Current Event – Page 91 – intramuralist ™

02/12/201502/12/2015

crazy, mixed up world

There are days I shake my head, wondering if life makes sense — wondering if our reality has somehow evolved into some curvy, messed up fantasy world, where our focus and values have fallen somewhere between “Freaky Friday,” “As the World Turns,” and “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.” I wonder what we value… what we have mixed up… and if we are still discerning of what is good and true and right…

… So many of us tuned into the Super Bowl — some 114.4 million to be almost exact — but we tend to tune out the evening news, feeling the stories are the same — just the names and faces are different each night.

… We pay significant attention to the news anchor who lied, but for the politician that lied/lies or tends to greatly exaggerate (always uncannily, making themselves look better or braver), we look the other way… especially if they vote the way we like.

… We Google with glee, with all eyes and ears on the actors, athletes, and celebrities. Tell me: how long will we pay attention to Kayla Mueller, the 26 year old, American woman who is the latest to pay with her life at the hands of ISIS, the radical Islamic terrorist group? How long?

I shuddered reading Kayla’s letter to her family, written in November of last year. Her insight was amazing: “…I remember mom always telling me that all in all in the end the only one you really have is God. I have come to a place in experience where, in every sense of the word, I have surrendered myself to our creator b/c literally there was no else … + by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefall. I have been shown in darkness, light + have learned that even in prison, one can be free. I am grateful. I have come to see that there is good in every situation, sometimes we just have to look for it.”

To think we will not pay much attention… to think her death may be minimized…I wonder about this mixed up world.

I will admit: I am currently watching one other, potentially mixed up scenario…

When “American Sniper” came out, the box office smash met rave reviews and even attained a “Best Picture” nomination by the 87th Academy Awards. The movie chronicles the life of Chris Kyle, a former Navy SEAL who was considered “the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history.” He served four tours in the Iraq War, reportedly having shot and killed more than 160 targets. He was considered a hero. Because Kyle was so effective in killing our identified enemy, Iraqi insurgents nicknamed him the “Devil of Ramadi” and put a bounty on his head. The movie accounts some awful situations Kyle confronted, as the face of the enemy is often disguised as something lesser.

“American Sniper” has also faced ample, significant criticism… Michael Moore, Seth Rogen, former Gov. Howard Dean, etal… they have led the chorus, making strong public claims of racism, bigotry, and/or cowardice in Kyle’s behavior. Their criticism is loud — as is their assertion that Kyle is no hero.

This weekend, no less — to celebrate Valentine’s Day — the American public will also be exposed to the much-anticipated “50 Shades of Grey.” Such is the cinematic account of the best-selling 2011 novel. Wikipedia factually depicts the story as follows: “It is notable for its explicitly erotic scenes featuring elements of sexual practices involving bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism.”

The Intramuralist is offering no encouragement on whether or not to see either ‘Sniper’ or the ‘Grey Shades.’ I only question which movie we will value more. Which will we celebrate? Which will we criticize? … and are we still discerning of what is good and true and right?

Respectfully…

02/10/201502/10/2015

parenting & terrorism

(Oblige me briefly on today’s odd combination and thus creative frame of reference…)

While this is not a parenting blog, I have learned some things via parenting I otherwise would have missed. Let me be completely transparent: sometimes those lessons mean complete failure and falling flat on my face; it’s hard to parent consistently well.

There are moments I’m not proud of — times I’d like to take back… times I said the wrong thing, did the wrong thing, played helicopter parent, bulldozer parent, or some other odd role where I only served to get in the way. I meant well, but actions always speak louder than words.

The area in which parents arguably get most in the way is in discipline. No doubt that “a father only disciplines those he loves,” but sometimes our discipline fails to focus on what’s most important.

As the parent of multiple children, for example, one of the things I’ve had to learn is to deal with what’s current. If one of my sons makes a significant error in judgment, I don’t chastise the children who are uninvolved; I don’t bring up — nor nurse or rehearse — the previously forgiven sins of another. If one child behaves foolishly, I do not chide the other two. And if only one son is disobedient, I don’t focus my attention on the other children. When a parent fails to focus on what’s most important, we then fail to parent well.

As referenced in our most recent post, the Intramuralist is concerned with Pres. Obama’s focus on rooting out the seemingly increasing, radical Islamic terrorism. Less than 48 hours after a man in captivity was burned alive by the terrorists last week, the President used his public podium to compare the current violence to centuries-old Christian sins. I am struck by his contrast — how he spoke so intentionally specifically about the ancient perceived sins of Christians, while at the same time, he continued to speak so intentionally vaguely about current Islamic terrorism. The contrast is striking.

Obama will not utter the phrase, “Islamic terrorism.” He will not say “killing in the name of Allah.” In less than two weeks the White House is hosting a summit that was organized after the radical Islamic attacks in Paris. What’s it called? “A Summit on Countering Violent Extremism.” In the 282 word, White House press release, there exists not a single reference to the Islamic adherence the terrorists continually proclaim.

Is Obama weak on terror? From this limited vantage point, I cannot discern such with certainty. I do believe, however — based on his consistent, continual omission of the Islamic faith the terrorists profess — that he is weak on rhetoric. After his comparison to the Crusades, my sense is his focus is off. My concern is not alone; it is shared across the political spectrum…

From NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell (never known for her conservatism): “You don’t use the word Crusades, number one, in any context right now. It’s just it’s too fraught. And the week after a pilot is burned alive, in a video shown, you don’t lean over backwards to be philosophical about the sins of the fathers. You have to deal with the issue that’s in front of you or don’t deal with it at all.”

From Thomas Ashbridge, a historian at the University of London in a statement to ABC News: “It is true to say, that by modern standards, atrocities were committed by crusaders, as they were by their Muslim opponents; it is however, far less certain that, by medieval standards, crusading violence could be categorized as distinctly extreme in all instances.” Ashbridge added that he doesn’t have a problem with Obama reminding the world that the Christian Church “advocated violence, and at times even encouraged its adherents to engage in warfare,” but to suggest a causal link between ISIS and the distant medieval phenomenon of the Crusades is “grounded in the manipulation and misrepresentation of historical evidence.” Obama’s focus is off.

Like I said, it’s hard to do this consistently well. Terrorism is undoubtedly difficult to effectively thwart. But let’s start by focusing on what’s most important — by speaking specifically about the current problem. Then let’s quit attempting to include the “other children.” Note: they are not involved.

Respectfully…

02/08/2015

our response to isis

When I saw shots of the captured Jordanian pilot burned alive in a cage last week, I had to look away. This was no fiction, fantasy, nor ad for the seventeenth sequel in pop culture’s latest horror series; this was real life. My response was clear… I was shocked, then grieved, and then outraged. How dare these men — obviously motivated by evil — brutally kill the innocent. How dare these terrorists get away with murder!

Most likely more outraged than any of us was Jordan’s leader, King Abdullah II, a former commander of Jordan’s special forces. King Abdullah met with members of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee not long after the news broke. Members said he was furious. The king was quoted as saying, “The only problem we’re going to have is running out of fuel and bullets.” The terrorists were the clear focus of his fury.

Contrast that with Pres. Obama’s response. Wait… Let’s each first do one thing; let’s remove any partisan hats. That means all the Obama-lovers and haters — those friends among us who have a tendency to lose all objectivity at the mere sound of his voice — need to be a little more intentional in removing the hat, so-to-speak. Yes, those enamored seem blind to Obama’s weaknesses; those loathing seem blind to his strengths. I’d like an honest conversation regarding Obama’s leadership in response to terrorism.

While the White House made some at least rhetorical miscalculations in its initial description of ISIS, Obama has been clear that we need to fight this extremist group. I believe their heinous deeds are clearly unacceptable to him. What is not clear, however, is who he thinks they are.

The terrorists claim to be motivated by Islam. Obama continues to claim they are not. Hence, the White House will not refer to Islam when describing this group. On first learning of the Jordanian pilot’s savage death, Obama calmly referred to the terrorists as adhering to “whatever ideology they are operating of.” There was no outrage nearing that of King Abdullah’s — and there was no specificity in regard to the terrorists.

Obama did express specificity a single day later, when he spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast, an annual Christ-centered gathering of 3,500 plus people. He said he wanted to touch on “the degree to which we’ve seen professions of faith used both as an instrument of great good, but also twisted and misused in the name of evil. “ Excellent. Let’s talk specifically about the evil. But again, there was a complete omission of Islam. Instead he was specific only in mentioning the centuries-old sins of those who “committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ.” He did not mention killing in the name of Allah — even though that is the current crisis. Of course, some (still probably with hats on) quickly amen-ed the President’s boldness… it’s about time Christians wrestled with those historical atrocities!… The only challenge with that argument is the lack of boldness Obama utilizes in response to Islam — and the lack of current application.

Unlike the Intramuralist, the President seems to dance around the topic. He will call out Christianity but not Islam. I get that he does not believe they are Muslims — even though they say they are. I also get that there exist religious adherents who distort the tenets of every religion and re-craft religion based upon how they feel; we all sometimes do that. But what I don’t get is why the President avoids the topic…

Nidal Hassan murdered 13 soldiers at Fort Hood while praising Allah, and the administration called it “workplace violence.” When the Charlie Hebdo attacks occurred in Paris, the White House Press Sec. would not initially say “Islamic” or “terrorism.” And last week the Deputy Press Sec. insisted the Taliban was “an armed insurgency” — not a terrorist group. Even left-leaning “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart now questions the White House “tip-toeing” around the terminology. What’s the motive?

Why will the White House not call this what it is? Why are they willing to be harsh on Christianity — sins that are 800 years old — but meek on any mention of Islam? What’s the motivation? I believe there exists something we don’t know.

By specifically calling out old Christian abuses while simultaneously being vague about current Islamic violence, significant questions about Obama’s leadership in response to terrorism are increasing. What’s motivating him that we don’t know? And why can’t he express the outrage and clarity like King Abdullah?

Respectfully…

02/03/2015

super recap

A running recap, watching the Super Bowl with the family… a few (well, sort of) observations, as well…

Lots of hype… lots of fanfare.
Loved the National Anthem — made me miss Whitney Houston.
Tom Brady… he’ll be in the Hall of Fame one day.
Russell Wilson in the HOF? The jury’s still out.
Wish I fully trusted the Patriots.
Budweiser commercials always tug on my heartstrings.
(Is it time for Katy Perry yet?)
Wow… fascinating Coke commercial; can’t tell if I like it or not.
Lovin’ the avocado “First Draft Ever” commercial.
Cris Colinsworth — wasn’t he fired by NBC? Oh, wait… that’s next season.
Brady is amazing. Did I say that already?
It will be interesting to see how Deflate-Gate plays itself out; does the owner really think he deserves an apology?
I’m liking that fluorescent green accent on Seattle’s uniforms.
Why do grown men keep pulling those mouth guards out of their mouth?
The Patriots are dominating thus far with their pass defense. Oops… maybe not.
Doritos always has the best commercials, although the car companies are giving them a run for their money this year.
The Nissan “Cats in the Cradle” commercial just made me cry.
The Nationwide commercial? Fascinating. Probing. I think I liked it, but the timing seems off… especially in between the beer and chips.
Paul McCartney, Will Ferrell, etc. at the game; my son just asked how much it cost celebrities to be there.
Marshawn Lynch is tough.
Why does Belichick have a pencil behind his ear? Is he taking notes?
The “Breaking Bad” guy made me laugh — as did the dual advertisement for Fiat and Viagra.
Halftime. Tied.
Son just pondered the wisdom of utilizing Super Bowl advertising on social issues. Great question. Love his pondering.
Ok, the neutered cat commercial just made the entire room laugh out loud.
Katy Perry… the sound isn’t great but the dancing is good — except for the dancing beach balls and palm trees. “Firework” was excellent!
Love P&G’s “Run Like a Girl” commercial.
Seattle ahead.
Oooh… the INflated football just doesn’t travel as far.
Way to use the ref as a pick.
All the “Saturday Night Live” hosts… love it!
Did I mention this is a good game?
“Patriot nation” means different things to different people.
Crunch time coming.
Game getting closer; did I mention this was only a game?
Chicken wings; hmmm…. do people really eat all those chicken wings?
Josh McDaniels is on the sidelines encouraging Brady; isn’t he the former coach who drafted Tim Tebow?
Patriots back up. Well done.
Seattle battles. Driving. Done. Those end zone INT’s are killer.
New England wins. Wow.
New England wins.
Hope they are good guys. I like to see the good guys win.

Ok, ok… so maybe a little more than a few observations. Here’s to next season. P.S. It was just a game, right?

Respectfully…

02/01/2015

who should lead?

Over the course of recent weeks, current events observers have had the pleasure of watching the elect jockey for presidential positions. “He’s in… he’s out… she’s in… she’s out… he formed a PAC… she gave a great speech… he had dinner with donors… she’s watching what he will do…” Persons are actively maneuvering — however (only) currently quietly — to be the next President of the United States of America. They are raising money and refining image, in order to have the best chance — and look the best at it.

Late this week, after publicly testing his toe in political waters, the most recent Republican Party nominee, Mitt Romney, announced he would not seek the White House in 2016. This semi-humble observer was thankful. It’s the same reason the Intramuralist remains un-thrilled with the prospect of a candidacy of someone named Clinton or Bush. I realize neither Hillary or Jeb have held the position before, but we already know who they are, and each has previously influenced policy to an ambiguous degree via their spouses and/or families. I, for one, desire someone new… someone fresher… someone who isn’t spending this time currently re-crafting a more popular public image. That doesn’t feel pure to me, and yet it’s an existent component of image deception that too many of all parties accept and embrace.

My mother insightfully shared with me years ago that once a person gets it in their blood to run for the Presidency, it never disappears. “They look in the mirror and see the President of the United States. Once they think that, they will always think that.” There is too much emphasis on self… on “me” being President… on “me” leading.

One of my honest, sincere disappointments in Pres. Obama — truly with all due respect — is that I hear “too much me” in him. There have been too many times during his tenure that his selection of personal pronouns has made me uncomfortable. I’m not attempting to be critical; I’m attempting to be transparent. It’s the same discomfort I would feel in my professor or pastor. This isn’t about them. It’s about leading well… You don’t have to be my President. You don’t have to be my professor. You don’t have to be my pastor. You have to be called. You have to be humble. And only in humility will you lead well. Only in humility will you realize that what’s in the mirror is less important than whom you shepherd and serve.

Great leaders are a rarity. Great leaders are not defined by oratorical skills nor re-crafted public images. Great leaders have a heart attitude that is above reproach. To be above reproach means self-emphasis and importance is never in question. A great leader never looks in the mirror and thinks about how good or wise he is. A great leader is a servant leader. As well articulated years ago by longtime leadership guru, Ken Blanchard:

“The servant leader is constantly trying to find out what his or her people need to be successful. Rather than wanting them to please him or her, they are interested in making a difference in the lives of their people and, in the process, impacting the organization… What do managers need to become servant leaders? The biggest thing they need is to get their ego out of the way… Servant leadership is something that people need. We need to support and help individuals in the organization to win. The days of the manager being judge, jury and critic rather than cheerleader, facilitator and listener are over.”

Exactly. The days of leaders who think they need to be judge and jury are over. We need cheerleaders, facilitators, and humble listeners… not people who look in the mirror and think, “That’s me.”

Respectfully…

01/29/201501/29/2015

“blizzard” of ’15

I had to chuckle this week witnessing the weather watchers worry as snow “threatened” the East Coast. Said NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio prior to the snowstorm, “This could be a storm the likes of which we’ve never seen before.” To his credit, de Blasio was only following the lead of the National Weather Service, which labeled the coming snow as “life-threatening” and “historic.” In preparation, travel was banned and the subways were shut down. However, upon completion of the precipitation, “life-threatening” and “historic” equated to less than a foot of snow for New York City. The forecasts (and rhetoric) failed to match the actual results.

Hence, the headlines from the day after…

“Did New York Overreact to the 2015 Blizzard?” — The New York Times
“The Blizzard That Wasn’t” — Canada Free Press
“Overreaction or Justified Caution?” — The Guardian
“Mayor Defends New York Snow Warning” — BBC
“Politicians Can Never Win With Weather” — The Atlantic

Let’s acknowledge that Mayor de Blasio — unless he has meteorology credentials unknown to the Intramuralist — was undoubtedly basing his decision to shut down the city on the weather expertise of others. As NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in response to some of the immediate questions and criticism, “This is an imprecise science.” Smart as we are, controlling and predicting the weather with absolute certainty on all occasions is not only an imprecise science; it is also not within man’s capability.

So why? … what causes the unquestionably obvious overreaction by leadership? Note: the NYC subway has never been closed for snow before; this was less than a foot. The precautions taken were unnecessary. So the question is: what motivates the precaution?

Again, de Blasio, etal. had to rely on someone else for their meteorological expertise. However, it seems to this semi-humble current events observer that another factor was huge in the consideration of how to best prepare. I speak not of anything weather related… nothing about snow… nothing about any tangible, physical storm.

I speak instead of the litigious storm that too often swells when someone faces negative circumstances. We live in a culture where when bad things happen to good people, good people find someone else to blame. Someone has to be held responsible.

It’s as if in all of our maturity and growth, an area where we are culturally ignorant is that we are incapable of accepting negative circumstances. And so if we are incapacitated, impaired, or even inconvenienced, we look first to blame someone else, as opposed to accept a less than desirable circumstance. We blame others for negative circumstances.

In New York City, for example, if it actually had ended up snowing 17 feet, maybe I blame the city if my street isn’t plowed fast enough… if my power goes out… or if I get stuck in some dark and semi-dingy subway. Instead of accepting a frustrating circumstance, I simply blame the city.

Hence, the Mayor and the Governor decided to be proactive… not just in case of the potential snow, but also in case of the potential, accompanying liability. Did they overreact? Yes. “Better safe than sorry,” was the rhetorical refrain.

Do we ever overreact to negative circumstances? We most certainly do.

Respectfully…

01/25/201501/25/2015

god loves a winner?

One week from today, more of us will be gleefully gathered ‘round our televisions perhaps more than at any other time of the year. One week ago, the two teams facing each other in Super Bowl XLIX bested their opponents to qualify for the Big Game (… although for one, the typically accompanying, jubilant bubble of victory has been burst — or at least slightly deflated).

After last week’s conference victory — an outcome that certainly seemed highly improbable until the game’s final minutes — Seattle Seahawk quarterback, Russell Wilson was visibly moved. Note that the team had been dominated for all but the final two minutes of 60 minutes of play. Wilson had played poorly. With tears freely flowing, the young leader was interviewed on the sidelines by FOX’s Erin Andrews regarding the key to the team’s inconceivable comeback. Wilson said: “God is so good, all the time, man. Every time… Just making the plays at the end. Keep believing. There was no doubt, I just had no doubt. We had no doubt as a team… I just believe that God prepared me for these situations. God’s prepared our team, too, as well. Like I said, I’m honored to be on this team. I’m going to the Super Bowl again.”

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King caught up with Wilson later, asking how it felt to go from his worst game to arguably his best moment. Wilson elaborated further: “That’s God setting it up, to make it so dramatic, so rewarding, so special. I’ve been through a lot in life, and had some ups and downs. It’s what’s led me to this day.”

As is typical in a culture that gives increasingly less credit to the holy and divine, Wilson’s acknowledgement prompted a significant reaction. From the immediate scoffs to the “must-we-talk-about-God again” to those who chose to instead criticize the interviewer, Wilson was mocked for his humble response. (Note: the critical expressions were heard just under the whiz echoed by the Patriots’ deflation.)

I understand the argument… “C’mon… God’s got bigger things to care about…” “Do you really think God loves the Seahawks more than the Packers?”… or as Wilson’s Packer counterpart, Aaron Rodgers, responded, “I don’t think God cares a whole lot about the outcome. He cares about the people involved, but I don’t think he’s a big football fan.”

Truthfully, I think each of those responses are valid… God does have bigger things to care about. I would only add that we can’t fully define God via our human, limited understanding. While God certainly understands issues of life and death and those big things that pain us and make us realize all that pales in comparison, his awareness and role is not compromised by the perceived level of Earthly significance. He is capable of caring about both the troubling and the trivial, the major and the minor, the significant and the silly, and everything in between.

Does he care about one team or one person more than another? That makes me chuckle; he loves us all. While he certainly recognizes our individual gifts (uh, he made us), those individual strengths in addition to our weaknesses, abilities, and even lack of ability are no reflection of how much God loves us… not even of last year’s last place Buccaneers.

I think the reality is — and maybe I’m out on editorial limb here — but I don’t believe God puts as much value on winning as we do. With all due respect, I disagree with the Packers’ Rodgers. God is a football fan… but God is also a hockey fan, scrap-booking fan, baseball card collecting fan, reading and writing fan… he’s a fan of whatever his people are involved in. And as wise as only the God of the universe can be, he teaches and leads in both the winning and the losing. My sense is he knows there is a blessing in both. The question is if we’ll see it, too.

Respectfully…

01/22/201501/22/2015

sotu 2015

While it’s true that the Food Network’s “Chopped” and “Friends” reruns vied for my attention Tuesday night, once again I watched the State of the Union address. With all due respect, allow me to share my initial emotion regardless of who is speaking for this long, with this lengthy of a list, with this much use of the pronoun “I” after a full day: yawn.

I mean no disrespect. I’m interested in what our leaders have to say; I just don’t always find partisan initiatives combined with political theater particularly interesting. Hence, I decided to share a few other thoughts… some mine… some yours…. each who felt called to share their creative, editorial insights…

Nice ties, Joe & John. Well-coordinated, I might add.
Lookin’ good, Michelle. Michelle Obama always looks good — especially when she’s smiling.
The first SOTU by George Washington only lasted 5-7 minutes. I’m thinking contemporary leaders could learn a thing or two.
The question here is relevance. How can this President remain relevant his last 2 years in office?
“Aisle hogs”… you know who they are… always have to be right on the row’s edge. See Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee.
Any tickets for this up on Stubhub?
Will James Taylor be singing?
Obama looks grayer to me. Life must be a little stressful.
Saluting the troops is right on.
Does the Supreme Court know how to clap?
I think every President accepts too much credit and too little blame.
“Middle class economics”? Who came up with that term?
Not being able to pay for college is not a new circumstance.
What’s the message here to Hillary?
I’m realizing even the intelligent blur the line between “wants” & “needs.”
Seems like he’s trying to tug on my heartstrings.
Did he just say “sl_ts” instead of “slots”?
How’s he going to pay for all this?
Tax wealth — not income. Otherwise we’re talking socialism.
Reducing the deficit is great, but don’t ignore the increasing debt.
John Boehner, blowing your nose while the President’s talking isn’t all that attractive.
Remember that “free” doesn’t mean free; it means using our tax dollars to pay for it.
Love it when they ALL stand! Then it feels a less like a Patriots’ game.
[via Chris Rock] “With obesity at record levels, Republicans should set a good example and stand up once in a while.”
So if I get free internet, will my taxes go up or stay the same?
If you like Obama and like a lot of free stuff, you’ll like this speech.
Instead of taxing the richest 1% more, could we eliminate their Social Security checks?
No use of the word “Islamic.” No use of Al Qaeda either.
I have great fear about where we are heading.
Not sure if the laughter/sarcasm here is appropriate. Snarkiness never goes over well.
Sen. Diane Feinstein, interesting pink and purple combo.
Not sure climate change is our biggest challenge and not comfortable as the Intramuralist says about omitting God from the conversation.
We can speak to issues that still need improvement and we could point out that Obama may not have played a significant role in any of these improvements. But can’t we at least pause for a moment to acknowledge the positive?
With all the veto threats, you have to wonder if persons will perceive you as someone who can be worked with.
Strong on domestic policy. Weak on foreign policy.
Under Obama’s leadership, he mentions how some say we’re more divided than ever. I wish that wasn’t true. Each of us needs to look at how we play a role in that. That includes Obama. That includes the media. That includes me.
I hear a conciliatory tone as the President closes. Maybe that would have been wise to use the whole time.
Bill Clinton’s SOTU’s sounded very Republican; George Bush’s sounded very Democratic; both seemed to be reaching out to the other side, where Obama doesn’t seem to make any attempt to reach out and gives a very partisan/Democratic speech.
An appropriate Republican response? Balance the budget. Period.
The Republican response comes next — this year via Sen. Joni Ernst. No disrespect, Senator, but haven’t we listened long enough?
Sen. Ernst, the first female, combat veteran elected to the Senate… impressive. She’s even wearing camouflage heels.
I like the fact that Ernst worked the farm and the Hardee’s biscuit line; now that’s hard work.
Keystone pipeline/jobs bill. Republicans and Democrats support it. The State Dept. supported it. But administration says they can’t sign it yet. Not sure what the truth is there.
Simplify the tax code — please!
Too much dysfunction in Washington. Yep.
4 times as many people will be watching the Super Bowl next week than the number who watched this tonight. Shocking.

And then on Tuesday, this semi-humble observer turned on “Chopped.” Did I mention my yawn?

Respectfully…

01/20/201501/20/2015

state of the government

In keeping with tonight’s annual State of the Union address, the Intramuralist takes a stab at our 6th State of the Government address. In our initial analysis, we made the following observations:

The State of the Government is too partisan.
The State of the Government is too influenced by money.
The State of the Government is too big.
The State of the Government is too financially imbalanced.
The State of the Government is too far removed from the Constitution.

Allow me a few brief notes on each state…

Government is too partisan. This isn’t rocket science. When Pres. Obama’s tenure began, then Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was famously quoted as saying, “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for Pres. Obama to be a one-term president.” One could make a case for Republican obstructionism. As Obama’s tenure continued through November of last year, Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) famously refused to allow hundreds of House-passed bills to even be discussed on the Senate floor. One could make a case for Democrat obstructionism.

The facts are that congressmen intentionally stymie one another’s policy initiatives, and the President now utilizes Executive Orders to bypass congressmen. Then each complains about their opposition, acting as if they are somehow standing on a perceived moral, high ground. The point is that each blames their partisan behavior on someone else.

Government is too influenced by money. Again, people blame someone else or a single judicial decision for this issue, claiming a moral (instead of hypocritical) high ground. An excellent example centers around billionaire donor Tom Steyer, who gave approx. $75 million dollars to liberal candidates in the 2014 elections; he will undoubtedly be active and vocal in future elections.

Steyer does not want the Keystone XL pipeline built; the project has bipartisan support. The administration, though, says they need more time to examine the issue. Note that the project was introduced in late 2008. It’s thus hard to believe that Steyer’s money — and influence — is irrelevant. The Intramuralist, therefore, continues to conclude that there has been a easing of morals in governance due to an easing of lobbyist/donor restrictions, that began in the late 1970‘s.

Government is too big. Let’s make this simple… There’s no budget. There’s no firm spending limits. There’s little accountability. Government keeps expanding. How can this be wise? How can wise men and women continue to ignore?

Government is too financially imbalanced. Whether monies are spent on war, Obamacare, or wars on Obamacare, the government continues to make no attempt to balance their budget. Any entity with this much deficit spending for this long with no repayment plan will at some point cease to exist. The elect continue to kick the financial can down the road, thinking it will somehow be paved by future generations.

Government is too far removed from 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.” Our founders desired a country that would be internally peaceful and externally protected. Too many today, though, feel arrogantly justified in dictating exactly what a more perfect union should be for each of the rest of us.

So again I ask, where do we start?

Consistent with our mantra, I believe we start with respect — both from us and from our leaders. Respect means being wise enough to recognize the reality of our morally, digressing state — and being humble enough to recognize that no single one of us has it all figured out.

Respectfully…

01/18/201501/18/2015

what are we doing?

What are we doing? Where is our patience with one another? Why do we insist others cater to us and our needs and beliefs?

Yesterday my youngest son and I took the convivial trip to Costco. Costco always seems a big deal in our family. Maybe it’s because a person always comes back with “stuff”… lots of stuff. Everything at Costco seems to come in big packages. Among my singular packages were 7 frozen pizzas, 70 ounces of cereal, and 7,000 rolls of toilet paper (… ok, so I may be exaggerating on the toilet paper). Suffice it to say, when we left the nation’s second largest retailer, our cart was full.

As many are aware, my youngest son has Down syndrome. Some see that as a negative; we do not; but one of the so-called perks that comes with the perceived negativity is the opportunity to receive one of those blue and white placards that dangles from your rearview mirror, allowing you to park closer to the building, when your child is in the car. With a fairly full parking lot, yesterday we utilized our perk.

I felt a little lucky yesterday; granted, I think the words “lucky” and “blessing” are often misused and confused. But this day we were able to park in the spot closest to the warehouse. After making our rounds and returning to our car, another shopper was instantly, eagerly waiting for our coveted spot. The elderly driver and his wife were stopped in the lane, with their convenient blinker already in use.

Now as much as possible, I invite my son to join me in typical tasks. That means I sometimes sacrifice a speed or efficiency that perhaps alone I could accomplish, but the benefit and encouragement is worth far more. When loading the car, we dropped a few non-essential items, but we quickly recovered, teaching all the time. Josh then asked to return the cart to the corral by himself. He stopped after a few short steps, asking me for affirmation in his direction. At that point, I heard it. The elderly man with his blinker honked at me.

He honked at me.

I was shocked. My first thought was “no way… no way did that older couple just do that.” But after my pregnant pause and realizing the reality of the situation — and also not one to shy away from reality — I turned to look at the driver. He motioned to me with both hands. I looked at him, directly in the eye, paused, smiling slightly, putting one hand out with a “halt-like” motion, and said, “Wait. You can wait.”

Here was an older man suggesting that my son and I should hurry so that his needs could be met.

Such made me wonder. How often do we do exactly the same thing? … moments where we think another should cater to our needs and agree with our direction or beliefs — or else, if they don’t act or think as we desire, we speak or do something disrespectful in order to bring attention to them?

Maybe we don’t lay on the horn, but still, we give others little room or time if things aren’t as we desire. We don’t embrace the concept of patience as a virtue if it interferes with our individual passion. We want it our way now. We want people to meet our needs now. We want people to think like us now.

When I finally returned to my driver’s seat, I kept thinking, “He honked at me… he actually honked at me.” I then laughed out loud, shook my head a bit, wishing we all had more patience — and wisdom — when dealing with others.

Respectfully…