Our Second Amendment Rights

With all the talk of gun control laws needing to be fixed every time there is a shooting in this country or elsewhere, I thought it would be good to cover another one of our Bill Of Right. Yes, you guest it, I have picked our Second Amendment. But you know before I do that perhaps our Bill Of Rights needs to be explained a bit since so many people seemed confused these days about what is covered in our Constitution.

Our Bill Of Rights cover the first ten amendments of our Constitution. The purpose of the Bill of rights is to protect the rights of liberty and property. Funny today so many want to trample on those rights feeling their rights out weigh the right of their neighbor. Our Bill Of Rights is like an insurance policy in that they guarantee personal freedoms, reserve some powers to the states and the public, and limit the governments power in judicial and other proceedings. Our Bill Of Rights is very important in American government and law, as well as being a symbol of the freedoms given in the United States of America.

 Now we all know the Second Amendment of the Constitution is the section of the Bill Of Rights which protects an individuals right to bear arms. Like the rest of the first ten amendments the Second Amendment was adapted into the Constitution on December 15, 1791. The Second Amendment reads: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

By the statement alone you would think there is no need to keep questioning what it means but yet we have those in power who feel they  need to stand on their soap box every time there is a shooting and threaten the American people with fighting to remove their Second Amendment Rights. Why is this? I ask this question because it is obvious to me and I am sure it is to others that if someone wants to commit a crime they don't need to do it with a gun they have purchased through legal channels so why are we going after the gun owners who follow the rules. What's next? Are we going to start taking away our right to drive cars since people seem to be using vehicles now to do more harm than good, as well as knives, and other sharp instruments. Where do we draw the line?

Our Second Amendment Right protects and individuals right to bear arms. It was put into our Bill of Rights not on a whim but heavily debated at the time of it's writing. The reason for this was because back in the day, during the time of the writing of our Constitution and Bill of Rights, many of the American colonial settlers believed the right to bear arms or having state militias was an important right for different reasons. Many of these reason were specifically written into the States Constitutions.

Now we are tracing this back to the early settlers and their reasoning behind this amendment being the country they left behind in order to come here and the government they fought to escape and never wanted to see in their new home. The fear of the government once again being in charge to the degree of the people not having a say or being able to  protect themselves from the tyranny they fought to escape from. Many died believing in their cause and those who were leading the way to a better place and life in the new land now known as The United States of America.

The early states adopted this amendment allowing the people to set up a militia. Hmm, you might say why would they do that. Well for obvious reasons. If the government was to try and force the people to do what they did not feel was right, then the people had the right to take up arms and protect what was theirs. Protect their homes, their states, and their God given freedoms.

Think about it, if our country was to suddenly face the attack of a terrorist group that wanted to take over government and try to force an undemocratic form of government on us our Second Amendment Right gives us the power to fight for our country. To take up arms and protect our government and the people of this great nation. It was the states militia who banned together to fight during the Civil War joining the government military and stopping the south from succeeding from the Union, thus putting an end to slavery in the process.

The Second Amendment gives the people the right to help with law enforcement. To protect their land, their property, and as I have said before the possibility of an invasion. How could anyone in their right mind, without and ulterior motive, want to do away with this amendment?

In my opinion, any government official or candidate who gets on their soap box against the Second Amendment is doing so because they have an agenda of their own. That agenda is to disarm the good citizens of this great nation and leave us vulnerable to outside forces and the loss of our freedoms. We as Americans cannot and should not accept this. There are many ways people can do harm and yes guns are one of them but as we have seen over the past few years people can be very inventive when they have this need to do harm. They don't need a gun, they can use their car, a bus, knife or anything else they can think of to make into a weapon. Evil is evil and you can't stop it by taking the guns away from good, law abiding citizens.

I know there are many who do not share my belief and that is your God given right. I grew up with guns in my house and taught by my parents never to touch them but to respect them for the power they have and the damage they can do. I have a daughter who works late at night and we live in a state that does not give you the right to carry. She works in an area where she should not be alone at night and I cannot tell you how often I wished she had that right to carry, to protect herself just in case she ever had the need.

I guess, unless you have lost someone close to you to murder, had someone you loved attacked, or were attacked yourself you could not understand the need to be armed to protect yourself. In today's society I honestly feel there are more of us that have had to face this then there are who haven't. All those big wigs in Washington D.C. standing on their soap box demanding gun control are able to have all the protection they or their family need. If they are threatened in any way, shape, or form, they get their body guards. What does the average citizen have? Just themselves and the hard working police department who may or may not get there in time to save a life. So yes, I support the Second Amendment and I support the right to carry. No more gun free zones because we need to keep America and all American Citizens safe.

If the government really wants to stop the trafficking of guns in this country, stop them being illegally brought in. Stop the sale of guns at gun shows to just anyone. No matter what there should be a waiting period for anyone to obtain a firearm and they should have to go through training in order to use it plus qualify, same as any police officer, every year in order to continue to keep their weapons. No one, not even our government, should be allowed to take away our freedoms, our rights. No one, not even our government should feel they have the right to step on our Constitution and interpret it however it suits them.

The Second Amendment was put into place for a reason and although we are no longer a new colony we still have the same reasons for needing our right to bear arms. We still have the need to have our civilian militia ready in case they are needed to protect our government, our country, and the people of this great nation. Obviously I am not the only one to feel this way because back in 1990 there was a debate much like what is going on still to this day as to whether the right to bear arms was just for militia's and armies or for the individual as well. This argument went before the Supreme Court and they found ultimately that the right was an individual one in this case.

So to all our government officials who can't seem to agree on anything important to this country such as health care, tax reform, environment, infrastructure, illegal aliens and the list goes on, leave our Second Amendment Rights alone and try fixing what needs to be fixed in this country. Try doing what you were elected to and make this nation what it once was. Ban together as a united front and bring this great nation and all it's people together to fix what has been broken for so long. You see our forefathers knew just how screwed up things could be without a good foundation. They gave us that foundation in the Constitution and our Bill of Rights. It is up to our elected officials to uphold these laws and stop trying to divide this country. Time to work together and Make America Great Again.

May God Bless America and give us the strength to stand our ground and see to it no one takes away our God given rights.

Tragedy Strikes Vegas

This week the world watched in horror as terror unfolded in Las Vegas at the hands of a madman. As we were glued to the news reports wishing there was something we could do to help the only thing that came to my mind was to pray. I have heard the comments on social media about that being the go to for everyone so I ask, "Why not?" The people being shot at, pinned down helplessly, the police officers who ran towards the gunfire, the first repsonders who ran in the line of fire to help those in need, the concert goers who didn't think of themselves as they helped others to safety, they all needed our prayers, the needed something more powerful than that gunman firing down on them.

Over the past few days we have heard a lot of speculation, conspiracy theories and cries for gun reform, which took all of a few hours to get going. What many didn't get was this is the real world and in the real world crimes aren't solved in an hour so an investigation of this magnitude is going to take time and dedication from the agencies involved in piecing all of this together. Tossing out conspiracy theories, speculating what might have been going on in the gunman's head at the time, and getting on the soapbox for gun control isn't helping anyone especially those who are suffering at the hands of this evil person whose name I refuse to use. I don't want to give him anymore credit than the news has already bestowed on him. He has had more than his 15 minutes of undeserved fame.

The fact that someone could do this to any human being let alone a crowd of innocent people out to enjoy a good night of entertainment and family time boils my blood. The remarks made on social media about it being OK with the right because the shooter was white is more than disturbing. Evil comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. I don't care what color anyone's skin is if a person can carry out such an evil plan with such accuracy, in my eyes, he is not insane, not mentally ill, but smarter than most would give him credit for. After all there is a thin grey line between the power of good and evil just like there is a thin grey line between the dark and the light and once your cross over that line into the darkness, for many, there is no turning back. This attack was thought out and as the information comes through to us it is becoming more and more clear it is not the only one he could have been planning. I am not a psychologist nor to I pretend to be, I am a concerned citizen and I honestly believe he had an agenda and was in the process of carrying it out as a well thought out plan, not the act of an insane person acting on impulse.

Unfortunately over the past few years we have become very acquainted with the mind of a terrorist and we know they don't act on impulse, domestic or foreign. No one should have to live in fear of going out with their families and enjoying a pleasant night. No one should have to live in fear of attending church and being attacked for your belief. No one should have to live in fear of being attacked for their religious or political belief. In other words, no one should have to live in fear for any reason at all. This is the United States of America and we have allowed the evil to seep in somewhere along the line and those of us who still believe in the American Dream are being silenced because we offend others, hurt their feelings by standing up for ourselves, and make them feel dizzy and out of control of their own lives.

I have read more postings on social media aimed at starting a fight then at thinking of those who were affected by it all. This entire country was touched by what one man did even if we didn't have a person directly involved in the shooting. We cried with the witnesses as they gave an account of what happened as they tried to get to safety. We sat on the edge of our seat as we listened to the recount of how so many were trapped, pinned down, by the gunfire aiming down on them. Cried as we heard the stories of those who have lost their loved ones and yet there are still those out there who want to bait and fight. For what? For gun control laws that may or may not have made a difference because we all know if someone wants to get their hands on a gun, an illegal weapon, they can and there is nothing a gun control law will do to prevent it.

I grew up with guns in my house and guess what, no one went out and about killing anyone they felt like. Yes, it was simpler times but that is a poor excuse. This shooter was older than I am by a couple of years so he grew up in my time and still something triggered him to go off the deep end but no matter what the cause it didn't make it right. There is never a reason to murder someone let alone open fire on a crowd of innocent people you don't even know. You aren't happy with your life don't take it out on others, blame the one person who is responsible, you!

Less than 24 hours after the shooting while parents and families members were still waiting to hear of the fate of their loved ones politicians and the Hollywood elite jumped on the band wagon and started spewing the need for gun control and how the Republicans are against it. This isn't a Democrat or Republican issue this is a Constitutional issue and Congress needs to understand the American people deserve the right to protect themselves. I am not going to get all into this because I will do a blog on the Second Amendment but for now I just want to say this is not the forum for it. Let the people who have suffered a loss, are sitting by the beside of an injured loved one, or home recuperating from this ordeal  know we are concerned about them and not politics. Show them your love, support, and unity that American's pull on in times of crisis. Let them know they are not alone that America stands united with each and every one of them.

President Trump spent Wednesday in Vegas visiting those who were injured and social media lite up like a darkness tree spewing hate and insults every which way. Attacking even some of those who were injured and posted their meeting of the President and First Lady on their social media page. I honestly feel this country, our morals, our values, respect for others, love for our country and flag, have been seriously misplaced among the mouthy. Those who love to keep going at the negative and never find a way to instill the positive in any situation. Gnawing and instilling hate where ever they can and then they ask why something like this happens. You are asking for it by holding onto the hate and not letting the goodness into your soul. We don't all  have to agree on things because then life would be boring but what about listening to one another on a pleasant note and not calling names, spewing insults and insisting it's your way or no way because you know what is best for all. No one knows what is best for all especially not our government. Congress is having a hard enough time trying to fix the healthcare bill and tax reform piling on gun control is really going to over load them but then again perhaps that is what people want. They want Congress pulled in so many different directions nothing gets accomplished. Again this is not what should be discussed right now.

What should be talked about is the United States of America and it's citizens. We are a nation of mixed nationalities and color. No one person is better than anyone else. The colors of our flag are red, white, and blue. Colors to be proud of, that don't run and hide when trouble comes calling. We have the most amazing military, police, and first responders in the world, of course that's my opinion. We are a nation to be reckoned with on any given day because we don't back down. Suddenly we have become soft and now we  have a President who is fighting to get back the strength of this great nation and he is met with anger by those who feel we are too tough, to ready for battle, to willing to protect our own. When something happens like the mass shooting in Vegas we come together as a nation in support of one another and while some talk about a way to fix it, others argue it can't be fixed, while others pray there is a happy medium. Who we are and what we stand for says it in the name of our country UNITED yet there are way too many to who would use a crisis to Divide us and fight to keep the negativity growing. Stop for five minutes and think of those people who have faced death on our soil and are now faced with mourning those they lost or living with the memory of the horrors they saw because of one evil man.

Stop being the armchair detective and putting conspiracy theories out there or mocking those who have their own opinion of what caused all of this. Start standing strong with the victims and their families and showing them the love and support I know this country is capable of. If someone pops on you social media page or you are confronted with a nasty person on someone else page just scroll down, walk away, and move on. Don't take the bait because it will not help anyone heal. When all is said and done the investigation will be revealed to us and we will know what the police know in due time. Let's let them do their job as we stand in support of all the victims and their families.

I want to give thanks to all those who didn't give a second thought to their own safety, to all our off duty police, military, and EMT's who just did what came naturally, to all the police who ran towards the shooting and protected those who were attending the concert, and especially to all those who were in attendance who pitched in helping strangers in need, seeing to it people got to the hospital and helping others get to safety. Each and every one of them, in my eyes, is not only the true meaning of what it is to be a American but they are real American Heroes.

May God Bless America and help the victims of this mass shooting, as well as Vegas, heal.

President Trump and the NFL

Yesterday President Trump made a speech and referred to the NFL players who have decided to take a knee in protest for the oppressed in this country. In his comment he said the NFL should respond to the protesters by saying "Get that Son of a bitch off the field!" Well to that I say, SPOT ON, President Trump!

I am amazed that these reporters and commentators are more upset with President Trump saying son of a bitch than they are about the NFL football players taking a knee during the National Anthem. Funny they see them taking a knee as their right to free speech but  yet our President, who spoke what many of us have been thinking for over a year now, doesn't have that right to free speech and is expected to act differently because he lives in the White House. Sorry folks but here is a reality check, President Trump was elected because he spoke his mind like every other American and not like some politician who only shows you what they need to in order to get elected.

I can imagine how these news reporters would be up in arms if they had a live mic in one of these behind the door meetings held by our Congressmen and women. The words you would hear and the nasty comments that would be made would be devastating to your sensitive souls.

After our President spoke his mind concerning these over paid cry babies a statement was released by Roger Goodell in which he says, and I quote, "The NFL and our players are at our best when we help create a sense of unity in our country and our culture. There is no better example then the amazing response from our clubs and players to the terrible disasters we've experienced over the last month. Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force our good clubs and players represent in our communities."

To those of you who read my blog I am sure you understand I cannot let this go unaddressed. Roger Goodell and the NFL players who chose to stand or hold a fist in the air are a bunch of disrespectful morons to the men and women who serve this country, to the first responders and police who put their lives on the line everyday, to every man and woman who shed their blood in order to protect and serve this amazing country so these ungrateful cry babies can play football and make millions of dollars.

I will give you there are a lot of professional athletes, across this country, who give to their communities and pitch in to help with one charity or another. The NFL doesn't have that market cornered but you also don't see those other ball clubs taking a knee or showing disrespect to our nations flag and all those who fought to keep our freedoms.

These million dollar babies want to cry about oppression when they are now walking around with a silver spoon in their mouths. Yes, I am sure some of them came up from some  hard times and football or some other sport helped them make their way up the ladder and improved their lives in one way or another. So instead of these NFL players getting out there and saluting the very flag that stands for them to have that opportunity they choose to insult it and those who fought for them to do what they have always dreamed of. They are living the American Dream of making a better life for themselves and their family but instead of teaching our children it is something we should be proud of they chose to not stand and act the fool trying to teach our youth how wrong people in this country are because we have people who are oppressed and of course they are only people of color.

Well here is a news flash for you NFL superstars, take a look around and notice how many people of color are doing well for themselves in this country. Being underprivileged doesn't just happen to people because of the color of their skin. It has nothing to do with those who were slaves back when this country began. We fought a war to solve that very same problem and guess what the North won and the slaves were freed yet there are still those with that mentality to blame the white people with their inability or drive to pull themselves out of poverty. Funny thing, they were never slaves, they just listened to stories growing up and harvested the anger. Many of those slaves fought on the lines on both sides North and South, they fought for their freedoms, they fought for their families, and they fought for the future of this great nation.

I raised three children and put them through college as a single mother living for most of their lives under the poverty level but I refused to let that bring me down or allow it to pull my children down. They knew we didn't have much but I always made sure they had everything they needed even if I had to do without. They knew how important it was for them to do better for themselves then I ever didn't and how proud I was with every advancement they made in their lives. I taught my children no matter where you come from there is no p lace you cannot go because in America you can do anything you set your mind to as long as you work hard and push to keep doing better. Many times I held three and four jobs but not once did I complain this country was keeping me down or hold a grudge against anyone for what I didn't have.

Goodell you and your players and clubs want to make a difference then get out there on the streets the way it used to be. Walk among the young people and get some positive community action going. You and your players and clubs aren't the only ones who responded to the disasters that happened in this country over the past month. This entire country set their differences aside and stepped up to the plate, not the goal post, and pitched in however they could, where ever they could and asked for nothing in return. So please do not pat yourself on the back for doing what the rest of the country was doing.

When your players take a knee I am offended because I have lost family to war, had uncles held prisoner of war, lost friends in Vietnam, and have had and still have many friends who served or are serving in the United States Armed forces and I am proud of each and everyone of them. I am offended because it is a slap in the face to our veterans and disabled veterans who fought so your players can take a knee in protest. You are all claiming you have the right to free speech but this is their job. If they want to stand on a soap box then take out an ad but do not turn the game into a political arena.

As for President Trump's comment I stand and applaud him because he is right. If you do not stand for this country and all those who fought for it then leave.  You see the problem is you have all been listening to the rhetoric of the Obama administration for so long you actually started to believe his propaganda in which he cried injustice for blacks in America. Where were the cries for the children of color who were shot down innocently in the streets because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. I remember a story in the middle of all this chaos of his administration of a  young nine year old black girl in her room doing her homework when shots rang out just outside of her home. That poor child, who was minding her own business, doing her homework in the safety of her home, under the watch of her mother, was killed by a stray bullet. Where was the outcry for this child. There wasn't any. No one went out to protest for her lost life but a mother was left to mourn. There are many other stories like that so please if you want to take a knee take in the name of the innocent not the thugs.

I have said this many times, I am the mother of a police officer and a sister to another, I pray every day my son or brother doesn't have to pull his gun on anyone. I pray every day someone doesn't pull a gun on them. I pray every time the phone rings late at night that its not bad news. I fear a uniformed police officer coming to my door with news I don't want to hear. When I hear chanting in the streets for police officers to be killed I hold my breath and pray to God someone finally opens their eyes and helps them to realize we can all work together for a better tomorrow and it doesn't have to be one side against the other, one color against the other. We are in the year 2017 yet I feel we have stepped back in time to the 1960's and are once again fighting a war for civil rights that has already been won by some of the best.

Is everything perfect in this country, hell no! We have politicians who could unite us, fighting to divide us. That is something we all need to look at and when we do, remember the words of Lincoln when he said in a speech to some students at a school in Illinois:

"At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide."

So let the politicians of this country have the last laugh and destroy what so many have fought for. Let them destroy this country from within because by allowing this to go on, by allowing the criminals to be the oppressed, the ones being hurt by the police, by allowing our children to have to grow up in fear of playing outside because of the thugs walking the streets, our senior citizens and disabled practically kept as prisoners in their homes because of fear of being attacked and unable to protect themselves, by allowing the inmates to run the asylum so to speak we are giving in and signing our country over to ruin. It's time folks to pick a side and stand united, not be offended by the words spoken by our President but be focused on improving the situation in this country and standing behind our President, military, veterans, first responders and police. It's time to shed our soft shell and grow a hard shell and fight back to bring this country back to where it was and more. 

To Goodell and the NFL players who feel they need to take a knee I say to you start standing up for what is right and fight for what this country stands for, justice, freedom, values, integrity, and morals, the way it used to be. Take all that energy you have in putting down this country and those who fight to keep us safe and put it into helping the children of this great nation see what an amazing life they can have and encourage them to do better and fix what is broken in their communities by being stronger and better than the generation before them.

May God Bless America and may we all start to realize it's time to stand together for a better tomorrow. 

Disaster Strikes In The Name of Harvey and Irma.

I've been quiet for a while. I think we all need to step back and take a breath from time to time. Sometimes we need a little quiet time to balance ourselves with all the craziness going on in the world. The news just keeps blasting the negative and seems to ignore the positive so they can feed the drama and keep it going. After all, it's all about ratings, not about the people and bringing this country together, standing strong, as it should be.

Mother Nature however, did just that. Over the last two weeks she has taken the opportunity to smack us in the face and give us a wake up call as we watched Hurricane's Harvey and Irma rip apart Texas and Florida. Many of us feeling helpless and the need to run and help our fellowman. Many giving no thought to the dangers they were putting themselves in, in order to save the lives of men, women, children and even animals. We have some of the bravest men and women who just jumped in and volunteered to help wherever they were needed. Not because it was their job but because they wanted and needed to.

These volunteers were far from over helping out in Texas after the wake of Hurricane Harvey and the devastation he left behind when Hurricane Irma took her anger out on Florida. Now we stand, as a country united with one goal in mind, bring these two states back to life. Help fix what damage was done and do not stop for a moment or make it a political issue but keep it a human issue.

Like all others in this country we watched as fires raged through Montana and hurricanes hit our shores, praying for all those who were in their path. It never ceases to amazes me how Americans come together in a time of crisis to help those in need. It doesn't matter if it's to donate money, give clothing, food, water, or their time, Americans find a way to help. When it hits our own shores there is even a stronger need to pitch in and make things right again.

The silent majority stands up and ignores all else as they role up their sleeves and do what needs to be done to get the job done. People from all fifty states find a way to contribute in the aid in one way or another and not once do they stop to ask those they are helping what political party they belong to. Why? Because that is not what it is all about. Mother Nature found a way to remind us we are and have been for a long time, way off track. Too many lost in a world of hate and anger they  have forgotten what is really important in life, family, friends, and coming together as a nation so we can all succeed and live the American dream.

The United States of America, it's citizens, have allowed the drama kings and queens of this world to get in our way, cause chaos on our land, and pit American's against Americans. We can't allow that because we are and always have been united. True over the years our visions have changed but for the most part, for the better. We still have a long way to go but it's a learning experience because there is no other country in the world quite like the United States of America, so there is no other country in the world for us to learn from. As a matter of fact most look towards us and they either love this country and want to be here or they hate it and want to destroy it. Still we have more advantages here, more freedoms, more chances to improve on our lives, then any other country in the world.

When Harvey hit the shores of Texas reeking havoc as he rolled in and destroyed so many lives we witnessed strangers helping strangers, neighbors helping neighbors, and families struggling to stay together in the mist of Harvey's floods and devastation. From day one there were people in boats out doing search and rescue, pulling people out of their homes and helping them to safety even as the storm continued. Harvey hung over Texas for five days and dropped over 52 inches of rain in some areas, less in others. The longest running hurricane in American history Harvey hung on. Now Texas is still drying out and the people are trying to put their lives back together.

There were sone heart warming stories that came out of the rescues as well as some heartbreaking ones. I cannot begin to express how upset I was at the fact people left their animals tied to trees instead of allowing them to be able to at least find their own way out if they couldn't take them with them. I was amazed as I watched a video of rescuers helping a horse who was terrified of the river like current of water running through the streets. The horse was frozen in place near some trees. When the rescuers got her to safety you can see a tear come out of her eyes. It broke my heart but at the same time I was so happy to see she was safe and being well cared for. I watched as cowboys herded cattle out of the water to safety getting them to higher ground. Everyone pitched in the help with all that needed to be done, no seconds thoughts it just had to be.

To see the people coming off the boats and hear some of their stories as the reporters approached them and asked for information concerning their rescue was both heartbreaking and rewarding. To know they were safe was a relief even though I didn't know them personally. Of course they weren't headed for the best situation because now they had to go to shelters if they didn't have any family members or friends who could take them in. Still the people of Texas, the state government and the federal government did great and are continuing working together to help those who have been displaced by Harvey. Our President has promised we will not turn our backs on them as a nation and we will help them to rebuild. We couldn't and shouldn't expect anything else.

When Hurricane Irma hit Florida people were advised to evacuate. Many did and of course like any other time there were those who chose not to heed the warning. The Florida Keys took the brunt of the storm but that doesn't mean the rest of Florida was spared. Once again homes destroyed, water filled the roads making it impossible to get around but she came in fast and moved a lot quicker than Harvey did. Happily once she hit land around Naples she started to lose her strength as she made her way up Florida and into Georgia. Still she packed a punch as she knocked around Georgia ripping up trees and knocking out power with strong winds and rain. So much devastation in so few hours.

Today I watched some of the images from Key West. The destruction, homes and business lost, so much needs to be done in order to rebuild but again we are Americans and nothing is ever impossible. We never say never and we don't give up and run with our tails between our legs. So many Floridians just wanted to get  home and see what was left of their homes and for many there wasn't much. Our prayers go out to them and now the rescue begins and the rebuilding will start as soon as the paperwork gets filled out and the government puts a plan into action both federal and state levels. Florida has a lot of work ahead of them but again, they are not alone for every state that can send people down to help with electric or anything else they are doing just that.

I think one of the stories that broke my heart today more than anything I have seen so far is the story of the nursing home where eight residents died and the others were now being evacuated. What I don't understand is why they weren't evacuated when the Governor kept telling people to evacuate. I honestly was so upset I couldn't listen to the story. I just thought of those people who were living in the nursing home perhaps because they were unable to care for themselves or they had no family to help them. It doesn't matter why they were there all that matters was they were left there under unbelievable conditions when the administration was given more than enough time to remove their patients. I hope they do a full investigation into this and find out how this could have happened and of course who is to blame. Trust me it's not Irma's fault, there is a human or two that didn't do their job.

I also thought it was appalling to see people looting in Florida but very happy to see they were arrested. Way to go to our men and women in blue. I hope the looters get the book thrown at them and are locked up for a long time. I was listening to a news report that said the penalty is doubled because the looting was done during a disaster. I am glad to hear that but in my opinion if you loot anytime you should go away for a long time. People work too hard to build their businesses to just have someone come along and take because they feel as if they deserve it for some inexpiable reason.
So now it's time to not rebuild two states in our Union. To help all we can and to pray all we can for everyone effect by these two storms. It's time to not only put our differences aside but to keep them there. Leave the politics to the politicians and stop being the silent majority, speak up and stand up for this nation, for our beliefs, morals, values, for all American citizens to keep our freedoms and not give in to pressures of the loud mouths. It's the silent majority that does and will get things done the right way, not by hurting, looting, or destroying.  Pray for guidance so we can once again be whole and united without having to have a disaster of some sort to bring us together.

Before all else we are American's proud and true. Before all else we stand united, we stand together, to improve life for ourselves and our children, to ensure this nation will be a stronger and better nation for our grandchildren. If these two storms taught us nothing else we should each have learned just how valuable it is to stand together, work together, and build a better country, bringing America back to what it once was or perhaps an even better America.

May God Bless America and may he help all those who have been effect by these two storms and help the rest of this nation stand together so Texas and Florida has all the help they need to rebuild.

Statues and Monuments Are Not The Problem But Hate and Disrespect Are.

The United States of America is in turmoil over historical statues. I don’t know about you but to me that statement sounds ridiculous yet that is what is happening all over the country. People are up in arms about the statues of Confederate soldiers being on display throughout the different cities in this country.

Over the past few weeks I have listened to the logical explanations of those for and against these images and I have come to a conclusion. Although I do feel the left is using this issue to split this country and cause a great divide where there shouldn’t be any, I also feel some of the arguments I have heard are fair and just.

If a statue or monument has been put in place since or around the time of the Civil War then most American’s accept this as a symbol and remembrance of the Civil War, what we fought for and against on both sides of the fence. What is disturbing to many are the statues that were put up after the 1960’s Jim Crow era. It’s not because they don’t believe in the Civil War and all those who served regardless of the side they were on but it is because they feel this is a slap in the face to those who marched for the Civil Rights and the advancements that were made in our country because of all those who fought so hard to see equality in this country.

That being said, I can understand how they would feel this way. I do not agree with taking away our history because we need to learn it and learn from it but no one is asking to remove it completely. What they are asking is for some of these images to be put in an area where they would be used for just that reason. A statue erected in the middle of a park where children play doesn’t necessarily mean they are going to learn about it, the person who it represents or the cause in which it was for. Place it in a museum or area where people go specifically for the historical value of the site and to learn what it was really all about, is exactly where these such statues should be moved to instead of destroyed and vandalized by those who seem to be too immature to understand what a peaceful rally means compared to an out and out street brawl or riot.

In this country there are 10 Civil War Battlefields where we can go and learn about what happened at this time in our history. The glory of it and the horrors of it. There are also 50 National Monuments erected in which we can learn from and be reminded of our mistakes with the hopes of never recreating them and our achievements. All these places around the country, I am sure, can find an extra spot or two, to add an unwanted statue or monument to their tour of education. Not to mention all the museums around the country who would love to have these statues in their displays to include in their tours.

That being said let’s take a look at a few of the battlefields today. First one being where it all started back on April 12, 1861, Fort Sumter, a sea fort in Charleston, South Carolina. There were two battles fought in Fort Sumter the first being on April 12, 1861 when the Confederate artillery fired on the Union garrison. The first shots fired were right there and the battle continued all day. It was a win for the Confederate side because the fort was cut off from its supply line so they had to surrender the next day. The second battle was fought in 1863 on September 8 but was a failed attempt by the Union to retake the fort. Even though the fort was reduced to rubble it still remained in the hands of the Confederacy. So it would remain until it was evacuated when General Sherman marched through South Carolina in February of 1865. Today it stands as a National Monument of where the American Civil War began. A place to go and learn what took place before and after the civil war erupted and how the Union forces tried to take the fort back. You can go there and tour this National Monument and learn the role it played in the American Civil War.

The Fort Sumter National Monument has three sites in Charleston starting with the original Fort Sumter. There is also the Fort Sumter Visitor Education Center, and Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island. In order to get to Fort Sumter itself you can go by private boat or a ferry ride which leaves from the education center or Patriots Point. The Visitors Education Center of Fort Sumter is, as you would have guessed, a museum which features exhibits about the problems between the North and South that led up to the battle itself.

Next let us look at Manassas National Battlefield Park in Manassas, Virgina.  Once again the North thought they would have a quick victory over the South but it didn’t happen that way in July of 1861. I learned during this battle, this first battle at Manassas that spectators traveled from Washington to watch what they believed would be a Northern victory however they were mistaken and ended up fleeing the field right along with the Federal troops. The Confederacy had the upper hand then and during the second battle in August of 1862 which set the stage for Gen. Robert E. Lee’s first invasion of the north. If you wanted to take a tour of this battle field start at The Henry Hill Visitor Center which is a museum. There you will find a statue of Confederate Gen. Thomas J. Jackson better known in history as Stonewall Jackson. The Henry Hill Museum is a great starting point for several walking tours around the smaller First Battle of Manassas field. There are driving tours around the larger grounds which were home to the second battle of Manassas.

Shiloh National Military Park, Shiloh, Tennessee is next on our list of Civil War Battlefields. This is the largest battlefield of the Civil War Mississippi Valley Campaign. The loss on both sides was insurmountable. The battle started on April 6^th, 1862 and ended the following day with 23,746 casualties between men who were killed, injured or missing in action. The Union may have won this battle but the casualties of war were costly. Shiloh was a battle that triggered a huge struggle for Corinth which was a busy railroad junction and very important to the South.

Today the Shiloh National Military Park preserves the American Civil War battlefields of Shiloh and Corinth. Situated about nine miles south of Savannah, Tennessee the main section of the park is the unincorporated town of Shiloh. The city of Corinth, Mississippi is 23 miles southwest of Shiloh. The Shiloh National Military Park was established on December 27, 1894. On September 22, 2000 sites associated with the Corinth battlefield were added to the park and on March 6, 1991 the Siege and Battle of Corinth Sites were designated a National Historic Landmark. 

At the visitor center there are permanent exhibitions, films, displays and self-guided 12 mile auto tour where you will hear the recount of the battle unfold as you drive along and envision all these men had to endure.

Richmond National Battlefield Park, Richmond, Virginia. Richmond, Virginia was the capital of the Confederacy so that made it the main target for the north. If Richmond fell the north would have more control and better footing in a very horrible war not just between states but in some cases between families, brother against brother. There are so many Civil War historic sites in Richmond so many of them have been grouped together and are represented at the Richmond National Battlefield Park. During the Civil War Richmond took more than one hit and they got it by land and sea. During the battle of Drewry’s Bluff Confederate guns were able to hold the U.S. naval fleet off. 

Unfortunately most of the city was burned during the battle in April of 1865. Still a number of historic structures remain. The visitor’s center is located in Tredegar Iron works. What was once the Chimborazo Hospital which treated the wounded from Virginia’s battlefields is now a museum and gives you a look at the wars medical history. When you visit the battlefield you will have a chance to learn the history of what happened there from the Rangers, follow in the footsteps of the soldiers who battled there as you hike the battlefields, and explore the artifacts as you take a tour of the museum exhibits.

It was on September 17, 1862 where we come to the bloodiest one day battle in U.S. history. The Battle of Antietam where some 23,000 lives from both sides were either killed, wounded, or missing in action. This battle had a profound effect on the course of the war and the lives of millions of people even though neither side could claim it as a definite victory. The north was able to turn back Lee’s invasion in Maryland and as Union armies moved south about one in every seven slaves escaped to join the Northern troops battling for their freedom as well as those still held as slaves.

If you wished to visit this historical site you can do so and either hike the battlefield which runs 8 ½ miles long but most visitors like to take the self-guided driving tour which makes about 11 stops along the way. The visitor center has a theater, exhibits, observation room, and of course a museum store where you can purchase a memory of your visit there. The audiovisual program is a 26 minute film which is narrated by James Earl Jones. Rangers will be more than happy to share a part of history with you and your family.

Other battlefields to look into are Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Mississippi, Andersonville National Historic Site, Andersonville, Georgia, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, and Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Appomattox, Virginia. These memorials, historic landmarks, didn’t pop up after the civil rights movement in the 60’s these areas were used for actual battles during the Civil War. The monuments there should be there and should have no reason for anyone to think they were erected as a smack in the face to the Civil Rights movement.

Somewhere along the line Americans need to stop taking the fight to the street and start taking it where it belongs, Capitol Hill. When you have Congressmen and women condemning all monuments in the country just because they are offended by who is in the White House and are adding fuel to an already smoldering fire it is time to let them know you want them to stop the propaganda and move on to what is important to all in this country. The issues which they promised the American people in their districts in order to get elected. I say this right at one of my own who unfortunately represents the state of New Jersey, Corey Booker, who feels he needs to put a bill forth to be rid of the monuments in the Capital because they are offensive.

Booker it is because of big mouths like you this country is still in unrest and not pulling together to be the United States we all know we can be. The United people we saw on September 11, 2001 who came together from all over the country to help strangers, no matter what the costs. I do believe if a statue was erected a hundred years after the civil war it is not there for education, sitting in the middle of a park somewhere so move them to a museum, battlefield, or some other historical point. However those monuments in the Capital that are so offensive belong there. Washington D.C. is the Capital of the United States of America. Monuments of those who fought for this country, died for this country, served this country should be on full display for all to see and learn from. You, Mr. Booker, are a disgrace to New Jersey and if these monuments offend you so much then perhaps you shouldn’t be representing the state of New Jersey and it’s time for us to get someone who really cares about what the people of your state need.

Remember the City of Newark where you came from? Remember all those wonderful people struggling, and many living in poverty? Remember your promises to them? Perhaps that’s what you should be working on Booker and not worrying about monuments and statues that should be in the Nation’s Capital.

All politicians on both sides of the fence need to stop feeding into this frenzy and start pulling this nation together. Stop looking for trouble when you have the ability to call a halt to this craziness. Listen to both sides and understand there has to be a happy medium. No one wants our history lost but in some cases the request to have the statue or monument removed is because of its symbolism to the people of the community. Compromise is the only way to fix what is broken. Not bullying, listening to the both sides and making an educated decision that will best suit both sides but the problem here is the left loves the drama and the right is now feeding into it.

We do not need to remove all statues from all cities around the nation but those who were not put up during the Jim Crow era need to be looked at and perhaps we all need to cool down and realize they would be better suited moved to a place where they would help educate our children and ourselves because it is obvious so many of us forgot what we learned in U. S. History. We forgot how destructive fighting among ourselves could be. So instead of bullying and demanding one side to listen to the other sit down and talk, hear what the other side has to say, listen with an opened mind and come to an agreement to fix this. Logically, its’ not complicated unless we allow it to be and right now we are.

So I call to all who are out there battling to bring this country together to realize moving these statues and monuments to a place where they would do some good and educate the people, remind us of our faults and failures, our achievements, and see that meeting in the streets to do battle with the ANTIFA or BLM is not a way to bring this country together. The removal of a statue or monument is not tearing our country apart, the people who want us to drown are and we cannot allow that. Pull together and make a plan to stay united. To stand behind our President and see to it the real issues at hand are what is addressed on a daily bases, not the little distractions the left puts up so the right losses focus.

May God Bless America and hear our prayers to heal this great nation.

How A Rally to Unite Turned to Division at Charlottesville, VA!!!!!!!

What happened in Charlottesville, VA this weekend was heartbreaking. My prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims of this madman's act of violence.

Why was there a rally this weekend? In this country we have been witnessing the removal of our history in the way of statues of Confederate soldiers, heroes in their time, being removed from cities around the country. It's as if they are trying to take an eraser and remove American History as it actually happened. As if by removing these statues we can remove the blemish of ignorance of the time. Ignorance being slavery and all the suffering of those held as slaves in this country. No normal person in today's society believes people should held as slaves but yet it is harped on by many activist as if it is still going on in today's society. Instead of encouraging people they continually bring up the mistakes of the past and live with hatred in their hearts as they fight to instill it in others.

Let's take a look at why these men fought in the civil war. What caused this war to begin with? We all know slavery was a big issue but there was also states’ rights on the table, the power of the federal government over the states, the "South's way of life", etc. So although slavery is what is usually cited as the cause of the civil war there were other factors at work, such as, political and cultural differences between the North and South. Let’s take a look at them.

Many northern states had moved away from farming and went into industry which meant a lot of people in the north worked and lived in large cities like New York and Philadelphia. In the south they were still maintaining a large farming economy. Unfortunately this economy was based on slave labor. Since the way of the north had changed from farming to industry there was no need for slavery because the citizens did the jobs in the factories and wherever else they were available but in the south they still relied heavily on slaves.

States’ Rights were another issue of the Civil War. It didn’t just pop up after the war began but was there since the writing of the Constitution. There had been arguments back then about how much power states should have versus how much power the federal government should have. In the South they believed the federal government was taking away their rights and powers adding fuel to the fire that was brewing.

As the country began to grow and move westward each new state added to the county shifted the power between the North and South. It got to where the south feared they would lose so much power to the north they would lose all their rights.

Although the south believed in slavery there were many people in the north who believed it to be wrong and evil. These people were called abolitionists and they wanted slavery to be made illegal throughout the United States. This scared the South for they feared their way of life would come to an end.

In 1854 the first fight over slavery issues took place in Kansas when the government passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act which allowed the residents of Kansas to vote on whether or not they would want to be a slave state or a free state. Of course people from both sides of the fence flooded the region trying to sway people to their way of thinking. It wasn’t a fight quickly won for it took years for Kansas to reach a decision and during that time several people lost their lives in small skirmishes but eventually Kansas did enter the Union as a free state in 1861.

It was when President Lincoln was elected that many of the southern states decided they could no longer be a part of the Union. It was time to separate their ways. They believed they had a right to leave so starting with South Carolina, eleven other states followed their lead to leave the United States and form a new country called the Confederate States of America. This was the country the Confederate soldiers honored in those statues being removed, believed in and fought for. President Lincoln said they did not have the right to leave the United States and sent troops in to stop them, thus beginning the Civil War.

Back to present day. Although there are people fighting for the right for these statues to remain on display it does not mean they believe in white supremacy. It does mean they believe in the history of this great nation right or wrong. We made mistakes along the way and one of the big mistakes made was slavery. We fought to free slaves and keep this nation together. The men who fought for the South during this time believed in what they were fighting for. They believed they had a right to a certain way of life and they feared the federal government would gain too much control over the people. They wanted a government for the people like we all did, but they saw it differently because one side had a different way of life then that other side.

To remove these statues does not remove the mistakes we made in history. It does not rewrite our history or erase the names of those who fought in these battles and those battles that were won. We lost many good men in these battles both North and South and in the North there were many free black men who signed up to fight for the Union, for their freedom. They were fighting as much for themselves as for their brothers and sisters in the South so one day we could live in a peaceful environment as one race, the human race. No need to see color or to fight for the right to speak our minds because all men are created equal.

Just a few short years ago during the Obama administration a group formed known as Black Lives Matter. Where was the outrage from America as this group protested, burned down towns, injured people, destroyed businesses, and fought for the thugs who were destroying their cities? Where was the DOJ and Obama on these issues? They were condemning the police for doing their jobs and inviting BLM to the White House and no one on the Democratic side had anything to say against it.

Now we have what should have been a peaceful rally interrupted on both sides of the fence by white supremacist and BLM and Anti-fa, who go at it as the ignorant people they are and unfortunately killed and injured innocent people. Enter President Trump who speaks out against the hate in this country that has been building, as he said, for years. Long before him or Obama.

People are upset because they felt President Trump should have been harsher in his way of talking to people. Seems like they can’t make up their minds he is either too harsh or not harsh enough. I however feel he hit the nail right on the head when he said, “We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides.” He did not blame one side because in order for things to get to the boiling point they were there was more than one group at work and he knows it, unlike much of America who wants to lay blame and accuse all that were there with white skin tone as being white supremacists. It doesn’t work that way. Just because they were fighting for the right to keep a piece of history in place does not make them supremacists, it makes them American’s proud of their history, good or bad. It is what helped form this nation and instead of learning from past mistakes we are still making them. Shame on you!

President Trump also stated this kind of behavior, “It has no place in America.” He went on urging American’s to remember, “no matter our color, creed, religion or political party, we are all Americans first. We love our country, we love our God, we love our flag, we are proud of our country, we are proud of who we are.’

There was on person killed in this confrontation and 19 injured due to a man driving his speeding car into another car that was moving through the crowd of counter protesters. Why? Because they didn’t believe as he felt they should have. Why are there counter protesters no matter where or when a rally is set up? Why is it, no matter where you go people are so ready to blame it all on color instead of ignorance? Why are we as a nation repeating the same things over and over again and not learning from the past? Because in this country we give in to those who make the greatest noise and that’s not right.

If we are learn from our mistakes then we need to know taking the fight to the streets is one sure way to cause a battle. Taking the fight to the polls, to the courts, we may have a battle on our hands but at least there will not be blood shed from our own people. Americans should not be fighting other Americans on the streets in order to make their point. The government should not be giving in to these groups who scream injustice or mistreatment because of the color of their skin, their religion, or for any other reason. When a decision is made it should be one made because it is what is best for all of America and not just the big mouths who want to go out there and trash all that is good.

I know many people fighting for the Unity of the United States. They want to see this nation as a whole again and many of these amazing people are naturalized citizens who came here legally and proud to be able to say they are Americans. They wave that flag proudly and although they may not agree with all of our battles fought and why, they do believe in all of our freedoms and want to see to it we stay united and keep those freedoms so many fought for and that includes those who fought in the Civil War.

So now I call out to all Americans to listen to President Donald J. Trump and start uniting in this great nation regardless of the color of your skin. See your neighbor for the goodness in his or her heart, see past the color of their skin and see the person, the soul, inside. We all know there are good and bad in all races but we cannot let the bigmouths of this world destroy us. We cannot allow the hatred of others to invade us. We cannot allow the United States of America to be divided because as it has been said United we stand but divided we fall. There is strength in numbers and the United States of America has always been strong and true to itself and its citizens. We don’t always have to agree on everything because that would make life boring but at least let’s try to agree to Unite for the common good of all Americans and of the United States of America. Let’s keep our country strong and let’s keep America First as we fix our mistakes and Make America Great Again.

May God Bless America and May all Americans Unite for the common good of this great nation.

Our Constitution Article III Sections 1 to 3 Judicial Branch

Since I’ve been quiet for a while, I do apologize, I thought today would be a good day to talk a bit more about the Constitution of the United States. Let’s move on and take a look at Article III which has a total of 3 sections. Of course I will repeat myself and say I am not expert on the Constitution but I do have a love for this country, our founding fathers, our history, and our Constitution so my hope is we all learn a little something from breaking it down and trying to understand it. In doing so we will understand more what our founding fathers saw for this great nation and where we should be headed instead of where we are being pushed by so many of today’s political leaders.

Article III of the Constitution of the United States of America is the section that creates the judicial branch of the Unites States. What is the judicial branch? It is the system of courts that take a look at the law and then apply it to different cases. The United States judicial branch of the federal government includes the United States Supreme Court, which is the highest court in the country, and all the lower courts that are created by Congress. 

Section 1 of Article III creates the federal courts are of the United States. This court system must have one Supreme Court with one Chief Justice who presides over the court. What Section 1 does not tell us is how many justices there must be however, current law says there must me nine justices with one of them being the Chief Justice.

How is the Chief Justice chosen? The Chief Justice is chosen the same as the Associate Justices, they are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. There are no requirements for the Chief Justice to first serve as an Associate Justice however, 5 of the 17 Chief Justices have served on the Supreme Court as Associate Justices prior to becoming Chief Justice.

Article III does not say there has to be any lower courts but it does state Congress is given the power to create and remove lower courts as needed. As for the judges appointed to the courts Section 1 Article III says the judges can hold their offices for the rest of their lives or until they are convicted of a crime or impeached by Congress. As for their pay it says their pay cannot be decreased while they are in office but they it can be increased. The eight Associated Justices salary is $ 251,800 a year while the Chief Justice earns a bit more at $ 263,300 per year, as of January 2017. Ironically they make more than the Vice President of the United States who earns $ 230,700 per year.

Section 2 of Article III talks about the powers of the judicial branch. It describes the cases the court can preside over and what topics those cases can be about. The Supreme Court has the right to hear all cases affecting Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, and those in which a state shall be party, meaning it has original jurisdiction. Section 2 of Article III also says that crimes have to be tried by a jury, except cases of Impeachment, unless the defendant does not want one.  These trials are to be held in the states where the said crime has been committed. However when a crime is committed within any state, meaning across state lines from one state to another, the trial shall be at such a place as the Congress may by Law direct.

Section 3 of Article III talks about treason against the United States of America. This can consist of levying war against the nation, or helping enemies of the United States by giving them aid and comfort. A person cannot be convicted of treason without the testimony of two witnesses to the act or if they confess in open court to committing the act of treason.

So that’s the outline of our judicial system in America. Now let’s take a deeper look at the Supreme Court. In the years since the Article III of the Constitution was created the Supreme Court had a hand in many decisions which helped shape American history. They have heard cases on election issues, powers of business and government, civil rights and more. These issues are generally fought throughout the judicial system until they reach the final and last resort, the Supreme Court. Our Supreme Court has the final authority to interpret constitution questions, federal law, and they can uphold or reverse decisions made by lower courts.

Although they are now housed in a beautiful marble structure complete with their own police force and a gym on the top floor which includes a basketball court they didn’t start out that way. Our Supreme Court was functioning for about 145 years before they were granted their own home so to speak, at the urging of Chief Justice William Taft. In 1929 Congress authorized $9.74 million dollars for the project. When the Supreme Court convened for the first it was in February 1790 in New York City which was the nation’s capital at the time. From 1791 to 1800 Philadelphia served as the nation’s capital while Washington, D.C. was under construction so for these nine years this was their home. It wasn’t until 1801 that the Supreme Court made it to Washington but it still didn’t have a home of its own. They were moved around to various offices in the Capital building and when the British burned the Capital building down in 1814 the court actually met in a private home. So getting their own building in 1929 was long overdue.

As you know we now have 9 justices on the Supreme Court but that’s not how we started out. As I said before it was up to Congress to decide how many justices served on the Supreme Court. There was the Judiciary Act of 1789 passed which set the number at six which gave us a chief justice and five associated justices. In 1807 Congress increased the number to seven, in 1839 it went up to nine, and in 1863 it was bumped up once again to ten.

With Congress being in control of our justice system they took the opportunity in 1866 to pass the Judicial Circuits Act which not only dropped the number of justices back to seven but it prevented President Andrew Johnson from being able to appoint anyone new to the court. See Congress has been playing these games for a long time. Just three years later Congress decided to raise the number of justices to nine where is to this day.

When Franklin Roosevelt was President he attempted to get Congress to pass legislation to allow new justices to be added to the court since it would be beneficial to his New Deal programs. His idea was to be able to have up to 15 justices on the Supreme Court with one justice added for every justice over 70 who didn’t want to retire. Congress didn’t agree with his plan.

There are no official qualifications for becoming a Supreme Court justice. There are no rules about age, citizenship, or residency requirements like there are for other offices in the United States. Odd since this is the highest court in our land. Since the first time they convened the Supreme Court has had 6 justices who were foreign born, the youngest justice was 32 years old when he was appointed in 1811, and the oldest Associated Justice was Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. who was 90 years old when he retired.  He was in office for 30 years. They all however have one thing in common and that would be they were all lawyers before joining the court, obviously.

Before attending law school was standard practice, which was during the 18^th and 19^th centuries, many got their legal training by studying under a mentor. The last such justice was James Byrnes who served on the court from 1941 to 1942. Another amazing tidbit on Justice Byrnes is he also didn’t graduate from high school. He got his training in law as a law clerk and then took and passed the bar exam. To date, Harvard has produced more members of the court than any other law school since it was established in 1817, making it America’s oldest operating law school.

Even though justices are appointed for life they can retire or be impeached. More than 50 have chosen to retire or resign. Some of the names you may recognize are John Jay, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., William Rehnquist and Sandra Day O’Connor. As for being impeached, in doing my research I found there has been one justice who was impeached. I was surprised to find this out because I didn’t’ remember it from my history classes in high school. In 1804 Samuel Chase was impeached by the House of Representatives. He was accused of acting in a partisan way during some court proceedings but the U.S. Senate did not agree with them. Samuel Chase was acquitted by the Senate in 1805 and remained on the bench until he passed away in 1811. Can’t resist pointing out how the House and the Senate banged heads even then.

There was one Chief Justice who served both on the Supreme Court and as President of the United States, not at the same time of course. Taft had an amazing career in American politics and carved out a place for himself in American history. He was the 27^th President of the United States and held office from 1909 to 1913. During his time in the Oval Office he appointed five associate justices and one chief justice. After he lost re-election Taft went on to teach law at Yale and he also served on the American Bar Association. During his time as President Taft appointed Chief Justice Edward Douglass White who passed away in 1921. It was at this time that President Warren Harding nominated Taft for the Supreme Court as White’s replacement. He served as Chief Justice from then until February of 1930 when he resigned due to poor health. Unfortunately he passed away a month later.

During his time as Chief Justice, William Taft advocated for the justices to be able to hear the cases they wanted to hear. He was influential in getting the Judiciary Act of 1925 passed. The way it works today is at least four justices must vote to grant a petition to review a case before it can be heard by the court.

No one can nominate a Supreme Court justice except the President of the United States whenever there is an opening on the court. Just because the President makes the nomination does not mean the person nominated automatically becomes a justice. Each person nominated must be confirmed by the United States Senate. President George Washington made the most appointments to the Supreme Court appointing 11 justices. Franklin Roosevelt appointed 9 so he holds the second spot. We already know Andrew Johnson did not appoint any justices but there were three other Presidents who did not make any appoints as well, William Henry Harrison, who passed away only one month after he was sworn into office, Zachary Taylor who passed away 16 months after taking office, and Jimmy Carter.

Since the beginning there have been 160 nominations, 124 confirmed, and seven of them opting out of the position. We think President Trump is unpopular with the Senate but he isn’t the only one. 

When William Henry Harrison passed away John Tyler assumed the office of President from 1841 to 1845. During that time he made nine nominations but due to his unpopular political view he managed to only get one of those nominations confirmed by the Senate. Again, as you can see the games started long before 2017 and President Trump.

As I said the court does not hear every case presented to them. Most of their cases come to them on an appeal from lower federal courts and state courts. They do have the right to hear a case for the first time before any appellate review. In cases involving ambassadors or disputes between two states this would happen. Since they hear cases primarily appeal, it’s uncommon for witnesses or evidence to be presented to the court. The way it works is attorneys submit written legal briefs in advance and justices typically listen to oral arguments, in which each side has 30 minutes to make their presentation. This is where the justices ask their questions. During the oral arguments the courtroom is opened to the public but not allowed to be televised or photographed. There have been audio recordings of the oral arguments since 1955. These recordings are released after the arguments are over. Later the justices meet in private to discuss and vote on each case. If there is a tie vote, the decision of the lower court is then upheld.

A lot of responsibility rests on their shoulders. The Supreme Court has helped shape and mold the laws of this great nation. We started out as a nation fumbling to find its way. We were lucky to have some of the greatest minds in the world hash out our Constitution, our laws, and give us a blueprint to follow and hopefully improve on. In this great nation only the laws of the Constitution should hold true and strong and those who serve on our Supreme Court have the responsibility to see to it, it stays that way.

May God Bless America and keep us striving to improve our quality of life.

Communication Through the Years: Has It Helped Us?

Communication through the years has become a breeze but at what cost? Let’s go back in history and have a look. The earliest form of communication, telling a story we can date back to the ice age in Europe. A time when people marked ivory, bone, and stone patterns to keep track of time. There has been evidence found of cave paintings on walls and ceilings dating back to prehistoric times. Some of the earliest of these paintings in Europe date back to Aurignacian which was some 32,000 years ago. They tell us a story of how life was at that time, of the battles fought, the animals that roamed the earth, the life people lived in order to survive their times. We marvel at their ability to communicate how hard things were for them, their happy times, their sad times, and their fears.

In our search to learn more of history we discovered the next step of communication which is dated back to around 10,000 BC. This form of communication is known to us as petroglyphs, rock carvings or paintings. These markings were made by using a stone chisel and a hammerstone. This form of communication didn’t suddenly happen overnight. It is believed to have taken about 20,000 years for humans to move from cave paintings to petroglyphs. The stories found in these drawings tell of the land, how it was ruled, the way the people worked and lived together, their coming of age, hunting parties in search of food, and war between others who have tried to invade their space, some won and some lost.

Pictograms were the next step in communication. Early written symbols, pictures based on what they signified. Symbols which represented a concept, object, activity, a particular place or event were all communicated by these illustrations left behind for all to see. Their book, their history for us to learn from and hopefully improve on. What is the difference between petroglyphs and pictograms? Petroglyphs simply show an event but pictograms go a bit farther because they tell a story about the event. Almost like turning a page in a book, in chronological order. They told a story and many date back to Ancient Sumerian, Egyptian, and Chinese civilizations. They are an art form, a language used for communication reaching out to us from those who left their stories behind. Perhaps they were hoping we would learn from them.

The next evolution moved us to ideograms, which are graphic symbols that represent an idea. Here is the difference between a pictogram and an ideogram. I know you are all thinking they are all just pictures but no, over the years these images have evolved. A pictogram could only represent something resembling their form. In other words, a pictogram of a circle could represent the sun, but it didn’t show heat, light, day or the Sun God. When ideograms were discovered we could see the difference because they conveyed a more abstract concept. So if there were an ideogram in their story of two sticks it could mean legs but also it could be a verb meaning “to walk.” Interesting to see how they were able to communicate without words and each era left us with a peak at how life was for them in their time.

And so we evolved with the invention of the first writing system. The beginning of the Bronze Age which puts us in the late 4^th millennium BC. The Sumerians developed cuneiform writing which is distinguished by its wedge shaped marks on clay tablets, made by means of a blunt reed for a stylus. It began as a system of pictograms and evolved becoming more simplified and abstract as the number of characters grew smaller. By the second century A.D. it was extinct and no one had the knowledge on how to read it until they began to decipher it in the late 19^th century.  

It was about the same time the Egyptians developed hieroglyphics which was a formal writing system used in Ancient Egypt. This system combined logographic, syllabic, and alphabetic elements, totaling some 1,000 distinct characters. Cursive hieroglyphs were used for religious literature on papyrus wood. This was in the Early Bronze Age around the 32^nd century BC. Egyptian hieroglyphs didn’t just disappear it developed into a mature writing system used for monumental inscription in the classical language of the Middle Kingdom period. During this time the system made use of about 900 distinct signs. The last survivals of hieroglyphic use are found well into the Roman period, extending into the 4^th century AD.

And so we evolved by the 16^th century the Phoenicians developed the first alphabet. In 26 AD the Roman Emperor Tiberius rules from the island of Capri using signaling messages as a way of communication. These messages were sent with metal mirrors to reflect off the sun. Paper was invented by Tsai Lun in 105 AD and communication just gets better from there. Each new era discovering new ways to communicate with one another across the land.

The Chinese developed wooden block movable type printing. Johannes Gutenberg finishes a printing press with metal movable type in 1450. Ships signal each other by firing cannons and raising flags. In 1792 the first long distance semaphore telegraph line was established by Claude Chappe and in 1831 Joseph Henry builds the first electric telegraph. We keep pushing forward and evolving in our forms of communication. Improving, or so we believe, with each step of the way.

Inventors like Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson giving us the electric telephone, Thomas Edison the phonograph to enjoy music and stories as we listen intently and Almon Strowger patents the direct dial telephone in 1889. Things are moving fast and then we hit the 20^th century with transmitting radio signals, the first radio station which was KDKA based out of Pittsburgh began to broadcast which was followed by the first television signal. From here communication should have become better, easier to understand and, in my opinion, pulled us closer together as we gathered around the television and watched our favorite shows and listened to the news broadcast every night. Life was simple but good. We trusted the news and what we heard to be true.

As a nation the United States was young but growing strong and the battles for equality were brought before us on the news at night as we watched the civil rights movement take hold in the 60’s. For many of us, we had no idea things were different for people of color and there were many white people who stood with them and understood their desire to be treated as equals. After all it was only right since in God’s eyes “All men are created equal.”

Now comes the computer era to the point of everyone now having not only a radio and television in their home but they have a computer. A new way to communicate and with it comes the destruction of mankind, Social Media! People have decided to live their lives around their social media posts. They believe everything and anything they read on the computer thinking after all it’s on the computer so it must be true. However anyone can open a webpage and start typing anything they want to get their propaganda out there and stir the pot which is what has been happening for some time now.

There are many news outlets on the computer as well as mainstream media who are no different than the rag newspapers set out at the checkout counters in grocery stores around the world.  You know the ones that talk about this star or that alien abduction. I have noticed on many posts on Facebook and other social media outlets that there are a lot of fake news outlets writing what they want you to hear because they know there are so many people willing to believe the worst in people before they see the best.

This is what evolving communications has given the people around the world. A form of communication which should have pulled this entire world closer together giving us a better way to communicate with one another has instead instilled fear and hate in so many hearts it has set us back over 50 years.

The United States was never perfect, it was growing, developing, learning from our mistakes, but we were better at communication before social media then we are now. People my age, in their 60’s, for the most part remember the hard times and don’t want to see this country go through that again but the young people who didn’t live through the battles and see the triumphs however small the baby steps were, are out there knocking us back in time instead of fighting to unite us and bring us into a better understanding of how to fix what is broken instead of finding ways to keep it in ruins.

Many of us have allowed people on social media to influence the way we see things. To instill unnecessary anger in our hearts and minds. To let this control our lives and push away our goals, dreams, hopes for a better tomorrow. Here in the United States of America we have a chance to unite as one nation and become stronger and better than we ever were yet we have people behind the scenes fighting to stop that from happening.

Have you ever wondered why? I do, I think to myself of how things were when I was a child, simpler times but still we had our problems and most Americans wanted unity. They wanted to see all people work together for a brighter future. Today these people behind the scenes work towards pushing the people against the government because they don’t like the man elected into office. They don’t like the way things turned out because now socialism and communism is being held at bay and we are fighting hard and holding on to keep our freedoms but social media, our big advancement in communications, is telling us how horrible we are for believing in our way of life. For trusting and giving our new President a chance to pull through on his promises and fix what he can in the next 4 years.

In my eyes, social media is a great way to keep in touch with those you love, family and friends, a way to promote your business or yourself, but it should not be used as a tool to pull this country or the world apart. I will use Facebook as an example since I have had dealings with this issue through friends of mine who have been blocked from Facebook for expressing their political opinion and it not complying with the political belief of those who run Facebook. They will censure someone calling for unity in the United States and for the world to come together in understanding one another so there is no more fighting and destruction but they will not censure someone who posts they are going to kill another person, declare war on cops, or praise ISIS or any other terrorist group.

I’m appalled because in a time when our communication with the world is more opened then ever, we have chosen to be more negative than ever dreamed possible. People pull on the hate and allow it to control their lives and destroy their family. People fight not for what they believe in but for what others tell them to believe in. Social media has become the enemy of the people not the communication enlightenment it should be.

Do yourself and others a favor, before you post anything on this amazing form of communication, verify it, fact check it. You have the ability at your fingertips to pass on the negative or delete it, ignore it, just don’t like it scroll by it and don’t allow it in your feed. You have the power to improve communications and to start pulling this nation and the world together by walking away from the nasty people out there and not feeding into their hate allowing them to stay in the light of your newsfeed or anyone else’s because you keep posting and reposting it.

None of us are innocent in this but we should all be aware the only way we can be proud of the accomplishments of communication, of how far we have come, is to use it for the better good. To use it to help improve what is going on in this world today and not feed the hate.

I have been attacked many times on social media no matter how nice I word something. If it doesn’t fit someone else’s agenda then they will come at you but it’s how you answer them that matters. Many times I just thank them for their opinion and stress it’s the beauty of our freedoms that allows us to be able to speak our mind in the United States. However that usually doesn’t work and they come back at me with even more vengeance at which time I choose not to answer them. I don’t need nor want that in my life so many times they are left in a post arguing with themselves until they give up.

I don’t think these amazing people who have worked so hard to develop communication skills to bring us all closer together ever thought for one second it would pull us apart to the degree of arguing with people they don’t even know. So if you are on social media, think before you post, get the facts straight. If you are only using the computer to read and learn then please fact check as well because not everything on the internet is true.

My goal, my dreams, to see a better tomorrow. To know this world will be stronger for all its struggles and all leaders will set aside their petty differences and realize no one is better than anyone else and in order to make things right we must all come together and unite to build a safer world and stop the terror that has poisoned our society. My wish is for everyone, our leaders included, to start using the internet, social media, as if it were any other tool to bring us all together. To stop the hate and start talking to the people about what matters and how we, as a nation, are going to achieve it.

Watch your children and what they see and hear on the internet. They are very impressionable and can be harmed by many of the things posted here. Still communication is the key to success so I hope and pray everyone starts to use this amazing tool of communication for the betterment of all instead of continuing to use it drive a wedge between us.

May God Bless America and open our lines of communication for the good of all mankind.