Are You Proud of Your Country? Or Embarrassed?

 To tell the truth, I was never embarrassed to have Donald Trump as the President of my country. Admittedly, he had his moments, but never once did I doubt that he loved this country and was working to make it the best it could be for all its citizens.

On the other hand, I don’t doubt that many Democrats (Liberals, Progressives, pick your label) were often embarrassed at times. I completely understand the feeling now that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are representing our great nation. Now, I really do find myself embarrassed by our leaders.

Granted, the Mainstream Media (and Social Media) can be counted upon to pretend as if Biden and Harris are the greatest leaders in history, while actively ignoring the obvious issues that show otherwise. But consider our reputation in the world. Foreign leaders may not have liked Trump, but they came to respect his America First policies. He was the American President and he was fiercely patriotic (the way a leader should be!) World politics (unlike the petty, partisan antics of our country fueled by the Liberal media) don’t revolve around personality. At least during the previous administration, we had a leader who was determined to take care of his citizens. (Even the ones who spent the entire time insulting and belittling him.)

So, what do foreign leaders think of Biden and Harris? Let’s be honest. When they look at Joe Biden, they see a frail, weak man in obvious mental decline. They don’t respect our country, they pity us. They may publicly express their admiration for Biden, but overall, they see America as a much weaker country than ever before. (https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-world-likes-biden-but-doubts-the-us-can-reclaim-global-leadership) Here’s an interesting clip showing how Non-US journalists see the new administration and how clearly they can spot the difference in how Trump was treated by our media https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1kCGNZIytk. Or check out this clip from Australia and see what they think of our current President https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN_FoVi7Ay0. You can actually find plenty of these videos despite how quickly some of them get taken down.

Our Vice President doesn’t get much respect either. Most believe that she is simply not qualified for the position she currently holds. And who can blame them for thinking that? She fell out of the Presidential race early after horrendous polling numbers, yet somehow got selected by Biden to be his running mate (even after pounding on him during the debates for being a racist.) She’s supposedly working on the Border crisis, although her only visit to the area was considered a disaster. And that cackling laugh? That’s embarrassing for sure. Here’s a quick look at what foreign journalists think of Harris https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRg6KxiOr3Q

And on another similar topic, I have never been ashamed or embarrassed to be a Texan! But the latest stunt by the Democratic legislators has been hard to bear! Since when do Texans run from a fight? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyxEAI7Kquw Do your job!

Are Voter ID Laws Racist?

Interesting question? Maybe. Maybe not. Depends on your political affiliation, I suppose. The Left (Democrats, Liberals, Mainstream Media, Social Media) routinely say YES! They don’t even ask it as a question actually. Mostly, they just proclaim it as if it were ridiculous to dispute it. Sometimes they couch the issue in other language - Voter Suppression, Jim Crow 2.0, etc., but usually, they just come right out and say it – Racist. (Of course, they say that about everything these days.)

To be sure, there are other specific voting issues – drop boxes, ballot harvesting, mail-in ballots, just to name a few, but make no mistake, the biggest target is always Voter ID, and honestly, I don’t get it. Why isn’t every single African-American citizen offended and insulted by the very overt suggestion that he or she is somehow not smart enough to have (or be able to obtain) a photo ID? Or use the internet or locate the DMV? Why is every single citizen who lives in a rural community not offended and insulted by the idea that he or she is too dumb to be able to locate a copy machine? (https://www.newsweek.com/kamala-harris-slammed-insulting-claim-rural-communities-cant-photocopy-ids-1608603) Yes, the Democrat Party thinks you’re stupid. Or at least that’s the argument they use to fight the passage of any voting laws that they believe will interfere with their agenda.

Now, let’s be honest. Using the COVID Pandemic as an excuse, many states in the 2020 elections adopted “new” voting practices that had never been allowed before. And honestly, if someone really believed (like the Left with the help of the MSM wanted you to believe) that going out to vote would endanger his health or his life, then some of these changes made sense, but in the long term, they aren’t necessary. Sadly, any efforts by the Right to get rid of these “new” practices are now being attacked by the Left as Racist.

Here are my thoughts. Are voter ID laws racist? No. Do they suppress the vote? Probably, but not for minority voters (which would be racist), but for other voters, and in my opinion, that’s a good thing. Hear me out.

Voting is one of the most important rights we have as citizens of this country. Because it is so important, it should never be taken lightly. Incredible responsibility goes with that right. Do the laws being passed in many states make it more difficult to vote? Sure, but who says exercising such an important right should be easy?

I could make the same argument for other basic human rights. Abortion? It’s legal (although many on the Conservative side, including myself, do not believe it should be), but even if one considers it a right, it shouldn’t be as easy as strolling into your neighborhood Planned Parenthood clinic and walking out as if it were just another daily chore. Maybe it should be harder than that. Maybe some restrictions that slow down the process and make it more difficult should be in place. Some decisions should not be made lightly or without appropriate time and consideration.

What about guns? I believe Americans have a right (2^nd Amendment) to own guns. Does that mean it should it be easy to go out and buy weapons and ammo? Probably not. I have no problem with “reasonable” restrictions on gun purchases, such as basic background checks or waiting periods. Again, if the process is a little slower and requires more thought and effort, I’m okay with that.

Back to voting. I believe strongly that every American citizen has the right to vote. (Adults, anyway. And non-felons.) I don’t necessarily believe that every American citizen should vote. Again, responsibility. If voters have no idea what a candidate believes, then maybe they should not participate in placing that person into a position of power and authority. Maybe just voting for the candidate someone likes is not the best thing. Maybe voting should require at least the minimum amount of time and energy to go stand in line and fill out a ballot. Maybe mail-in ballots should only be used by people with a legitimate reason. Perhaps voting shouldn’t be as easy as sitting at home and waiting for some campaign worker to come to your door and tell you where to sign. Maybe voting is important enough that it should be a little difficult. At least difficult enough to discourage the people who treat it like a popularity contest and refuse to consider the consequences of putting the wrong people in power.

Anyway, that’s what I believe. Let me know what you think and have a great week.

Random Thoughts on Sports

 

Just my opinions, but …

·         If you can’t stand the sound of the National Anthem or even face the American flag, why the hell are you trying to join the USA Olympic team? Seriously? You want to wear a red, white, and blue uniform that identifies you with this country? No offense to Gwen Berry, but I just don’t get it. I have the same opinion of Megan Rapinoe who apparently has no problem playing for the USWNT, but wants to protest the anthem. Go play for a team that represents your personal beliefs. Stop being a hypocrite.

·         In regards to Sha’Carri Richardson, whatever your particular stance on the issue of marijuana (or other recreational drugs), if you fail your sport’s required drug test, you suffer the consequences. (Whether that means a suspension, or you not making the team, or not getting selected for the relay, whatever.) She has accepted the situation with grace and sportsmanship and I truly hope she gets her chance in the future to win her share of medals, but honestly, it’s very simple. Rules are rules. World class athletes are very familiar with the rules pertaining to their particular field, so there are no excuses. (And for the record, Patrick Mahomes, do you think if you failed a drug test, the NFL would just go ahead and let you play because you’re cool and entertaining?)

·         Allowing transgender athletes (MEN) to compete in Women’s events is just wrong. You might as well just go ahead and abolish all women’s sports and be done with it. If New Zealand’s Laurel Hubbard wants to continue competing as a weightlifter, do it in the Men’s Division. Honestly, whatever screwed up gender issues a person might have, an athlete who wants to compete should be allowed to do so, but let’s be real. Give them “A League of Their Own” and let them compete against those who share their genetics.

·         The NBA Finals are going on and nobody cares. Well, I take that back. All the LeBron James Haters are excited that he is done. LeFlop who wants to be considered the GOAT can get on with his movie career and get paid for all that acting he does on the court. Seriously, he is a tremendous athlete, but all the whining is getting old.

·         And finally for the NFL fans out there. Aaron Rodgers and Deshaun Watson and all those other Prima Donnas out there demanding to be traded, just need to get a life. This isn’t the Recreational Leagues. This is PROFESSIONAL sports. You signed a contract (like an adult). You’re getting paid. Just shut up and do your job. Do you think the rest of us don’t have to get up and show up every day at Dysfunctional Workplaces? And for a lot less money than you guys are getting.

Georgia on my Mind

 

If we have learned anything from the past four years, it is that the Mainstream Media cannot be trusted to report honestly and factually on almost any subject. I started to say any subject related to politics, but the reality is that the MSM makes everything about politics. Lately all we have heard from the media is the news on the awful, terrible, racist, Jim Crow, new Georgia election law.

As bad as their obviously biased coverage has been, how much worse is it when the President of the United States blatantly lies about the new law? We know that the media will spin and selectively cover the story, but Biden has openly stated facts about the law that are untrue. And as always, we get to hear the celebrities and the activists from across the country screaming about this new law and including all the misinformation that has been spread by the MSM and the POTUS.

Cancel Culture rears its ugly head, and we get to see MLB overreact and move the All-Star game, as if anyone cares about pro sports anymore, now that they have become less about sports and more about social justice. I wonder who or what they’ll find to cancel next? (Maybe the Pope. I hear he’s against same sex marriage.)

So, let’s consider the truth about the new Georgia law. You know, the stuff you’ll never hear from the MSM. Facts and stuff. Here are the main points.

1.       Early voting expands in most Georgia counties

2.       ID is now required not just for in-person voting, but also for mail-in voting

3.       New rules regulate drop boxes and change time frames for requesting and returning mail-in ballots

4.       Restrictions placed on food and drink distribution by non-poll workers

5.       Changes made to in-person voting to address long lines and reduce provisional voting

6.       New powers established for the state election board which won’t be chaired by the secretary of state

7.       Results are to be reported faster

8.       New hotline provided for voters to call to report voter intimidation or illegal activity

9.       Runoff election period will be five weeks shorter

(From https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-voting-law-9-facts/)

So, where is the racism and the voter suppression? President Biden said the new law was “Un-American,” a “blatant attack on the Constitution,” and “Jim Crow on steroids.” Elizabeth Warren called it “a despicable voter suppression bill.” Stacey Abrams says it is “racist” and “a redux of Jim Crow in a suit and tie.” You know what I think is racist? The way Democrats constantly imply that minorities are too stupid to obtain an ID. How is that not deeply offensive?

And if the new Georgia law is so racist, how about all the other states that already have laws with similar provisions? (Including Biden’s own state of Delaware) Here’s an interesting article on the subject. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/how-georgias-new-voting-law-compares-to-other-states But we’re supposed to believe that Georgia’s new election law is somehow new and different.

One final thought. What’s wrong with the elected representatives and legislators in Georgia enacting a law that applies to their own state? Don’t they have the right to do what they believe is best for their own citizens? Why should anyone outside the state feel the need to criticize? Or maybe more importantly, should the citizens of Georgia actually care what Washington (or Hollywood) liberals think about their new law? Those of us in Texas don’t really care what they think of us!

If you are interested in seeing how the media has covered this issue, here are a few articles on the new law from some different sources.

USA Today gave a somewhat neutral summary. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/04/10/georgia-new-voting-law-explained/7133587002/

The New York Times presented a decidedly Left view. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/02/us/politics/georgia-voting-law-annotated.html

And the BBC, a foreign source, provided a fairly balanced look. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56650565

Biden’s America - Show Me Your Papers

 

So, I know I’ve asked this before, but how are you Liberals liking this new/old socialism? Is Biden’s America everything you’d hoped for? Sadly, many people (on the extreme Left) are actually very pleased with what they have seen thus far. The real question is are there any Moderate Democrats remaining in this country (who are willing to stand with Conservatives to preserve our nation) or are they just going to keep going along with the Radical agenda of those in charge?

After four years of Democrats and the Mainstream Media throwing around the “Nazi” label, I wonder if the irony of the new regime’s actions are hitting home yet (with all the censorship and government mandates). Think about how often the Liberal media used the term and how wildly inaccurate the comparisons usually were. Now, consider our current situation.

When I was growing up, I remember watching all those old WWII movies and seeing all the checkpoints where the guards were always saying, “Show me your papers!” I never thought I would see that kind of thing in the USA, but when the first Lockdowns and Stay Home Orders were issued, I was given an official document to show that I was an Essential Employee. (Many of you could say the same.) These were my “papers” to show the authorities when I got stopped! (If my memory is correct we had very few, if any, reported cases in the county at that time, and I was never stopped, although my work schedule had me out after curfew several times.)

Now, we’re gearing up for even more Gestapo tactics. Get ready for the Vaccine Passport, more “papers” to show the authorities you have a right to be out in public. If you think I’m kidding, here are a couple of recent articles on the subject: “Vaccine Passports are on the Way” https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/03/28/vaccine-passports-for-work/ and “Biden Administration Helping Develop Standards to Prove Vaccination” https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/28/politics/biden-administration-vaccination-passport/index.html

Don’t be fooled by the denials from Jen (Circle Back) Psaki and other administration officials when they downplay the significance of these measures. Think about the “mask mandates” and just imagine when they replace “mask” with “vaccine passport.” How many stores and restaurants are going to post signs telling you that you can’t enter without a vaccine passport? How long till the airlines decide you can’t board without a vaccine passport? How long till videos start going viral showing the police dragging people out of public places for refusing to produce a valid vaccine passport? (“Show me your papers!”)

What’s going on in our country? Exercise your First Amendment rights, such as freedom of speech, and you risk getting cancelled, losing your job, your career, or worse. And freedom of religion or peaceful assembly? How long will we allow the government to restrict those basic rights? If you exercise your Second Amendment rights, how long will it be before the government comes knocking on your door demanding you hand over your property. (Go back and listen to their campaign promises to do that very thing!) How many constitutional rights are you prepared to give up?

But don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll still be able to vote without showing any papers. Welcome to Biden’s America.

The Reddy Cab Company – Preview

 

Heavy work schedule again this week, so I thought I’d share a bit from my WIP (Work In Progress, not to be confused with WAP, which is short for SPTBM, Smut Pretending To Be Music). Sorry, couldn’t resist, even though I’ve been warned about being too sarcastic lately!

Anyway, here’s a short excerpt from the newest novel and also a look at the early draft of the cover. Feel free to comment on either (or both).

Link and his friends had gone bowling often since picking up the game in high school. His parents had bowled in leagues for years and had a shelf full of trophies proudly displayed in the den. Link wondered what had happened to the pink and blue, nine pound ball that his mother had always used. He supposed it was still in the bedroom closet in the old plaid bowling bag she had carried for years.

Although his parents had given up the game long ago, Link and his friends continued to make the trip across the lake to the Northlake Lanes as often as they could. Each of the three had developed his own unique style/approach to the sport. Because of his size, Link was obviously the power bowler of the group. He employed a huge backswing and threw the ball with such force that contact anywhere near the pocket would produce a strike with pins flying violently in all directions. The sound produced was enough to draw the attention of anyone near their particular lane, and of course, he loved the attention it brought.

The most competitive of the group, David threw a wicked little hook that either struck the pocket squarely or glided completely across the lane hitting little or nothing as it headed for the left hand gutter. Sometimes, he would drop the ball a bit too far to the outside resulting in the ball falling immediately into the right hand gutter. This was routinely followed by cursing (from David) and laughter from Kenny. On a good day, he could rival Link, and he had actually outscored him on a small handful of occasions, though not very often.

Kenny was the most colorful of the three. He tended to hold onto the ball too long usually throwing the ball halfway down the lane in the air. As the ball bounced toward the pins, he would burst with laughter as his friends hid their faces and pretended not to know him. Maybe once or twice a year, he would actually break a hundred on the scorecard, but regardless of his final tally, he never failed to have a wonderful time.

Extra credit and a free copy of the novel when it is finished to the first person who can correctly identify the three actual bowlers who inspired the trio described above! And if you grew up in Waco, you can probably name the particular bowling alley we frequented.

Look for The Reddy Cab Company to be out sometime in early 2022!

WandaVision vs. Zack Snyder’s Justice League

 

I confess to being a big Superhero fan, and I try to catch most, if not all of the movies, and many of the TV shows as well. As a youngster, I read mostly the DC comics, but I knew who the Marvel heroes were and occasionally read those too. I have always loved seeing my heroes portrayed on screen (even the cartoons!) From the old Batman TV series in the sixties to the current crop of blockbusters, I have remained a fan, so I couldn’t resist checking out these shows. Even if you’re not a fan of the genre, you’ve probably been bombarded by ads for the two most recent releases. Having seen both, here are my reviews.

I’ve seen all the Avengers movies, and although Vision and the Scarlet Witch are not particularly favorites, I was intrigued by the trailers of WandaVision. (Or at least until I had seen the exact same trailer on FB about 157 times!) After 2 episodes, I was convinced that this was the dumbest thing I had ever seen on television (which is saying a lot considering some of the current shows on network TV). I almost quit, but there were a few commentators on social media who insisted that the show would get better, so I decided to stick with it for at least a few more episodes. I’m glad I did.

By the end of the next two, I was hooked. It did get better. A lot better. Without spoiling too much, it is a very different kind of Superhero show. Primarily, it’s about grief and losing someone you love. It seems even superheroes have to deal with that sort of thing. (Spiderman: Far From Home also shares this theme to a degree.) Beginning with a somewhat silly sit-com premise, the show evolves into a complex multi-layered narrative that I found fascinating. And in true superhero form, it builds toward a big showdown where our hero must defeat the villain, in this case one you may not have seen coming.

Overall, the series was very well done, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Marvel fans should definitely check this one out. (As for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, I will let you know.)

As a DC guy, I was somewhat disappointed in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the theatrical release of Justice League. I enjoyed both, but like most fans, felt they could have been better. The extended version of Batman v Superman was a vast improvement over the original version and did manage to fill in some of the obvious plot holes, and if you’ve read my previous blogs, you may remember I had high praise for Ben Affleck’s Batman. With that in mind, I was very much looking forward to the release of the Snyder cut of Justice League. I was hoping for a more cohesive narrative and a more serious tone. I was not disappointed!

Again, without spoilers, the Snyder Cut is well worth the four hours viewing time. Every character gets a more complete backstory, especially Cyborg, and we get the true villain who was missing from the original. Superman gets his story arc restored (and gets to wear the cool black suit), and we get another, much longer look at the Knightmare scenario to come. (Sadly, we may never get the third Justice League movie which would have continued this storyline.)

Overall, the movie is very different than the theatrical version. The tone is darker, the situation more grim, and the battle more epic. This version is also more emotional. Barry and his father, Barry and Iris, Victor and his father, Clark and his mother, Clark and Lois, etc. We get to see a more personal side of each hero, and it make us love them even more. DC fans especially should not miss this one!