What did affect me was the way today, ten years after the most vicious attack on this country since Pearl Harbor, dawned.  It was the same as it was 10 years ago, maybe a bit cooler, who knows?  I went about my morning, getting ready for church, and going to the Pancake Breakfast at the fire house.  My mind kept going back to that morning.  I cannot explain how it affected, at least, I cannot explain completely.

As the years have gone by, I have never completely forgotten the images I saw that morning, they were too horrific, too frightening, and even, too surreal to forget.  Part of my heart was in those towers on that day, it was there with the firefighters of the FDNY.  As I watched the towers burn, in my mind, I could see the firefighting activity going on.  I could only imagine how crowded the radio channels were, and the chaos that must have been taking place at the 9-1-1 Center, and in the “radio room”  (regardless of it’s size, and number of occupants, where ever the fire dispatchers are located, it is always called the “radio room”)  My mind was in several different places at once.  I never in my life fought a fire of any type approaching that level of intensity, and I certainly do not put myself on the same level as a firefighter in a big city.  That being said, we share the same bond, in many ways.  I also know the fire service from the dispatch side of things. I know how hectic it can get in a given dispatch center during a “regular” incident (Large auto accident, big fire, etc)  I could only imagine the stress and the strain the dispatchers were going through, and through it all, each one maintained their professionalism and communicated clearly and effectively.

So, that was one level… and then there is the other one.  My mind is still haunted by those images, especially of the people jumping, and the footage of the people trapped above the fire in both towers.  The images were heart-rending, and to this day, are difficult to watch.  Watching video is one thing, but seeing the still photos, is something else.  Even though you can’t see individual expressions, the fear is palpable nonetheless.   It’s hard at this point, not to lapse into meaningless cliche about who those people were, their dreams, desires, what they did, who they loved. It’s all been done, and I cannot do it any more justice, but, I do feel that aspect, and it makes things all the more unforgettable.  All of those faceless people in those grainy photos and video of the upper floors, were someone to somebody, and they all left this world in a way none of them expected.   I often find myself wondering what that day must have been like, especially for the person who looked out the window just as the aircraft approached.  I cannot fathom that feeling, and I cannot fathom what it must have been like.  Even worse, the people on the plane, who knew, like that flight attendant who was on the first aircraft to hit the towers, she was talking to someone from her airline’s headquarters, and she knew what was going on, she knew it.  I cannot comprehend what that must be like, the overpowering helplessness that must have overcome all of them.   Still photos abound of the people who watched the attack, and its aftermath, unfold.  They were on the street surrounding the Twin Towers, they were in buildings throughout the area, and they were in Times Square watching it happen on the “Jumbotron” TV’s on some of the buildings.  The photos of the people nearest the attack site are the ones that are the most unsettling.  Each one shows a person, or group of people, their expressions showing a mixture of horror, and disbelief at what happened.

Then there is the other level, the one that kicks in involuntarily when I see something happening, it’s the analyst in me.  I can’t help it sometimes.  I can be reacting emotionally to something, but a detached part of my brain is recording sounds, words, and things that are going on around me, for later analysis when I my emotional outburst is over.  It is an extremely rational part of me, and something that doesn’t go away.   I remember that morning.  I was getting my boys ready for school, and it was a typical morning with them  Channel 11 is on the TV, and some kid show is keeping Andrew entertained, while the radio is tuned to Don and Roma on WLS, I am scarcely paying attention to the radio as I rush about getting breakfast, the volume isn’t that loud, and I will have time for it later.  It was my day off from my job at Gateway Country Store, and I was going to enjoy it.   As I pass through the kitchen, I hear the words “air traffic controller” and “New York” from the radio, and pay no mind to it.  Just then, the phone rings, it’s my mom.  “Tim do you have the TV on, watch the news, an airplane crashed into the World Trade Center.” …

That’s when it started, the analyst kicked in.  I thought, how in the heck does an airplane crash into the World Trade Center.  My first thought, before turning on the TV is to grab my Road Atlas.  I quickly flip to New York City, wanting to know where JFK and LaGuardia were in relation to the World Trade Center, I found the proper page, still talking to my mom, and turned on the TV.   I didn’t expect to see what I saw.   A huge amount of  smoke was pouring from the 1st tower that had been hit.  I remember saying.  “That had to be a huge plane that did that mom, that’s got to be 8 or 10 floors on fire, the only plane that’s going to do that is an airliner.”   and she replied.  “Well the news is saying they don’t know what kind of plane it was.”   I hung up and sat to watch.  My mind was seeing the images on the screen, and listening to Diane Sawyer, but the other part of my mind was thinking.

What kind of plane was it?

How did it hit the tower?

How fast was it going?

How many people on board?

and the most chilling of all.  “It had to be deliberate”.   To me, at that moment, nothing else made sense.  I have spent my life, literally, studying World War II, and that also lead to study, and reading about military history in general, as well as terrorism.  That also led to learning about military strategy, military thought, and other things I cannot list.  My analytical mind was coming to only one conclusion.  Terrorists did it.   At that moment, it was the only thing that made sense to me.  Airplanes just don’t take off from an airport, and crash into skyscrapers.   The term “accident” was dismissed completely from my mind.  I knew an attempt was made in 1993 to destroy the WTC by Islamic Terrorists.  Somehow, I knew I was watching their second attempt at it.    As if to underscore that line of thought, the second aircraft hit the other tower.   Then I knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt it was deliberate.  Immediately, my mind was in overdrive.    A deep sense of foreboding told me it wasn’t over, that there would be more.   My mind was racing, listing potential targets, and dismissing them.  I then began to look outside for the signs that a plane was heading for the Sears Tower.   By now, one had hit the Pentagon, and the news was reporting that another aircraft was missing, and presumed to be heading for Washington.

I couldn’t contain myself anymore.  I was on the computer, trying to do my own amateur analysis of who the culprits were, and before his name was even spoken on the news, I knew it was Osama Bin Laden.  I pulled an old copy of  the Naval Institute’s magazine, called “Proceedings” from my bookshelf.  In it, was an analysis piece about Osama Bin Laden written in 1999 I think.  I could think of no other person, and no other group other than Al Qaeda.   I had the radio, computer, and television going all at once, I was on the phone with my friend Peggy from Ohio, talking about the situation in New York.   Just then, I heard the high pitched roar of what could only be fighter planes flying overhead.  I leapt to my front window, and grabbed the binoculars I always kept nearby.  I caught them out of the corner of my eye, and turned the binoculars to the movement, after a momentary wobble, I settled the binoculars on the aircraft.   4 F16′s were clearly visible, flying in two pairs, and what really struck me was the fact that they were armed.  “Sidewinder” missles were clearly visible on the wing tips.   As fast they appeared, they were gone, rocketing northeast.   I continued my conversation with Peggy, as we both watched the coverage on ABC at our respective homes.

I will never forget how I felt that day, and I will never forget how this has affected me.  To watch the documentaries, as I did yesterday, it is almost haunting.  What was scary, or, perhaps, just weird, or whatever, is how some of the documentaries echoed some of my initial thoughts on the day’s events, some of the people involved, in both Public Safety, and the Federal Government were thinking the same things I was thinking in the initial stages of the day’s events.

9/11 haunts me, in ways that I can’t even describe.   On one level, it’s the memories of what I saw, and then on other, deeper levels, it’s an almost frightening understanding of the machinations that brought us to that point.

Like others before them, those who wish to inflict a given political, or belief system on a society, through terror, are not “madmen” or “out of there minds” they are not “twisted” or irrational.  They are rational, by their own standards, and, like many before them, people like  Hitler, Stalin, Mao, just to name a few, the aforementioned labels do not fit, and are not even appropriate.

A “madman” may be frightening, but a madman is not rational, he is not calculating, he doesn’t think systematically, he acts on impulse, and destroys things without rhyme, reason, or a greater, if you will, purpose.  Hitler, Stalin, and the Islamists were not, and are not madmen either.  They are cold, calculating, political creatures, who would willingly waste human life in pursuit of their political goals. That is what makes them more frightening than a madman.  They believe, and because they believe, they will act.   And they did just that.  That is where the understanding has to start, and the understanding is necessary so we can protect ourselves in the future, and strike them down if necessary.

I have done customer service in various incarnations throughout a good chunk of my adult life.  Consider this an open letter to those individuals in any given company, that, through their actions, or inactions,  generate calls to that black phone with the pretty red lights that sits on the desk of customer service agents all over the country

Dear Sir/Madam/Person/Slacker/Cretin/Soon-to-be-former-employee

I have a question.  Why are you here?  I really want to know.  Seriously I do, I need to ask this question, because it burns in my mind in the night, keeping me up, writing missives like this one.   Please, a detailed explanation would be most useful at this point.  I need to understand your motivations, your desires, and what your expect to get out of this job, provided that you actually do your job.  See, you work in the store, right there, with the customer, you are in the best position possible to prevent a bad experience that would make that customer go home, and pick up their phone.. or, in this modern age whip out their smart phone and start dialing the 1-800 number before they are even 10 steps from you.   Instead of preventing a bad experience, or even better, providing a good one, you decided, for whatever reason, to create a bad experience for the customer.    What were you thinking?  I know, it’s the end of your shift,  or it’s close to break time, or your lunch is arriving, and you can smell it’s enticing aroma all the way over in the Whatchamacallit department.  I don’t care what was going on, it is because of your petulance, intransigence, ignorance, or some other -ance that you were feeling at the time that has now placed that customer on my phone, in my ear, and complaining about your behavior, actions, or inactions,  which forces me to apologize for you, and  for whatever irrational thought process seized you at that particular moment.  I don’t care if the hot cashier from up front, or the buff attendant from the Thingamajig department was going to be in the breakroom the same time you were, it’s not an excuse.  Hey, I would love to have lunch with the hottie from the web design department, and ignore my job as well, but, unlike you, I have a work ethic.   What bugs the heck out of me, is that I have to apologize for you, and do it sincerely, and soothe the ruffled feathers by offering a discount, free widget, or a some other bauble to get the angry customer,  your angry customer to hang up the phone happy. Sometimes, I so wish that I could give that customer your home phone  number so they can call you, and not me.

See, I don’t mind taking care of my mistakes, or owning up to what I do, and I do my best to make sure that I don’t unnecessarily burden my fellow employees, however, you on the other hand seem not to have such qualms.

It is a job that I do, because I love it.  I am a problem solver, a fixer, someone who is not happy unless I am assisting, fixing, attending, encouraging, or otherwise doing something positive to make a change, however minor, in someone’s day, week, or even, life.   So, while you are sitting there, munching on that triple-cheese-what-have-you with onions, and ogling the hotness from the other departments, I am dealing with and cleaning up your mess.

Do me a favor, after you wipe your face, belch, and head out back to the sales floor followed by the faint scent of your lunch to go back and do that job you do so well, take a moment and think about what you are doing.    When that customer arrives, and I don’t care when it is, take care of them. If they need help in the Technical Things I Don’t Understand department, and you know nothing about that stuff, assist the poor soul by actually, physically going and finding the technical expert that works in that department, and referring that individual to the customer in distress.  Don’t say “I’ll go find someone” and then head over to the Odd Things No One Else Sells  department to hide out,  without finding someone to help that individual.  Also, next time you order something from the online catalog for a customer, and it’s on back order, don’t tell the customer to expect their shipment in ” a few days” when you know darn well, it’s not due to arrive in inventory for three weeks.  Invariably, such shennanigans leads that phone on my desk to ring, and there I am, again, apologizing for your, I don’t know,  oversight? Laziness? Inability to read?  Whatever it was, I am there again, offering coupons, widgets, discounts and smoothies to make up for whatever it is that causes you to be this way.

So really, can you do me and all of the other fine call center folks I work with a favor?  If you hate your job, and don’t like dealing with people, do us a favor please?.. Quit, walk away, give up, go find a job where your talents would be more appreciated, perhaps the federal government could use another slacker.  Where ever you go, go quickly,  and try not to let the door hit you on the way out…

Sincerely,

The Call Center Staff.

One phrase, one verse, and it sums it all up.  “Be still and know that I am God.”   What does that mean?  Who is God, and what is he trying to tell us?

When taken, just as it is, one could easily rate that verse in the same vein, as, say Tom Brady from the New England Patriots saying “I am the best quarterback in the NFL”.  It could be taken as a boast, or as a brag to the uninitiated.  In fact, the uninitiated, the faithless would laugh that phrase off, just as Michael Vick, or Brett Favre would laugh off a remark like that from Tom Brady….

But, we aren’t talking football, or bragging rights.  We are talking about what, in my opinion, is the single most powerful verse in the Bible.

He says: Be still and know that I am God.

Look at that phrase, how it is able to stand alone.  Now, read it again, concentrating on each part of the verse.  This is more than a metaphysical brag, far more than supernatural snark, it is a declarative from God Himself as to who he is, and in one phrase, he not only advising us of who he is, He is commanding us to realize Who we are dealing with.  To get deeper in to the verse, let us look at what comes before.  Here is Psalm 46:

¹ God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.^[c]

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

⁸ Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields^[d] with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

¹¹ The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

The entire psalm is about God’s greatness and his power.  His mercy and his grace.  The psalm was written as a song, by David as praise to God.  Note in verse 1  “God is our refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble”, this verse carries one of the themes of the Bible that is present from the Old  Testament to the New Testament:  God is our help, God is there for us, God is merciful, and powerful.  This  theme is never left throughout both texts, from Genesis, to Revelation.  Note in verse 3, how it begins “Therefore we will not fear….” Why won’t we fear? Refer back to verse one and two:  “God is our refuge and strength”.   Regardless of what is going on in our lives, even though the figurative mountains in our lives fall into the heart of the sea, we should always remember He is there for us.

But what does all of this have to do with verse 10?

It is the lead up to verse 10,  we are told, throughout this Psalm that, no matter what, God is with us, he is on our side.  But, perhaps, we have trouble believing this.  Verse 8 begins this by saying “Come see what the Lord has done.”  this was written during David’s reign as King.  “Come see what the Lord has done” can mean two things… see what he has done “now” and what he has done for the Israelites since their trek from Egypt.  It is an all encompassing phrase, telling us to look upon the vastness of God’s works.  Verse 9, outlines more of God’s power.  “He shatters spears” and “burns shields with fire” meaning that no army is powerful enough to stand up to His power, but also, that he will make us make peace by taking away the weapons we use to wage our wars, whatever they are, spiritual, physical, or emotional.

Verse 10 begins by saying “be still”.  God is not commanding quiet.  My 5th grad teacher used that phrase quite often to quiet a noisy classroom, when confronted with noisy children a sharp “Be still” would quiet all but the most intransigent.   “Be still” in this verse, however, means more than merely “be quiet”.   God is telling us to still our fears, our apprehensions, and uncertainties.  He is gently telling us to not only quiet our voices, but to quiet our hearts and minds as well.  In two words He is telling us that there is no need for worry, fear, apprehension, or anxiousness.  The next two words are “and know”.  God isn’t just pointing to himself, like some trash talking athlete, trying to make himself stand out in a crowd.  He is again, advising us, and commanding us to “know”.  To know what?  To know Him, His power, His grace, and His salvation.  He is telling us to know Him as we should.  “Know” also means “to understand”, and understanding is only gained when we apply what we know.  How does God want us to apply that knowledge?  Through trusting him.  Go back to verse 1- “God is our strength and our refuge” is how it begins, and that is what He wants us to understand, and the writers of this Psalm want us to understand.  The Israelites had first hand knowledge and experience with God being “strength” and “refuge”  and they want us to know it as well.  Finally, the first part of the verse ends with “That I am God”.    He is making a final, declarative statement that there is no quibbling with.  He is God, and the only God.  He is telling us, in no uncertain terms that He is, indeed, the end all, and be all.

Taken as a whole, the phrase is God’s command to us to trust him, and rely on him in every situation.  It is His reassurance to us, that no matter what, He is there, on our side, ready to be our strength, refuge, help, and shelter.  In our hectic, tumultuous lives, this simple phrase reminds that we indeed need to “be still” because God wants us to know Him, and trust Him.  When we do that, He will lead us through our lives, and will be our Protector and Refuge.

Last Tuesday, and election of historical proportions had taken place in this country, serving notice on the Obama Administration that we, as a people, are sick and tired of a government run amuck.

But, they aren’t listening. Playing down the results with condescending statements, such as “voter anger” or insulting the American people by saying we aren’t “thinking clearly” does very little to increase the Administration’s credibility among the American people.

Let me put it this way: First of all, the American people are not as dumb as most liberals and Lefties want to believe, or, actually believe. The American people are smart, savvy, protective of their freedoms, and they know a bad deal when they see one. Across the country, American people took a hard look at the way the country was going, and decided they were going to do something about it.

They did.

They went to the polls and voted, they voted their pocketbook, their wallet, their dreams of their futures as well as their children’s. The read papers, listened to politicians, researched issues, and decided “enough is enough”.

American people, by and large, are not “sheeple”, your average American is a hard working, thinking individual with a strong sense of right and wrong. Americans, in general, don’t want anyone taking away the things they have worked for and earned, be it money, property, possessions, or rights. Yes, rights, or in this case Rights, as in the Bill of Rights. There are people that have been in my life for a long time, that were pretty ambivalent about the political process, issues, and what goes on in Washington. For many years they didn’t pay much attention, because they had jobs, families to raise, and work to do. So long as they were living their lives without interference or oversight, they were fine. They were confident that all would be taken care of. “This is America” they reasoned “Things will work out.” And rightly so. I have often thought that way myself. In America, we have a way of working things out, correcting mistakes, and “righting the ship” as it were. So long as there was a job, a paycheck, and the freedom to do as we wished with our lives, worship the way we wanted, and, raise our families as we saw fit, we were all okay. Washington was a sometimes pain in the rear, but, we trusted, in a distant sort of way, the people we sent there to run things. So long as things were stable at home, at work, and in the community, we paid attention to what was going on locally, and left the national issues to those we elected to take care of them.

Then came 9/11, the first real event in my life that woke people up, those ambivalent ones. They were enraged that someone dared to disrupt their way of life, and attack their country. The attack called to mind the sacrifices over the last 200 years of Americans in the past to retain, and defend the freedoms of this country.  Americans of all stripes realized that we were faced with another challenge to our freedoms.  People who didn’t even know what Islam was at the time, became knowledgeable over night. Post 9/11, life began to settle down again, but, people were keeping an eye out over their shoulder. They saw the threat as external, something that the people in Washington needed to take care of, to keep the enemies off of our shores. Life continued, it was more or less prosperous for many of us, and while we hit and economic bump in 2002-2003, it corrected itself like we knew it would.

Then came the Recession of 2007. At first, it didn’t seem so bad, but, as months went by, Americans began to see just what may be in store for them. They turned to the people in Washington, appealed to them to fix the problem. It didn’t get fixed, it got worse. A presidential election was coming in 2008, and we knew what we had to do, if the party in power didn’t fix things. Jobs were being lost in huge numbers, economists were using words like “Recession” “Depression”, and “Economic collapse”. Banks were failing, and business was bleeding jobs. We were in two wars, one less popular than the other. Chaos seemed right around the corner.

Then, like a light in a tunnel, a Presidential candidate appeared on the scene. He was smooth, suave, exuded confidence and promised to change things, fix the economy, bring American out of the dumps and restore jobs, and confidence. Americans took to his message. After eight years of Bush, and a failing economy at the end of his term, Americans said “no more majority, Republicans, it’s time of fix this.” In the age-old American tradition of “if you can’t fix it, we’ll find someone who can.” Voters swept the Republicans out, and Barack Obama and the Democrats, with their message of “Hope and Change” in.  America looked to Barack Obama with Kennedy like awe, and Reagan-like confidence. He talked well, and said all the right things. He appealed to that part of many Americans, that just wants to be left alone to live their lives in peace, be allowed to prosper, and be free to make their own choices.

Soon after the Inauguration, American began to have it’s doubts. First, came the “Stimulus” designed, it was said, to create millions of jobs. It faltered, it sputtered, and, it ultimately didn’t deliver. Then came Health Care Reform, a law that made many Americans wake up and say “what the…?” Packaged to appear innocuous, the 2,000 page monstrosity set off debate after debate. Americans began to question why the government needed to take over 1/6^th of the economy, and as far as many Americans were concerned a segment that was working just fine. The more Americans looked at the promised “hope and change” proffered by Washington, the less confident and more concerned they became. Jobs kept going away, unemployment kept rising,  families kept losing their homes, and all that Washington was willing to offer was more failed stimulus, more regulation, and higher taxes. Americans began to realize that the Unions, the one-time protector of the American worker was now, working in Washington to secure their future, but  seeking to shackle the same workers that they purportedly protected. Americans saw, for the first time in their lives, their freedoms being threatened, not by an outside enemy, but by their own government. They were being told, that they had no idea what was best for them, that the government would take care of it. And, in the classic American way, the American people rebelled. They started standing up to their Senators, and Congressmen, Governors, and State Reps, and began to demand accountability, explanation, and that their interests be front and center. They began to research, to read, to become more informed about what Washington was up to. They realized, many of the previously ambivalent ones, that Washington needed watching. “Town Hall” meetings reverberated with angry Americans demanding that their elected officials listen to them, and be accountable to them. Many of them decided to not listen to their constituents, figuring they knew better than the people they governed. They voted how their party wanted them to, not their constituents. Americans grew angrier.

Then, came the “Tea Party”. Groups of Americans, from all walks of life, and every economic stripe began to take an even harder look at the people in Washington, and decided that these people needed to be removed.

So, the Bloodless Rebellion was born. “Tea Partiers” organized, raised money, and funded candidates who campaigned on the ideals set forth by our Founding Fathers. Less Government, more power to the people and the states, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and it went on. Dismissed by the Washington elite, ridiculed by the mainstream media, these people forged on, and movement gained steam.  A lot of steam.  In a very short time.  The 2010 midterms were coming, and the American people knew, that if the face of Congress as well as their state and local governments were not changed, they could count on more government, less freedom, and more restrictions. The Constitution was publicly disregarded by many politicians, some of them even calling the document “irrelevant” or saying that it had “outlived it’s usefulness”.

In the first months of 2010, primaries were held all over the country, and to the surprise of many in Washington, old, established politicians were being knocked out of the running in the primary. Yes, the primaries. The “ruling class” was being challenged by upstart, grassroots, “Tea Party” conservative candidates, and the Tea Party backed candidates were winning. Conservatives were winning, and Washington didn’t know what to do. As spring and summer wore on, poll after poll proclaimed disaster for the Democrats. But, they didn’t listen, they didn’t get it. They had no idea why the Americans were so angry. Barack Obama even said that we weren’t “thinking clearly”. They were being rejected, their ideas, repudiated.

On November 2^nd, the message was delivered. The largest swing in the House since 1948, over a dozen states elected Republican governors, ninety-nine State Houses changed to Republican majorities, Long time politicians were ousted, while others were forced to spend millions to retain their seats, when in the past, they hardly had to spend anything. A message was sent to Washington, as well as state capitals throughout the nation: “Stay out of our lives, quit wasting our money, and start listening to us, We are the reason you people have the jobs you have, DO NOT take us for granted anymore.”

In the course of the campaign, the American people got to see the true ugliness of the Left, the socialist Unions, and the various minority activist groups. It was all on display for us to see, as desperate people launched desperate bids to remain in power, stopping short…just short, of violence.

By and large, the American voter is an independent, who votes for those they they perceive as being the ones to protect their life and liberty, who is going to create jobs, and interfere less in their lives. The independent voter saw Barack Obama as the man who was going to do that, until he revealed what his true intentions were, and what he meant by “fundamentally transforming America”. The Congressional leadership also revealed who they were. The American voter said “no more”. Now, as our newly elected representatives get ready to take over their new jobs in January, we must, and I mean we MUST keep the pressure on and hold their feet to the fire. They need to realize, all of them, incumbent and newly elected, that they work for us, the people, we put them there. It is our money, our country, and they are the ones that are supposed to maintain it.

But, in the aftermath, the Left doesn’t get it. Angry people aligned with the left are throwing tantrums like petulant teen-agers, that their idealistic, and immature vision of a Socialist utopia has taken a hit. Media types cry, activists shout, and through it all, they continue to denigrate, insult, and belittle the American people, and fail to recognize, or even read, the message that was sent. Even some Republicans don’t get it. Left wing acquaintances of mine are depressed and angry, angry in a “how dare they do this to me” sense.

We are at an historic crossroads. Which road will we take? The fight is on, and the battle has been joined. In 2012, we do it all again, and we also get to replace the man at the top. It is time for all of us regular Americans, those of us who love our liberty, our rights, and our nation, to pressure Washington, and our State governments to listen to us, and only us. We need to remind them that we have the power, and that we are loaning it to them, to do the right thing with.

And, that “right thing” is to protect our security, maintain our freedoms, and keep the government out of our lives.

God help the newly elected who decides to go with “the established ruling class” in Washington.

I still remember that day, it affected me deeply.  I will never forget the airplanes, and the collapsing twin towers.

But, there is something that bugs me about 9/11.

For all of the severity, and tragedy of the attack on the World Trade Center, the whole “remember 9/11″ thing is becoming a pop-culture cliche.

People post Facebook and MySpace statuses about “remember 9/11″ and “Never Forget” or “Our Freedom Is Precious”… and I can’t help but wonder if they are posted because it’s the way the feel, or if they are posted because someone feels they have to…  Sometimes, I wonder if some people even have a clue about what the freedom that they hold so precious really means?

The other thing that bugs me about the whole “9/11 Memorial” industry regards the FDNY Firefighters, NYPD officers, and Port Authority officers that perished in the towers.  On 9/11 the fire service in this country was profoundly affected by the loss of so many brothers in one day.  And I do use the term “brothers” because firemen develop that sort of bond.  It was a profound loss that affected firefighters across the country, and in the fire service that loss is still felt.  Fire engines across the country have memorials to the FDNY firefighters painted on their engines, or as small window stickers, or decals on the sides, and in many cases, large American flags flying from the back step of the vehicle. They will most likely remain there for years.  Even more, many fire departments across the country have renumbered a piece of apparatus with the number “911″ either permanently or symbolically.

This is where I tread upon touchy ground:  As a past member of the fire service, and as someone who grew up in and around a fire house where my father was Fire Chief, I understand how firefighters grieve, how they hold up those lost in the line of duty, and go to great pains to remember those who gave their lives saving others.  It’s a solemn thing to remember those men, and it is a deeply felt tradition in the fire service.

That being said, I understand the desire of those outside of the fire service, law enforcemnt, and public safety in general to remember the members of the FDNY, NYPD and Port Authority who died.  The emphasis, however, appears to be on the fire fighters, because of the place they hold in American society.   It’s the way they are remembered that, in my opinion, is fast becoming a pop culture cliche.  After 9/11, stickers, T-shirts, and other paraphernalia emblazoned with “We will never forget” and “Gone but not forgotten” in an attempt to memorialize those who died, the loss of two iconic buildings and the over three thousand civilians who died were everywhere, it’s as if a cottage industry popped up overnight.   It all seems so cheap, in my eyes.  T-shirts?  Give me a break.  I have never said anything about this in the past, but as we near the 10th Anniversary of the assault on this country, it seems the attempts at  memorials are getting more maudlin, more plastic, and frankly more “pop-culture” than the serious, solemn event that it is.

With the loss of 343 firefighters on that fateful day  the public in this country has become more conscious than ever of the sacrifices that our firefighters and police officers make for us every day, and that has translated to an “over the top” mourning, in my opinion, every time a Line of Duty Death is reported in the news.   Just recently, the Chicago Fire Department lost one of their own, while fighting a fire in a restaurant.  The next day on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, people were posting such things as “God needed another hero Chicago Firefighter (name here) rest in peace” or “Another hero has passed” and other such things.  The postings were maudlin, and, to be quite frank, silly.   I get the need to mourn, to show support for the men and women who come to our aid when we need them, but it is getting to the point of cliche, and that takes away from the loss, the solemness of the situation, and, really, intrudes on the members of the fire service, and their need to mourn, their way.   Folks, if you don’t understand the fire service, have never been a part of it, please, dispense with the “look at me, I’m part of this too” type of memorialization.  If you want to mourn the loss of one of our bravest,  say a prayer, observe a moment of silence, or something similar.  If you are near where the funeral goes by, stand in silence, and say a prayer for the fallen, and for those who will continue to carry on.  Fly a flag, plant a flower, plant a tree, commission a plaque, a piece of sidewalk, a park, or a street in their name, because those types of memorials have meaning,  but please, dispense with the t-shirts, bumper stickers, and all other such cliched nonsense.  To be honest, it really looks bad, when some drunken slob is in a bar, stumbling about with a “FDNY We will never forget” t-shirt, it looks tacky, and in my opinion is disrespectful.  The t-shirt that I dislike the most, is one that has the standard memorial phrase on the back, and a white badge on the front, over the left chest, with a black band through it, and “FDNY 9/11/2001″ underneath.  The black band over the badge is really something both law enforcement, and fire service folks do to show they have lost someone from their department.  That gesture, is one of the ways firefighters and cops mourn, it has a powerful meaning to those who wear the uniform, it is a reminder as well, of why we did, and still do the job, and the sacrifice,  that those of us who have worn, and still wear the uniform, and our families understand.   It’s not something that should be plastered on a t-shirt, and sold. It cheapens it, and takes away the meaning.

I understand everyone’s desire to remember that fateful day, and show their support, and how if affected them.  I choose not to wear those items, because I firmly believe they have no place.  They have turned a national tragedy, a deadly act of aggression into a piece of pop culture, and that is wrong.

Like I said, if you want to memorialize all of those who have given their lives to protect and serve their fellow man, then raise a flag, plant a tree, or a garden in their memory, do something lasting, and something that will make an impression, and will be there for future generations to see.  Not some t-shirt that will fade, wear out, and become full of holes after too many washings.  It wasn’t a concert, or event, or some other piece of culture, It was a barbaric, horrific act of aggression against a people, a country, a way of life, and over 3,000 people died simply because they were the targets of evil men, who wished to hurt us, who desire to destroy our way of life.

Never forget those who died

Work so it doesn’t happen again.

Do something so it is never forgotten.

Pray for those who wish to harm us, and pray for those who stand ready to come to our aid, in our time of need.  They all wear a uniform, some of them drive police cars, some drive fire trucks, and still others drive Hummvees, and armored vehicles.  But, they all stand ready to protect and to serve, and to defend.

Don’t forget them.  Support them, remember them, and honor them in a tangible, meaningful way.

A t-shirt doesn’t do it.

I don’t need you to send your people around the country telling me how great your Health Care Plan is, because you think I don’t understand.  I do understand, completely, what your plan is about, and I don’t want it.  Stay out of my life, my doctor’s office, and everything else.  I am not some uneducated individual that doesn’t understand, or grasp your greatness, and your benevolence.  I know a socialist when I see one.  I grew up in Chicago, and I am self-educated in politics.  I saw you coming the day you announced your candidacy.

I also don’t need your stimulus packages.  Where did you learn how to budget?  Do you even have a concept about how an economy works?   Of course you don’t, because what matters to you is gaining control of as much of it as possible.  What happens to the country after you gain control matters not, just so long as you and your “friends” (people like you don’t have, or make friends, you have alliances of opportunity) benefit from it.

One thing we do need is jobs. I need one, my neighbor needs one.  See, Americans, contrary to what you believe, like to work, earn money, and have a nice living.   We don’t need a government to take care of us.  Maybe some people out there want you to take care of them,  but by and large, the majority of us don’t.   We are self sufficient, intelligent, and fairly well-educated people.  We aren’t stupid, we know what you are up to.  If you pay attention to polls, you would see that we know it, and don’t like it.  But, you don’t pay attention to that, the only thing you and your ilk pay attention to is the expansion of your individual power, and the control of as much as possible, so you can spread the wealth around to those you feel are “oppressed” or “less fortunate”.  The problem with that idea, Mr. President (to paraphrase Margaret Thatcher) is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.

But you will push on with your agenda, because, it’s not about us, the country, prosperity, or anything like that.  It’s about you, it’s about power, and it’s about control.  You and those who surround you are absolutely convinced that you know what is best for everyone, and the rest of us have no clue.  Actually, it’s not what a bout what is best for us, it is what about what is best for you to force us to serve you and the self-appointed elites you surround yourself with.  We are also smart enough to realize something that the sycophants that surround you don’t realize, they are expendable, like I have previously mentioned, they are allies of convenience, to be disposed of when they outlive their usefulness to you.

No amount of TV ads, personal appearances – by you, or someone acting on your behalf – are going to help.  You can’t polish a turd, Mr. President, and that is exactly what you are trying to do.

As a student of history, it doesn’t take much to realize that the old, tired, liberal/socialist ideas haven’t changed in 100+ years.  Your ideas aren’t fresh.  They are old, tired, tried, and tried again, and doomed to failure.  Besides, the fractious nature of all the liberal/socialist groups out there almost guarantees there is going to be some infighting, as each tries to out do the other in the quest for power.

“…However once they succeed in overthrowing all existing situations and conditions, these disciples would only begin quarreling among themselves for dominance.  Indeed, that is the hidden aim of all of them.  At present they are fighting in a common cause, but that is in the back of their minds.  The greater their zeal to bring the victory of their new legislation the less intention anyone of them has in obeying it himself.  What they seek is to exploit the misguided masses as the soldiers in their struggles, and then to sacrifice them to their own self-seeking….“  (Alfred Krupp, 1878)

I am sure you know who Alfred Krupp is, Mr. President, I am sure that he was raked over the coals by your Marxist professors as an “evil capitalist”, and, the fact that he was an implacable foe of Socialism.  He was no Ferdinand Lasalle, or Karl Leibknecht, that’s for sure.

The fact of the matter is, Mr. President, we know what you are up to.  It’s amazing to me, though, just how many people out there just can’t see what the rest of us do.  They are blind supporters of you, “useful idiots” in Lenin’s mot. In other words, they will do your bidding, because they are so blinded by your “star power” or whatever it is.  I honestly think many of them think that the legislation, and new taxes, rules, laws, and what not that you have already passed, or trying to pass, will not affect them.  I really think many of these people believe that the new tax laws, health care laws and what not, are for “the other guy” and not them.

Unfortunately, we are stuck with you, as it has been said, “Elections have consequences” and now we are seeing them.  I could go on about the greatness of this country, and how dare you sacrifice it, and what not, but I won’t.  I won’t because I know you don’t care.  This country and sacrifices made to establish it mean nothing to you and those like you.  You pay lip service to it in your speeches, but, I know you ain’t feeling it.  You could care less about everyone in this country, you display your contempt for us daily.  We see it, we feel it, we know it….   And we can’t wait to vote it out of office.

What’s the conundrum for today?  Well, it’s the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the Iranian woman convicted of adultery, and sentenced to death via stoning.  Yes, stoning.   By Islamic Shari’a law, that is the penalty for committing adultery. It is unclear if the man in this situation was punished or not.  If the sentence is carried out, she will be buried up to her shoulders, and then stoned by a group of people.  Think about that for a moment, folks. Islam, the religion of peace, and harmony, states that this is the punishment for committing adultery.  Now, what does this have to do with being a “conundrum” for liberals?

It’s simple. Liberals adhere to the principal, that everything is relative, and that there is no universal truth, and that to impose one’s beliefs on another person or culture is wrong.  But, liberals also claim to be the champions of women’s rights.  When Iran was named to the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women the most vocal liberal women’s group NOW (National Organization for Women) said little in way of protest.   However, mention the words “pro-life” and out comes vitriol, anger, and protests.  Claims that conservatives, Christians and pro-lifers are “anti-woman”, and “full of hate” and want to violate the rights of women.  But, the stoning to death of a Muslim woman, who, as it turns out, may not have done anything wrong at all, is okay…Well, maybe it’s not necessarily “okay” but they are not going to come out and say it’s wrong.. Lest they offend the Muslims of the world, who most liberal groups support, because they view the Muslim people as downtrodden, and persecuted, and constantly refer to Islam as the “religion of peace”.  (That’s why they fly airplanes into skyscrapers, or set off car bombs that kill innocent women and children)  So, here is your typical liberal, stuck in a moral quagmire because they simply cannot decide if the stoning, and violation of Ashtiani’s rights is wrong, given the context that it is being done by a Muslim.  However, if a Christian were to stop and counsel a woman who is about to walk in to an abortion clinic, that is “hateful” and “violating women’s rights”…. The histrionics would be legend.  But, somehow the stoning (or, hanging, or beheading) of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is……..what?  I mention the hanging or beheading, because if they choose not to stone her, she is still under her death sentence, and therefore, the other styles of executions are options.

While there is outcry from various groups around the world, and in Iran itself, the execution could still be carried out.  The simple thing here is that this situation does not require much thought.  It’s wrong, plain and simple, and even if the woman did commit adultery, which is also wrong, she does not deserve to be stoned to death.  Most liberals, if not all of them, are the typical “archetypal secular progressive” who believes everything is relative, and there is no universal truth, and that to push one’s views on another is taboo, unless of course, they are trying to push their views on someone, then, that is okay.  They are quick to jump at conservatives and Christians for being “judgemental” and “intolerant”, when it is they themselves who display their intolerant and judgemental character every chance they get. (i.e, disagree with President Obama, and you are racist)  Within their philosophical viewpoint are thousands of subtle variations, which further muddies the waters of the liberal thought process and moral fabric.  The same holds true for pornography.  It’s obvious that it objectifies women, but, at the same time, they do not wish to condemn it, because then that would require taking a moral stance on the subject, which is difficult to do, because they are full of relativism, and “moral equivalence”.  However, they are quick to judge anyone who does not agree with them, and when faced with logic and facts tend to fall back on personal attacks, ridicule, and belittling.  They also bristle when their morality, or lack thereof, or their stance on any subject is questioned.   Their basic style of arguing their point is to do their darndest to shout the other person down, to the point where the other party gets tired and walks away, and they claim ‘”victory” for their side, when actually all they did was prove nothing but the emptiness of their argument.

Somewhere in Tabriz, a woman sits in a cell awaiting a fate that can scarcely be imagined.  Some of us who have read the story of this woman are outraged at a government and religious-legal system that allows such barbarity.  Others, who have nor moral compass sit and equivocate, vacillate, and then fail to arrive at any condemnation, because, after all, everything is relative.  They may express sympathy for the woman, but moral outrage is something they are incapable of….. lest they offend someone.

- LeBron James treated us to a one hour special the other night, just so he could announce where he was going to be playing next.  Miami now has, by all accounts “three ball hogging egomaniacs” on it’s roster… A championship is supposed to come out of that? (I don’t follow basketball, I am just amazed that a single team has that much money to spare)

- Furthermore, LeBron, or “King” James as he as been tagged in the press, proved that, like many basketball stars, his ego is larger than life….

- So, Vienna and Jake decided to show us how a break up is really done… on national television.  Hysterical, tear studded histrionics on one side, and cold, calculating, ego-driven irritation on the other.   I can’t feel sorry for either one of them.  After all, when you sign up to be on “The Bachelor”, or “Bachelorette” you sort of have it coming to you.

- Is our President as  arrogant  as he appears to be?  The simple answer is “yes”.

- I am really tired of seeing Lindsay “The Parent Trap” Lohan in the news… Waaa! She is going to jail… Waaaa! She doesn’t want to go.  Honestly, when are these “poor me”  self-important Hollywood types going to get it?    Oh, right, never. If I were the judge, I would have locked her up for a year….

- I guess Michael Jackson’s death didn’t linger as long as I thought it would… After Elvis died, all that was heard about for years was Elvis… Now, one year out from Michael’s death, he is hardly mentioned any more.  You would think the alleged “King of Pop” would have been immortalized in every way possible, and we would be getting splenetic updates from all of the “tabloid TV” shows every day, reminding that MJ is indeed dead, and we should still be mourning his greatness…

- So, we found out this past week that the iPhone is not perfect, and the hue and cry from the legions of Apple “fanboys” shook the tech pages of the Internet… Hell hath no fury like a geek scorned.

- And, for the 35th consecutive year, “Trekkie geeks”  are at the top of my “People that Annoy the Heck Out of Me” list.

- Going to the swimming pool on a hot summer day is a good thing, from a completely male perspective….

- Our President “has no clue”, is “stupid” and “has no concept”. If that were true, that would be scary… Unfortunately, the frightening truth is, he knows exactly what he is doing, and the goals he has for his administration…. Be afraid, be very afraid.

- Why is Kate Gosselin even considered a “celebrity”?  Why does she give me the impression that she is, at best, a very difficult person to live with?

- Actually, “Deadliest Catch” is a pretty cool TV show…

- What is with all of this idiotic “vampire” crap, on TV and in the movies?  Seriously, a “good” vampire?  I guess that would be in the same vein as a “gentle Nazi” ….

- A New York Times  article this past week on the Illinois budget crisis described Illinois as having a “dysfunctional political culture”…. Yeah, that’s putting it mildly.

- Oh yeah… why are Klohe, Kourney, and Kim Kardashian considered celebrities?  It would also appear their mother has an obsession with the letter “K”.  Why do they all come across as “witless wonders”?  Oh, yeah, that’s right, they are from Hollywood.

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I think that about does it for today.  Too many things going on that need to be written about, and not enough time to write it all.

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I want to puke. Violently.

And then,  beat the perpatrator of that sentence with an English textbook.  Note that I said “perpatrator” and not “writer” or anything else.  Writing like that is a crime.   I see that kind of crap writing everywhere I turn these days, and it’s disgusting.  I am not sure if it’s laziness, stupidity, or a combination of both.

Now, I am not a wizard at English, I know I don’t always construct a proper sentence. I do, however, try to write as clear as I possibly can.  How can anyone even begin to understand that crap? There is nothing worse than trying to read a forum post, email, or text message that is spelled in the above manner, or, is written all lower case, and not punctuated.  I want to take a thesaurus and throw it at their head, at a high rate of speed.   Perhaps the impact of an entire vocabulary cracking them in their cranial region might help…it’s worth a shot at this point.

I want to know when “z” replaced “s” in many words, such as “guyz”, or “dollz” “izz” and when did “d” replace “th”?  (i.e diz, dat, dem,0   Don’t tell me that’s how kids write, because we were kids once, and I can’t ever recall writing that poorly, spelling that poorly, and disregarding every rule of grammar in the English language. I do not recall ever seeing anything like that among my contemporaries back in high school.   Facebook really irritates me, because that is where I see it the most.  However, I am an administrator on a photography website, and I see that style of writing, as well as the “all-caps” and the “lower case run on” .   Since when did everyone start writing like “Flowers for Algernon”?

And kids today wonder why we think many of them are complete idiots. It’s because of the way they write.   I know many people send text messages in that manner because it keeps the messages shorter.  To some extent, I get that, (I am so anal, I send properly spelled, and grammatically correct text messages, don’t ask me why, either)  as well as sending abbreviations for longer words (“thot” for “thought” for instance) because text messages are supposed to be for quick communication, not telling a story.  The problem with that is that it tends to carry over in to regular written communication such as email, and forum posting, or other types of written communication.  Opening an email to a friend, or acquaintance with “how r u” makes it look like someone’s five year old took a turn at the computer.

The written word is probably the most crucial form of communication we have.  When spelling, punctuation, and grammar are ignored, the meaning of what someone is trying to say is lost also.  I won’t give an email, or a forum post that is an all “lower case run on” a second glance. If I can’t get through the first sentence of a paragraph, I won’t bother.  How would it look if important communication, or instructions were written thus:

to all employes tomorrow is a day off for allof those in all deparments also for everyone at the computer room mail room and resepshun u must be at work at eight people are goin to b here for meeting you will not b able to use the frst fllor conf room……

So, what is everyone supposed to do?  Show up at eight a.m. for a meeting, or is everyone supposed to show up for a meeting with eight people, or is it that everyone gets the day off?   Who is coming for the meeting?  Will they, or won’t they be able to use the first floor conference room for the meeting?

I think it’s time that properly taught English made it’s way back into our schools.  Our children, the ones that write about “diz, dat, n’ da boyz and girlz” will be the future communicators of their generation…how in the hell is anyone supposed to understand them?

People not only judge you by the words you use, but also how you write them.

Being as how I am not working right now, and the girlfriend is the only one working, money is tight, and because of that, we get food from a couple of local food pantries, to supplement the groceries.  With a total of six people to feed, it’s kind of necessary… But, that’s not the problem.

The problem is:  Should I be thankful for something we receive even though I don’t like it?

The other day, we got a package of Chicken Franks from the food pantry…. To be honest, I had never had them before, and since we were kind of short on what to make for supper, the Chicken Franks filled the bill, because they were fast, simple, and the kids were not in the mood for the pork roast in the freezer, and I didn’t have any hamburgers, regular hot dogs, or polish sausage around the house.

I discovered I hate Chicken Franks.  They are gross. Seriously gross.  The kids liked them.  Me? Not so much.

So, should I even be complaining?  After all, in the immortal words of my grandfather, “Be thankful you have something to eat.”  Which is true…. I just wish it wasn’t Chicken Franks.

To be clear, we aren’t starving around here… we get plenty of great things from the food pantries, and frankly, I am darn thankful for their generosity. And, with the groceries we buy, we have plenty….sometimes we have to do without extras, but that’s how it goes.

I just wish they would withhold the Chicken Franks.  I don’t know why this is bugging me so much but it is.  I don’t want them ever again, but, in all seriousness, we will get them again, because we don’t get to pick what we want, generally, we just get handed bags of food, and it’s a “you get what you get” kind of thing.  And sometimes, the food pantries get what ever the stores don’t sell, or what ever kind people clear out of their pantries, and generally it’s the things they won’t eat.  I don’t see Chicken Franks breaking sales records….anywhere.

Is it wrong to be less than thankful for something you don’t like?  Or because of the whole “beggars can’t be choosers” thing am I being a jerk for not liking/wanting something that someone,(corporate or individual)  out of the kindness of their hearts, donated to the food pantry. After all in these tough economic times, we all need all the help we can get….

I just wish Chicken Franks weren’t part of that help.