You must fight the good fight

If life offers no apparent challenges to address, then quite obviously you are un-observant, or far too set in your ways, or simply at a level of intelligence which is quite unperceptive.  Human life involves struggle, and always will involve struggle, and it is our inherent obligation to meet those challenges so as to conquer them, to the best of our ability.  None of us lives in a land of paradise, and the reason that this is so, is because of humankind’s continual wrong thinking as well as its subsequent bad actions, which thus fairly reflects our society as it really is.  Those then that do not wish to see any improvement in society, need not do a thing, because in order to make positive progress upon the conditions that society faces, this necessitates action, and without such, it will all remain basically the same.

We are meant to have a purposeful life, of which, part of that purpose has got to be to help make society a better place for our participation in it.  This signifies that each of us has a responsibility to do what we can so do to help make our society better, and the best way to start in the accomplishing of that is to live to a good foundational principle and thus to be true to that.  In other words, it is best to have our own house in order so that there is consistency between what we so say and do, and the life that we so represent, in actuality.  After all, those that we interact with, aren’t typically fools, therefore their respect or lack thereof towards us, has an awful lot to do as to whether or not they perceive us as being sincere and forthright or not.

So too, it isn’t really good enough to simply point out the faults of society, but to do little or nothing of substance to ameliorate such.  To be the critic, is not an especially challenging job, but to go after something that is wrong and to see that it is turned around into something right, is definitely something that requires time, persistence, and energy, which thus represents well an engagement for change, that is purposeful.

Each of us is meant to be a loving, compassionate and caring person – because those that are most true to their Creator are those that resolutely take on the good attributes of that same Creator.  That means we must do our level best to rise above petty jealousies, hatred, tribalism, discord, and disrespect by staying focused upon that which we are meant to be, come what may.  Further to the point, life can be envisioned as a battlefield, and it is upon that battlefield that we need to take up our arms in the defense of all that which is good, so as to slay that which is evil and untruth.  Those then that know better, have an obligation to act the part, by demonstrating through their courage of action, that they will stand for truth, justice, fair play, and freedom, till the end of time, for this battle is ever ongoing, until it is not.

The inherent danger of secret agencies

In order to have a civil, healthy, and vibrant society, that society needs to be transparent and open with those that are the members of that society.  The reason that this is so, is because a heathy society is built upon trusting one another, and that trust exists best in a construct in which there is enough information freely available to everyone that makes it clear what is really going on.   After all, those things that we cannot verify, because they are deliberately hidden from us or are complete unknowns to us, are the very things which are inimical to a healthy society, because without the necessary information to understand what is going on and why, we are therefore at a loss to know whether such is a menace to us or not.

While there are legitimate reasons for secrecy, even within that legitimacy though, there needs to be  a reasonable degree of both oversight, as well as an understanding of the purpose, so of.  Indeed, sensible people and governments understand when secrets are needed, but they also are quite aware that agencies that are created with secret agendas, can easily morph into being catastrophic to the people, at large, because those that are the operators of these secret agencies, can be emboldened to take actions in secret, that they would never have been permitted to do in the open and then not be held accountable for bad outcomes.

The danger of secret agencies and their secrets, is the fact that those that are the operators of such, will simply run their agencies in a manner that fits the interests of whoever is the director of such, come what may.  That is to say, there isn’t any Congressional oversight, and there sure the heck isn’t any Presidential oversight, for these secret agencies are so well entrenched and protected by those that have their reins upon the hidden power within the American governance they therefore do whatever that they so desire to do, without any countervailing force being able to constrain or to contain their actions, whatsoever.

What happens in secret, stays hidden in that secret place, which is why the most heinous crimes and deeds against sovereign nations and foreign peoples are accomplished through our secret agencies, of which, the American people have little or no information that informs the general public of what their nation has secretly done, under their name.   The clear and present danger of all these secret agencies and their secret agendas is that they thus serve as a shadow government, completely unanswerable to the American people – though using the excuse that what they are doing is for the defense and protection of the people, which serves well their purpose, though that is actually seldom true. 

Indeed, all those that are up to no good, do not ever want the actions that they are doing, to be transparent to anyone.  So then, the default belief that is reasonable to hold, is that when our government insists that this or that needs to be secret for our own good, we can reasonably assume that what they are really saying is that they are up to no good, and have no willingness to divulge what is really going on, because it would surely frighten us or worse.

What are you prepared to give to Jesus?

Whether it’s Christmastime or not, it just seems sensible that each one of us needs to think about what we would like to give Jesus the Christ, as a present for the fact that Christ exemplified not only how to live an extraordinary life,  but also Christ willingly went to His sacrificial death on behalf of us.  That type of sacrifice, in addition to the wisdom and love so demonstrated by Christ, would seem to more than imply that we ought to do something for Jesus as our own way of showing appreciation and respect.

Yet, how few really ever think about what they are going to give to Jesus, even at Christmastime, though people often have plenty to give in regards to material gifts of all sorts, one to another.  While it certainly makes sense to be generous and kind to each other, it makes even more sense, that we should desire to start with our gift giving, by first properly taking care of our Messiah.

Perhaps people reason, that they attend church and provide charitable gifts to that church or other charitable organizations, and believe that then takes care of how they gave to Jesus.  It isn’t so much that this is wrong thinking or doing, but it does reflect that if we won’t actually stop and really meditate upon Christ, that we have done so to our own disservice.

For those that profess to being Christian, then the very first thing that they really need to do, is to behave consistently in a Christian manner.  Further to the point, those that are Christian, must believe that being an adherent to Christianity, is something that shouldn’t be hidden under a lampshade, but should be expressed in our thoughts, our actions, and our interactions.  For either being a Christian means something of substance, or it basically is a tag that we conveniently put on, but don’t pay much personal mind to.

Indeed, some people will spend incredible amounts of time, coming up with beautiful and innovative gifts for those that they really care about and love --- which is the same sort of mindset that we need to take into consideration for Jesus.  Perhaps that is a difficult bridge to cross, because Jesus appears to be so far away, but Christ can be as close as we will put our mind upon, if only we would silence our unbelief, and embrace our belief.

What we do or do not do on behalf of Jesus, is ours to own, and if we are unwilling to do much of anything, that probably is a fair reflection of our values and of our faith.  There is a time, place, and a season for everything, of which those that are lukewarm, aren’t going to be able to  exert themselves in a needful manner to accomplish what they should be about.  We are meant to live our lives in the best way possible, of which, part of that living, must consist of doing our fair part to help make society a better place for our participation in it, so done by being a good neighbor one to another, for Christ’s sake, as the foundation of our gift to Him.

Less free speech leads to better control

It is highly disturbing what we see occurring at the present time within the highest echelons of our government, in which, there are certain politicians and legislators that despite being sworn to protect and to uphold our Constitutional rights, are actually deliberately doing the very opposite of such, by their relentless assault on free speech for all sorts of spurious reasons, of which, none of these reasons, makes any sense, whatsoever. It’s one thing, when the average person on the street, bewails against free speech, because perhaps their feelings have been hurt – as it is, that is though their right to complain.  It is an entirely different thing when certain segments of this government makes it a point to tear down the edifice of free speech, and somehow are not held fully accountable for their unpatriotic actions.

A government of, for, and by the people, must, by definition, have free speech, free assembly, and the people’s ability to freely petition their government as part and parcel of the foundation of that governance, for if it does not, then it actually is not a government of, for, and by the people.   Whenever a people cannot freely express themselves, that means that they are not able to freely think for themselves, for basically when we eliminate or put restrictions upon free speech, then we have put restrictions of what we are or are not freely permitted to express openly, and treated very much like an errant school child, that must kowtow the line as so propagated by their teacher, or else sit in the dunce’s corner, for their willful disobedience.

For whatever reason, there is a belief, held even by people of reasonable intelligence, that if we would only make sure that our speech was more tolerant, or considerate, or civil, that society would be therefore a very harmonious and pleasant place, which is why we need to limit other people’s free speech.  No doubt, civility has its place, but there are those times and those places in which civility has to take a back seat to the reality that not all is fair and right, so needfully exemplified by words expressed in a way and manner in which those that are the voiceless, the forsaken, the ignored, and the forgotten, have their say.

For all those that want to live in some sort of make believe world, in which, everyone is exactly the same, like something akin to the movie: The Stepford Wives, then that could only be conceivable in a world in which free speech no longer existed, therefore providing the means to better control the people.  That is to say, those that claim that they want less free speech or a restricted amount of free speech, are basically saying that they want more control of what you are or are not permitted to say and ultimately what you are permitted to do.  Indeed, it is those that are biggest proponents of less free speech, who are the very same people that want to be the controllers of all others, so done in this capitalistic nation, for better exploitation, as well as for the expressed benefit of those that they do not wish to be criticized. 

So many secrets and so little governance for the people

It isn’t possible to have a government, of, for, and by the people, when the most important, the most pertinent, and the most vital information is consistently either being held from being fully divulged to the public, or it simply isn’t on the radar to even be released.  While secrets most definitely have their place, it has got to be known, that those governments that typically have the most secrets are seldom governments that are good to the people, but rather are governments that are taking advantage of the people to the benefit of those that are the actual power behind the government, whether elected or not.

It doesn’t matter much if the people have the vote, when their vote, is subject to being superseded by secret and classified decisions made behind closed doors, of which, they as a people, have no influence upon those discussions or actions.  The government of the United States is so big, so vast, and so comprehensive, with so many secrets, that nobody really knows how many secrets that there are, and what those secrets consist of.  After all, when any nation makes it a point to keep that which is of the most vital interest to the people and their future, as a subject not to be discussed with the people, directly, then the people are not being governed by true representatives of them, but rather are being treated as subjects to what is essentially an unelected governance.

Not too many governments have any real urgency to ever own up to their mistakes.  So then, what makes governments thus desire to have department after department, and paper after paper, designated as not for public consumption, is basically not only for plausible denial, but also because they will seldom then have to worry about being called to account for actions taken that were detrimental to this nation, because those in the know, have basically been sworn to secrecy.

One could make a strong argument that we are governed by a shadow government, which is the government that we are not permitted to see or to really know of.  That shadow government, need not overly concern itself with the Constitution, or when it does, it makes sure to hire the best and brightest Constitutional lawyers, to twist and turn that Constitution into a document that somehow agrees with whatever actions that this shadow government has taken or plans to take.

Perhaps this doesn’t really matter much, shadow government, or not, if we as a people, were in general, content with our status.  Yet, we know that it matters a lot, because something is seriously rotten in America and its governance, demonstrated again and again, through the comparison of our country to other western nations, in which America is by far the most violent with an extremely high homicide rate, it also has a stubbornly high poverty rate, as well as a very high rate of those that are functionally illiterate.

What does matter when it comes to our governance is that the people are benefited by it, and when that government, despite the people being franchised to vote, doesn’t meaningfully address the real issues of the time so as to correct them, then it can only be surmised that those with the real hidden power, prefer their own agenda, instead.

The false flag of the threat of communism

As much as people might want to believe that there are actual communistic nations, the fact of the matter is, that there has never been a true communistic nation, and there probably never will be. To be a true communistic nation, that type of society would reflect a government that would own everything, and that therefore there would be no private property held in the hands of individuals, of which, as it has been said, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”  On the surface, this does sound like some sort of little paradise in which all our needs would thereby be met. Yet, all we need to do is look around at any of those nations with the audacity to call themselves communistic, and it becomes all too clear that none of these governments are actually communistic, but rather there is a clear distinction between those that are the governmental elite that seemingly own or control the lion’s share of everything, and the masses, which have to be obedient to their autocratic form of government, or be subject to losing that which they consider to be their own.

So too, when it comes to America, and their historic fear of the menace of communism, none of that actually makes any real sense.  Indeed, America has its own form of Constitutional governance, which seems to work for the people in an acceptable manner, and if so-called communist nations want to be communistic, it doesn’t seem like that would actually really matter much to Americans. Additionally, Nations understand the value of commerce and trade, communistic or not, and as long as there is commerce involved between nation-states, it probably doesn’t really matter what form of government these other nations allegedly have.

Furthermore, sovereign nations should clearly be entitled to whatever form of government that they desire to have, whether or not such is pleasing to America. So then, it just doesn’t make sense at all, the type of angst that America has displayed when it comes to communism, of which, it might well be pointed out, that when provided with the opportunity to fight communism in WWII, America chose not to fight against the communist Soviet Union, but rather chose to fight with the communist Soviet Union.

Perhaps America is so against communism, because it seems to be in opposition to capitalism, but even if this was true, history has already indicated to us, that communism in conjunction with human nature, is not ever going to be successful as envisioned by Karl Marx.  After all, people’s needs and people’s wants have a tendency to merge and to somehow expect that all anyone will ever want in life is a little bit of something and no more, seems to run against what we know of human nature.  Furthermore, people that have power, money, as well as influence, typically are not the same type of people that willingly give such away. In summary, all of the concerns about how we should be fearful of communism, just seems to be misapplied, and what America really needs to concentrate upon, is doing the best by its own people, above all.

American mythology: good guys v. bad guys

America has all sorts of annoying habits, some of little or no consequence, and others that most certainly do have meaningful consequences. For instance, America intones religiously that they are the epitome of what it means to be the “good guy” and everyone on the other side, is by definition, the “bad guy.”  The fact that America insists on seeing this world, as a strictly binary one, in which, only those that are on America’s side are good, and all those that stand on the other side, or are ambivalent, are bad is not only stupid and simplistic, but it also is fundamentally flawed.

In truth, countries have a lot in common with the characteristics of people, of which, people are always going to be a mixture of good and positive attributes, as well as bad and negative faults. That is the way that we are, for even the best of people, slip up now and then, and even the worst of people, perform some virtuous deeds. So then, it is not conceivable for any one country to be consistently good and right, and for any other country, to be consistently bad and wrong. To believe then in a simplistic binary world is something that brews a whole lot of trouble, because people and nations that are incapable of honest reflection are going to not only make mistakes but also to compound their mistakes, because they don’t believe that they are ever mistaken.

When America insists upon proselytizing to the general public that they are always the good guys, this thus represents the type of mindset that will only breed discontent with all those that we could have friendly relations with but are precluded from doing so because hard binary divisions, are almost impossible to overcome, because there isn’t any middle ground or nuance attainable between these two respective groups.  Indeed, quite obviously, the reason why so many people and countries are fixated upon good v. bad, is because they in actuality don’t want to consider that the opposing side has any value to their position and viewpoint, as well as also because they don’t want regular people to actually use their mind to think, but prefer people to just be compliant to the professed orthodox viewpoint.

So then, good v. bad, which may well make for a good storyline in a movie or book, is not a true reflection of how healthy societies operate, for the lack of even attempting to understand the other, leads obviously to incivility and intolerance, which isn’t healthy or right.  The fact that the so-called leader of the free world, is so dogmatic about it always being good, and everyone else that doesn’t kowtow to the American view, being bad, makes for a world that will not have justice, peace, or civility, because there isn’t any room for that to occur.

Indeed, for all those that desire to have world peace, the very first thing that needs to occur, is for America to get off its binary high horse, and therefore open the door for actual meaningful diplomacy so that organizations such as the United Nations, would actually be united about the very things that are of most importance to healthy societies, which are peace, justice, fairness, and civility.

The value of encouragement

Life would not be all that interesting if there weren’t any challenges or obstacles for us to overcome. So then, as much as many of us do wish for a perpetual “easy street” it is better for us in our internal growth to face what we need to face, which we should thus properly see as an opportunity to assess our mettle and to thereby prove ourselves worthy. So too, none of us live in a vacuum, for we are part of a family as well as being part of a society, of which, it is therefore our obligation one to another, to be of help and of aid to each other. One of those seminal ways to be helpful is to be encouraging – especially when we consider that it often takes a long time to master anything of real merit. So then, because it can take us considerable time to completely earn a given skill set, and because that which we are devoted to mastering, must have a beginning to it, then it so follows that when we first begin our journey, that this then is often a time when encouragement for us to keep sticking ai it, will be of high importance.

Indeed, those that discount encouragement in any of their various forms, have gotten it all wrong, because as social creatures, we want to be affirmed as being of value, or of potential. This thus signifies that we each have a responsibility to be encouraging to one another, not only to benefit those that need to hear and to feel that encouragement, but also because invariably at some stage in our own life, we will have been encouraged to keep going on, when we were doubtful or hesitant to believe that we had the right stuff to keep going on to get to where we ought and should be.

While those that are discouraging should not necessarily be seen as always being a detriment to society, for there are times when discouragement has its rightful place because those that are wholly unrealistic about something, perhaps do need a considerate wakeup call – what we should never wish for ourselves or to become is to be consistently discouraging to one another, for when encouragement comes from someone that we hold in high respect, we find that their belief in us, helps us with our own unbelief.

Look, as they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and in order for many of us to achieve high success, this thus requires not only a strong foundation to build our success upon, it also appreciates the value of words rightly spoken that help to lift us up, so as to maintain our focus upon what we need to accomplish. All those that are encouraging to us help to not only to make us a better person, but also is a clear material help for us achieving the necessary things that will make us also a more valued person, who can thus then be of material aid to others.

We should encourage one another, because in our moments of deepest despair, it can be those very words of encouragement that keep us keeping on, and thereby gets us to where we need to be.

Government and the need to end involuntary unemployment

The American government spends a gargantuan number of monies on all sorts of things, of which, the overall prudence behind all that spending is absolutely suspect. Indeed, one of those things that America needs to do a better job of is employing those that desire to be employed, but who are either temporarily unemployed or consistently unemployed, for whatever reason. While it would be ideal for unemployed people to find a suitable job in the private sector, those opportunities are not always available, which therefore signifies that it is the government that needs to step in, so as to provide employment for those involuntarily unemployed.

When we look around at America, and particularly its infrastructure, there is most definitely a need for somebody to do something in order to upgrade and to maintain that infrastructure. So too, within communities, there are plenty of jobs that need to be done to help make that community a better and a more vibrant place, of which, for whatever reason, far too often, vital things that need to be attended to, end up being neglected for a lack the resources to get things done.  So then, it’s fair to state that in America, there is plenty of work available that needs to be accomplished.

When it comes to the federal government, that government is in control of the coin of the realm, meaning that unlike private enterprises, governments can run deficits for considerable periods of time. This means that for all those that are involuntarily unemployed that the government should represent the employer of last resort for these people for two basic reasons. The first reason is that the government would prefer to see the private sector be strong and healthy and therefore should not desire to siphon off qualified workers from private enterprises. The second reason is that people have a need for shelter, food, and healthcare, of which, to simply have a welfare system structured to support people, without those very same people, who would like to be, and should be employed, remaining unemployed, when there is plenty of needful work to be done, is wasteful and imprudent.

Additionally, when it comes to employment, and the labor that comes with such, governments have the ability to train and to be patient in the development of skill sets so meant to be of value both now and in the future for those so employed by the government. So that, it is in the training, the doing, and the work ethics so acquired, that people develop a toolkit that will be invaluable for them in their future employment. That is to say, the purpose of utilizing the government as the employer of last resort is for that government to not only to get needful work done, but also to help advance people that were previously unemployed to thus become skilled workers, thereby available for the private sector to utilized, going forward. As they say, idle hands are the devil’s workshop, so by the government taking those that are idle, and providing them with the opportunity to work for compensation, this will make for a healthier and a better society.

Sins and the progressive deadening of one’s conscience

Many people look for justification for the type of bad actions that they consider to be relatively minor for them to commit, which they know intuitively are wrong or sinful, but they don’t want to be held accountable for them, for all sorts of reasons, of which the most basic reason why they don’t want to be labeled as some sort of sinner, is because they do not desire to consider their actions as actually crossing the line into sinfulness.  That is to say, many a person wants to judge themselves on some sort of generous sliding scale, in which that judgment will always be relative and in their favor, because they only like to be compared against the worst of the worst.

In truth, what people seem to miss when they discount their sins and errors, is the fact that any sin, knowingly committed, or recognized later in retrospect as a sin, is something that takes a definite toll upon one’s soul, from the get-go  For instance, it is important to recognize that when we are born, we are birthed into existence as a human being who has not committed a sin. However, as we mature, the responsibility of what we think, say, and do becomes more completely our own, whether we desire to own up to it, or not. So then, while people can play all sorts of mental games about their culpability and their participation in bad actions, the bottom line, is that more times than not, we know that what we have so done has not come forth from involuntary compulsion, but rather it is from our own volition.

The problem of what we perceive to be little sins and little lies, is that the more that we are willing to believe that what we have done wrong, is no real big deal, the more that we are inclined to thereby excuse it and to do something similar to that, if not the exact sort of thing, again, and then again.  In other words, sin is the type of horrific act, that once we start upon and then subsequently do not demonstrate the self-control, good character, and discipline to correct, often becomes progressively worse. So then, to ignore our own sins and errant actions, or to have others not hold us accountable for such, because it all seems to be minor, places us upon a pathway that is only going to lead us to more trouble and subsequent moral pain, at a later time.

Indeed, the more that we sin and don’t believe such needs correcting, the more inclined and more susceptible we are to permitting ourselves to be open to committing more sinful acts, of which, the direction that we are on, places us thus in the position to get even deeper into trouble, because we are deliberately deadening our good conscience, more and more often.  In fact, when we repeatedly ignore that nagging voice of conscience that tells us we ought not to be doing what we are just about to do, we find then, by silencing that good conscience, we have effectively deadened our conscience, so as to relieve ourselves of feeling guilty about that which we should and normally would feel guilty about.

In summary, the main problem with those little sins, isn’t so much the sin, itself, but rather the fact that we have opened the door that takes us away from the light and thereupon into the darkness, which isn’t going to end well, till we turn ourselves around.

For all those that blame God for evil

There are far too many people that don’t ever want to take responsibility for the immoral acts that they have initiated and taken, even when intuitively they know that they are truly responsible for such. What people need to understand better is that the continual utilization of excuses or justifications for one’s injurious behavior can only go so far, and at some point, people need to own up to their actions and the consequences, so of. One of those things that people like to complain about is all of the evil that we see in society, of which, there are many a person that seems to sincerely believe that if there was a God, there wouldn’t therefore be any evil, but we see that there is plenty of evil, so then that means there is no God, or perhaps God isn’t so omniscient or fair as God should be.

Look, it must be said, that not only is there a God, but God is absolute perfection. This signifies that the evil that we see and perform on our own, could only come forth from those that are not in perfect alignment with God -- which could only be occurring by virtue of the fact that God has created us as free will beings, and that we have clearly not been responsible with that free will. So then, for all those that wish for no evil, this can be very easy to accomplish, when we sacrifice the volition and sovereignty of the individual to become an automaton, for then that individual as an automation, would lack both a conscience and volition, and would not themselves commit any evil, at all.

The world that we live in, is structured in a way that those that have free will, as gifted to them by their Creator, are provided with the power to do whatever that they so desire to do, subject to other people’s desires, the laws of the land, societal restrictions, and other relevant things.  So then, the evil that is in society, is the evil that we as a people, have created. This thus means that society provides us with the fair opportunity to prove our quality of character by not only by how we behave one to another, but also by what we do to help make society a better place for our participation in it. This thus indicates that we all are solemnly tasked with the responsibility to do good, or as will eventually be clear to slow learners or obstinate people, to suffer the fair consequences, so of, for our bad choices.

Those then that blame God or other people, for the woes of this world, have gotten it all wrong. This world is presented to each one of us, as our personal challenge to prove that we can utilize our free will to do something of merit, and by doing so, to earn our way back to that dimension in which there is no error and no misjudgment. Indeed, far too many people, don’t take the time to examine their own life, or to put forth the effort to discover the good purpose of life, to wit, part of the reason why evil exists is to provide us with the forum to do good, and to thereby overcome those obstacles, that seem to preclude us from staying the course to get to where we ultimately must end up.

Let first world nations pay for their own defense

The United States makes all sorts of inexplicable decisions, which cost this nation and its taxpayers, billions upon billions of dollars, year after year. While it must be said that America is an empire, it also must be said, that America seems to be the type of empire that doesn’t seem to understand that empires impose conditions and “tribute” upon those nations that are dependent upon America for such a vital task such as the defense of their respective nation. That is to say, there are plenty of first world nations that should clearly be fully responsible for their own national defense, but somehow America primarily takes care of doing that for them, which means that certain first world nations are being backstopped by America, for a much-reduced monetary expense, which just ends up adding to America’s ever increasing budget deficit.

Indeed, every single military base that America has in a first world nation, should be carefully examined, and reviewed as to what its purpose actually is, and to the degree that a particular base can be ceded over to the control of that first world nation, America should do exactly that. For those first world nations that aren’t interested in America closing their base, because they wish for that base to be run by American military personnel, or they desire to have the presence of American naval ships nearby, then there needs to be an agreement setup which specifically charges a fair amount to that first world nation for the base or naval ships so being maintained and occupied, in their territorial area.

Look, the military defense budget of the United States is gargantuan, which shouldn’t come as any real surprise, because America has military bases, military personnel, and military armaments all over the world. What needs to be rectified, though, is that it is high time that other first world nations that are either part of NATO or are allies to America, start paying their full freight for the defense of their own nation by either reimbursing the United States of America for its assistance, or by simply having these first world nations take over their fair portion of the responsibility of defending their own homeland.

America is supposed to be a capitalistic nation, but it sure doesn’t seem to operate on any capitalistic basis at all when it comes to its defense expenditures for other first world nations. In other words, those that want their homelands defended by American personnel, or appreciate having an American base nearby that can strategically deal with possible adverse actions, needs to be charged an appropriate amount for such. After all, there are no free rides in life, for somebody, somewhere is paying for it, and the fact that in this 21st century, so many first world nations are content to have America pay for their defense is fundamentally unsound for America, and additionally burdens American taxpayers with that which has little or nothing to do with the protection and the defense of their own homeland, which is truly where the buck should stop, and anything behind these borders, invoices should be duly issued.

Dogs in crates at home

For an absolute certainty, many a person or family absolutely loves their dog. The thing is, though, that dogs as our loyal companions are dependent upon those that are the responsible owners of them, for their sustenance, shelter, companionship, and general conditions, so of. Additionally, dogs need outlets for their well-being, which includes not only regular companionship, but also the necessary attention to their feeding, care, affection, and exercise.

To a considerable extent many people desire to have their cake and to eat it, thereby signifying that they want all the benefits of dog ownership but aren’t quite so thrilled about the inherent responsibilities that come with that ownership. So then, what we find is that there are certain people, that because they are busy, preoccupied, have other things to address, or are clueless, thereby seem to lean on and use quite extensively the crating of their dog, on a regular basis.

The thing about a dog, unlike a human being, is a dog is not in a very good place in order to effectively convey what is on their mind, and because they want to be obedient to those that feed and care for them, they will pretty much tolerate what they have to tolerate, such as being in a cage for extended periods of time, but clearly this isn’t fair to one’s dog, and realistically should not be seen as something that is acceptable to have as the normal routine for one’s dog.

There are myriad ways to confine a dog, which does not necessitate something as drastic as a crate, such as a fenced-in yard, which may or may not have a doggie house or doggie door, as well. So too, within a person’s home, dogs can be confined through the prudent usage of dog gates as barriers, or the confinement within a particular room, such as a basement, or balcony, or bedroom, or just about anywhere in which the dog has fair access to food, water, and an opportunity to move around for more than a few feet, without being able to escape. In fact, a tie-out in a person’s yard or a reasonably long leash attached to something like a stairway post within a home will probably also do serviceably well.

While, in an ideal world, we would always have somebody available to take care of our dogs’ needs during our absences, such as a dog walker or sitter-- people though don’t necessarily have unlimited budgets or unlimited time or aren’t necessarily totally organized. The least that we should do though for our dog, is to try to minimize the amount of time that our dog has to spend confined within a very small space, which leaves that dog with not much more of an option but to curl up and wait it out, till that dog is freed again.

In summary, while it is true that dogs are not humans, it is also true that very few humans prefer to be confined within a very small space for an extended period of time, so we should as pet owners, be more cognizant that our loyal companion probably feels about the same about a cage as we would, if we were a dog.

Money for foreign nations but not for one’s own citizens

According to pdpf.org, the United States spent $71 billion in fiscal year 2022, on international expenditures so spent for governmental aid to foreign lands. Of course, how much of this money was really aid in the sense of healthcare, medicine, education, and things of actual benefit, as compared to that monetary aid being spent for foreign military planning and support, is something that should be fully disclosed to the America people. Further to the point, there are numerous governmental agencies, both known and unknown by the general public, in which, the people are not privy to knowing what these agencies actually spend or allocated their monies upon, which could easily be for more of that money being spent in foreign lands, in areas that have little or nothing to do with providing benefit and aid to those that are the most vulnerable.

In consideration that this government can’t even come remotely close to balancing its own budget, along with the salient fact that many of its own people, are unfortunately still ill-educated, underemployed, disadvantaged, and living lives of desperation – this then would clearly dictate that it would be more sensible to feed and to care for one’s own citizens, before expending money on those that are foreigners. After all, there are all sorts of wonderful charitable and non-governmental organizations, which are well equipped and well able to help peoples and nation-states of all types, which can address those issues and problems that need to be addressed, without the United States government needing to get directly involved.

Look, it must be said, that America needs to first get its own house in order, and thus it seems quite unfair that the taxpayers of America have allocated from their hard work and labor, aid to foreign lands, when so many of our citizens are suffering. There is something to be said for charity, but there is also something to be said about being responsible to those that this governance owes its allegiance to. All those then that are in favor of expending billions and billions of dollars to provide aid to foreign lands through their governance, should recognize that it is always easier to spend another’s money, rather than one’s own. The money that this government has comes from its people, and the responsibility that this government thus has, is to take care of its own, and then to demonstrate the discipline to do exactly that.

If America really wants to be seriously considered as the greatest nation in the world, then it has to prove that by doing right by its own citizens, which is their first order of business, because those that will not attend to the needs of their own household, but insist upon spending billions upon billions of dollars instead on foreign peoples, is misguided.  Good charity begins first at home, and those that deny this, are the very same that are wasteful with the monies that they are supposed to be good stewards of, to the disgrace of all those good Americans that have been denied not only their fair share, but also their fair deal.

The rights of the people

The true purpose of a good government is for the overall benefit of the people. This thus signifies that a legitimate government is that which helps make the society that has formed that government to become better by representing well the best interests of those people, constrained only by Constitutional safeguards that sensibly protect as well as define what foundational rights that the people have. So then, to the extent that governments go about their business that detracts from their primary mission (for the people are the ones that should first be served) then the rights of the people have been diminished, for whenever our governmental representatives concentrate their energies upon agendas that are meaningful or advantageous for only a small elite or of favored entities, they have thus done a grand disservice to the people, in whole.

Those that are citizens of the United States, have specific enumerated rights, and further to the point, those rights not limited by the Constitution, are rights that the people still hold at their volition. This signifies that the purpose of any good government, is clear and precise, which is that it is the duty of conscientious governance to see that the citizens of this country, are fairly entitled to the full enjoyment of all the rights that they have been dutifully issued by that governance, and those same citizens should be genuinely concerned whenever their Constitutional granted rights are infringed or ignored by their own government.

While it is impressive that the Constitution of the United States has existed for such a long period of time – it must be said that whenever the words so written, the decisions so adjudicated, and the policing force as implemented, are in themselves, not in harmony with the Constitution, of which, these respective agencies have been sworn to protect and to uphold that Constitution, then the people thereby are not being served properly by their government.  The main issue that seems to perplex those at the highest levels of governance is their strong inclination to suffer from a very high degree of “mission creep,” in which they often try to frighten the people into believing that sacrificing some freedom for their safety is the correct and the needed tradeoff to be made.  While, safety and the defense of this nation has its place, it has to be recognized that to sacrifice one’s freedom as well as any of one’s Constitutional rights should not be something that is enforced by governmental fiat through the circumvention of our Constitution, but rather this has to be something that is voluntary and thus a choice, controlled by each person’s volition, per that Constitution.

Look, it must be said, that true freedom can be rather uncomfortable for a lot of people as well as to that government of the people, of which, whenever those that are our representatives either lose their focus on what they should be concentrating upon, or actively vacate their sworn duty to that Constitution and the people, then the people’s rights have been infringed, and thus it is the people that have lost what they and their previous generations have so nobly fought for.

Representation and the three-fifth Clause

As part of the Constitution, Article one, Section two, states that any person who was not free, would be counted as three-fifths of a free person for the determination of congressional representation. This so meant that the Southern States, received far more congressional representation because of the fact that non-free persons were accorded 60% of the value of a free person, even though they had no Constitutional rights; however, congressional representation was based upon the total population of each State, free and the non-free as proportioned. So then, at the conclusion of the Civil War, the three-fifths Clause to the Constitution became moot, replaced by the 15th Amendment, which thus permitted all those of legal age that were male, to thereby be franchised to vote. The significance of the 15th Amendment, in an era in which previously the south had 4 million peoples that had been enslaved, meant ultimately that there would be more congressional representation in the South, for each person within the South, would be equally counted as a full person, no matter the color of their skin or possible previous servitude or enslavement.

The salient problem though with the sudden status change of non-free persons that would now be counted as free people, would be, if subsequent democratic voting precluded those of color from voting, via intimidation, or the enforcement of prejudicial and spurious voting laws, which would mean that the South could then revert back to not only being controlled by the elites of plantation society, but that because the numbers of those so living within the borders of these Southern States, black and white, now counting for representative purposes as each being a full person, thus meant that the Southern collective representation would become greater in the House of Representatives.  Indeed, while initially, the Southern States actually did have people of color being their representatives on a Federal, State, and local level, it was not too long, before those with real money and historical power asserted themselves to essentially take back control of their respective domain, thereby annulling not only the franchise of people of color, but also in the finding of additional innovative ways to exploit those that were formerly slaves.

Indeed, it must be said, sometimes the very best legislation, so meant to protect and serve those people that have historically being abused and harmed, actually ends up being utilized in a way and form that in some respects, makes things even worse for those that were already unjustly suffering a great deal to begin with.  To a very large extent those of the North, lost the will power to do right by those that they freed, which pretty much signified that the majority of those in the North, thereby enacted a form of benign neglect, which ultimately meant the fate of those that were formerly enslaved was left, in essence, with those that had been their slaveholders. 

The proximate problem then with democracy, is that when those that are legally entitled to be franchised, are essentially precluded from being able to vote, then the result, thereof, is going to favor those that are franchised who will thereby get enacted whatever pleases them, so done to the detriment of all those that are unrepresented, and powerless.

United States as a rogue nation

The United States is in essence, an empire – and as an empire it thus believes and clearly does demonstrate by its behavior that America feels that certain particular rules, regulations and laws don’t apply to it as a nation-state, which does not therefore set a very good example, at all, for other countries to look up to.  Indeed, America seems to be saying, that the most powerful nation in the world, is essentially above international law, and can, if it so desires, circumvent laws and conventions that are applicable to other less powerful nations. Additionally, America imposes its power so as to influence or to compel other nations to follow its lead on issues of most importance to the United States.

There are international organizations of some importance, such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the World Health Organization, and many others, that the United States is a member of. Yet not all nations are equal within these respective organizations, which perhaps is both sensible and wise, but also does though create a serious issue when there is one powerful member of such an organization that precludes sensible legislation from being passed or enforced. So then, it is fair to state that in certain organizations that the United States are a part of, that the United States of America clearly has the power to stop legislation that they don’t approve of from ever being passed, as well as also there are other organizational legislative acts that America can simply determine that they will not ever attach their signature to, no matter how popular or reasonable such a particular legislative act is.

So then, it would seem that from any reasonable outside perspective, that when it comes to these world organizations which are meant to be of benefit to the world -- that America can often be fairly perceived as a nation that does not play fair, of which, it so follows that any nation that insists that the rules don’t apply to them, but should still routinely be applied to others, must in fairness, be considered to be a rogue nation.

In actuality, it doesn’t make any real sense to believe that international organizations are going to be able to resolve the most critical issues of the world, if there isn’t some sort of reasonable and sensible level playing field, for country representatives to debate issues upon. After all, at some point, many a reasonable nation will tune out of a debate, if their perception is that it is all a bunch of talk and never one of action, because the subject so being discussed has had its outcome predetermined by one particular nation. Indeed, in any organization of merit, there needs to be a meaningful forum of debate, of which, the very point of that debate is to help come to some reasonable resolution that is sensible and fair for all parties involved. However, that debate is going to be moot or undercut when there is any one nation, which can simply vote it down, either explicitly or implicitly, each and every time that it disagrees with the majority.  So too, it would be one thing if America were known for making principle stands, but in truth, America just wants to have its way, while providing just the pretense of being an equal and fair member in standing.

Be rich in virtue

There are all sorts of things that a given person can concentrate their efforts upon – of which, some of those very things are virtuous and some of those things are not. So then, what an individual becomes has a lot to do with the effort that they put into what they devote their time, planning, and energies to, perhaps for the better, and perhaps not. What must be recognized, though, is that as sovereign individuals we are responsible for our own development and maturement -- and hence the ensuing result thereby, thus represents what we own as our character.

To be rich in virtue, is the wisest choice that anyone can ever make, for those that are virtuous, often have that virtue live on beyond them, because virtue consists of attributes such as integrity, courage, consideration, fairness, forgiveness, and empathy, which are the vital characteristics that help to make society a better and a more vibrant place. Because society learns not only from their own personal experiences but also from others that are part of those experiences, we know then for a certainty, that societies that have more people of good character, thus make for a better future for those that are members of such and hence that virtue lives on.

Regrettably, though, when many a person thinks of what really matters, they often think of being rich in money, and for those that concentrate upon the making of money, by any means so necessary, they are going to be strongly inclined to be not particularly virtuous, especially in those cases in which by being virtuous, they will thus miss out on the getting of that money.  On the other hand, those that are rich in virtue, are those that not only have their priorities right, but recognize also that the very characteristics that make for the best of civil society, are based upon the people thereby behaving in a conscientious and virtuous manner. Indeed, all those that live within a dog-eat-dog world are not living in a world which prioritizes virtue, and hence that world will not be all that fair or civil, for the people that reside there.

So too, for those that complain about how unfair a given society is, what they are really saying is that the society that they are a member of, is not all that virtuous – for a virtuous society, really does take care of its own, because they see themselves as being part of the whole.  To be virtuous then, isn’t really so much about an option or a lifestyle choice that is nice to have, but rather it is a mindset that is associated with the best of humankind, and those that lead by a good example, are the best type of people for a given society to have as its members.  We are meant to be virtuous because we are meant to be good, and those that are virtuous are those then that care to do the right thing, even when tempted by outside forces or a weak will to do the wrong thing, for to be virtuous, is to not only hold the line, but to stand strong, come what may.

Mindful instruction and mindless obedience

As human beings it is our responsibility to develop our minds to thus be and to thereby become something of substance with the knowledge that we have obtained. After all, as free will beings we are provided with the opportunity to become something of merit and of value in all that we say and do, by applying ourselves diligently to the most important tasks at hand. Indeed, some of us are very responsible in how we utilize and develop the talents so gifted to us, whereas others do an awfully poor job, for whatever reason.

The proximate problem with not developing our mind and therefore not utilizing well our free thinking and thus our volition, is that which is unused or seldom used, is susceptible to others, utilizing their persuasion, or power, to take what is rightfully ours as if it was an extension of their own self. That is to say, there are those human beings that stand tall on their two feet, and then there are those other human beings that metaphorically get down on all fours, to be led then by those that instruct them as to what they need to do.

Indeed, those that will not exert their own volition, perhaps because they have not developed well their mind, or are acutely slow of thought, or are damaged by drugs or other issues, are thus at the mercy of society and the members of such, who will thus exert their own control of those that have wittingly or not, ceded that control. In other words, all those that behave as if they are no more than an animal are going to be positioned into the unenviable position of being treated as an animal, in which they will thereby be led to where that person who is effectively in charge of that animal, so permits and desires.

So then, to live a life of mindless obedience is for humankind, quite a fall from where they really ought to and should be. As human beings, we have been created so as to give us the opportunity to subsequently demonstrate how learned and how wise we have become, by the proper usage of our free will, so done, as our fair part to help make society a better place for our participation in it. Those then, that have forsaken their free will, are clearly not progressing, for they are, at best, hoping for a free ride to a destination that is acceptable or tolerable, and not much more.

While there is always a place for humility as well as for respect, it is not humility when we will not straighten our back when we should be straightening out our back and thus standing tall. So too, it is not respect, when we obey through our abject obedience the commands of another person, as if that somehow is our ultimate duty or our inborn instruction, when it surely is not. Remember this well, we are not meant to be beasts of burden, but are supposed to live up to what a human being actually is, which is a person with a conscience, meant to be open to sensible learning, and thus instructed to the degree so necessary so as to have the right tools to thereby express through rightfully applied volition, the drive to achieve notable success.

God is love

The very first thing to recognize about the humanity of this world, is that each one of us has been gifted with free will and the free volition to do whatever that it is that we so desire to do, good or bad, beneficial or not with such  This thus signifies that the discord, disharmony, and dissatisfaction that we so often feel within our own lives or see around us, has naught to do with God, and everything to do with our interactions and interplay with others. In other words, the world that we are an integral part of, reflects the rights and wrongs, that we so do one to another, and is not a reflection that somehow God is asleep at the wheel.

Look, there would not be a challenge for any one of us if we were automatons, but rather we are provided with the gifts so needed to do whatever that it is that we so do, of which, this world, subsequently fairly reflects how we have utilized those precious gifts, so granted to us.  This means that any disappointment that we feel in this world, and of what surrounds us, is because we have not displayed within our thinking and our subsequent actions, the characteristics that are consistent with love, goodness, compassion, empathy, and concern for the other. Indeed, the troubles that we have in this world, reflect the troubles that we have interrelating with one another in a courteous and responsible fashion and can only be successfully resolved by those that demonstrate the wherewithal to utilize their volition in a more sensible fashion.

Humankind is particularly good at pointing their finger outward at all sorts of things and areas that reflect what is wrong with society, and not so good at pointing their finger at their own self. Each of us has influence on what society does or does not become, so that, big or small, whatever that we so do, ripples through the eons of time, so making a difference in the outcome of societies, for better or for worse. So too, the chances that we so get, are seemingly endless to correct what needs to be corrected, because that which is wrong, must at some point and at some time, be made right, for that is our revered obligation to the responsibility of having consciousness.

It must be said, that life most definitely has a purpose, of which, it is our obligation to first find out what that good purpose is, and then to do what so needs to be done to live up to that purpose, by our mindful thinking and the valued actions that we so perform.  This signifies that each of us has a responsibility and therefore a valued duty to take it upon ourselves to make this world a better place by our participation in it, so demonstrated by consistently doing the right thing, and avoiding then those actions which are detrimental to a good and upstanding society. Remember this well, God is love, and therefore God has all the good attributes of love, and if we would want to see our society to be a better place, we need to take the baton so handed to us by God, and thereby run that race to its successful completion.