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the journey begins

Kicking a hornet's nest...

Racism, is just something that we have lived with in my part of the country for a long long time.  It's actually more than that, in the fact that we just live with hate in a big time way around here.  I have been told that it's a southern thing, or more accurately an Alabama thing.  I tend to think that it's more than just regional, that it's a worldly issue.  Everywhere you look in the world today someone is hating on someone else.  If it's not some kind of color or creed thing, it's a gender issue, religious issue, or sexual preference issue that drives all this hate all the time thing.  It's like being at a super-center warehouse discount store of hate and bigotry open 24-7.  We as a civilized society love to hate.  It makes us a happier people if there is someone that we can collectively hate.  It helps to bring us together.  It helps us have something in common that we might not have in common under any other circumstances.  It's like a big rivalry or gang type situation.

Now it may not be as big and as organized as a big hate group such as a Ku Klux Klan, Nazi party, or skinhead movement.  It can be as subtle as an off color joke or an under the breath comment, or just a good ole boy water cooler stand around.  Hate doesn't always have to be all in your face and blunt force trauma to the head type stuff.  This is the stuff that makes it more dangerous in the long run.  It's the underlying hate that is all around us like a minefield.  One wrong step, one wrong move, one wrong word, and the hate explodes in your face like a bouncing Betty. The boss treats you differently because you are of one ethnicity instead of another.  You may get more free time, the easier job, more pay, or any other number of perks than someone else of the same qualifications of another race.  Most folks might not even realize that this is going on around them.  They may not see that they are being treated better than someone else and it's a big surprise if someone points it out to you.  They just see this as day to day life and think that everyone is being treated equally when they aren't looking.  Then there's the person that thinks that anyone that brings it to their attention is just jealous of how good they are at doing their job.  Then there are the other people that think that they are entitled to some kind of treatment.

Now there are all kinds of laws against discriminating against people in the work place for all kinds of reasons.  Some examples of types of discrimination are sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, pregnancy, national origin, or genetic information.  All of these are reasons provided by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).  So with these laws we can say that the government is nondiscriminatory in the work place.

We can also say that the government doesn't like discrimination in the law.  Remember all those Jim Crow laws in the south from 1876-1965?  Let's take a little stroll down history lane and give everyone a little reminder of Jim Crow.  Another name for these laws were the separate but equal laws.  They were basically laws that said whites could separate themselves from black by making facilities that were designated for each group, and therefore this generally led to inferior treatment of blacks in the south.  These laws were basically declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court with the 1954 Brown v Board of Education, the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and the 1965 Voting Rights Act.  Looking at these steps taken by the federal government we as a nation don't like discriminating against folks for their color.

Now you are probably thinking, what's the point I am trying to make?  If we as a nation don't like to discriminate in the work place or for that fact the law, why are we trying to do just that with the law?  Now you are probably saying racial discrimination is alive and well, but we have made leaps and bounds trying to make it right.  That is to say, we have all these laws in place just for those situations.  Most Americans would agree that we don't like to hold people down, but regardless of the facts about that one, the federal government doesn't like it either and basically says it's illegal to do it.  Here is the skinny folks, if we don't want to discriminate against people for their color, or their sex why is it alright to discriminate against them for being gay?  How is it a state's rights case when the federal government has already struck down such laws before?  Why is it that we can say a "straight" marriage can, and is reciprocated from one state to the next, but a "gay" marriage is not.  Why should it matter?  We reciprocate driver's license.  Now, I know that people are reading this and maybe turning red with anger.  They are ready to stop reading and just say he's some kind of gay agenda guy and liberal.  Well, those that know me, will know that I'm far from liberal, and that I'm not one to push anyone's agenda.  I'm sure you have your own idea of how this should work so here's mine.  I don't care how you feel about it from a moral stand point, discrimination is discrimination.  Whether it is racial or whatever, it's wrong.  We as a culture have been raised to believe it's wrong.  Land of the free still means we have the freedom to choose to live the life we choose.  You can stand from your soapbox and say how wrong gay marriage is and how the Bible says you will go to hell for it, but your moral soul is not the business of the state or federal government.

In closing, this blog has taken me about three weeks to write and publish.  I've had to do some research that actually only took me a couple of hours at the most.  My problem has been the fact that I have been wondering about whether or not to even publish it because of the stance it takes.  Down here in the land of the good ole boys, this shit doesn't fly over too well.  I have to worry about the repercussions that I may have coming at me for this stance.  It may go from losing a few friends to much harsher circumstances.  I have to believe that no matter how you feel about the issue from a moral stance, who are we to dictate to someone how to live their life.  I've heard from so many different sources that this isn't something that the fore-fathers intended for the United States of America.  I think this is exactly what they had in mind for us as a country.  A land that people can make their own decisions without anyone telling them how to think.  You had better realize that those men came from an oppression of their own from under the English crown and didn't want that kind of control over them again.  Our government is not in place to tell us how to live and what to think, it is there to stay out of our way and allow us to live life within a basic set of rules.  I am not making a judgement of moral or immoral lifestyle, as I am in no such position to do so, but I am trying to say that to discriminate against someone just because they are different is wrong.

blah de blah

Nothing really worth writing about tonight.  I'm sitting here with my wonderful wife watching the last episode of Dawson's Creek.  I wanted to work on my story, but thought I'd write here instead for a bit.  The thing is though, I don't really have anything to say.  I thought that maybe, just maybe if I started writing some kind of profound hand of god type thing would reach into my head and run itself through my hands and into this keyboard.  I really don't have that kind of thing going on tonight so there's that.  I know that I'm actually just repeating myself over and over, but that's how we fill the page.  Sometimes it's not about content as much as it's about filler.  Ha! Now that's a funny statement.

This is actually turning into a comedy piece I suppose.  The fun part of writing I suppose is the fact you get to put complete bullshit into words.  Sometimes we get to be heavy and real, but sometimes we get to try to make the planet laugh.  When I look at some of the stuff I write here, I often think that I am trying to be a comedian all the time, even when I'm actually being serious.

Then again, I don't know how the rest of you see it, but then again should I really care?  The whole purpose of this blog space was for me to tell the world about myself and then let them deal with it.  I don't mind the feedback because I can pretty much do whatever I want with it.  The funny thing about me is the fact that I actually believe in freedom of speech, even the speech I don't like or agree with, because that's the most important stuff to protect.  I have plenty of unfavorable speech to speak and if I'm not protecting someone else's unsavory point of view, who will be protecting mine?  Isn't this number one on the Bill Of Rights that so many Americans have fought and died for over the years?

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

Now I've gone and done it, now I've opened up a can of worms that will have people arguing and hating on me forever.  I mentioned the first amendment to the Constitution and I didn't talk about religion first.  Well, that's not what I'm talking about in this blog, so I'll just have to get to that one at another time.  So what I think I'm going to do is just use the parts that I want and leave out the rest.  I'm not saying it doesn't have a place, but just not here at this moment.  Plus how many lawyers and political folks just use the parts they want and throw away the rest, lol?

• Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech

Okay, now that it says what I want it to say let's continue.  I'm not here to play lawyer, because that's just not my bag baby, but I do like to think that I'm smart enough to read and comprehend.  No where in this line does it say only the stuff that people like to hear is protected.  No where in this line does it say only the popular consensus is protected.  No where does it say that only the Right Wing Republican, Left Wing Democrat, or somewhere in the middle Independent is protected.  So in my own interpretation of the line, it means everyone has the right to say pretty much whatever they want.  So if you want to sit around and talk about how much you love living in the United States of America, that's okay.  If you want to sit around and talk about how much you hate living in the United States of America, that's okay too.  If you want to sit around and talk about how much you hate gays, Mexicans, Blacks, Muslims, Jews, redheads, blondes, brunettes, midgets, trolls, unicorns, rainbows, or smurfs, it's okay too.  The thing is, you better be ready to have the folks that love all of that stuff come back at you with their opinions too.  Just like it's your right to hate, it's someone else's right to love.  In the end, it basically comes down to this, no matter how you feel about something you have the right to speak out about it, but so does everyone else.

Man, did that just get deep really quickly or what?  This went from a mindless ramble about watching Dawson's Creek with my wife to what I thought was becoming a comedy piece to a full blown freedom of speech soapbox.

You got an opinion, well I would love to hear it.  You may not like what I have to say about this subject, so type away.  You might very well love this and want to chime in with agreement, so type away.

what's happening

Well, it's been a while since I've written.  I've never really had anything to say.  I like to think I've got a finger on the pulse of current events.  I just don't always want to sit around and talk about it.  I think that there are enough folks out there giving their two cents about all the happenings in the world.  I mean how many times can everyone hash it out over Treyvon Martin and Zimmerman, or marriage equality?  No matter how you feel about these things there will always be someone that sees it differently.  I really don't want to hash those things out here again, so that's all I really have to say about it here.  I think that there are way cooler things to talk about in life than to argue over these topics and trying to decide who is right and wrong.  You may be asking yourself the question, what's more important than these world changing topics?  How about the meteor shower that's supposed to be going on this weekend and the next couple of days?  Nothing like looking out into the universe and seeing the wonders that are there.  I plan to try and get out there and see something if the weather permits and kids don't feel too bad to go check it out for a bit.  That is a cool little bit of info for you guys out there.  Another thing that is going on in my life personally, is I'm trying to write a story.  My wife calls it a book and I would love to be able to do that, but I don't know if I have that much in me.  I will definitely give it a go though, but I may only have a short story.  I actually like to tell stories and if you know me, you know that I have plenty of good ones to tell.  The cool thing about my stories though, is they are all true.  I don't have to make anything up!  To be totally honest though, this is not the case in this situation.  Now here is a little bit of some more personal stuff.  I know that it is probably boring to everyone else in the world, but I will tell the world anyway.  This is why it's called something new for me and maybe you, because I'm not into revealing myself and you may learn something about me and yourself too.  Anyway, enough beating around the bush.  Along with many many types of videos I enjoy watching on You Tube, I am especially enjoying ASMR videos now.  As a matter of fact, I began writing this blog this afternoon, but I got sidetracked and am having to finish it later in the night.  Well, while I'm writing it, I'm actually listening to an ASMR video too.  I find them to be extremely relaxing and calming and that is what they are supposed to be.  If you don't know what they are, you should look it up.  I would also recommend them if you are having trouble sleeping.  Well, since I'm actually getting ready to fall asleep now, I'll just end here.  One more thing before I go.  Let me apologize for the horrible grammar and punctuation in this writing.  It feels like one big long paragraph that makes no sense.

Ms. Rice Blog

On my way to work this morning I was listening to talk radio, as I normally do. I often switch back and forth between a couple of stations when commercials come on. Well, today as I was switching, I came across and interview with author Anne Rice. Now I'm not a particularly big fan of Ms. Rice, but due to some people close to me I know some of her work. She actually wasn't even talking about her latest work at this point, she was just talking about writing in general. She was taking calls and this one individual was telling her he was an aspiring writer and asked her if she had any advice for him or people like himself. To me, her answer was the best part of my ride into work. As she was speaking I was wishing I was recording her words. The advice she gave this guy was nothing new, but the conviction in her voice is what got my attention. Now before I try to impart her words of wisdom, let me say that I have heard plenty of celebrities say about the same thing, but with the halfhearted sound of a scripted response. Ms. Rice has been at her craft for about 40 years and very well could have given this response as I am sure she has done hundreds of times before this call. The thing is, she gave it with an earnest voice. As if she was just getting to the top herself for the first time she said what every person with a dream has always needed to hear at some point or another. To paraphrase her words, she basically said that if you are going to be a writer then you should write. Don't worry about what other people think, or say, just write. I say that is a universal message for any dream you may have.  No matter what the rest of the world may say, follow your dreams.  I know that I haven't written in this blog for a long time, but this is one of the things I particularly enjoy.  It is one of the things I should be doing on a regular basis, but I don't.  I have been thinking about many of the topics that have come and gone to write about, but haven't.  The reason is, because I have thought about what people would think about what I was saying.  Well, that's no way to be, and so I guess one day soon, I'll be pissing folks off.

The Great Outdoors

Most folks don't realize the importance of being out in the wilderness.  The peace and quiet that can be enjoyed in nature is unlike any other kind of serenity.  It helps to bring the rest of the world into perspective.  It also shows the kind of respect we need to have for everything.  Mother nature has her own way of showing us how insignificant we really are in the bigger picture of life.  In society we may be an important person.  In our families we may be an important person.  In every other respect of life we may have some kind of significance.  To mother nature though, you are just another animal that can live or die.  You are just food for something else.  You are responsible for yourself and whether you come back or not.  Most of us in the "real world" have lost contact with that inner animal instinct.  That's not to say that we have to lose our humanity for that kind of basic instinct.

I have a real connection with the outdoors.  I have been an outdoors-man for many many years now.  As soon as I was able to get out on my own in the forest, that's where I have always enjoyed being.  I can remember as a child roaming the Bankhead forest on my grandpa's land.  As I grew up I learned about camping, hunting, fishing, and hiking.  I learned that just being out there "in it" brought me more comfort and joy.  The other thing I learned was that mother nature will provide you with what you need.  You just have to know how to find it.  I also learned that you had better be prepared when you go out there.  Mother nature doesn't care if you are prepared or not and will not have mercy on you either way.

The other thing about mother nature is the magical experience that I get when I am part of her.  The experience is an energy that can transcend a mere mortal feeling and seem other worldly.  Sitting in the forest can give you a sublime peace that nothing else can compare too.  I have felt the blinding effect of pure energy that the woods can emit.  It's a hair raising experience if you open your soul to her song that she will pluck on your heart strings.  The simplest song from a bird can lift your spirit from a bottomless pit of gloom to a pearly gate in front of a golden street.  It's always there if you let it speak to you.  It doesn't take any kind of special ability to hear the intimate message that she will speak to you if you allow her voice to be heard.  The trick, if that's what you want to call it, is to be calm, relax, and open your feelings to the mystical journey that is waiting for your first step.  It's the journey that some of us wait a lifetime to experience and it's the simplest thing to do, and yet we try so many complicated things to just get to it.  Open your heart and see what the creatures of the forest have to say to you.  They are like a choir that each has a part to sing in a concert that is better if enjoyed in the presences of gods.  If you are ready to experience the simple things in life that the outdoors has to offer, then the choice is truly easy, just step outside.