Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Sunday, June 14, 2020
Who You Gonna Listen To?
I'm driving down the road searching through the radio stations and stopped for a minute on ESPN. There I found two sportscasters who are suddenly moral authorities. According to these guys, who are no doubt experts on sociology, race relations, and values (he said sarcastically), any NFL players who stand during the national anthem this year are racists. Any players who do that, even if they are honestly patriotic Americans who just want to honor our country and our flag, are bad people. If they do that they do not care about their teammates because it will be a sign of disrespect to the black lives matter movement.
Wow! The blm folks can disrespect our nation, but how dare anyone take issue with the way they communicate their viewpoint? Of course, that is the way the social justice world works. I'm not surprised by it. I guess what bugs me so much is why sportscasters are talking about it. You go to a restaurant to eat. You go to a park to play. You go to a concert to be entertained. You listen to sports to be entertained. We don't need self appointed moral authorities turning entertainment into platforms for their political agendas.
Of course, there is a place and a need to discuss the social issues of our day. But I just don't think sports radio should be that place. Save sports radio for entertainment.
As for refusing to stand during the anthem, why does that have to be the method of protest? Can't the people who are upset find a way to register their unhappiness without using violent protests or kneeling during out national anthem? These behaviors only serve to further the division between Americans.
Clearly, the solution to the racial turmoil we find ourselves in is Jesus Christ. If everyone would own their own sin, turn to Jesus for redemption from that sin, and then love one another; we would not have near the troubles we are now experiencing.
Meanwhile if you are interested in learning a little more about social justice issues and some of the things that are actually at stake here, and if you are interested in learning from people more qualified than sports commentators, then check out some of the links below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFNOP2IqwoY&t=310s
https://presentdangerchina.org/2020/06/to-the-americans-who-are-on-their-knees/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip3nV6S_fYU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT2rlJe9cuU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd1swytlzBg
Monday, November 7, 2016
Election tomorrow
If you are not sure what is at stake in tomorrow's election, or if you have not decided which party you will vote for, please watch this message by Tommy Nelson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwTAQpYhkug.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
More health care reform
I did not hear the president's speech last night. However, I heard part of an interview with him on Nightline. During that interview he said that he is very interested in changing the way health care is delivered in the United States. I found that to be a very clarifying comment. It really gets down to the crux of this whole health care reform issue. And it depresses me so much that half the country is okay with that.
Honestly, who is he (a lawyer and politician) to tell doctors how they should deliver their product. It is not the role of government to do that. Congress needs to back off and find another way to deal with people who cannot afford their own medical care (i.e., insurance reform, healthy lifestyles, tort reform, etc.).
If they do pass this huge, sweeping, reform bill, then someone needs to write a law that puts the American Medical Association in charge of reforming the legal profession.
Honestly, who is he (a lawyer and politician) to tell doctors how they should deliver their product. It is not the role of government to do that. Congress needs to back off and find another way to deal with people who cannot afford their own medical care (i.e., insurance reform, healthy lifestyles, tort reform, etc.).
If they do pass this huge, sweeping, reform bill, then someone needs to write a law that puts the American Medical Association in charge of reforming the legal profession.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Edwards' town hall meeting
This morning Kris and I attended a little over half of Chet Edwards' town hall meeting on health care reform. It was in a large room at the convention center and we were in the back and had trouble hearing everything. Following are my observations on what I could hear and see.
-Nobody really understands everything the health care reform bill requires, what it will take to implement it, and the effects it will have if enacted.
-A clear majority of those present were in favor of smaller government.
-A clear majority of those present were in favor of lower taxes.
-A clear majority of those present were against the house bill in question.
-Half or more in the room would even favor doing away with Medicare and Medicaid.
-Chet Edwards does not care what his constituents want, he is going to support what he feels good about. But at least he was man enough to admit it. (Specifically, he said that he would never vote for a bill that took away Medicare or Medicaid and that he understood he could have honest disagreement with his constituents on those points. It seems evident however, that he is also more concerned with getting a health care reform bill passed than he is in listening to his constituents who do not want it.)
I have to be honest. What bothered me the most about the meeting was the way people behaved. A room full of adults and many, many of them acted like unruly school children. There was a good deal of downright rudeness; booing, cat calling, screaming, not letting the speaker talk, name calling, etc. It was very sad. It reminded me of what I said after the speech Obama made when he won the election. Namely, health care, the environment, education, the economy, etc. are not the real problems with America.
The real problems with America are in our souls. We, like all humans, are sinful. We will never solve any of these other issues until we come to the cross of Christ and let God deal with our sinfulness. America needs heart reform much more desperately than we need welfare reform, tort reform, health care reform, education reform, or anything else. Pray with me that we can see what the true problems in our land are and that we will choose the right solution.
-Nobody really understands everything the health care reform bill requires, what it will take to implement it, and the effects it will have if enacted.
-A clear majority of those present were in favor of smaller government.
-A clear majority of those present were in favor of lower taxes.
-A clear majority of those present were against the house bill in question.
-Half or more in the room would even favor doing away with Medicare and Medicaid.
-Chet Edwards does not care what his constituents want, he is going to support what he feels good about. But at least he was man enough to admit it. (Specifically, he said that he would never vote for a bill that took away Medicare or Medicaid and that he understood he could have honest disagreement with his constituents on those points. It seems evident however, that he is also more concerned with getting a health care reform bill passed than he is in listening to his constituents who do not want it.)
I have to be honest. What bothered me the most about the meeting was the way people behaved. A room full of adults and many, many of them acted like unruly school children. There was a good deal of downright rudeness; booing, cat calling, screaming, not letting the speaker talk, name calling, etc. It was very sad. It reminded me of what I said after the speech Obama made when he won the election. Namely, health care, the environment, education, the economy, etc. are not the real problems with America.
The real problems with America are in our souls. We, like all humans, are sinful. We will never solve any of these other issues until we come to the cross of Christ and let God deal with our sinfulness. America needs heart reform much more desperately than we need welfare reform, tort reform, health care reform, education reform, or anything else. Pray with me that we can see what the true problems in our land are and that we will choose the right solution.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Bravo for our senators
We still have not received the rain that was supposed to happen on Monday, but maybe tomorrow... On the positive side, it has been cloudy and we have not been above 100 degrees since Sunday. That's pretty sweet for late July around here.
Kudos to our Texas senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn. They have both opposed Sonia Sotomayor's nomination as a supreme court justice. Their opposition is on principle. They feel she will (and has) decide cases on things other than their strict legal/constitutional merits. That alone is certainly worthy of our respect.
However, their stand goes even deeper. There are many people who are supporting Judge Sotomayor just because she is a minority; even as there were many who supported Obama simply because he is half black. This kind of support is certainly racism and therefore unfortunate. But it does exist and it is likely to cost Senators Hutchison and Cornyn politically.
You see, Texas is about 36% Hispanic. Obviously, most of that population is not racist. However, that number probably represents a lot of folks who would be upset with our senators for opposing Sotomayor since she is Latina. So this had to be a tough decision for our senators. I applaud them for doing what they feel is right without regard for the possible political consequences.
When a legislator makes decisions based on what is most likely to keep him/her in office then he/she has transitioned from public servant to self servant. I'm thankful that Hutchison and Cornyn are doing their best to act as public servants for all Texans.
Kudos to our Texas senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn. They have both opposed Sonia Sotomayor's nomination as a supreme court justice. Their opposition is on principle. They feel she will (and has) decide cases on things other than their strict legal/constitutional merits. That alone is certainly worthy of our respect.
However, their stand goes even deeper. There are many people who are supporting Judge Sotomayor just because she is a minority; even as there were many who supported Obama simply because he is half black. This kind of support is certainly racism and therefore unfortunate. But it does exist and it is likely to cost Senators Hutchison and Cornyn politically.
You see, Texas is about 36% Hispanic. Obviously, most of that population is not racist. However, that number probably represents a lot of folks who would be upset with our senators for opposing Sotomayor since she is Latina. So this had to be a tough decision for our senators. I applaud them for doing what they feel is right without regard for the possible political consequences.
When a legislator makes decisions based on what is most likely to keep him/her in office then he/she has transitioned from public servant to self servant. I'm thankful that Hutchison and Cornyn are doing their best to act as public servants for all Texans.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
An Historic Election
America is a special place; a place that I love. I have lived here most of my life. However, I am an American citizen by choice. I was not born here. I'm incredibly thankful to be an American and I love the USA. But we have done wrong.
We have decided that it is okay to kill babies. We have decided to call things normal and good that God considers sinful. Other sins we have called diseases. We have decided that humans are not created by God in his image but that we are accidents of the universe, no better than animals. Therefore, we have decided that it is good to teach our children to act like animals. In the same vein we have decided that it is okay to kill someone if it will relieve their suffering. God says to trust him with our suffering.
In the choices we have made as a nation we have devalued human life, we have exalted sin, and we have denied God.
The Bible says, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20.
Now, if all the polls are correct, we are about to elect a president who has no problem with killing babies. We are about to elect a president who wants to take away the wealth we have earned and give it to people with less. We are about to elect a president with ties to known terrorists and with sympathies to anti-American nations. We are about to elect a president with an obvious socialist agenda. We are about to elect a president who will not even honor our own flag. How sick is that?
So, what do we get if Obama wins? We get what we deserve!
What do we get if the polls are wrong and McCain wins? I'm not crazy about McCain as president, but compared to Obama I would have to say that a McCain win would be America getting grace, again.
We have decided that it is okay to kill babies. We have decided to call things normal and good that God considers sinful. Other sins we have called diseases. We have decided that humans are not created by God in his image but that we are accidents of the universe, no better than animals. Therefore, we have decided that it is good to teach our children to act like animals. In the same vein we have decided that it is okay to kill someone if it will relieve their suffering. God says to trust him with our suffering.
In the choices we have made as a nation we have devalued human life, we have exalted sin, and we have denied God.
The Bible says, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" Isaiah 5:20.
Now, if all the polls are correct, we are about to elect a president who has no problem with killing babies. We are about to elect a president who wants to take away the wealth we have earned and give it to people with less. We are about to elect a president with ties to known terrorists and with sympathies to anti-American nations. We are about to elect a president with an obvious socialist agenda. We are about to elect a president who will not even honor our own flag. How sick is that?
So, what do we get if Obama wins? We get what we deserve!
What do we get if the polls are wrong and McCain wins? I'm not crazy about McCain as president, but compared to Obama I would have to say that a McCain win would be America getting grace, again.
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