We often blame those in DC for the problems or reward them for the successes. However, what I think gets lost in the shuffle is that many people who aren't in those seats seem to think they have all the answers. I find it really funny how every year the general public like to nitpick at every little thing that Congress or the President does. For the sake of brevity, I will only focus on those two because overall there isn't too much uproar in local government unless the men and women in office are clearly detrimental to the city and/or county and its people. The middle section, state politics, has a similar feeling at its root. Unless there is shady business or misjudgments by the government officials they are usually pretty safe from criticism overall. However the big difference (cause it is pretty big) is the effects of the state from the Governor and at times; their legislature. As we see this year, New Jersey and Virginia are at the forefront of state politics due to the fact that they have races for Governor taking place this November. Both races could lead to a new Governor and with that a new party in the charge of the statehouse. Its all part of the political process.
Despite, what the "general public" like to call "constant lies and failures", we see over 90% return rate in Congressional elections. To me, as someone who has studied politics and try to break down the consistent dislike of Congress as a whole; it does baffle me at times due to that high percentage. I am well aware of the power of being an incumbent. Once you get the job of Senator or Representative, as long as you play your cards right, serve those who elected you, get your name on a few things, and stay fairly clean and avoid catastrophe; you are going to be golden going into that next election. In presidential elections, it has a similar feel with not as much of a high percentage of getting reelected. A lot of what transpires in at least Congressional elections is the fact that especially House members: usually you serve areas or states that lean toward your party; whether it is Democratic or Republican. If you serve a liberal or conservative district and are part of that party, you have a very easy road to election.
That leads to my overall argument and analysis on this matter: if you seem to care so much about Congress doing their jobs correctly, why do you reelect the ones who probably shouldn't be there? If you have such a big problem with the way that the president handles the array of issues on his table, why don't you think about how much better you could do and/or whom he's replacing? And if you have such a problem with who is the president or who is in Congress, make sure you vote. You essentially lose your right to cry and yell, kick and shout, and anything your heart desires over what our elected officials are doing for you or not. As one of my high school teachers once told me "if you didn't read the book you lost the right to criticize it." Well, what I would like to tell every American (in the nicest way possible)who doesn't vote and proceeds to criticize what either President Obama does or what Congress is doing; "you lost your right to criticize when you didn't vote!"
Going further, I would like to take a look at a couple of the most recent elections and make a correlation between presidential and congressional elections and turnouts. Look at the two most recent elections: 2008 (a presidential election) and 2006 (a non-presidential/midterm election year). In 2008, there 231,229,580 who were of voting age with 132,618,580 people voting, which is 56.8%. In 2006, 220,600,000 were of voting age with 80,588,000 voting, which is 37.1%. Roughly a 20% drop in non-presidential election year. To me there is something that is wrong with that. Important issues and results were at stake in both years, but since there was not a contest for president that 20% felt it wasn't important to go vote or couldn't. Over many of the cycles of the 20th century those numbers have been fairly consistent. It was in the upper 60% region a couple times and midterm years the number has only gotten into the low 40% region. Its pretty clear that things haven't really changed over the years in certain areas and voting excitement is definitely one of them. Allow me to make a bold prediction: all these people who are outraged and angered and have had enough; a large percentage of them WILL NOT VOTE in 2010. Facts are facts and these don't lie and as much I want to say things will change; I just can't see that happening soon. 2008 had so much excitement around it and still couldn't generate more than 60% of the voting electorate. What will it take for people to realize voting IS a right that you are born with and should use it.
Of course, I am also aware of the fact that millions vote and the person they vote for doesn't get elected; well I would also like to say as nicely as possible that is going to happen from time to time. Your candidate may not win, but still vote! Get used to it! America is based on a democracy and a majority system. If 50+1 feel that one person is better or more qualified for an office then that is the way it works. By complaining for 2, 4, or 6 years; in whatever case it may be; it is not going to make things any better for you or change the result. I sometimes wonder if my opinions are a result of my education and studying of history and politics and the lack of overall knowledge that many people might have for either area. At the same time, I find myself approaching every issue worth a discussion in our world today with a rational mind. I see the far right ideology preaching one thing and the far left ideology preaching another thing. One isn't better or worse than the other; they are just bad in general for what is best for the country. There is a major problem in this country with a paranoia and often time it is used to enhance an argument. Again is it really helping people? Nope! People need to start spending more time accumulating their own opinions and accepting an open-mind. Take a look at both sides of the argument. See what the other side sees as important. If you are undecided that process of gathering your own opinion becomes even more important. When people start and think about what is being said or what they are saying; then we will all be better off moving forward.
Continuing, I realize that often there are discussions involving who has what right to what and what are people's God given rights. Well, I'll save you time on one: everyone without a negative record (usually jail time of some sort) is entitled the right to vote. It is what all non-white males have fought for through rallies, protests, and actions that have made this country the land of rights for its people. So, before you go complaining about what you don't have; treasure one of the things you do have. It shouldn't take a presidential election to drag you out to the polls and thus help put individuals in your states or congressional districts in the Capitol. It can be something as small as a school board election. There is no election too small because every election has some form of an impact. But obviously every time that there is a Presidential election or Congressional election or Governor election, GO AND VOTE! Take the time to consider who the main candidates are. See who matches your viewpoints closest. Look at them as two or three or however as many people are running as individuals, then you can at least say that you voted for the person who you thought would do best. Until more people begin to take this type of approach to politics and the arena that surrounds it; the fighting will continue and the problems that need to be solved will have to fight that reverse wave. Use "your voice" properly. Open your mind. Facts will always be more vital then lies. There may not be no "I" in team, but there is one in America and there are too many people with that mindset of me before we.
Start to think about others over yourself every time you vote or make an argument or oppose something. That is what the men and women who are voted to serve us in Washington DC or your statehouse try to do. I know at least most try to do so and you have the right to question those who don't. But just because they don't reflect your opinions, doesn't automatically mean they are doing their job wrong. Again it goes back to an open mindset and thinking of us and we before I. At the same time, use the next time they are up for election to vote for someone else under the provision that the other person running is better qualified. Often times party ideology and party politics and partisanship cloud the real important things that more people should focus on. The less we focus and embrace those aspects, the better everyone will be. Too many times slanted statements and "facts" and negativity cloud what could be in terms of people running and working to help you. Vote on the issues. Look at the issues. Stop bringing up other aspects that aren't important.
If you take nothing else from this, take this: vote and every night before you go to sleep take a moment to think about what the President or your members of Congress have to go through each day. Their primary purpose is supposed to be to uphold what has been established and find ways and measures to improve what we have. However, due to being an elected official they are constantly working through each term they are given to get another term or terms. They are worried about the certain group who controls their fate: the voting population. It shouldn't be interest groups and others who want something deciding things. Give these individuals a little more breathing room and we will see the results you want to see. Money doesn't grow on trees and results don't happen overnight. Take the time to understand what they are doing and care for the right reasons. That is what politics is supposed to be about: public service.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Sign Me and Pay Me...All Before I Play
I am a pretty big sports fan. I find myself watching something daily. Football is my favorite of all the sports. Whether it is the NFL or college, the games are usually exciting matchups and in some cases; instant classics. I follow baseball a little less and than the other sports here and there. Since, I am such a huge football fan I look at various aspects of both the pro and college levels. One aspect and the purpose of my post is the NFL Draft and rookies. Every April, in my opinion, the best draft; at least in terms of promoting it and the excitement around; occurs. For two days (and starting in 2010, three days) all 32 teams dissect their big boards and listen to advise from analysts like Mel Kiper, Jr. Each team looking to find a way to improve from the previous season. The worst teams obviously get higher picks in hopes of evening their chances a little for the next season.
I have no complains about all this in terms of the sport (maybe besides a little too much analysis at times). The thing that kind of irks me a good deal is the fact that these 20, 21, or 22 year olds are being picked up and signed based on how they may have played against a mediocre school or even a big powerhouse. They are rewarded with riches before they have proven anything to that team. While you have guys around for 5 or 10or 15 years are placed in the background. I guess I come from a bit of the old school philosophy of you have to prove yourself to get rewarded. If someone comes out of college, I really doubt they are going to make as much as someone who has been around for 10 years. In baseball, some guys get very large salaries, but they tend to be guys who have played and at least displayed their potential. The same can be said of basketball or hockey at a smaller scale. Soccer and boxing are sports where some guys are raking in the dough (probably a little too much), but at least again they have proven their abilities at the highest level. To take this further, allow me to highlight salaries and increases. Is paying unproven athletes the best thing for your franchise or a great way to bring in revenue? Maybe. Maybe not.
For starters, lets look at the top pick in this year's NFL Draft. The Detroit Lions drafted Matthew Stafford, QB out of Georgia, signed a 6 year, $72 million deal with $41.7 million guaranteed. WOW! This guy is set and he has yet to even be named the starter. Nice. He could end up being the backup for QB Daunte Culpepper, but if the Lions are smart they can't sit their multi-million dollar man. Continuing throughout the top 5 picks, they signed on average 5 year contracts worth over $50 million and fairly close to the same guaranteed money that Stafford signed for. Are the Lions, Rams, Chiefs, Seahawks, and Jets so rich they can fork out cash to one individual who hasn't done anything when you have a roster full of guys who have earned more than you might pay them. Or the free agents you could sign you deserve some of that money. Why don't teams focus on getting an array of talent then focus on one or two guys in hopes of capturing a Super Bowl? Look at the salary of the last pick in the first round: The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Ziggy Hood, DE out of Missouri, and he signed a contract lasting 5 years and worth $11.3 million and $6.1 million guaranteed. What a difference 1 and 32 make! You can see why athletes who might be first or second rounders or top or bottom half first rounders scheme and study where they might go. Going at the top guarantees you so much more. Is that fair? Stafford has proven at the NFL level as much as Hood yet is going to make a hell of a lot more.
What then becomes of the guys who have played a year, 5, 10 or more? Two of the best quarterbacks if not players in the NFL are Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. What do they make compared to these rookies? Manning signed a 7 year contract worth $99.2 million in 2004 and Brady signed a 6 year contract extension worth $60 million. These don't include the guaranteed money, but it is nothing like Stafford's. These are two men who have 4 Super Bowl rings and 4 NFL MVPs between them. Yet it took years of proving themselves to be their franchise's cornerstones to get money that these top picks seem to rake in. How about possibly the greatest wide receiver, Jerry Rice? Despite the fact that he may have been 40 years old in 2003, he was still outperforming many guys who were 10 or 15 years younger at his position. How much was he making? A mere $2.25 million. That is a fraction of a fraction of what a lot of these rookies are making. Then there is also the NFL's all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith. During the height of his career between 1993 and 1997, he had a contract worth $13.6 million in salary and bonuses. Another WOW! Granted money and value 15 years ago was viewed differently, but that contract would maybe be three or four times that today. That is simply a guess. Manning, Rice, and Smith were all first rounders. Manning the top pick. But Brady was a lowly sixth round pick. What does that say about the draft?
Each year the NFL scouts and franchises look at the array of talented college football players available. It is the first rounders, especially the top ones who make out like bandits while the lower round guys have to take what they can. They lower round guys have more to prove and have less of a chance for failure because they are more expendable.
Looking back at last year's draft we see: Eddie Royal, WR, Denver Broncos,2nd round; Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears, 2nd round; DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles, 2nd round; Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens, 2nd round; Kevin Smith, RB, Detroit Lions, 3rd round; Steve Slaton, RB, Houston Texans, 3rd round; and Tim Hightower, RB, Arizona Cardinals, 5th round had very good seasons despite not being first round talents. While individuals like Darren McFadden and Vernon Gholston, the 4th and 6th picks overall respectively, had less than stellar or even fair seasons for their contracts and hype. JaMarcus Russell was the first pick two years ago while Calvin Johnson was the second pick. Russell has struggled to say the least while Johnson has blossomed into a top receiver in the whole league. Johnson has earned his money while Russell has not. Despite Russell's failures, the Raiders and to put it lightly, their misguided leadership, is stuck with him because they have invested the money in him.
Guys drafted outside the first round have year after year proven that they are more worth the investment than a lot of these first rounders. And it goes beyond the late round or second day picks; there are also the undrafted free agents. The star at the head of that class is Kurt Warner. Not drafted, went to the Arena League, and comes to the NFL and gets a chance. What happens? Two MVPs, a Superbowl, and a Superbowl MVP. Last year he was close to another title and another possible MVP, either regular season or Superbowl. There is Jake Delhomme who wasn't drafted and he led the Panthers a few years ago to a Superbowl birth. In 1991, Brett Favre was not viewed as anything special because he played at Southern Miss and hadn't won a national title or been "displayed" as much. What has happened since? Oh yea...he has broken basically every record that is important for a QB to hold. The same type of point can be made for guys like Jerry Rice or Deacon Jones who many in the NFL ranks at the time they were drafted didn't expect much of them. Rice became the best wide receiver and owns a multitude of records and Jones was the original sack king before it was even a statistic or common.
That then brings me to another example that makes my point about how teams should not be giving these rookies ridiculous salaries. The season is close to starting and most of the rookies have signed and reported to camp. One who hasn't is San Francisco draft pick, Michael Crabtree. He is the WR out of Texas Tech, who was the top receiver the last two years as he was voted such. He felt he should have been the top receiver in the draft; however he was the second one taken and 10th player overall taken. He has spent the whole summer complaining and holding out in hopes of getting more money. He wants what the first guy got or more even though he was selected three spots higher. Every year we see the top couple guys sign relatively early after getting drafted then there is a dozen guys who hold out and that number slowly dwindles as the season approaches. A handful of guys annually miss the start of training camp because they are holding out. Last time I checked you get better through practice no matter who you are or how good you are. Not being there only hurts your future. But these young guys are all about the money and they want to get paid before they play.
Maybe all this garbage (cause that what it truly is) will start to erode itself. John Lopez of Sports Illustrated wrote the following: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/john_lopez/08/12/rookies/index.html
I unfortunately probably agree with Lopez in terms of a rookie salary cap not happening anytime soon if ever. I know it definitely must anger the guys who have proven themselves. Who have gotten injured and returned. Have won Superbowls, MVPs, and other awards. Some of these young guys forget to appreciate where the game has come from and who has helped shape it. If these guys don't want to play for the love of the game, put your winning instinct aside and move on without them. I hope Crabtree wises up soon, but if he chooses to sit out and reenter next year's draft; who knows what will happen. He will probably be a high pick again because of his talent, but teams need to evaluate what that talent is. I don't expect everyone to be a model citizen on and off the field, but if you haven't done a damn thing in the NFL then you don't have anything to negotiate from. Show up and shut up. Many of these guys are overpaid and should be thankful that they got their money. Now actually show up and prove you are worth that money or else your ass will be looking for a new team or new job before you know it. There have been plenty of Ryan Leafs and will continue to be, but it is the Tom Bradys of the 6th round that should be rewarded a little more when they show they deserve it.
Who knows maybe I'm in the minority, but sometimes I hate the fact that there are guys who go out and shut their mouths and year after year prove that they are one of the best players at their positions and not compensated for their performances. While these new guys who might have been really good in college have done nothing at the next level. The perfect example is the Heisman trophy winners. Look at everyone who has one the Heisman trophy. Less than half had suitable to good careers. Less than 10 are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Carson Palmer is probably the only one of the last ten who has had a good career. Reggie Bush has been a bust in terms of what he was supposed to be. Matt Leinart is fighting to be the backup quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals. Teams need to learn from the past to evaluate talent better to avoid these busts or mediocre early draft picks. If the gems of later rounds were drafted in the first round and given money similar then things would seem a little more balanced. All I am asking for is pay the guys who earn it. Too much attention is given to rookies and not enough to veterans. The teams that draft well usually win so having these trendy picks is only costing the franchise money. Who knows truly how this will develop in the coming years? Will the economy affect this all? Only time will truly tell...
I have no complains about all this in terms of the sport (maybe besides a little too much analysis at times). The thing that kind of irks me a good deal is the fact that these 20, 21, or 22 year olds are being picked up and signed based on how they may have played against a mediocre school or even a big powerhouse. They are rewarded with riches before they have proven anything to that team. While you have guys around for 5 or 10or 15 years are placed in the background. I guess I come from a bit of the old school philosophy of you have to prove yourself to get rewarded. If someone comes out of college, I really doubt they are going to make as much as someone who has been around for 10 years. In baseball, some guys get very large salaries, but they tend to be guys who have played and at least displayed their potential. The same can be said of basketball or hockey at a smaller scale. Soccer and boxing are sports where some guys are raking in the dough (probably a little too much), but at least again they have proven their abilities at the highest level. To take this further, allow me to highlight salaries and increases. Is paying unproven athletes the best thing for your franchise or a great way to bring in revenue? Maybe. Maybe not.
For starters, lets look at the top pick in this year's NFL Draft. The Detroit Lions drafted Matthew Stafford, QB out of Georgia, signed a 6 year, $72 million deal with $41.7 million guaranteed. WOW! This guy is set and he has yet to even be named the starter. Nice. He could end up being the backup for QB Daunte Culpepper, but if the Lions are smart they can't sit their multi-million dollar man. Continuing throughout the top 5 picks, they signed on average 5 year contracts worth over $50 million and fairly close to the same guaranteed money that Stafford signed for. Are the Lions, Rams, Chiefs, Seahawks, and Jets so rich they can fork out cash to one individual who hasn't done anything when you have a roster full of guys who have earned more than you might pay them. Or the free agents you could sign you deserve some of that money. Why don't teams focus on getting an array of talent then focus on one or two guys in hopes of capturing a Super Bowl? Look at the salary of the last pick in the first round: The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted Ziggy Hood, DE out of Missouri, and he signed a contract lasting 5 years and worth $11.3 million and $6.1 million guaranteed. What a difference 1 and 32 make! You can see why athletes who might be first or second rounders or top or bottom half first rounders scheme and study where they might go. Going at the top guarantees you so much more. Is that fair? Stafford has proven at the NFL level as much as Hood yet is going to make a hell of a lot more.
What then becomes of the guys who have played a year, 5, 10 or more? Two of the best quarterbacks if not players in the NFL are Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. What do they make compared to these rookies? Manning signed a 7 year contract worth $99.2 million in 2004 and Brady signed a 6 year contract extension worth $60 million. These don't include the guaranteed money, but it is nothing like Stafford's. These are two men who have 4 Super Bowl rings and 4 NFL MVPs between them. Yet it took years of proving themselves to be their franchise's cornerstones to get money that these top picks seem to rake in. How about possibly the greatest wide receiver, Jerry Rice? Despite the fact that he may have been 40 years old in 2003, he was still outperforming many guys who were 10 or 15 years younger at his position. How much was he making? A mere $2.25 million. That is a fraction of a fraction of what a lot of these rookies are making. Then there is also the NFL's all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith. During the height of his career between 1993 and 1997, he had a contract worth $13.6 million in salary and bonuses. Another WOW! Granted money and value 15 years ago was viewed differently, but that contract would maybe be three or four times that today. That is simply a guess. Manning, Rice, and Smith were all first rounders. Manning the top pick. But Brady was a lowly sixth round pick. What does that say about the draft?
Each year the NFL scouts and franchises look at the array of talented college football players available. It is the first rounders, especially the top ones who make out like bandits while the lower round guys have to take what they can. They lower round guys have more to prove and have less of a chance for failure because they are more expendable.
Looking back at last year's draft we see: Eddie Royal, WR, Denver Broncos,2nd round; Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears, 2nd round; DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles, 2nd round; Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens, 2nd round; Kevin Smith, RB, Detroit Lions, 3rd round; Steve Slaton, RB, Houston Texans, 3rd round; and Tim Hightower, RB, Arizona Cardinals, 5th round had very good seasons despite not being first round talents. While individuals like Darren McFadden and Vernon Gholston, the 4th and 6th picks overall respectively, had less than stellar or even fair seasons for their contracts and hype. JaMarcus Russell was the first pick two years ago while Calvin Johnson was the second pick. Russell has struggled to say the least while Johnson has blossomed into a top receiver in the whole league. Johnson has earned his money while Russell has not. Despite Russell's failures, the Raiders and to put it lightly, their misguided leadership, is stuck with him because they have invested the money in him.
Guys drafted outside the first round have year after year proven that they are more worth the investment than a lot of these first rounders. And it goes beyond the late round or second day picks; there are also the undrafted free agents. The star at the head of that class is Kurt Warner. Not drafted, went to the Arena League, and comes to the NFL and gets a chance. What happens? Two MVPs, a Superbowl, and a Superbowl MVP. Last year he was close to another title and another possible MVP, either regular season or Superbowl. There is Jake Delhomme who wasn't drafted and he led the Panthers a few years ago to a Superbowl birth. In 1991, Brett Favre was not viewed as anything special because he played at Southern Miss and hadn't won a national title or been "displayed" as much. What has happened since? Oh yea...he has broken basically every record that is important for a QB to hold. The same type of point can be made for guys like Jerry Rice or Deacon Jones who many in the NFL ranks at the time they were drafted didn't expect much of them. Rice became the best wide receiver and owns a multitude of records and Jones was the original sack king before it was even a statistic or common.
That then brings me to another example that makes my point about how teams should not be giving these rookies ridiculous salaries. The season is close to starting and most of the rookies have signed and reported to camp. One who hasn't is San Francisco draft pick, Michael Crabtree. He is the WR out of Texas Tech, who was the top receiver the last two years as he was voted such. He felt he should have been the top receiver in the draft; however he was the second one taken and 10th player overall taken. He has spent the whole summer complaining and holding out in hopes of getting more money. He wants what the first guy got or more even though he was selected three spots higher. Every year we see the top couple guys sign relatively early after getting drafted then there is a dozen guys who hold out and that number slowly dwindles as the season approaches. A handful of guys annually miss the start of training camp because they are holding out. Last time I checked you get better through practice no matter who you are or how good you are. Not being there only hurts your future. But these young guys are all about the money and they want to get paid before they play.
Maybe all this garbage (cause that what it truly is) will start to erode itself. John Lopez of Sports Illustrated wrote the following: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/john_lopez/08/12/rookies/index.html
I unfortunately probably agree with Lopez in terms of a rookie salary cap not happening anytime soon if ever. I know it definitely must anger the guys who have proven themselves. Who have gotten injured and returned. Have won Superbowls, MVPs, and other awards. Some of these young guys forget to appreciate where the game has come from and who has helped shape it. If these guys don't want to play for the love of the game, put your winning instinct aside and move on without them. I hope Crabtree wises up soon, but if he chooses to sit out and reenter next year's draft; who knows what will happen. He will probably be a high pick again because of his talent, but teams need to evaluate what that talent is. I don't expect everyone to be a model citizen on and off the field, but if you haven't done a damn thing in the NFL then you don't have anything to negotiate from. Show up and shut up. Many of these guys are overpaid and should be thankful that they got their money. Now actually show up and prove you are worth that money or else your ass will be looking for a new team or new job before you know it. There have been plenty of Ryan Leafs and will continue to be, but it is the Tom Bradys of the 6th round that should be rewarded a little more when they show they deserve it.
Who knows maybe I'm in the minority, but sometimes I hate the fact that there are guys who go out and shut their mouths and year after year prove that they are one of the best players at their positions and not compensated for their performances. While these new guys who might have been really good in college have done nothing at the next level. The perfect example is the Heisman trophy winners. Look at everyone who has one the Heisman trophy. Less than half had suitable to good careers. Less than 10 are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Carson Palmer is probably the only one of the last ten who has had a good career. Reggie Bush has been a bust in terms of what he was supposed to be. Matt Leinart is fighting to be the backup quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals. Teams need to learn from the past to evaluate talent better to avoid these busts or mediocre early draft picks. If the gems of later rounds were drafted in the first round and given money similar then things would seem a little more balanced. All I am asking for is pay the guys who earn it. Too much attention is given to rookies and not enough to veterans. The teams that draft well usually win so having these trendy picks is only costing the franchise money. Who knows truly how this will develop in the coming years? Will the economy affect this all? Only time will truly tell...
I Do Declare!
Often times, I watch TV and read articles and follow current events. As I do all that, I guess I look at everything a little differently than I would say a lot of people. As someone who has studied history and politics, I look at things before and beyond 2009. I see what has worked and what hasn't and look at things from both sides. While I do that, I find myself wondering what makes someone say something or have their opinion. Don't get me wrong, I believe that everyone is entitled to have their opinions and thoughts and feelings; but there must be some type of discretion used a little more.
Allow me to take a minute to take a deep breath. ... Okay. There are some things that I see or hear that occasionally to put it lightly...set me off. One of those things involves the use of the term "AMERICAN". Last time I checked, it doesn't matter if you are a Democrat or a Republican. Your skin tone, religious beliefs, gender, education, or anything else along those lines shouldn't make you more or less American. I am beyond fed up with the misuse and literal tossing around of a word that in my opinion everyone holds dear to them. If you call one group of protesters or individuals unamerican than you can't say another group is. That is called being a hypocrite and that type of attitude never leads to positive results. I am beyond annoyed hearing people tell members of Congress or anyone else they come across that "they want their America back". Where did it go? I am pretty sure that within the last year nothing has changed America and made it go away. There are times when important issues come up and debate rightfully arises. I don't remember anytime in the last eight years that the health care issue was addressed at all considering an overwhelming majority want some type of reform. The majority of voices that critics seem to highlight are in actuality a minority. I agree we should have debate, but all this yelling and these assertions need to stop. And please, please STOP USING THE TERM "AMERICAN" OR "UNAMERICAN"(that includes those in the conservative media and anyone else who uses the term a little too much). And to show that I'm impartial; the liberal media and those on that side of the aisle need to also watch what they say and not cross the line. When either occurs it adds to paranoia and that solves nothing.
With all that said, I will now lay down some analysis and perspective...something NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE USE. Especially all those who aren't willing to except all phases of what make this country great. I will go so far as to declare my independence and tell you just how it is...
Since some of those who give us our news like to talk about where America has come from; nothing represents it more than our declaration of independence 233 years ago. Using one of the documents that has shaped where we are today, I will "drop some knowledge" of America then and now. Using that same document, one can gather a glimpse of where were and where we could go.
Jefferson writes of truths that are self-evident. These truths being that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Well, can we truly say that all men were truly created equal and endowed the same unalienable rights that Jefferson speaks of. Can we even say that even today all these years later that all men (and women) are treated equally and given the same rights. Unfortunately, slavery was rampant in 1776 and it was not until the 20th century that major initiatives were enacted for African Americans, women, Hispanics, and gays and lesbians. Despite all that we are still working toward ensuring that all men (and women) have the same rights that can be interpreted from Jefferson's words.
Continuing, Jefferson mentions of governments instituted among men and deriving their powers from the consent of the governed and when any form of government becomes destructive; it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and institute a new government. This process is done to ensure that safety and happiness is ensured. So, to keep it simple: if you don't feel someone is governing for you correctly; you can not reelect them. Back in 1776, things were not as democratic as they are in 2009 and we the people of the United States are the ones today whom remove elected officials as opposed to political parties/machines. 2006 and 2008 were examples of exactly what Jefferson speaks of. The majority did not like many of the elected officials (in this case, it was much of the Republican Party) and voted in new faces; many of which were new, young blood. It has not even been a year since the 111th Congress and the new president have been together. Things that these officials do might not be accepted by everyone, but people need to take a step back and realize that they have either one year (in the case of Representatives and some Senators) or three or five years in the case of the other Senators and three years in the case of the president. Too many times, I feel people tend to look at the short-term picture and hastily make decisions. The people who were elected were put their because hopefully they should be able to look at things in terms of 2009, but also 2010 and years after that. If at the end of their terms, you simply choose to elect their opponent. However, for now try not to attack as harshly those elected officials(it may be deserved if you feel so, but do so with respect). And above all else, DON'T WISH THEM PHYSICAL HARM! Karma comes around. Beware. The government and America that was pictured in 1776 was for a democracy where people had their voices heard and there wouldn't be a King ruling over them until they died. It gets a little annoying hearing some of these complaints cause no one in government today is anything near ruling like a monarch. They might be making unpopular decisions, but you were the ones who elected them and should trust that they will work through problems. Have a little patience...something people tend to lack sometimes.
Jefferson brings up the history of the present King of Great Britain and a history of repeated injuries and usurpations; actions as a result of absolute tyranny. Again, open your eyes and ears a little more and analyze today vs yesterday. See things in a bigger context and those who think the government is some tyrannical monster will see the government has given us many of things that we appreciate having today. If you think the government in America is trying to run your life, try going to a country that doesn't have any freedoms. In some countries, if you go a town hall for instance and voice a disagreement (I doubt there would be a forum like that, but pretend there was); I would not be surprised if you were to be arrested or something worst. Be thankful you what you have here and what the government (that some seem to hate) are trying to get you. Read some history some time and you might see that past presidents and time periods were a lot worse than what we have today. The government many moons ago was only for those with property and to equate that to today's standards; you would probably have to a millionaire or something close to it.
Today and what was pictured in 1776 was a government for the public good. I might be on the wrong track or a bit off, but I doubt it. What the government is doing overall is for the public good. They have done some things that as of right now are a bit unfavorable or have made choices that have given them more than a fair share of dissenters. Like I have previously stated, give it time. The current hot topic is health care. It may not be something along the lines of freedom of speech, but going back to equality that Jefferson's mentions early in the Declaration; providing affordable health care would certainly fall under providing for the public good. The America of 1776 and before was one ruled without the best interest of the public citizens. For much of the our rich history, there have been times when the public good was not served. That fact can be stated for various individuals in today's societies. A lot has changed for the better, but as with most things: progress is still to be made. Government before 1776 was not for the people by the people; that is different today regardless of your political views. People, no matter there standing, were subjected to a lack of rights. That same statement cannot be made against anyone is power in America today.
So, I know where America has come from and what the building block was as the foundation to grow from was. We need to stop attacking the government that is truly by the people for the people. At the same time, being patriotic is not using or exploiting conservations about America or if someone is unamerican or not. We are all Americans. We might be African-American or Asian-American. We might be Catholic, Jewish, or Protestant. We may be straight or homosexual. We may be rich or poor or somewhere in between. We may be college educated or not. But at the end of the day we have our principles. Our integrity. Our morals. Our history. I am not looking to attack those who I feel don't do things the proper or "democratic" way. I want the spin to stop. I want the lies to stop. If you have proof that something is the way it is; then by all means state your opinion. I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD USE FACTS! Fiction is meant for books with characters. Not in the media or about our government and what they might be doing. I declare that these truth to be self evident that all people are created equal and should be able to pursue their rights and choices. Enough is enough and change is starting and those who don't like it are the ones who need to look in the mirror and check themselves because America and the government is meant to change. The changes should be for the better and once the media and government get on the same page for the American people then everything will finally be just and balanced. That is something that I believe Thomas Jefferson hoped to see in 1776. The same tricks of the past are wearing old and will dissolve soon enough and I declare a new society and frontier is upon us and it is for the better.
Allow me to take a minute to take a deep breath. ... Okay. There are some things that I see or hear that occasionally to put it lightly...set me off. One of those things involves the use of the term "AMERICAN". Last time I checked, it doesn't matter if you are a Democrat or a Republican. Your skin tone, religious beliefs, gender, education, or anything else along those lines shouldn't make you more or less American. I am beyond fed up with the misuse and literal tossing around of a word that in my opinion everyone holds dear to them. If you call one group of protesters or individuals unamerican than you can't say another group is. That is called being a hypocrite and that type of attitude never leads to positive results. I am beyond annoyed hearing people tell members of Congress or anyone else they come across that "they want their America back". Where did it go? I am pretty sure that within the last year nothing has changed America and made it go away. There are times when important issues come up and debate rightfully arises. I don't remember anytime in the last eight years that the health care issue was addressed at all considering an overwhelming majority want some type of reform. The majority of voices that critics seem to highlight are in actuality a minority. I agree we should have debate, but all this yelling and these assertions need to stop. And please, please STOP USING THE TERM "AMERICAN" OR "UNAMERICAN"(that includes those in the conservative media and anyone else who uses the term a little too much). And to show that I'm impartial; the liberal media and those on that side of the aisle need to also watch what they say and not cross the line. When either occurs it adds to paranoia and that solves nothing.
With all that said, I will now lay down some analysis and perspective...something NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE USE. Especially all those who aren't willing to except all phases of what make this country great. I will go so far as to declare my independence and tell you just how it is...
Since some of those who give us our news like to talk about where America has come from; nothing represents it more than our declaration of independence 233 years ago. Using one of the documents that has shaped where we are today, I will "drop some knowledge" of America then and now. Using that same document, one can gather a glimpse of where were and where we could go.
Jefferson writes of truths that are self-evident. These truths being that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Well, can we truly say that all men were truly created equal and endowed the same unalienable rights that Jefferson speaks of. Can we even say that even today all these years later that all men (and women) are treated equally and given the same rights. Unfortunately, slavery was rampant in 1776 and it was not until the 20th century that major initiatives were enacted for African Americans, women, Hispanics, and gays and lesbians. Despite all that we are still working toward ensuring that all men (and women) have the same rights that can be interpreted from Jefferson's words.
Continuing, Jefferson mentions of governments instituted among men and deriving their powers from the consent of the governed and when any form of government becomes destructive; it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and institute a new government. This process is done to ensure that safety and happiness is ensured. So, to keep it simple: if you don't feel someone is governing for you correctly; you can not reelect them. Back in 1776, things were not as democratic as they are in 2009 and we the people of the United States are the ones today whom remove elected officials as opposed to political parties/machines. 2006 and 2008 were examples of exactly what Jefferson speaks of. The majority did not like many of the elected officials (in this case, it was much of the Republican Party) and voted in new faces; many of which were new, young blood. It has not even been a year since the 111th Congress and the new president have been together. Things that these officials do might not be accepted by everyone, but people need to take a step back and realize that they have either one year (in the case of Representatives and some Senators) or three or five years in the case of the other Senators and three years in the case of the president. Too many times, I feel people tend to look at the short-term picture and hastily make decisions. The people who were elected were put their because hopefully they should be able to look at things in terms of 2009, but also 2010 and years after that. If at the end of their terms, you simply choose to elect their opponent. However, for now try not to attack as harshly those elected officials(it may be deserved if you feel so, but do so with respect). And above all else, DON'T WISH THEM PHYSICAL HARM! Karma comes around. Beware. The government and America that was pictured in 1776 was for a democracy where people had their voices heard and there wouldn't be a King ruling over them until they died. It gets a little annoying hearing some of these complaints cause no one in government today is anything near ruling like a monarch. They might be making unpopular decisions, but you were the ones who elected them and should trust that they will work through problems. Have a little patience...something people tend to lack sometimes.
Jefferson brings up the history of the present King of Great Britain and a history of repeated injuries and usurpations; actions as a result of absolute tyranny. Again, open your eyes and ears a little more and analyze today vs yesterday. See things in a bigger context and those who think the government is some tyrannical monster will see the government has given us many of things that we appreciate having today. If you think the government in America is trying to run your life, try going to a country that doesn't have any freedoms. In some countries, if you go a town hall for instance and voice a disagreement (I doubt there would be a forum like that, but pretend there was); I would not be surprised if you were to be arrested or something worst. Be thankful you what you have here and what the government (that some seem to hate) are trying to get you. Read some history some time and you might see that past presidents and time periods were a lot worse than what we have today. The government many moons ago was only for those with property and to equate that to today's standards; you would probably have to a millionaire or something close to it.
Today and what was pictured in 1776 was a government for the public good. I might be on the wrong track or a bit off, but I doubt it. What the government is doing overall is for the public good. They have done some things that as of right now are a bit unfavorable or have made choices that have given them more than a fair share of dissenters. Like I have previously stated, give it time. The current hot topic is health care. It may not be something along the lines of freedom of speech, but going back to equality that Jefferson's mentions early in the Declaration; providing affordable health care would certainly fall under providing for the public good. The America of 1776 and before was one ruled without the best interest of the public citizens. For much of the our rich history, there have been times when the public good was not served. That fact can be stated for various individuals in today's societies. A lot has changed for the better, but as with most things: progress is still to be made. Government before 1776 was not for the people by the people; that is different today regardless of your political views. People, no matter there standing, were subjected to a lack of rights. That same statement cannot be made against anyone is power in America today.
So, I know where America has come from and what the building block was as the foundation to grow from was. We need to stop attacking the government that is truly by the people for the people. At the same time, being patriotic is not using or exploiting conservations about America or if someone is unamerican or not. We are all Americans. We might be African-American or Asian-American. We might be Catholic, Jewish, or Protestant. We may be straight or homosexual. We may be rich or poor or somewhere in between. We may be college educated or not. But at the end of the day we have our principles. Our integrity. Our morals. Our history. I am not looking to attack those who I feel don't do things the proper or "democratic" way. I want the spin to stop. I want the lies to stop. If you have proof that something is the way it is; then by all means state your opinion. I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD USE FACTS! Fiction is meant for books with characters. Not in the media or about our government and what they might be doing. I declare that these truth to be self evident that all people are created equal and should be able to pursue their rights and choices. Enough is enough and change is starting and those who don't like it are the ones who need to look in the mirror and check themselves because America and the government is meant to change. The changes should be for the better and once the media and government get on the same page for the American people then everything will finally be just and balanced. That is something that I believe Thomas Jefferson hoped to see in 1776. The same tricks of the past are wearing old and will dissolve soon enough and I declare a new society and frontier is upon us and it is for the better.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
It was the Summer of '69...Part 4
I have taken everyone on a bit of a journey through the summer of 1969. I have looked at the Stonewall Riots as a stepping stone in the gay rights movement. I talked about man going to the moon and taking us to another level in terms of space exploration. And I went through the detailed nature of the Manson family murders. One cannot think or talk about the summer of 40 years ago without also talking about the famous Woodstock concert. Just as three previous events were historic or everlasting for one reason or another, Woodstock falls right into that same group. Nothing of its size or sorts had really ever occurred and nothing has seemed to match it since despite summer concerts and tours. There was something different about this concert. It was not only a celebration of music, but more importantly a statement by a very large amount of the youth of America. As stated in previous posts, the mood of the country had a bit of an anti-establishment feel. The hippy culture was imminently popular and Woodstock would the culmination of the later part of the 1960s and what transpired for four days in August have stood the test of time. What exactly has made this event stand that test of time? A good look may shine some light on "what was happening there" and then.
Woodstock festival (August 15-17, 1969)
The idea and concept of Woodstock would span from the combine efforts of four men: Michael Lang, John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, and Artie Kornfeld. The four got together and discussed a retreat-like recording studio in Woodstock. However, this idea would branch out and evolve into an outdoor music and arts festival. Even this bigger idea was not envisioned to be that large and possibly feature some big names that were from areas close to Woodstock. In April 1969, after some uncertainties; the group landed new superstars Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) and that would lead to others jumping on board. Woodstock began as a profit-making venture, but soon would become a free concert when the four men realized that there were going to be hundreds of thousands more people than they had envisioned. This free event was made profitable by a movie offer from Warner Bros.
The concert itself was scheduled to take place at the 300-acre Mills Industrial Park in Orange County, New York. By July 1969, the town residents were uncertain about how big this would be and by the 15th, the concert was banned on the basis that the planned portable toilets would not meet town code. The next option would be Elliot Tiber's offer of his 15 acre property in Bethel, New York. This option would fail too based on the space not being enough. Tiber would lead the men to Max Yasgur, a dairy farmer, who would agree; for a price; to rent 600 acres to the four organizers. By August 15, 1969, things were about to start; whether the four men were ready or not. More people than they planned were not only coming, but coming earlier than planned. In addition to the size of the crowd; traffic was basically at a standstill from New York City up to northeastern New York state, recent rain would cause muddy roads and fields, the facilities were not equipped to provide the proper sanitation and first aid for the number of people. By the 17th, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller called Roberts about bringing up 10,000 New York State National Guard troops. Roberts was able to dissuade him against such an act.
Despite some chaos and the number of people, the festival was running overall peacefully. Unfortunately, though, there were two recorded deaths: one from a believed heroin overdose and the other from an accident involving a tractor running over someone sleeping in the haystacks. Some of over 30 acts that performed over the multi-day festival included: Ravi Shankar, Arlo Guthrie, Santana, the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Joe Cocker, Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, and Jimi Hendrix. Despite such a star-studded lineup of performers; the Doors, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, the Byrds, Bob Dylan, and Joni Mitchell. Some who didn't appear would do another smaller event a few weeks later. The event would last from the 15th to the 18th.
As many who went and those who performed, there were no signs that this event called Woodstock would become what it has become in terms of its importance 40 years later. For that reason, outside of mostly local media, there was not too much media coverage. Many who were against the festival wanted the media to promote negativity about the event despite its peace and love and lack of violence. Woodstock truly was a counterculture event and young people being truly free, which obviously made many adults very uneasy. Residents of Bethel took every effort to prevent such an event from ever occurring again in their backyard. They would kick out the mayor and keep people from even visiting. However, 20,000 people were not discouraged in 1989 as they celebrated the 20th anniversary. Over the years, Bethel has become open to what Woodstock was and have formed a kinship with the town of Woodstock and promote the event and its historical importance. Plagues and memorials and monuments have been put up. The field and stage area have remained virtually unchanged. To commemorate the 40th anniversary, in early August they had what was the biggest congregation return to the farm land for performances and celebrations including some original acts and a lot of alumni of the event.
Woodstock truly was a once and lifetime type of event and its purpose and when it occurred have made it become what it is today 40 years later. There was peace, love, and happiness and a new generation was making their statement. What started as a small idea and big dream by four men turned into one of the biggest events of the last half century. It provided an escape from a generation that was tired of the norm and the lies "the older generation" was feeding them. It goes to show that every generation the youth make a statement. For the baby boomers, this was quite possibly their defining moment. They stood up for what they wanted and did it peacefully. They prove all the doubters wrong and in the process did something that has enlightened us for 40 years now.
The summer of 1969 was 40 years ago now, but unlike many summers since; it has given us lasting impacts from the events of that year. The summer was so eventful and impactful that it took me four posts to cover it all justly. The Stonewall Riots in June of 1969 gave us the early stages of the gay rights movement. The mission to moon and men walking on the moon in July 1969 launched our scientific and space imaginations to new levels. Then of course August 1969 gave us cultural memories on both good and bad levels. In the earlier part of the month, the country was witness to the actions of Charles Manson and his followers. However, the Woodstock festival in the middle of the month allowed the summer to end on a peaceful note. The summer represented a changing of times as well as a bit of summary and end note to the decade that was the 1960s. Not many years, let alone summers; have given us such memories that have been able to last 40 years and have kept us wondering all these years later.
Woodstock festival (August 15-17, 1969)
The idea and concept of Woodstock would span from the combine efforts of four men: Michael Lang, John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, and Artie Kornfeld. The four got together and discussed a retreat-like recording studio in Woodstock. However, this idea would branch out and evolve into an outdoor music and arts festival. Even this bigger idea was not envisioned to be that large and possibly feature some big names that were from areas close to Woodstock. In April 1969, after some uncertainties; the group landed new superstars Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR) and that would lead to others jumping on board. Woodstock began as a profit-making venture, but soon would become a free concert when the four men realized that there were going to be hundreds of thousands more people than they had envisioned. This free event was made profitable by a movie offer from Warner Bros.
The concert itself was scheduled to take place at the 300-acre Mills Industrial Park in Orange County, New York. By July 1969, the town residents were uncertain about how big this would be and by the 15th, the concert was banned on the basis that the planned portable toilets would not meet town code. The next option would be Elliot Tiber's offer of his 15 acre property in Bethel, New York. This option would fail too based on the space not being enough. Tiber would lead the men to Max Yasgur, a dairy farmer, who would agree; for a price; to rent 600 acres to the four organizers. By August 15, 1969, things were about to start; whether the four men were ready or not. More people than they planned were not only coming, but coming earlier than planned. In addition to the size of the crowd; traffic was basically at a standstill from New York City up to northeastern New York state, recent rain would cause muddy roads and fields, the facilities were not equipped to provide the proper sanitation and first aid for the number of people. By the 17th, New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller called Roberts about bringing up 10,000 New York State National Guard troops. Roberts was able to dissuade him against such an act.
Despite some chaos and the number of people, the festival was running overall peacefully. Unfortunately, though, there were two recorded deaths: one from a believed heroin overdose and the other from an accident involving a tractor running over someone sleeping in the haystacks. Some of over 30 acts that performed over the multi-day festival included: Ravi Shankar, Arlo Guthrie, Santana, the Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Joe Cocker, Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, and Jimi Hendrix. Despite such a star-studded lineup of performers; the Doors, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, the Byrds, Bob Dylan, and Joni Mitchell. Some who didn't appear would do another smaller event a few weeks later. The event would last from the 15th to the 18th.
As many who went and those who performed, there were no signs that this event called Woodstock would become what it has become in terms of its importance 40 years later. For that reason, outside of mostly local media, there was not too much media coverage. Many who were against the festival wanted the media to promote negativity about the event despite its peace and love and lack of violence. Woodstock truly was a counterculture event and young people being truly free, which obviously made many adults very uneasy. Residents of Bethel took every effort to prevent such an event from ever occurring again in their backyard. They would kick out the mayor and keep people from even visiting. However, 20,000 people were not discouraged in 1989 as they celebrated the 20th anniversary. Over the years, Bethel has become open to what Woodstock was and have formed a kinship with the town of Woodstock and promote the event and its historical importance. Plagues and memorials and monuments have been put up. The field and stage area have remained virtually unchanged. To commemorate the 40th anniversary, in early August they had what was the biggest congregation return to the farm land for performances and celebrations including some original acts and a lot of alumni of the event.
Woodstock truly was a once and lifetime type of event and its purpose and when it occurred have made it become what it is today 40 years later. There was peace, love, and happiness and a new generation was making their statement. What started as a small idea and big dream by four men turned into one of the biggest events of the last half century. It provided an escape from a generation that was tired of the norm and the lies "the older generation" was feeding them. It goes to show that every generation the youth make a statement. For the baby boomers, this was quite possibly their defining moment. They stood up for what they wanted and did it peacefully. They prove all the doubters wrong and in the process did something that has enlightened us for 40 years now.
The summer of 1969 was 40 years ago now, but unlike many summers since; it has given us lasting impacts from the events of that year. The summer was so eventful and impactful that it took me four posts to cover it all justly. The Stonewall Riots in June of 1969 gave us the early stages of the gay rights movement. The mission to moon and men walking on the moon in July 1969 launched our scientific and space imaginations to new levels. Then of course August 1969 gave us cultural memories on both good and bad levels. In the earlier part of the month, the country was witness to the actions of Charles Manson and his followers. However, the Woodstock festival in the middle of the month allowed the summer to end on a peaceful note. The summer represented a changing of times as well as a bit of summary and end note to the decade that was the 1960s. Not many years, let alone summers; have given us such memories that have been able to last 40 years and have kept us wondering all these years later.
Monday, August 17, 2009
It was the Summer of '69...Part 3
Thus far I have examined the Stonewall Riots and man going to moon during the summer of 1969. In early August, the country would get a great shock during a relatively celebratory summer. During the later part of the 1960s, the hippy movement and love, peace, and happiness was the counterculture's response to the ongoing war and apathy towards politics. However, underneath all that, there were others who represented the complete opposite; mostly behind the scenes. One such man was the infamous criminal, Charles Manson. Forty years after he orchestrated multiple murders and was sentenced to life in prison, people are still at a loss for words and reasoning for the madness behind the man. What is the greatness inquiry all these years? I would probably say, as would most, is how did he get other individuals to not only follow and believe him, but more importantly; kill for him. It was a summer that many saw as "the summer of love", but Charles Manson gave it an evil twist.
Mansion Family Murders (August 9-10, 1969)
Worth reading: http://www.lamag.com/featuredarticle.aspx?id=16882&page=1
It goes without saying that the man we know as Charles Manson is quite possibly one the most unstable men of the 20th century. However, unbeknownst to people in 1969, Manson was far from a first time criminal and threat to others. He had much of the previous two decade and roughly half of his life behind bars and shown that he was not truly reformed when he was paroled. As the 1960s progressed, Manson began to lure in young followers. The bulk of which were women and he utilized the hippie movement and their weaknesses to gain their trust. It would be about a year before the murders that Manson and his Family members would begin to plot and set up their plans from developments. These developments would spurt from Manson and his women and their relationship with Beach Boys member Brian Wilson and would stay with him until he was forced to move. In August 1968, Manson and the Family members relocated to a base at Spahn's Movie Ranch, an abandoned area and former movie lot. It would be at the ranch that Manson would come up with Helter Skelter as a mindset that there would be a rebellion by the suppressed and the White Album by the Beatles was sending them messages of how to prevent it.
In June 1969, Manson was getting impatient for Helter Skelter to occur and in early July Manson would shoot a black drug dealer named Bernard Crowe, a man who threatened him and the family. Later on in July, Manson and the Family targeted Gary Hinman, an acquaintance of Manson. Manson along with Family members Bobby Beausoleil, Mary Brunner, and Susan Atkins invaded Hinman's home and held him hostage before Manson slashed his ear off with a sword and Beausoleil stabbed him to death. They would leave their first message for their two killings. With Hinman's blood they wrote "political piggy" across the wall and drew a panther paw for Crowe's possible connection to the Black Panthers. A mere couple days before Manson and the family would embark on their most remembered murders, Beausoleil was arrested after being caught driving Hinman's car and the murder weapon was found in the car. On the 8th of August, Manson conveyed his plans to unleash Helter Skelter and with Family members Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, and Patricia Krenwinkel would return to the home of where a man named Melcher used to live; the current residence of Sharon Tate. This was a home he had visited just a few weeks earlier. They then set out for the house and began to orchestrate their plan shortly after midnight. It was now August 9th.
As they approached the front gate, the women hid in the bushes when Family member, Tex Watson noticed headlights. Watson approached the car and shot the driver, an eighteen year old named Steven Parent. The group of four approached the home and Watson directed Kasabian to watch out near the front gate. Noticeably missing is Manson himself. Tate's husband was Roman Polanski, a well-known director and producer who happened to not be home or in the country at the time. His friend, Wojciech Frykowski, woke up to voices and was soon kicked in the head by Watson, who told Frykowski that he was the devil and doing the devil's business. Following this, Atkins and Krenwinkel wrangled up the rest of the house's inhabitants. These were: Sharon Tate, who was a model/actress and was over eight months pregnant; Jay Sebring, a friend and former lover who was a known hairstylist; and Abigail Folger, Frykowski's lover and the heiress to the Folger coffee fortune.
Watson was tying together Tate and Sebring when Sebring spoke out against the treatment of a pregnant Tate, which prompted Watson to shoot him. Folger was out of the room while Watson proceeded to stab Sebring seven times. Frykowski, then, whose was tied up; freed himself and got into a struggle with Atkins. Atkins stabbed him in the legs and he crawled to the front door and outside, but Watson stopped him by striking him multiple times over the head with a gun, stabbing him multiple times, and shooting him twice. All this prompted Kasabian to be taken away from her guard post by the sounds she heard from the home and to hopefully halt the massacre, she lied that she saw something or someone. During this inside the house, Folger had escaped from Krenwinkel and fled outside to the front before she was tackled and stabbed. Watson and Krenwinkel then proceeded to stab Folger 28 times. Somehow Frykowski was still alive after all that Watson had done to him, however Watson would stab him one more time ending his life. Watson had stabbed him a total of 51 times overall. Back inside, Watson and Atkins would kill Tate by stabbing her 16 times. Before they killed her, Tate pleaded with them for the life of her unborn child. Before leaving, the Family members left a sign as Manson had directed to. Atkins wrote "pig" on the front door with Tate's blood.
The next night, six Family members: the four from the first night as well as Leslie Van Houten and Steve Grogran carried out more of Manson's instructions. This night, Manson followed his Family members in case he needed to show them how to do what needed to be done. The target for the second night was the LaBianca residence; the home of supermarket executive Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. The house, like the Tate residence, was familiar to Manson. Manson would scope out the outside before returning to the group and took Watson with him. The two entered the house and awoke Leno and bounded his hands together before taking him and his wife in the living room. Watson, then, covered the couple's heads with pillowcases and bounded them with lamp cords. After all this, Manson left the home and ordered Krenwinkel and Van Houten to kill the couple. Watson had told Manson when returning from the previous night's murders that the weapons were not adequate. He then told the two women to take Mrs. LaBianca into the bedroom and he proceeded to stab Mr. LaBianca in the throat with a bayonet. He paused in the middle of his attack on Mr. LaBianca to go to bedroom due to the noise he heard. Mrs. LaBianca was trying to keep the two Family members away from her, but Watson subdued her with several stabs with the bayonet before returning to her wounded husband. Watson would stab Leno LaBianca 12 times.
Once he was finished, he left a message, "WAR", on Leno's stomach. Watson would return to the bedroom to see Krenwinkel stabbing Rosemary with a knife and told Van Houten to also stab Rosemary because Manson wanted everyone to be involved. Van Houten did join in and stabbed Rosemary 16 times out of the 41 total stab wounds; many of which reports showed were inflicted post-mortem. Continuing with their posting of messages, Krenwinkel wrote in blood of the victims "Rise" and "Death to pigs" on the wall as well as "Healter Skelter" (misspelled) on the refrigerator. She followed this with 14 puncture wounds to Leno LaBianca and stabbed and left a fork in his stomach and a steak knife in his throat. All of this was not enough for Manson, who wanted to commit a double crime on the second night. However, after leaving his Family members at a nearby home to hitchhike back to Spahn Ranch; they decided to "accidentally" knock on the wrong door and abandon the murder plan.
The Tate murders were discovered by the Polanskis' housekeeper, Winifred Chapman, when she arrived for work on the 9th and thus the investigation into the murders would begin. The second crime scene was discovered late on the day of the 10th by Rosemary's son, Frank Struthers; close to 24 hours after the murders. On August 12, 1969, the LAPD ruled out any connection between the two crimes. Four days later, the sheriff's office raided Spahn Ranch and arrested Manson along with 25 others as suspects in a major auto theft ring; however they were released a few days later due to a misdated warrant. As the weeks went on, there were no leads, but some detectives for the LaBianca case noted a possible connection between the writings at the house to the Beatles' most recent album. By October, the separate working teams began to try to connect similar cases and used an arrest of some of the Family members as a possible lead. This would lead to Death Valley, where they found multiple stolen cars and returned to the ranch to arrest Manson. It would be during Susan Atkins time in a detention center following that arrest that lead to a possible lead. While there she would tell bunkmates accounts of the events. By December 1969, LAPD had warrants for the arrests of Watson, Krenwinkel, and Kasabian with connection to the Tate case. At this time, the connection between the two homicides had yet to be determined nor was Family member, Leslie Van Houten arrested. Watson and Krenwinkel, like Manson and Atkins, had already been brought into custody at one place or another. The three members had made it to three different states. During all this, investigators were able to recover multiple clues like weapons and bloody clothes.
On June 15, 1970, the trial would begin. Manson, Atkins, and Krenwinkel were all being charged with seven counts of murder and one of conspiracy. Kasabian, however, was being offered immunity due to the fact that she did not participate in the killings for testimony on the crimes. Van Houten was only involved with the second night's killings and was charged with two counts of murder and one of conspiracy. In another act of deviance from establishment, Manson would carve an "X" in his forehead; later changed to a swastika. The three female defendants would duplicate the move as would other Family members. While being questioned, Manson revealed the whole Helter Skelter movement by blacks against the establishment and looked to spark their upheaval by committing these murders. As the trial went on and seemed to be near an end, the three women defendants wanted to take all the blame for the killings to safe Manson. On January 25, 1971, guilty verdicts were given to the four defendants on each of the 27 separate counts against them. After repeated attempts to change the verdicts, the judge in the case, Judge Older, sentenced the four to death penalties based on the jury's verdict on April 19, 1971. In August of 1971, Tex Watson was arrested in Texas and brought on trial, where he would be given the same sentence as the other four by October. In February 1972, a Supreme Court case would revoke the death penalty in California and thus revert the five individuals to life sentences instead.
It has now been approximately 40 years since Manson and his followers committed these horrific murders. We have seen the taped court hearings in 1971 as well as multiple interviews with the five including Manson, all still serving their life sentences. We have seen other Family members in the news since including "Squeaky" Fromme, who attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford in 1975. Of all the Family members who have been arrested only one was ever paroled up until this year when Fromme was also paroled. Susan Atkins is terminally ill with brain cancer and has pleaded for parole so she could die at home. She is up for parole in a couple weeks. Van Houten is also up for parole this year while Krenwinkel has been denied parole 11 times. Watson will not have a parole hearing for another two years. All four have admitted their errors and misjudgments, but none of their rhetoric will bring back the lives they heinously took in 1969. The ringleader, Manson, has had multiple parole hearings and each time he displays his unstable nature and no sign of being worthy of parole. He is eligible again for parole in 2012 when he will be a couple years shy of 80. I don't see any of them being released anytime soon if ever. Charles Manson has truly become a strange iconic figure in the culture of the 20th century and beyond. The Tate-LaBianca murders took the country by surprise and the whole aura around them has been what has kept us intrigued all these years later.
It was the summer that saw change, innovation, and murder...before August was over it would see one more lasting event.
Mansion Family Murders (August 9-10, 1969)
Worth reading: http://www.lamag.com/featuredarticle.aspx?id=16882&page=1
It goes without saying that the man we know as Charles Manson is quite possibly one the most unstable men of the 20th century. However, unbeknownst to people in 1969, Manson was far from a first time criminal and threat to others. He had much of the previous two decade and roughly half of his life behind bars and shown that he was not truly reformed when he was paroled. As the 1960s progressed, Manson began to lure in young followers. The bulk of which were women and he utilized the hippie movement and their weaknesses to gain their trust. It would be about a year before the murders that Manson and his Family members would begin to plot and set up their plans from developments. These developments would spurt from Manson and his women and their relationship with Beach Boys member Brian Wilson and would stay with him until he was forced to move. In August 1968, Manson and the Family members relocated to a base at Spahn's Movie Ranch, an abandoned area and former movie lot. It would be at the ranch that Manson would come up with Helter Skelter as a mindset that there would be a rebellion by the suppressed and the White Album by the Beatles was sending them messages of how to prevent it.
In June 1969, Manson was getting impatient for Helter Skelter to occur and in early July Manson would shoot a black drug dealer named Bernard Crowe, a man who threatened him and the family. Later on in July, Manson and the Family targeted Gary Hinman, an acquaintance of Manson. Manson along with Family members Bobby Beausoleil, Mary Brunner, and Susan Atkins invaded Hinman's home and held him hostage before Manson slashed his ear off with a sword and Beausoleil stabbed him to death. They would leave their first message for their two killings. With Hinman's blood they wrote "political piggy" across the wall and drew a panther paw for Crowe's possible connection to the Black Panthers. A mere couple days before Manson and the family would embark on their most remembered murders, Beausoleil was arrested after being caught driving Hinman's car and the murder weapon was found in the car. On the 8th of August, Manson conveyed his plans to unleash Helter Skelter and with Family members Susan Atkins, Linda Kasabian, and Patricia Krenwinkel would return to the home of where a man named Melcher used to live; the current residence of Sharon Tate. This was a home he had visited just a few weeks earlier. They then set out for the house and began to orchestrate their plan shortly after midnight. It was now August 9th.
As they approached the front gate, the women hid in the bushes when Family member, Tex Watson noticed headlights. Watson approached the car and shot the driver, an eighteen year old named Steven Parent. The group of four approached the home and Watson directed Kasabian to watch out near the front gate. Noticeably missing is Manson himself. Tate's husband was Roman Polanski, a well-known director and producer who happened to not be home or in the country at the time. His friend, Wojciech Frykowski, woke up to voices and was soon kicked in the head by Watson, who told Frykowski that he was the devil and doing the devil's business. Following this, Atkins and Krenwinkel wrangled up the rest of the house's inhabitants. These were: Sharon Tate, who was a model/actress and was over eight months pregnant; Jay Sebring, a friend and former lover who was a known hairstylist; and Abigail Folger, Frykowski's lover and the heiress to the Folger coffee fortune.
Watson was tying together Tate and Sebring when Sebring spoke out against the treatment of a pregnant Tate, which prompted Watson to shoot him. Folger was out of the room while Watson proceeded to stab Sebring seven times. Frykowski, then, whose was tied up; freed himself and got into a struggle with Atkins. Atkins stabbed him in the legs and he crawled to the front door and outside, but Watson stopped him by striking him multiple times over the head with a gun, stabbing him multiple times, and shooting him twice. All this prompted Kasabian to be taken away from her guard post by the sounds she heard from the home and to hopefully halt the massacre, she lied that she saw something or someone. During this inside the house, Folger had escaped from Krenwinkel and fled outside to the front before she was tackled and stabbed. Watson and Krenwinkel then proceeded to stab Folger 28 times. Somehow Frykowski was still alive after all that Watson had done to him, however Watson would stab him one more time ending his life. Watson had stabbed him a total of 51 times overall. Back inside, Watson and Atkins would kill Tate by stabbing her 16 times. Before they killed her, Tate pleaded with them for the life of her unborn child. Before leaving, the Family members left a sign as Manson had directed to. Atkins wrote "pig" on the front door with Tate's blood.
The next night, six Family members: the four from the first night as well as Leslie Van Houten and Steve Grogran carried out more of Manson's instructions. This night, Manson followed his Family members in case he needed to show them how to do what needed to be done. The target for the second night was the LaBianca residence; the home of supermarket executive Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary. The house, like the Tate residence, was familiar to Manson. Manson would scope out the outside before returning to the group and took Watson with him. The two entered the house and awoke Leno and bounded his hands together before taking him and his wife in the living room. Watson, then, covered the couple's heads with pillowcases and bounded them with lamp cords. After all this, Manson left the home and ordered Krenwinkel and Van Houten to kill the couple. Watson had told Manson when returning from the previous night's murders that the weapons were not adequate. He then told the two women to take Mrs. LaBianca into the bedroom and he proceeded to stab Mr. LaBianca in the throat with a bayonet. He paused in the middle of his attack on Mr. LaBianca to go to bedroom due to the noise he heard. Mrs. LaBianca was trying to keep the two Family members away from her, but Watson subdued her with several stabs with the bayonet before returning to her wounded husband. Watson would stab Leno LaBianca 12 times.
Once he was finished, he left a message, "WAR", on Leno's stomach. Watson would return to the bedroom to see Krenwinkel stabbing Rosemary with a knife and told Van Houten to also stab Rosemary because Manson wanted everyone to be involved. Van Houten did join in and stabbed Rosemary 16 times out of the 41 total stab wounds; many of which reports showed were inflicted post-mortem. Continuing with their posting of messages, Krenwinkel wrote in blood of the victims "Rise" and "Death to pigs" on the wall as well as "Healter Skelter" (misspelled) on the refrigerator. She followed this with 14 puncture wounds to Leno LaBianca and stabbed and left a fork in his stomach and a steak knife in his throat. All of this was not enough for Manson, who wanted to commit a double crime on the second night. However, after leaving his Family members at a nearby home to hitchhike back to Spahn Ranch; they decided to "accidentally" knock on the wrong door and abandon the murder plan.
The Tate murders were discovered by the Polanskis' housekeeper, Winifred Chapman, when she arrived for work on the 9th and thus the investigation into the murders would begin. The second crime scene was discovered late on the day of the 10th by Rosemary's son, Frank Struthers; close to 24 hours after the murders. On August 12, 1969, the LAPD ruled out any connection between the two crimes. Four days later, the sheriff's office raided Spahn Ranch and arrested Manson along with 25 others as suspects in a major auto theft ring; however they were released a few days later due to a misdated warrant. As the weeks went on, there were no leads, but some detectives for the LaBianca case noted a possible connection between the writings at the house to the Beatles' most recent album. By October, the separate working teams began to try to connect similar cases and used an arrest of some of the Family members as a possible lead. This would lead to Death Valley, where they found multiple stolen cars and returned to the ranch to arrest Manson. It would be during Susan Atkins time in a detention center following that arrest that lead to a possible lead. While there she would tell bunkmates accounts of the events. By December 1969, LAPD had warrants for the arrests of Watson, Krenwinkel, and Kasabian with connection to the Tate case. At this time, the connection between the two homicides had yet to be determined nor was Family member, Leslie Van Houten arrested. Watson and Krenwinkel, like Manson and Atkins, had already been brought into custody at one place or another. The three members had made it to three different states. During all this, investigators were able to recover multiple clues like weapons and bloody clothes.
On June 15, 1970, the trial would begin. Manson, Atkins, and Krenwinkel were all being charged with seven counts of murder and one of conspiracy. Kasabian, however, was being offered immunity due to the fact that she did not participate in the killings for testimony on the crimes. Van Houten was only involved with the second night's killings and was charged with two counts of murder and one of conspiracy. In another act of deviance from establishment, Manson would carve an "X" in his forehead; later changed to a swastika. The three female defendants would duplicate the move as would other Family members. While being questioned, Manson revealed the whole Helter Skelter movement by blacks against the establishment and looked to spark their upheaval by committing these murders. As the trial went on and seemed to be near an end, the three women defendants wanted to take all the blame for the killings to safe Manson. On January 25, 1971, guilty verdicts were given to the four defendants on each of the 27 separate counts against them. After repeated attempts to change the verdicts, the judge in the case, Judge Older, sentenced the four to death penalties based on the jury's verdict on April 19, 1971. In August of 1971, Tex Watson was arrested in Texas and brought on trial, where he would be given the same sentence as the other four by October. In February 1972, a Supreme Court case would revoke the death penalty in California and thus revert the five individuals to life sentences instead.
It has now been approximately 40 years since Manson and his followers committed these horrific murders. We have seen the taped court hearings in 1971 as well as multiple interviews with the five including Manson, all still serving their life sentences. We have seen other Family members in the news since including "Squeaky" Fromme, who attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford in 1975. Of all the Family members who have been arrested only one was ever paroled up until this year when Fromme was also paroled. Susan Atkins is terminally ill with brain cancer and has pleaded for parole so she could die at home. She is up for parole in a couple weeks. Van Houten is also up for parole this year while Krenwinkel has been denied parole 11 times. Watson will not have a parole hearing for another two years. All four have admitted their errors and misjudgments, but none of their rhetoric will bring back the lives they heinously took in 1969. The ringleader, Manson, has had multiple parole hearings and each time he displays his unstable nature and no sign of being worthy of parole. He is eligible again for parole in 2012 when he will be a couple years shy of 80. I don't see any of them being released anytime soon if ever. Charles Manson has truly become a strange iconic figure in the culture of the 20th century and beyond. The Tate-LaBianca murders took the country by surprise and the whole aura around them has been what has kept us intrigued all these years later.
It was the summer that saw change, innovation, and murder...before August was over it would see one more lasting event.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
It was the Summer of '69...Part 2
As I began in Part 1 of this posting, the summer of 1969 was more than a little eventful. If only one of the events of the summer had occurred that year, it would have probably went down in the history books as very important. However, all four events of that summer did occur and each has left a last impact for one reason or another. I dissected and reexamined the Stonewall Riots in New York City that occurred on June 28, 1969. The impact of that can easily still be felt today. To continue my look at the summer of 1969, I turn to another major event just about three weeks later. Never had it been done. It was discussed and challenged for over close to ten years. When John F. Kennedy became president in 1961, he challenged us as a country to dare to believe and that involved daring to go to the moon. By the end of the decade, his dream and vision came true on July 20, 1969 when man finally went to the moon.
Man Lands on the Moon (July 20, 1969)
Leading up to July 16, 1969, the United States was among the leaders in science technology. Beginning in the late 1950s, though, the U.S. was not only dealing with the Soviet Union because of the Cold War, but also who would be the leader in space developments. After much work and previous space missions, the U.S. space program was prepared to finally attempt to send man to the moon. Apollo 11 would be the mission and it would man Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins as the individuals to make history. Over the next couple days, Apollo 11 would approach the moon and enter its orbit. After orbiting the moon, the crew had targeted a site to attempt to land as safely and smoothly as possible. On the 20th, the lunar module made its approach and Armstrong would utter the words "Engine arm is off. Houston, Transquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." And with that America had finally accomplished one of its greatest goals and made the summer that much more rememberable. Ironically, not mentioned too much in all this was the fact that the Soviet Union looked to upstage America during its crowning achievement. Luna 15 was the Soviets attempt to have the first mission return lunar soil to Earth, but they didn't surface until the 21st. However, the Soviets ability to take the backseat was a shifting in the Soviet-American approach and displayed cooperation was possible between both sides.
As the end of the 20th approached, Armstrong took the intitial steps with his left foot and uttered his "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" as he became the first man to touch the moon. Buzz Aldrin then shortly joined him as the second man. As the astronauts were preparing to make their return to Earth, Buzz Aldrin uttered a statement that truly allows this event to be more than just one singular event, but something to build off of.
Aldrin told America:
The crew would return on the 24th and send us back to work on what we could do next and where we could go.
That then leads us to today. In 1969, it seemed that we were lightyears (no pun intended) away from such a feat. We began space developments and scientific studies dealing with space with so much potential if wanted. Well, since then we have continued to push the limits...finding new discoveries that in 1969 would have been thought almost impossible. That coming after man went to the moon. Since that event, there have been many conspiracy theories if it truly happened. I cannot truly 100% deny these claims, but when it comes to space...we must believe in the impossible. During the 1960s, it seemed impossible. There are things now that might seem impossible, but are they? That is the type of mindset that we must ultimately take away from this historic event. When their are challenges, there are ways to overcome them. When there are dreams, there must be a want to achieve them. It has been 40 years, but the impact of man on the moon can still be felt. It truly allowed the U.S. to be willing to step up and go where no man had gone. That means, that we must continue to investigate space and determine where else man can go. But ulimately, what else might be out there for us to be the trailblazers like in 1969.
Forty years ago, the nation and the world stood still and was in awe. It inspired a generation to think about what could be. Often times, there are events or individuals that inspire young people to do things or go places they before had not considered. This event; similarly to way that President Obama got some individuals to care about politics more than they previously did; allowed for a generation of young scientists and explorers. We must have a similar calling today because much of what makes the world run come from science. That passion and involvement can lead to scientific innovations, space-related or not.
An article I found (click on bold title) lead me to delve deeper into the impact of science today. What stands in our way? These three things:
1)a lack of sustained funding for scientific research and technological innovation
2)a failure to spark the interest of young people in science, mathematics, and engineering
3)a failure to engage the public imagination in the glories and value of science.
I end with this:
The challenge is there again, who will answer the call?
Man Lands on the Moon (July 20, 1969)
Leading up to July 16, 1969, the United States was among the leaders in science technology. Beginning in the late 1950s, though, the U.S. was not only dealing with the Soviet Union because of the Cold War, but also who would be the leader in space developments. After much work and previous space missions, the U.S. space program was prepared to finally attempt to send man to the moon. Apollo 11 would be the mission and it would man Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins as the individuals to make history. Over the next couple days, Apollo 11 would approach the moon and enter its orbit. After orbiting the moon, the crew had targeted a site to attempt to land as safely and smoothly as possible. On the 20th, the lunar module made its approach and Armstrong would utter the words "Engine arm is off. Houston, Transquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." And with that America had finally accomplished one of its greatest goals and made the summer that much more rememberable. Ironically, not mentioned too much in all this was the fact that the Soviet Union looked to upstage America during its crowning achievement. Luna 15 was the Soviets attempt to have the first mission return lunar soil to Earth, but they didn't surface until the 21st. However, the Soviets ability to take the backseat was a shifting in the Soviet-American approach and displayed cooperation was possible between both sides.
As the end of the 20th approached, Armstrong took the intitial steps with his left foot and uttered his "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" as he became the first man to touch the moon. Buzz Aldrin then shortly joined him as the second man. As the astronauts were preparing to make their return to Earth, Buzz Aldrin uttered a statement that truly allows this event to be more than just one singular event, but something to build off of.
Aldrin told America:
"This has been far more than three men on a mission to the Moon; more, still, than the efforts of a government and industry team; more, even, than the efforts of one nation. We feel that this stands as a symbol of the insatiable curiosity of all mankind to explore the unknown ... Personally, in reflecting on the events of the past several days, a verse from Psalms comes to mind. 'When I consider the heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the Moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man that Thou art mindful of him?'"
The crew would return on the 24th and send us back to work on what we could do next and where we could go.
That then leads us to today. In 1969, it seemed that we were lightyears (no pun intended) away from such a feat. We began space developments and scientific studies dealing with space with so much potential if wanted. Well, since then we have continued to push the limits...finding new discoveries that in 1969 would have been thought almost impossible. That coming after man went to the moon. Since that event, there have been many conspiracy theories if it truly happened. I cannot truly 100% deny these claims, but when it comes to space...we must believe in the impossible. During the 1960s, it seemed impossible. There are things now that might seem impossible, but are they? That is the type of mindset that we must ultimately take away from this historic event. When their are challenges, there are ways to overcome them. When there are dreams, there must be a want to achieve them. It has been 40 years, but the impact of man on the moon can still be felt. It truly allowed the U.S. to be willing to step up and go where no man had gone. That means, that we must continue to investigate space and determine where else man can go. But ulimately, what else might be out there for us to be the trailblazers like in 1969.
Forty years ago, the nation and the world stood still and was in awe. It inspired a generation to think about what could be. Often times, there are events or individuals that inspire young people to do things or go places they before had not considered. This event; similarly to way that President Obama got some individuals to care about politics more than they previously did; allowed for a generation of young scientists and explorers. We must have a similar calling today because much of what makes the world run come from science. That passion and involvement can lead to scientific innovations, space-related or not.
An article I found (click on bold title) lead me to delve deeper into the impact of science today. What stands in our way? These three things:
1)a lack of sustained funding for scientific research and technological innovation
2)a failure to spark the interest of young people in science, mathematics, and engineering
3)a failure to engage the public imagination in the glories and value of science.
I end with this:
If the current generation can be inspired and enabled to take up the innovation challenge, just as we were inspired 40 years ago, there are no boundaries to what can be achieved.
The challenge is there again, who will answer the call?
Friday, August 14, 2009
It was the Summer of '69...Part 1
It was a year that gave us many memories...especially for those who experienced. In January, the New York Jets led by their confident quarterback, Joe Namath, upset the favored Baltimore Colts in Superbowl III. Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the 37th U.S. President and the man he served under as Vice President during the 1950s, Dwight Eisenhower, passed away. Falling the Jets lead, the New York Mets had their own "New York miracle" defeating another favored Baltimore team, the Orioles, 4 games to 1. However it would be the events of the summer that would define a generation.
Those who grew up during the 1960s experienced quite a bit. They saw the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and the two assassinations in 1968of civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. and presidential candidate and brother of JFK, Robert F. Kennedy. And of course the Vietnam War was waging throughout the decade. And the decade would certainly go out with a bang with the events of June,July, and August 1969. On June 28, the Stonewall Riots in New York would launch the gay rights movement in the U.S. Shortly thereafter on July 16 Apollo 11 carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins took off for the moon and arrived there four days later making history. Roughly 3 weeks later on August 9th and 10th, cult leader Charles Mansion and members of "his family" carried out two nights of heinous, unmerciful killings in southern California. And less than a week later, the cultural event of the summer, Woodstock, took place over four days from August 15th to the 18th in upstate New York. These events defined a time of love, peace, anger, and unpredictability. The years have passed, but why have the events of one summer lasted so long? What are their significance to us all these years later? I embark to answer those questions.
Before starting...just for kicks a little music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f06QZCVUHg
The Stonewall Riots (June 28, 1969)
The 1960s created a sense of unease as several individuals were voicing their opinions more than ever before. 1969 would be no different as the beginning of the modern day gay rights movement as we see it today was launched. The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous and violent demonstrations against a police raid that had occurred in the morning hours of June 28th at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in New York City. During the same time that African Americans and other minorities were facing difficulties, the gay and lesbian community was no different to the mistreatments. They faced a legal system that was very anti-homosexual. It was the successes and impacts of the other discriminated groups' movements combined with the neighborhood environment of Greenwich Village that allowed for the right elements to combine to cause the riots. Similarly to those other discriminated groups, very few establishments welcomed openly gay individuals and bars was the usual exception. The Stonewall Inn was one of those places that was open to the gay community and its patrons were a collection of drag queens, transgenders, and gay youth. As was common in the 1960s, police would raid gay bars, but this time officers lost control and the gay community had been pushed once too much. The riots would lead to gay and lesbian organizations forming activist groups, where they would focus on establishing a place where they all could go without the threat of law enforcement officials arresting them.
What came out of the riots and days after June 28, 1969 would be an establishment of organizations for gay rights being founded as well as annual marches and parades within a couple years. Until the Stonewall riots the gay community hadn't had a real voice, but with there "push-back" against police they launched a movement that hasn't looked back and progress continues to be made. Those who were there and those who have been aspired by those individuals there have continued their fight for equal rights, especially when it comes to legalizing same-sex marriage. Unfortunately, despite the progress that came out of the events of that day and days after; we still see the gay community not being fully recognized as human beings. The Stonewall riots truly symbolize a tipping point in the story of the gay community wanting to be just like anyone else and we have seen other incidents since and will continue to see upheaval until we finally act and view everyone as equals.
Less than a month after the Stonewall riots we would witness another event that would shape the summer of 1969...man would go to the moon. TO BE CONTINUED...
Those who grew up during the 1960s experienced quite a bit. They saw the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963 and the two assassinations in 1968of civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. and presidential candidate and brother of JFK, Robert F. Kennedy. And of course the Vietnam War was waging throughout the decade. And the decade would certainly go out with a bang with the events of June,July, and August 1969. On June 28, the Stonewall Riots in New York would launch the gay rights movement in the U.S. Shortly thereafter on July 16 Apollo 11 carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins took off for the moon and arrived there four days later making history. Roughly 3 weeks later on August 9th and 10th, cult leader Charles Mansion and members of "his family" carried out two nights of heinous, unmerciful killings in southern California. And less than a week later, the cultural event of the summer, Woodstock, took place over four days from August 15th to the 18th in upstate New York. These events defined a time of love, peace, anger, and unpredictability. The years have passed, but why have the events of one summer lasted so long? What are their significance to us all these years later? I embark to answer those questions.
Before starting...just for kicks a little music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f06QZCVUHg
The Stonewall Riots (June 28, 1969)
The 1960s created a sense of unease as several individuals were voicing their opinions more than ever before. 1969 would be no different as the beginning of the modern day gay rights movement as we see it today was launched. The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous and violent demonstrations against a police raid that had occurred in the morning hours of June 28th at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village in New York City. During the same time that African Americans and other minorities were facing difficulties, the gay and lesbian community was no different to the mistreatments. They faced a legal system that was very anti-homosexual. It was the successes and impacts of the other discriminated groups' movements combined with the neighborhood environment of Greenwich Village that allowed for the right elements to combine to cause the riots. Similarly to those other discriminated groups, very few establishments welcomed openly gay individuals and bars was the usual exception. The Stonewall Inn was one of those places that was open to the gay community and its patrons were a collection of drag queens, transgenders, and gay youth. As was common in the 1960s, police would raid gay bars, but this time officers lost control and the gay community had been pushed once too much. The riots would lead to gay and lesbian organizations forming activist groups, where they would focus on establishing a place where they all could go without the threat of law enforcement officials arresting them.
What came out of the riots and days after June 28, 1969 would be an establishment of organizations for gay rights being founded as well as annual marches and parades within a couple years. Until the Stonewall riots the gay community hadn't had a real voice, but with there "push-back" against police they launched a movement that hasn't looked back and progress continues to be made. Those who were there and those who have been aspired by those individuals there have continued their fight for equal rights, especially when it comes to legalizing same-sex marriage. Unfortunately, despite the progress that came out of the events of that day and days after; we still see the gay community not being fully recognized as human beings. The Stonewall riots truly symbolize a tipping point in the story of the gay community wanting to be just like anyone else and we have seen other incidents since and will continue to see upheaval until we finally act and view everyone as equals.
Less than a month after the Stonewall riots we would witness another event that would shape the summer of 1969...man would go to the moon. TO BE CONTINUED...
Thursday, August 13, 2009
I'm A Man...I'm 40...Come At Me!
So, I noticed today that it was the 40th +2 birthday of Oklahoma State head coach, Mike Gundy. Not too many outside the Big 12 or die hard college football fans probably know who Coach Gundy is. I didn't really know who he was until 2 years ago when a newspaper column criticized the Cowboys' (the name of the team, by the way) quarterback after a bad game. At a press conference a couple days after the game, Gundy stood up for his quarterback and what transpired was what I would rank in my top 10 for best coach press conference moments.
Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoMmbUmKN0E
Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoMmbUmKN0E
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
The Kennedys...One Political Family with a Lasting Legacy
This week the nation lost another member of the illustrious Kennedy family. Eunice Kennedy Shriver died on Tuesday and left behind a lasting legacy of her own right. She championed and helped to found the Special Olympics; giving those with disabilities the chance to feel they can be a sports champion just like anyone else. Her death got me to thinking a little about not only about her and what she meant, but on a larger scale; what her family has meant to America for the better part of the last century. Often times the negatives and curses of the family seem to appear in the news every once in a while. There is no doubt that there has been more than a fair share of heartbreak happen to the Kennedys. However, despite all that has happened to them; they have overcome adversities and given so much to us.
The Kennedy family has its roots go back a couple centuries, but it was when Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald married in the early 1900s and began a family that the Kennedy legacy took sprout. Over the better part of 20 years, Joseph and Rose would have nine children; many of which would continue the family legacy above and beyond for much of the last fifty years.
It would the presidential campaign of FDR that would launch Kennedy into the national scene. FDR rewarded Kennedy with all his efforts and work getting him elected with an appointment as the first Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). While in that post, he did a lot of good reform work in an area that for a while was not on the straight and narrow path. One of his major reforms was the requirement for companies to regularly file financial statements with the SEC. This broke an information monopoly maintained by the Morgan banking family. His service to the country continued in 1938, after he stepped aside from the SEC, when he was appointed Ambassador to Britain. However, while in that role, he put a halt to his political future by questioning the U.S.'s role in World War II by lobbying in favor of not helping England, a main ally of ours. After this whole incident, I would say this is when Joseph Sr. began to think about grooming Joseph Jr. and eventually John and Robert, for political office; specifically the presidency. Kennedy's drive for success, which he examined from his father years earlier, was his biggest fault through his years in public service. His journey ended, after years of suffering, on November 18, 1969 having witnessed the deaths of half his children, including the assassinations of John and Robert.
As stated, Joseph and Rose had nine children. Unfortunately, two died fairly young and were not able to reach their potential. The biggest one, at least for Joseph Kennedy Sr., was the death of Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. He was the one who the elder Kennedy was grooming to have the biggest political career and impact on the public through his service. During Operation Aphrodite in England on August 12, 1944, Joseph Jr. was shot down and died in the crash. Tragedy in the form of a plane crash also claimed the life of one of his daughters, Kathleen Kennedy Cavendish on May 13, 1948. Two of his other daughters lived longer lives but were mostly out of the spotlight. Rosemary (or Rose Marie) Kennedy was a member of the family who was stricken with the "Kennedy curse." She had a lobotomy in 1941 at age 23 and this left her with severe brain damage. It was so bad that from 1949 to her death on January 7, 2005, she was institutionalized. Another daughter, Patricia Kennedy Lawford died on September 17, 2006 from pneumonia. It would be Joseph's other children that would continue to serve in the path of their father. All of which doing much that has left a bigger legacy than him.
The first to step into the public eye and serve was the second son, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Like his older brother, John was a veteran of World War II. During the war, he had an incident on his PT boat...the same boat that led to a book and much proclaim. He showed the early signs of his willingness to give for his country and it resulted in him receiving the Navy and Marine Corps Medal as well as a Purple Heart. Since his father had ordained his older brother as the chosen one to carry on the dreams he had, John was disinterested in politics before the war. However, with his brother's death, he became the oldest and thus the torch carrier for the next generation of Kennedys. He began what would become close to 20 years of public service through a political forum in 1946 when he took a Democratic vacancy in the House of Representatives and went on to get elected and serve there 6 years before being elected to the Senate in 1952. In what would be a tough issue for him during the 1950s and 1960s, he favored with progress in civil rights and voted for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, which in a way contradicted a previous vote on a similar piece of legislation. In early 1960, JFK declared his intention to seek a run for the White House and give himself the ultimate platform to serve and give back to the country he loved. In a very close election, JFK beat Richard Nixon to become the 35th President.
In his January 1961 inaugural address, JFK set a precedent and displayed what was the heart of his service. Who hasn't heard: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." In addition, a lesser quote involved asking the nations of the world to join together to fight what he called the "common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself." In a different time then today, JFK was calling on the nation and the world to change…long before the change of 2008. He had to deal with difficult foreign issues revolving around American-Soviet relation and the Cold War. The Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, dealing with communism in Latin America, and the beginnings of the Vietnam War were all major issues that JFK had to deal with. One of his lasting marks came with the establishment of the Peace Corps in 1961. The Peace Corps allowed Americans to volunteer to help in underdeveloped nations. Another lasting mark from JFK's presidency is his West Berlin speech. In the early years of the Cold War and dealing with communism, Kennedy began the workings of ending the divide in Germany and imploring that the Berlin Wall come down. He was one of the most vocal presidents on this issue.
On the homefront, Kennedy looked to establish multiple initiatives under his "New Frontier." It looked to bring federal funding for education, medical care for the elderly, economic aid to rural regions, and government intervention to halt the recession that was occurring. The majority of JFK's agenda did not become a reality under after his death via his successor, Lyndon Johnson. There is sometimes not enough credit for much of what transpired under LBJ that JFK had been planning. Kennedy had a struggle addressing civil rights in a very contentious climate and lost some support over it. However, he did back-up and defend those individuals who sought equality within the school system and put the gears in motion for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Kennedy also was instrumental in what would become the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which was sponsored by his younger brother, Senator Ted Kennedy. Under this act, he shifted much of the attention given to European nations to Latin American and Asian nations and wanted to dismantle the selection of immigrants based on country of origin. JFK was a major supporter of the pushing space initiatives and set a goal for man to go to the moon by the end of the 1960s. He didn't get to see it, but another one of his visions came true. Unfortunately, everything that JFK could have achieved was snuffed out too short. On a trip to Texas, he was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963. JFK's time in public service was cut short, but there is no doubt that he contributed so much...to the point that we are still feeling the impact of his efforts.
With John's death, the torch then fell to Robert Kennedy, the Attorney General at the time. As Attorney General, he looked to be as influential as any previous Attorney General. While Attorney General, RFK led a crusade against organized crime and the mafia. He pursued the Teamsters union President Jimmy Hoffa and his corruption in financial and electoral actions. He was also a more vocal supporter of civil rights than his brother, John, was. It would become the biggest cornerstone of his political and public career. And as much as I feel that JFK doesn't get enough credit for much of the progress in the 1960s, RFK as well doesn't get enough recognition for his part in the success of the civil rights movement. His passion for civil rights would become a major part of his campaign in 1968 when he himself ran for president. In 1966, he set out on a tour of South Africa, where he championed the the anti-Apartheid movement. He went where few had dared to go in terms of that part of the world. Similarly, to when Joseph Jr died and when JFK stepped in and made it his mission to do as much as possible through service; RFK took the same mindset after JFK's assassination.
Following in his older brother's path, Robert ran and was elected U.S. Senator in 1964; however from New York and not Massachusetts. While Senator, RFK helped start a successful redevelopment project in poverty-stricken Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn in New York City and looked to see the effectiveness of the "War on Poverty." Robert supported the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the desegregation of busing, the integration of all public facilities, and anti-poverty social programs to increase education and offer opportunities for employment and provide health care for African-Americans. In 1968, after hearing from those who held his older brother dear to their hearts, he made a run for the presidency. He essentially targeted much of what his older brother used to get elected. He stood for racial and economic justice, non-aggression in foreign policy, decentralization of power and social improvement as well as channeling the youth as being the future of the new American society. On June 4, 1968 with a victory in the California primary; it looked as if Robert Kennedy was well on his way to the nomination of the Democratic Party. However, early in the hours of the next day he was shot and died. Like his older brother four and half years earlier, RFK was taken too soon by an assassin’s bullet. He like his older brother left a legacy of service and initiatives that can still be seen today.
With the deaths of both of his older brothers, Edward Kennedy (Ted) became the torch barrier for the Kennedy clan. He was the youngest Kennedy, but has paved half a century of service while in the U.S. Senate. With John's election to the White House in 1960, his seat became vacant and it would be essentially be held for two years until Ted Kennedy was old enough to be eligible. He still had to run and ran a tough campaign that led to his election as one of the U.S. Senators of Massachusetts in 1962. During his first decade in his office he had a few setbacks as well as having to deal with the pressure of being a Kennedy. It would be in the early part of the 1970s that Ted Kennedy would begin his hard work for one of his major issues, health care. He became the chair of the Senate subcommittee on health care and was influential in the passage of the National Cancer Act of 1971. It would a failed 1980 presidential campaign that led Ted Kennedy to realize where his calling was: the U.S. Senate. He eluded in his speech at the 1980 convention to continue to work for the causes of those who he cared about helping and whom supported him. Returning to his focus on being a Senator, he committed himself to women's issues and gay rights as well as preserving and improving the Voting Rights Act and funding for AIDS treatment and for women's sports under Title IX. In the late part of the 1980s, Ted showed what was behind his career in public office. In a speech after declining to run for president in 1988, he stated that "I know this decision means I may never be president. But the pursuit of the presidency is not my life. Public service is." Quite a statement. It sums up what has been his impact for the past 50 years. During the 1990s, he continued to lobby for legislation and saw the passage of health care acts. In addition to health care and related initiatives, he worked hard for education measures throughout much of the past decade. Just recently, he was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor.
The men in the family were not the only ones who stepped up and served in various facets. Eunice Kennedy Shriver would serve in a different capacity than her brothers, but nonetheless affected several lives. It would in the 1950s while serving as executive vice president of the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation that she would find her calling...one that last half a century. She shifted the organization's focus from Catholic charities to research on the causes of mental retardation and humane ways to treat it. This would culminate with the Special Olympics movement. In 1968, she helped nationalize the Special Olympics movement and holds the distinction of being the only woman to have her image appear on a coin during her lifetime. She was a lifelong advocate for children's health and disability issues and was a key founder of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in 1962. NICHD showed their appreciation for her work by renaming the institute in her name. Her dedication to others was rewarded with the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984. Earlier this week she passed away, but like the Kennedy men; has left a lasting legacy of giving back. Another daughter, Jean Kennedy Smith; one of the two remaining children of Joe and Rose; has maybe not had as heralded public career as his siblings, but was appointed Ambassador to Ireland in 1993. Through this endeavor, she was following in her father's legacy of diplomacy. As Ambassador, she played a vital role in the peace process in that area for almost five years before she stepped down.
The next generation has continued the family legacy of service and work for others. John Kennedy's children, Caroline and John Jr., both looked to continue their father's message and public service. Unfortunately, John Jr.'s life also ended way too soon. Eunice Shiver Kennedy's children have taken up their mother's passion for the Special Olympics and her daughter, Maria, is the current first lady of California. Multiple children of Robert Kennedy have been involved with politics and public service. And Ted Kennedy's son, Patrick, has served in the House of Representatives for over a decade in the state of Rhode Island. The public service that Joseph P. Kennedy started about 80 years ago has continued with his children and grandchildren. There aren't too families that have serviced America for as long and as dedicated than the Kennedy family. They have had their ups and downs and their share of turmoil, trouble, and heartbreak, but they continue to serve for all of us and those who deserve to be fought for.
The Kennedy family has its roots go back a couple centuries, but it was when Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Fitzgerald married in the early 1900s and began a family that the Kennedy legacy took sprout. Over the better part of 20 years, Joseph and Rose would have nine children; many of which would continue the family legacy above and beyond for much of the last fifty years.
It would the presidential campaign of FDR that would launch Kennedy into the national scene. FDR rewarded Kennedy with all his efforts and work getting him elected with an appointment as the first Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). While in that post, he did a lot of good reform work in an area that for a while was not on the straight and narrow path. One of his major reforms was the requirement for companies to regularly file financial statements with the SEC. This broke an information monopoly maintained by the Morgan banking family. His service to the country continued in 1938, after he stepped aside from the SEC, when he was appointed Ambassador to Britain. However, while in that role, he put a halt to his political future by questioning the U.S.'s role in World War II by lobbying in favor of not helping England, a main ally of ours. After this whole incident, I would say this is when Joseph Sr. began to think about grooming Joseph Jr. and eventually John and Robert, for political office; specifically the presidency. Kennedy's drive for success, which he examined from his father years earlier, was his biggest fault through his years in public service. His journey ended, after years of suffering, on November 18, 1969 having witnessed the deaths of half his children, including the assassinations of John and Robert.
As stated, Joseph and Rose had nine children. Unfortunately, two died fairly young and were not able to reach their potential. The biggest one, at least for Joseph Kennedy Sr., was the death of Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. He was the one who the elder Kennedy was grooming to have the biggest political career and impact on the public through his service. During Operation Aphrodite in England on August 12, 1944, Joseph Jr. was shot down and died in the crash. Tragedy in the form of a plane crash also claimed the life of one of his daughters, Kathleen Kennedy Cavendish on May 13, 1948. Two of his other daughters lived longer lives but were mostly out of the spotlight. Rosemary (or Rose Marie) Kennedy was a member of the family who was stricken with the "Kennedy curse." She had a lobotomy in 1941 at age 23 and this left her with severe brain damage. It was so bad that from 1949 to her death on January 7, 2005, she was institutionalized. Another daughter, Patricia Kennedy Lawford died on September 17, 2006 from pneumonia. It would be Joseph's other children that would continue to serve in the path of their father. All of which doing much that has left a bigger legacy than him.
The first to step into the public eye and serve was the second son, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Like his older brother, John was a veteran of World War II. During the war, he had an incident on his PT boat...the same boat that led to a book and much proclaim. He showed the early signs of his willingness to give for his country and it resulted in him receiving the Navy and Marine Corps Medal as well as a Purple Heart. Since his father had ordained his older brother as the chosen one to carry on the dreams he had, John was disinterested in politics before the war. However, with his brother's death, he became the oldest and thus the torch carrier for the next generation of Kennedys. He began what would become close to 20 years of public service through a political forum in 1946 when he took a Democratic vacancy in the House of Representatives and went on to get elected and serve there 6 years before being elected to the Senate in 1952. In what would be a tough issue for him during the 1950s and 1960s, he favored with progress in civil rights and voted for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, which in a way contradicted a previous vote on a similar piece of legislation. In early 1960, JFK declared his intention to seek a run for the White House and give himself the ultimate platform to serve and give back to the country he loved. In a very close election, JFK beat Richard Nixon to become the 35th President.
In his January 1961 inaugural address, JFK set a precedent and displayed what was the heart of his service. Who hasn't heard: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." In addition, a lesser quote involved asking the nations of the world to join together to fight what he called the "common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself." In a different time then today, JFK was calling on the nation and the world to change…long before the change of 2008. He had to deal with difficult foreign issues revolving around American-Soviet relation and the Cold War. The Bay of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis, dealing with communism in Latin America, and the beginnings of the Vietnam War were all major issues that JFK had to deal with. One of his lasting marks came with the establishment of the Peace Corps in 1961. The Peace Corps allowed Americans to volunteer to help in underdeveloped nations. Another lasting mark from JFK's presidency is his West Berlin speech. In the early years of the Cold War and dealing with communism, Kennedy began the workings of ending the divide in Germany and imploring that the Berlin Wall come down. He was one of the most vocal presidents on this issue.
On the homefront, Kennedy looked to establish multiple initiatives under his "New Frontier." It looked to bring federal funding for education, medical care for the elderly, economic aid to rural regions, and government intervention to halt the recession that was occurring. The majority of JFK's agenda did not become a reality under after his death via his successor, Lyndon Johnson. There is sometimes not enough credit for much of what transpired under LBJ that JFK had been planning. Kennedy had a struggle addressing civil rights in a very contentious climate and lost some support over it. However, he did back-up and defend those individuals who sought equality within the school system and put the gears in motion for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Kennedy also was instrumental in what would become the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which was sponsored by his younger brother, Senator Ted Kennedy. Under this act, he shifted much of the attention given to European nations to Latin American and Asian nations and wanted to dismantle the selection of immigrants based on country of origin. JFK was a major supporter of the pushing space initiatives and set a goal for man to go to the moon by the end of the 1960s. He didn't get to see it, but another one of his visions came true. Unfortunately, everything that JFK could have achieved was snuffed out too short. On a trip to Texas, he was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963. JFK's time in public service was cut short, but there is no doubt that he contributed so much...to the point that we are still feeling the impact of his efforts.
With John's death, the torch then fell to Robert Kennedy, the Attorney General at the time. As Attorney General, he looked to be as influential as any previous Attorney General. While Attorney General, RFK led a crusade against organized crime and the mafia. He pursued the Teamsters union President Jimmy Hoffa and his corruption in financial and electoral actions. He was also a more vocal supporter of civil rights than his brother, John, was. It would become the biggest cornerstone of his political and public career. And as much as I feel that JFK doesn't get enough credit for much of the progress in the 1960s, RFK as well doesn't get enough recognition for his part in the success of the civil rights movement. His passion for civil rights would become a major part of his campaign in 1968 when he himself ran for president. In 1966, he set out on a tour of South Africa, where he championed the the anti-Apartheid movement. He went where few had dared to go in terms of that part of the world. Similarly, to when Joseph Jr died and when JFK stepped in and made it his mission to do as much as possible through service; RFK took the same mindset after JFK's assassination.
Following in his older brother's path, Robert ran and was elected U.S. Senator in 1964; however from New York and not Massachusetts. While Senator, RFK helped start a successful redevelopment project in poverty-stricken Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn in New York City and looked to see the effectiveness of the "War on Poverty." Robert supported the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the desegregation of busing, the integration of all public facilities, and anti-poverty social programs to increase education and offer opportunities for employment and provide health care for African-Americans. In 1968, after hearing from those who held his older brother dear to their hearts, he made a run for the presidency. He essentially targeted much of what his older brother used to get elected. He stood for racial and economic justice, non-aggression in foreign policy, decentralization of power and social improvement as well as channeling the youth as being the future of the new American society. On June 4, 1968 with a victory in the California primary; it looked as if Robert Kennedy was well on his way to the nomination of the Democratic Party. However, early in the hours of the next day he was shot and died. Like his older brother four and half years earlier, RFK was taken too soon by an assassin’s bullet. He like his older brother left a legacy of service and initiatives that can still be seen today.
With the deaths of both of his older brothers, Edward Kennedy (Ted) became the torch barrier for the Kennedy clan. He was the youngest Kennedy, but has paved half a century of service while in the U.S. Senate. With John's election to the White House in 1960, his seat became vacant and it would be essentially be held for two years until Ted Kennedy was old enough to be eligible. He still had to run and ran a tough campaign that led to his election as one of the U.S. Senators of Massachusetts in 1962. During his first decade in his office he had a few setbacks as well as having to deal with the pressure of being a Kennedy. It would be in the early part of the 1970s that Ted Kennedy would begin his hard work for one of his major issues, health care. He became the chair of the Senate subcommittee on health care and was influential in the passage of the National Cancer Act of 1971. It would a failed 1980 presidential campaign that led Ted Kennedy to realize where his calling was: the U.S. Senate. He eluded in his speech at the 1980 convention to continue to work for the causes of those who he cared about helping and whom supported him. Returning to his focus on being a Senator, he committed himself to women's issues and gay rights as well as preserving and improving the Voting Rights Act and funding for AIDS treatment and for women's sports under Title IX. In the late part of the 1980s, Ted showed what was behind his career in public office. In a speech after declining to run for president in 1988, he stated that "I know this decision means I may never be president. But the pursuit of the presidency is not my life. Public service is." Quite a statement. It sums up what has been his impact for the past 50 years. During the 1990s, he continued to lobby for legislation and saw the passage of health care acts. In addition to health care and related initiatives, he worked hard for education measures throughout much of the past decade. Just recently, he was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor.
The men in the family were not the only ones who stepped up and served in various facets. Eunice Kennedy Shriver would serve in a different capacity than her brothers, but nonetheless affected several lives. It would in the 1950s while serving as executive vice president of the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation that she would find her calling...one that last half a century. She shifted the organization's focus from Catholic charities to research on the causes of mental retardation and humane ways to treat it. This would culminate with the Special Olympics movement. In 1968, she helped nationalize the Special Olympics movement and holds the distinction of being the only woman to have her image appear on a coin during her lifetime. She was a lifelong advocate for children's health and disability issues and was a key founder of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in 1962. NICHD showed their appreciation for her work by renaming the institute in her name. Her dedication to others was rewarded with the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1984. Earlier this week she passed away, but like the Kennedy men; has left a lasting legacy of giving back. Another daughter, Jean Kennedy Smith; one of the two remaining children of Joe and Rose; has maybe not had as heralded public career as his siblings, but was appointed Ambassador to Ireland in 1993. Through this endeavor, she was following in her father's legacy of diplomacy. As Ambassador, she played a vital role in the peace process in that area for almost five years before she stepped down.
The next generation has continued the family legacy of service and work for others. John Kennedy's children, Caroline and John Jr., both looked to continue their father's message and public service. Unfortunately, John Jr.'s life also ended way too soon. Eunice Shiver Kennedy's children have taken up their mother's passion for the Special Olympics and her daughter, Maria, is the current first lady of California. Multiple children of Robert Kennedy have been involved with politics and public service. And Ted Kennedy's son, Patrick, has served in the House of Representatives for over a decade in the state of Rhode Island. The public service that Joseph P. Kennedy started about 80 years ago has continued with his children and grandchildren. There aren't too families that have serviced America for as long and as dedicated than the Kennedy family. They have had their ups and downs and their share of turmoil, trouble, and heartbreak, but they continue to serve for all of us and those who deserve to be fought for.
The Truth is Out There...The Reality behind the Health Care Debate
Another day and more townhalls. Another day and more pundits voicing their side of the stories. Their side of the debate. I feel that health care reform is long overdue. However unlike what I feel like are many people out there; I TRY TO FIND OUT THE FACTS. Both sides are guilty of slanting information to favor their position. People need to take the time to read…I know that is crazy, but educating yourself will allow you know what is on the table and what is actually at stake. So, I like to help people and will do that through some cold..hard..truth.
Here are some statements by various individuals and if they are telling you the truth:
President Obama has stated that "If you like your health care plan,you can keep your health care plan." Diagnosis: Half True
Sarah Palin recently said that seniors and the disabled "will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care." Diagnosis: Pants on Fire (Big Time False!)
The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, said recently that the Democrat-backed health care reform plan "will require (Americans) to subsidize abortion with their hard-earned tax dollars." Diagnosis: False
The Liberty Counsel mentioned that page 992 of the health care bill will "establish school-based 'health' clinics. Your children will be indoctrinated and your grandchildren may be aborted!" Diagnosis: Pants on Fire (Big Time False!)
The Club for Growth expressed the view that the health care reform plan would set limits similar to the "socialized" system in Britain, where people are allowed to die if their treatment would cost more than $22,000. Diagnosis: False
Congressman Bill Pascrell (NJ-8) (which happens to be my congressman!!) brings up that "As many as 22,000 Americans die each year because they don’t have health insurance." Diagnosis: True
President Obama has also stated that "14,000 Americans . . . lose their health insurance every single day." Diagnosis: Mostly True
Betsy McCaughey, chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths and former lieutenant governor of New York state, stated that the health care reform bill "would make it mandatory — absolutely require — that every five years people in Medicare have a required counseling session that will tell them how to end their life sooner." Diagnosis: Pants on Fire (Big Time False!)
Call me crazy...but maybe the lies need to stop and people need to start being informed correctly of the facts. The truth hurts sometimes but you must face the music!
Here are some statements by various individuals and if they are telling you the truth:
President Obama has stated that "If you like your health care plan,you can keep your health care plan." Diagnosis: Half True
Sarah Palin recently said that seniors and the disabled "will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care." Diagnosis: Pants on Fire (Big Time False!)
The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, said recently that the Democrat-backed health care reform plan "will require (Americans) to subsidize abortion with their hard-earned tax dollars." Diagnosis: False
The Liberty Counsel mentioned that page 992 of the health care bill will "establish school-based 'health' clinics. Your children will be indoctrinated and your grandchildren may be aborted!" Diagnosis: Pants on Fire (Big Time False!)
The Club for Growth expressed the view that the health care reform plan would set limits similar to the "socialized" system in Britain, where people are allowed to die if their treatment would cost more than $22,000. Diagnosis: False
Congressman Bill Pascrell (NJ-8) (which happens to be my congressman!!) brings up that "As many as 22,000 Americans die each year because they don’t have health insurance." Diagnosis: True
President Obama has also stated that "14,000 Americans . . . lose their health insurance every single day." Diagnosis: Mostly True
Betsy McCaughey, chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths and former lieutenant governor of New York state, stated that the health care reform bill "would make it mandatory — absolutely require — that every five years people in Medicare have a required counseling session that will tell them how to end their life sooner." Diagnosis: Pants on Fire (Big Time False!)
Call me crazy...but maybe the lies need to stop and people need to start being informed correctly of the facts. The truth hurts sometimes but you must face the music!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Now Listen...This Ain't No Make Believe
So....what else do you expect when it comes to politics? Lying is part of the game and that game has been going on for years and will continue that way for years to come most likely, unfortunately. It really is unfair that politicians cannot put their political ideologies aside and look to work to compromise, with constraint of course, and figure out through healthy debate what can be done to improve the current state of health care. Put aside the "big business" allegiances. Throw out the politics of old and maybe just maybe work for those who put you in your political office. Those big donors may have financed your campaign, but the hardworking American people were the ones who elected you to "serve" them. If there were to be one issue that was worthy of that it would most certainly be health care. Everyone knows that these government officials have awesome health care. They admit it themselves. Why not now try to give back.
Stop believing what every "credible" politician, talking head/media personality, and anyone else who "thinks" they know all the facts. Why not take the time to read the proposed legislation. Let me repeat that PROPOSED LEGISLATION. Its basically the equivalent of a rough draft of a college paper. This not what is going to be put on the table as the bill to be passed. If you care so much, as these individuals who keep showing up at town hall meetings "seem to do"; decipher what is truth and what is propaganda. Scare tactics are FOOLISH! Wake up America! We saw this during the Presidential campaign last year....guess that worked out...NOT.
There are many things I love about America. We preach so much about patriotism and then over react when someone is called "Un-American." However, often times that American persona of me first or we're number 1 sometimes goes too far and is not the most flattering characteristic. You might have health insurance and feel there is no need to change the current system. What happens if in two months that all changed? You would be singing a different tune. There are roughly 47 million Americans who have to endure that hardship. It will only increase with unemployment numbers seamlessly not reversing themselves any time soon. If you have a piece a bread and come across a stranger starving; wouldn't you want to share that bread? If you had water and that person was thirsty; wouldn't you want to share some of your water? Well, you have health care and you will still health care; wouldn't you want to ensure that someone without it would be able to enjoy what you have.
Republican leadership has continuously attacked the Democrats plan without an alternative. On the flip side, the Democrats need to step up and fire back if the Republicans are just going to try to bring down this bill. They have done this before, they must now work to change the errors of the past. They must also not alienate the Republican Party and most importantly the American public. At the end of the day, its the American people who control their fate. So again, both sides must ultimately determine how they can help those in need through a fiscal, beneficial reform plan. Congress must have the audacity to rise above the fray and solve this problem once and for all.
Stop believing what every "credible" politician, talking head/media personality, and anyone else who "thinks" they know all the facts. Why not take the time to read the proposed legislation. Let me repeat that PROPOSED LEGISLATION. Its basically the equivalent of a rough draft of a college paper. This not what is going to be put on the table as the bill to be passed. If you care so much, as these individuals who keep showing up at town hall meetings "seem to do"; decipher what is truth and what is propaganda. Scare tactics are FOOLISH! Wake up America! We saw this during the Presidential campaign last year....guess that worked out...NOT.
There are many things I love about America. We preach so much about patriotism and then over react when someone is called "Un-American." However, often times that American persona of me first or we're number 1 sometimes goes too far and is not the most flattering characteristic. You might have health insurance and feel there is no need to change the current system. What happens if in two months that all changed? You would be singing a different tune. There are roughly 47 million Americans who have to endure that hardship. It will only increase with unemployment numbers seamlessly not reversing themselves any time soon. If you have a piece a bread and come across a stranger starving; wouldn't you want to share that bread? If you had water and that person was thirsty; wouldn't you want to share some of your water? Well, you have health care and you will still health care; wouldn't you want to ensure that someone without it would be able to enjoy what you have.
Republican leadership has continuously attacked the Democrats plan without an alternative. On the flip side, the Democrats need to step up and fire back if the Republicans are just going to try to bring down this bill. They have done this before, they must now work to change the errors of the past. They must also not alienate the Republican Party and most importantly the American public. At the end of the day, its the American people who control their fate. So again, both sides must ultimately determine how they can help those in need through a fiscal, beneficial reform plan. Congress must have the audacity to rise above the fray and solve this problem once and for all.
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