Peace, if Just for a Moment (Updated from 9/13/2014)

(Handsome kid, huh...)

"Come, senators, congressmen

Please heed the call

Don't stand in the doorway

Don't block up the hall

For he that gets hurt

Will be he who has stalled

There's a battle outside

And it is ragin'.

It'll soon shake your windows

And rattle your walls

For the times they are a-changin'."

-- Bob Dylan, "The Times They Are a-Changin'"

Are you, like me, old enough to remember better times?  I remember when political parties worked "across the aisle" with each other, exercised a little "give and take," so everyone got something out of a deal, and we all tried to make social programs sustainable so we didn't have to rob Peter to pay Paul.  It was a time when socialism and communism were threats against our Constitution and our way of life, and no one, Democrats included, would have imagined inviting them into our political system.  Now we have a new squad "Democratic Socialism" sitting across the aisle in our system of government.  They try to excuse the definition of "Democratic Socialism" and it really doesn't fly.  Socialism is socialism.

The term democratic socialism is sometimes used synonymously with socialism, but the adjective democratic is sometimes used to distinguish democratic socialists from Marxist–Leninist-inspired socialism which to some is viewed as being non-democratic in practice.

-- Wikipedia, Democratic socialism

The adjective "democratic" no longer distinguishes democratic socialists from Marxist-Leninist socialism. It truly is what it is, and if someone says they don't see it that way, they either aren't looking very hard or they are in denial that our very way of life, our freedom, is in danger. 

We used to rely on the press, you know, journalism, to separate truth from fiction. Now, it seems the "fourth estate" simply fuels the fires of racism, divisiveness, and the overthrow of our government.  Truth, freedom, and true equality have become dirty words, a death knell, best not used if you want a university degree, a job in journalism, or the U.S. Justice Department. 

It would seem, for many of us, our desires are no longer predicated on learning to think for ourselves, but, rather, on learning what some anarchist professor wants us to learn - their sad view of the world and reality. This is the education we desire?  And, now, the "fifth estate," the socio-cultural group "of outlier viewpoints in contemporary society... most associated with bloggers, journalists publishing in non-mainstream media outlets, and the social media or "social license," has become the latest arm of socialist propaganda and the League of the Perpetually Offended.

As anti-semitism and other racist attitudes insinuate themselves into the highest levels of our government, I wish I could turn back the clock, even for just a moment, to the 1960s, and not just because I was a heartbreaker.    For me, it was a peaceful time in life and a morally different world.  I could tell my mom where I was going and disappear all day, as long as I was back before dinner.  Kidnappings were rare.  I'm not sure we even knew what "serial killers" were.  Terrorism was the purview of "ecology extremists" and anarchist groups like the Black Panthers, or the Weather Underground.

“Being a kid was much more fun than being an adult. Life was sweeter then.”

-- Trevor Carss

When I was very young, kids could go play in the woods and not have to worry about child molesters.  Frightening horror movies were tales of Frankenstein or Dracula, shown at the Saturday matinee which was always packed.  I could wait alone for a bus to the theater, and the driver actually knew when to let me off coming home.  Of course, I was a middle-class white boy, hanging with middle-class black boys.  I knew very little about hunger, being poor, racism, gender inequality, gender dysphoria, gays, political bias, etc., etc., etc., and so on.  I suppose members of the League of the Perpetually Offended would call me privileged, though my parents worked hard for everything and chose to only purchase what they could pay for.  I didn't grow up in a house full of debt.  Mom's family were poor dirt farmers in Mississippi who worked right alongside poor black dirt farmers.  Racism was not as important to the farmers as ensuring every one of your neighbors was being fed.

Somewhere along the line, life in America changed.

The Zodiac Killer, Jeffrey Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy, Jr.; serial killers and ax murderers were coming out of the woodwork.  Our country was turning into a cesspool of child molesters, rapists, and immorality.  New words worked their way into our vocabulary like "human trafficking," "slice and dice," and "child pornography."  Even middle-class white boys, like me, weren't safe anymore.

What was happening to my world?

Horror movies went from gothic tales of horror, the classics of Stoker, Poe, and Shelley, to the senseless violence of multi-movie franchises like Saw, Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street, The Hills Have Eyes, Saw, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and so many others.  Television was being infiltrated by similar trash.  The ultimate horror story, the choices for our political candidates, came down to which handful of crap smelled better.

“There is no flag large enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people.”

-- Howard Zinn

On top of these threats to civilization, we now find ourselves, once again, faced with rewriting our definition of "monster."  As though the atrocities visited upon the world by the Nazis and the Japanese weren't enough, we faced the threat of communism and socialism wanting to destroy our country. We then faced Islamic heretics, like ISIS, cutting babies in half or burning captives in cages, on film for the mass media, as a heretical honor to Allah.  Islamic heretics were threatening to take their demented version of reality worldwide as they destroyed any visage of innocence along their demented path.  Even Pope Francis, while condemning war between countries as senseless violence, saw these as issues better worked out over morning coffee.  But, he saw the insanity of destructive religious heresy as cancer that must be excised from the Earth through an international effort.

Personally, I'd like to rid the world of the League of the Perpetually Offended. I feel they are at the root of everything wrong with the world.  The perpetually offended keep racism, divisiveness, terrorism, political obstructionism, and the death of innocence, all moving along at a steady pace for the news media to feed on while they spin their "journalistic" version of the truth in order to fulfill some ugly agenda of ultimate destruction which only the League can truly appreciate.  I occasionally get the uneasy feeling there will never again be "peace in our time" or any time soon if the media and the Perpetually Offended can prevent it for their own, peculiarly immoral, benefit.

Every night, when I finally get to sleep, I do so hoping for the relative peace I remember in my youth, when military or political service was what patriots volunteered to give for their country.  It never would have occurred to us to claim we didn't know a war was going to be what it was, or we never would have volunteered to join.  Really?  How does one not know what death and destruction are, or that the philosophy of destruction works both ways?  It seems our education system, even back then, failed us more than it helped.

“Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.”

-- Mark Twain

I pine for the days when saluting our flag was patriotic and not a punchline for the Perpetually Offended who have no clue what was sacrificed by others to secure freedom for the League to be so offended by every little thing.  Maybe it's just me, but I'd like to see the Perpetually Offended be offended at what they never seem willing to bring to the table - ownership of their own failings. 

I may go for a walk on the beach tomorrow, and look for this elusive peace.  I'll consider wading out a few hundred feet until the water is up to my waist, or consider lying down on the white sand, to watch the water and the birds, and feel the sun on my face.  I think I'll talk to God.  I'll give thanks for what I have, peace for just a moment, and true happiness in my life.  I will try not to be too concerned with my selfish want - relative peace throughout the world... forever.  I'll settle for peace, even for just a moment, knowing my retired ass may hit the ground running, again, at any moment.

"A person integrates many experiences into creating their being. Personal encounters with other people, as well as moments of personal solitude contemplating ideas and personal existence, congeal to form the depiction of a self."

-- Kilroy J. Oldster

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch - it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint.

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions, and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience... and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As a weapon for his war on intolerance... he chose the pen. He wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony at: tolerantpastor@gmail.com

Murder of Innocence

“I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born.”

-- Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan spoke the truth when he stated, "I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born." So, then, what's the point?  If you are out of danger, it makes sense that you can murder indiscriminately, right?  No? 

We have birth control pills, condoms, and the "morning after pill" to prevent the "mistake" from attaining the definition of life.  So, why are people too stupid to understand their responsibility?  If you ignore your responsibility for the "love-child" you've spread your legs for, how much easier will it be the next time and the times after that.  How much easier will it be to go from murdering an unborn child to murdering someone already born?  I mean, murder is murder.

Now, I understand the priorities we put on the mother's health.  I understand abortions due to rape and incest.  I put these to the side as understandable.  The law needs to do its job.  And women need to come forward as soon as possible.

I'm addressing the "serial killer" who goes in for an abortion, time after time.  And those "pro-choice" advocates who see nothing wrong with murdering innocence every time they spread their thighs.  By their argument, it is the mother's body, and they have the right to excise the life form they equate to a tumor.  It isn't a "God give right," but I wait for one of them to say they're Christian.  Calling these women  "mothers" brings up a load of bile.  If we vote that women can't have abortions without cause, they will have to exercise responsibility for the child. Let's not get into the "welfare" argument, God forbid.  Oh... I'm sorry.  I brought God into the discussion... again.  But, for most deists, this is exactly where the creator needs to be - facing down the destroyers.

I try to exercise respect for respect.  But, when I find out someone is pro-abortion, I try not to turn my back on them.  I can take someone out with a plastic knife, and I'm sure they can try to do the same... while my back is turned. God bless fast-food franchises for supplying us with an unending supply of interrogation utensils. God bless military Intelligence for teaching me to imagine the myriad of unorthodox ways to use plastic utensils. 

The abortion argument will go on for more years than it already has. Soon, the murderers, the pro-choice advocates, will outnumber the pro-life advocates. There will be death and destruction on an epic scale not seen since the Third Reich... unless people keep their pie-holes shut.  But that ain't gonna happen.

Note:  As usual, this is simply my opinion.  Targeted, yes, but it is an opinion nonetheless.  I can't trust most people to read everything, so before you get your panties in a bunch, please read the "Editor's Note" at the bottom of this page.)

“I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is 'Abortion' because it is a war against the child... A direct killing of the innocent child, 'Murder' by the mother herself... And if we can accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? How do we persuade a woman not to have an abortion? As always, we must persuade her with love... And we remind ourselves that love means to be willing to give until it hurts...”

-- Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Editor's Note

Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch - it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint.

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions, and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience... and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As a weapon for his war on intolerance... he chose the pen. He wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony at: tolerantpastor@gmail.com

Questioning Bullies, Focus, Traits, Change, and Mindfulness

 

“What if the kid you bullied at school, grew up, and turned out to be the only surgeon who could save your life?”

-- Lynette Mather

Are bullies that belong to cliques on group chats similar to real bullies? How do you deal with them?

Yes, and you have the right to ignore them. I constantly ignore the League of the Perpetually Offended because they bully. It is better to just smile and shut them down.

What would you do if you’re wealthy, but one of your poor friends is constantly putting you down because he is jealous? I made sacrifices to accommodate him, but it’s still not good enough for him so should I hang with only wealthy folks?

Why are you accommodating them? They have made their life. Maybe they should have worked harder. They might have studied more and learned not to judge those who reach for the "upper bars" in life. They put you down because they couldn't do what you did. They are shifting the blame over to you when the real blame lies with them, and their attitude. You don’t need to “hang with only wealthy folks.” Hang with people who don’t judge you for attaining your goals.

What is the smartest question to ask to someone?

"Why?"

How do I create the perfect world? How do I create a perfect utopian paradise/society?

You don’t. If it could be done, we would be there. But there is no such thing as “perfect.” You might look into creating an “excellent” world, however. Good luck with that. There will always be a need for balance in the universe. With that in mind, “excellent” will fall short due to the rules for balance.

Do you know the old saying, "With friends like these, who needs enemies"? Would the phrase still apply if you replace friends with family?

If your family are worthless toads that keep ragging on you, yes.

In your own idea, what is the difficult part of solving a problem?

Discovering the cause. Everybody hears the rattling in the engine and assumes tightening the part will make the rattling stop, and it does, but tightening that part might be a "stop gap" to the real problem. Low lubrication might be the culprit. The obvious is not always the fix.

“Root cause analysis is a structured team process that assists in identifying underlying factors or causes of an event, such as an adverse event or near–miss. Understanding the contributing factors or causes of a system failure can help develop actions that sustain corrections. The Five Whys is a simple problem-solving technique that helps to get to the root of a problem quickly. 

The Five Whys strategy involves looking at any problem and drilling down by asking: "Why?" or "What caused this problem?" While you want clear and concise answers, you want to avoid answers that are too simple and overlook important details. Typically, the answer to the first "why" should prompt another "why" and the answer to the second "why" will prompt another, and so on; hence the name Five Whys. This technique can help you to quickly determine the root cause of a problem. It's simple and easy to learn and apply.”

-- Five Whys for RCA Tool

What is the main focus of a determined talented poor individual?

One would hope their focus on their “determined talent” would give them true happiness in life, regardless of their circumstances.

Why do some extremely intelligent people have no desire to be mega-successful?

True “success” in life is attaining true happiness. If they have attained the level of intelligence they have been working toward, they are happy to be working on those problems they have been honing their skills to take on. Albert Einstein comes to mind, as does J. Robert Oppenheimer. They did what challenged them, and that made them truly happy. 

What does “Be safe” mean to you?

Be very aware of your personal safety and the safety of those around you. Their lack of awareness could cost you your life. Don't assume they care.

Since the past 5 or so years, has your respect for those in authority (white collar types of every stripe) remained the same, increased, or as in my case greatly diminished?

I do my job, and everyone knows that. Respect is a two-way street, and I respect those who respect me. I was fine with being fired for some moron’s personal agenda. I walked off a job once and the owner fired the supervisor and hired me back with an apology. Never sacrifice your personal code of ethical conduct for some idiot’s simple agenda.

What would be the proper term for the behavior when close people in your life, pretend to be your friend and ally, while they are secretly simultaneously making up lies about you to everyone else to turn these people against you?

Two-faced? Hypocritical? Someone riding on your coattails to attain their goals. “Riding on your coattails” puts them in a perfect position to knife you in the back.

I heard this quote earlier, "Suffering is often the vice that squeezes out great art." Who said it and do you agree?

Christopher Zara? I agree, to a point. It has been proved many times, yet, some artists are naturally talented, and don’t have to suffer to create. I think this is a minority of artists, however.

“Great art comes from great pain.” A fully loaded and explosive statement if ever there was one, this is the primary proposition in Christopher Zara’s recent book Tortured Artists, a collection of forty-eight profiles on some of the most celebrated artists of the millennium—from Mozart to Woolf, Garland to Disney.”

-- Americans for the Arts 

What natural traits make some people good entrepreneurs (business people)?

An ability to learn, communicate, work hard, see opportunities, and embrace the art of the deal.

What makes one person more successful than another? Is it luck or is there something else at play here?

Hard work, knowledge, and awareness. If you aren’t aware of the opportunities that present themselves, you are losing out, and the hard work is just that - hard work. And the knowledge? When you miss opportunities, you’ll realize learning hasn’t stopped.

Can it be true that they start missing you when they fail to replace you?

If they fail to replace me, the business is in real trouble. Good management would have a replacement ready to slip into my seat.

Author's comment: Well said, thank you!

What does it mean when someone says they don't like labels? What are they saying about their political beliefs?

I’m not really sure. Labels don’t bother me. 23 years in the military intelligence field makes you numb to any labels people stick on you. What you see may not be who I really am. And, what I know is classified. Makes it hard to date anyone unless you remain very aware.

What does it mean when someone says, "He/she is trying to hurt you emotionally"?

They’re telling me what I already know. But, I’m considering using them, so it’s all good.

How do you act towards people younger than you?

You get the respect you give. If they choose not to respect me, I can choose not to respect them, and I’ll let them know it in no uncertain terms. The “learning curve” can be embarrassing for young people, but necessary for growth.

"Old people have wisdom but not energy; young people have energy but not wisdom; energy and wisdom must be in the same body to create a much better civilization! To do this, we will either give energy to the old or we will give wisdom to the young, and for now the latter seems a more plausible action!"

-- Mehmet Murat ildan

How can we change our minds and always get smart ideas?

First, accept that change is the only true constant in the universe. Open your mind to other ideas. Second, accept that changing your mind does not guarantee the next idea you get will be smart. Education will help you to ferret out the smart ideas from the not so much. It doesn’t guarantee attaining a goal, but it does help.

Elon Musk said, "Physics is the law, everything else is a recommendation. Anyone can break laws created by people, but I have yet to see anyone break the laws of physics." Can you say the same to social science laws?

No. But physics is a law that is continually changing as we discover new information. What once was law is now the “new” law. Change is the only true constant in the universe.

Do most successful people share their secrets of success with others freely?

If they don’t, they’re cowards. They are afraid someone will do better than they have. You don’t have to let go of industrial secrets, but it would be nice to know the basics of getting ahead. Management, supervision, communication, employment law, along with hard work and knowledge of the field you want to excel in.

What is the difference between a solution and an answer?

Anyone can rattle off an answer, and the answer might be right. However, if the answer is incontrovertibly right, it is, more than likely, the solution.  

Why do people ask obvious, generic questions on social media?

Maybe they don’t have a clue. Not everybody is smart or intelligent. Those who are, probably, won’t be asking questions. Not everybody knows how to form a cogent question. Those who do, tend to judge those who don’t. We, also, tend to forget that there is no bad question… unless you ask it more than once.

What is the saying about speaking negatively about others?

Try these:

“What you don’t see with your eyes, don’t witness with your mouth.” 

-- Jewish Proverb

“When we judge or criticize another person, it says nothing about that person; it merely says something about our own need to be critical.” 

-- Anonymous

“Do what you feel in your heart to be right–for you’ll be criticized anyway. You’ll be damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.” 

-- Eleanor Roosevelt

“Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.” 

-- Hillary Clinton (The only thing she ever said that I agree with.)

If mindfulness' purpose is to make one stay in the present as much as possible, when is one supposed to think about past and future things, which is also necessary?

The definition of mindfulness is, “a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.” If you don’t need to use it as a “therapeutic technique,” then you can “stay in the present as much as possible” and “think about past and future things, which is also necessary.” You can be “mindful” and still have flights of fancy. Mindfulness isn’t, necessarily, one-dimensional.

Are cash flow statements the biggest sources of decision-making for businesses?

Only if going bankrupt is not a big decision.

Do you agree with Leo Durocher’s statement, “Show me a good loser, and I will show you a loser”?

Leo is an idiot. He states the obvious. He leaves out that not all losers are good losers. The good loser will smile, shake your hand, practice, and return to turn the tables. Will the last “winner” be as generous to the new winner?

Is there any hope for yourself if you are depressed and ruin your life?

Generically, there is always hope, but it is your life. You need to make a conscious effort to lift yourself out of your personal pit of misery and put that hope to work. 

How do I make society start to treat the rich as amoral subhuman monsters who they truly are, that society must destroy for their survival?

Misplaced jealousy does not become anyone. There must be balance in the universe, and the “rich” are here as a balance for those who are not. When you win the billion-dollar lottery, we will expect you to surrender yourself for destruction, as is your wish. Or, I offer up a better choice. You can become part of the cadre of selfless “filthy rich” philanthropists who constantly strive to make the world a better place. It is a personal choice you might want to consider.

How true is the statement "Geniuses are made, not born"?

Savant syndrome is generally born, not made. Their hard drives are wired differently than other geniuses.

“Approximately one in 10 persons with autistic disorder has some savant skills. In the case of intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, as well as brain injuries, savant skills occur at a rate of less than 1%.” 

-- SSM Health

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch - it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint.

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions, and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience... and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As a weapon for his war on intolerance... he chose the pen. He wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony at: tolerantpastor@gmail.com

Confusing Education, Intelligence, and Being Smart (Updated from 9/9/2014)

 

"The difference between intelligence and education is this: Intelligence will make you a good living."

-- Charles F. Kettering

Ward LeRoy Churchill, have you seen a photo of this guy?  No?  You should look him up.  He was the University of Colorado professor terminated for an essay he wrote comparing the victims of the 9/11 attacks to the Nazi criminal, Adolf Eichmann. I wouldn't want this guy teaching my children, regardless of their age.  I wouldn't want him anywhere around children.  The Colorado Supreme Court, in a ridiculously obvious ruling, upheld the lower court decision in favor of the University terminating him for being terminally stupid, I would guess.  I hope the University reviews its criteria for any future employment, as well.

We seem to keep confusing education with intelligence, and intelligence with actually being smart.  Intelligent people make great use of higher education and then fail when it comes to life.  Why?  Well, maybe they aren’t all that smart.  I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, and I didn’t make the most out of the educational opportunities that were available to me, but I do, in all humility, consider myself to have pretty good "street" smarts. 

"Grades don't measure intelligence and age doesn't measure maturity."

-- Unknown

With our institutions of higher education continuing to be bastions of socialist dogma, I was surprised to hear the University had removed him. Hell, we have self-admitted Islamic extremists teaching at renowned universities, and vocally antisemitic politicians sitting in the U.S. Congress, so why not give this idiot a pass? What makes the other idiots so much "better" than this putz?

"What a distressing contrast there is between the radiant intelligence of the child and the feeble mentality of the average adult."

-- Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), neurologist, psychoanalyst

Is the deteriorating state of our educational system in America today?  Really?  Let me take you back to late 1970, to a small town in California where I went to high school.  This was the Vietnam War era of peace marches, burning bras and draft cards, and hippies who didn't believe in bathing.  I could have been a hippie.  There were plenty of pretty "free love" hippie girls to choose from if you could stomach the hairy legs, unshaved armpits, and body odor that would be banned as a weapon of mass destruction.  I like bathing.  Patchouli oil didn't really mask the smell of body odor, especially an unwashed ass.  Most hippies I met were unwashed asses.  Most old hippies still are.  I just like smelling better than patchouli oil and a dog's butt (my apologies to dogs).

I had a female teacher I'll call "Mrs. B" to preserve anonymity.  She was fairly young; probably late twenties to early thirties, not very attractive, and extremely socialist.  I didn't know what liberal meant back then as it wasn't a term batted around by young people.  We knew them as communists or socialists.  Mrs. B was a big supporter of Angela Davis for U.S. Vice-President.  Angela Yvonne Davis was a political activist, and leader of the "Communist Party USA,"  briefly associated with the Black Panther Party (therefore, an anarchist), and an academic at the University of California (which, being an anarchist, was of no surprise).  In 1969, then FBI director J. Edgar Hoover referred to the Black Panther Party as “the greatest threat to the internal security of the country.”  Davis was placed on the FBI Most Wanted list, and she fled back to California (again, no surprise here).  Angela Davis ran as the communist candidate for Vice-President of the United States in 1980 and 1984.  But, I digress.

It wasn't that Mrs. B was, also, a socialist/communist which concerned me.  As a young person in the 1960's and 70's I felt it beneficial to learn different political views.  What I minded was when she took the American flag down from the classroom wall, threw it to the ground, and stomped on it while spewing a political rant that many of us were too stunned to pay any attention to.  So, just what has changed in the state of our educational system today?  

Well, I'm not sure it has changed much from the state it was in 52 years ago except, and this is a big except, most children today are not brought up to think for themselves.  We send them to school for socialist education. Indoctrination, for the most part, at admittedly socialist schools, to be educated by blatantly socialist teachers that spoon-feed students an obvious socialist doctrine.  We wonder why our country is lacking pride, leadership, and children who can spell, read, and do math.  Parents allow all of this and then sit back in denial and wonder what's going wrong.  

Soon the socialists will remove the American flag, and atheists will remove God, as the anarchist extremists attempt to overthrow the very government we allowed them to infiltrate.  We'll soon be treated to young Democratic-Socialists marching goosestep through the streets, so much like Hitler Youth on parade, as their detractors are arrested en masse and forced to board trains for "reprogramming" at desert internment camps.  I recommend, at this point, not to take any offered shower when you arrive at camp and be particularly suspicious of any furnaces being built and wide trenches being dug.

Education is a good thing if our intent is to educate, not indoctrinate.  Education is a good thing if we do not substitute intelligence for education.  And, above all, we should never, ever, let intelligence and education replace our God-given, so uncommonly found, good sense; our street smarts.

"We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality."

-- Albert Einstein (1879-1955), theoretical physicist 

The Vietnam War was actually a "police action" that was followed by the "killing fields" of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, or "Kampuchea" as it would later be called.  Cambodia would lose two million human souls to the genocide perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge. One in five Cambodians would die under the slogan of the superior, racially pure Cambodians who would declare of these racially impure "new people" that, "To keep you is no benefit; to destroy you is no loss."  Sounds like a repeat of Nazi Germany, doesn't it?  Hitler tried to eliminate the Jewish "problem" through the deliberate killing of 12 million civilians, along with another 3 million Russian POWs.

But, before Hitler, Joseph Stalin forced a famine in Russia that eliminated 7 million people.  After Hitler, Mao Ze-Dong killed up to 78 million people in China and Tibet making Hitler look like an amateur. In the early 1990s, Rwanda and Bosnia-Herzegovina racked up a nice tally of 800,000 and 200,000 respectively.  As of 2009, at least 2000 Falun Gong spiritual adherents have died in custody as a result of a Chinese crackdown to eliminate this peaceful religious practice.  And today we are faced with yet more horrific atrocities by the Islamic heretics of ISIS as they butcher women and children in the name of the Holy Qur'an, and Syria gassing its own people.  I'm sure Mohammad would be less than pleased at the misinterpretation of Islam by such heretics.

"The Chinese government and Chinese Communist Party, led by Xi Jinping from 2012–present, intensified antireligious campaigns in the country. In 2016, Xi called for "improved religious work" by uniting religious and non-religious people, and emphasizing that members of the Chinese Communist Party must act as "unyielding Marxist atheists".]

In September 2019, the UN Human Rights Council was told by the China Tribunal that the Government of China "is harvesting and selling organs from persecuted religious and ethnic minorities on an industrial scale". The tribunal concluded that religious and ethnic minorities are being “killed to order... cut open while still alive for their kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, cornea, and skin to be removed and turned into commodities for sale”."

-- Wikipedia, "Antireligious campaigns of the Chinese Communist Party"

This is history.  It is the history we do not teach to our young and history we either rewrite for our students so we do not present the "ugly" side of humanity, or we blame on some innocuous event or decision to excuse ourselves from any culpability to the crime of lying about or misrepresenting historical events.  How about our culpability in compounding crime upon crime?

"The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history"

-- George Orwell 

At every turn, it seems we try to deny and obliterate our understanding of history.  We intentionally set out to effectively destroy ourselves as a people.  Aldous Huxley (1894-1963), an author and visionary who foresaw much of what the future and science would have to offer, had this to say of intellectuals:

"The course of every intellectual, if he pursues his journey long and unflinchingly enough, ends in the obvious, from which the non-intellectuals have never stirred." 

 I hoped I would send my children to school for a better education than I had.  I hoped they would come away from the experience with a solid understanding of who we are and where we are going.  I wanted them to have teachers and not preachers.  I want my children to learn the truth, not someone else's version of it.  But then, even intelligent people with great educations get sucked into believing what they read in textbooks as if being called a textbook means it's been touched with the magic "truth" wand.  For instance, they've taken the history of the "war between the states" and rewritten the history of it; to the victor went the right to say what and how things happened -  truth, be damned.  I mean, for instance, does it occur to anyone that Lincoln was a Republican, or that the KKK were Southern Democrats?

In outright defiance of the Republican-led federal government, Southern Democrats formed organizations that violently intimidated blacks and Republicans who tried to win political power. The most prominent of these, the Ku Klux Klan, was formed in Pulaski, Tennessee, in 1865.

-- www.PBS.org, "Grant, Reconstruction, and the KKK"

Perhaps minorities would be better served to stop believing the hype fed to them by the very boot holding them down?  Following from that fudging of the facts, one might find it interesting that everyone in the U.S. thinks of Mississippi as the most racially divisive state in the country, yet racism seems to rear its ugly head everywhere but here.  In Mississippi, where 2/3 of voters are white and 1/3 are black, there are more black elected officials here than anywhere else in the nation.  Yet, here there be bigots?  The sordid racial history of the South may not be pleasant for some, especially Democrats who stoke the fire of divisiveness, but it is a history the South has learned from.  It is not some "dime novel" version of history taught in the North, but it is a history based on fact, not the victorious country's version of it.    The rest of the country seems content to suffer from the old quote, "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

There will be no Ferguson, Missouri riots here.  Not if we can help it.  Perhaps we all need to take a step back and try thinking for ourselves instead of buying into books, films, mass media, and other rhetoric that fan those flames of racial strife by trying to make us all believe racism is growing and we have learned nothing.

Consider that the "practice" of medicine has been around for thousands of years.  Medical doctors still, to this day, only "practice" medicine.  Do you let them "practice" on you, or do you question what they do?  By the same token, if you hear there's an imbalance of white to black police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, do you assume the media is correct about racism running rampant, or do you see a black majority population (3 to 1), and assume someone isn't using their legal right to vote for more black officers and leadership?  Is this the fault of the country, community, or the individual?  Is this ignorance perpetrated by the leaders, the media, or by individuals who simply "go along to get along" until their own whining ignorance catches up and they have to blame the need to burn their neighborhood to the ground on racism instead of looking at history and embracing representatives that will actually, for once, try to do the right thing?  If you don't feel your community has moved forward in several decades or more, don't let a "free cell phone," or the color of a person's skin, buy your vote.  Try thinking for yourself.

Don't believe everything you read and hear just because some "learned" putz tells you to.  Try exercising your "smarts" and your uncommon good sense if your education and intelligence fail you.  Think for yourself and question the "facts" others are feeding you.  Ask yourself whose personal or political agenda you are buying into.  It seems to me, that well-educated people try to include as many others in their "tunnel vision" as possible.  It seems to give them credibility for those who don't think.  Most of us, with our uncommon good sense, tend to irritate those who think they're above us simply because they have a degree from an institution of higher education.  Maybe they don't understand that their "credibility" is so much bullshit and we want them to "put up or shut up" for us. 

Socialists keep wanting to overthrow our system of government.  I think they don't understand that socialist doctrine means so very little to patriots in this country who are actually trained to fire automatic weapons, torture and interrogate an enemy, and manage battlefield operations.  Do patriots really worry about a civil war? 

Maybe they do, but I'm betting we're all smarter than that.

"There is nobody so irritating as somebody with less intelligence and more sense than we have."

-- Don Herold 

Note to the reader:  Here is a constant reminder to those of you who keep missing the point, even though I try to place it at the bottom of each post as shown in the "Editor's Note" below.  This post is an opinion.  It is only an opinion, it may not be even close to correct, and I may not truly believe the drivel I've written.  If you feel emotional about this post, please enlighten us with your opinion.  If you're emotional, you must have an opinion.  The fact that you disagree, agree, and have developed an opinion of your own, is exactly the point.  Without freedom of thought, constructive discussion, and debate, presented peacefully and without malice, we are doomed to anarchy -  loss of freedom, of country, and the rule of law.  You know... socialism.  Or, you can continue to buy into the League of the Perpetually Offended. It's the same thing. 

It is up to you.

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch - it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint.

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions, and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience... and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As a weapon for his war on intolerance... he chose the pen. He wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony at: tolerantpastor@gmail.com

Questioning Boring, Bad, Marriage, Aussies, and Feelings

“I’m bored’ is a useless thing to say. I mean, you live in a great, big, vast world that you’ve seen none percent of. Even the inside of your own mind is endless; it goes on forever, inwardly, do you understand? The fact that you’re alive is amazing, so you don’t get to say ‘I’m bored.”

-- Louis C.K.

What is the secret of people who are never bored?

They have lots of stuff to do, but, don’t tell anybody. It’s a secret.

How can I know what I like?

You have to try everything. If you like it, you’ll know it. And, If you don’t like it, you’ll know it. This is not rocket science.

If you could wish something for an ex, what would it be?

True happiness.

What hobbies have you done, and what hobbies do you do now?

UFO and Sasquatch study, wood carving. woodworking, acrylic painting, and drawing. At 70 years of age, I have taken up paranormal investigations, with five guncases full of technical equipment.

Reader comment: Did you find any ghosts or angels?

My reply: I have several peculiar photos and have had some weird encounters. Shadow figures and some touching, as well. 

Do you believe in a talking snake or a talking donkey?

Only in the Book of Genesis and cartoons.

What are some common problems people face in their lives? Why do they have these problems, and how can they be solved?

Bad choices and decisions. “Why?” is the correct question, and asking it five times will solve each problem they face if they are honest in their answers. Look up the “5 Whys Method” and give it a try. Most of what we suffer from is self-induced by our bad choices and decisions. We can try to blame others for our own choices and decisions, but it really doesn’t wash. We are usually at fault.

"A Five Whys template provides a structured format for conducting the analysis. The template typically includes a series of questions or prompts to guide you through the process of identifying the underlying causes of the problem at hand. A basic Five Whys template might look something like this: 

• What is the problem?
• Why did the problem occur?
• Why did the reason in question 2 happen?
• Why did the reason in question 3 happen?
• Why did the reason in question 4 happen?"

-- 5 Whys: The Ultimate Root Cause Analysis Tool

What is the definition of "bad but not too bad"? Why do we say it this way?

Because the ship isn’t going to sink.

What are some common problems people face in their lives? Why do they have these problems, and how can they be solved?

Bad choices and decisions. “Why?” is the correct question, and asking it five times will solve each problem they face if they are honest in their answers. Look up the “5 Whys Method” and give it a try. Most of what we suffer from is self-induced by our bad choices and decisions. We can try to blame others for our own choices and decisions, but it really doesn’t wash.

How do you answer the question "Are you married?" without saying yes or no?

“Does it matter?”

What does it mean if you don't remember your first romantic partner?

Alzheimer’s, or I’m just getting old. Fortunately, at 70, I do remember her. Because she also broke my heart, for the first time. My wife broke my heart, for the second and last time.

What's a good answer to, "What are some things that make up who you are?"

My choices and decisions.

How do I make a risk?

Put $1000 on a “longshot” horse to win. Or, jump out of a perfectly good aircraft with a parachute you didn’t pack. What was the parachute packers’ state of mind? Was that their spouse you were with, last night? Think about that as you leave the aircraft. Personally, I’d bet on the horse.

“So we shall let the reader answer this question for himself: who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?”

-- Hunter S. Thompson

Why do people get married more than once?

Gluttons for punishment. I did it once, and now I’ve lived in “truly happy sin” for 20 years. A piece of paper doesn’t guarantee a meaningful friendship, honesty, or fidelity. All of this comes from the heart.

Why do you want to spank your child?

I don’t. I want to spank adults.

To what extent can a human will in a peculiar temperament be extended, which is to say how much can one resist a challenging reality?

If I don’t want to deal with a “challenging reality,” I can simply walk away. A person with a weak “will” might be enticed into the challenge. I’ve had enough challenges in my life. My “human will” tells me to walk away, and I do so with a big smile on my face. The only “challenge” I entertain is to strive for true happiness always and in all things, regardless of my circumstances. 

How do I understand my wife more?

Try really talking to her. Ask her everything you want to know.

What does it mean when people say not taking the risk is the biggest risk?

You risk not attaining the goal. But, more to the point, you risk never knowing if you could have attained the goal. Not taking the risk is to never know the outcome.

How do people know what they know?

They learn.

“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”

-- Socrates

Why do Australians not only answer questions with "yeah, nah", they sometimes even start a conversation with it?

It’s what Aussies do.

Can it be true that one should never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow?

Absolutely. Discouragement is counterproductive to whatever the goal is. If someone is slow, mentor them. Show them how to speed up and be more productive. In my military career, I was given all the people that would have been kicked out of the Intelligence field. This was not a good thing. I let them know the ugly truth of failure. I mentored them, encouraged them, and made the productive members of the field. Many of the thanked me for taking the time to save their careers.

Author's comment: Well answered, thank you! 

Can we solve our problems by using the same thinking that caused them?

Oh, hell no.

Do you think that our society is on the brink of failure?

Socialism works until they run out of everyone else’s money. Biden is eating through the money he prints at a record pace. Yes, socialist policies have us on the brink of failure. Democrats will be hard-pressed to blame this disastrous failure on Republicans.

Is it normal for a man to get pissed off every time his girlfriend does things without him?

It depends on the man. Please do things without me. 

Why is it often challenging for intelligent individuals to find a romantic partner?

They might be too busy being “intelligent” to take a little time to learn to be “smart” enough to find a quality romantic partner. When they do find one, I have a feeling they really don’t know what to do with them. It would literally be the blind leading the blind… unless the partner takes charge or has something on the side.

“I used to think that finding the right one was about the man having a list of certain qualities. If he has them, we'd be compatible and happy. Sort of a checkmark system that was a complete failure. But I found out that a healthy relationship isn't so much about a sense of humor or intelligence or attractive[ness]. It's about avoiding partners with harmful traits and personality types. And then it's about being with a good person. A good person on his own, and a good person with you. Where the space between you feels uncomplicated and happy. A good relationship is where things just work. They work because, whatever the list of qualities, whatever the reason, you happen to be really, really good together.”

-- Deb Caletti

Why do people sometimes pretend to be someone they're not or hide their true feelings?

They are not comfortable in their own skin. It is easier for them to be someone else, than themselves.

Can you think of an event in your life that you believe was meant to be, and left a lasting impression on you?

My motorcycle accident when I was in high school. It was a miracle that I lived through it, according to the witnesses. When I rolled my car in the military, The highway patrol said the same thing, and he couldn’t figure out how I was thrown from the car since all the doors were sealed shut from rolling. Everything came apart inside and was a mixmaster that would have cut me to shreds. That I was saved, was meant to be. It left a lasting impression on me to this day. And, as I approach my 70th birthday, I know in my heart that someone takes care of me, and I am eternally grateful.

How much do you know about yourself?

Enough to be dangerous.

Author's comment: Could you kindly provide me with the context or the specific content you'd like me to enhance? This will help me understand what you're referring to and enable me to provide a more meaningful response.

My response: Your response is not required, nor is any enhancement. My answer stands as a statement of fact.

What are some tips for developing a commanding or authoritative tone of voice?

Practice, practice, practice, especially in an auditorium or a meeting room. I did public speaking for 20 years of my military service. People who come to hear you speak will be looking forward to you being a commanding and authoritative figure that is there to communicate knowledge, so practice in a venue that will help you develop public speaking. I recommend you find a speech by Pres. Lincoln, Kennedy, Teddy Roosevelt, or Ulysses S. Grant to practice with.

Do successful entrepreneurs quickly accept change?

If they don’t accept change quickly, they risk failure. I think successful entrepreneurs know this and stay on top of their game. 

What are your favorite sayings about kindness, empathy, and happiness?

Try these, by Gandhi:

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.”

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

-- Mahatma Gandhi

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch - it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either view any more right or wrong than the other. Opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form their own opinions, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint.

I fervently hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions, and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions offered. After twenty-three years of military intelligence, I believe that engaging each other in this manner, and in this arena, is a way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience... and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. Following his service career, he spent 17 years working with the premier and world-renowned Western Institutional Review Board, helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. He also served 8 years on the Board of Directors for the Angela J. Bowen Foundation.

Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As a weapon for his war on intolerance... he chose the pen. He wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's personal, spiritual path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as the lead chaplain at a regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony at: tolerantpastor@gmail.com