First Year of Blogging

Time flies... it's been one year since I started this web log. When I started it, I figured that I would use it to give my opinions on current events. I have done a little bit of that, but not too much. Why? Well, I like to write about positive notable things and perhaps things I personally think are cool rather than rant about things going on that annoy me. The headlines tend to relate to negative subjects or things that get blown out of proportion. I'd rather give a review of a movie or CD than complain about something. However, there are things that get to me. So how about a non-specific, unsupported by example, end of 2005 rant?

So what aggravates me? Well, the media continually aggravates as does "political correctness" in general. We need to realize that an American citizen, by definition, is politically incorrect. I think our political systems do a lot to make this nation inefficient. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather live here than anywhere else in the world. Still, I have a hard time believing that all the senators, representatives and judges are clueless. I am sure they are working towards certain goals. These agendas are the cause of the seeming lack of common sense in government. Our Constitution is quickly becoming a meaningless document because of loose interpretation. It is as if the document was written in some foreign language that needs translation. Not for nothing, but American English has not changed so drastically in 230 years. I have read transcripts of scholars debating the change in meaning caused by placement of a comma in some reprints of our Constitution's second amendment. Gimme a break people! "Inalienable" and "...shall not be infringed" still mean the same today as they did during the era Lincoln refers to as "Four score and seven years ago." Our forefathers had much more sense than those in power today.

Just to clear it up for anyone who still doesn't understand: The Constitution of the United States does not grant it citizens their rights... it is a document that limits the rights of the government over the people it represents!!! Your rights, your inalienable rights, were yours as soon as you came into this world.

There also seems to be a movement in this country to stick it to authority. That tendency not a bad thing, but it seems to be operating incorrectly here lately. We can see where this came from if we think about it. This country was founded so that someone more powerful, the English King, could no longer make the rules. It is simply "American Human Nature." We see this at every level of life. From one's Kindergarten teacher, to their supervisor at work, to our President... it is never hip among one's peers to agree with the one in power. At some point though, the desire of the people of this country to not be taken advantage of became a need to have special treatment. For decades, minorities have pushed against discrimination so they could be treated just like everyone else. Now they push for special treatment that separates them from the majority. I understand that we cater to the individual in this nation, but the majority should have its needs met once in a while. The ACLU selectively fights for only certain Constitutional rights. They support NAMBLA... nuff said.

And another thing... frivolous lawsuits have apparently become the new pastime for this nation. I realized a long time ago that our "legal system" has nothing to do with right and wrong, but rather, what can be proven. Any technicalities that arose from the need to protect the possibly innocent have been twisted and are now used to get truly guilty offenders off the hook. Legitimate victims have a tougher time getting their deserved compensation than the guilty have with getting out of trouble. Anyone can do anything they want to you if you can't afford to pay a lawyer and go after them.

Our moral standards are completely out of whack as well. I don't think I even need to explain.

The entertainment industry has gone down the tubes. What happened to all the good music and the people that actually played their instruments? TV has become a substitute for so many levels of life. Nowadays people are more interested in watching Survivor or The Apprentice than spending some mental power thinking about more important things that actually effect their lives.

Can we put down our cell phones for a while?!? Who are you talking to at 7:30am as you drive in front of me, below the speed limit I might add, and swerve in and out of your lane. Hang up and stop making me late to work!

Let me get this one off my chest... LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH! I think this statement by Roosevelt makes a lot of sense:
"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

- Theodore Roosevelt 1907

I may have to edit this post as I didn't intend for it to go this way when I started typing. I intended to write a "Year in Review" type of thing related to my Blog entries, changes I have made to it, what I have learned, etc. This was just how I was feeling today I guess... but what do I know?