Uncommon Sense

It’s funny how the same media that trumpets Global Warming as Armageddon belittles Ebola as an epidemic. The talking point of the White House is the risk of an Ebola outbreak in the United States is beyond remote. This narrative is perpetuated by accomplices masquerading as news outlets.

We have been treated to editorial pieces saying we have a better chance of getting the MRSA virus, Hepatitis B/C, or TB then we do of getting Ebola. Using the media’s own argument I have a better chance of getting cancer than I do of melting from the sun’s rays because my car put a hole in the Ozone layer.

I’m being a typical NJ wise guy here but you get my point. The facts may be as the media portrays but does anyone believe the media anymore?   I doubt the media is doing these stories to help allay fears.

According to the Liberal media, the Ebola epidemic is the creation of Conservatives looking to heighten the perception of President Obama’s incompetence. Ever wonder how the media always tends to blame a Conservative agenda on any issue whenever their party’s poll numbers start dipping?

To begin with, it’s not a perception. By any true measure, President Obama is inept at best and incompetent at worst.  The list of his missteps grows longer by the day and shares an inverse relationship with his popularity.  Having a popular president is not important.  Most presidents get negative marks after six years in office as familiarity does breed contempt.

Popularity doesn’t matter but competence sure does. I do not have to like a leader but I do have to respect him or her.  And respect doesn’t mean I agree with his policies.  I do not like Bill Clinton’s policies at all but do respect him as a politician.  I am not a fan of President George W. Bush but I respect him as a leader.

I think it’s time the media starts reporting news and not opinion. The opinions belong on the editorial pages not in the news articles. Everyone has a bias and it’s incredibly hard to keep it out of news writing but journalists get paid to report the news, not comment on it throughout their articles.

The media in NJ spent more column inches on “Bridgegate” than it did on Benghazi. The reason is not because a traffic jam or abuse of power is more important than lives lost but because the media does not like Governor Chris Christie and likes President Obama.  Why worry about reporting news when you can tweak a guy you don’t like?

And the media does not even see its own hubris. The “important” question for Christie to answer was “what did he know and when did he know it?” However, none of that same media thought President Obama should answer that same question about Benghazi.  Instead, much like Ebola the media is whitewashing the Ebola epidemic it glossed over Benghazi and made it more about a “Conservative agenda’ of making a mountain out of a molehill.

It seems to me the media is making mole hills out of mountains.

Pretending there is honor within politicians is like believing there is honor among thieves. The mid-term elections is right around the corner so we will be treated to hysterical pundits screaming about Republicans trying to suppress the minority vote by having voter ID laws.  We’ll hear an equal volume of hubris trying to prove the Democrats partake in voter fraud to ensure victory.

Here’s a news flash: There has not been a contest created in the history of the world where each side did not try to gain advantage. That is the political correct way of writing cheat.

Both parties partake in vote fraud and both parties try to quell the opposition from turning out to vote. Once you strip the pretense of honor away from the crooks we call politicians we can then look at the concept of voter ID.

What’s wrong with asking for an ID when going to vote? Presumably the minorities have some form of ID – a driver’s license, student ID, library card, birth certificate, credit card, passport or any other typical form of ID.  What is the harm in asking for an ID before they vote?  I have to show ID to rent a power tool and I’m thinking voting is more important than the return of a power tool.

The advocates against voter IDs state the fraud is so minimal it doesn’t warrant such action. Really? That’s like saying a cut oozing blood doesn’t need stitches so there is no need for a band aid.

In the 2012 election there were 270 cases of voter fraud reported in Ohio alone. Melowese Richardson was convicted of voter fraud but most of the cases did not result in convictions. Former Governor of NJ Jim Florio once said “You never want to assume there’s bad faith, but it’s important to avoid even the perception that you’re trying to manipulate votes.”

I do not want a voter ID law to prevent voter fraud because people will always find a way to cheat. I just think it makes good sense to prove you who you are before participating in a right thousands of people died to give you.

How long does it take to investigate whether your employee insulted a decorated Army Ranger? Apparently, US Airways needs a lot of time.

If you have not heard the story here is a brief synopsis. On October 9, First Sergeant Albert Marle, a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier, asked a flight attendant if she could hang up his jacket to keep it from getting wrinkled. According to various accounts, the flight attendant harshly and rudely refused saying the closet was for first-class passengers only, and Marle was not traveling in first class.

Apparently, she chastised three first-class passengers who offered to switch seats with the decorated soldier. According to news reports, passengers said the soldier did not raise a fuss and quietly returned to his seat. They said he did not accept the offer from other passengers to switch seats.

The following day, the airline issued an apology and indicated they were investigating the incident, giving the lip-service statement “We apologize for the situation and are reviewing the incident internally. We have a long and proud history of serving our military members and hold the men and women who serve our country in the highest regard.”

If that statement is true where is the outrage? If the passenger were not in the military and were say a Muslim, African American, Hispanic, or any other apparent endangered human, the flight attendant would be forced to take sensitivity training or possibly be fired. Heck, Al Sharpton would probably organize marches. So far, I have not heard from President Obama but he’s probably keeping his outrage to himself.

I am willing to bet if I wrote “stewardess” instead of “flight attendant” I would be flooded with hate mail from women’s group about my insensitivity..

How hard is it to call the flight attendant in and ask for her side? I’ve heard crickets ever since and I doubt we’ll ever hear what happened. . To be fair to US Airways, the media outlets may not cover the story of its actions because it does not fit their Liberal agenda.

Do you doubt me? Pop quiz: Have you heard of Jaron Holliday? How about Trayvon Martin? Jaron was a devout Christian, classically trained musician, and a corporal in the Army who was killed defending our nation. Trayvon was a drug user, a thief, expelled from two schools, and was killed while assaulting a neighborhood watch volunteer. Both were African American but which one got more publicity? Which one did President Obama mention?

The media controls and slants the information we receive. Do you doubt that too? Another pop quiz: Which news outlet slants the news more CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CBS News, ABC News, NBC News, all of the above? I bet the knee jerk reaction is to say Fox News has a conservative bias. It does. The other news organizations have a Liberal bias but we do not hear that do we? The answer is all of the above.

I keep checking the US Airways website and still do not see a press release on their findings so my only thought is they are giving the public lip service. I suggest we boycott US Airways until they tell us the outcome of their investigation.

What started as a debate between whitewashing a boys-being-boys moment has escalated into something far more serious that should change the way people view youth sports. Sayreville is a blue-collar town in New Jersey that treats high school football as a religion.

The superintendent of schools shocked the community when he first cancelled a game and then the entire football season cryptically citing “widespread and pervasive” incidents of bullying and harassment within the school’s football program. That led to an outcry from parents who seemingly were unaware of the true nature of the incidents because they clamored to have the season reinstated.

The prevailing attitude was summed up by one parent who said “No one was hurt. No one died. I don’t understand why they’re being punished. I think that the forfeited game was punishment enough.” Others moaned the cancelled season would affect their sons’ college scholarship opportunities.

I’ll give these parents the benefit of the doubt and believe they were unaware of the true nature of the offenses and their attitude was simply the manifestation of what is wrong with youth sports. If people simply step pack and consider the magnitude of the superintendent’s actions, a reasonable person must deduce there is more to the story than simple hazing.

However, most of us are blinded by the hope and dream of sports stardom for our children and forget the one, most important word: Children. How anyone would put a scholarship opportunity in front of a human being that was violated is beyond disgusting. But that is the problem with today’s parents. We think in fantasies and not realities.

After the allegations of sexual assault came to light some parents were still downplaying the seriousness of the matter. Boys-being-boys include hijinks in the classroom, harmless pranks, and wise guy attitudes but sexually attacking freshman teammates crosses the line by light years. According to the allegations, seniors would enter the darkroom, howl, turn off the lights and grab a freshman. They would restrain him and an upperclassman would shove his finger in his rectum. Sometimes, the same finger was then shoved into the freshman player’s mouth.

After reading that description, can you, in good conscious, fight to have the football season reinstated?   Today, seven players were charged with a litany of crimes including aggravated sexual assault which is a first degree crime and even a juvenile would face up to five years in jail if found guilty.

I think the parents have a much larger issue than their child’s scholarship opportunity going out the window. I think at this point, those seven families – and possibly more to come – have a different set of priorities. But here is the kicker. The player and his family who came forward with the information wish to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions.

The fact they have that fear tells you all you need to know about the lunacy surrounding youth sports. Youth sports is a great way to teach children the important lessons of life which are hard work, dedication and focus on improving are traits that can be helpful later in life when junior is working for a living. The fact his team won games does not help on a resume. The traits learned and earned in youth sports is what transcends life. Everything else is ego bait.

If you don’t get lost, you’ll never be found.  If you never lose, you can never win. If you don’t fail, you won’t succeed.

In a world of emoticons and abbreviated letters substituting for words the above phrases seem like quaint things a middle-aged man says as he laments by-gone glory days.  Well, I am a middle-aged man but fortunately I never had glory days so I can’t lament.

Those phrases mean more in the scheme of things than most of us care to acknowledge.  As parents, we want to minimize the bumps along the road for our children but it seems we rob them of the chance to grow by failing.  No one grows in success.  They enjoy it. They flaunt it. They never truly appreciate it and they most certainly do not learn anything from it.

The unintended consequence of this good intention is unprepared children for the harsh realities of life. Much like death and taxes no one can escape reality. The sooner children learn not everyone wins, succeeds or gets what they want the better adjusted they will be to take Life’s short journey.

Ironically, by trying to shield our children from failing we fail as parents. It doesn’t matter how hard we try we can’t make life fair.  The only place you will find fair is in the dictionary.  I suspect most of us inherently believe this truth but the old college try is in our DNA.

As a nation, we need leaders who recognize this fact and govern accordingly.  For example, there are some public schools in our nation that no longer offer honors courses because they do not want the children in the “normal” classes to feel unworthy.  These students go through an education system that rewards “good enough” and ignores furthering achievement.  Yet, these same students then face an unforgiving Corporate America that demands “go-getters.”

The incongruity is startling not so much for the lack of common sense but that it perpetuates in each generation.

It’s the same stupidity in youth sports.  Everyone gets a participation trophy so they don’t feel bad about not winning.  Here’s the dirty little secret: the kids who get the participation know they lost.  But here is the tragic secret:  The kids also know the adults are lying to them.  In our haste to protect what we think are the fragile egos of children, we ruin our integrity with those same children.

Other than the fact they are all crooks, is it any wonder why no one believes politicians?  The real lesson being taught is we can’t believe the authority figures.  I suggest if we let the children fail, they will find their way out of the labyrinth of their doubts.  It can happen.  Maybe this video will help you understand http://youtu.be/zLYECIjmnQs.

I once worked with an African American man who swore that only white people can be racists.  His reasoning was white people had the power to keep minorities down and that is what allows them to be racist.

This makes no sense to me.  A racist is a person who believes that a particular race is superior to another.  Period.  End of definition.  Nowhere in that definition does it state minorities are exempt.  My friend was adamant I was wrong despite the fact he felt African Americans were superior to white people but did not have the power to exercise their superiority.

It is no secret to anyone we live in a society filled with double standards and an insatiable lust to be politically correct.   That’s life and there is no sense whining but there are times when we need to bring things up to the front of the class.

Michael Brown, an African American, was shot to death by police in Ferguson, Missouri.  The main facts most All-Color Americans hear is white policed shot an unarmed African American boy.  Most of the media conveniently forgets the fact Brown, a suspect in a convenience store robbery, struggled with police and tried to escape.  Brown was a rather large individual and, depending on which facts you choose to believe, was a threat to police.

A police officer that has a reasonable fear for his or her safety can use deadly force.  Unfortunately, that was the case.  We all know about the riot-type behavior that went on in Ferguson.  We all heard President Obama talk about the issue and, of course, Al Sharpton appeared because he is never misses an opportunity to stir the racial drink.

Compare that reaction to the Caucasian Americans reaction to the police chief in Memphis declaring there will be no hate crime investigation into three white victims being brutally attached by African Americans. Crickets.

There is clear video evidence the white victims were targeted because they were white.  In fact, you hear the videographer gleefully proclaim “they got a white dude…woo-hoo.”  The perpetrators are laughing and having a good time but this was not a racial attack.  I think Al Sharpton is busy polishing his bowling ball and cannot make it to Memphis. 

So we have a police officer fearing for his life versus a gang of African Americans joyfully beating white victims.  Most people with common sense know who the real racists are in this scenario. Take a look at the video and decide.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZaIBxB3Mkw&feature=player_embedded

As an aside, why do I feel safe writing white people instead of Caucasian Americans but feel ill-at-ease writing black people instead of African Americans?  You decide who the real racists are in the game of mind control.

I think the play Les Miserable is an allegory for illegal immigration.

Think about it.  Valjean is the hero and portrayed as an honorable man who was incarcerated by a vindictive society for stealing a piece of bread.  The poor guy was hungry and looking for a better life.  The media will have us believe illegal immigrants are just people trying to do what is best for their families.

Javert, the antagonist in the play, is a police officer who is morally offended by Valjean’s indiscretions.  However, he is portrayed as a rigid, heartless man who is blinded by an unwavering dedication to absolutes.  Sound familiar so far?

The Liberal Media paints illegal immigrants as noble people trying to overcome oppressive governments or the raw hand they were dealt by Life’s unforgiving draw. I do not blame them for trying to find a better life for their families but there is a proper (and legal) way to accomplish that goal. Technically, crossing our borders illegally is a misdemeanor, and, if repeated after being deported, becomes punishable as a felony.

They are not undocumented immigrants, seeking political asylum, or any other excuse the media uses to portray them as victims.  They are criminals, flagrantly and knowingly breaking our laws and we, as a nation, are allowing it to happen.

I will grant that they are victims of politics. They are pawns in a chess match between two political parties bereft of truth. The Democrats are portrayed as the kind, altruistic heroes trying to give the illegal immigrants a better life. In reality, the Democrats want to stuff the ballot box.

The Republicans are the villains who are bent of punishing the noble victims and conventional wisdom says they want the cheap labor.  As if, the Democrats do not take advantage of the cheap labor and Republicans do not believe they can court their own voting bloc.  Really? 

 Both parties have their own agendas for not upholding the laws of the land.  The illegal immigrants may be pawns but they do get a better life.  The group that is screwed in this whole mess is the American society.  That is the real victim in this tragedy play.

When political leaders do not follow laws it opens the door for the populace to disregard the laws because what is good for the goose should be good for the gander.  Does it seem like I take life too seriously?  Try cutting in front of anyone on line and watch the reaction of those people you cut off.

People inherently follow the rules unless, of course, it’s to their benefit to break the rules.  This is a naïve sentiment but I want political leaders who work for the better good of the nation and not their parties.  They need to make decisions that benefit the nation not to court various groups.

 Javert kills himself towards the end of the play consumed by self-doubt and questioning his moral outrage.  Valjean dies at the end to redemption.  Both men did what they thought they had to do to survive a life of chance.  They each chose a different path to get a chance at life.  Both men accepted their fates based on their decisions. 

 Our leaders are making their choices.  Who you believe is right or wrong is up to you but do not judge the other side.  That is an entirely different topic with eternal ramifications.

What people do in the privacy of their own home is their business and they have a right to expect a certain amount of privacy. However, if you do not want to get “caught” doing anything that can be considered risqué, don’t do it in the first place. Hollywood stars like Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, Ariana Grande, and Victoria Justice should be upset that someone hacked their computers and shared nude pictures of them on the Internet. However, if they didn’t store the nude photos in the first place, no one would have been able to get them.

What they do for jollies is their own business but I have a hard time feeling bad for anyone who keeps nude photos of themselves. Why take and then keep the pictures in the first place? Isn’t admiring oneself in the mirror after a shower enough that they need to keep a document of their physiques? I do not get it but, then again, there is the other side of midnight I know nothing about. Being a prude has its plusses and minuses.

Stars have the right to privacy but they seek fame and work hard at maintaining it throughout their careers. It’s a life they sought and chose but too many of them want their fame and privacy too. It does not work that way and they need to understand that small detail. Once you are in the public eye, you need to understand your privacy is a thing of the past. If you want privacy, do not aspire to be famous.

The same goes for politicians who crave your vote but do not want to be bothered by their constituents when issues arise. They forget their job is to represent the people in their district. That means they should spend most of their time talking and listening to the citizens of their district, not schmoozing with special interests.

If politicians spent more time with the people and less time with the special interests they will learn the two are dichotomous in a mutually exclusive manner. It’s naïve to think politicians act for the greater good of the people versus themselves but why can’t we have such a naïve notion? I guess I should read the concept in my first paragraph over again. I need a realistic view. If I want to avoid disappointment from my political leaders I should not expect them to care about anyone but themselves.

When was the last time you saw a dog or cat strutting down the street showing off a tattoo on one of its four legs?  Yeah, me neither.

Thankfully three Democrats in Hudson County, NJ want to make sure New Jerseyans are spared the sight.  Assemblymen Carmelo Garcia, Jason O’Donnell and Raj Mukherji introduced a bill (A3588) that clarifies tattooing a pet as animal cruelty.

The bill exempts farm animals like cows, sheep and goats that are sometimes branded, tagged or marked for identification.  So, does that mean farm animals are tougher than domesticated animals or house pets?  Why is it OK to mutilate one group of animal and not another?

I humbly submit the politicians have lost touch with reality.  I bet the three amigos would bail a sinking ship with a thimble because that is akin to wasting taxpayer’s time and money on an animal tattoo bill while NJ sinks into an over-taxed abyss.

Two of the three lawmakers said the bill was brought to their attention by animal rights groups.  That means, the animal rights groups donated money to the assemblymen but the assemblymen didn’t want to lose the farm vote so they exempted farmers.  And there you have a microcosm of the political system in America.

Politicians do not do what is best for the country.  They do what is best for them to get re-elected.  They pander to donors and strategize on ways to thwart their opponents versus rolling up their sleeves and getting the job done which is why

• You can be arrested for hunting or fishing without a license but get a free pass if you enter the country illegally
• You need to show a license to rent a power tool but no identification is required to vote
• A child needs parental permission to take an aspirin in school but nothing is required if they want to get an abortion
• The government is trying to limit gun ownership for law-abiding citizens but gives millions of dollars to terror organizations like Hamas
• A first grade student can be expelled for kissing a classmate which the school deems an unwanted sexual advance but school districts throughout the country offer sexual exploration or diversity classes in grade school
• You are punished for working hard and earning money with higher taxes but rewarded with food stamps and welfare for not working

We allow this to happen by voting these idiots into office.  They work for everyone but the people.  They change positions based on fastest route to election or re-election.  The ironic thing is we have the power over them yet allow them to have the power over us.

You pass a homeless man on the street in New York City who asks you for some spare change.  Your heart bleeds for the man but before you put your hand in your pocket the inevitable thought races through your mind:  Will he use this money for food, alcohol, or drugs?

A friend or family member overcomes his pride and asks you for a substantial loan because he has hit on hard times.  You discuss it with your spouse and agree to lend him thousands of dollars.  A month later you go by his house and he shows you his new deck he just added to his house.

You feel betrayed.  You feel like they took advantage of you and your good nature.  In both these instances, the implication is the funds given and received will be used for the intended purpose.

I want to focus on the person giving the money.  The giver does not want the money given spent on anything but the intended use.  I think most of us understand that concept and understand why the giver may be upset if they learn the money they gave was used for something else.

That is why I am thrilled the Supreme Court has finally started acting as defenders of the Constitution in its recent rulings.

The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that public-sector unions in Illinois cannot collect fees from home health care workers who don’t want to be part of a union.  In concept it is a victory for private sector workers who are forced to join unions against their will or conscious.  I do not think the ruling went far enough.  I was hoping the Supreme Court would see the vice on free speech that unions enjoy by stealing money from people who do not want to be part of a union.

Monday was a banner day for free speech.  The Supreme Court also ruled that for-profit businesses can cite religious objections in order to opt out of a requirement in ObamaCare to provide free contraceptive coverage for their employees.

This is another victory for the giver of money.  I do not agree with ObamaCare but if you do the intention is to provide healthcare for the uninsured – whether they want it or not.  Contraceptive is not healthcare in my mind and I see no difference between forcing people to pay union dues against their will and forcing them to but healthcare for others.

Taxes are not meant to be a blank check for politicians to curry favor with constituents.  Taxes are not meant to take from the “Haves” and give to the “Have Nots”.  In essence, taxes are fees for necessary services.  Taxes are for the necessities of running a nation – the infrastructure and defense.  A necessity is not social re-engineering or providing people a free ride so you can get re-elected.

There is an implied understanding when you lend money to someone that the funds will be used for bare necessities and not luxury items.  I pay taxes and expect that money be used for keeping me safe and ensuring the nation operates efficiently.  I do not expect my money to be used to advance some political hack’s career.

The Supreme Court finally took a step in the right direction in saving this nation from a precipitous fall into tyranny.  Now it must continue to defend the Constitution and not an out-of-control, egomaniacal president.