Blacksheep Speaks

Sorry, it's POLICY

How many times in your life have you heard someone use the word POLICY as an excuse to not think, not do something differently when you need them to, or not have a heart? I am getting a little sick of it myself. Any given situation is unique, and companies (and governments) that put a standardized policy in place that can't be gotten away from simply do NOT care about people. People are supposed to be what it's all about, but companies and organizations started ignoring that years ago. When companies and govenemnt agencies in this ciountry start remembering that INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE made them in the first place, then maybe we can get back to being what made America great in the first place.

Think About It

I saw a news story on our local channel the other day that was interesting. Apparently, there is a problem with bussing school kids in Jonesboro Arkansas and some of the kids have to walk as much as eight blocks to get to school. I know this sounds a little cold, but....waaaaaah. Cry me a river.

I grew up in a MUCH larger town....at least until I was eight years old when we moved out here into the middle of nowhere. I attended school in Davenport Iowa from kindergarten until third grade. I was four years old at the beginning of kindergarten, and I walked. Almost two miles. By myself. I was proud that I could.

People do not NEED a bus if they are walking less than two miles. Has ANYONE other than me bothered to notice that when we started thinking our kids were too delicate to do what we ourselves did, when we started babying them, we wound up with overweight kids that have ADD? We didn't have a real big adolescent overweight problem when everyone walked. Now we do. Think about it.

President Bush's Radio Address (video)

I get incredibly tired of hearing about how wrong the damned war is. There were real reasons why we went over there, there are real reasons why we are STILL over there, and the men and women who wear this country's uniforms deserve our support. What are people thinking with all these arguments? Do you people think you can stop the terrorists by sitting down with them at a tea party? Do you even BEGIN to know what JIHAD means? Do you REALIZE that the Islamic religions ALLOW THEM TO LIE TO GET WHAT THEY WANT? And hat they want BY ORDER OF THEIR HOLY BOOKS is to cleanse the earth of Infidels. Um, that's YOU.

Anyway, below is our President's latest radio address on the progress made in the war.

Apparently, Arkansans are all on FOOD STAMPS

I live in Arkansas, and for the most part that's a good thing. But our new governor just did something that I, personally, find to be offensive.

All through his campagne, Mike Beebe promised that Arkansans need to have tax-free food. Really. So he gets in office, and passes legislation that has, so far, cut the food tax in half. Sort of.

You see, not all food is food. Make sense? Me either. Unprepared foods are no longer taxed at the full rate. But anything that might remotely be called prepared still gets taxed at the old rate. These rules are almost EXACTLY the same rules applied to food stamp use. Apparently the governor thinks we need to all be treated like welfare recipients.

1846 US annexs California

In 1846, on this date, the United States annexed California. Given all the crap that comes out of California these days, you gotta wonder.....did they think this was a GOOD thing? Witness Hollywood, "the land of fruits and nuts". Seen any GOOD movies lately? Me either. All I see is a bunch of so-so actors hitting the news to push their political ideas on others. Given that their job, ACTING, involves immitation and essentially the ability to copy other people's ideas, what makes ANYONE think these people are experts in the political arena? Just something to think about.

Hey, MASSACHUSETTS, Way ti Kick Lady Liberty in the Teeth

Like every other US citizen I know, I love my freedom. Unfortunately, our government is seeing fit to strip our freedoms away, one by one. The governing body of Massachusetts gets this month's Sheep Poopery Award for doing just that.

Massachusetts has passed a law requiring ALL citizens to have HEALTH INSURANCE. Why is that a big deal? Think about it. NOT having health insurance, once a free choice, is now punishable BY LAW. What if you can't afford it? You either wind up with a fine you can't afford either, or you wind up skipping vital health care so you won't get caught, potentially risking your very life. People will DIE because of this law.

Way to go, Massachusetts.

Overposession Laws and You

If you have a police scanner, you have almost certainly heard someone being arrested for overpossession of some item or another. Has it ever occurred to you to wonder about that, and how it might affect you?

I don't drink, and I certainly do not manufacture drugs, so many people feel I have no right or reason to comment on this. To them, I say, with all due respect, kiss my butt. The overpossession laws can and do affect people making perfectly legitimate purchases all the time.

Has it occurred to you that these laws, like many othes in the past, leave a WHOLE lot of room for abuse by officials? Suppose you have a bar in your house, for example. Many people do, for entertaining. My parents did. Are you aware that if you should choose to stock your bar all at once and happen to get stopped by the police, the liklihood is that you are going to jail AND they will confiscate the liquer you just paid for as well? Or, suppose you like to stock up on cold medicies. My mother always kept some of everything, just in case. TRY buying more than one box of cold capsules that contain ephedrin. Have fun.

With very little change, these laws can easily be applied to about anything. Overpossesion laws can and do harm law abiding consumers, and they belong in a communist world, not a free one.

OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MIKE HUCKABEE

Dear Mr. Huckabee;

I am a resident of the state of Arkansas, and I think you did a fine job as governor here, but before you become president, there are a couple things you should be aware of.

JUST BECAUSE YOU QUIT SMOKING DOES NOT GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO USE THE GOVERNMENT TO FORCE US TO DO THE SAME. You hve pushed laws through in our state that ban tobacco use in many areas. We smokers understand that nonsmokers do not want to be shut up in a room with a lot of smoke. Fine. But outside in the open air? In designated smoking areas? Please. No smoking is fine for indoors, but at at least one Arkansas hospital, smokers are now forced to walk a quarter mile to a GRAVEYARD to smoke. A graveyard where gangs go. In trying to force us to be like you, you have risked our lives. We smoke by choice, a choice guaranteed by the constitution. We don't all want to be forced to be you.

and, secondly,

JUST BECAUSE YOU LOST A HUNDRED POUNDS DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO FORCE US TO DO THE SAME. Your BMI garbage is for the birds. I have four children in the school system and NOT ONE TIME did they manage to get it right. My underweight daughter, whose doctor wants her to gain, was labled "healthy" and my other daughter who is the perfect weight for her height BY HER DOCTOR'S STANDARDS was labled "in danger of becoming obese". She was DEVASTATED. The other two, they didn't even get their HEIGHT right. We, as parents, are NOT in fact too stupid to know whether or not our kids are fat, and you have NO RIGHT telling us what we can and can not eat.

That said, good luck with your presidential run.

Making Sure of a Good Education IN SPITE OF 'NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND'

It's a simple fact that unless your child attends a prep school that most of us cannot afford, they are probably not getting the education that will give them a reasonable future. If home schooling is not an option, there is a real problem.

This post is NOT an ad, but it may wind up sounding like one. Sorry about that. Here in my part of Arkansas, the schools are now taking time out of other classes to teach mathematics. One of my daughters literally got in trouble for forgetting to take her math book to her social studies class, because now, 1-2 days a week, they are doing extra math work (so they will do better on the Benchmark exams) and their social studies classes appear to be unimportant. HISTORY is not taught. My children are not stupid, yet one of them in all seriousness told me that Hitler was a general in the Revolutionary war. This child is a member of the GIFTED program. What a wakeup call.

We can't fight this at the polls in time to help our current students. The legislation would take years. So what can we do?

Well, take it or leave it, I've found a way. Remember all the hype about those "for dummies" and "Idiot's Guide" books? Do you realize there is one or the other of those for almost EVERYTHING? They WORK, too. One of my daughters is spending the summer beefing up on Calculus and Japanese .

You might give it a shot. Good luck.

PRE CIVIL WAR SLAVERY: Dead Issue. Let it Rest In Peace.

Yesterday, the Arkansas legislaature wasted their time and I don't know how many taxpayer dollars passing a....thing.....that "apologizes for Arkansas' role in slavery". I don'y want to hear all the politically correct crap about this noble gesture. What I want to hear these learned elected officials explain is exactly WHO these apologies are going TO.

I have neither BEEN a slave, nor enslaved anyone, have you? Your parents? No? Not surprised. It's been around a century and a half, people. NO ONE alive today had anything whatsoever to do with either side of this argument. No one. This is AMERICA, folks. "Making it" here has to do with you getting off your ass and DOING SOMETHING for yourself. It does NOT have to do with pissing and moaning because you great great great grandparents either were slaves or owned them. It didn't affect YOU in the least, except maybe to give you something to brag or bitch about or blame all the problems you don't have the balls to deal with yourself on.

Apologize for American pre-civil war slavery? That's like me apologizing because the guy down the street kicked your dog....before he died.....ten years ago.

American Gargoyles Abroad

I saw a story on the news tonight about the trouble in Gaza. Apparently the warring factions have made things so difficult that people are afraid to leave their homes. The story was real big on how when Hamas won the last election, the US withdrew support. Well, of course. I would like to think we would stop supporting a country when an anti-USA government takes over. But the insinuation was that these people are in big trouble because the US deserted them.

In Iraq, we are in trouble with half the world for NOT leaving.

So, we are gargoyles if we leave, and gargoyles if we stay. Would someone out there make up their minds about the reason to hate the US? We know you ar gonna find a reason, but please, peoiple. A little consistancy,if you don't mind.

Illegalities.

Obviously crime pays, or there'd be no crime. ...G. Gordon Liddy

So when do we get smart and make it stop paying? When the government is willing to bargain about obvious illegalities, we have a real problem.

"Illegal Aliens" are, by definition, breaking the law. For the most part they do not pay taxes, yet our tax dollars go to pay for their medical expenses and to educate their children. Spanish has become a requirement in Southern schools, so communication can happen. Our children must learn their language because their parents didn't bother to see that they learned ours.

If an American citizen doesn't pay his taxes, he goes to jail. Think about that.

Are we REALLY ready for another round of Clintonitis?

I am from Arkansas, and what I am about to say is NOT just opinion. It is a matter of public record. Not many people seem to remember these facts these days, but they are true, nonetheless:

After Bill Clinton became governor in Arkansas, he did such a POOR JOB that the primarily Democratic state VOTED HIM OUT OF OFFICE, opting instead for the republican candidate. The next term, he ran again, on the "I'm sorry and it won't happen again" platform, and was re-elected.

During his final campaign for governor Bill Clinton was also being mentioned as a possible for the presidency. Clinton made a big show to the voters, publicly proclaiming that the state of Arkansas was his concern, not the presidency, and that if the presidency became an issue "if nominated I will not run, and if elected I will not serve".

Less than a year after these gallant proclamations, he dropped Arkansas like a hot potato and took to the presidential campaign trail. With honesty and integrity like THAT, it's no wonder he doesn't know what "is" is.

As for Hillary she appears to waiting to voice her ideals until the polls tell her what they are. We won't even get into how she and Bill had to LEAVE ARKANSAS for her to have a chance at that senate seat.

Hillary as president? Of the UNITED STATES? She's married to Bill. Birds of a feather, and all that.

Okay, YOU decide.....while I go throw up.

Hate Crime Part Two

Besides, there are some ominous overtones to this new "hate crime" crap. Legislators appear to be leaving a few nice little loopholes which allow them to prosecute us for thought crime. You think I'm kidding? Well....how many of you played "cowboys and indians" or "cops and robbers" as a child? Even if you didn't, you probably knew someone who did. These days, any kindergarten child who points his/her finger like a gun and yells "bang" is in deep doo-doo. Apparently this is considered evidence that this future junior high student has the potential to swipe his grandad's hunting rifle and blow his class away. When I was a kid, any time someone in the prepubescent set got angry, they tended to shout "I'm gonna KILL you!" I never knew one that actually acted on that statement. Yet these days, children are being suspended from school for saying far less. And it doesn't stop with the kids, either. Just for the sake of this article a "Christian" is going to be partially defined as a person who believes there is only one God, and Jesus was His son. Now....say any Christian picks any street corner in any major city, raises his hand in the air, and proclaims "There is only ONE GOD!" This person has not harmed anyone. He has simply expressed what he mistakenly believed was his right to free speech. The consequences? In extreme cases, he could be arrested for attempting to start a riot (a "hate crime", because of it's religious nature); the hand in the air being construed to symbolize a threating gesture. At the very least, he will be labled intollerant and threatened with a citation if he is unwise enough to do this in front of the wrong police officer. In effect, he is in trouble for having an opinion.....thought crime.

Admittedly, that was an extreme example. However, with the changes that have been occurring in our country, it will not be long before even more ludicrous laws are made. It's not precisely illegal...yet...to be a bigot. But....give it five more minutes of legislation, and it probably will be. And, while I personally have no great love for the bigots of this world, I do see the path down which we are headed if we allow our legislators to make crimes out of things that were once just considered opinions, and if we allow people to be jailed for simple words when no criminal act was committed.

Hate Crime

What is hate crime? Are the wrong people defining it? And will YOU be the next to go to jail for what used to be considered your constitutional right of self-expression?

Helter Skelter. The Oklahoma Bombings. Lynchings. What is now being defined as "hate crime" has been around for a long, long time. Unfortunately, these days, you don't even have to actually commit a crime to be in trouble. You simply have to voice something that someone else interprets as criminal intent. And what is being defined as "criminal intent" is becoming more ludicrous by the day.

Let's get one thing straight. The phrase "hate crime" is a redundancy, not a new definition. Any violent crime is, by definition, a "hate crime". No one pulls a gun and shoots someone out of love. They generally don't do it out of indifference, either. There are still a plethora of rather depraved individuals in this world fully willing and ready to kill another individual because of something stupid. In fact, ALL murders tend to be over something stupid. At the time of this writing, no smart reason for depriving another human being of life has occurred to me. So, why are we redefining racial murders, beatings, etc. as "hate crime"? Murder is murder, no matter what the reason. In fact, ANY crime is a crime. It doesn't matter WHY someone committed a violent act; the fact that they did it is punishable by law. In states that carry the death penalty, there is no harder sentence. So....why all the talk about making things harder on "hate criminals"? How much harder does it get than the death penalty....?

Don't get me wrong....I don't condone racism in any form. I simply fail to see the difference between a man killing another man for being a different race and a man killing a store clerk as he robs it. They are both murder. Both were done out of something resembling hate. Neither victim did anything to deserve what happened. Our law system is screwed up enough without adding a new name to an offense that was always there anyhow.

Commentary

Does anyone remember when our country was strong? When our politicians were considered moral leaders, and Christian morality was a GOOD thing in the eyes of the masses? What it felt like to live a life that truly WAS free?

A lot of time and print space has been given lately to the idea that we as a nation now need to apologize for everything that ever happened here. What a crock. I challenge you to find even ONE United States citizen who is now alive that fought for the Confederate Army, or who was enslaved by the Confederate states. I do realize that damage was done, and that racism in some sectors is alive to this day. However, that racism travels in all directions. Personally, I don't have anything against anyone, be they black, white, yellow, brown, purple, or green. I have noticed an interesting trend, though. Not many years ago, a movie came out titled "White Men Can't Jump". Now, I will admit that I didn't see this movie. However, I would like to point out that, irregardless of the film's content, if the title had been "Black Men Can't Tango", or "Yellow Men Can't Knit", there would have been lawsuits coming out the old wazoo in a nanosecond.

Now, in the past couple years, I had occasion to spend a great deal of time in close confines with members of both the black and white races, as well as a truly sweet little Puerto Rican lady. It was truly amazing to me. I am white, and I was raised in an all white community. Imagine my shock when I heard white people telling me that black people smell "musty". Well....I didn't smell anything. If anything, my roommate smelled better than I did.....her deoderant was scented. Then, to my immediate bafflement, I was told by friends of my roommate that WHITE people smell "funny"......uh.....you get the picture. I immediately sniffed everyone I knew and determined that all people who said either about the other must have a dead mouse stuck up their nose. The only thing that TRULY stunk around there was the racial intollerance.

Now, I am told that I must, as a white American, be forced to apologize to the African-Americans for slavery, the Japanese for World War II, and probably for Eve biting the apple as well (I AM female, after all.) In essence, I am to apologize for being a white American. I refuse. I was not present during the Civil War; however, my ancestors were located in the northern states. At least 2 that I know of died fighting for the north. I was not in World War II either, but my father was. And I abhor the idea that I should apologize for his not holding up a flag to give them a good target when Pearl Harbor was bombed. In effect, I absolutely WILL NOT apologize for actions of people other than myself. I am, however, very, very sorry when I see the direction our nation's leaders have chosen to take us. After reading the papers lately, I hope I am not as alone as I feel.....

Flag Burning and Freedom of Speech

What does flag burning have to do with freedom of speech? Well.....I dunno. It's not speech. It IS destruction of a national symbol meant to stand for freedom. Now....if a man screams at me that he hates the flag, that it stands for something he doesn't like, and that I can go do physically improbable things to myself if I don't like it, well, I will be REALLY pissed off. I will probably suggest that he find a nation flying a flag he respects and retire there. But I will NOT sue him over it or claim that he has no right to express his opinion, just as I have done here. However, if that same man actually takes that flag and BURNS it, he has effectively insulted the United States, everything it stands for, and every person who doesn't see it his way. He has committed an act. By definition, committing an act is not the same thing as speaking or writing about it. It is illegal to kill our national bird. It SHOULD be illegal to burn our national flag. Now, I have heard the argument that flag burning should not be considered a criminal act if the person having the little fit of pyromania purchased the flag himself. Well...we get a little shaky here, don't we? Let's examine this. If I buy a car, license it, and drive it, I am committing a normal, legal act. However, if I drive that car over, say, the local boy scout troup, I have committed a crime, even if I did not in fact intend to mow down the little cherubs. Or, take something a little less damaging.....say I run a stop sign and get caught. Do I scream that I was "excercizing my freedom of speech by protesting the validity of the need to stop at that particular corner"? Of course not. I paste a sickly smile on my face, take the ticket, and enthusiastically voice foul, unprintable words all the way home. I do NOT burn the cop's ticket book in protest. Yet....this is the reasoning I have heard used by people given to random acts of flag torching. Is it just me, or is something not right here?

Let's look at a partial list of things that the new definition of "freedom of speech" has given us in recent years: Pornography out in the open, where the kiddies can see it.....uncensored. People shouting "b**ch", "sh*t", "b*st*rd", and "wh*re" during late prime time. At least one major-league ball player knee-deep in trouble for expressing an opinion containing racial slurs....which, come to think of it, is material for a whole 'nother article (*note to self*). Anything to do with the Bible pulled from schools and state buildings, because it apparently isn't allowed to count as "freedom of speech".....boy, are WE in trouble.

Censorship

Censorship as a whole is a bad idea. The reasoning behind the concept is flawed. The idea that certain material, whether it be a television program, book, or song can actually make someone do/be/become something different from what they are is ridiculous. One thing that government can NOT legislate away from us is our ability to reason things out for ourselves. We have freedom of choice. Censorship does not recognize this. In effect, censors are telling us that we are not intelligent enough to deduce what is good/right from what is bad/wrong. They seem to have decided to "protect" us from what they apparently conceive as our inherant, rampaging stupidity. Using this measurement, it can be logically deduced that anyone who owns a gun is a potential murderer, and if they own an acid rock cd as well, then Heaven help us and be sure your doors are locked. By the same token, logically speaking, if you own a dictionary, you must be an intellectual; if you happen also to have a set of encyclopedia or a set of learning tapes, you must be a GENIUS. (Hey, wait.....I own both. Come to think of it, this reasoning has it's merits!) .....Oh, dear....it just occurred to me.....if a person owns a gun....AND a rock tape....AND a dictionary....AND an encyclopedia....well, I guess we better just go ask the price of coffins, because we don't stand a chance.

These days, we have every right to say what is on our minds...as long as it doesn't offend anyone. At least, no one who is a minority. Or a politician. Or a police officer/doctor/lawyer/civil servant. I realize that some younger readers aren't going to remember this, but there was once a time when most people understood the concept of free speech. Someone famous (and these days, less quoted) once said, "I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". Some of us still agree with that. Which brings us to....believe it or not.....flag burning. (continued next post)

Freedom

Like most United States citizens, I didn't really notice when my freedoms started to disappear. I have a husband who actually opens doors for me and calls me "sweetheart" (the dreaded "S" word!!!) ....and I don't mind at all. I have heard other women grumble things about this, ranging from remarks about my "lack of self assertion" (which my readers would probably dispute) to statements that I am "setting American Womanhood back a century". Uhhh.....excuse me, but I am offended by this. Where is my freedom to enjoy being treated like a respected, loved wife? I have a confession to make....when I worked in an office many years ago, on several occasions male workers complimented me on my appearance....and I appreciated it (*gasp*). These days, what was once considered a compliment could land a man in court. I find this to be a sad commentary on the condition of our society.

Racial Descrimination 2007

I am not a bigot. I don't give a damn what color you are. I have no intention of telling you what color I am either. It isn't relevent. People of ANY color ought to have a problem with THIS story:

There is a case heading to the supreme court right now that involves a white teacher that was being harrassed by her black students. The school board would do nothing, claiming that the teacher ought to be aware that these actions were part of the students' culture, and that if she didn't like it she should be teaching elsewhere.

THINK about that. In one gesture that school board both turned a deaf ear to a bunch of unruly brats assaulting a teacher and destroying her property.....AND insulted every black person in the United States. SINCE WHEN is it part of the black culture to swear, abuse and harrass? If that WERE true, it says blacks have no higher intelligence than to act like criminals. Does anyone actually BELIEVE that?