Damn Media and Firearms

Even though I was part of it for a while and this blog is considered " pseudo-media" I hate the damn media. Right wing, left wing, middle of the road.

WAPO, the Old Grey Lady, CBS, NBC was all upset about a couple holding firearms on people " peacefully" protesting in a neighborhood in St. Louis.

This was a private neighborhood, with private street, with a gate around the community they were walking through. There are photos of the gate that was torn down. .

I own property that's gated. On a private road. Now about half of the Cypress Community of Franklin County has a key to the gate( We've given them the key) for various reason including to a couple of older guys  who fox hunt on the back, but you go tearing down the gate, everyone in Cypress is liable to come over and ask " What the Hell you doing?" and these people are armed.

Fuck you media. You're on any road I own, and look like you are going someplace with bad intent, I'm coming out with a firearm.

What got me upset was how the people held the firearms.

No trigger discipline.

And the lady pointed the gun at the people. If EVER I point a gun your way, and I am serious here, you're going to see Jesus. Barrel always pointed toward the ground. Then she held her nickel-plated Walther PPK pistol with one hand. Another no-no....

I seriously doubt they had ever fired either weapon in their lives-

Get thee to a firing-range.....

I'm sorry, people have a right for self-defense.

Well, This Took 45 Years

And I guess my hypocrisy is somewhat done....At least in this area.

For years, I have preached vaccinations.

We always vaccinated Reid.

When April came from China, one of the first things we did was take her to the Jefferson County Health Clinic and get her up to date on her vaccinations.  ( Reid and Deb both insisted)

But Kerry Thomas has not had vaccinations since 1975 at least, that's when I started college.

I had a pneumonia shot today.

And I had a Tdap shot ( Typhoid, diphtheria, Whopping Cough)

The Tdap has made me ill. I knew it would. My last Tetanus made me sick 45 years ago.

I am running temp. My left arm where they put the shot is like I've been beaten with a bat. I feel awful.

So, why? Because it made you ill?

In 1977, a group of boys I grew up with and I spent a good potion of Spring Break from college camped on either Sam Rayburn, Dam B, or Toledo Bend.

Fishing, swimming, maybe having an adult beverage or two. Maybe having a cigar or 8.

And always, some girls would show up. I know one time, one of the girls had interest in dating me, but I was too damn dumb to realize she did....I am glad I was dumb. I wound up with my " prize of the century." My prize was smart enough to know, I didn't have a clue....And asked me out....

But I digress.

One girls who visited was Patti Call.  Smart girl, she was interested in one of the other boys, but he didn't have a clue.....

Sorry, sometimes we guys are pretty thick when it comes to romance. 

Patti had been accepted to Baylor on a full academic scholarship. She was a couple of years younger than us, and in those days you needed all sorts of vaccination to attend Baylor. Several rounds of shots( Missionaries from nations all over the earth sent their kids there, and the kids often had been exposed to some really odd illnesses while parents were on the mission field.)

Patti went to her doctor to get her first round of vaccinations and in  round one was a tetanus shot.

On the drive home she had a bad reaction, and passed away. She drove off the highway into a large field.

They determined it was the tetanus. She had a reaction.

This happened 5 days after her visit to see us. 

Ever since then, I have been apprehensive to get any type vaccination. 45 years worth of apprehension.....Today, I manned up and got the shots.

Yes, the Tetanus has made me sick. My left arm is sore, feels like I've been beaten. I am running a temp of 99.7F. Was a little sick to my stomach.....But I am still with us.

Survey- Buna ISD

The Buna ISD has a survey on their website concerning the re-opening of classes in August.

The survey says the following at the top-

"The Buna ISD Leadership Team needs input from your as we prepare for a new school year to begin in August. Our goal is face-to-face instruction while complying with social distancing guidelines and other measures set forth by The Center for Disease Control, The Texas Department of State Health Services, State Leaders, and The Texas Education Agency. Your input is valuable as we make preparations that will keep our students, staff, and families safe in the coming school year. Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey."

Here is a link to the survey-

Buna ISD  School Re-Opening Survey Link

Breaking News! Gov. Abbott Rolls Back Texas Re-Open

The following rules just announced.

• All bars and similar establishments that receive more than 51% of their gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic beverages are required to close at 12:00 PM today. These businesses may remain open for delivery and take-out, including for alcoholic beverages, as authorized by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. 
• Restaurants may remain open for dine-in service, but at a capacity not to exceed 50% of total listed indoor occupancy, beginning Monday, June 29, 2020.
• Rafting and tubing businesses must close.
• Outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people must be approved by local governments, with certain exceptions.( Source, CNBC) 

( How the hell, we going to have school this Fall?)

More when it becomes available. 

Did I See That?

So, I am minding my own business, trying to keep informed. I watch the 6PM News on the " Area's News Leader" even thought I can't stand either of the two major news at 6PM. Both just grate my nerves, and there is often the same national stories on the local news as there was on the national broadcasts.

And towards the end of the " News Leader's" broadcast, there was a commercial for an auto parts place......And a young lady in a bra working on a car.

I actually watched the commercial.

After it was done, all I could think was, " Are we so so jaded, so desperate for advertising dollars, we need to put this ad on in the 6PM news hour?"

Then, last night, I could not sleep, and so I got up and watched ' The Office' on the TV only to be inundated with ads for the Plan 'B' birth control.

Now, I think Plan 'B' is a needed medication. I understand that sometimes you go out of control and start playing " Slap and Tickle" and worry about the consequences later.

But, why is the guy not already carrying a condom? In this day and age, you can get rubbers at almost every store in North America. Now, it's not like the UK and there are condom machines in every public bathroom. And as I have said, I think they need to be.

You know, in this day and age, and as much as people hate to hear it, you could be scratching and dripping forever, I am surprised at the guys who refuse to buy a box of Trojans. ( I blame the damn Baptists)

Just some things on my mind this morning....

Got to Go to School...20-21?

I seriously wonder if we're having school this year. I really do.

The Texas Education Agency delayed posting the rules for schools to re-open this week for the coming year.

I know the TEA has few mandatory health rules for the coming year.

I wonder, are they hoping for a "herd " immunity? Question is, they are they
 for sure that there is such a thing with Covid-19.  And there are more 17-18 year olds catching the illness with people that age having to be hospitalized, and are dying. 17-18, those are high school people. 

Already I heard two biologists, doctors talk about the herd mentality not working in the case of this illness. After a certain time period, we lose immunity.  This is not a 'normal' illness.

I wonder, will we just open Texas schools and "Hope for the best?"

That said, if 1% of Texas students get seriously ill, that would be 50,000 kids.

I wonder, if we lose that many kids, it is worth us opening classes for the economy?

I wonder what will happen when older teachers get sick?

This morning I heard from a teacher in the Houston area who posed the question..."My district has said secondary will do a and b days to half capacity with an additional online only option. What do you think is gonna happen with teacher employment with the TEA regs doing eff all?"

I got no answer. 

That said, I understand why a bunch of teachers are retiring. Or going into other fields. 

I know, I would wear a mask if I was still teaching....And would make you wear one. Don't care what your momma or daddy says, you can sit your ass in the hall and take notes. Wear the mask in class... I always went to Buna thinking and expecting it was my last damn day everyday anyways. I literally was shocked I made it to retirement.

I wonder at what cost we'll have school this year?

Well, Apparently, I Am ' Dumb as Hell'

Used to think I was kind of sort of bright. But, no longer do I think that.

Oh, my skill set would work if it was like the 18th Century.  But, we are now in the 21st. I am still sort of like Jacob Rees-Moog. A bit more libertarian, well, a great deal more libertarian, but still do things done, well, from years ago.

I still do Latin stuff, when I pray for you, it like it has been done originally for centuries in ritual, even though I have the academic certification for government/economics,  the vast majority of my studies were in history. A large part, church history. 

So, yesterday, I was asked, " What would Reid be doing at A&M?"

And other than it was a leadership role and had something to do with computers at the College of Health Science......I could not tell them what he'd be doing.

And I looked up his job description at A&M.

All the systems, software, security a huge paragraph of stuff.....May as well had been gibberish. I didn't have a damn clue.

And the stuff I have seen him do with computers forever, hell, when we took him to the Smithsonian Institute as a 6 year old, he went nuts over the computer displays...." Hey Reid, there is the flag that was over Ft. McHenry....There is the bear shot by Theodore Roosevelt......There is the Kitty Hawk....Yeah, but Dad, they got computers...." 

And I've seen him do stuff remotely with computers that made me go, " What kind of sorcery is this?"  " They'd burn you at the stake in the 17th Century."

In the end, I'm just glad he has work. 

I am working on a second blog for later, but I can't seem to get it where I would like it. Maybe early, or later. On the 20-21 School Year.....

Lacrimosa

I am going to go off the top of my head, I grew up around this, and am 'sandwiched' between two music majors.
In 1791 an Austrian Count commissioned Mozart to write a Requium Mass for the anniversary of his wife's death. She was 22, he was 28. He never married again.
One of the pieces in the Mass was Lacrimosa, or " Weeping" in Latin.

Lacrimosa dies illa
Qua resurget ex favilla
Judicandus homo reus.
Huic ergo parce, Deus:
Pie Jesu Domine,
Dona eis requiem. Amen.

Full of tears will be that day
When from the ashes shall arise
The guilty man to be judged;
Therefore spare him, O God,
Merciful Lord Jesus,
Grant them eternal rest. Amen.

I can't think of a better piece to play in the events of today.  

Damn Teens

You know, I could not teach high school anymore.

I damn near couldn't my last 5 years. I seriously couldn't anymore.

You just don't know how close I came to telling Caleb McCallon " It's yours" and I went home permanently.  

Again, I had a kid that I did not really have to worry about. Now I know, in school he got into some mischief. And hell, he was in a fraternity in college, and you don't want to know what type of fuckery goes on in frats. And it was in a time, just a little different than today.

I don't know, the world has changed so much now, kids, can't be kids due to everything is now recorded.

How much crap kids are doing, recording, is going to come back later on them?

Hell, how much you post on social media is going to come back on them later? ( I post stuff, and don't care, I don't need, nor want a job, nor an elected position.)

You need to talk to your kids.

Stuff they say, do, can come back on them.......And don't think people will use it against them.

I know, kids need to be kids, and kids often " act a fool." I know, I did some stuff in high school and especially university I am not very proud of.

But racial stuff, sexual hatred stuff, you better talk to your kids.

And honestly, I don't know what is going to be " Dog-Whistle" in the future.

Well, That Was Depressing

I gotta quit watching TV. No, I didn't watch the John Bolton interview on ABC. Politics, well, is often too much " Like work." ( Think about what I did for a living)

So, Debbie the Good, St. Debbie as some of you know her as, and I watched the salute to British TV last night on PBS.

And the start of the Masterpiece program had the owner of Viking Cruises suggest a website showing the sites their cruises make, because, there are not cruises right now.

This was after I saw a commercial on another one of the 500 channels of " Nothing's on" in which the ad talks about we " Can't see America from 30,000 feet right now." So they suggest getting in the car and going?

To which I reply...." Where?" I've been everyplace in this country now except the Dakotas and Detroit and no one in their right mind would go to either.

Florida? Too damn hot. I'd like to do Alaska again, but I ain't driving there. Washington DC? Done it twice. Seattle? I like the Pacific Northwest, and we've done it 4 times, but too long a drive, plus it is nuts out there right now. Vegas? Don't gamble. New England? I'd do it again, but would rather fly. Tennessee?  Gone so much I find it boring, same with Arkansas. New Orleans? Too old for Bourbon Street.

We were to be in the Near East last month, but the virus changed that.....And we're are supposed to 'make up' the trip in October, but I doubt Israel, the Palestinians end the 14 day quarantine for people coming into the country.

So, I doubt that trip comes off. Seriously. Too soon.....

That said, we're already looking to late Spring 2021 for our next trip to Great Britain.

That also said, even by Spring of 2021, we may not be going anyplace.

So, Let's Confuse You Even More

This comes under the old, " This blog is more confusing than ever."

So, if you were to visit the Compound and look around you would have a hard to deciding if it was post-modern "White Trash" or a salute to the 19th Century British Empire.

It's complete with dead animal horns on the wall from the critters I've shot, and a 'High-Church' Anglican( Church of England) shrine so I can pray for the 55 of you on my prayer list.

Heck, to the surprise of many of you, there is even a picture of a Confederate general in the den. ( As I have said, I am married to the great-granddaughter of a Confederate brigadier general....I moved up in class to the aristocracy.....)

So, you're asking now.....Govteach, Mr. Thomas, Kerry, Kerry Don, " Where are we going here?"

As many of you know, I am a strong supporter of the US Constitution, especially the 27 Amendments.

So, this may surprise some of you, or perhaps not....

We are in scary times folks.

Very spooky.

Just crazy times.  

And most of you know, I support Amendment 2 equally with the other 26.......I personally literally believe you should be able to own any type of weapon made. ( Heck was looking seriously at getting a flame thrower, but the fuel storage for the thing is a bit complicated)

Some of you need to need to seriously look at buying some sort of a firearm.

I know to some of you, that is a like a 'dog whistle' and the entire firearm thing makes your hair stand on end....

Look, my, 'never saw a real gun, much less shot a firearm' Chinese daughter in law owns a S&W pistol, and carries.

You don't have to go on the "dark side" like some of us, and go full M4 or AK47 rifle, or have a Mas 49/56 3 feet away as I write this, but you may seriously look at getting a something like a Mossberg 500 or 590 pump shotgun and learn how to use it.

A shotgun with Buckshot is a 'game changer.'  And you can get one in a smaller gauge if needed.....

I know the Roman scholar Vegetius said, Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.......But I seriously wonder.

 I am afraid " genie " is out of the bottle...... At this point, be ready for anything....

Evadale?????? Over Under???

I know that we have gone over this before on the 'old' blog, but in the light of today's events, we'll visit it again....

Last evening the Birdville ISD Board of Trustees voted to change the name of one of their schools from the " Rebels." And to do away with all old Confederate symbolism associated with the name " Rebels."

I have wondered for years how Evadale has gotten away with not just the " Rebel" name, but the Confederate flag/ Confederate Kepi cap on the side of their gym?

And I have wondered what it would take for it to be gone?

The TEA to step in? ( Say change or lose accreditation? Don't bet against that happening. )

The UIL to say it has to change?

Black kids from other schools to refuse to show up in Evadale and play ball?

NBC News to show up and do a story? 

The owners of the paper mill saying change it?

A loss in Federal funding?

You know, I can see keeping the " Rebel" nickname, try and associate it with a " James Dean " type " Rebel Without a Cause."

I don't know what the over/under at Vegas might be on a change.

Less than 10 years?

More than ten?

Let's Put the Brakes on Before We Tear Sh*t Up

I am trying to not get in trouble anymore than I have been with FB. So, I am blanking parts of bad words.

So, before you think I have become a total Commie, let's talk about what the hell is going on around the country.

Youths, Black, White, Brown are marching right now for well, some stuff I understand and well, some stuff I do not.

-Tearing down the statues of the Confederate Generals, Political Leaders I understand, after all they lead an insurrection against the United States. Hell, they lost. In most other parts of the world they would have been hanged.

But, there is a group of people who want to tear down statues of Washington, Adams, Jefferson......Mostly because they at one time owned slaves, or allowed slavery in the U.S.

Hell, we start doing that, we might as well tear them all down. Ain't nobody with clean hands. You can drag up dirt on every person statues are modeled after. Especially political leaders. Hell, religious leaders too.

At some point it has to end.

-Let's discuss a little about reparations.

The last suggestion would be that those entitled to reparations should receive $325,000 each.

It would cost the U.S. $17 Trillion dollars.......Trillion.

Your grandkid's, grandkid's, grandkid's, grandkids would still be trying to pay it off.

And I don't even want to think of what type of inflation too many dollars chasing too few products would cause if the money was given all at once. The economics of the entire situation is mind-boogling.

-Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben needed to go.......But Snap, Crackle and Pop on the cereal box because they are 3 "White Guys?" Would Snap, Crackle, and Zhou be better? And the Black chef on a box of Cream of Wheat? He's a Black guy who is a chef. Why is he offensive?

- The police.....Sorry, we need some sort of law enforcement. Now, do they need to be demilitarized? Yes. Do they need more hands-on training? Yes. But do away with police? No.

- I don't know what's going to become of us. It's not looking good right now, and I so afraid the revolts in the streets will turn into a French Revolution, Maoist Cultural Revolution, Khmer Rouge situation.

Don't be shocked if there is a continued spiral leading to what seems like an " All of a Sudden" civil war....

White Blessing?

So, I keep a toe in the " Evangelical World" and try to keep up with what they are thinking concerning ' Current Issues & Events' as the UIL would call them.

It seems there is a mega-church pastor who got into trouble for using the term, " White Blessing" because of being here in America....And Black folks are given that blessing because they were brought here as slaves back before 1861.

The rationalization being that the Blacks would have never " Found Christ." ( Never understood that phrase, I never knew he was ever lost? A better term would be "Discovered.")

Another rationalization to the " White Blessing" is that Christ somehow blessed America above all others.

Years ago, when I was in seminary in Fort Worth, the place was full of people from Nigeria, Kenya, Western Africa in general.....A number of these guys became disgusted with what is going on in America, they went home and went to seminaries in Africa.

Heck, the Anglican( Episcopal) Churches in Nigeria and Kenya are so convinced America has lost its' way, they are sending missionaries to America.

Come on, the idea that God loves America so much he is blessing us more than other nations?

Among the oldest Christians in the world are in Ethiopia. Yes, in Africa.

Travel folks. They're doing pretty well other places that don't know who or what the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob is and they really do not care.

It is again vanity to think God loves you more because you're an " American." Every country who thought they were " On Top" thought the same way about God." 

I am reminded of Isaiah 40 - Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket......All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity

 "And vanity"



 

Aunt Jemima

I cannot remember the last time using the product in my life. Either the syrup or the pancake mix, or anything else.

Sorry, just an inferior product.

I know as a child we grew up with Steen's syrup. It is an acquired taste, and even as a kid, I only liked it on biscuits. I cannot remember the last time I even had Steen's. We've gotten all fancy here at the compound and buy actual Made in New England or Canada maple syrup. The other stuff is just gloppy sugar water.

So, Quaker, whose parent company is Pepsi, is going to do away with the Aunt Jemima brand.

You can get all upset about it, but it is a marketing ploy.

Look, things and products change as the world changes.

I assume you were okay with the old sea food company that made " Negro Head" canned oysters and canned shrimp. Had a man on the can that looked very much like " Uncle Ben" of the rice fame.

( Mars, who owns Uncle Ben's Rice is looking at dropping the "Uncle Ben" from their rice name.)

Trouble is  "Uncle"  and " Aunt"was a common appellation used in the Southern United States to refer to older male black slaves or servants......

Again, using history to make you be aware of how these things came about....

Again, I don't use either product, but it if a significant portion of the country is offended by it, and it hurts sales, Quaker and Mars( yes, the maker of M&M's and Snickers) has the right to change the name.

The world changes folks. It ain't waiting for you.....That's vanity.

Former Students in Jail...And I Catch Hell from It

Some of you are just unhappy people. Just unhappy. I do not know what you really want.

I received a couple of ugly messages about my blog yesterday, and especially my post on FB about a couple of former students and the amount of time they were going to do.

It's called " News" when I post things like ex-students going to prison for 'X' amount of time.

And I know it upsets you when you read things like that because you are friends with or you are relatives of the people in the either the blog or the post on FB.

I know Barbara at the Beacon catches hell from time to time just publishing news because it involves someone related or liked by a large number in the community.

It is protected by the First Amendment.

Some of you think that because it involves someone you know, it shouldn't be posted/published. And get mad when it is made known. 

I know some of you think the the 27 Amendments to the Constitution only apply to you, or people who think like you, but they apply to all 300+ million people living within the boundaries of the United States and their territories.

Hell, some of you only think 2 or 3 of the Amendments apply to anyone period.

Some of you think the " Freedom of Religion" should only apply to Christians. Or only Protestants. Not every other religion. It saddens you to think it applies to every other religion under the sun, or even those with no religion. 

We went over this in my 'gubmint' class. I should have known you'd have trouble with the 27 Amendments after the pitiful performance you turned in during the exam.

I know some of you are upset, and I was actually quite fond of both ex-students in class. Neither gave me a minute's trouble in class. One is extremely bright and could've been anything. 

You never know. I know I have told this story before, I have an ex-student from the Houston area who shot and killed a woman robbing her home. His first parole hearing is in 2036, and already, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles have written by that hearing, it is to be denied. This same guy was President of the School's " Youth for Christ" organization on campus.

Sorry folks, going to publish stuff that's going to upset you. The Beacon, The Empty-Prize, The Ft Worth Startle Gram, The Houston Comical, all are going to post stuff you do not like. Get out of that bubble you are sitting in. People you know are going to do stuff you'll find embarrassing.

Or you think " They'll never do that" even after they make a plea of guilty saying that they did...

Okay, You Gay People

So, the Supreme Court of the US decided today it was you could not fire someone because they were homosexual. Or transsexual.

“It is impossible to discriminate against a person for being homosexual or transgender without discriminating against that individual based on sex,”

Why not?

If you are gay or transsexual,  sorry Baptists, Sorry Pentecostals  people are just hooked up that way.

And it should be this way.

This is not a theocracy. 

6-3 vote, Steven and  Gorsuch, both conservatives  voted in favorite of people  being allowed to be homosexual and not being fired.  +

They said Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination “because of sex,” includes LGBTQ employees.

Why the hell not?

People like people of same sexes, other sexes, people want to be of another sex. And if if it makes them happy, why the hell not?

Hell the fact I like brunettes with blue eyes.  Hell, I married one. Why not ? Like whatever you like.

You like someone of a same sex? Who am I to judge?  And to be honest, I do not care who you love.

America is changing.

I am not shocked that it was passed, this is just part of the change.

World is changing people, and you may not want it to, but it is changing.

I wonder who will be the first person in Buna ISD who will come out as gay? Or transsexual?

Friday, We Get Hate, The Flag, The Purge, Grandchildren?

I already had a message from someone who was upset I did not purge them, so I went back and retroactively gave them a good purging.....Why they couldn't do it themselves, I do not know?

Had a person who wrote me about yesterday's blog about the Rebel Flags. Didn't believe what I wrote was actual history. We are to the point in this nation we just stick out heads in the sand when we don't want to hear something that is something we do not want to hear. Never mind I posted photos from events.

Was sent a PM by someone all upset about my last couple of blogs.

In the last couple of years I have had a " Road to Damascus"  epiphany.

I am going to have, at some point, Chinese grandkids. Yeah, they'll be half Anglo, but guess what, they'll look Chinese. I am wondering how White people will treat them? Seriously. It's an eye opener. This is especially true with how relatives of mine have reacted to my daughter-in-law. And the thing is, she's so much nicer than my relatives that they are now estranged.

We seriously wonder if at some point this nation has come so un-wound, they may return to China. And we worry to see our grandkids, we would have to move there. ( We do have Family VISAs for China)

God has a funny way of " opening" one's eyes.

It's Friday folks, I know to many of you, it means something, but to us retired teaching people, it's just another day we don't have to put up with school bull.

A Lesson You Don't Want to Hear

Well, I got ugly messages yesterday about the Texas Ranger statue being taken down at Love Field in Dallas....So, I may as well keep going....

Let's talk a little about the Confederate or Rebel Flag.

I see this from time to time, " The flag is not racist." Or " the flag is about heritage."

Let's talk about the Rebel Flag history.

After the Civil War 1861-1865, the Rebel Flag pretty much disappeared in the South. It was hard to see or even find anyplace in the United States. It was only seen a Veteran's Reunions.

It was not until after World War II 80 years later that the flag re-emerged. And then, it was not used as a source of Southern Pride or a Romanticized view of the Civil War.

It first was used again in 1948 by Strom Thurmond and the old Dixiecrat Political Party and the main issue of the Dixiecrats was " State's Right's " especially to keep from desegregating and integrating the schools.  

The supported the old Jim Crow Laws, whites only restrooms, water fountains, restaurants.

In 1956 Georgia added the Rebel Flag as a part of their state in response to Brown v. Board of Education which started the de-segregation of public schools. The Rebel Flag was added to show Georgia's disdain for  the Court's saying Black kids should go to school with White kids.

In 1962 James Meredith was the first Black student to attend the University of Mississippi, the Rebel Flag was the flag waved to protest him attending school.

And it was repeated all over the South.

Montgomery High School.

Birmingham Schools

Protesting MLK marches

Louisiana

The Rebel Flag has been associated with the Ku Klux Klan forever. I dated a girl and there was a Klan rally one weekend across the highway from their house. ( The parents were appalled) There were about 25 Rebel Flags at the rally. I do not remember seeing an American flag.

Heck, in Germany, the Nazi Flag is banned, so what do German Neo-Nazi's carry? The Rebel Flag.

It's flown by the Nazi Party of America. 

Don't tell me the Confederate Flag is NOT a racist symbol. Don't tell me Blacks in America should see it as a symbol of ' Southern Pride' when it has been used as a symbol of hatred against Blacks, Jews, Asians, Latinos.

If you want to fly the flag, admit you are either a racist, or you support racist activities. Quit saying you have " Black friends" knowing good and most of you don't hang out with anyone but lily white people outside of work or school.

Or you support " Southern Pride." Most of you know so little about Confederate History or who in your family might have been in the Confederate Army, do some actual research. Come back in about 2-3 years when you've done serious research on all of it. Read about 250,000-350,000 pages then tell me about " Southern Pride."  ( Say it can't be done? There have been 60,000 books written on the Civil War)

Look around your church. How many non-whites to do you see in the pews? Or do you " like it that way?"

I am convinced that money to Southern Baptist Missions was cut off in the late 1970s because we were doing too good a job and the Baptist Churches in Latino Counties of Texas were out " Baptizing"  Dallas, Houston, Beaumont, Tyler, Austin churches.

But concerning the Rebel Flag. Stop saying it isn't a racist symbol.

Be honest with yourself.  



 

Texas Ranger Statue

So, I see people on Facebook all upset about a Texas Ranger Statue being removed from Love Field Airport in Dallas.

Part of it is they've not done research on why it is being done.

We've gotten bad about reading a headline or one line about it being done, not why.

The statue is modeled after Ranger  Sgt. E.J. "Jay" Banks.

Former Gov. Allan Shivers sent the Texas Rangers, with Banks as commanding officer, to Mansfield ISD, south of Ft. Worth to prevent black students from integrating at the high school, despite a Federal court order..... A news photo shows Banks casually leaning against a tree in front of white students gathering at the school, where a black person was hanged in effigy. 

“They were just ‘salt of the earth’ citizens,” Banks later wrote of the white mob assembled at the school. “They were concerned because they were convinced that someone was trying to interfere with their way of life.” 

The Texas Ranger sculpture was a gift to the city of Dallas in 1963 “when policies requiring the extensive review of public art donations were not in place,” said Love Field officials.

Several days later, Gov. Shivers ordered Banks and a few other Rangers to Northeast Texas, because African-Americans wished to take classes at all-white Texarkana Junior College, a public institution. Again the Rangers’ job was to stop black students from enrolling.

As at Mansfield, a mob of white men gathered outside the school. An 18-year-old woman and a 17-year-old boy, both black, arrived by cab and began to walk toward the college. The mob blocked their path. Some surrounded the 17-year-old and kicked him, while others threw gravel. The Rangers watched it happen and did nothing except threaten to arrest the two Black students.     

Folks, do some research before you have a "knee-jerk" reaction. 

In 2020, you literally have the " Library of Alexandria" at your fingertips. Stop being lazy. Quit trusting everything you see online.   

Vidor????

I've been trying to avoid the news. All of it.

Even the local news can do nothing but recycle the national news which has been playing all day, maybe they'll have a car wreck or a link sale for some organization that already occurred. But, no real news. I find out more local news going to KOGT or KJAS websites rather than watching the local TV news.

So, I am surprised to see that their was a "Black Lives Matter" rally in of all places.....

Vidor.

When I first saw the posting about the event perhaps occurring in Vidor, well, it is on social media, so, I was skeptical about it actually happening.

And it happened.

And to my shock, more people outside of Orange County were all upset that it happened.

Vidor is not Vidor of the 1960s or the 1970s.

I remember teachers in open classroom in Vidor in the 1970s using the term " N*gg*r"  in history class to describe things such as the Emancipation Proclamation.

The term "N*gg*r " was thrown around in the halls of Vidor Schools almost as much as the word " the" might be used in a sentence.

And of course " old" Vidor shown up to the event, with some of the "old" Vidorians who think the world should still be around 1952 carrying assault rifles to make sure, well, I don't know what they wanted to show? That they're still knuckleheads?

The world is changing people, and Vidor is changing. Or many are trying. It is no longer 1970. ( I have never interviewed for a job teaching without me being asked about my growing up in Vidor, and " We have minorities in the school, will you have a trouble with them?" )

I don't know what people writing on the subject who live outside Orange County want? For Vidor to put back up the signs that said " N*gg*r, if the sun goes down on you while you're still here, God help you." 

Vidor is trying to change. Trouble is, will people outside the community allow it?

Worried About Those Kids

I know, I am writing fewer and fewer blogs. Just not pushing it right now. I am sure that they'll come 3 a day for a while

No, we watch a channel on TV in the evening that generally has mostly older TV programs and one of their chief sponsor's is the Shriner's Hospitals.

Of course they are advertising for donations in order to keep their medical treatment for kids free.

And I got to thinking.....

What is going to happen to these kids when their parents are no longer around and Alex and that " Tiny Tim" looking kid in the bow-tie who has broken bones 200+ times.

While they are kids, you know, they'll have people concerned about them......At 45 years of age, provided they're still with us.....What happens?

Heck, we got a ton of kids right now in this country with some sort of mental/physical problem in which they are going to have trouble all their lives. And Mom and Dad won't be around forever.

And we're going to have to address this at some point...

And I got depressed thinking about it.

Just something I think about while drinking coffee in the morning....