RULE BREAKER

Not too long ago I had a conversation with a good friend about some of the current issues of today. Now I must say although we are very good friends we do have different beliefs and ideals about almost everything. Nevertheless those differences do not effect our genuine friendship for each other. On this particular day we talked about a little of everything including politics, law enforcement and current issues. During the conversation my friend made the statement that she was a "rule follower" and that she teaches her son to follow the rules and he wont have to worry about the consequences that follow with breaking the rules. Now it took a little while for me to really take in what she said but when it did finally set in my inward reaction was "WOW"! So it made me think should we all have that belief, and does that belief work for the good of the world in which we live. Well let's see! The first thing I had to do was ask myself what are rules and why do we have rules. In regards to the conversation with my friend I would define rules simply as principles, regulations and elements of a moral code for guiding choices in human behavior and governing conduct, action and procedure! And with that definition I would say rules are put in place to keep order and safety for all humankind.  BUT(and my friend would say there is no but:) as broad as the definition is for rules depending on the situation the rule is put in place for, it's not that simple defining rules and why we have them. Although I respect and commend my friend for being a "rule follower" it also frightens me! Because most people that submit to rules do so with a commitment to not breaking the rules! To me, that's Frightening! So are rules good, do rules keep us safe, are rules good for the good of society and should all rules be followed no matter what! Let's examine! The Rule said to teach a slave to read would result in a fine, imprisonment and death, BUT Fredrick Douglas and W.E.B Dubois were "rule breakers" and learned to read and graduate from college. The Rule said black people were only allowed to sit in the back of the bus, BUT Rosa Parks was a "rule breaker" and sat down in the front and started a movement which led to the desegregation of buses and all public accommodations. The Rule said black people could not vote and that white women and blacks could not serve on juries, BUT Martin L. King Jr. was a "rule breaker" and led a movement which resulted in the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act that allowed all people to vote and serve on juries Following rules would have resulted in me not getting an education, or being able to use a public library, bus or restroom(of which my taxes pay for) and  following rules would have resulted in us NOT having Barack Obama as President of the United States. So I would say if I were to choose between "rule follower" or "rule breaker" I choose the latter! This is my perspective! Sound Off! Peace & Love!

BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY

We all know it, have heard, and at some point may have said it! The famous quote by Malcolm X "BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!" So what did Malcolm mean in saying this? What caused Malcolm to make such a bold and radical statement? Malcolm saw people, especially black people, hungry, homeless, uneducated, poor, oppressed, depressed and locked out of the so-called American Dream and a nation turning it's back on them! So he said we have to fight back "by any means necessary!" So why am I bringing up Malcolm's famous quote? What is significant about anything Malcolm X would say? Well as I listen to all the political madness going on right now with the GOP Presidential Candidates and the Republicans in Congress it really makes me wonder if they have been listening to Malcolm's famous quote. Now alot of you may say are you serious, really!? Well, yes I am! In the time Malcolm made that statement, it was very radical and against the norm. And if you listen to these GOP candidates and Republicans, alot of the things they are saying are radical and against the norm. But the real question is why are they saying these things? Well they have made it absolutely clear that their #1 goal is defeating President Obama, not creating jobs, not national security, not fixing the economy, not making sure all Americans have affordable health care, but yes they've said it over and over, defeating President Obama! Now if that is their #1 goal they are going to do that "by any means necessary!" Now in no way am I comparing them to our great hero Malcolm X but I do believe they have adopted his famous quote! When you say poor children should become janitors, when you say you don't want to raise taxes but you raise taxes on 160 million Americans, when you vote against job creation for millions of Americans, when you establish unconstitutional voting laws, you are operating "by any means necessary!" So I say as Malcolm said let's fight back "BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!" This is my perspective! Sound Off! Peace & Love!

BUT IS IT "MORALLY RIGHT"

With the Presidential Election of 2012 approaching, I having been watching, as most of the nation, all the political rhetoric of the GOP and the re-election of President Obama. However with all the sound bites, blame game, flip flops and media mesh, a question has come to my mind and I hope the minds of most of the nation. Now regardless of whatever God you believe in or whether you believe in God at all, you still can ask yourself this question, IS IT "MORALLY RIGHT"! Morals defined are simply messages or lessons learned from a person, story or event. Now there are definitions based on your personal preferences but with that simple definition I believe anyone can have morals, whether one believes in God or not, or affiliates with a certain religion or not! So why this questions? As I listen daily to all the rhetoric, the question has always been on my mind but this week one particular event happened that really sent a wave through my heart and mind to the morality of not only the presidential candidates but this nation as well. It was the statement made by Presidential Candidate Newt Gingrich on the poor children in this country. And I quote "children in really poor neighborhoods have no habits of working and nobody around them who works, so they literally have no habit of showing up on Monday. They have no habit of staying all day. They have no habit of I do this and you give me cash unless it's illegal." Yes people he really said that! And if you are anywhere in the 99% of this nation something has to resonate in your heart and mind about the morality of these candidates and this country. So why do I bring up morals? Well here it is! America and everyone who classifies themselves as American has always claimed to be the highest standard of morality. Whether it be through military relations, economic relations, international relations, or humanitarian relations, America likes to set the standard. Now whether you believe that to be true, lets just assume for now it is. So if America sets the standard for morality, how can an American Presidential Candidate make such a statement about the poor children of this nation? One dynamic that I looked at was how American Society got it's morals. Through my research I found that the majority of Americans get their morals from family, and their faith(religion or whatever God they believe in). And most Americans, more than 70% identify themselves as Christian, including Mr. Gingrich. So for over 70% of Americans it would be "fair and balanced" to say that their morals come from the life of Jesus Christ! Because Christian simply defined means being Christ-Like. Now what did Christ say about the poor? How did Christ treat the poor? What did Christ say to us about how we should treat the poor? Let's see! "And behold, one came to Him and said, Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" "Jesus said unto him, go, sell that which thou hast, and give to the POOR, and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven: and come, follow Me." Matthew 16 Verse 19 and 21 American Standard Version. So to Mr. Gingrich, to all my far right republicans and conservatives, to my "tea partiers" who claim Christianity and I'm going to assume have some since of morality and who believe that President Obama is a socialist who is trying to redistribute wealth just maybe he is trying to exemplify that high moral standard that America claims to be through the greatest example and teacher who ever existed! Maybe the President is trying to be an example of and represent what over 70% of this nation call themselves! So Republican Congress, Far Right Conservatives, Tea Partiers, FOX "fair and balanced" News, when you are questioning policies, and voting on policies, if you are in that 70% who claim to be Christian, ask yourself "IS IT MORALLY RIGHT?!" This is my perspective! Sound Off! Peace & Love!