A Fresh Start

My how the time has passed, I realized this morning how long it has been since I have taken the time to express my self through writing. Instead of just a new post I've taken the time to overhaul the entire blog! New fonts, template, background and music. Everything is getting a fresh start! Yes this includes my writing! Thus far my posts have been political in nature and of a serious nature and though I wrote them I realize I haven't actually expressed who I am. Deep down I am not a political person, quite the opposite really. Boil the things I really care about and love down and I promise you politics will not be left in the bottom of the pot, or anywhere else to be honest. I just want to be free. I just want to be happy. This isn't to say that a political rant or topic won't come up every now and then but they will no longer be the focus of what I write,  a fresh start is in order!

I'm going to try and infuse my personality with my writings, hopefully you will start to feel the laid-back, adventurous and more easy going side of me which in reality is the only side of me. I hope you enjoy this fresh start as much as I do.

Party Poopers of the World Unite!

I have a few questions I would like to throw out to you if I may. #1 What does the U.S. Constitution say about political parties? #2 What were the views and beliefs of the founding fathers on said parties and why? And last but not least #3 Have "we" (our government, our leaders, and the people) headed the advice those brave men gave? I hope to try and answer these questions from my own opinions and views bearing in mind that I am only one person and my views are my own. I will try to back what I write with actual writings or quotes from some of our founding fathers and hope not to offend people who are a member of either party. That being said, if I do offend you I make no apology because these are just my views, opinions, feelings, and I will never apologize for the things I believe.

So as to question #1. "What does the U.S. Constitution say about political parties?" As far as I can find.. absolutely nothing. In fact the only thing I can actually find that our founding fathers, as different as they were, and as different as they felt about things did agree on, was that political parties were a very BAD idea. George Washington in his farewell address as President said "political parties are the worst enemy of democratic governments." He went on to say they were "potent engines by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will subvert the power of the people." That statement alone gives us a small glimpse into the answer of question #2.

#2 "What were the views and beliefs of the founding fathers on said parties and why?" Well we already know that George Washington wasn't a fan. And there are several other documented quotes from other founding fathers such as, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Maddison, Benjamin Franklin and the list goes on. If I understand correctly the quotes, speeches, and addresses these men gave on this topic then I am safe to assume they all felt the same way, and the "why" is almost the same amongst them all as well. As I understand it they all had such a great disliking for political parties in response to England's "House of Commons". The Commons was meant to keep the monarch in check, but the order of kings being succeeded lead to the corruption of the House of Commons. See the kings started to use their wealth, power, and influence to create loyalist parties. This ultimately lead to groups of men fighting with each other instead of working together to keep advancing the common good. In short the founding fathers wanted to avoid having "warring" factions that would pursue self centered motives and interests at the expense of the nation and its people. Which leaves us with question #3...

#3 "Have 'we' (our government, our leaders, and the people) headed the advice those brave men gave?" The answer to which is obvious. No! I am not a member of either party for just that reason. Neither party represents the people. Sure they both claim to, and there are members of each party that do care, but boil it down to the people at the top that actually call the shots and you are left with nothing but self centered motives and corrupt men leading a nation of blind followers. I beg you to look at the news, watch the political television programs ,or listen to the radio broadcasts, and then honestly tell me that we haven't ignored or lost grasp of what the founding fathers warned us about. There are TWO main political parities that are at each others throats most of the time, and laying blame for our terrible economy or the war etc etc on the other the rest of the time. We now have "warring factions"! Full of self centered, corrupt men and women who lack virtue in every sense of the word. Aristotle said in order for any government to succeed it MUST have VIRTUOUS leaders.

I then am a "party pooper" so to speak, and if I may say it so boldly. "I'm damn proud of it!" I don't know if there is anyone who feels like I do. I don't know if anybody else feels like our government is out of control, and has over stepped its boundaries far too much and far too often. I think our government needs to go on a diet... some of the powers and things our government now has probably makes our founding fathers turn over in their graves. Its time to shed some weight you overly fed giant. I went to a meeting at which a congressman was speaking. While there I heard something interesting , I can't remember who said but I do remember what was said. Something along the lines of "Whenever the people in power act in the "best interest" of us they do so at the cost of our liberties and rights."

I love this country, and I am RED WHITE & BLUE to my core. I am proud to be an american. I am proud to be a citizen of a country that has so much potential for good and the ability to help millions of people at the drop of a hat. I just wish we could all get along... I wish we could set aside our differences and come together on common ground and become UNITED. After all thats what our founding fathers did, and it worked for them.

I Salute You.

I want to dedicate this post to a few people; I can only hope the things that I write here will help these people feel not only recognized, but also appreciated, honored, and loved. If nothing but a sense of pride is taken from what is written in this post, I will know that my time was well spent.

A very serious and long lasting issue has spent a great deal of time floating some where in my mind over the past few weeks. I've thought about this topic for hours, and I seem to be struggling to find a suitable way to put the emotions I feel into words, but I have to try. I feel as though anything less than my best wouldn't mean anything or would fail to make a difference in the lives of these men and women so I simply hope my best will shine through. Let me give you a glimpse into where I am going with this...

I am the great-grandson, grandson, son, nephew, and friend of veterans, and currently enlisted service men and women of our great country. Each of them has served our country in times of war and sacrificed for the benefit of not only their loved ones, but each American and the rights we enjoy. They have experienced things that would make most of us shake with fear. Things that would make even the strongest people cry, or feel sick to the point of an inability to operate, and they have done so without the thought of benefitting only them selves, but rather for the benefit of everyone that they love.

I don't always agree with the reasons our county goes to war. I don't always agree with the self centered motives of the people up the chain. Yet it seems to me that in some situations, the people that command our forces are making enemies faster than the people who defend our county and carry out the orders that they are given, can pick up a gun. What I'm trying to say is this. I don't always support the war, but I WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT THE PEOPLE THAT FIGHT IT!

When my father returned from vietnam after seeing things that I don't care to even imagine, he was welcomed home by protestors that spit on the men that fought, sacrificed and in 50,000 + cases DIED for the rights the people protesting were taking for granted. I try to put myself in his shoes and fail to grasp even 1% of what that would feel like. Can you imagine going through that? Could you honestly feel good about yourself when the people you served hated, or even despised you?

This is an ongoing problem that is in all honesty, completely and utterly disgusting. You might say, "but we have parades when they come home." or "I don't dislike them." The truth of the matter is some places have welcome home parades, and you might not feel that way.... but there are those that do feel that way, and they are making their voices heard much more often than those of us that support the men and women that serve us. So here is your call to action, your wake up call, your alarm clock or what ever you want to call it. Find the veterans in your life and let them know how you feel.

I will in almost complete certainty be joining my brothers and sisters who defend the rights I am entitled to daily within the year. And though I am not a veteran and have yet to serve my country I can only hope that this message comes across clearly. Never take a dislike of a national affair to a personal level, by taking that disagreement out on the men and women who have, and will fight for you and your rights. Whether you take your rights for all they are worth or not know that those rights came and continue to come at a price.

To my father, friends, family, and every man or woman that has or is serving this great country, I want you to know that your efforts have not gone unnoticed by me. I want you to know that I admire your courage and bravery. I look to you as an example. And even if I stand alone I stand with firmness, and with my arm to the square in honor of you. You are the backbone of this country and I'm thankful for all you have done for me and those I love. My brothers and sisters, I Salute you.

The Beginning

I don't pretend to be nor do I think I will ever become a great writer; though it seems that even those with no writing experience have said many things more efficiently, beautifully, and often more powerfully than some of the greatest writers we know.

In that respect I write. Not for recognition or to say something life altering, but rather to speak my mind simply and hopefully, clearly. I don't really care if what is written here goes un-noticed or passes by blindly, because I have taken the time to write it. My views and opinions may not be worded or even spelled perfectly but at the very least, the time was taken to share them and that in and of it self, counts for something.

One can only hope that I will not waste our time with meaningless ramblings of things lacking consequence or depth in meaning, so I will try to let this be the foundation of things to come. Every great building built to stand the test of time or inspire any degree of wonder and curiosity must have a strong foundation... Or rather a great beginning.