"Paradox of Our Time" by George Carlin

ILL.- It’s written by George Carlin and entitled "Paradox of Our Time."

- The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints. 

- We spend more, but have less. We buy more, but enjoy less.

- We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. 

- We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

- We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

- We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
 
- We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. 

- We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years!

- We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. 

- We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

- We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. 

- We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. 

- We write more, but learn less.

- We plan more, but accomplish less. 

- We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait.
- We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. 

(The above was quoted in a sermon by Steve Shepherd.)

 

ONLY IN AMERICA---Author Unknown

A preacher named Steve Shepherd used the following in a sermon (No attribution):

ILL.- Someone wrote these interesting words entitled, "Only in America."

1- Only in America can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.

2- Only in America are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink.

3- Only in America do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions, while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.

4- Only in America do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries and a DIET coke.

5- Only in America do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our junk in the garage. Hello.

6- Only in America do we use answering machines to screen calls and have call waiting so we won’t miss a call from someone we didn’t want to talk to in the first place.

7- Only in America do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.

ARE YOU READY TO MOVE ON UP TO THE EAST SIDE?

You scrimp, sacrifice, and save for years and now have enough money to look for that special five bedroom, three bath, multi-level dream house with a three car garage, large outdoor pool, enclosed Jacuzzi, on an acre lot located in an exclusive gated community. Before you call a realtor, better take this short quiz to see if you are ready for the big move to the east side:

1. T   F   A caring upscale homeowner should put pink flamingos on all sides of their home.

2.  T   F   To help beautify the neighborhood, a good neighbor will use his three old washing machines as an elephant ear planter.

3.   T   F   Blocks used to jack up your two old inoperative pickup trucks should be painted the same color as the house.

4.   T   F   For your housewarming dinner you should instruct the butcher to cut the baloney 4 slices/pound.

5.   T   F   Your cousin-in-law should never park his 1971 motor home more than five weeks in your driveway.


IF YOU MARKED 1 OR MORE TRUE---Stay in your doublewide

IF YOU MARKED 1 OR MORE FALSE--Stay in your doublewide

LIFE HAPPENS !!

                            LIFE HAPPENS !!

        (A Fictional Story That Proves Again That Life Can  Be Unfair)

In spite of all that had happened in the last six months, Wilbur (Wil) Madison had a spring in his step as he passed through the revolving front door of the County General Hospital.  On this day, Wil was filled with an abundance of pride and joy as he pushed the third floor button on the elevator.

When the elevator door opened he smiled as he walked past the OB/GYN nurses’ station and immediately went to Room 324. There his wife Sharon was nursing their two-day old daughter---Roslyn---Wil already called her Rosie. Sharon’s mother was taking care of their two boys---Michael and Steven. He kissed his wife and gently placed a fatherly butterfly kiss on the back of Rosie’s small head.

Sharon told Wil that she and Roslyn would be going home tomorrow and asked Wil a dozen questions about preparations to receive her and their new baby.  Wil assured her everything was ready. An hour and a half later Wil gave goodbye kisses and started for home.

On the drive home the events of the past half year automatically started playing in his head. Right after the first of the year the dog collar factory where Wil and 20 other employees worked ceased operations and all of the jobs went to Mexico. (The bosses said they wanted more buck for the bark!)

His unemployment check, combined with severe belt tightening, enabled the Madison family to survive for two months. After three months of no payments, the “Buy Here—Pay Here” car lot reposed Sharon’s mini-van.

That was just the beginning of sorrows: Sharon’s father died from a heart attack during a pickup Dodge Ball game at the YMCA. At the funeral the assistant second shift supervisor at the YMCA said that in her Dad’s last Dodge Ball game he was the last man standing;  Wil’s 20 year old brother---Larry--- ran off with a 47 year old waitress who worked at an all-night Denny’s; Steven’s cat was run over by a sugar crazed skateboarder; Michael was bitten at kindergarten by his pet ground squirrel (Bucky) during show and tell---the squirrel escaped from the school and the sheriff’s SWAT was called in to locate and put down the freedom-loving rodent. The squirrel was determined by a County Public Health janitor not to be rabid. Little Michael has watched so much TV he is considering filing a law suit against the sheriff’s department for excessive force against his ground squirrel.

Wil’s life was no picnic either: While collecting aluminum cans he was beaten up by two homeless guys who accused him of jumping their claim; The Salvation Army had a free Easter ham give away and while he was standing in line he had his cashless wallet lifted by a drifter from West Virginia---at least that’s what he told police when he was arrested. Wil contracted head lice at the ham give away; Wil took some of the aluminum can money and bought a snorkel and mask at Wal-Mart and searched for golf balls in a large and deep water hazard near the 3rd hole. One day he got a late start and was unaware the course had opened for play.  He surfaced without warning and was struck repeatedly by an elderly gentleman welding a nine iron. Fortunately, the snorkel and mask absorbed most of swings. The old golfer was assessed a quadruple bogey by the other three members of the foursome for all of his extra swings!

That night Wil took a call from a classmate who had just opened a small manufacturing plant and immediately accepted a job offer that paid almost as much as he was making at the dog collar factory. The benefits were much better.  Wil couldn’t wait to tell Sharon and he called her at once. She cried and said to Wil that Roslyn had already changed their luck. 

The next day the trip home with the new baby was very, very happy. When they arrived at home there was a note on the front door. It read, “Sorry we missed you. Enter again next year.” It was signed, “Publishers Clearing House 10 Million Dollar Prize Patrol.”

Glenn  <><   6-21-13

HALE-BOPP COMET

During my life I have seen several comets: Unaided and with Optical assistance. There is something about comets that is awe inspiring and so other worldly. By far the best one for me was Hale-Bopp. Photo below from the Internet:

1958 CHEVY --- OH WHAT MEMORIES!

UNUSUAL STORM CLOUDS

Just before the last two tornadoes came through our area, the following unusual cloud pattern appeared:



 For obvious reasons, these clouds are call Mammalus Clouds.
Weather experts say these clouds reflect low level wind being pulled into the tornado.

Oklahoma is the only place I have observed clouds such as these.
The TV radar can fine tune down to a specific street where the storm is headed. Exploding power transformers help storm chaser tell the speed and location of rain wrapped storms.

THE REPO MAN (A PUBLIC SERVICE POST)

IN OKLAHOMA THE REPO BUSINESS IS
REALLY "PICKING UP" (What a bad pun!)

 

THIS NEW REPO TRUCK GOES FOR 60K ON WEB

"When You Know the Repo Man Is Coming

We're not going to tell you how to hide your car or block it in using other vehicles, as that's just postponing the inevitable. As one repo man said, "We use every trick in the book to get your car. We watch the house and follow you if you take the car anywhere. We'll grab it when you park, even if it is for a few minutes. I took one from a gas station when the owner went to the window to get their change.

"The harder you make it for the repo man, the more he is going to charge the bank," our recovery agent added. "The bank will add this to the amount you owe, and you will eventually have to pay it."

So before your car disappears, take your personal items out of it. This includes removing aftermarket stereo equipment or other accessories. Put the original equipment back onto the vehicle or you will be billed for it. If your car is repossessed, you have the legal right to claim your personal possessions from inside the vehicle. In some cases, personal items can vanish. "The agent is supposed to store and log everything in the car," Huang said. "But that doesn't always happen."

Still other people avoid repossession by simply surrendering their vehicle. This summer, in foreclosure-ridden Riverside County, California, dealers would come to work in the morning to find SUVs parked outside with the keys in the ignition and a note on the windshield saying, "I surrender this car." This avoids the repossession fee but not the balance owed or the auction fees.

Sadly, some people facing repossession become bitter and vandalize the cars. "Some cars we got back looked like someone had tap-danced on the hood," Huang said. This would only lower the value of the car at auction, further increasing the balance owed on the car."  (FROM EDMUNDS.COM)

 

FEEL FREE TO FOWARD THIS POST TO ANY FAMILY MEMBERS OR FRIENDS WHO MAY NEED THIS INFORMATION. ---Glenn <><

 

 



 

 

 

 

SO YOU THINK YOU ARE GETTING OLD !

THE PHOTO BELOW WAS TAKEN IN 2012
AT A TV WESTERN FAN FEST.

WHO ARE THESE GUYS?
(Answer at bottom of page)

Two western icons—Hugh (“Wyatt Earp”) O‘Brian and Clint (“Cheyenne”) Walker.

 

 

Did you guess both? One? None?

 

 

In a way these current photos of TV/Movie stars is image shattering. Yet it reminds all of us we too are getting old!

BEAUTY AND TRUTH V 2.0

                
                      I DO NOT OWN THE COPYRIGHT TO THIS PHOTO

AS A TEENAGER IN INDIANA, I WAS GRIPPED AND AWED BY THE NIGHT SKY; AND I STILL AM.

THE BEAUTY AND TRUTH OF THE FOLLOWING EXTRACT HAS NOT BEEN DIMMED BY TIME OR CHANGES IN OUR LANGUAGE:


O Night, mysterious, sublime, and infinite! withdrawing from
our eyes the veil spread above us by the light of day, giving back transparency to the Heavens, showing us the prodigious reality, the shining casket of the celestial diamonds, the innumerable stars that succeed each other interminably in immeasurable space! Without Night we should know nothing. Without it our eyes would never have divined the sidereal population, our intellects would never have pierced the harmony of the Heavens, and we should have remained the blind, deaf parasites of a world isolated from the rest of the universe. O Sacred Night! If on the one hand it rests upon the heights of Truth beyond the day's illusions, on the other its invisible urns pour down a silent and tranquil peace, a penetrating calm, upon our souls that weary of Life's fever. It makes us forget the struggles, perfidies, intrigues, the miseries of the hours of toil and noisy activity, all the conventionalities of civilization. Its domain is that of rest and dreams. We love it for its peace and calm tranquillity. We love it because it is true.


INCLUDED LATER FROM SAME SOURCE

Diamonds, turquoises, rubies, emeralds, all the precious stones with which women love to deck themselves, are to be found in greater perfection, more beautiful, and more splendid, set in the immensity of Heaven! In the telescopic field, we may watch the progress of armies of majestic and powerful suns, from whose attacks there is naught to fear. And these vagabond comets and shooting stars and stellar nebulæ, do they not make up a prodigious panorama? What are our romances in comparison with the History of Nature? Soaring toward the Infinite, we purify our souls from all the baseness of this world, we strive to become better and more intelligent.

Flammarion, Camille (2011-03-24). Astronomy for Amateurs (pp. 16-17).  . Kindle Edition.


.

THIS IS A PUBLIC DOMAIN BOOK---PUBLISHED IN 1910

"THE BOYS"

As an old western movie fan I have noticed the bad guys usually have a gang that are simply referred to as "The Boys."

"The Boys" are often shown getting ready to hold up the stage, rustle some cattle, kidnap the good guy's girlfriend, blowup the mine of an unsuspecting owner, set fire to the homestead of a "nester", rob a bank, shot a lawman in the back, or dynamite the critical newspaper office, jail, or maybe a railroad bridge---just to name a few misdeeds.

In the unfurnished hideout cabin "The Boys" are usually pictured playing cards and drinking booze. Unrest and fights are common place while waiting for the next job to pull.

Here are a few suggestions to help fill up all of that spare time:

  a. Enroll all of "The Boys" in a   correspondence course: Such as---Repairing Wagon Wheels For Fun And Profit; Twelve Steps To A Happier You; or maybe Writing Western Songs In Your Spare Time.

  b. "The Boys" could be shooting merit badge counselors for a local Boy Scout Troop

  c.  Establish a summer outlaw exchange program with members of the Chicago Mob.

  d. Adopt a mile of the stage route to keep clean and put up "ROBBERS AHEAD SIGNS"

  e. Learn to play the harmonica for the next time in the Joint.

  f. Whittle wooden handcuffs for the Boss' kids.

  g. Take some cupcakes to the Old Outlaws Rest Home.

IDLE HANDS ARE THE DEVIL's WORKSHOP

SCROLL DOWN TO THE STORY ABOUT THE CLASS OF 1983 REUNION AT THE REEL 'EM INN MOTEL.

"Mister, can you spare a steak?"

Why has the price of beef gone through the roof?

Many of the cattle growing states have experienced severe drought for 3-4 years. As a result, about a year ago many ranchers were forced to sell all or most of their grass fed herd. The price of beef dropped slightly as the market was flooded with an over supply.

Now, there is a major shortage of beef as ranchers try to rebuild their herds. Consequently, the price has rocket straight up. I saw rib-eyes last week at $11.95 per pound.

Ranchers are caught in a world where cows with calves are at record prices. This drives the cost up for ranchers rebuilding their herds. As a result, beef production remains low and cost to the consumer remains high. 

There is a bright spot here in Oklahoma. Parts of our state are close to being out of the drought and grass and hay are again plentiful. This will keep production costs down and the consumer might see some relief in a year or two.

"Pass the A-1 so I can put it on my pork chop and pretend it is a T-bone!"

SCROLL DOWN TO THE STORY ABOUT THE CLASS OF 1983 REUNION AT THE REEL 'EM INN MOTEL.

HELLO MR. CHIPS ! V. 2

I accompanied my oldest grandson today as he registered at a large state university for the Fall term. My mind went back 64 years ago when I registered as a Freshmen at Purdue University. Here are some observations from today:

1. Entering freshmen today look like kindergartners, not college students. I am certain my classmates in 1959 looked much more mature! (Yeah, right.)

2. Some, key word some, of the girls were dressed more for the beach than college registration. In 1959 these same girls would probably be arrested.

3. Today's entering freshmen look like walking ads for cell phones and computers. In 1959 I used a telephone for the first time.

4. The parents today had the same look as my Dad had in 1959. Where did the time go?

5. Students today had the same sense of wonder and excitement as I experienced in 1959. Most of the good things that have happened to me in 64 plus years had their genesis from those wonderful years I spent at Purdue. I pray my grandson will have the same experience.

6. Many of the students came with Mom/Dad.  In some cases the parent , who looked young, could pass for a brother/sister of their entering student. This brought home again the fact-----I'm old!

I would be remiss if I did not mention my best friend at Purdue---Ray. Ray died about 12 years ago. I really miss him. We entered adulthood together. In many respects we were complete opposites: Ray was from the south side of Chicago, make mine country. He was short and I was much taller. He was a Catholic; I am a Baptist. Ray was in Pharmacy; I was in Industrial Technology. Ray was shy; well, you know I am not. He was a White Sox fan; I'm a die hard Reds fan.

Friendship is not built on differences, but shared common interests. We had a ton of those. Ray R.I.P.


SCROLL DOWN TO THE STORY ABOUT THE CLASS OF 1983 REUNION AT THE REEL 'EM INN MOTEL.
  

THAT OLD TREE

                         THAT OLD TREE

                 That old tree in our front yard
                 Was my castle and my best pard'

                 A place to hide and tell my sorrow
                 A place to dream and plan tomorrow

                Things were smaller from my perch
                Answers came easier in my search

                The house and old tree have all gone
                In my older heart the old tree lives on 

                        Glenn <><  6-12-13   

Class of 1983 Reunion at Reel 'Em Inn Motel

CLASS OF 1983 REUNION AT REEL ‘EM INN MOTEL

 (The events and characters in this story are fictitious and any similarity between persons living or dead is purely coincidental.) 

“Hey Bones, you look like a candidate for a Veggie Diet Systems commercial!”

“Ok Mister Prom King, I hear the drug store has a BOGO sale on Hair Grow for men!”

The good natured jabs and put downs continued for the rest of Friday afternoon as the Class of 1983 checked into the lakeside Reel ‘Em Inn Motel for their 30^th Reunion. The reunion committee selected this motel because of an eye-watering off-season offer to price all rooms at 1983 rates! The motel was within easy walking distance of several mid-price restaurants and the ubiquitous fast food establishments. 

Three tour busses arrived at the motel at 5pm to transport the non-stop talking Class of 1983, their spouses, and in some cases, dates, to a large banquet room at the civic center for an informal catered buffet dinner.


Mayor Gibson welcomed them and said he hoped they would not act like a bunch of Baptists who held their annual state convention in his fair city last month. The mayor said, “Those Baptists came to town with a copy of the Ten Commandments in one hand and a ten dollar bill in the other hand. They vowed not to break either one!”

Bill Henderson, president of the Class of 1983, welcomed everyone and asked all to stand as the class secretary read the names of classmates who had graduated to Eternity. A moment of silence was observed in their honor.

President Henderson next tried his best imitation of Principal Mr. Snider who was “The Man” at good old Eastern Heights High School in 1983. “Students, here’s the schedule for this weekend:

1.      A short business meeting will follow dessert.

2.      After the busses take us back to the motel, a VCR tape of the 1982 District  Football Championship game will be on the lobby TV,  the Rainbow Trout conference room will have a Dutch wet bar, and the Brook Trout conference room will serve complementary coffee and soft drinks.

3.      You are on your own for breakfast. If you signed up for the bowling tourney, be at the front desk at 11am for a bus to King Salmon Lanes.

4.      Two busses will leave the motel at Noon for a two hour mall shopping trip and a short tour of the historic downtown district with a refreshment stop at the Depot Museum and Snack Bar. 

5.      Business Casual dress for the catered dinner at the Elks Club party room. A DJ will play 80’s hits and dancing is optional. All three busses will leave the motel at 7pm with an estimated return around midnight.

6.      Al Binger, one of our classmates and ordained Methodist minister, will hold a short devotional meeting at 10am in the Brook Trout conference room.

7.      At 10:30am, our final time together will be a special Brunch Buffet for our class and guests in the Rainbow conference room.

8.      Motel check out time is 1pm.  

 

“Hey, Henderson, don’t quit your day job! That was a terrible impression of Warden Snider,” shouted Billy Ray McCalaster.

“Right after lunch count Mr. Wise Guy, I want to see you in my office,” the president shot back.

A roar of laughter filled the room of classmates and friends. Billy Ray’s face became very red.

Dessert was served. The treasurer’s report was presented and approved. And five grads were elected to the 40^th reunion committee, with two alternates. The meeting was adjourned and the talking continued unabated until the second announcement to load the busses.

Back at the motel most of the football players made an out of shape rush to the lobby after grabbing a soft drink from the vending machine.


Bill Henderson, class president, made a short stay in the lobby and joked with the players on the team he quarterbacked to a 14-13 victory over the heavily favored cross town rival--- Western Hills.  His last second “Hail Mary” to Buddy Adams in the end zone and dead center PAT clinched it. Henderson said, “Guys, we could do the same play a hundred times and probably never duplicate it again.” All agreed.

He next went to the coffee and soft drinks room and chatted with his wife and listened to all of the stories about children and grandchildren. In addition there was much talk about divorces, second marriages, and tattoos in unusual locations. He was thankful Evelyn, his wife, and he just celebrated their 25^th Anniversary.

In muted, almost inaudible, tones a few women talked of cosmetic surgery and menopause. All of a sudden he felt very out of place. He wondered to himself when his libido would change. He hoped not soon.

His final stop was in the room where beer and mixed drinks were served. When he opened the door the noise and alcohol smell nearly chased him away. Bill and his wife would share a bottle of Champaign on their anniversary. That was their self-imposed drinking limit.

Billy Ray yelled from across the room, “Gents, somebody better hum “Hail to the Chief” for our wonderful class president. *%^&, he was Mister Hero at good old Eastern Heights prison. Here’s some breaking news:  Most of you don’t know he stole Evelyn away from me just three days before I was going to propose to her. Talk about your Trophy Wives, for two years she was my steady Trophy Girlfriend.  She and I were close---I mean very, very close! Now what do you overweight, stressed out, never at home business executives think of that?”

By now Bill had made his way over to confront the obviously drunk Billy Ray.

“Billy Ray, let’s go out into the hall and talk about your inappropriate comments about Evelyn.”  

“No way Jose; I’m staying right here where I can get another double Wild Turkey headache maker. Boys, for two years I was number two on the football team depth chart. Then wham, bam, old Coach Alfred jumps Mister Bill to starting QB. I took a total of 11 snaps my senior year. So it doesn’t take a Detective Joe Friday to see he stole my football position AND he stole the hottest Pom squad girl at Eastern Heights from good old Billy Ray.”   

Bill could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up and a flush of blood filled his face and both hands clinched in an uncontrolled fighting response. Within a few seconds he felt a certain amount of self-control returning. He spoke slowly without looking at Billy Ray or anyone.

“If you look at the ‘82 gold trophy in the school’s trophy case and the gold wedding ring on Evelyn’s left hand you’ll quickly see who the winner is.” 

Lunging toward Bill, Billy Ray shouted, “I shoulda killed you in ’83!  Someday I’ll show you who the real winner is.”

Three classmates and the motel’s security guard separated the fighting mad duo. Billy Ray was led away to his room by the security guard. Billy Ray was shouting and screaming all the way.  

Bill was shaken, embarrassed and regretted the entire situation. But it had happened and his caustic response was heard by everyone in the room.  But after all, it was Billy Ray who was drunk and chose to replay his three decade long grudge in public. And he was glad he had resisted the animal urge to strike back and ruin the weekend for himself and all of his classmates. He had a king size headache and desperately in need of the comfort of Evelyn and a good night’s sleep. He said goodnight to all and retired to his room.

When Bill returned to his room he discovered a note from Evelyn on the bed. She wrote, “I’m in Betty Higgins’ room with the other Pom girls. Don’t wait up for me. Love, Evelyn.”  Bill opened Evelyn’s small cosmetic bag and located the aspirins; took three and within ten minutes he fell asleep, completely dressed, on top of the bedspread, door unlocked, and the TV on ESPN.  

Evelyn tried her key to their room only to discover the door was already unlocked. With only the dim light of the bathroom she proceeded to locate and turn on a small desk lamp.

Her screams of horror did not wake the dead but did empty all of the motel rooms and sent the security guard and desk clerk running to her.

She staggered backward out of the room and collapsed into a trio of guys with their arms extended toward her.

The security guard took one step into the room and saw a body with a blood soaked pillow half on and half off Bill’s head. The room smelled of gunpowder and liquor. A 911 call had been made when Evelyn’s screams were heard.

Within a couple of minutes the EMTs arrived and conducted a triage of the lifeless victim. They radioed their dispatcher and said the victim apparently died from a gunshot wound to his left temple.

A minute later the police arrived and locked down the entire motel. The EMTs turned to help Evelyn.

The police started their crime scene investigation and awaited the arrival of the medical examiner. All of the guests were ushered into the Brook Trout room and their rooms searched. Nothing significant was found.

One by one, each guest and staff members was taken to the Rainbow Trout room and individually questioned. This took just over five hours. Twelve people gave first person information of the confrontation Billy Ray had had with Bill earlier in the evening.

Evelyn and Beth Higgins were permitted to go to the lobby where Evelyn lay on a couch with a cold wash cloth on her forehead. Her sobbing would pause for a couple of seconds and when she would catch her breathe she seemed to cry with even greater intensity.

Billy Ray was still too drunk to be interviewed and was jailed as a person of interest.

Obviously, the reunion was cancelled and all except Billy Ray, Evelyn, and Betty, were permitted to go home. A crime scene yellow tape encircled the motel and the parking lot.

As Billy Ray started to get sober he realized what a fix he was in---it scared him---it scared him a lot.

Meanwhile, Buddy Adams headed home and wondered if Bill’s obituary would mention the ’82 game and his circus catch among five defensive backs. Two of the defenders played D-1 football and one of these super stars played 12 years in the NFL. He quickly dismissed his thoughts because no one remembered his catch in the greatest game ever played by Eastern Heights. Bill’s throw would always be part of the Eastern Heights’ oral football history.

As he drove across the dam road he slowed down, looked in his rearview mirror, lowered his window and tossed a black metal object and an almost full bottle of Wild Turkey into the deep end of Trout Lake.

He smiled and resumed the eight hour journey home.

Glenn   <><   6-9-13

 

 

 

We Should Have Seen It Coming !

This Post Represents My Opinions:

We ignored the warning signs. We should have seen the unprecedented continued assault upon our Constitution many years ago.

What dots did we fail to connect?

The teaching of Western Civilization in our high schools and university has all but evaporated. Thankfully, both of our Shawnee universities still teach the essential elements of this neglected subject.

What is Western Civilization? Dr. Larry Arns, President of Hillsdale College, summarizes it well when he says it is the confluence of two streams: one flowing from Jerusalem and one from Athens.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was removed from our public school many years ago. Prayer is gone; the Ten Commandments are gone; religious symbols and holidays are almost gone; and ethics and morality are considered old fashioned and no longer necessary in this post-God world. And that is just the tip of the problem.

The stream from Jerusalem has been permitted to evaporate like a shallow Oklahoma pond in August. There is an awesome description in the Bible that describes this situation very well:  "Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph." 

The stream from Athens contained the themes of representative government, government of laws, principals of liberty and justice, safeguards against dictators, public education, and many other concepts that are the very fabric of our Constitution. Our Founders drank long and deep from this stream of liberty, opportunity, individual freedom and accountability.

The serial dams of political correctness, diversity, and multiculturalism have diverted the stream from Athens into so many rivulets the streams are now shallow and superficial.

The diagnosis is easy; the cure is very hard. It requires an unprecedented, long-term, national grassroots determination to elect officials at all levels who have both the will and courage to reverse course and dredge out both streams back to their source.