Freedoms

The story of the recent Miss California saga is sad and should be a wakeup call for all Americans.  What started out as a simple answer in a beauty pageant has turned into a media exploitation that has not only caused great stress in her life, her family’s life, the other contestants lives (what is the girl doing who actually won the contest?  Has anyone heard from her?), but now it is affecting every American.  I still say that the media has overplayed this into something more than it was (see my blog of April 21), but since it is already overplayed we need to look at the ramifications.

First of all, she expressed her opinion – she stated that it was her opinion – and she was booed by the audience, insulted by a judge, and thrown into a national controversy.  She has a right to her opinion – it is guaranteed by our constitution.  She was asked for her opinion.  She gave her opinion.  And she is being persecuted for it.  The question was “Do you think…”  She answered what she thought.  As we have all seen that is not allowed anymore.  You can only think and say what is politically correct.  Do you think that any of this would have been reported, played on You Tube, and still be taking over the news a month later if she had given the judge the answer he so obvisouly wanted?  Do you think that the next contestant will say what she thinks or what she thinks will be politically correct?  If a beauty contestant can lose her crown over speaking her mind today, what will happen a year from now if an employee expresses the same opinion?  How long will it be before we lose our freedom of speech completely?

The other big issue – in MY opinion- is the more recent controversy over her photos.  She claims the photos were a modeling job for an ad – ok, I’ll go along with that.  But the bigger question is why is that type of photo acceptable as a modeling pose?  If it is a pose that will cause controversy of this magnitude, it should not be acceptable for any advertisement.  I have long said that every generation is a little more relaxed and a little more accepting than the preceding generation.  This is an understandable progression, but it seems that now we are at a conflict that needs to be resolved.  We cannot have two standards for the same type of photograph.  If one picture is published in Cosmopolitan it’s an advertisement.  If the same photo is published in Maxim, it’s racy, if it’s published in Playboy it’s porn. We need to decide what it is and go forward. 

America is changing.  While the recent presidential campaign was run on a platform of change, we need to be sure that we are really changing for the better.  What rights are we giving up and is political correctness worth the loss of freedom of speech?  What ‘rules’ are we willing to relax for our children’s generation?  What are we going to accept today that we wouldn’t have yesterday?  From something that started with an innocent opinion and has created so much havoc in so many lives, lets hope we can learn some lessons.

End of an Era?

It is with great sadness that I heard about the bankruptcy of Chrylser today. Yes, it's sad when this happens to any business or person, but this hits particullary hard. Dodge and Chrysler are deeply entrenched in our history and culture. Cars like the Dodge Charger, the Challenger, and the Baracuda are models know to many generations. Chrylser defined the muscle car of the 1950-1960's. And who doesn't love a Dodge Ram?

'They' say this a "controlled slide" and that Chrysler will come out the other side a stronger, competitive car company. We should all hope so. And we also hope that all the American car companies learn something from this. Build meaner, leaner, and cheaper. The American people will support companies that support them.

The Media Truth

The buzz for today is that Miss California lost the Miss USA crown because of her answer to a judge’s question.  It has been on national TV, the newspapers, and the internet. You Tube has many choices for you to watch the same video of her answer. 

My question is why did the runner up last year lose?  Did we ask ourselves that question?  Did we really need an answer?  Do we have a competition by competition score card to see where Miss California lost – if indeed she was even really in first place?  Or are they just saying she lost because she was beautiful and should have won if not for that one answer?

And about that answer – did she lose because she stumbled a little with her words or did she lose because she gave an honest answer.  Our country has freedom of speech.  It has been bought and paid for many times, so she has every right to say what she thinks.  Her audience has every right to agree or disagree with her, but they should not ever judge her on what she says.

However, the media has put this on the front pages.  She lost because of her answer.  The media has decided what the truth is and is telling us all what we should believe too.  They are telling us that we do not have the right to say what we truly believe because it‘s not politically correct or because we might lose a crown – or a job – or friends.  How wrong is this? 

If she lost because she spoke her opinion, then shame on the judges and the Miss USA organization should be looking into that.  If she lost because her answer was not coherent, or well-phrased, then the judges were right and the media needs to leave it alone.  If she lost for other reasons, then that’s the way the pageant world works.  But the media should not be making this into more than it is.  What about the winner?  Where are the You Tube videos of her coronation?  Why isn’t she being interviewed on the entertainment websites? 

I’m sure that’s it more than that to the girls who were competing, but to a lot of people in this country, its just a pageant.  But it’s also just an example of what the media does to influence us everyday.  How many other important events happened Sunday that were pushed aside becuase the media could sensationalize this one?  While we are being saturated with this event what world events are going unnoticed?  

We need to be sure we question and look behind the headline.  We need to make sure it is headline worthy or is it just another way for the media to generate income?  Is what the media telling us an unbiased account or have they given us their opinion as fact?  Have the right questions been asked?  Are both side represented?  The public cannot form an intelligent opinion without having the facts from both sides.  No matter what the story, there is more than one side and more than one version – but the truth is somewhere in between.  

Write your Congressman?

I have heard this all of my life – “if you don’t tell your elected officials how you feel, then they can’t make informed decisions. “  “Letter writing will make a difference!”  Speak up and be heard!”

Well, I have decided to take heed and let my voice be heard. One stand that I made early this year (late January, in fact) was a subject that I felt very passionate about – the decision on whether or not to let the press publish photographs of the flag draped caskets of our fallen heroes . I not only wrote both of my congressmen, I also wrote the Secretary of Defense (who was actually the one who made the decision) and Michelle Obama. 

The “Decision” was made in late February – not what I had hoped – without me hearing from anyone that I wrote to.  Last week, April 10 to be exact, I received a letter from one of the Senators I wrote to, thanking me for my comments and letting me know that if the matter ever came up in session, he would remember my thoughts.  That was it.  No specifics of what my thoughts were and no mention of the fact that it had already been decided.  I don’t even think they (I know he has a staff member that writes these letters) even knew what my letter was about.  All they had was a notation that I wrote a letter and maybe they should send a response.  Now at the last election I voted for this guy.  But not next time (and he has been there for awhile and will run again!).  Not that I expected him to move mountains just because I asked him to.  Not because I got some stupid form letter from a staff member with his electronic signature on it, but because it took them 3 months to respond and still didn't even know why I wrote to them.  Three months to send me a form letter that didn’t even reference what my thoughts were.  Why did I bother to waste a stamp?!?!

This week – April 15 – I received a letter from my other Senator.  Still a three month response time, but this Senator is one that I thought was kinda weasely and that I didn’t vote for.   Without much expectation I opened the letter.  Yes, it was the same kind of form letter, but there was an extra paragraph.  He not only mentioned my cause, he “regretfully” told me that the decision had been made to allow the press coverage, but that if he ever had the chance to influence this matter, he would and would remember my thoughts.  Wow!  Next time he will get my vote. Do I think that he really read my letter?  No.  Do I think he wrote this one? No.  But he has the intelligence to hire staff members that do their jobs.  Who look at the letter they are responding to and tailor the response to it.  By the way, this had an actual signature and not a digital one (and yes, I can tell the difference!).  Maybe my little voice can be heard!

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Michelle Obama are new in their postions and must still be interviewing for their staff.  Surely with all the unemployement we have in this country they will find capable people soon.

 

 

Some Gave All - All Deserve the Best

A nation’s lifeline is directly tied to their military. One of the reason’s Rome fell was due to its military problems. In WWII France was taken over because it had inadequate military defenses. And the United States of America was born because our military was fighting for something they believed in, thus becoming the better fighters despite the fact that they were really inferior in terms of training and weapons.

Men and women lay their lives on the line when they join the military – even in times of peace. The thousands killed and wounded at Pearl Harbor joined the Navy during peace time, but they still gave all for our country. They leave the service with many types of wounds and scars – mental, physical, emotional, and financial. We, both as a nation and as civilians, need to constantly be aware that what we have is due to our veterans – the ones who died for our country, who were injured, and the ones who served in times of peace.

“‘Keeping faith with those who serve must always be a core American value and cornerstone of American patriotism. Because America’s commitment to its servicemen and women begins at enlistment, and it must never end.’ – Barrack Obama, Speech in Kansas City, MO August 21, 2007

As a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Barrack Obama fought to end benefit disparities, bring homeless veterans in off the street, strengthen mental health care, add billions of dollars in additional Department of Veterans Affairs funding, and reform a system that often places barriers between veterans and the benefits they have earned. President Obama and Vice President Biden will ensure we honor the sacred trust to care for our nation’s veterans.” from http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/veterans/ March 18, 2009.

Even the government seems to agree. Wrong! Currently, there is a plan to make veterans use their private insurance to pay for treatment of combat injuries and other service-related health problems. On Monday (March 16, 2009) at a meeting with various veterans groups, President Obama said that by cutting some veteran’s benefits the savings would be $540 million. What happened to commitment beginning at enlistment and never ending? What about the homeless veterans, who no doubt, don’t have private insurance? What about the remaining WWII veterans, who are dependent on the VA hospitals and services for all of their healthcare? They can’t afford – or qualify - for private insurance at this point and Medicare doesn’t pay for any services provided by VA.

Admittedly, our country is in the middle of a serious financial crisis; budget cuts need to be made, and a lot of them will hurt. But why start with our veterans? Because of their willingness to do what the majority of Americans don’t do, they should be the very last group that we take benefits from.

Healthcare is another huge crisis facing our country today, but if veterans are using their private health insurance for service related injuries that will drive up the cost of insurance, meaning even more Americans will be forced to go without. Private insurance is also all about existing conditions – so what will happen if an injured veteran has to change providers? Will the service related condition be covered or will it become a pre-existing condition that is exempt from the new policy? Insurance companies also limit Doctors, hospitals, labs, etc., that the insured can use, which will also limit the veteran to the care that is local and approved. Prosthetics are limited in type and how often they can be replaced, even though new types are being created that would give them more freedom. Issues like these could cause veterans to be unable to obtain the necessary care and services that they should receive.

There is no quick and easy answer to either the financial or the health care problems, but the plan to cause veterans to use private insurance may help the financial problem, but the health care crisis will worsen. That is not the way to fix a problem. This is not the way to treat the men and women who put their lives on hold and on the line to defend our country and our freedoms. This is not the campaign promise to break.

Bail Out Waste

We all know that times are hard and the government has had to bailout several industries. Most of the mortgage crisis has been blamed on predatory lending and unsound loans. Let me tell you true story about a prime example of why we are in this crisis.

A house was built on a nice 5-acre lot and was listed for sale at a nice price. A family member of the builder wanted the house – even though they didn’t have enough income to justify the loan, but Freddie Mac, said not to worry, they’d give them the money anyway. Now it’s important to know that this house was selling at a premium price.

The new owner was struggling to pay bills, buy groceries, and still afford the mortgage. Eventually, he lost the battle and the house was foreclosed on. According to local laws, the house was sold to the highest bidder at the courthouse auction. Now there were some people there who wanted the house and could afford the house, but the mortgage company outbid them and bought the house back. After sitting on the house – well, they were supposed securing the house and winterizing it – the mortgage company listed it at $350,000. Some of the people who had attended the auction made some offers – more in line with what the market currently was – but they were rejected.

Sometime before Christmas a water line broke in the house and water flooded the house for 4 to 6 weeks before it was discovered. Ceilings fell, hardwood floors were ruined beyond repair, carpet soaked and subflooring ruined. Cherry kitchen cabinets destroyed, as well as the bathroom cabinets. Walls were water-soaked up four feet. Of course the water was shut off, but the pipe was not repaired - after all the house is sold "as is". Now we all know that when you add water and heat you get mold, but the Freddie Mac represenative has turned the heat on to"dry the house out." One potential buyer estimated the cost to repair and made an offer to purchase the house for less than half of what it was originally listed for. Nope, Freddie Mac held firm at $350,000.

So, now it’s getting warm, the mold is starting to grow and soon this house will be in such bad shape that it will have to be torn down. And we, the taxpayers, will be out the $300,000 plus that Freddie Mac has in it. Of course, they could have sold it several times for between $300,000 and $325,000. And, even after the flood, they still could have sold it for something. But now – if they ever let it go – it will be for a lot price because the house won’t be worth anything.

And this is what we “bailed out.”

o-pin-ion [uh-pin-yuh n] – Noun

1.    A belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.

2.    A personal view, attitude, or appraisal.

3.    The formal expression of a professional judgment: to ask for a second medical opinion.

4.    Law. The formal statement by a judge or court of the reasoning and the principles of law used in reaching a decision of a case.

5.    a judgment or estimate of a person or thing with respect to character, merit, etc.: to forfeit someone’s good opinion.

6.     A favorable estimate; esteem: I haven’t much of an opinion of him.

Synonyms:1. persuasion, notion, idea, impression. Opinion, sentiment, vieware terms for one's conclusion about something. An opinion is a belief or judgment that falls short of absolute conviction, certainty, or positive knowledge; it is a conclusion that certain facts, ideas, etc., are probably true or likely to prove so: political opinions; an opinion about art; In my opinion this is true. Sentiment (usually pl.) refers to a rather fixed conviction, usually based on feeling or emotion rather than reasoning: These are my sentiments. View is an estimate of something, an intellectual judgment, a critical survey based on a mental examination, particularly of a public matter:views on governmental planning. 

opinion. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved March 02, 2009, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/opinion

I think it’s important to understand definitions.  Not just the general   use of a word, but the true definition, so there is no misunderstanding. For example, take the word ‘opinion’ – as shown above it means my personal view; what I think.  It may not be the actual hard fact, but it is what I believe it to be.

So why do some people think that they have a sworn duty to make me see that my opinion is wrong. Maybe theirs is wrong. So what, it’s what I believe that matters to me.  I am not a debater.  I don’t like arguing, it creates too much stress in my life.  I have enough stress without adding anything as silly as arguing over opinions.  Some people say that I’m a pushover because I don’t argue back.  Nope, I just pick my battles.  When I argue with you, you better believe I will have facts.  You better have some too, because just because you say so won’t win any points with me. 

Now I will be the first to admit that I have walked away from a lot of arguments without “winning.”  Sometimes, there just no point in continuing.  One lady told me that her mother used to work with my grandfather at a local business.  I was very nice; asked who her mother was and what time period that was (mainly because I didn’t think that her mother was old enough to have worked at that business at the same time as my grandfather).  Sure enough her mother worked there in the 1940’s, but when I told her that my grandfather had owned that business, but sold it in the 1930’s to someone else she informed me that I was wrong, her mother had worked WITH my grandfather and he had never owned it.  Now, first of all, don’t ever argue my family history with me - I am the family historian!  Second of all, my grandfather had started that business from nothing in the 1920’s – which I shared with my friend.  No, I was totally wrong, she was right.  I smiled politely and said I would go home and check my facts (not!). Why continue?  It was a pointless argument.  I wasn’t going to change her opinion and I was sure of my facts.  Time to move on.

Now, I’m not saying that you might convince me that I’m wrong – IF you can produce the cold, hard facts that say I’m wrong. But if you just want to argue using your opinion, then I’m sorry, I have other things to do.