, how does the interested average Joe find out more? If you’re specifically interested in finding out more about what it means to be chivalrous, you can head to the internet and google it and start hunting. I did, and discovered that one of the best sites to learn from is one called www.Chivalrynow.net. There are plenty of good articles to read, even a forum to discuss such topics with like minded people.

We all want a better community in which to raise our kids and to live our lives. We want to be good people and to have our children grow to become good, respectful and caring people. Isn’t it worth some effort?