I’m weighting in one more time on the "Duck Dynasty" controversy.
Phil Robertson has every right in the world to express his views on any subject he so desires and do it in a public forum. This is something I do every day though I don’t have the public pulpit Robertson does.
No one, understand, No One is in any way trying to deprive Robertson of his First Amendment right of free speech. A&E is just exercising their right to choose the individuals they want to work for them. A&E has not told Robertson he can never publicly state his views. They have just told him they no longer want him working for them.
InterActiveCorp did not told Justine Sacco she can not tweet insensitive Tweets. What they have told her is that she will no longer be working for them. The United Methodist Church did not told Rev. Frank Schaefer he can no longer advocate for Gay Marriage. The have just told him he can no longer do it as a Pastor in the United Methodist Church.
Understand that for "Free Speech" to be endangered in this country, thought Sarah Palin and Governor Bobby Jindal have suggested otherwise, the GOVERNMENT has to censor speech or prevent an individual from exercising their right.
As to what I think about the Phil Robertson interview, I find it stupid. While I find it stupid, I defend his right to be stupid and announce it in a GQ interview. As to the show "Duck Dynasty," I find it to be very hypocritical. Back in the 60s when a crew-cut Phil Robertson was a student and quarterback at Louisiana Tech, he and those of his ilk, were very intolerant of those of us who wore our hair long and had facial hair. Now they are making million of dollars while wearing long hair and facial hair, the same look they once ridiculed. Hypocrisy pure and simple.
While there are those who are asking for sympathy for Robertson, I just hope he, himself, is not one of them. I just hope he, being a educated man, accepts that there are consequences to one’s actions.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Free Speech and its Endangerment
FREE SPEECH. Just what is free speech? Is it the right for an individual to work for a Christian Organization while at the same time publicly advocating a positions that is in direct conflict with the organization’s stance and fear no consequence? Is it the right of that organization to dismiss that individual because they publicly exercised their right of free speech?
I’m sure there is no one reading this that believes the Christian Organization has done anything more than exercise their right to protect the image they wish to portray. Image speaks loudly, thus it has First Amendment protection. I’m sure that none of you would say that the organization is, in anyway, infringing of the individual’s right of free speech.
Sarah Palin, on her Facebook page, says that "Free speech is an endangered species." Would she say free speech was endangered when the United Methodist Church defrocked Rev. Frank Schaefer because he publicly advocated for gay marriage? No! Sarah Palin would defend the Church's action, stating the Church had a free speech right to protect their image. And she would absolutely correct.
Sarah Palin is taking a totally opposite position when it comes to the A&E Network placing Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson on indefinite hiatus. Here A&E is not protecting its free speech right, it has deprive Robertson of his. Here she paints A&E as the villain for doing no more than the United Methodist Church has done.
Free speech in this country is an endangered species when we take the position that when an individual exercises that freedom and their position or opinion is the same as mine there should be no consequence to pay. Now, if they exercise that right and it differs from mine, then the individual has no right to complain of the consequence.
Sarah Palin has the First Amendment right to speak freely and I applaud her for doing so. However, she now has to suffer the consequence of my pointing out her hypocrisy. And yes, I’m sure that some where there lies a consequence for me because I expressed my opinion here.
I’m sure there is no one reading this that believes the Christian Organization has done anything more than exercise their right to protect the image they wish to portray. Image speaks loudly, thus it has First Amendment protection. I’m sure that none of you would say that the organization is, in anyway, infringing of the individual’s right of free speech.
Sarah Palin, on her Facebook page, says that "Free speech is an endangered species." Would she say free speech was endangered when the United Methodist Church defrocked Rev. Frank Schaefer because he publicly advocated for gay marriage? No! Sarah Palin would defend the Church's action, stating the Church had a free speech right to protect their image. And she would absolutely correct.
Sarah Palin is taking a totally opposite position when it comes to the A&E Network placing Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson on indefinite hiatus. Here A&E is not protecting its free speech right, it has deprive Robertson of his. Here she paints A&E as the villain for doing no more than the United Methodist Church has done.
Free speech in this country is an endangered species when we take the position that when an individual exercises that freedom and their position or opinion is the same as mine there should be no consequence to pay. Now, if they exercise that right and it differs from mine, then the individual has no right to complain of the consequence.
Sarah Palin has the First Amendment right to speak freely and I applaud her for doing so. However, she now has to suffer the consequence of my pointing out her hypocrisy. And yes, I’m sure that some where there lies a consequence for me because I expressed my opinion here.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
A Granddad's Shining Football Memory
It’s was Thanksgiving and the game was about to began. I was surrounded by three grandsons. The youngest looked up and ask: "You played football didn’t you granddad?" When I told him I had played a little high school football, he wanted to know what I remembered most about playing.
This was an easy one. I set back in my recliner and reminisced aloud:
We were playing Richmond High School in the last game of the regular season. I was in at left cornerback. When the ball was snapped it was as though everything began to move in slow-motion.
Not only was everything moving in slow-motion but it was as though I was not only a player, but also a spectator. I saw the quarterback turn to his right and hand the ball to their tailback. I saw their tight-end take our defensive-end to the outside while their tackle and guard sealed off the inside. Their fullback had our outside linebacker which left me to close the hole.
The football gods had been good to us that past summer. A Marine veteran had retired and returned home. He brought with him two teenaged sons who happened to be football players. The oldest was over six feet tall and weighted 190 pounds. He played defensive-end and his present alone raised our defense a notch. The youngest was a scat-back type runner who has seen a lot of playing time this year.
Klinton was a county school who played in the Class 3A Conference. Last year we were the runner-up in our division and as such missed out on the state championship play-offs. This year we had a one game lead going into our last game with Richmond, a city school who played in the Class 4A Conference. A win against Richmond and we win our division outright. A lose and we need Abby to loose or have to suffer through a coin-toss to decide the division winner.
Why was a Class 3A school playing a Class 4A school in football? The answer to that goes back a number of years. Back in the 30s when schools began to compete in sports, Manchester county’s economic base had been agriculture. As a result the two county school were larger than the city school and had better sports teams. Richmond was the county site and welded some political power. Not wanting to be left behind in the sports arena they had forced the county schools to sign a long term agreement to play Richmond City High School each year in all sports.
World War Two had changed those dynamics. The war had brought industry to Richmond and with it a boom in the population. Coupled with integration, the city high school was now much larger and as a result had much better sports teams. The City School District had tried a number of times to have the agreement nullified, but the County School District had prevailed each time.
Every year for the past ten years Richmond had begun the season by playing Tolbert to start the season and ending with Klinton. This year Klinton had the home field advantage and the football gods were once again smiling on the Mustangs.
It seemed that Richmond had saved every bad break that befalls every team for this last game of the regular season. Thus far they had seven penalties called against them for sixty-three yards. The really bad thing about this is, some of these penalties came at the most inopportune time.
A half the distance to the goal line penalty had pushed them back to their own six yard line. There a bad snap had been fumbled and before recovery was kicked out of the end zone for a safety. Then a punt that had penned us on our own twelve yard line was called back for an illegal procedure. The following kick we blocked and we returned it for a touchdown. Then another fumble which we recovered on their eighteen yard line turned into a field goal.
These games, for as long as I can remember had been lopsided with Richmond having the upper hand. Last year we had played them close until the last quarter and then they ran away with the game. This year our defense had played them hard. Our new defensive-end had outplayed everyone. Thus Richmond had been held to two touchdowns. While their defense was solid, our offense did have one good drive which turned into another field goal.
With fifty-five seconds left in the game we led 15 to 14. Richmond had the ball at our forty-seven yard line with a third and one. A pass was completed to our fifteen yard line, well within field gold range. Another illegal procedure penalty brought the ball back making it third and six. A screen pass failed to get the first down, but it cost us our best cornerback.
When my name was called it was a surprise. I had not played a down in this game and now I had to replace the guy who had just stopped Richmond from making a first down. The coach gathered us on the sideline: "Listen, they have a forth and one, they’re not going to throw another pass. All they want now is a first down. They’ll run Steward of right tackle, so I want everyone to crowd the line of scrimmage."
Since I was crowding the line of scrimmage, five yards back, I was closer than Steward when he got the ball. I shot the gap and met him a yard into his backfield. For what ever reason I knew he was going to try and run me over. It was as though I had all the time in the world. I saw him lower his shoulders and head and knew I had to get lower. On contact I was lower. His facemask slid over my right shoulder pad an instant before my shoulder came in contact with the ball.
Instead of continuing to drive, it was as though his concentration turned to the ball (he had fumbled twice). He tried to spin to his left but I had wrapped up. Instead of spinning out of the tackle, he fell forward.
The whistle blew and everything turned to normal. When the measurement showed he was a few chain links short of the first down, the ball went over. With thirty seconds left on the clock, this game belonged to us even though they had two time-outs left.
Having won our division we went to the state playoffs and lost in the semi-final game by three points. That year’s Year Book play up our march to the semi-final game in the Class 3A Conference, but, it gave much more coverage to the one point victory over Richmond High School. It even had a picture of me and Leroy Steward laying on the ground with the caption: THREE INCHES SHORT.
That was the last down I ever played for Klinton High School.
The game had started and the grandsons quickly lost interest in my football experiences.
This was an easy one. I set back in my recliner and reminisced aloud:
Not only was everything moving in slow-motion but it was as though I was not only a player, but also a spectator. I saw the quarterback turn to his right and hand the ball to their tailback. I saw their tight-end take our defensive-end to the outside while their tackle and guard sealed off the inside. Their fullback had our outside linebacker which left me to close the hole.
The football gods had been good to us that past summer. A Marine veteran had retired and returned home. He brought with him two teenaged sons who happened to be football players. The oldest was over six feet tall and weighted 190 pounds. He played defensive-end and his present alone raised our defense a notch. The youngest was a scat-back type runner who has seen a lot of playing time this year.
Klinton was a county school who played in the Class 3A Conference. Last year we were the runner-up in our division and as such missed out on the state championship play-offs. This year we had a one game lead going into our last game with Richmond, a city school who played in the Class 4A Conference. A win against Richmond and we win our division outright. A lose and we need Abby to loose or have to suffer through a coin-toss to decide the division winner.
Why was a Class 3A school playing a Class 4A school in football? The answer to that goes back a number of years. Back in the 30s when schools began to compete in sports, Manchester county’s economic base had been agriculture. As a result the two county school were larger than the city school and had better sports teams. Richmond was the county site and welded some political power. Not wanting to be left behind in the sports arena they had forced the county schools to sign a long term agreement to play Richmond City High School each year in all sports.
World War Two had changed those dynamics. The war had brought industry to Richmond and with it a boom in the population. Coupled with integration, the city high school was now much larger and as a result had much better sports teams. The City School District had tried a number of times to have the agreement nullified, but the County School District had prevailed each time.
Every year for the past ten years Richmond had begun the season by playing Tolbert to start the season and ending with Klinton. This year Klinton had the home field advantage and the football gods were once again smiling on the Mustangs.
It seemed that Richmond had saved every bad break that befalls every team for this last game of the regular season. Thus far they had seven penalties called against them for sixty-three yards. The really bad thing about this is, some of these penalties came at the most inopportune time.
A half the distance to the goal line penalty had pushed them back to their own six yard line. There a bad snap had been fumbled and before recovery was kicked out of the end zone for a safety. Then a punt that had penned us on our own twelve yard line was called back for an illegal procedure. The following kick we blocked and we returned it for a touchdown. Then another fumble which we recovered on their eighteen yard line turned into a field goal.
These games, for as long as I can remember had been lopsided with Richmond having the upper hand. Last year we had played them close until the last quarter and then they ran away with the game. This year our defense had played them hard. Our new defensive-end had outplayed everyone. Thus Richmond had been held to two touchdowns. While their defense was solid, our offense did have one good drive which turned into another field goal.
With fifty-five seconds left in the game we led 15 to 14. Richmond had the ball at our forty-seven yard line with a third and one. A pass was completed to our fifteen yard line, well within field gold range. Another illegal procedure penalty brought the ball back making it third and six. A screen pass failed to get the first down, but it cost us our best cornerback.
When my name was called it was a surprise. I had not played a down in this game and now I had to replace the guy who had just stopped Richmond from making a first down. The coach gathered us on the sideline: "Listen, they have a forth and one, they’re not going to throw another pass. All they want now is a first down. They’ll run Steward of right tackle, so I want everyone to crowd the line of scrimmage."
Since I was crowding the line of scrimmage, five yards back, I was closer than Steward when he got the ball. I shot the gap and met him a yard into his backfield. For what ever reason I knew he was going to try and run me over. It was as though I had all the time in the world. I saw him lower his shoulders and head and knew I had to get lower. On contact I was lower. His facemask slid over my right shoulder pad an instant before my shoulder came in contact with the ball.
Instead of continuing to drive, it was as though his concentration turned to the ball (he had fumbled twice). He tried to spin to his left but I had wrapped up. Instead of spinning out of the tackle, he fell forward.
The whistle blew and everything turned to normal. When the measurement showed he was a few chain links short of the first down, the ball went over. With thirty seconds left on the clock, this game belonged to us even though they had two time-outs left.
Having won our division we went to the state playoffs and lost in the semi-final game by three points. That year’s Year Book play up our march to the semi-final game in the Class 3A Conference, but, it gave much more coverage to the one point victory over Richmond High School. It even had a picture of me and Leroy Steward laying on the ground with the caption: THREE INCHES SHORT.
That was the last down I ever played for Klinton High School.
The game had started and the grandsons quickly lost interest in my football experiences.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Lewezy's Happy Feet
Lewezy awoke totally rested. This was unusual, for she worked twelve to thirteen hours a day, six days a week, taking care of the big house and Miss Ellie. Today, though, was Sunday, her day off, and she was going to church.
Church was the social highlight of Lewezy's life, especially the past couple of months, because of the new paster. Brother Ralph's sermons had been more inspiring, and the music had been sweeter. A smile was on Lewezy's face as she bathed and dressed.
As she left the house, to go next door to Posey's, she looked to see if her feet were touching the ground. Sure enough, they were, but she was skipping. "Please be ready, Posey," she thought, "I can'n sit and wates for you today."
As usual Posey was not ready. Lewezy looked to the sky; it was a beautiful day; the sun was warm, even though it was late October; Lewezy decided to walk. "I gonna walk" she told Amos, Posey's husband, and off she went.
The dark skin of her face absorbed the warm rays of the sun. The warmth permeated through her body - Lewezy felt flush, the same as when Brother Ralph, the new preacher, bought her basket at the church picnic this past summer. Brother Ralph, being young, handsome and single, had attracted the interest of all the young ladies of the church, Lewezy included. However, she never envisioned Brother Ralph having any interest in her. When he bought her picnic basket, she had been happily embarrassed. Lewezy laughed as she remembered the expressions of envy on the other young ladies' faces.
Having traveled this road for ten years, Lewezy was surprised; she had never known it quite like this. The early morning sun, rising low in the southern sky, gave the red Georgia clay of the road an appearance that reminded Lewezy of the orange sash that Miss Ellie wore with the white evening dress. Hearing the "Bob, bob, white!" call of a quail, Lewezy looked to the meadow; she saw that it glistened with the early morning dew, which reminded her of Miss Ellie's jewelry when struck by a sunbeam. Lewezy was beginning to understand the worth of things of beauty. Being extremely poor, she had always felt things had to be practical to have worth.
Gradually Lewezy realized she was not alone. Looking to her left she saw Mister Tom's colt was moving along the fence next to her. When she caught the colt's eye, it whinnied. Raising its tail high in the air and bowing its neck, the colt ran across the meadow. "He mus' knows hows I feels," she said aloud. Though she was in her mid-twenties, Lewezy felt as young and frisky as the colt. Suddenly, clutching her Bible close to her bosom, she ran for the next thirty feet.
"Yous gonna run or yous wansa ride?" Posey asked, as she and Amos pulled along side. Though startled at first, Lewezy knew she could not stand being trapped in a car, if for only a few minutes. Able to see the church from here, she knew she had plenty of time before the service began. For the remaining distance she was consumed with the thought of Brother Ralph having Sunday dinner with her, at Posey's house. Maybe, just maybe, this was the day she would have nerve enough to ask.
As she turned into the churchyard, she realized the music had started. Brother Ralph was out front greeting the people as they entered the church. Knowing she would be the last to enter, Lewezy decided this was her chance to ask. While holding Brother Ralph's hand firmly as he greeted her, Lewezy said, "I'd preshate yous having Sunday dinner with me at Sister Posey's today."
"I'd be honored Sister" responded Brother Ralph. Lewezy noticed a glitter in his eyes. The times had been few when Lewezy had been this happy.
A different, yet unalarming, feeling consumed Lewezy as she took her seat beside Posey. The music today had more effect on her than ever before. Even when the music stopped and Brother Ralph started speaking, Lewezy noticed her feet were still moving, as though the music were still playing.
As the collection plate, a tambourine, was passed, Lewezy was quite aware of the jingle. The sound of the coins being dropped in created a rhythm. As the usher handed the tambourine to Lewezy, she was keenly sensitive to the skin pulled tightly over the wood. As she dropped in her fifteen cents, Lewezy felt the wood; it was worn smooth. Lewezy thought, "Dis ol tambourine done seen lots of da Lord's good music."
When Brother Ralph began his sermon, Lewezy became totally engulfed by it, as though he were speaking directly to her. Today, Brother Ralph's sermon was on letting the Lord enter your life. Lewezy knew something had entered her life to create this feeling, but what, she did not know.
"Wherse yous going?" Posey asked.
Lewezy heard but did not respond; she was stepping lightly down the aisle toward Brother Ralph. "Tell us, Sister Lewezy, tell us what you feel," she heard Brother Ralph say. At this point Lewezy felt a sense of knowing, yet no control. "Da Lord, da Lord," she heard herself say, "da Lord come into my soul. Praise da Lord. I got da happy feet, da Lord gi'me da happy feet."
There were a lot of "Amens" and "Praise da Lords" following Lewezy's testimony. Everyone in church that day had to hug her. Brother Ralph said she had been placed in Grace.
During Sunday dinner, Brother Ralph told how today's events was affecting him. "Never has I felt this way before. May I see yous this Saturday evening?" he asked Lewezy. Again, Lewezy felt flush as she answered yes. Life for Lewezy was never the same after that Sunday.
Sunday services at Ebenezer Baptist Church were never the same again, either. Brother Ralph's sermons inspired many members of the congregation to be overcome with "happy feet".
Church was the social highlight of Lewezy's life, especially the past couple of months, because of the new paster. Brother Ralph's sermons had been more inspiring, and the music had been sweeter. A smile was on Lewezy's face as she bathed and dressed.
As she left the house, to go next door to Posey's, she looked to see if her feet were touching the ground. Sure enough, they were, but she was skipping. "Please be ready, Posey," she thought, "I can'n sit and wates for you today."
As usual Posey was not ready. Lewezy looked to the sky; it was a beautiful day; the sun was warm, even though it was late October; Lewezy decided to walk. "I gonna walk" she told Amos, Posey's husband, and off she went.
The dark skin of her face absorbed the warm rays of the sun. The warmth permeated through her body - Lewezy felt flush, the same as when Brother Ralph, the new preacher, bought her basket at the church picnic this past summer. Brother Ralph, being young, handsome and single, had attracted the interest of all the young ladies of the church, Lewezy included. However, she never envisioned Brother Ralph having any interest in her. When he bought her picnic basket, she had been happily embarrassed. Lewezy laughed as she remembered the expressions of envy on the other young ladies' faces.
Having traveled this road for ten years, Lewezy was surprised; she had never known it quite like this. The early morning sun, rising low in the southern sky, gave the red Georgia clay of the road an appearance that reminded Lewezy of the orange sash that Miss Ellie wore with the white evening dress. Hearing the "Bob, bob, white!" call of a quail, Lewezy looked to the meadow; she saw that it glistened with the early morning dew, which reminded her of Miss Ellie's jewelry when struck by a sunbeam. Lewezy was beginning to understand the worth of things of beauty. Being extremely poor, she had always felt things had to be practical to have worth.
Gradually Lewezy realized she was not alone. Looking to her left she saw Mister Tom's colt was moving along the fence next to her. When she caught the colt's eye, it whinnied. Raising its tail high in the air and bowing its neck, the colt ran across the meadow. "He mus' knows hows I feels," she said aloud. Though she was in her mid-twenties, Lewezy felt as young and frisky as the colt. Suddenly, clutching her Bible close to her bosom, she ran for the next thirty feet.
"Yous gonna run or yous wansa ride?" Posey asked, as she and Amos pulled along side. Though startled at first, Lewezy knew she could not stand being trapped in a car, if for only a few minutes. Able to see the church from here, she knew she had plenty of time before the service began. For the remaining distance she was consumed with the thought of Brother Ralph having Sunday dinner with her, at Posey's house. Maybe, just maybe, this was the day she would have nerve enough to ask.
As she turned into the churchyard, she realized the music had started. Brother Ralph was out front greeting the people as they entered the church. Knowing she would be the last to enter, Lewezy decided this was her chance to ask. While holding Brother Ralph's hand firmly as he greeted her, Lewezy said, "I'd preshate yous having Sunday dinner with me at Sister Posey's today."
"I'd be honored Sister" responded Brother Ralph. Lewezy noticed a glitter in his eyes. The times had been few when Lewezy had been this happy.
A different, yet unalarming, feeling consumed Lewezy as she took her seat beside Posey. The music today had more effect on her than ever before. Even when the music stopped and Brother Ralph started speaking, Lewezy noticed her feet were still moving, as though the music were still playing.
As the collection plate, a tambourine, was passed, Lewezy was quite aware of the jingle. The sound of the coins being dropped in created a rhythm. As the usher handed the tambourine to Lewezy, she was keenly sensitive to the skin pulled tightly over the wood. As she dropped in her fifteen cents, Lewezy felt the wood; it was worn smooth. Lewezy thought, "Dis ol tambourine done seen lots of da Lord's good music."
When Brother Ralph began his sermon, Lewezy became totally engulfed by it, as though he were speaking directly to her. Today, Brother Ralph's sermon was on letting the Lord enter your life. Lewezy knew something had entered her life to create this feeling, but what, she did not know.
"Wherse yous going?" Posey asked.
Lewezy heard but did not respond; she was stepping lightly down the aisle toward Brother Ralph. "Tell us, Sister Lewezy, tell us what you feel," she heard Brother Ralph say. At this point Lewezy felt a sense of knowing, yet no control. "Da Lord, da Lord," she heard herself say, "da Lord come into my soul. Praise da Lord. I got da happy feet, da Lord gi'me da happy feet."
There were a lot of "Amens" and "Praise da Lords" following Lewezy's testimony. Everyone in church that day had to hug her. Brother Ralph said she had been placed in Grace.
During Sunday dinner, Brother Ralph told how today's events was affecting him. "Never has I felt this way before. May I see yous this Saturday evening?" he asked Lewezy. Again, Lewezy felt flush as she answered yes. Life for Lewezy was never the same after that Sunday.
Sunday services at Ebenezer Baptist Church were never the same again, either. Brother Ralph's sermons inspired many members of the congregation to be overcome with "happy feet".
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
The Use of Derogatory Word and/or Terms
Just for reference: I was born in the Piedmont section of North Carolina in a cotton mill town. My paternal ancestry came from South Carolina, worked in cotton mills and lived in mill housing. Today they would be considered "White Trash." My maternal ancestry came from Georgia and were farmers. Because of their attitudes toward segregation today they would be considered "Rednecks."
I find both terms, white trash and redneck, to be offensive, regardless of whom may be using them. Never, in my opinion, could either of these terms can be used with affection or adoration. Both terms derive from derogatory means used to demean another and place them in a lower class of individuals. These are terms that have no place in our culture beyond being used in a historical manner.
This is why I find it hard to understand those in the Black/African-American community who embrace the "N" word as now being part of their culture. It matters not how the word is pronounced: a hard "er" or a hard "a," the origin is the same.
Individuals such as Stephen A. Smith contend that white society has no place in telling black society what words they can and can not use. He is absolutely correct. Yet, regardless of the pronunciation and the intent, it is keeping the word alive. While we can read about the origin of the word in history, we can not listen to it being used by those from the post Civil War era. If we could, I would wager that its use in the south, by a large majority, would be pronounced with a hard "a," not a hard "er."
Personally, I find the use of the term "‘N’ word" to be offensive since everyone that hears it or reads it, automatically thinks of the word "Nigger." If we, for what ever reason, need the word to be used, why no be adult enough to use it. In the mind of those reading or hearing it, the word is there.
A word or term entering into our vocabulary does not mean either has to used. I grew up using the word "ain’t" before it was in our dictionaries. The fact that it is now found there does clean the word up for polite conversation. No one knows when there may be a live microphone open in range of the a conversation.
I find both terms, white trash and redneck, to be offensive, regardless of whom may be using them. Never, in my opinion, could either of these terms can be used with affection or adoration. Both terms derive from derogatory means used to demean another and place them in a lower class of individuals. These are terms that have no place in our culture beyond being used in a historical manner.
This is why I find it hard to understand those in the Black/African-American community who embrace the "N" word as now being part of their culture. It matters not how the word is pronounced: a hard "er" or a hard "a," the origin is the same.
Individuals such as Stephen A. Smith contend that white society has no place in telling black society what words they can and can not use. He is absolutely correct. Yet, regardless of the pronunciation and the intent, it is keeping the word alive. While we can read about the origin of the word in history, we can not listen to it being used by those from the post Civil War era. If we could, I would wager that its use in the south, by a large majority, would be pronounced with a hard "a," not a hard "er."
Personally, I find the use of the term "‘N’ word" to be offensive since everyone that hears it or reads it, automatically thinks of the word "Nigger." If we, for what ever reason, need the word to be used, why no be adult enough to use it. In the mind of those reading or hearing it, the word is there.
A word or term entering into our vocabulary does not mean either has to used. I grew up using the word "ain’t" before it was in our dictionaries. The fact that it is now found there does clean the word up for polite conversation. No one knows when there may be a live microphone open in range of the a conversation.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
The Nuclear Option
Okay, the trigger has been pulled on the Nuclear Option. While I an glad to see that President Obama will now have the opportunity to fill the vacancies on the DC Court, I have to wonder if this is a move that someday may come back and bite Democrats on the rear-end.
There was a time, 2005, sorry I can’t recall the exact date, that the Republicans were threatening the same move and the Democrats fought hard against it. The nuclear option is something that is now available to all and no one, regardless of party, can honestly complain.
While this helps any President have his judicial appointment receive an up or down vote, this is not the only filibuster reform that needs to be accomplished. What the Senate needs to do is go back to the "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" filibusters.
If I understand it correctly, and by no means am I certain this is correct, a Senator can promise a filibuster if a certain bill is brought to the floor and opened for debate. Should this occur the Leader then has to have a cloture vote before that bill is brought up. This means that any bill before the Senate would have to have super-majority support, sixty votes, before it could be debated.
This is not what democracy - majority rules - is about. This allows the minority to control the agenda. No bill should be able to be filibustered until it is brought to the floor and opened for debate. This way a Senator wishing to filibuster would be required to hold the floor until they chose to relinquish it thus ending the filibuster. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
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