tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26950014436613654072024-02-18T22:10:57.567-05:00The AgitatorThe Agitator is aimed at those whose belief is based on fact and reason. It will agitate the uninformed,fact-free and reason-free majority. It will view society through an uncommon lens.Gordon Geisslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598570410265074666noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2695001443661365407.post-91548157134339960352013-02-03T13:11:00.000-05:002013-02-03T13:12:29.558-05:002nd AMENDMENT RITES<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH_NRbAd99dhWLLZNZbV5SUarNRQswSxBxdU8BDMr7E2jgw9oF2lpZOxvo6pitsnHlpdMl3wNyknqJcU9no41kjJolIt6vI788Jx_OgXPOHjgHssGJbxJE6jREFgV0fgquPIP3S8D7CTn/s1600/Revolutionary+War+Soldier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtH_NRbAd99dhWLLZNZbV5SUarNRQswSxBxdU8BDMr7E2jgw9oF2lpZOxvo6pitsnHlpdMl3wNyknqJcU9no41kjJolIt6vI788Jx_OgXPOHjgHssGJbxJE6jREFgV0fgquPIP3S8D7CTn/s200/Revolutionary+War+Soldier.jpg" width="173" /></a> If you listen to the whining and wailing of the National
Rifle Association, Obama and his minions on the left are trying to give last
rites to our second amendment rights.
Ah, the 2<sup>nd</sup> amendment, so trickily worded, so
misunderstood. People read into it
whatever they want to, regardless of what it says. Let’s examine the reason for
including the 2<sup>nd</sup> Amendment in our Bill of Rights before we analyze
the wording of the amendment itself.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After
gaining their independence in the Revolutionary War, the colonies in 1781
formed a very weak government under a document known as the Articles of
Confederation. It was exactly the kind
of weak government that Tea Party Republicans now yearn for. Only one problem: it was so weak that it didn’t
work. The straw that broke the camel’s
back came in the form of Shay’s Rebellion in Massachusetts in 1786 and
1787. A weak central government could
barely defend itself against a "mob" of disgruntled citizens.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CpBG9eb5dlILnSMmmnwTCS3Xil8MOEfalAvPM7FMiLdP8F9V794LUbIyx0sOCSJinCkSLc7Jpr8iGG6GABC0CRXuvUAeXXQ__88cp56pm1J6N6zkSsOLfypGzbAtu3OQZN4JsfhrnMrU/s1600/Constitution.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CpBG9eb5dlILnSMmmnwTCS3Xil8MOEfalAvPM7FMiLdP8F9V794LUbIyx0sOCSJinCkSLc7Jpr8iGG6GABC0CRXuvUAeXXQ__88cp56pm1J6N6zkSsOLfypGzbAtu3OQZN4JsfhrnMrU/s200/Constitution.jpg" width="200" /></a> And
so it came to be that delegations from each state met in Philadelphia in the
summer of 1787 to write our present Constitution, a document whose goal was to
strengthen the federal government while protecting the liberties of
citizens. Those protections came in the
form of a Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment, designed to secure
the new government against another Shay's Rebellion. That amendment reads (with
my word mark-ups) as follows:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">A
<u>well-regulated</u> <b><i>militia</i></b> being necessary
to the <b><i>security</i></b> of a <b><i>free state</i></b>, the <b><i>right</i></b>
of the people to keep and bear <b><i>arms</i></b> shall not be <u>infringed</u>.<u><o:p></o:p></u></span></div>
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Let’s scrutinize the words of this amendment:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b> <u>Militia</u>: <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->What is the purpose of the “militia”?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->To provide for the "security of a free
state."<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Which free state?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->The state created by this new Constitution, the
USA <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Who are the members of this militia?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->“the people” i.e. the citizens of this “free
state” created by the Constitution<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Who regulates the militia?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->“the free state” i.e. the government of the
Constitution, the USA. The framers must
have been a bit leery of the militia they created, because they wanted them,
not just regulated, but “well-regulated”. <b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><u>Arms<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Does the word "arms" mean guns?<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->"Arms" includes not only guns, but any
weapon, including tanks, bazookas, flamethrowers, grenades, bombs, planes,
drones<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->For the Framers, arms were probably limited to
muskets, knives and your own two fists<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Infringed<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->What does “infringed” mean?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->It means “limited.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Right! So
the government can’t limit the amount or types of guns we own.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->Wrong! It
is your “right” to “keep and bear arms” that can’t be infringed or limited. The
kinds of arms you have a right to bear can be designated by those who “well
regulate” the militia, namely the “free state” which was established by the
Constitution. That “free state” is the
USA.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->The Supreme Court would consider the banning of
any weapon as unconstitutional, a violation of the 2<sup>nd</sup> amendment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Not so.
In the 1930s the Supreme Court validated the government’s ban on machine
guns and sawed-off shotguns. Very
conservative Supreme Court Justice Anton Scalia has stated that the government
can ban certain weapons. Banning <u>all</u>
weapons would be unconstitutional.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now let's examine the following
gun lobby beliefs:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Banning assault rifles and large magazine clips
won't prevent mass shootings by the mentally unstable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->That is true.
However, banning these weapons will reduce the number and severity of
these shooting events. It is like saying
that setting speed limits and imposing mandatory safety items like seatbelts on
cars won't prevent fatal accidents. That
is also true. However, those very
measures reduced the number of accidents and fatalities by almost half.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->We don’t need new gun laws; we just need to enforce
the laws we already have.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cLJqFpMtBYmLs5U0w6fYgjVxXrj6hDLOQ_fH7fCgYjQrA8FRJEXTeIgAkggFu6vUwaxnarvXzpTHR2pBOQ3s1Ipj1_Sfbl22z_RxiY_iC3TW-GiU-xVkLufbI3vBkjcnZU79WbSI5bk3/s1600/ATF+Patch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cLJqFpMtBYmLs5U0w6fYgjVxXrj6hDLOQ_fH7fCgYjQrA8FRJEXTeIgAkggFu6vUwaxnarvXzpTHR2pBOQ3s1Ipj1_Sfbl22z_RxiY_iC3TW-GiU-xVkLufbI3vBkjcnZU79WbSI5bk3/s1600/ATF+Patch.jpg" /></a></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->This is truly diabolical. The gun lobby has successfully blocked the
appointment of a leader of the ATF, the chief federal enforcement agency for
those laws. Moreover, they have held
back funding for the agency to the point where they are understaffed. Then they have the audacity to complain about
lax in enforcement of current gun laws. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->It is a slippery slope. If one weapon gets banned, before you know
it, another weapon will be banned until all guns are banned.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->This is a deeply held belief of the gun lobby. Banning guns intended for hunting,
self-defense, or target shooting would be a violation of the "right"
"to keep and bear arms", an infringement that would require changing
the Constitution, a very difficult thing to do.
The banning of machine guns 75 years ago did not lead to a mass banning
of firearms for hunting or self-defense.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Banning assault rifles won't keep them out of
the hands of criminals.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->True, but it would make them harder to find and more
expensive to buy. And it would make it
much harder for the mentally unstable to acquire these guns.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";">o<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->I just love to shoot military weapons. For me, this is recreation. Why deny me this pleasure?<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->Cars that are capable of doing 180 mi. /h are
banned from the highway in many places.
However, you can go to a racetrack and utilize these cars in a safe
environment. We could do the same for
military weapons. You go to a safe
facility, rent your weapon, do your thing and then return the weapon to the
facility, which would be in charge of its safe storage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Such common sense solutions are
difficult to find in times of hysteria.
Most hunters I know have no use for an assault rifle and would have no
objection to seeing such a weapon banned.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_7M-kPgLBiOUBptJd72NTJk5GiWy2U3HreNUWpb3PY6Km6un2fkUg-0rTMNNExz0o9UY8Ou28GFJ5XYkBPTfc48lvh0C2Rpz1ateoWK4mMYxEsaRNjT8oxRqZPiZZcVhW7WYPDtOO7ih/s1600/Black+UN+Helicopters.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_7M-kPgLBiOUBptJd72NTJk5GiWy2U3HreNUWpb3PY6Km6un2fkUg-0rTMNNExz0o9UY8Ou28GFJ5XYkBPTfc48lvh0C2Rpz1ateoWK4mMYxEsaRNjT8oxRqZPiZZcVhW7WYPDtOO7ih/s200/Black+UN+Helicopters.JPG" width="131" /></a> However, this is not the age of
common sense in America. Rather, it is
the age of hysteria, where reality is replaced by delusion. The government is coming after our guns! Oh my God!
A black socialist from Kenya is out to disarm us and take away our freedoms! Hear that!
Helicopters! The UN is coming after
us! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Buy your guns and ammo now while
you can, boys! Stock up on food, the end
is near! Nullify federal laws! Secede from the evil US government!<o:p></o:p></div>
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And so the nonsense goes. Home of the brave? Feels more like the home of a bunch of
frightened puppies. <o:p></o:p></div>
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May God bless America by
spreading a little common sense in the hearts and minds of her people.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
Gordon Geisslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598570410265074666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2695001443661365407.post-38789051856553188402013-01-14T15:31:00.000-05:002013-01-14T15:31:16.898-05:00MLK AND WHITE EYES<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAlX-oQRANE1RB3_gy1qrJLJegACwNnXiORTsYA-CfkRCy8hrvFTQiM2XQWSQ-3anlsUJ_0TVm96Gj71pZwQMeY3KpIRLUthmNjQ23fGw-qhwuJY19qmmSc2rjN-1tC5f9a6dvUvqxEGXt/s1600/F.+Douglass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAlX-oQRANE1RB3_gy1qrJLJegACwNnXiORTsYA-CfkRCy8hrvFTQiM2XQWSQ-3anlsUJ_0TVm96Gj71pZwQMeY3KpIRLUthmNjQ23fGw-qhwuJY19qmmSc2rjN-1tC5f9a6dvUvqxEGXt/s200/F.+Douglass.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">F. Douglass</td></tr>
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As MLK day approached, I decided to re-read Frederick
Douglass’ autobiography written around 1845, depicting his life as a slave and his
escape to freedom in the North. In the
book Douglas describes the wretched conditions of slavery that he experienced,
including an inadequate clothing allowance, insufficient food, and random
beatings often administered with no purpose other than to terrify the victims.<o:p></o:p></div>
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He describes the justice system in Talbot County, Maryland,
where he was enslaved, not far from the oft visited and picturesque St.
Michael's. An overseer who had shot a
slave to death could only be brought to trial if a white person had witnessed
the crime and was willing to testify, a highly unlikely event. Fifty slaves might have witnessed the event,
but by law they could not testify against a white man.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rbcapaqWFPcmLPPDhRdyY3Mb2jfM3qJ0Glz-WZ90GccD5ghnZ4j6fNEzXBsVjP4Zv0MyF3LEdE0kj5FkkRaMgG57rFVRIIK-SVeB7hCQFTdDx5jfGrdOSU5J0DH91KOn-GOImWUWBwZZ/s1600/St+michael.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rbcapaqWFPcmLPPDhRdyY3Mb2jfM3qJ0Glz-WZ90GccD5ghnZ4j6fNEzXBsVjP4Zv0MyF3LEdE0kj5FkkRaMgG57rFVRIIK-SVeB7hCQFTdDx5jfGrdOSU5J0DH91KOn-GOImWUWBwZZ/s200/St+michael.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No Marker on Slavery???</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Now, perception is reality, and people usually choose to see
what they want to see. As I read the
book, I realized I was reading a view of slavery that does not exist in most
white minds. The white view of slavery
is that of Tara, the plantation in Gone with the Wind, where no slave goes
hungry or ill-clothed, no whippings occur, and the slaves are happy to serve
their master or mistress.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This got me to reflect on other perceptions of the white
mind regarding blacks, not all white minds certainly, but many. It works like
this:<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->White eyes upon seeing a line at the welfare
office, find the number of blacks in that line to be highly visible while the
whites go unnoticed. However, switch to a line of job applicants, and the
reverse happens: the whites become visible, and the blacks become
invisible. Amazing!<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->When white eyes see a white man in a BMW, they
see success; put a black man behind the wheel of the same car, and they see a
potential criminal, probably a drug dealer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->White eyes that have no trouble seeing black
poverty, are blind when it comes to seeing white poverty. If you tell them the fact that there are more
white people on welfare in Pennsylvania than black people, they simply don't
believe you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span><!--[endif]-->White eyes have a great deal of trouble seeing a
black middle class or upper class.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The white mind perceives this country has one of truly equal
opportunity: if you're willing to work and play by the rules you have the same
chance of making it as any other person.
But, if you're a freeloader who is unwilling to work, don't come crying
to them. They honestly believe that a
white job applicant and a black job applicant with equal qualifications have
the same chance of getting a job that both are applying for. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And then along came Obama, a man whose adjectives didn't fit
the perceptions of many white minds: hard-working, intelligent, educated,
family oriented. So, they came up with
their own descriptions: foreign, socialist, apologizer and code words like
"lazy". They vowed to thwart him
on every issue, even if they had supported that issue in the past, something
they would never have done to a white president.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT2odJ0_QcYD0PQ3BSPQlDsMi1TFUdbhYzkWHa5ICDGZkkyLAk5AsVGpmLTo0zwzvEZvxLacGUTqpJpfX44RRkuUmu4v2UTGo_naHLqY7tb9prNCv4WliO6oZ0c_rJt_Z7faFhI5hzLL5/s1600/F+Douglass+bookcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT2odJ0_QcYD0PQ3BSPQlDsMi1TFUdbhYzkWHa5ICDGZkkyLAk5AsVGpmLTo0zwzvEZvxLacGUTqpJpfX44RRkuUmu4v2UTGo_naHLqY7tb9prNCv4WliO6oZ0c_rJt_Z7faFhI5hzLL5/s200/F+Douglass+bookcover.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
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Will white perceptions ever change? Of course!
Obama wouldn't have been elected to two terms without white votes. The younger generation, growing up in a
diverse society, will see more clearly than the boomer generation, although
many boomers must be given credit for being more tolerant than their parents
were. We are inching along toward the
day when any person, even a president, might be judged by the content of his
character rather than the color of his skin, to paraphrase Dr. King. It can’t
come soon enough.<o:p></o:p></div>
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NOTE: eReaders can get the Douglass autobiography free on
Amazon<o:p></o:p></div>
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Gordon Geisslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598570410265074666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2695001443661365407.post-60581708125937336332012-05-13T18:48:00.001-04:002012-05-13T18:48:53.776-04:00POLL CATS: One Voter's Story<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfen_B0Z4p6uzuXhZinFGb8oEaFbkMBgcYGOG6RVLAgm9KZR6KFRRvkbZTwlLlDr2E49FfTXkvInT0VjY2ghycHJvtf0SqJuQrHu4q_SL0MTrrTnpAD4UI-ldGVJUmBrqFc_XwuiUNkaS/s1600/Voter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfen_B0Z4p6uzuXhZinFGb8oEaFbkMBgcYGOG6RVLAgm9KZR6KFRRvkbZTwlLlDr2E49FfTXkvInT0VjY2ghycHJvtf0SqJuQrHu4q_SL0MTrrTnpAD4UI-ldGVJUmBrqFc_XwuiUNkaS/s200/Voter.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 22px;"> </span>They say ignorance is bliss.
If so, I'm not too happy. You
see, I'm an information addict. Each
morning I have to have my fix. To get
it, I immediately turn on the iPad to obtain newspapers, magazines, radio
broadcasts, and anything else the web has to offer. So when I voted in the April 2012 primary, I
entered the polling station as an informed voter loaded for bear.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I arrived at the polling station realizing that allowing
people to vote was an extremely radical move by the Founders after the
Revolutionary War. Even they didn't have
full confidence granting the franchise, or right to vote, to everyone. Consequently, they restricted that right to
white male landowners. And you can be sure
that the Rush Limbaugh dittoheads of the time opposed allowing anyone to
vote. They would have preferred a King George Washington leading a monarchy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Gradually, progress was made as the franchise was expanded
to include all white males, then all males, then women, then eighteen-year-olds. The conservatives, of course, were unnerved
by each expansion of the franchise. They
have tried to limit voter access to the polls by enacting poll taxes, reading
tests and downright intimidation. Their
latest effort in Pennsylvania is the enactment of a voter ID law, which will
cost our cash-strapped Commonwealth millions of dollars since IDs must be
provided free of charge to people needing them.
Charging for IDs would constitute an illegal poll tax.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUoaJWCmrDCFkhOOT4CW-RNFtUZG2yR735DIjosLfizQMwbbVtvxGjTgYgWERutkBObKnCCm8JerKbAaBnbngBAOYWyT7FAhTvDymINwPL3IvCtqlVok7OVxyG4Fa0rZGE9Zx30CBssC_/s1600/Uncle+Sam+Votes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDUoaJWCmrDCFkhOOT4CW-RNFtUZG2yR735DIjosLfizQMwbbVtvxGjTgYgWERutkBObKnCCm8JerKbAaBnbngBAOYWyT7FAhTvDymINwPL3IvCtqlVok7OVxyG4Fa0rZGE9Zx30CBssC_/s200/Uncle+Sam+Votes.jpg" width="159" /></a> Voter fraud is practically nonexistent. We Americans, who supposedly value democracy,
have one of the poorest voter turnouts of any democratic country. Half the people do not bother voting in major
elections. In primary elections, up to 70%
of the people do not turn out to vote.
This, despite efforts to increase turnout through voter drives and motor
voter registration. The voter ID law is
just the latest attempt on the part of conservatives to limit the franchise, an
effort they have been engaged in since the founding of the Republic.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With this information in mind, I unblissfully
entered the polling station. I placed my
signature in the book as I have always done.
And then it started:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Do you have any identification," asked the election
lady.<o:p></o:p></div>
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"I don't wish to show any identification," I
replied.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The curiosity of the poll cats working the election was
immediately aroused. Such protests just
do not occur in our election district.
People quietly enter the polling station, place their signature in the
book, enter the booth and vote, after which they schmooze a bit with friends
and neighbors before heading home, their civic duty complete. A civil conversation ensued.<o:p></o:p></div>
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"You cannot enter the voting booth unless you show
identification," said the lady working the poll.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"That would be incorrect," I said. "The new law says that you may request
identification during this primary election, but the voter need not produce
such identification."<o:p></o:p></div>
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"Sir, I just completed a training session, and we were
told that Montgomery County requires identification before one can vote."<o:p></o:p></div>
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"Montgomery County laws cannot supersede state
laws," I responded. "ID will
be required for the fall election, but it is not necessary for this primary
election. Now, if I may, I would like to
cast my vote.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I can give you a provisional ballot," she
replied. "You may fill out the provisional
ballot, after which I will give you a receipt.
The receipt will allow you to find out whether your provisional ballot
was accepted."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now our polling station is located in a multipurpose
room. On the other end of that room is a
polling station for another district. I
walked over to that polling station and asked officials if they were allowing
people to vote without requiring ID.
They said they were because the law said no ID was necessary until the
fall election. I walked back to my
polling station and informed the officials that the polling station across the
room was allowing people to vote without an ID.
That failed to impress anybody at my polling station, and so I left
after filling out a provisional ballot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My wife and I returned home a few hours later after having
run some errands. Checking the answering
machine, we listened to a message from the lady at the polling station. She said she had made a mistake, that I was
indeed allowed to vote without showing ID, and could I please come back to the
polling station and cast my vote in a voting booth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So back to the polling station I went. As soon as she saw me, election lady began to
apologize all over again. Forget it, I
said. It was just my way of fighting the
latest effort to suppress voter turnout.
Most of them appeared to be unaware that this was an issue at all.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Again, I left the polling station, not in triumph, but with
an air of sadness. Most voters are
actually unaware, or just indifferent, about this latest assault on voting
rights. No matter, at least they are
happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The phrase "ignorance is bliss" was penned by
English poet Thomas Gray. The complete
quote is as follows: “Where ignorance is bliss, ‘tis folly to be wise.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anybody want to buy a used iPad?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>Gordon Geisslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598570410265074666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2695001443661365407.post-6528523286369632512012-03-08T12:30:00.000-05:002012-03-08T12:23:18.327-05:00WELCOME TO THE AGITATOR<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">WARNING!!!</span></u></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Those whose lives are based on emotions and beliefs that override facts and reality may be agitated by the content of this blog. Those, on the other hand, whose lives are based on reason and fact will find this blog to be both amusing and informative. Because it is aimed at those who dare to think and draw conclusions based on facts, this blog will only agitate those who viscerally react to events and ideas, those who beliefs remain unshaken in the face of contradicting facts. After all, if you truly believe the earth is flat, no globe or Apollo photo will change your mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA0JVXrQfKELQT4Z3XMs7vKC8BYTsQm7n7KvW0tNn5tbg9JoCClg9eGHS5aovF5Kb5DyJxRNvNTfhRcHd_WKChsZoLuHWMO49DoMLctlQpU46top5aZiQYo81X_sGDZN4H9tuRrFC9vIp/s1600/welcome_mat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxA0JVXrQfKELQT4Z3XMs7vKC8BYTsQm7n7KvW0tNn5tbg9JoCClg9eGHS5aovF5Kb5DyJxRNvNTfhRcHd_WKChsZoLuHWMO49DoMLctlQpU46top5aZiQYo81X_sGDZN4H9tuRrFC9vIp/s320/welcome_mat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">This blogger chooses to laugh not only at the joy of life, but also at events that reveal the sad reality that is a part of everyday life. So, for example, at a blogger meeting when we were asked to introduce ourselves, I gave my name and explained that I was shaking, not from nerves or the cold, but from Parkinson's Syndrome.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Sad? Not really. I went into my Parkinson's schtick, pointing out that it was now much easier to shake hands or put salt on a steak. I was trying to get Parkinson's groups to adopt as a theme song the Jerry Lee Lewis classic "Whole Lot of Shaking Going On." Furthermore, I was working toward eliminating the word "jerk" from acceptable usage because it was offensive to people with Parkinson's. I was even trying to get Steve Martin to change the name of his movie "The Jerk."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72ntTfSjatjzw7nMRtzBHhPV7HtXKXgwjZ7JmBzcmDZHPecjwCaRTv8OeOlSkRsz9axqqjybbGRoMrpkTIfbzDBrvVBa2jYHLgBPhspW1cfReEakU31-MxA9nbL67W9qEWkTDwUlfP1En/s1600/smiley_face-1612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72ntTfSjatjzw7nMRtzBHhPV7HtXKXgwjZ7JmBzcmDZHPecjwCaRTv8OeOlSkRsz9axqqjybbGRoMrpkTIfbzDBrvVBa2jYHLgBPhspW1cfReEakU31-MxA9nbL67W9qEWkTDwUlfP1En/s200/smiley_face-1612.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Well, you get the idea. Instead of feeling sad, everybody was laughing. And why not? It sure beats crying or being consumed by anger. This blog will always seek to stir up (agitate) laughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">If you enjoy observing life through an uncommon lens, this blog is for you. Enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Gordon Geisslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598570410265074666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2695001443661365407.post-25662078629895208582012-03-06T13:02:00.002-05:002012-03-06T13:15:13.593-05:00POVERTY: Food for Thought<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 20px;"><b><u><br />
</u></b></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">After reading in the Mercury that the Sly Fox was opening a microbrewery on Circle of Progress Drive in Pottstown, I had only one question: where the heck was Circle of Progress Drive? A map check showed it to be near the airport off of Glasgow Street.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMWswCCHY-ZXpZIFEZCQBMOWxr7eloNeb0o5tMjkyF1zGOYd-Ih9OTgxKimPpUOc_cTDttLSUBK9m2OuxgOZ6ckdBaeQoI5Egwbhi0RdE4i_BreAJcMI_rwCmtbxPUNcXrdaZ8o2LBF53/s1600/beer+glass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMWswCCHY-ZXpZIFEZCQBMOWxr7eloNeb0o5tMjkyF1zGOYd-Ih9OTgxKimPpUOc_cTDttLSUBK9m2OuxgOZ6ckdBaeQoI5Egwbhi0RdE4i_BreAJcMI_rwCmtbxPUNcXrdaZ8o2LBF53/s1600/beer+glass.jpg" /></a>Next time I was in the area, I drove over to check it out and was stunned by what I saw. It was a business/light industry park with mostly empty buildings surrounded by empty parking lots. The only real activity was at the microbrewery where workers were busily preparing for opening day. The empty buildings reflected the down economy our area is experiencing. The road should have been called Circle of Regress Drive.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Empty buildings lead to empty stomachs. There are more job seekers than there are jobs available. Many of the jobs that are available do not pay a living wage. Money is tight, while food, and fuel get more expensive by the day, thus leading people into lives of quiet desperation. Eventually, pride is swallowed as people do something they never thought they would have to do: go to a local food bank. During hard times increased traffic at the food banks soon results in empty shelves. The call goes out for food donations to replenish supplies, blah, blah blah. You know how it goes because you have heard this story before. You are not alone. Let's, for a moment, examine the reactions to the poor and to poverty.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><b><u>Mr. Oblivious</u>: </b>He isn't reading this article. He is into himself and his immediate circle of family and friends. Life is good. He tries to stay positive and avoid negative subjects like poverty.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8hf8fMJW4YFjeE4lqhwZnl1a_gRizM6RlLNPcpNk5Z4smxjT3L6BlBO_R44AxG8Jydsox2Cq4pus0B5dPrLOaG-usZNLJH-YvvS2Epc8UcaC7JJyLJOwLAc0XJZGrtapgmyF3PDKQsvi/s1600/archie+bunker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8hf8fMJW4YFjeE4lqhwZnl1a_gRizM6RlLNPcpNk5Z4smxjT3L6BlBO_R44AxG8Jydsox2Cq4pus0B5dPrLOaG-usZNLJH-YvvS2Epc8UcaC7JJyLJOwLAc0XJZGrtapgmyF3PDKQsvi/s200/archie+bunker.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><b><u>Archie Bunker</u>:</b> Known today as a Dittohead, he claims that "those people" (code for minorities) are just too lazy to work. If you say "welfare", the first word that comes to his mind is "queen" (more code). If you were to present him with facts like the majority of people on welfare are white, or that close to half of welfare recipients are children, he would denounce these as liberal lies. If you point out that the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States is medical bills due to an unforeseen illness, he would say, "That's the way goes". Of course, there are some deadbeats in the system, as there are in any system. Archie isn’t all wrong, just 95% wrong.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><b><u>Mr. and Mrs. Average American</u></b>: They have a compassion that Archie totally lacks. Their motto is, "There but for the grace of God go I." They will donate food if they see a collection bin. They might donate through a service organization or their church. They might even drive to a food bank to drop off supplies. Others go even further and volunteer their precious time serving meals or find other ways to help the down and out. For them it is just the right thing to do.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><b><u>Mother Teresa</u></b>: These people are really into Jesus, I mean really<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">.<strong><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></strong><strong><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">In Matthew 19:21 </span></strong></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Jesus says, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>possessions<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” While this is far too radical for most of us, there are some in our community who have done just that. Perhaps certain members of the clergy have done this, but I'm thinking of the leaders of the local Salvation Army. They own neither house, nor car and have dedicated their lives to helping the poor and the downtrodden, whoever they may be. They are the polar opposite of poor Archie.</span><span style="background-color: white;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">A few final thoughts on poverty in America: Government money that goes to help the poor is called welfare. Government money that goes to help the middle class (home mortgage deduction) and the rich (tax dollars to oil companies) is called a subsidy. 1% of the federal budget goes toward public assistance for the poor. 12% of the federal budget goes toward subsidies for the middle class and the rich. Yet, strange as it may seem, the Archie's of the world get far more steamed by welfare payments than they do by subsidy payments.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3LpL_GNAbeYujxDn2rpNmpIFuHtBYSOrpR8ZO0BHtp57i87QRikf4QlxeMpfp_0b0THE4s_uPGZYFCM91xubuD0PiW3FQjgFWKWXmlQnUhJJWgncs5ZMXF6d_I_z4im_g24lWXgar2WT/s1600/salvation+army.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3LpL_GNAbeYujxDn2rpNmpIFuHtBYSOrpR8ZO0BHtp57i87QRikf4QlxeMpfp_0b0THE4s_uPGZYFCM91xubuD0PiW3FQjgFWKWXmlQnUhJJWgncs5ZMXF6d_I_z4im_g24lWXgar2WT/s200/salvation+army.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">I know that the people in the Boyertown area are generously supporting both the Salvation Army and the Multi—Service food banks. I hope the same is true in other area towns. The Mercury's leadership in the current food drive and the volunteers who are assisting in the effort will ensure that no family in our area goes truly hungry. For that we can all take pride. Who knows, Archie himself might mischievously donate a can of outdated vegetables.<o:p></o:p></div>Gordon Geisslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598570410265074666noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2695001443661365407.post-88363221724194021942012-03-04T08:15:00.000-05:002012-03-15T08:21:16.526-04:00THE ATHEISTS OF LANCASTER COUNTY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> What
is more peaceful than a drive through the towns and farmland of beautiful Lancaster
County? The very name sparks visions of
country roads, covered bridges, Amish buggies, Mennonite churches and peaceful
people who often say "blessings" upon departure, instead of
"goodbye". The county is the home of a 7,000+ member
mega-church with branch campuses in Ephrata, York and Harrisburg. People of faith permeate this land. And, somewhat surprisingly, people of no
faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> I
learned this while reading my newspaper on the iPad one morning . I came across an article about the
Pennsylvania legislature passing a resolution declaring this the year of the
Bible in Pennsylvania. This action had spawned
immediate controversy regarding the separation of church and state. According to the article, one protesting
group was PAN, or Pennsylvania Non-Believers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Being
ever curious, I immediately googled the name on the iPad and discovered that PAN
was an atheist organization based in York, Dauphin and Lancaster counties. What?
An atheist group in Lancaster County?
It jarred my image of that serene land, agitating my curiosity to learn
more about this group. How better to achieve
that than attending one of their meetings, which I did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> What
a hoot? Ironically, there were twelve
members present sitting around a table.
I was the thirteenth. When people
were asked to introduce themselves, I was tempted to say that my name was Judas
Iscariot, but I refrained. The average
age of the membership was 55+. Many were
retirees who felt they could only come out now because had they done so earlier,
they might have faced workplace discrimination.
Most came from religious backgrounds, but claimed reason had triumphed
over their faith. There was a degree of
underlying anger in this group that resulted in a somewhat aggressive posture
toward believers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Thus,
the business agenda discussion included the manning of an atheist booth at the Lancaster
PrideFest. (What? There are gay people in Lancaster County??) Atheists and gays are among the last social
outcasts of American society, a group that once included the Irish, Jews,
Mormons, Catholics, blacks, Asians and Native Americans, to name a few. Let's not forget women whose social roles
were extremely limited. Some of these
groups still have not entirely escaped the social outcast label, though inevitable
progress will eventually free them of their current stigma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was announced that the York
chapter had rented billboard space in Harrisburg to protest the Year of the
Bible Resolution. We were told that the
billboard would depict a slave in chains with a Bible verse (Ephesians 6:5)
"Slaves, obey your masters!"
There was no discussion; it was presented merely as a point of
information. I pictured in my mind, a
white Spartacus-type slave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XGu1y2l5zY3zIdcVgx8IusvZP0jht3Zcay85Xio6s5LGRU4U7uNtq-T1xEBszNp9jC1ITg3G5WI76huS5EzDgJzyc1uXNrldpLI2lVO0tHJP6ltX9Gsi4_72xSouPkgIU6IeqYlA4w8M/s1600/athesist+pro+billboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0XGu1y2l5zY3zIdcVgx8IusvZP0jht3Zcay85Xio6s5LGRU4U7uNtq-T1xEBszNp9jC1ITg3G5WI76huS5EzDgJzyc1uXNrldpLI2lVO0tHJP6ltX9Gsi4_72xSouPkgIU6IeqYlA4w8M/s320/athesist+pro+billboard.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> About
a week later I learned that the billboard had been put in place with a
devastatingly opposite effect than PAN had intended. They depicted a black slave in chains on a
billboard located in a "diverse" neighborhood. It read like a message from the Ku Klux
Klan. The billboard was almost
immediately vandalized and soon thereafter taken down by the company that owned
it. The PAN chapter leader in York
apologized profusely. Is this a great
country or what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> By
the way, one of the York chapter's premiere events is a pub crawl held every
time the end of the world is announced, such as this December 21. Some believe that when the Rapture occurs,
people will be sucked out of their clothes and ascend to heaven, leaving
nonbelievers behind. Thus, the pub
crawlers set up lawn chairs in front of the establishment they are visiting,
positioning clothes and shoes on the lawn chairs to represent people that have
risen to heaven in this current Rapture.
Meanwhile, in the bar drinks are ordered, including one for Jesus. And what drink is ordered for Jesus? A glass of water. Why water?
Why pay for a glass of wine when Jesus can turn water into wine himself?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Now I
realize that many people of faith might be agitated by the above paragraph,
while others may find it amusing. If
this were about Mohammed, somebody might try to blow up the bar. Hopefully, we are little more laid-back,
realizing that this is all part of that wonderful fabric we call America.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> It
was also reported that buses from York and Lancaster counties were booked for
the Reason Rally to be held on March 24 in Washington DC. Atheists, agnostics, humanists, and others
would be gathering to hear speakers and celebrate the triumph of reason over
faith that they had experienced. Music
would be provided by, among others, a band known as Bad Religion. Sen. Tom Harkin and Rep. Pete Stark are scheduled
to address the rally. They bill
this rally is as the largest secular
event in world history. Take that, Super
Bowl!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As people stood up at the end of the
meeting ready to depart, I blurted out, "Nice meeting you all. God bless you and have a safe trip
home." Some looked at me strangely,
some laughed and off we went.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsa_PpSnGJjJeD_ri8ILk4ugVMSH1URVjRfhCSKwWWfBPYJAbeYi9sZy27qbLHhdCxd6TK7H90PLXdNRD7Sb5xDMMzpVXRSBAcrINKD30e7aVeEN38FhenFhfYPwqiFxnXH96E7_kxeAgB/s1600/Lancaster+Freethought+Society+lightbulb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsa_PpSnGJjJeD_ri8ILk4ugVMSH1URVjRfhCSKwWWfBPYJAbeYi9sZy27qbLHhdCxd6TK7H90PLXdNRD7Sb5xDMMzpVXRSBAcrINKD30e7aVeEN38FhenFhfYPwqiFxnXH96E7_kxeAgB/s1600/Lancaster+Freethought+Society+lightbulb.jpeg" /></a><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But wait! There's more.
As Christians have splintered into many diverse churches, so the nonbelievers
have also split. While the PAN group
appears to consist mostly of atheists, another group of nonbelievers, the
Lancaster Freethought Society, is a home for agnostics and humanists as well as
atheists. I returned to Lancaster County
to visit one of their meetings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These freethinkers were more cerebral,
well-versed in the Bible and had a speaker as the main feature of their
program. The speaker was a former divinity
school student who had lost his faith.
This group was younger and more dynamic than the PAN group. They were less interested in trashing
religion, and more interested in using positive works to show that the
ever-growing number of secular people is just ordinary citizens like you and
me. They just want to be accepted as
part of the rich fabric of the American scene, you know, like an Amish buggy
clopping through the beautiful farmland of tranquil Lancaster County. I wish them godspeed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Gordon Geisslerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11598570410265074666noreply@blogger.com0