The Janitor in the Vatican

THE ELECTION: Sunrise Over the Atlantic Crossing...

I live on the east coast of America. The first place the ideas we protect as faith, took root. Today, as the light spreads across our homes, people will awake, see their children off to school, go to work, and sometime during their day, will make a decision affecting millions of people on this planet. It is one of the meanings of the American Empire.

Normally, Americans do not see themselves in that way. But others do. Others see us as relentless adversaries, implacably determined to destroy their way of life.

This is incorrect.

We are like everyone else on this planet. We worry about basic facets of life, and hope for better days.

But there is change in this land. There is anger, and fear, and divisiveness on a scale unseen since the Civil War.

And there is change in me. I have noticed an increased level of anger, unexplainable rage, and bewilderment over complex issues and emotions. I see Americans divided, and the old ghosts of racism and class warfare reemerging.

I am afraid.

And I am not alone.

My comments on the President were harsh, but sincere.

Would I have taken the decisions he made? I do not think so.

But to be honest, it would have been only with a most supreme effort to restrain myself from making war.

I wish George W. Bush the best. Yet I cannot in honesty, say his leadership is worthy of the power we bestow, on this day.

And I cannot forget what this war has wrought.

Thus, as the polls open, all across this nation, I find myself trusting in the wisdom of America. Because all we have, is each other.

And the forgiveness of clarity.

VOTE YOUR BELIEFS!!!!

And be damn proud to do it!!!!

I know, I am.

ookrana

THE ELECTION; A U Haul at the White House..

I do not know what the terms "Republican" and "Democrat" mean any more. There was a time, when both parties were identified with various demographic groups within this country. Blacks originally voted "Republican", for obvious reasons, (Lincoln, I think). That changed (along with Northeastern immigrant attitudes) with the emergence of the American Industrial Revolution and the "Malefactors of Great Wealth". The "Robber Barons" changed the American political dynamic. Workers, the men and women "producers", long denied a fair wage, rallied to Democratic voices (Im not THAT stupid, of course the Democrats saw an electorial opportunity of historic proportions, and grabbed it like the brass wheel on a farris wheel). Time passed inexorably, and American society reacted to domestic and international vicissitudes ( the "Great Depression", World War II, the Cold War, a Federal voice against racism, sexism, and poverty...no, Dr. Plum, materialism has it's place in the inner city....so does idealism....gotcha!!!!.....well....maybe not...but i keep trying!!)

My point?

Democrats, the party of the "big tent", realized general societal improvements; Republicans did not.

Today, we have a Republican President; a throw back to a time when society became so stratified, that social revolution, or, at least widespread lawlessness posed a tangible possibility in the 20th century.

Why?

Because the Republican Presidents of that odious era, did nothing to assuage serious social ills.They represented the moneyed class. They saw no problem, or did not care. They still do not see the simple reality of social injustice, or truly understand the societal threat of continuous poverty.

This particular Republican President, to the manor born, acquires a blank look when asked about societal problems. He focuses upon a nonexistent threat; worldwide terrorism. His knowledge is inadequate, resulting in naked, unjustifyable aggression against a country he has succeeded in completely destroying. For two years, he linked his aggression in Iraq with an ethereal search for an enemy he cannot clearly identify, or defeat. Because of his dismal ignorance, America is mired in a "tar baby", dripping with American blood. His entire Administration displays a consistency of adolesecent aggression unmatched since the "good old days" of "Dolf Hitler" and his merry band of gangsters.

This President attained power through obvious, proveable chicanery, and wages illegal war in the same fashion.

I will not bore you with his utter lack of a domestic agenda. Another list of outright lies is needless, in the stark glare of severed heads, held high by ruthless partisans, eyes open, mouths agape with blood garbled, unspoken words. These are HIS victims.

And there are more than a thousand, brave American soldiers who payed his criminal price.

For what?

Someone tell ME........

Tomorrow, the nation will decide (at least I think they will decide, unless the whole country's name is now Florida) to either continue the most tragic, ignorant
foreign policy blunder in it's history, or to put an end to the unilateral dysfuction of the present Administration.

If Kerry wins, diplomacy, in it's traditional form will return. It may take time, but the West will no longer fear a manifest incompetent at it's helm.

If all goes well, some time in early January, the U Hual trucks will pull up to the White House to remove the personal belongings of a gun slinging bully, from his present digs, and the pages of a dispicable chapter in American History.

Stay tuned....

Tomorrow, the world will find out if we have, or have not, lost our collective mind.

You people better vote, and MY way, too. I dont care if you have to stand in line in a hale storm, or a hurricane!!!!

God, how much more of this buffoon can you stand?

The Janitor in the Vatican

There is an unseen war going on in this country. The conflict concerns Who will teach and WHAT they will teach American students. If you have children at the elementary level, I would appreciate your comments and opinions concerning how you feel about the quality of your local education system, and how your child performs. Is your child reading as well as as you think they should? Do their scores reflect what you know about your child? Is your child an underachiever? If you agree with that assessment, have you asked yourself why?

There is an endless list of questions to ask about the state of education in America. I need all of the data I can gather.

Your help is tremendously appreciated.
Please send responses, and any other comments to diegobergen14@aol.com
, or post a comment.

ookrana
University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Banned From Blogit, and Other Insults

Recently, I was the unfortunate victim of a competitor of this sight. The "Blogit" people saw fit to "suspend" me from their sight for calling a fellow blogger "boring". They claim that I caused "emotional distress" in a fellow writer. It did not matter that my opinion was true. In an opinion blog, called "Rachel's Rants"(highly rated in that world, I might add), an insipid, mudane, daily screed about the dullness of a anorexic, neurotic housewife, "Rachel" exceeded my level of toleration concerning the beauty of watching backyard nature, the daily house chores, the costumes her children will be wearing for Halloween, and all the other "Amerisurburbiana", she droned on endlessly about.

So, one day, I actually said what I thought. The comment was in no way vulgar, or life threatening, or in any other way harmful to anything except her ego. Boys and Girls, we live in perilous times, and the channel is narrow and shallow. No harm done. "Blogit" is cheaper, and probably more popular. However, it is filled with people who actually take their words more seriously than the public right to commentary. Let that be a warning to all of you; and perhaps, especially to me. There are limits to speech, particularly when a cabal sporting the mindset of sixth grade females, sets itself up as judge, jury and hangman to anyone it chooses. I suppose this is what happens when a blog site grows to big for it's britches. I hope that does not happen here. My skin is a bit thicker than Rachel's, and I give as good as I get.

Good reading and writing to all of you.

ookrana

Anti-Education

Lets begin with a single question. Why do the state systems of education NOT adequately teach reading and critical thinking skills to mastery at the elementary level?
ookrana