Friday, someone was listening to the old Paul McCartney song, "Let Em In," and they opened the floodgate to thousands -- some say at least 100,000 -- Haitian immigrants.
"Someone's knockin' at the door
"Someone's ringin' the bell
"Do me a favor
"Open the door, and let 'em in"
One-hundred thousand? Will that many come in 2015? Or, are some of them still years from entering? Whatever the number, it seems somewhat massive.
"Sister Suzie, brother John,
"Martin Luther . . ."
Funny, McCartney's song should call on Martin Luther to be one to open the door, for it does seem opening the door by some accounts is the Christian thing to do. If a people are just seeking to have a better life, if they just seek to join family, seems like a reasonable thing is to say, "You can come live here if you are down and out. We've nothing against you."
Yes, I hope President Obama isn't letting executive decree overrule congressional law. And, I fear he is. If the quotas that are keeping them from entering are part of congressional law, then it is Congress that needs to lift the quotas, not the executive branch.
And, Congress perhaps doesn't dare, fearing a backlash from voters who oppose easing our immigration laws.
Would be wonderful to me if the people stepped into this impasse, if they raised their voices to let Congress know they are willing to let these people come live amongst us.
But, yes, I fear there are too many people who do bear a grudge against letting too many immigrants in. I just wish they would take Paul's advice.
"Someone's knockin' at the door
"Somebody's ringin' the bell
"Someone's knockin' at the door
"Somebody's ringin' the bell
"Do me a favor, open the door, and let 'em in"
Saturday, October 18, 2014
Friday, October 17, 2014
Where Guns Go, Death Often Follows
Meleanie Hain. Soccer mom. Took a gun with her to youth sporting events and in so doing gained national attention as a guns rights advocate.
Then came the fateful day her husband, Scott Hain, whipped out his own gun and, in a murder-suicide, shot her dead. Bless her. Sorry to hear. But, where guns go, death often follows. Guns can save us, at times. But, at other times, the same gun we thought would save us ends up being the one that takes us out. This does not mean guns do not do much good. They do. But, we would be wise to notice how easily they fall into the wrong hands. Indeed, how often our own hands end up being the wrong hands. When we are in our moment of anger, we swing with the biggest stick we can find. We use whatever weapon is available. Our crime rises to the level of the tool we find to use to express our rage. If no weapon is available, then, it keeps our anger from being expressed through that weapon. It keeps our actions from escalating.
It would be good if all people who would abuse weapons never had them in the first place, but it would be hard to get things worked out to where things stood that way. I don't believe in gun control, just that we need to realize that if we teach everyone to go get a gun, that "everyone" is going to include a lot of folks who would be better off without them.
And, sometimes, we ourselves are better off without them.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/melanie-hain-gun-carrying_n_315291.html
Then came the fateful day her husband, Scott Hain, whipped out his own gun and, in a murder-suicide, shot her dead. Bless her. Sorry to hear. But, where guns go, death often follows. Guns can save us, at times. But, at other times, the same gun we thought would save us ends up being the one that takes us out. This does not mean guns do not do much good. They do. But, we would be wise to notice how easily they fall into the wrong hands. Indeed, how often our own hands end up being the wrong hands. When we are in our moment of anger, we swing with the biggest stick we can find. We use whatever weapon is available. Our crime rises to the level of the tool we find to use to express our rage. If no weapon is available, then, it keeps our anger from being expressed through that weapon. It keeps our actions from escalating.
It would be good if all people who would abuse weapons never had them in the first place, but it would be hard to get things worked out to where things stood that way. I don't believe in gun control, just that we need to realize that if we teach everyone to go get a gun, that "everyone" is going to include a lot of folks who would be better off without them.
And, sometimes, we ourselves are better off without them.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/09/melanie-hain-gun-carrying_n_315291.html
Thursday, October 16, 2014
The Disease of the Future Might Exceed the Disease of This Day
This should be about more than Ebola. It should be about the next disease to come along. So says Rep. Jim Matheson. I agree.
While we are working to be prepared for Ebola in the United States, let's not forget there will be another villain, another plague, another disease. With super viruses becoming more common, we should be thinking in terms of how to contain all breaking infections. We should think of not just the disease from three African nations, but diseases spawned here on our own soil.
What will we do? When should we isolate people? Ever? Does it reach a point where we all march around in full body suits, not a touch of skin being exposed? That certainly does seem extreme, and I realize we are not there yet -- and hopefully never will be.
But.
I do wonder if serious enough plagues could come that I should want to wear around a full body suit. Yes, it if would save me, I would march around the full of the day in such a suit.
What are other things we could do? Could we have in place the ability to take temperatures for everyone when they show up for work? Are no-touch devices too expensive? Could we each have those mouth-and-nose filters ready to wear? Should we be more conscious abou keeping our hands out of our mouth?
Or am I wandering into fear and fearing things that may never take place?
Maybe. But if big, bad, dreadful diseases are in our future, then yes, we would be wise to prepare for them. Foolishness is not in being prepared and never having to use your preparation, it is in not being prepared.
While we are working to be prepared for Ebola in the United States, let's not forget there will be another villain, another plague, another disease. With super viruses becoming more common, we should be thinking in terms of how to contain all breaking infections. We should think of not just the disease from three African nations, but diseases spawned here on our own soil.
What will we do? When should we isolate people? Ever? Does it reach a point where we all march around in full body suits, not a touch of skin being exposed? That certainly does seem extreme, and I realize we are not there yet -- and hopefully never will be.
But.
I do wonder if serious enough plagues could come that I should want to wear around a full body suit. Yes, it if would save me, I would march around the full of the day in such a suit.
What are other things we could do? Could we have in place the ability to take temperatures for everyone when they show up for work? Are no-touch devices too expensive? Could we each have those mouth-and-nose filters ready to wear? Should we be more conscious abou keeping our hands out of our mouth?
Or am I wandering into fear and fearing things that may never take place?
Maybe. But if big, bad, dreadful diseases are in our future, then yes, we would be wise to prepare for them. Foolishness is not in being prepared and never having to use your preparation, it is in not being prepared.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
About 5,000 WMD Found Stretching Across Bush and Obama Presidencies
The weapons of mass destruction President Bush promised to find in Iraq? They were never found. Bush was looking for weapons currently being produced in Iraq.
But, reports the New York Times, nearly 5,000 weapons of mass destruction were found, all made by 1991. Since they didn't fit the government's description of a current program, they were not reported when found. The officers who found them, sometimes injured in the finding, were told to keep it secret.
So says the Times story of Oct. 14. I'm surprised it isn't receiving more play. The weapons were found from 2004 to 2011, stretching across the presidencies of both George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and making it hard to decide which of them was responsible, if the military the cover up was known by the president.
But, reports the New York Times, nearly 5,000 weapons of mass destruction were found, all made by 1991. Since they didn't fit the government's description of a current program, they were not reported when found. The officers who found them, sometimes injured in the finding, were told to keep it secret.
So says the Times story of Oct. 14. I'm surprised it isn't receiving more play. The weapons were found from 2004 to 2011, stretching across the presidencies of both George W. Bush and Barack Obama, and making it hard to decide which of them was responsible, if the military the cover up was known by the president.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Caring for Those in Need was One of Christ's Callings
Of all the interesting things Elder Jeffery R. Holland brought up in his talk in last weekend's General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this is one:
That the Savior's first public announcement of His Messianic ministry spoke of the charge given Him to care for the poor. Elder Holland referred to some of the first words of Christ recorded in Luke, Luke 4:18. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and . . . set at liberty them that are bruised."
I have thought of Christ's mission as being to provide the atonement. I have thought of His mission as being to preach the gospel. But, I don't believe I ever reflected on His charge to care for the poor. Oh, I noticed He did care for the needy. One cannot read the Gospels without noticing how much healing of the afflicted that He did. But, that He was called to do this, to serve the poor? No, I never noticed that, yet the scripture says he was anointed to preach to the poor, he was sent to heal the brokenhearted, and to preach deliverance to the captives and to set at liberty the bruised.
That the Savior's first public announcement of His Messianic ministry spoke of the charge given Him to care for the poor. Elder Holland referred to some of the first words of Christ recorded in Luke, Luke 4:18. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and . . . set at liberty them that are bruised."
I have thought of Christ's mission as being to provide the atonement. I have thought of His mission as being to preach the gospel. But, I don't believe I ever reflected on His charge to care for the poor. Oh, I noticed He did care for the needy. One cannot read the Gospels without noticing how much healing of the afflicted that He did. But, that He was called to do this, to serve the poor? No, I never noticed that, yet the scripture says he was anointed to preach to the poor, he was sent to heal the brokenhearted, and to preach deliverance to the captives and to set at liberty the bruised.
Free Speech Should also be for Those Who Sell Natural Health Food
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." -- From the book, "The Friends of Voltaire," by Evelyn Beatrice Hall
Who will defend the multi-level marketers, then? And who will defend the natural food industry? Who will defend those who would claim that their health products can cure diseases?
No one? I'm not asking for you to die for them, as was suggested, after all. But, I do wonder if you'd even offer your voice for them. Go into the health food stores and read the labels on the bottles. They may say things like, "Helps you sleep better." But, what they really want to say is, "Cures your insomnia." They cannot say "Cures insomnia" even if it truly does cures insomnia. It isn't a question of whether the statement is true, but whether it makes a claim of taking a person from a sick to a well condition with a product not approved and registered with the FDA.
If I understand correctly, natural food items do not need and cannot receive registration with the FDA. So, if the product cannot receive FDA approval, yet it does, in fact, treat a disease, why do we not allow the marketers to say so?
Isn't there a violation of freedom of speech in here somewhere?
Now, as you think on that quote from Evelyn Beatrice Hall, consider also the words of the First Amendment. "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech." It says "no law," and yet we have such a law.
Who will defend the multi-level marketers, then? And who will defend the natural food industry? Who will defend those who would claim that their health products can cure diseases?
No one? I'm not asking for you to die for them, as was suggested, after all. But, I do wonder if you'd even offer your voice for them. Go into the health food stores and read the labels on the bottles. They may say things like, "Helps you sleep better." But, what they really want to say is, "Cures your insomnia." They cannot say "Cures insomnia" even if it truly does cures insomnia. It isn't a question of whether the statement is true, but whether it makes a claim of taking a person from a sick to a well condition with a product not approved and registered with the FDA.
If I understand correctly, natural food items do not need and cannot receive registration with the FDA. So, if the product cannot receive FDA approval, yet it does, in fact, treat a disease, why do we not allow the marketers to say so?
Isn't there a violation of freedom of speech in here somewhere?
Now, as you think on that quote from Evelyn Beatrice Hall, consider also the words of the First Amendment. "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech." It says "no law," and yet we have such a law.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Do We Shoot Blindly at the Shadows?
My body went hurling into a dark abyss, floating, spinning and tumbling as dark, humanish shadows came at me on my left and on my right. Frightened by them, I swung wildly, hoping to knock them away, feeling an urgent need to hurt and destroy in order to protect myself.
And, when it ended, and I lay on the ground, panting for breath, the devil, himself, came up and spoke to me. "We shall try this again, only with this," he said, handing me a gun.
Again, I went sailing into the night, tumbling and twisting. And, again the shadows came toward me. I unleashed a torrent of bullets on them. Hearing their screams, I felt glee, and I laughed into the night, as if I were Satan himself.
And, when the sun came up, and I again found myself lying on the ground, I saw what prey my bullets had claimed. I turned my head one way to see my wife and children, and another to see my parents and my brothers and sisters. I raised my head to gaze below my feet, and saw all my friends lying dead. Then, I turned the fourth and final direction, and witnessed the fallen bodies of all my acquaintances, fellow church members and co-workers.
And, the gun fell from my hand, and I cried.
And, when it ended, and I lay on the ground, panting for breath, the devil, himself, came up and spoke to me. "We shall try this again, only with this," he said, handing me a gun.
Again, I went sailing into the night, tumbling and twisting. And, again the shadows came toward me. I unleashed a torrent of bullets on them. Hearing their screams, I felt glee, and I laughed into the night, as if I were Satan himself.
And, when the sun came up, and I again found myself lying on the ground, I saw what prey my bullets had claimed. I turned my head one way to see my wife and children, and another to see my parents and my brothers and sisters. I raised my head to gaze below my feet, and saw all my friends lying dead. Then, I turned the fourth and final direction, and witnessed the fallen bodies of all my acquaintances, fellow church members and co-workers.
And, the gun fell from my hand, and I cried.
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