The Statue of Liberty Stands for Our Freedom and Unity

Lady Liberty stands for so much to so many. A gift from the people of France to the people of the United States of America. She was designed by French sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi but built by Gustave Eiffel.

Exactly what is the Statue of Liberty? No, I’m not kidding, do you know what she represents, where she originated from, and why? To start off with she is a robed female figure which represents the Roman Goddess, Libertas, the embodiment of liberty. The torch she holds in her left arm, above her head, is inscribed “July 4, 1776.” I would hope we all know this signifies the United States Declaration of Independence. She is an icon of freedom and the United States. At her feet lies a broken chain which symbolizes freedom, the end of slavery, and democracy, the victory of the Union in the Civil War.

This part of history I remember from my school days. A Frenchman, Edouard Rene de Laboulaye, who was the president of the French Anti-Slavery Society, wanted to honor the Union because of the abolition of slavery and its victory in the Civil War. He wished to honor their achievements of freedom and democracy so he proposed a gift be built for the United States on behalf of France. His wish was by calling attention to the achievements in the still young country of the United States of America, the French people would be inspired to fight for their own democracy and be rid of a repressive monarchy. This idea inspired the French sculptor Bartholdi  but it still took time getting it going because he was busy with other projects and money had to be raised to build such a sculptor and transport it to the United States.

In 1871 after the French-Prussian War, Bartholdi crossed the Atlantic with a letters of introduction signed by Laboulaye. After having a look around for the perfect spot of the statue Bartholdi focused on Bedloe’s Island which is now known as Liberty Island. He loved the fact that the vessels arriving in New York on a daily basis had to sail past it and that meant it would be the first thing they saw as the entered the harbor. Since the island was owned by the United States government he had to visit with then  President Ulysses S. Grant who assured him he could have the site for the statue. Now he had to start with the designs, his sketches of what he believed the statue should be.

The design took time and Bartholdi made quite a few adjustments. Slowly the project evolved, after all such a project took time and vision. As he thought it through Bartholdi decided to put a tablet in Liberty’s left hand with the inscription of “July IV MDCCLXXVI” associating it with the country’s Declaration of Independence which began the concept of liberty for the United States.

Constructed of copper sheets that were heated and then struck with wooden hammers standing just over 151 feet tall. The choice of using the copper was the entire statue would be light for its size and easier to handle.

Laboulaye sought public support and announced the project in 1875 along with the idea of the French-American Union joining in fundraising for the expenses. There were some French who were in favor of it and others who were not. It was decided the French would be responsible for the statue while the United States were responsible for the pedestal she was to be mounted on. Between the two countries the money needed was raised.

On March 3 1877 President Grant on his last day in office, signed a joint resolution authorizing the President to accept the statue when it was presented by France and to select a site for it. The following day Rutherford B. Hayes was sworn in as President of the United States of America and he followed through as President Grant had hoped selecting Bedloe’s Island as the site for the statue just like Bartholdi hoped.

In 1879 Bartholdi obtained the services of designer and builder Gustave Eiffel as well as his structural engineer, Maurice Koechlin. They made their changes, worked on improving the structure of the statue to enable it to move slightly in the winds of the harbor. As he made the changes and necessary improvements to the statue Eiffel decided to insulate the skin with asbestos and a shellac to prevent corrosion.

Of course through all this work the fundraising continued with ups and downs on both sides of the ocean. There were times the committees involved in getting the project funded and completed feared they would never see it come to completion due to lack of funds however as well all know that is not what happened for on June 17, 1885 the French steamer Isere, safely reached the New York harbor with the Statue of Liberty created on board. It is said some two hundred thousand people lined the docks along with hundreds of boats to welcome her. However the pedestal was not completed until April of 1886. Once it was completed they were able to reassemble the statue and on October 28^th, 1886 there was a dedication ceremony which President Grover Cleveland presided over.

The morning started with a parade held in New York City in which it is said that anywhere from several hundred thousand people to a million were present. President Cleveland headed the procession before taking his position in the reviewing stand to watch the bands and marchers that came from across America in honor of Our Lady Liberty. The parade route went from Madison Square, to Battery Park, to the southern tip of Manhattan by way of Fifth Avenue and Broadway. There was a slight detour and as the parade passed the New York Stock Exchange the traders threw ticker tape from the windows and that is how the ticker-tape parade tradition began.

The day continued with President Cleveland going to Bedloe’s Island for the dedication. Speeches were made by those who were involved in the planning and executing of getting the project from a vision to a reality however Bartholdi refused to speak. That night when the torch of the statue was lit it was barely a glow and hard to see at night. It was supposed to be used as a light house so it was going to need work to get the light to shine properly but nothing they did worked.

The statue was quickly becoming a symbol to immigrants as they entered through New York they saw it as a welcoming sight. They had feelings of exhilaration on first viewing the Statue of Liberty, many broke down in tears so happy to be on the shores of the United States of America and a chance for a better life.

During WWI German saboteurs set off an explosion on the Black Tom peninsula in Jersey City, New Jersey on July 30, 1916 which is now Liberty State Park and close to Bedloe’s Island. The Statue of Liberty took a hit and sustained some minor damage. Mostly the torch bearing right arm was damaged and she had to be closed for ten days. The repairs cost about $ 100,000. Since then the torch has been closed to the public for safety reasons.

In 1956 an Act of Congress officially renamed Bedloe’s Island, Liberty Island which Bartholdi had wanted to do generations ago. In this act was mentioned the American Museum of Immigration which would be on the island. Ellis Island was made part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument by proclamation of President Lyndon Johnson in 1965 but it wasn’t until 1972 under President Richard Nixon did the immigration museum in the statues base, open.

She has seen many and been put through a lot as she sits quietly in the harbor watching our ships now able to light the way since July 4^th, 1976 when a new lighting system was installed. She has been bombed, taken over by protestors and demonstrators during the Vietnam War, to publicize Puerto Rican Independence, to oppose abortion, and a few other reason but still she stands tall welcoming one and all to our shores.

I remember my grandmother told me as she entered the harbor she made the sign of the cross and tears rolled down her face at the sight of the Lady Liberty. My grandfather told me it was a sign of freedom, of a chance to live a good life, to start over. So many other immigrants from my neighborhood where I grew up told similar stories of breaking down in tears at the sight of her standing there and the realization of them now being in the land of the free and the home of the brave because so many fought for what she stood for, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  That’s what they saw when they she came into their view and whatever struggles they had to go through to get here legally was well worth it.

I know on the trips I have taken through the New York Harbor to see the Statue of Liberty as she came into view my heart filled with pride. I can feel the excitement and pride my grandparents and neighbors talked about over the years. To see the name of my grandparents on the wall of honor on Ellis Island brings tears to my eyes and pride to my heart. They struggled to come here, they were proud to become American Citizens and it is this pride and freedom that the Statue of Liberty represents for so many.  

I would like to thank all those in the past who had this vision of Lady Liberty and seeing to it she became a reality. Our symbol of Freedom and Unity, a symbol we should all take the time to learn about and remember as she stands there with torch in hand, never letting her arm down, never letting us down. The Statue of Liberty proudly lights the way.

May God Bless America and all we work so hard to stand for over the years.  

Our First Amendment Rights

Have you ever taken the time to read our Constitution and clearly understand it? Not many people have they just depend on the government to do what they believe is best for this country. The Preamble is what most of us remember when we first think about the Constitution: 

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

It then goes on to list Article’s I through VII and then we have our Amendments I through XXVII. Today I will like to talk about the First Amendment since it has been in the media a lot lately. The First Amendment is Freedom of Religion, Speech, Press, Assembly, and Petition. This Amendment was passed by Congress on September 25^th, 1789 and ratified on December 15, 1791.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

As you can see the First Amendment protects several of our basic liberties and has been open to interpretation by many over the years often being heard in court case after court case to try and define the limits of these liberties. These arguments continue even today so many years after its being passed into law by Congress.

In freedom of religion there are two clauses to this part of the amendment with the first being the “establishment of religion” which, to me, is simple enough to explain. This clause prohibits the government from establishing an official church. Then there is the “free exercise” clause which addresses our right to worship as we please.

When I was a young girl we used to start the day in public school with the flag salute and then a morning prayer. Somewhere along the line someone got upset because prayer was being said in a public school setting and took it to court. I was confused when we were no longer allowed to pray in school but we were told it was because our Constitution says we need to maintain a “separation of church and state.” My father explained that meant the since the school was public and run by the government we were not allowed to pray. His simple explanation for what really was not the truth because you see nowhere in the First Amendment are the words “separation of church and state” as a matter of fact it appears nowhere in the Constitution.

When Thomas Jefferson was President back in 1802 he gave his opinion in writing about what he believed this First Amendment clause meant in which he said “it was designed to build a wall of separation between Church and State.” So from that, court cases have been built rejecting prayer in public schools, no government aid to parochial schools, the banning of polygamy, the restriction of poisonous snakes and drugs in religious rites, and limiting the right to decline medical care for religious purposes.

Now we have a group of people who practice a particular religion who are insisting on a place to pray while in school and at work. In the news recently there has been talk of schools allowing classrooms to be set aside for Muslims to pray. Although school officials will tell you it is for all denominations we know this is not true for obvious reasons. One being a Christian walks into the same room at the time of Muslim prayer what would the reaction be? The student being Christian does not take off his or her shoes and sits next to a Muslim student of the opposite gender how is this going to play out? Not good and we all know it.

We are not asking people to give up their culture but in the past immigrants have assimilated to the American way of doing things, to be American, after all that is why they supposedly came here. If we allow groups to come in and force their changes on our society then we are no longer the America we once were and are becoming the country they came from. What sense does that make? It was ruled no prayer in public schools back in 1962 by the United States Supreme Court. I honestly don’t care what God you pray to but I do care about the laws of this land and no prayer in schools includes Muslims. Any school that allows it should lose their funding, plain and simple.

You see the law says no school officials can impose prayer, organize prayer events, or turn a school auditorium into a local church for religious celebrations. I would think setting a room aside is doing just that. Of course I am not a Supreme Court Justice so I am not qualified to make that call. Students do have the right, since they are not government, to openly pray and share their faith in a public school but the setting of a room aside for prayer is not under the authority of a student therefor the school district is breaking the law.

One of the biggest debates in the news media today is our right to free speech and its limits. What amazes me is during World War I there was an antiwar activist who was sending out propaganda leaflets to try to persuade draftees to ignore their draft notices. It went before the court at which time it was decided if an individual were a “clear and present danger” to the United States security then they were not protected under free speech. I would say leaking top secret information to the press is a “clear and present danger” to United States security, wouldn’t you?

With the changing of time what is acceptable to people as free speech has changed. What was considered obscene back in the day is now considered acceptable. Pure speech is the verbal expression of thoughts and opinions before a voluntary audience. It is the communication of ideas either written or spoken words or through conduct limited in a form to that necessary to convey the idea.

Next covered under free speech is speech-plus which involves actions, such as demonstration or protesting, as well as the use of words. Since there is a very good possibility, while exercising your right to speech-plus, there could become confrontation it is not as strictly protected as pure speech. Our courts have ruled demonstrators may not obstruct traffic, endanger the public safety, or trespass illegally. Funny but lately that is exactly what they have been allowed to do, at least under the last administration. Rioting in the streets never solves anything it only damages those around you.

Now we have symbolic speech which technically involves no speech at all. What it actually is, is forms of freedom of expression. Symbolic speech is highly controversial and in some cases the courts have ruled it beyond the limits of free speech. Some examples would be wearing a black armband in school or burning a draft card and unfortunately burning the American Flag.

As for the press many of the same freedom of speech principles apply however the courts have ruled the government cannot censor the information before it is written and published unless there is a threat to national security.

Over the past few months we have seen the Conservatives freedom of speech jeopardized by protesters who are rioting on campus and in the streets causing danger to those around them just to silence a person who has been invited to speak that they don’t agree with. So what does this tell you? No one is enforcing the rules and the big mouths are trying to take our rights away by stomping their feet and causing problems. The establishment would rather not have someone speak as opposed to having thousands and in some cases millions of dollars of damage done. Perhaps more people need to be arrested and less people need to be silenced in order to enforce our freedom of speech. Fighting nasty with nasty isn’t going to work it only brings about more chaos and fighting. We as a nation have to start using our intelligence and our laws in our favor and see to it justice is upheld for all groups not just for the chosen few or the ones who scream the loudest.

The final part of the First Amendment is the Freedom of Assembly and Petition. What this means is there has to be a balance with other people’s rights so if your right to assemble disrupts public order, traffic flow, or the freedom to move about doing the normal everyday business or disrupts others peace and quiet then you are not following the law. Usually a group applies for a permit to assemble and as long as the government can control the situation and prevent disruptions the permit is granted.

In today’s society we push this to the limits. Protests are turning into riots in the streets, people are being accosted because of their belief either in religion, or politics, and still others are being attacked because of their race. Hate speech has become the norm and so many spew it under the false assumption they have a right to free speech and can say whatever they so well choose.

As a proud American I am calling on all Americans to stand up for your rights and when you see them blatantly violated then call for them to be enforced by our government. Today I only covered a small portion of our Constitution but I will be doing more. What we need to remember as human beings is fighting isn’t always the answer, at least not always using our fists or some weapon. We can fight and win a battle just as easy in a court of law and see to it the law is carried out. If we unite together, join together in stronger numbers, we will succeed in making America what it once was and that would be “Making America Great Again.” What can I say, it’s a great slogan.

May God Bless America and give us the strength to stand united

Drop the Drama and Embrace the Positive

I went back and forth today on what to write about reading one news article after another and all it did was cast a shadow of negativity around me. We can keep dragging up the garbage in the news, talk about it on social media, blog about every chance we get, and do live videos on it but it changes nothing. What good does it do us to keep dragging up the negative and passing by the positive?

We all know how we stand with our politics after it being tossed around social media for the last two years at least. Yet I still get people on my social media pages that love to try to get me in to an argument. They haven’t figured out yet, that’s not me. I may answer them once politely but as they keep the conversation going on a negative direction I usually say something like “well that’s the beauty of this country you have the right to your opinion and I have the right to mine, God Bless you.” No matter how much they post after that I don’t respond. Not to upset them but to stop the craziness and drama.

I have decided I am going to start searching the news for positive articles, events happening and of course the United States of America’s history. I know it’s not all sweet smelling roses but it happened and it’s important for us to remember the history of this nation and how we came to be and how we got to where we are today. Perhaps we can even agree that our history good, bad or indifferent is amazing even though we screwed up a little here or there as we fought to bring the United States together.

When my daughter started college I went with her to orientation and we sat through a meeting and listened to a speaker who talked about the integrity of the school and the importance of teaching their students how to be accepting of those around them no matter what the color of their skin, their religion, or culture. I remember the speaker saying if you see someone struggling be it with a package in their arms to open a door or just having a hard time in class, take a moment to give them a hand.

It wouldn’t hurt to hold the door open for someone who perhaps is having a hard time because their hands are full or just because you are being nice and holding it opened as you leave the building. I often think about that day and the speaker. He made so much sense because he talked about showing a little kindness and sending out a little positive energy.

Have you ever noticed if you are walking down the street or you are in the store and as you pass someone in the aisle you smile and say hello and they do the same thing back? I do it all the time and I would say 90% of the time I get a positive reaction. Some people are just unhappy all the time and it wouldn’t matter if you stood on your head spitting wooden nickels they wouldn’t smile at you but that’s ok just don’t hold onto it and allow it to make you mad.

Why am I talking about this? Well you see over the last few months besides the media being full of unsettling news and everyone looking for our President to fall on his face, I have been getting hit on my social media by people who don’t like my posts for one reason or another. I also have friends who are going through the same thing but we all know these people live for the drama and give it no credit. We go on with our posts and we ignore the negativity. It’s just the way we are.

We are very lucky in this country to have the freedoms we are blessed with so why is it we are so hell bent on destroying ourselves from within? Why is it people love to be miserable and drag anyone and everyone down with them? Life is too short to live in the negative, to only see the dark side of things and think everyone is out to get you.

Not everything is about race, religion, or your politics. Take a moment and look at the beauty around you no matter where you live. You see we are blessed with so much that God gave us and so many of us close our eyes to it. The beauty of the blue sky, the sun, waterfalls, the ocean, and even the rain and snow are a blessing because without them we would not have the water we need to survive. So each day we have is a gift and instead of spending it dreading going to work or having to interact with this co-worker or that one, think of the positive things in your life and live for that.

I am a nervous person, always was and at my age, I don’t think that is going to change, but at the beginning of the day I thank God for letting me see the sun come up and at the end of the day I thank him for allowing me to have such an amazing life. I am not a rich person financially but I am because of the amazing family I have and my wonderful friends.

It doesn’t take a lot to turn the world around from negative to positive. It only takes a few to start spreading a little cheer. I am not saying preaching and trying to convert people to your way of thinking spiritually but I am saying if you are nice to someone by throwing them a little smile or holding the door for them then they will pay it forward and so on and before you know it a positive chain has formed and will continue to grow.

The United States of America has always been a strong leader. Its citizens have always worn their pride and love for their country on their sleeve but recently with the events in the news and the craziness that is encouraged through protests and riots we have become the negative energy feeding the rest of the world nothing but darkness. If we cannot be united then how can we help others become united and put the craziness going on around the world to rest?

Yeah I know what you are thinking, it’s always up to us to fix the mess. Yes it is because we started out a small country of just 13 colonies and have grown to be a world power. We don’t run and hide when others get nasty and we stand by our friends when they are in need. We may not always agree but that is alright because if we always agreed life would be boring. The important thing is for us to stand United and Strong so we will be ready to deal with anything and everything that comes our way with a positive outlook putting the right foot forward and tripping up those who wish to do us harm.

For this nation, this world, to heal from all the negativity that has been pushed out over the past two to three years we need to start looking on the bright side of things. We need to start working together and bringing positive into light every day. We know there are bad things going on in the world but to call people names, mock people who believe in God no matter what religion they worship, to make fun of people for the way they speak or their political belief isn’t going to help fix anything.

You have that much negative energy why not turn it into something positive? Why not take some time to volunteer at a school reading to the kids, go to the VA hospital and spend some time visiting the veterans who are recovering from one injury or another, volunteer to help a neighbor mow their lawn, or just spend some time with someone you know is all alone and can use a friend. Spread a little kindness and it will come back to you and it will bring a brighter light around us all.

Stop walking around with a chip on your shoulder feeling as if everyone is out to get you. Stop living in the past and start looking towards a brighter future. Stop feeling sorry for yourself because there is always someone out there who has it harder than you do. No one has had a perfect life and we all have had hurdles to overcome and lessons to learn. It’s what you do with the lessons you learn in life that matters.

Life is too short and if we don’t stop and think about what is really important to us it can be lost before we even realize it. Take a moment to look around at all the beauty this world has to offer, take a moment to say thank you to whomever you pray to, take a moment to realize just how lucky you are and more importantly take the time to smile, dance and sing so your heart is full of love, happiness, and positive energy so you can pass it on to those around you. For me I think this is not only the perfect prescription to heal yourself, the country but also the world.

May God Bless America and bring a positive light into our darkest hours.

P.A.L. Started As a Dream And Is Still Growing Strong

The Police Athletic League became the National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues, Inc. back around 1944. http://www.nationalpal.org/ nationally it has been in existence some 73 years and doing amazing work. It has a very amazing alumni for our young boys and girls to look up to so check out their website.

Let’s go back to the beginning of the Police Athletic League also known as P.A.L. It didn’t start off as a national organization reaching across the United States from day one. It was a dream, an inspiration of one person who was able to see it and feel it in his heart therefore bringing it to reality back in 1914 in the city of New York. That’s right the NYPD has been involved with P.A.L for more than a century thanks to its founder Police Commissioner Arthur Woods. It wasn’t called P.A.L then, Commissioner Woods began what was known as Play Streets while Police Captain John Sweeney found the Junior Police Clubs of New York City’s Lower East Side.

Remember back in the early 1900’s times were different. Our police officers walked a beat they didn’t drive around in cars, they were out there and met the community face to face on a daily basis. Less people and although crime was still there it was a better way of policing because they got to know the people in the neighborhoods first hand. The children we no different then, there were those who were excited to see the police officer they had gotten to know walk down the street, and then there were those who ran knowing they were up to mischief and didn’t want him to see what they were up to. Simpler times as I have written about before but still they needed more than just playing in the streets and possibly getting themselves into trouble they couldn’t get out of. It happened even then but Police Commissioner Arthur Woods didn’t want to just look the other way while children got themselves into situations they couldn’t get out of.

In his quest to help these poor children who lived in congested tenements the Police Commissioner started to look around the City for vacant lots. He had a plan but he needed playgrounds. A man on a mission, he set aside city blocks where traffic was prohibited. He had a goal and that was to reduce tensions between the police and the youth of the city he so loved. He made friends where ever he went to set up play streets, as they were called. Both mothers and children alike were excited and encouraged by his efforts and thanked him.

From 1914 to 1929 Play Streets provided a safe place for children to play. Their goal was to bring about the opportunity to bring children together in a positive environment under proper supervision and in doing so reduce the temptation that faced the younger generation of getting themselves into trouble and the possibility of not being able to get on the right track in life. Another positive note of Play Streets was it brought about a positive interaction between police officers and the children of the neighborhood.

Captain John Sweeney of the Lower East Side 15^th police precinct was thinking along the same lines also in 1914 when he developed the Junior Police. This was a program for young boys. Everyone who joined in this group wore a uniform and participated in marching drills. It too ran on its own from 1914-1929 reaching 22 precincts in New York and over 4,000 boys. Their goal was to teach civic responsibility, bring about a positive relationship between the Police and boys, and laying a foundation for a good citizenship.

New York had a new Police Commissioner in 1929, Grover A. Whalen who appointed a committee on crime prevention. He was concerned with the growing population of juvenile delinquency. The focus the police department had on working with the youth of the communities intensified. The police department took the lead in providing well supervised recreation for the children in order to keep them off the streets and get them into a more productive program.

In 1932 in an annual report put out by the Police Department it was expressed that since the country was in a depression the ones who were more likely to suffer permanent damage were the children. After this report The Crime Prevention Bureau which was formed in 1931 thanks to a bill signed by Mayor James J. Walker, and formed the Junior Police Athletic League.

Like all organizations and new ideas it wasn’t perfect but it was a work in progress and growing in numbers and strength. In 1936 the Police Athletic League under Police Commissioner Lewis J. Valentine was reorganized. He took a different stand on getting kids off the street and out of trouble. Commissioner Valentine obtained a list of 5,000 truant children and enrolled them in P.A.L.

P.A.L. was growing fast in the late 1930’s with over 70,000 members. It now operated 69 indoor centers. Many of these centers were dedicated to the memory of police officers who died in the line of duty. It was an amazing program running through New York helping so many children who might have ended up lost.

New York City World’s Fair opened in 1939 with many exhibits to see and so much to do. Fun for everyone. A day was set aside at the World’s Fair in New York City to celebrate P.A.L. On September 6, 1939 it was P.A.L. Day at the World’s Fair and a Playstreet was set up right in the heart of the fair. The following year from May 18^th to October 27^th, 1940 P.A.L. activities were demonstrated at the New York City building. Once again a day was dedicated as P.A.L. Day at the World’s Fair which was September 4^th, 1940. As with the previous year a play street was set up at the fair and it was the largest day of attendance of children at the fair for 1940.

During WWII P.A.L. got the children involved in wartime efforts. They organized scrap salvage drives, they helped with the Red Cross, and they helped by providing supervised care for children whose parents were engaged in war work and civilian defense duties. They taught the children the importance of coming together as a community to help one another and join together for a stronger unity.

WWII brought budget cuts and the lack of funds threatened the Juvenile Aid Bureau which was once the Criminal Prevention Bureau. When the announcement came that the bureau was to be abolished the public would not stand for it. Low and behold funds were found to continue on with this great service to the children and families of the community and the P.A.L. organization continued.

After WWII P.A.L. began to hire social workers to assist with troubled children, they created a Placement Division to help young people find jobs, and they provided vocational guidance. They were growing and doing well for their communities. In the 1950’s P.A.L. athletes won the Golden Gloves and they competed in the summer Olympics in Helsinki in 1952 and again in Melbourne in 1956.

In 1944 P.A.L. went national serving needed communities around the country. Police Officers giving of their time to help the children in their communities achieve their dreams. The National Organization is run by civilian leadership but the police are still very active in volunteering their time to be there to coach and cheer them on.

The National P.A.L. provides local Chapters with resources and opportunities to grow their own programs. They find funding through grants and other avenues of funding for such organizations including corporate partners and supporting organizations.

The dream of two men has spread across this country with P.A.L. programs nationwide with over 300 P.A.L. Member Chapters in law enforcement agencies serving various cities throughout the United States. They work with children from ages 5 to 18, bring young athletes together to compete, they strive to develop a strong positive attitude towards the police officers that they can carry with them into their adulthood and teach their children in the future.

Children encouraged, supported and supervised with positive influence from law enforcement helps children understand the role of a police officer and reinforces responsible values and attitudes not only to the young people but to the adults as well.

As I have said before if we teach our children young about the importance of the police and show them our police officers are not there to do them harm but to help and be there for them then they will learn to respect our law enforcement at a young age. When a child sees a police officer joining in a ball game, coming to a classroom to give a talk on career day, or just joking around they get to see them as an average person just like anyone else who has a job to do and they take it seriously because they are responsible for the community these children live in.

P.A.L. teaches everyone to respect one another. The children learn to respect their neighbors and neighborhood therefore respecting the businesses and business owners in their community and in seeing all the hard work the police do not just while on duty but coaching at the gym, baseball field or joining in community activities of any kind, they learn respect for the police. P.A.L. brings communities together which helps all to heal because united we stand strong.

May God Bless America and all the P.A.L. volunteers, workers, and children who work so hard to bring it all together!

Support For Our Men and Women In Blue

Why is it when a police officer has to defend themselves in the line of duty and a thug is injured or sadly killed it is always the fault of the police in the eye of public opinion? What is going on in today’s society against the police isn’t the first time people have risen up and blamed them for all the bad things happening in their lives or in their neighborhoods. The police are always the first targeted but also the first called whenever they need help.

Every morning a police officer leaves his home, some leave their families while they set out to work to protect us. Most police officers put on their uniforms with pride and integrity. They don’t get up in the morning looking to get into any conflict with the public. Most police officers don’t even draw their guns in their entire careers but the second one does in order to protect themselves of others around them they become the bad person.

Over the past few years there has been an escalating problem between the police and the public with protesting and rioting whenever the police are involved in a shooting but yet if it is civilian killing another civilian or a police officer no one says a word. Sad because this way of thinking was encouraged by our last administration. I won’t keep going over those bad decisions because we all lived through it and know what took place.

Instead of people, parents especially preaching hate and distrust of the police perhaps they should try and teach their children respect. Not just for the police but for authority figures in general. I often hear, what are they teaching children in school these days? It is not the responsibility of the school system to teach our children respect for authority. As a parent of three adult children I did not leave it up to the school system to teach my children right from wrong or how to respect others or authority figures.

Children learn from our lead. They observe us, the way we act, the way we treat people, and the way we handle different aspects of our lives. It is our responsibility to teach our children how to get along in society today just like it was our parents responsibility to teach us. I remember my parents always telling me rules were made for a reason and so are the laws. We may not always agree with them but they are in effect for a reason and that needs to be taught to our children from when they are a young age.

Think about someone who is speeding down your street, how angry it makes you because your children play on that street. With a residential speed limit of 25mph and a driver speeding down at 40mph the law is not being observed and your child or anyone else on the road is in jeopardy of being injured, including the driver. That is a disrespect for the law. No big deal right? Well, not until someone gets injured or is pulled over and ticketed by the police and then the police are wrong because they are only out to write tickets, right? I mean that’s what a lot of people not only think but tell their children as well giving kids the impression police officers are out to get you from the get go, when that is the furthest thing from the truth.

Teaching children to obey the law and have respect for authority starts at home. Not when they are teenagers but when they are little tikes. As a parent we set rules for our children to follow in the home. Yes you can play with the ball but no you cannot jump on the bed. Simple rules to follow in order to keep them happy and safe. In today’s society parents are more afraid to instill these rules in the home and I’m not sure why. In my personal opinion parents today are more concerned about being their child’s friend than their parent. It’s not helping them to allow them to do as they want when they want. I see parents with young children and the children are allowed to run wild around the house and outside. So when they are out in public it is no different as the children run around and can get hurt or hurt someone else. With no rules set at home there are no rules followed when out in the community or in school. After all mom and dad are going to take the child’s side no matter what anyone has to say. If more parents set rules and enforce them in the home as children get older they are less likely to be the ones in trouble.

There are a lot of parents today who teach their children to be afraid of the police from when they are babies. They use the police as a way to scare their children into behaving themselves especially when out in public. That’s not a good idea. Our children need to know the police aren’t there to harass anyone, to hurt anyone, but they are there to protect everyone. Instead of pointing out the negative possibilities of interacting with the police from when your child is young why not teach them the good things about a police officer. Teach them the importance of such a job.

In today’s society it has become acceptable for teenagers to disrespect the law and those who enforce it. Be it a teacher enforcing the rules of the classroom, a principal enforcing the rules of the school, or a police officer enforcing the laws put in place to keep people safe and keep the peace. This attitude, this chip on their shoulder is what causes problems young people face today when they come in contact with a police officer just doing their job. They mouth off, challenge the officer, and push as far as they can until there is no other recourse but to be arrested. Of course having an issue with those in authority isn’t going to make this go easy and they are more than likely to put up a fight causing unneeded confrontation with the police. Then when something happens the parents, who never want to take responsibility, and the community, who just needs someone to blame, go after the police.

Good men and women of all races get up in the morning or the evening to do their job. A thankless and low paying job at that, for the work they do. They don’t wake up in the morning thinking about who they are going to harass during the day. No they get up, put on their uniform, and set out to protect and serve as they swore they would do when they graduated the police academy. They don’t stop and think about their safety because their only concern is doing their job and seeing to it those they are charged with taken care of are safe.

Their job description is too long to even begin to list their responsibilities and on top of it all they get to deal with everyone’s attitude on a daily basis. People seem to think when they see a Police Officer in uniform it’s OK to be disrespectful and to see how far you can push until they push back and then you don’t like it.

These men and women put their lives on the line every day. Over the past few years we have lost more police officers in the line of duty then I even want to think about. Families torn apart, children having to grow up without a mother or a father all because their family “bleeds blue.” They have taken an oath of office they hold in the highest regard to protect and serve and they will do this without giving a second thought of the sacrifice they may have to make one day.

I am the proud mother of a police officer and the proud sister of another police officer. My family “bleeds blue.” I am proud of all those men and women who wear that uniform. When was the last time you took a second to thank a police officer for the work they do? Me, I tend to do that every time I see a police officer and even our military. Do you know what it means to a police officer to have someone take a second out of their day to say thank you?  It shows them you appreciate the job they are doing to keep your behind safe and sound while putting theirs on the line.

Every day I pray for the safety of not just my son and brother but every police officer to make it home from their watch safe and sound so they can tuck their children in at night and give their wife or husband a kiss. Every day I don’t see a report of police officer killed in the line of duty, I thank God for keeping them safe.

When all else fails, when you are scared, hurt, lost, in need of assistance of any kind the first people you reach out for are the police and they never stop at your door and ask you if you support them. They just come in and do what needs to be done to ensure you are well taken care of. No matter what the reason they are called to a scene their only concern is to see to it everyone gets out of there safe and sound.

The police are not the problem, society is. A society who feels entitled to do whatever they want whenever they want without having to face the consequences of the law. I will always stand behind our men and women in blue, proud of the work they do. At the end of the day I will bow my head in prayer and ask Saint Michael to follow them into battle and bring them home safe and sound. A police officers job doesn’t end when his shift is over because no matter when you need them they will always answer the call. Just remember that the next time you see a police officer when you are getting a cup of coffee or perhaps at a street fair with your child. Remember to stop a moment to say thank you. Remember to take the time to teach your children the police aren’t there to hurt them they are there to help and if they ever need help it is safe to go to a police officer and ask.

May God Bless America and keep our men and women in blue safe.

What Has Happened To Integrity in News Reporting?

Over the past several years the news media has taken a turn for the worst. A real reporter is a dying breed. No one wants to get down to the truth they just want to give their political views on what is going on in the world according to their assumption. When I was in journalism class that’s not what I was taught.

You see the definition of journalism is simple. It is the activity or profession of writing for newspapers, magazines, or news websites (wasn’t a part of my journalism studies since websites came long after I got out of school), or preparing news to be broadcast. So now ask yourself what’s news?

When I was younger and we listened to the news we heard reports of current events going on around the world. Journalist wrote their newspaper articles on truth based facts not their opinions.  My journalist teacher used to tell us to look at all the facts and to try and keep your personal feelings out of it because as the reporter you were not to be invested in the story from your point of view but to tell the news as it really happened with pride and integrity. Where is the integrity in the news media today?

Over the years one station at a time, just seem to drift away from what is real and just started to add all these commentators as their reporters who have more mouth than brains. I do my research every day just like I was taught. Not just for my blog but for the books I am writing. I don’t want to be wrong about anything I put out there for the public to read. I don’t want to be someone who fills someone’s head with lies and deceit.

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Every night my husband flips through the news channels and every night I cringe as I listen to the different voices and the different telling of the stories going on not just around this country but around the world. I could not believe how during the last administration our so called, mainstream media, jumped on the band wagon against our police and rallied around rioters and thugs yet when something happened that deserved their attention there was no one around. I am sure you all remember the report about the little girl who was doing her homework in her mother’s bedroom when shots were fired and the nine year old child was struck dead from a stray bullet that went through the wall and the mother was shot in the leg, thanks to the rioters in the streets. Oh, you don’t remember that? I understand why because the mainstream media didn’t pick it up. It wasn’t news worthy enough. In other words no one was protesting that or rioting in the streets for the child’s life so it wasn’t covered yet a mother lost part of her heart as she had to lay her child to rest and the thugs continued to do their damage. In case you haven’t heard about this it happened in Ferguson. I found out about it like many others, on social media. http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/08/nine-year-old-ferguson-girl-shot-dead-in-her-bed-in-drive-by-shooting-no-protests-planned/

The only media outlet to hold true and strong to its belief has been FOX NEWS and now they are under attack. Cracks me up how so many people turn so quickly on someone. I am not saying I don’t believe or I do believe what these women are saying about Mr. O’Reilly but please when is this going to stop. When are we going to start saying to women who bring out allegations of sexual abuse or harassment years after it happened that we need more than your word against his before you stop allowing them to ruin careers? No one is perfect and no one is an angel but to be able to claim sexual harassment years after it happened isn’t right. You need to call it out when it happens especially in today’s day and age because it isn’t something that people hush and brush under the rug. When someone does this, when they wait years and years to bring this to the attention of others and confront the so called abuser take note people, they aren’t doing it to the man or woman who makes minimum wage they are going up against those who make millions so they can get a payoff to keep it quiet and not ruin their name. Not because they are admitting to the charges but because they worked hard to get to where they are in their lives and they don’t want someone ruining it. Are there men and women who are guilty of harassment and abuse, of course there are but if you are so sure you have a case then take them to court and see to it justice is paid and not just your pocket.

I mean even with the Trump campaign someone pulled out some recording they held onto for years about something Trump said about women to other men, locker room talk. Do I agree with it no but am I dumb enough to think men don’t talk like that, no way. As for any woman who was “offended” by what was said, give me a break! I have listened to many a woman talk about men in the same way except the body parts were different. No one in this world is perfect but the news media took a Pitbull bit on this and wouldn’t let go. They tried all they could to disgrace him and turn his followers against him but surprise to them it only strengthened our belief in him as a real human being who understands the regular person. I mean come on folks, he grew up around construction sights do you think they talked about their Wednesday night knitting club? If so I have a bridge I want to sell you so contact me.

The anger spewed by the mainstream media at those in the White House, the First Family, and anyone attached to the Trump administration is a disgrace. They are digging and hoping for chaos in the White House and then they are upset when President Trump comes out and talks about how amazing his staff is and how they all work well together. You know the problem isn’t Trump’s administration, the problem is Congress can’t get their poop together and the mainstream media can’t keep their heads on straight just spinning around hoping for something to blow up or someone screw up so they can keep the drama going.  They are more of a soap opera then a daily news report. Sad to say many of them are a laughing stock.

Our so called mainstream media has been the cause of so much chaos and confusion in this country by spreading lies and propaganda. Yet when real news hits they keep it quiet until they can get a negative spin on it. They rather come in later with a story and be able to fill it full of holes then come out with the truth. It’s amazing, journalism today is a joke, just like most of today’s reporters.

Unfortunately there are enough scary things going on around the world today that President Trump had to take a stand on. The mainstream media can keep reporting how Trump was wrong and how he should have done things differently but like Jesse Watters said “Don’t you think the commander-in-chief knows a little bit more about a breaking international security incident than two desk anchors?”  These so called reporters are going on leaks from the White House or some other source of information they don’t need to make ready to the public yet they expect the President to release top secret information to them and in doing so the public. Why because they are the press and they feel entitled? It doesn’t work that way.

France faced a terrorist attack and President Trump sent his condolences. Actually that’s more than Obama ever would have done at least as far as we know since it was never televised if he did anything nice like that. Not only did President Trump offer is condolences he called a spade a spade, and said right out it was a terrorist attack during a press conference when the prime minister from Italy was here. Of course NBC had two commentators who felt it wasn’t right for the President to say it was terrorism. As if they know more than the President and his advisors.

I have said this time and again President Trump does not show his hand. He will not spill out top secret information and he will not tell his enemies what he plans to do. He stated this time and again in one interview after another. As a country we need to start to remember the commander-in-chief is just that. He is the one responsible for our safety and to show his hand before he makes his play only puts every American Citizen in jeopardy.

It’s amazing the only news stations I now feel I can watch and not want to throw the television out the window is FOX News and One America News Network. Two out of all those so called news stations out there are the only ones that tell it like it is not like the Democrats want us to hear it.

I spend a lot of time researching. I don’t take anything at face value because I have a suspicious nature. Perhaps it’s my Italian upbringing but I have learned over the years that you cannot believe something just because someone said so. You have to do your homework, you have to search for the truth and you have to have the nerve to call the liars out on it. Journalist who report the news as it actually happens are reporters with integrity. Those who report the news and adlib are conspiracy theorists who should probably write the next best seller instead of reporting their fabricated news.

America is a land of free speech and for this I am grateful but as far as reporting the news, in my opinion, these people should be held to a high standard and not allowed to doctor up the news to help with their own agenda. Telling the truth never hurt anyone but lying can destroy and hurt many lives with just a single lie or stretching of the truth.

In my opinion it’s best for all Americans to start thinking for themselves and to not let others influence them. In order to heal this country we need to start to heal from within the way they started to spread the disease with lies and deception. So I pray every day for the healing of this great nation and for people to see the truth before them and allow the lies to lay at the side of the road to be swept up and taken away.

May God Bless America and show us the truth.

The History and Lessons of The Battle of Gettysburg

I have said time and again how very much I love American History and with the summer months coming on us what better way to spend a long weekend but visiting some of this nations historical sights. One that just seems so fitting to me is where the late President Abraham Lincoln gave perhaps his most famous speech ever, The Gettysburg Address.

Gettysburg Pennsylvania is known for the Gettysburg National Battlefield which is considered the turning point of the Civil War. It is now part of the Gettysburg Nation Military Park which also includes the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center where you can see Civil War artifacts on display, and visit the Gettysburg National Cemetery. There is an amazing memorial in the Gettysburg National Cemetery which marks the spot of where Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address in 1863.

There is so much to do and see but while you are having fun with your family sightseeing your children are learning about an amazing time in American History. The Battle of Gettysburg was perhaps the bloodiest battle in all of the Civil War. It definitely was the largest battle not only of the Civil War but ever fought on American soil. In all there were approximately 85,000 men in the Unions Army under the command of Major General George Gordon Meade. As for the Confederate Army there were approximately 75,000 men who joined in this battle.

The battle of Gettysburg started on July 1 of 1863 and ended July 3 just 3 days leaving a devastation of 23,049 Union casualties and 28,063 Confederate casualties. For the Union there were 3,155 fatalities, 14,529 wounded, and 5,365 missing in action. On the Confederate side there were 3, 903 fatalities, 18,735 wounded, and 5,425 missing in action. The field hospitals were over run with casualties. Homes, churches, and schools, any building that could be turned into a hospital was.

With homes and public buildings being used as hospitals and so many wounded they were left to be taken care of by civilians with few doctors on hand. Unfortunately they suffered a lot of diseases caused by the infections of the wounds and unsanitary conditions. People volunteered from the North and the South to help with tending to the wounded and burying the dead as the body count grew day by day.

A three day battle using an estimated 569 tons of ammunition and leaving the Union in control of Gettysburg made this battle the turning point of the Civil War. The Confederate forces were defeated, tired, and needed to retreat but they never recovered.

Mary Virginia Wade, also known as Jenny Wade was the only civilian killed during the three day battle. Her and her mother saw to it that bread was baked every morning for the Union soldiers so on this particular morning Jenny was in the kitchen baking the bread when a random bullet went through the front door of the house, striking and killing the 20 year old. You can tour Jenny’s house when you visit Gettysburg.

There were many horses and mules killed as well during this battle but one thing that really got me was the story of Sallie who was a dog who served in the Civil War as the mascot of the 11^th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. She was a Staffordshire terrier who served right along with the soldiers on the front lines in many battles. At Gettysburg she was separated from the 11^th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry during the fighting. At the end of the battle some of her soldiers found her still on the battlefield guarding the wounded and dead soldiers and she didn’t leave till the last one was taken care of. Sallie served the Union proudly by the side of her soldiers until her death during the Battle of Hatcher’s Run in Virginia in February of 1865. There is a memorial for Sallie at Gettysburg placed there by her regiment.

Although the Battle of Gettysburg ended on July 3^rd, 1863 President Lincoln did not give the Gettysburg Address until November 19^th, 1863 at the dedication of the military cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This speech was his way of reminding the tired public why we were fighting the Civil War and why the Union had to win this fight.

The Gettysburg Address which is signed by Lincoln and on display in the Lincoln Room at the White House is as follows:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that, that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate – we can not consecrate – we can not hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this earth.

Everyone remembers the beginning of the speech but do they realize that what Lincoln was doing was paying homage to the Union soldiers who gave their all. This speech was to remind all those in attendance of the reason these soldiers sacrificed their lives not just for the Union but for the nation, equality, freedom, and national unity. You have to understand Lincoln was a man of few words so in this very short speech he made an impact on this nation for generations to come. Even in today’s generation we are still fighting to keep this nation united, still struggling to keep our freedoms, and still reminding people we are all equal but what really gets me is the end of his speech, “and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from this earth.” We must all remember those words as we look at the craziness in the world today and realize these words still stand true.

I think visiting Gettysburg was one of my favorite vacations a couple of years ago. To tour the battlefield and see where it all took place. Stop and visit the monuments set up around the battlefield dedicated to both the Union soldiers and the Confederate soldiers. It is a way to bring history to life for yourself and your family. You don’t have to have children to take a tour of this amazing part of our history.

There is so much to do there besides the Gettysburg Battlefield and National Military Park you can take a tour of the Eisenhower National Historic site which was the home of our 34^th President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Check out the Sachs Covered Bridge and Waterworks Covered Bridge. The bridge is 100 feet long and is an historical point of the civil war because it was used by two brigades of the Union Army to get into Gettysburg and four days later it was used by what was left of General Robert E. Lee’s Army of North Virginia as they retreated over the bridge after the Union’s victory at the Battle of Gettysburg. It has actually been designated as Pennsylvania’s most historic bridge. Although it is closed to automobile traffic it is still opened to pedestrians so take a walk through this amazingly crafted covered bridge. I loved it!

So much to see and do with all different tours you can take with your family and friends or even by yourself. So if you are a history buff, a parent who wants to have fun with their children while teaching them a little bit along the way, or just out to see the sites then consider a trip to Gettysburg Pennsylvania this summer and enjoy all the history you can soak up.

The United States fought more battles then we care to think about and we have had some fabulous leaders and some not so fabulous but the American people have always had pride in their country. I know I have pride in my heritage and when I go and visit places like this and see what our forefathers fought for and how hard they worked to improve life here and bring us all together as one country, equal and unified under God, and then I hear what people say and think in today’s society, I have to wonder, what they hell went wrong. Maybe getting back to our roots, learning and understanding what we were all about then, and feeling the passion and dedication so many have had so we can be here today free to do as we wish, maybe that will open some eyes that have seemed to be closed for a long time.

As I think about the words President Lincoln spoke in Gettysburg that November day I can’t help but think how true they still ring today. “We the People,” need to stand strong and remember how important it is to our freedoms and equality to stand united. To see to it our government does their job for the people because they are elected by the people to ensure this nation remains strong and does not perish and give in to the evils of this world.

May God Bless America and help us to learn from the past so we can have an even brighter future.

Symptoms and Help for Those With PTSD

The news this past week has been full of talk, almost nonstop, on the craziness going on in this world between China, North Korea, Russia, Syria and of course the United States. We can talk it to death but what good is it doing anyone except, for many, upsetting. This nonstop negative news is so depressing and hurtful to many people.

I am sure many of you are wondering what the hell I am trying to get at. We have many veterans in this country suffering from PTSD but we also have many victims of violent crimes, abused women and even children suffering from PTSD and some may not even know it.

First off, what is PTSD? PTSD is a mental health disorder. What can cause PTSD? Some people develop PTSD after they experience a life threating event such as being in combat, the noises of the missiles, the horrors that play out in front of our military can attribute to PTSD for many veterans. For others, living through a natural disaster and again being a witness to all the horrors that unfold during that time, being a bad car accident, a sexual assault, being mugged, or abused by your spouse. So you see there are many reasons people can and do develop PTSD.

PTSD isn’t cut and dry. There are different types of it and people need to be made aware so they can help those they love who may not realize they need it. Most of us are aware of a form of PTSD in which a person relives the traumatic experiences they have gone through be it through nightmares, flashbacks, or a trigger. A flashback, as we all know, is when a person feels as if they are going through the same trauma again and again. A trigger is different. A trigger could be caused by something you hear, see, or even smell that can cause a person to begin to relive their nightmare once more. Watching a news report, seeing an accident, even hearing a car backfire are just some triggers.

Then there are those who avoid situations that could remind them of what they went through. They block themselves off from others to avoid any situation that can present a trigger memory of their trauma. They even avoid talking to people and push the thought of the incident as far back in their mind as they can. Almost like filing it away and locking it up in a top secret compartment so they don’t have to face it unless absolutely necessary. They avoid crowds, if possible will work from home. If it is someone who was in a car accident they may avoid driving. A person who has been in a natural disaster may avoid watching anything, news reports, movies, or reading about any type of natural disaster so as not to relive what they went through. In order to keep their mind off of it they may find it necessary to keep themselves busy from sunup to sundown as long as they don’t have to think or talk about it.

Some people who were once positive start to show signs of negativity. Maybe they start to have changes in their beliefs and even feelings. A person who was always full of self-esteem may suddenly start to see themselves in a different light. Other things that may change are your feelings towards other people, the inability to trust or even love someone because you would prefer to keep your distance and stay away from relationships as your way of protecting yourself. Some people tend to forget parts of the experience they went through or even if they remember it find they cannot talk about it. The world you once felt safe and secure in is now dark and dangerous to the point of you feeling alone because you feel there is no one you can trust but yourself.

Another form of PTSD is to feel anxiety, jittery, nervous, maybe even have anxiety attacks and feel as if you are being watched. As if danger lurks in every corner. You become irritable for no apparent reason and have a hard time sleeping, concentrating, startled by loud noises and not like being surprised. You may also feel it necessary when out to have your back against the wall so you can see who is coming and going from the room you are in. This way you know what is going on around you.

It’s not the same for everyone but PTSD usually will start just after a traumatic experience although there are some people who will not show symptoms for months or even years. For others the symptoms may come and go making it hard to realize what you are going through, up one day down another.

If your symptoms start shortly after the incident but last longer than four weeks seek professional help from your doctor or a counselor. If you aren’t sure what you are going through keep a diary. Start writing down your feelings and the different things you are going through and talk to your doctor about it.

There is treatment for PTSD such as psychotherapy or counseling which involves meeting with a therapist. In doing my research I found that cognitive processing therapy can help you to understand how the trauma you went through changed your thoughts and feelings. If the therapy can help you change how you think about the trauma then it can change how you feel.

Another type of therapy is prolonged exposure which is when you talk about your trauma repeatedly. This would help you face what you went through and you would talk about the memories of it all until you are no longer being upset by them. If you can do this then you can get more control over your thoughts and feelings about what you went through. It puts you in control again not the trauma you experienced.

I am sure there are other techniques used but these were two I found. It is always best to talk to professionals and get their opinion on the best way to handle what you or your loved one is going through.

Of course there are always medications for PTSD but I am not someone who pushes medications as a first resort since I am always afraid of their side effects but again I am also not a professional and if your doctor feels it is the best way to go then you need to listen and follow orders.

One thing many people do not realize is even children can have PTSD with similar symptoms as adults and for some because of their age it is hard for them to express what they are feeling. A child under the age of 6 may get upset if their parents aren’t close by, like separation anxiety, or have trouble sleeping and even act out their trauma with they play so parents need to be aware of what their children are doing when they are playing and even drawing.

Children ages 7 to 11 may act out, have nightmares, tell stories, and become irritable and even aggressive at times. If they are being bullied in school they may try their hardest to avoid going to school or start having trouble with the school work and friends. Older children from 12 to 18 have similar symptoms as adults and often withdraw finding it hard to communicate. They can become reckless and turn towards alcohol or drugs as a form of hiding away. The need to get away, to protect themselves can cause them to run away.

PTSD is not easy to cope with and you don’t just get rid of it. It’s hard on your body so it’s important for you to take care of yourself and have as healthy a lifestyle as possible. You need to be sure to take time for yourself, relax, maybe meditate, take a yoga class or get a massage. I know people who find a walk or a workout at the gym helps them relieve their stress and brings them back within themselves.

There is not rule of thumb as to how long PTSD will last. For some they may find a way to work through it but for others it may last their entire life. We have so many veterans suffering from PTSD today and some don’t even realize it. There are still so many out there who haven’t even begun to seek help because they just don’t realize they need it but if you are a loved one of someone going through these symptoms then help them seek help and get on track so they can once again enjoy their life and not live in fear.

For the civilian who believes they are suffering from some kind of anxiety or perhaps PTSD go and see your doctor and if need be they will direct you to a counselor. If someone you love is suffering but does not see it for themselves then go with them to the doctor. Write down everything you noticed and talk to the doctor with your loved one there so you can help them understand they are not going through this alone.

Less than half of our veterans suffering from PTSD seek help. If you are a spouse of a veteran and are concerned he or she may be suffering from PTSD there is help through the VA of course but there is a Veteran’s and PTSD Crisis hotline you can call 866-382-2287. I will tell you from the veterans I have known they do not like to seek help through the VA or even a hotline but there is also the DAV who will help them as well as the wounded warrior project.

Of course if you are in crisis then call 911 but be sure to tell them the person you are calling about is suffering from PTSD, go to the nearest Emergency room and there is the Veterans Crisis line 1-800-273-8255 or if you have a computer on hand there is a website set up by the Veterans Crisis Line which is https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ChatTermsOfService.aspx?account=Veterans%20Chat/

So for all those out there suffering from PTSD both civilians and veterans alike there is help out there and you are not alone. To all those who know of someone suffering remember they may not even be aware of it and need you to lend that hand so they can find their way out of the darkness and back to the life they were meant to be living.

May God Bless America and help heal all those wounded souls.

Unite and Be Stronger Than Ever!

For eight long years this country was under the Obama administration with a Commander and Chief who had no desire to stand tall and strong by showing force when needed. He made deals with terrorist to release an American deserter, traitor, Bowe Bergdahl, looked the other way while American’s were murdered in Benghazi, stood in defense of thugs as they committed crimes and were arrested by or killed by the police while attacking them as they did their job, he encouraged ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS to go out and vote, and that is just the tip of the Obama years, yet not one Democrat saw a problem with this.

Now today we have a Republican in the White House who will not stand by while America or anyone else in the world is bullied. He stands fast and by his word that he will not televise what his plans are to serve and protect this nation from our enemies and that disturbs our so called media. Funny but they seem to think they have a right to know classified information and to report it to the average Joe on the evening news right along with the enemy. What a joke!

This past week perhaps opened the eyes of the American people. With the bombing of innocent Syrian citizens by their own government and President Trump’s reaction to it when he bombed the Syrian air base and then the dropping of the MOAB in Afghanistan going after ISIS he gave the dictator of North Korea something to think about. He proved to China he is not kidding around and is giving them a chance to handle it on their own but he also said if China cannot do it then he will.

Over the past week I have talked to people who are blaming President Trump both on social media and face to face, about the mess with Korea, Russia, and just about everything else going on around the world. My question to them is, where were they when Obama was looking the other way and allowing ISIS to grow, you remember the JV team, Russia to push their way into other areas of Asia, and Korea developing their nuclear weapons right under his nose. Let alone giving Iran a deal which in the long run, is going to bit the USA in the butt.

Why is it, everything Obama did is was gold and whatever President Trump works on is coal? Let me tell you what I think. I think so many liberals have been blinded and afraid to speak their mind for fear of offending someone they have forgotten what it is like to take a stand and speak out for what is right. No one wants to see us go to war but there is no way America can allow anyone to hold this country hostage with threats of nuclear bombings and our Commander and Chief look the other way. 

That is, a real Commander and Chief wouldn’t look the other way, instead he would attack and protect those who elected him into office, and since we are all one country, he will also protect those who did not vote for him. You see it does not matter to President Trump if you voted for him or not what matters to him is you are an American Citizen and therefore you fall under his protection like it or not.

No he is not politically correct and this is upsetting to many people but to them I say, too bad. Being politically correct and afraid to speak the truth for fear you may hurt someone’s feelings is wrong. This is America, we have a right to free speech. It does not bother anyone from the left to call Trump supporters names, threaten them and even attack them in many cases so why should those on the right watch what they have to say. Oh, that’s right, because Obama said so. Well I’m sorry, for eight years I stood behind Obama because he was my president whether I voted for him or not. I may not have always agreed with him but that was my God given right which so many people in this country seem to have forgotten about.

This country is going to hell in a hand basket with people on killing sprees and not caring about who they hurt or what they do to get what they want. The end justifies the means but that’s not the way it is. Yes for the past eight years so much has been overlooked by the DOJ that our streets are no longer safe. Our police officers have to do their jobs with their hands tied behind their backs and no thank you from the top office in this country, just ridicule. I am so sick and tired of hearing how the police are wrong but the thugs should be rewarded. Under the direction of this new administration that will no longer be the rule of thought and I, for one, look forward to it.

At the start of 2017 things changed with the inauguration of President Trump. No more standing back and ordering the police to stand down when it is their job to keep the peace. No more looking the other way when countries like Russia and Korea try to flex their muscles and no more keeping quiet about any of the injustices in this world. Better yet, no more going before the news cameras and broadcasting what is going to be done to stop this craziness from continuing.

If you are an American citizen then your allegiance should be to this country and its Commander and Chief even if you did not vote for them because they are the one in office at this point and time, the one who is protecting your sorry behind. If you are an American citizen and cannot get behind your President then perhaps you need to go and spend some time in one of these other countries you think are better than America. Go find out just how happy you would be but remember one thing, there is no turning back.

Perhaps some of this misinformation being tossed around out there should fall on the responsibility of the school system because they are not teaching our children about their own history. Perhaps they touch on it but it is not taught the way it used to be. Young boys and girls should know how wonderful this country is, about how and why people came here to begin with, and about their love for this country and how they fought to make it the United States of America so we did not have to live under tyranny the way they did.

This country had some amazing Patriots throughout its years. Men who fought for what they believed in, struggled to see to it life would be better in the future, and believed with all their heart that America should be United in order to stand strong together. I can’t argue with that. I mean look at us today. Everyone fighting with everyone else about the way they think things should be. Everyone thinking they know better than those who have the intelligence in their hands to know what is really going on and the American people being fed lies by the mainstream media to kick up dust and cloud the truth.

This propaganda that spreads wild in the world today isn’t something new. Even with the beginning of a new world, when our forefathers came here there was those who spread propaganda to pull people to their way of thinking. To instill fear in the population about pulling away from England and trying to make it on our own but the Patriots stood strong as the American Revolution began in 1765 and ended in 1783. Many doubted America could win such a war but the Patriots of this great nation proved them wrong although it was not an easy battle. Still they knew the outcome would be well worth the fight.

These amazing men, the Patriots of yesteryear, our very first veterans, came from all walks of life, social and economic classes but they all agreed unanimously in the need to defend the rights of Americans and to reject monarchy and aristocracy. Back then the newspapers stood with the patriots but today they turn against anyone who is in favor of keep American free and independent by instilling fear in those who actually listen to the opinions. Yes, opinions because somewhere along the line reporters have stopped reporting the news and started putting their own two cents in which isn’t even worth penny.

I honestly believe if we took a real poll and had each county, city, however we wanted to handle it, talked to more than a panel of 100 people handpicked by the media we would find 50-55 % of the population would be in support of President Trump and the securing of our nation, protecting our citizens from the horrors of the world. I believe only about 30% would lean towards the left and side with socialism and communism because they would think it would give them something for nothing. The other 15-20% are sitting on the fence because they don’t have enough truthful answers because of the way the news is reported in this day and age.

Once again I will say, America is not perfect. We have had our ups and downs as we have grown just like any other nation but we have persevered. The rights of the American people, their safety, and their freedoms have always been in the forefront of the battles we fought. I know there are many people upset and wondering why we are getting involved in Syria, going after ISIS, or even bothering with North Korea but we have to remember if just one of these countries can find a way to get through our defenses then all our forefathers fought for will be no more. We cannot allow that to happen and it must be stopped before it gets to our door. These battles need not be fought on our soil but stopped before they get anywhere close to us and if that means stopping these terrorist in their tracks then that is what is needed to be done.

So let’s all take a moment to stop and think about how much we love our freedom to choose, freedom of speech, our freedom to bow our head in prayer to the God of our choice not one pushed on us, and let’s remember our freedom to live a life of liberty and a pursuit of happiness. If we can all remember this and know how important it was for the Patriots who fought so hard for it through the years, for the veterans of foreign wars, for all veterans who dedicated their lives to serve and protect then perhaps we can unite once more for the good of this country and the betterment of tomorrow. Stop second guessing and trying to be an armchair President. Lose the anger and come together as “One nation under God,” and unite once more.

Like any family we aren’t always going to agree on everything but that’s OK as long as we all work towards the greater good of all concerned. This nation as a whole is what matters and being united is the only way to combat those who wish to pull us apart. Stop being angry, listen to what others have to say, come to a common understanding that no matter what we are all American Citizens and we need to keep the line of communication open and peaceful in order to bring us together, stronger than ever.

May God Bless America and help us unite as one, once more. 

Then and Now

My children grew up in the same house I grew up in, and I grew up right down the street from where my father grew up. To listen to him talk of how our town was when he was a young boy always fascinated me. We grew up in Belleville, New Jersey in a section known as Silver Lake. It was called that because at one time that is exactly what it was.

A little history about Silver Lake which is located at the northwest end of Belleville. Silver Lake bounced back and forth between Belleville, Newark, and Bloomfield before finally becoming a permanent part of Belleville. Back in the day, in the 1700’s a stream ran along the area between Bloomfield Ave in Newark and Newark Avenue in Bloomfield. Now from stories I have read there was a dam built back in 1730 along with a mill by Jasper Crane and Joshua Miller. With a dam built the water from the stream built up and formed a lake which became known as Silver Lake. This lake was about 300 feet wide and a half-mile long. The stories I have heard growing up were, the Mill was on what is now Heller Parkway in Newark. The reason they decided to build the dam to begin with was to extract the mercury in the bottom of the stream. My father told me the mercury at the bottom of the lake was how it got the name Silver Lake, makes sense to me. During a server storm in June of 1889 the dam was washed away never to be rebuilt. The lake drained and in time the stream it was originally formed from dried up.

Farms, buildings, and roads started to fill in where the lake once stood. People started to move in and I will say Silver Lake had a huge Italian population. My father grew up in a house his father and grandfather built. They had a small farm which they supported their family with. Times were different, families stayed close together. The area wasn’t crowded and everyone knew their neighbors. Children actually had respect for their elders, their parents, and heaven forbid they acted up in school they would get it worse when they came home.

My father told me stories of the neighbors getting together and doing pig roasts and everyone was involved in one part of it or another and when all was said and done the entire neighborhood enjoyed a feast. The children played games, the women cooked, but the men handled the roasting of the pig which was done in the ground.

Of course over the years times changed and by the time my father was a teenager war had broken out and young men were enlisting in the service of their country, proud to wear the uniform. When the war was over and the boys came home they were cheered on and life continued but for some jobs were hard to come by.

One of the funniest stories my father told me was about after he returned from service. It was a warm Sunday afternoon and he skipped church that day along with many of the young men in the neighborhood. As a matter of fact they spent their time in front of the local pool hall shoot craps. Yep, they actually did that out in the open on the street.

After church on this particular Sunday, Father Gillick of Saint Anthony’s did what he did every Sunday. He walked around the neighborhood and visited those who couldn’t make to mass that day, the sick and the elderly. Well as he walked down Lake Street he came up to the young men, my father included, and said hello. Of course, they were all very respectful and said, “Hello Father.” He told them he missed them in mass that day and they apologized promising to be there the following Sunday. Father then took note of the pot they were shooting for and commented on how nice it would be to buy the children ice cream since it was such a hot day. No one said a word as Father reached into the pot, took some money and went in the pool hall to buy ice cream for all of the neighborhood children. Not a word did they utter but my father said the shock on their faces said it all. When father left, after he passed out all the ice cream, he thanked the young men for their kindness. Of course they all just responded, “You’re welcome Father.” I got a kick out of this story because I always saw my father and the other men on the block as tough guys but one thing they would not mess with was Father Gillick.  Like I said a simpler time.

By the time I came to be living on Lake Street in Belleville it was a bit more congested but still the same in so many ways. My family was still living on the block so I was lucky to be in walking distance to my great grandmother and my grandparents. Not to mention my aunts and uncles and so many cousins, it was great.

There was still no out on the street after dark. If you weren’t on the porch when the street lights went on you were grounded. No talking back, no asking why, you just did it because you were told. School was where you went to learn not play and get into trouble. If your parents had to go to school because you talked back or were in a fight, trust me, it was not good when you got home.

Our parents had goals for us and the biggest one was for their children to do better in life than they ever did. They didn’t want their children to struggle, leave school early, and regret not fulfilling their dreams. To my parents being   American Citizens gave you more opportunities for a better life than anywhere else in the world. I believe that was for many of the men and women of that time.

My children grew up in the same house I did. I instilled the same values as my parents did. As a single mother I think I was a little harder on them because I felt they only had me to push and push hard. I taught my children to reach for their dream and never give up until they achieve it. I am proud to say all three of them have reached their dream and are still climbing but they grew up in a time when things were beginning to change. I remember the first time my son couldn’t find a pay phone to call home for a ride from the movies. I was in a panic because he decided to walk with his friends until he could find one. Of course I found him first but not until my heart was pounding in my chest. Beepers were the thing then but what good were they if there was no pay phone to call home from.

Now everyone has their cell phone and kids today are taking them to school, sitting at the dinner table playing their games or talking to their friends, and everywhere you go someone is on the phone. People have forgotten how to interact with one another and it’s sad.

Once a month my family does family night. Almost ten years ago I lost my sister and one of the promises I made her was to keep our families together. To see to it our children stayed close and our children’s children do as well. So I made the suggestion of a monthly family night. We all cook something and do the usual sitting around the table talking and laughing and playing with the kids. It gives us all something to look forward to every month and it gives us a chance to teach the younger ones our family traditions.

In today’s society we have lost sight of what is important. So many only see the horrors and the negativity in the world and forget how important our dreams are. They live to cause chaos and bring drama around them. What they don’t understand is this is not the way to have open communication and bring this country together.

Yes I grew up in a simpler time but I also grew up with respect, love and understanding of those around me. I cannot understand someone who would deliberately hurt another human being just because they don’t agree with their way of thinking. I cannot understand someone who allows their children to fight in the streets and protest as if they are animals. I cannot understand anyone, and this goes to even when I was a teenager, disrespecting or flag, our country, our military, and our veterans.

Our country may have gotten older, but it isn’t getting better. We need to work together and bring back the values and morals that were once a big part of our every day. We need to teach our children to respect others and we need to remind so many adults, you aren’t given respect you earn it. If you are going to act the crazy person and scream at someone don’t expect them to respond with kindness.

I know we cannot go back in time but we can improve where we are today. We can take steps to be more positive and to be proactive where our children are concerned so they grow up knowing nothing is owed to them. If something is worthwhile then it is worth working for. We can teach our children how lucky they are to be a part of this country and to be grateful for all they are blessed with instead of expecting it.

I know I say this a lot but we can teach our children to be thankful to our military and police. To take a moment when they see a police officer or any military personal and say thank you for your service. To take a moment and thank a veteran for all they have done so our families can grow up in a free world. No we cannot set the clock back to simpler times but we can make life better just by teaching our children respect, morals, and honor, teaching them what is important in this world doesn’t always center around them. Teaching them that life isn’t easy but in America it’s a lot better than anywhere else in the world because of the men and women who gave their all so we can have what we do today.

May God Bless America and help us bring her back to all her glory.