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CRITICAL SUCCESS: The 2 Rules of 3

A Critical Analysis Of Why The Cordoba Mosque Should NOT Be Built

A Critical Analysis Of

Why The Cordoba

Mosque

Should NOT Be Built

By

 

D.S.Brown

As the Mosque furor recedes into memory and is replaced by the next great thing of the moment, be it re-igniting the emotional sub-cultural rant that is the Birther movement, or the reclamation of our Judeo-Christian nation for the greater glory of Jesus as only one party can, I would like to pause … and take a moment to consider what has transpired with regard to Park 51.

However, before delving into this let me take a stand and clarify my position, my approach.  This issue of building a mosque near Ground Zero is asking people to take a side.  I have good friends who tell me the mosque should not be built.  There are people on either side of the ideological divide that say the mosque should not be built.  Even the President flip-flopped and said the mosque should not be built. 

So, there you have it.  A clear perspective that takes into account the people of New York, the families that were impacted by the cowardly attack of Muslim extremists, and asks that those who seek to build their center consider those of us who see Cordoba as a symbol of all that is wrong, wrong for them, wrong for us, wrong for America.   THE MOSQUE SHOULD NOT BE BUILT NEAR GROUND ZERO OR ANYWHERE CLOSE TO IT!

End of discussion.

But wait, I like to pride myself on being an aspiring critical thinker, always climbing the mountain, always striving for better understanding, deeper knowledge.  I am Sisyphus struggling mightily on the mountain of critical thinking.  The struggle is indeed infinite, but I long ago realized it is not punishment.  No, it is joy.  For the mountain and the boulder arrayed in my path are life’s challenges, pushed, man-handled, and sometimes thrust aside.  The path is a joyous march forward, a walk in which I gain happiness and enlightenment.  I step up the mountain knowing that each step is a reward.  Why?  Because I know I walk the path of wisdom.  And the path to wisdom is brightly illuminated by the light of perspective.  And in order to walk this path I must embrace critical thinking.  And what is the hallmark of the critical thinker?  Essentially, it is the ability to sincerely internalize the perspectives of others, most certainly when those perspectives are diametrically, even violently opposed to one’s own.  And so, I must consider the differing perspectives.  I can’t let it end with, THE MOSQUE SHOULD NOT BE BUILT!  I must consider this position, and the opposing position critically.

Let us begin. 


First I would like to take a moment to address the images above.  Don’t glorify the murder of3000.   I would think we can all agree with this sentiment.  We in no way want to erect a monument that glorifies for the extremists the tragedy that is 9/11.  There can be no symbol of Islamic extremist victory on our soil. 

Where does this particular perspective come from?  I heard and read Newt Gingrich’s claim that Cordoba is a symbol of Islamic victory, which the naming of the mosque near ground zero symbolizes.  I’ve heard this particular perspective repeated several times.  The rationale behind this perspective is the purported history of the Islamic Great Mosque in Cordoba, Spain. 

So we must understand that the perspective of building a victory symbol, a symbol that would tell the world that Mohammad Atta and his Islamic freedom fighters struck a blow for the faithful must not come to pass. 

But what are the facts? 

The fact is that Cordoba under Muslim rule was one of the most civilized cities in the world.  It was a place of commerce and learning, where people of many faiths(Islam, Christianity, Judaism) worshipped freely without fear of recrimination.  The Great Mosque of Cordoba was originally a Christian Church started in 600 CE.  After the Muslim conquest in 711 CE it was purchased and over two centuries made into a mosque.  It served in this form until 1236, when Cordoba was reclaimed by Christendom.  Today, the Great Mosque is again a church. 

This does not seem to mirror the claim that the Great Mosque was erected as some sort of victory symbol.  The fact that it is no longer a mosque at all does little to lend credence to the name Cordoba as some nefarious symbol of dark conquest.  In fact, the facts don’t seem to mirror Newt’s claim at all.  

Okay, point considered, rationale not supported.  Newt is clearly wrong. 

This is no surprise as it is clear that every controversial utterance that pours from his mouth is a provocation utilized to continue interest in the Newt Gingrich brand.  This noise he creates essentially puts money in his pocket.   Wow, when you think about it like that, the man that is New Gingrich becomes quite clear to the critical-thinking.   He most certainly is not qualified to run for President.  He is not to be considered a viable critical-thinking source on matters of policy and fact.  What he is, is a Great Entertainer.  Newt Gingrich should go on reality television.  His purpose is, and should continue to be, wild-eyed entertainment.

 

Laura Ingraham interviewed Daisy Kahn, wife if Iman FeisalAbdul Rauf.  At the time Ingraham gave the Cordoba project her blessing.  Why would she do such a thing?  Why would she encourage and support the construction of a monument to Islamic victory in the heart of Manhattan?  Well, let us consider what the Muslims are attempting to achieve with this project.

With critical consideration it would seem the Muslims are attempting outreach, education, the facilitation of learning, the spreading of knowledge at a place of mutual respect and friendship, where love and understanding could prosper, flourish, and eventually propagate outwards.  Such a place could quite conceivably shift the paradigm,right?  Such a shift would not be in a negative direction, but rather a positive one.   The facts do seem to bear this out.

Such a place would move us all beyond stereotypes and generalizations to a mode of thinking where people could gain tolerance, acceptance, and eventually love from those who think differently, who see differently, worship differently, but love no differently from the rest of us.  Yes, I think at that time, in that moment, Laura understood the Muslim motivation for Cordoba.  I think Laura might have realized the Cordoba House was indeed seeking to reclaim some of what ancient Cordoba was.   Based on historical fact we now know it was not a symbol of conquest, but rather a symbol of learning, acceptance, and unity.  It was civilized, disavowed of barbarity, aspiring to be the best of us.  Yes, I think Laura liked what she heard, and indeed fully supported it.   

So why would Laura later come out against her initial stance? 

Well, there are at best two points to consider when attempting to answer this question.  First, Laura represents a business enterprise.  No matter how many times we learn it, it seems we all have to come back and learn it again.  The 4th Estate, a term which refers to our press, our media, still aspires to be objective; to only report the news, not judge the news or the people who make it.  Over time, with the advent of the 24-hour news cycle, this personal mandate has magnified greatly.  There has always been the human compunction to create the news, be you a reporter with no facts or a William Randolph Hearst himself, creating the truth whole cloth and publishing it for consumption in your vast newspaper empire.  This need has not vanished, nor has the desire to remain objective. 

However, news is big business, and big business has a need to fill the 24-hour news cycle.  You may not outright lie, but you will gladly publish or broadcast that which is controversial.  You will gladly color facts to suit a given audience.  You will do this because ad dollars, the lifeblood of your enterprise, are on the line.  It’s about market share, what you can capture, and what you leave on the table for later, if you can have it.  Who’s the most sensational?  Who’s the most bombastic?  Who’s making the most noise?  In this, Laura has made no small amount of noise.   

The second point to consider is Newt’s perspective, which we’ve already established as a fallacy, but controversial nonetheless.  We all know that once you put it out there you can’t take it back.  Obama will forever be a Muslim to some.  Cordoba will forever be a monument to extremism to some.  The very act of refuting these claims causes controversy, causes increased viewership, creates more ad dollars.  Yes, Laura’s change in position makes perfectly good sense, and carries much truth.  However, it is not the truth of the Cordoba mission, and all that it means, rather it is the truth of the almighty dollar, the boiling of blood, and the stirring of the soul, all in order to increase viewership. 


Before moving on in our understanding we must address this man, this Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, and his endorsement of Sharia law.  We all know that Sharia law advocates the stoning of women, and commands Muslims to practice unjust and aggressive Jihad.  We all know Sharia law marries strict Islamic law to the political process.   We all know in comparison to Western ideals, Sharia law is inherently evil.  Yes, we respect the right to worship Satan, Lucifer, Angels, and Devils.  However, we should be allowed to draw a line, right?  One man has stated on a YouTube vlog that Islam should erect its mosques only in appropriate areas of America, like Death Valley, or the Arizona desert.   Hmmm, that doesn’t sound hateful … does it?

We must therefore conclude that Imam Feisal, a man who has apparently worked tirelessly on behalf of America and all her people, who has confronted extremism at the behest of the American government, risking life and limb under the threat of being branded a traitorous infidel, of this man who supports Sharia law we can only draw one conclusion.  As Sharia law is evil, so too then must be Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf. 

And here, I must pause.  Here is the line I must draw, and from which I must step back … way back.

As an aspiring critical thinker I cannot just adhere to one perspective.  I must ask the question, is Sharia truly evil?  I must consider the perspective, why would Imam Feisal support Sharia law?  Well, let’s start with facts.  What is Sharia law?

To consider it without rancor or bias one must settle on what it means to its adherents.  Clearly, to Muslims, it is the way of life.  It is the law of God, a combination of the Islamic system of law and how a Muslim should live their daily life.

Sharia’s source is the Holy Qur’an and the words of Muhammad that explain the Qur’an, what Muslims call the Hadith.  With unbiased study one comes to understand that Sharia law runs the gamut from the very liberal to the almost inhumane extreme.   When this spectrum of moral value is placed in comparison to other religions, most especially biased Western Christianity, we find Christians doing exactly that which they are admonished to not do, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” 

Can we and should we agree to integrate Sharia law into our daily legal and political lives?  Most certainly not!  America is not a theocracy, nor should it be.  This statement applies to Christian zealots as well, who are so fond of calling America a Christian nation.  The great experiment that is America is most certainly about separation of church  and state and religious tolerance for the express purpose of avoiding the codification of zealotry, which most often leads to the must inhumane and barbaric behavior, which extremists conveniently attribute to God’s will.

Christians need to stop and consider this judging of others critically.  Much of what we find abhorrent in Sharia law as practiced by conservative extremists derives from personal belief and cultural mores that have been imprinted on the religion.  This same behavior has been emulated by Christians.  Christians have stoned.  Christians chopped off heads.  Christians have boiled, drowned, and burned at the stake.  Christians have claimed personally the right hand of God, the mantle of the just, and used it to spread blood, not love.  Christians say this is our past.  However, you need only look inward for but a brief moment to see Fundamentalist Christian groups readying themselves for Holy War, and even taking their positions of power (See Pentagon Generals and Secretary of Defense Daily Briefings), as being ordained by God, bringing peace and democracy to evil tyrants and terrorists through the projected might of blood and steel.  Christians, please look in the mirror and paint your own picture before you rush to judgment of others, and please remember just as you rush to judgment, such acts are not your province, but rather the province of the Lord.  You have not the right. 

When Imam Feisal expresses a belief that Sharia law is compatible with American freedom and concepts of justice, he is not wrong.  He is interpreting Sharia law and apparently living it, from his own personal perspective, his own personal belief, his desire to make Sharia law a thing of goodness, beneficial to all its adherents.  Who are we, and why should we, tell him he’s wrong?  Again, judge not lest ye be judged.

In honesty, we Americans should step away from ignorance and understand his perspective, if only so we can hold all Muslims accountable to it.  Why?  Because Imam Feisal’s interpretation of Sharia Law is an expression of the good will of God, that we do good things, and be good to each other.  There have been so many examples in history where tolerance, acceptance, and love have been the rule, not the exception, as was the case in Cordoba, Spain.  We should learn from these examples, and we should all disavow ourselves of the extreme perspective and embrace that which is best in us, that which has been before, and can be again.  

So where does that leave us with regard to the Mosque?  Should we still protest?  Protesting is a great All-American pastime.  Sure, why not.  She would brandish Sharia Law and the fear that it will be codified into American Jurisprudence as a justifiable reason to protest the building of the Mosque?  Sure, if you want to adhere to ignorance.  Again, America is not a theocracy, nor will it be, if we remain vigilant.  The fear of Sharia Law becoming common in America is not a valid point of protest.  It is not critical to the debate.  Therefore, it must be abandoned when considered under the light of reason, and the American mandate for religious tolerance.  Muslims have the right in America to walk God’s path, and live God’s way, as they interpret it.   

 

And so we arrive at the crux of the matter.  The image above is the Cordoba Mosque in its current state.  It’s in ablighted neighborhood almost two blocks away from where the World Trade Center towers once stood.  This is where the Muslims seek to build their house of understanding with a space for worship.  They say it is not a mosque, that it won’t look like a traditional mosque, that it is a communitycenter for understanding, one that will bring life to the neighborhood, as well as jobs.

However, we Americans have a different question to ask, right?  We want to know how can the Muslims be so incredibly insensitive?  How can they not see the pain they are causing not only the 9/11 victims’ families, but all Americans who hate and despise the Islamofascists that practice aggressive Jihad against all who see the world differently?  How can they so blatantly pursue building a terrorist training center in the heart of New York City?  How can they not see how utterly evil this pursuit is? 

I sorely lament the loss of critical thinking skills.  I so greatly lament the lack of focus on fundamental questions, wholistic thinking styles, mental approaches to issues that traverse the ideological divide.  I miss … I miss people that think for themselves. 

Words like Islamofascists are incendiary and only serve to divide us further.  We know the truth of hate, and calling others evil.  It does not promote understanding.   It does not build bridges or mend fences.  Such words only serve to guide us further down the road to conflict and death.

The perspective that believes the above building is a fomenting hotbed for terror is not rational, and does not take into account the facts.  Interestingly enough, not to be impolite here with regard to the violation of privacy, but do we all, by all I mean us Americans, think that a community center in New York, led by an Imam who serves at the behest of the State Department, and any Governmental apparatus that demands his services, will be free of the prying eyes and ears of government?  Can we really believe that funds moving into and out of this center will not be scrutinized?  Do we really think that a terrorist training facility could operate within the Cordoba center with impunity?  

How insensitive are the Muslims for reconstructing so close to Ground Zero?  I say reconstructing and not building because you see … they were there already.  Are they really being ignorant and insensitive?  I have to say yes.  However, for our critical consideration, is the converse true?  Are 9/11 families and anti-mosque supporters being ignorant and wholly insensitive?  Well, without equivocation they most certainly are.  In fact, pardon me for saying so, they’re being downright un-American.

Please allow me to clarify.

The Muslims and the mosque-protestors are ignorant, as are we all.  Those who aspire to wisdom recognize that we live our lives in a constant state of ignorance.  We may be learned in one area, but we are most certainly ignorant in another.  None of us knows everything.  And so, those who walk the path to enlightenment seek to be in a constant state of knowing, learning, moving from a state of ignorance to one of knowledge.  Mosque-protestors are ignorant of the perspective of Muslims because they have not taken the time to understand Islam without the poison of bias and subjectivity.  Cordoba supporters are ignorant of the situation they’re in as Americans, as evidenced by their approach to the situation, their acquiescence in changing the name from Cordoba to Park 51, their supposed silence because they are not given to being loud and opposing.  They are insensitive to the 9/11 families only in that they continue to remain ignorant of the import of the situation as a whole.  They must find their passion.  They must find their voice.  They clearly must speak, and speak loudly enough without rancor in order to be effectively heard. 

Are the families of the victims’ being insensitive?  Some of them are indeed being insensitive, to their fellow victims’ families.  Muslims died in 9/11, and I’m not talking about the perpetrators.  In addition to this insensitivity they are being willfully ignorant and intolerant.  America has a long tradition of intolerance, for hate and racism are at the very root of our national genesis.  It is something we can and should acknowledge.  It is an ancestral lesson for us all, something we must never forget, an ignorance we must readily thrust aside and ever strive to be above. 

In stepping back and viewing this aspect of the issue wholistically, utilizing a critical thinking mind, one finds that both Cordoba supporters and detractors should step back and reassess their positions.  They should strive for understanding, to truly internalize the perspectives of those that are diametrically, even violently opposed to their own position, and endeavor to come together, to help each other see more clearly.  Such a critical thinking perspective dies in the withering heat of hate and intolerance.  We must all remember that America, the ideal of America, is about freedom, religious freedom most certainly, even freedom for Islam, and Islamic-Americans. 

This stance, this position of denial and intolerance is antithetical to the American ideal, and truly runs counter to our military mission abroad.  None other than General Patreaus himself has stated that this anti-Islamic hysteria threatens our national security.  It puts our troops squarely in harm’s way.  Now, considering how so many seem to readily support our military, one truly questions their level of ignorance when they visibly, demonstrably, loudly join the chorus of Islamic decriers.  The language incites.  Now, in Florida there is a pastor who’s preparing to hold a bookburning.  The book to be burned?  The Holy Qur’an.  What does this say about intolerance and ignorance?  What does this say to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan?  What does it say to the people we supposedly seek to liberate, to set free, and share the fruits of democracy?  Consider it.  Truly consider it.

So why is this happening? 

Why are we having to deal with a new divisive issue that starts seemingly from nothing and erupts into a national conflagration every two weeks or so?  Is it because our President is black?  No.  Is it because those in power are defying the American people and redefining America?  No.  Is it because we’re losing our freedoms by the passing hour?  No.  However, many do feel this way.  They wake every morning and begin the task of regurgitating bile, vitriol, and hate, and decry the great days of yesteryear and an America that has long since vanished, and any remnant of its glory passes into obscurity the longer evil liberals, and the undercover Islamic Communist remains in the White House.  Yes,this is what they think, and this is what they say.  But is it the truth?  Is this why we’re having such an upheaval? 

Is it because those in power are turning America into a Hispaniola, Islamic, socio-fascistic, communist, anti-Jesus, anti-God, anti-Christian degenerating quagmire cesspool of hippy-leftist, anti-constitutional contradictions?

Is it? 

Or is it because the rabid right is turning America into a jingoistic, self-possessed, hegemonic, authoritarian, elitist, wanna-be theocratic, cro-magnon master state?

We must consider critically the atmosphere in which the strife and consternation of this Cordoba Initiative germinated and prospered, and what either extreme perspective does to our national discourse.  My friends, this is primetime politics at its best.  The most common of us stand as observers, then internalize this strife, and act accordingly.  We’re puppets.  We must harness our critical thinking abilities and cut the puppet strings.  All this, each and every last bi-weekly controversy is part of the game of brinkmanship leading into November.  This is truly unfortunate.

Why?  Because I firmly believe that we can, and must evolve into our better selves.  We must understand that just like in war, this political game our leaders play with policy costs lives.  I’m not being metaphoric.  People die, YES DIE, based on the actions taken in our state houses, and in Washington.  And make no mistake, these games are played by both Democrat and Republican, so-called Conservative, and so-called Liberal.

Everyday people readily leap to join the voice that yells the loudest, the voice that reaches in deep for those emotions that feed fear and resent change.  It’s an old, tried and true tactic.  However, as I said, we lack, or do not exercise our critical thinking abilities.  If we did, we would know that such tactics have been utilized again, and again, and again.  Our history is rife with examples of, hearkening back to a better day.  It’s always used as a tool to resist change, change that many fear, do not understand, and have not the courage to seek a good, deep understanding so that they can truly make an informed decision.  Should I support this change?  Really?  Will it benefit me?  Will it benefit my family?  Will it benefit my community, my state, my nation?  Will it … will it benefit OUR posterity.

We must also consider the information itself; information that is conveyed by those who claim to not be part of the Mass Media but are, and those who aren’t.  Information, data collected into a constructive format for communicative purposes carries power.  We say words only have the power we give them, but we all know truthfully that we so readily give over our power to those very words. 

The development of MDC (Media-Driven ConsumerCelebreality) has indeed evolved into a high art form in its cyclic inception, creation, and utilization, but at its core it’s still the old vehicle, propaganda.  Now, when entertainers that dress up as pundits, purveyors of truth, patriots of what’s right, and national decriers of what’s wrong, go out and say things that incite … well, that’s just it, their words incite. 

Yet, they continue to walk the world with zero accountability.  Why?  Because as we have just pointed out the entertainers work a part of a business, and the businesses ever seek higher profits, and those profits come at the expense of the common people.  Those common people hear a message, and that message reaches down deep and affects them on a visceral level.  When they give the words they hear that much power, when the words come candy-colored, voluminous, rife with the power and ability to move hearts and minds people will act.

In Mayor Bloomber’s New York, a polyglot of a city where its billionaire leader, a man who seeks profit, preaches clear understanding and passion, and disavows hate; in his city a Muslim cab driver was attacked.  Michael Enright attempted to murder Ahmed Sharif.   It’s alleged that Enright was drunk.  He was also known to volunteer for Intersections International, a group that promotes interfaith dialogue.  Now, please understand, I am only inferring.  I have not one fact to connect Enright’s actions to one of the people that pollute our airwaves with constant hate and vitriol, which they somehow manage to sell as not hate, but common sense and traditional American Values (one could bend that on its ear and collect a really good black humor laugh).  

No, I have no facts.  However, I can consider the situation critically, and infer that the heated environment in New York, the words of anger and distrust that form a frothy mind numbing fog around all the people involved, the fog charged with the rhetoric of the compassionless, can and does move hearts and minds.  And when those hearts and minds lack the ability to think critically, they lack the ability to grasp hold of rationality, and act responsibly.  Instead, they find in acts of hate and terror, rational justification,j ustification that is buoyed by the words, thoughts and ideas that dance around in their heads, MDC in action, a meme virus obstructing critical cognition, and lending reason to such actions as gunning down fellow servicemen, or flying a plane into a building, or stabbing a cab driver because he’s Muslim.  The men and women on the airwaves are not directly responsible.  We should not and dare not attempt to legislate against their right to speak. 

However, we can still hold them accountable.  We can still push our fellow citizens to embrace critical cognition.  We can still hold them close and ask them to ask critical questions of those that push hate and vitriol, that say things like bomb them all and let God sort them out, that say things like an entire population, nearly half of all Americans, those that identify as liberal or progressive are not only dumb and stupid, but are in fact … diseased, or worse evil.  We can, should, and must hold them all accountable and show them quite clearly, the mirror they so readily avoid, so that they can clearly see the evil they speak of, the destruction and freedom they fear, is in fact gaining traction, evolving, and growing in the very words they speak, that the evil they rail against is in fact, a reflection … of themselves.

My friends, President Barack Hussein Obama II, who is not a Muslim (and it should not, would not matter if he was), but rather an aspiring critical thinker, did not flip-flop.  His second statement was only meant to clarify the first, even as he continued to walk the incredibly thin tightrope of brinkmanship.  The worshipers of Islam are guilty of no more than are we all, ignorant of something to a certain degree.  It is time to step into knowledge and put ignorance on this issue behind us.  After critical consideration, with regard to the best that is American, the very nature of our ideal, I have come to the decision that no matter what other Muslims say, what Christians say, what other Americans say, I have to take a stand based on my own critical perspective, based on my opinion established with regard to the facts as they are, clarified by a sincere desire to be the best of myself, the best humanity has to offer, I have decided  that THE CORDOBA project must proceed,NOT THE PARK 51 PROJECT, BUT THE CORDOBA PROJECT.  They must lay claim to the legacy that is Cordoba in fact, and let it shine as a beacon for ALL religions and faiths, as it once did in Spain.  I know in my heart the Mosque must be built.  I know that those fair-minded individuals who are trying to acquiesce to the ignorance that is the sound and fury of American righteousness, antithetical to the American ideal, must cease and desist in their actions to concede the ground of justice ,and lay claim to it with hearts full, heads held high, and hands down, no violence should they commit, no anger must they spread, for they have what’s right, what’s truly American as core to their cause.  They must STAND, they must claim justice, they must BUILD THE CORDOBA HOUSE! 

Yes, THIS MOSQUE MUST BE BUILT!

 

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Posted by DS Brown at 9/8/2010 8:04 PM

RIMO - REPLUBLICAN IN MEDIA ONLY

R I M O

Republican In Media Only

 A Critical Observation

 By 

D.S.Brown 

 

On Wednesday March 22, 2010 I was forced to coin a new term, RIMO.  It’s a take on RINO, which is an acronym for Republican In Name Only.  The same thing has been applied to Democrats.  They have DINO, Democrat In Name Only.  As you can see based on the image above, candidates have taken to proving their bonafides by vociferously claiming they are very much true to their party ideals.  They actively campaign against the stigma of being IN NAME ONLY.  

The image above says Jesse Kelly is running for congress.  He’s a US Marine combat veteran.  His picture, holding his weapon, is meant to convey strength, hardness, a certain edge.  The flag waving in the background is meant to convey loyalty, patriotism, a commitment to the American ideal.  However, one must ask what the American ideal is.  What’s your perspective on this essential question?  Also, one must consider the deeper message this image conveys.  When it asks whether or not Jesse Kelly looks like a RINO, we infer that a RINO does not look like a US Marine.   It leaves one to ask what does a RINO look like?  It also infers that whatever that thing looks like, it’s not good.  Might it be … a Democrat?  Is being a Democrat bad?  Listen people, let’s all get one thing straight from the offset. 

This is completely, totally, and utterly stupid. 

Unfortunately, seeing as how the massive multitudes of the voting public lack critical thinking skills, aspiring politicians play the most recently evolved version of an old game. It’s called pandering.  Yes, that’s what it is.  If you’re a public official and deny this, so sorry, but you and I both know the truth.  If you’re a public official, and with some small amount of embarrassment recognize this as the truth, then congratulations.   You’re honest, perhaps a critical thinker, hopefully walking the path to wisdom, and aspiring to work as a solution-oriented politician dedicated to elevating our politics.  Yes, one can hope.

What is a RIMO? 

A RIMO is a Republican In Media Only.  Before we move on to explain RIMO in more detail, let’s take a moment to clarify why the word pander is so fitting in describing what’s happening in our political system.

The word pander means to furnish clients for a prostitute, or supply persons for illicit sexual intercourse; procurer, pimp.  That’s pretty darn ugly isn’t it?  However, today’s slang often mentions how companies pimp people, how people pimp God for cash, and how the government pimps people for power.  Another meaning of pander is to cater to or profit from the weaknesses or vices of others.   

Combine the pimping for power with catering to and taking advantage of, and you have a politician that is willing to say and do almost anything in order to take hold of, consolidate, and grow power.  This describes many of today’s politicians perfectly.

Now let me make one thing perfectly clear.  I have voted Republican as well as Democrat.  I allow no party to take my vote for granted.  When a vote comes due in my district I do my due diligence.  I study the candidates, or the issue that is on the ballot for consideration.  I consider the options critically.  Then, I vote.  I believe this is how all of us should vote.  

Let us make no generalizations.  Let us indulge no stereotypes. 

I can’t nor will I class all Republicans the same.  However, there are those RIMOs to consider.  Allow me to highlight a few: John Boehner, a man who stood on the House floor during the Health Care vote and gave a fiery speech that spoke to the hearts and minds of the pandered powerless GOP constituency, who ate up his rhetoric like so much manna from heaven.  Eric Cantor, who did much the same thing.  There’s Michele Bachman, purveyor of death panels, who serves as a shockingly vivid example of what happens when the vacuous and spoon-like get elected to office.  There’s Mitch McConnell who along with his fellow Republican Senators vows to repeal reform because it’s not good forAmerica, we can’t afford it, and it will lead to our national destruction. 

You see, the use of a word like destruction is pandering.  It plays on our fears, our weakness with regard to change, the fear that the change might hurt, even if after reading it it’s clear it will help.  Critical thinkers can discern, eschew fear and embrace change.  Those who lack critical thinking skills cannot.  They embrace fear, and look to someone else to tell them what’s right, what’s true, and where stands the devils … or the communist.

Not all Republicans think this way, but even the moderate, more rational members of the party are victims of their own circumstance.  They have no one to blame but themselves.  As President Obama said, by stirring up so much fear and hatred, they’ve locked themselves into their position.  To even hint at compromise would incite their constituency beyond reason.  Actually they’re already beyond reason, spitting on Congressmen, calling Barney Frank a faggot, and John Lewis a nigger.  This behavior is deplorable and beneath contempt. And who do we have to thank for stoking the heat of these people, the fiery vacuous?  We do know.  To be bipartisan in such a climate would effectively ruin a GOP candidate’s chances at re-election.  And so, they must allow themselves to be lead by the vitriolic rhetoric, and rhetoricians themselves who profit from the activity.  We know who they are.

David Frum is a Republican, and clearly a practical thinker, if not a critical thinker as well. He believes the Republican block mentality and Party of No stance is a recipe for disaster.  John Cornyn is a Republican and he seems to be thinking.  He says he has no desire to pursue a complete repeal of Health Care reform.  He thinks we should keep what he believes works, and repeal that which will not.  He does not appear to be towing a line.  He does not appear to befollowing the lead of the rhetoric provided by his party.  He seems to truly be considering viable options.  This is a good thing. 

In today’s information rich WEB 2.0 world we are intimately plugged into every facet of government, business, and entertainment.  And lest you delude yourself, these are all fundamental human activities, and the participants move from one area to the next with relative ease (former cowboy actor turns President.  Former investment banker CEO turns Treasury Secretary). 

The fact that we now have such unprecedented visibility into the parts and processes of our world is indicative of the extreme paradigm shift that has occurred with regard to how our world operates.  It gives the common citizen more power then ever before.  Which is why it is now more important then ever before that the common citizen develop critical thinking skills.  We are awash in information, and the majority of us lack the ability to discern truth from fiction.  One must exercise the mind just as one exercises the body. The development of critical thinking skills is crucial to our continuing prosperity.  With the flow of information coming at us so aggressively it is imperative that we be able to make sense of it, sift through it, and internalize those aspects of it crucial to defining a singular understanding, so that one can form a cohesive fact based opinion, and if necessary, act.

Understand, critical thinking skills are required in order to counter the insidious affects of what I call MDC, or Media-Driven ConsumerCelebreality (be on the lookout for the upcoming book).  What is MDC?  It is a social trend in which the factors of production, distribution, and most importantly marketing come together to facilitate economic growth at the EXPENSE of the consumer. 

So what is a RIMO?

A Republican In Media Only is a beneficiary of MDC utilized as a tool to control the masses for the purpose of creating profit.  Who are the leaders of the GOP?  Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and GlennBeck to name a few.  What is their goal?  To make money?  Is this bad?  Not in and of itself. Unfortunately, the pursuit of profit without ethical restraint can lead to disastrous results.  We have seen this far too many times for me to have to debate the efficacy of my statement. 

A RIMO worships at the altar of TV.  A RIMO is held in check by the data produced by the good folks at the Heritage Foundation, who are closely aligned with the GOP leaders, leaders who have a vested interest in promoting their image of America with no consideration at all for a differing perspective. 

And people, what is the hallmark of the critical thinker?  It is the ability to truly internalize and consider the perspective of others, most especially when that perspective is diametrically, even violently opposed to your own. 

It is from within the cauldron of positive conflict that we derive wholistic solutions that consider all sides.  It would be at the heart of any bipartisan solution.  With amity and comity people on different ideological shores would truly come together and find common ground, ground that is common enough to enact policies that move all Americans forward together. 

However, this is only a dream, a hope, the promise of an evolved American society.  It is a society where we are more than tolerant, more than accepting, but truly loving.  There are no Compassionless Conservatives.  It's a world where we don’t fear from stupidity, where we don’t worship at the altar of television. 

It is an America where we readily acknowledge that lives are on the line while we debate, so we understand the very real need for urgency, an urgency that is far more necessary than the need to drop a bomb on an insurgent half a world away. 

Americans are dying right here!

It is an evolved society that will not set policy at the behest of profit, a profit driven by ratings wars, and the inane rant of the broadcast stupidstars who play games of brinkmanship while real lives are on the line.  Such an America requires a society where it is unthinkably egregious to make fun of a health care supporter with Parkinsons, tossing money at his feet and waving a Tea Party sign in his face demanding that he go looking for a handout elsewhere.  What kind of Christian-like behavior is this?

In this America we don’t go on our wildly successful radio show and imitate a man suffering from Parkinsons so our viewers can laugh in agreement, damning the sufferer to the ninth circle of hell with his communist, socialist, liberal self.  Again, what kind of Christian-like behavior is this? 

My friends, America requires a society that can’t imagine itself defying the mandate carved at the base of the Statue of Liberty by putting immigrants on buses and shipping them back to Mexico wholesale, like so much cattle cargo.  It’s an America that knows its history intimately, and considers it critically, and rises up as one when a wayward citizen calls a Congressman a faggot, or spits on a revered elder of the Civil Rights movement, a man who paid the price for American freedom with his very own blood.  IT DOES NOT ALLOW THE OUTRAGE OF CALLING THIS HONORED CONGRESSMAN A NIGGER!           

I have to count to ten. 

The RIMOs anger me. They force me to bring to bear a mental calm that walks me through logic, understanding the irrationality of human behavior, understanding the whys and hows of a RIMO, and that at its core, the RIMO at the behest of media leaders is suffused with the ancient pursuit of power and control, no matter the cost.

This brings my rational mind back to the fore, and I can be calm, knowing the promise of a better tomorrow.  The fact that my President is Barack Hussein Obama II is the very embodiment of that evolved society of which I dream.  I know this.  I consider this, and can begin the work again.  The conversations, the debates, the discussions I have with those around me be they Independent, Republican, or Democrat, lend credence to the belief that there are many critical thinkers, and we can evolve more. 

Yet, the RIMOs are still there.  They now seek to tap into the nonsense of the Tea Party, whom they will only exploit. Understand, no Republican can ever satisfy the Tea Party mandate.  Though Democrats Tax and Spend, Republicans Cut and Spend, a far more disastrous course of action, and one that has led directly to the awful deficits that burden our country today.    The GOP will try to use theTea Party, and I think that many Tea Partyers though misguided and misaligned will come to see what the GOP is attempting to do, and put forth their own candidate, effectively splitting the Republican voting block.  As David Frum said, the GOP considered Health Reform to be the President’s Waterloo, but it now looks as though Obama is the Duke of Wellington, and the GOP is Napoleon, getting geared up for permanent exile on St. Helena. 

  

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Posted by DS Brown at 3/26/2010 7:08 AM

WHY BLACK HISTORY MONTH



Why Black History

Month?

By

D.S. Brown




 



The family above is a continuing line of living history.

I had never heard of Evelyn Smith before coming across her article online.  Her name and her legacy appeared when I googled Black History Month.  I thought her past was interesting, thought provoking, a moving story of another American who rose to be exceptional in her own right.  Most certainly, as Dr. Cornel West would describe her, a courageous example.  In learning of her story, in seeking to know her story I came to the crux of Black History Month, what I believe is at its core, and what defines its meaning in the wider context.  To me, Black History Month is a celebration of that which is exceptional in all of us.   It represents a doorway to something more, the powerful history of a unique ethnic group of Americans who are a significant part of a greater whole.  It is the stories and events of a people, vital information that can and should inform the decisions of today.  For it is from history that we best learn to chart a course for the future. 

However, my feelings about Black History Month are personal.  They are mine.  I choose to share them with those who feel the same, or those who are willing to listen.  As with so many things in life it is important that we consider critically the power to choose.  With regard to Black History Month, one can choose to participate, or not participate.  At its most basic, it really is that simple. 

Unfortunately, many choose to take the time to engage in disparaging this month, to question the need for its existence.  Many people, of many different ethnicities, question why we have a Black History Month at all.  Consider some of these concerns.

Why should we let the government tell us when to celebrate our history?

Why should we relegate our history to one month?

We don’t celebrate White History Month.  Why should we celebrate Black History Month?

Why must we always set aside a month to talk about slavery?

I can do without a Black History Month thank you very much.  No one ever talks about anything really important anyway.  It’s just some wanna-be-special uppity black folks getting together to talk about blood plasma, stop lights, and President Lincoln.  I don’t care about any of that, why should I?

It is up to us to choose, as we are free to do.  We can choose to walk though an open door that will expose us to the bright light of wisdom and understanding, and please do know that said light is indeed bright, often bright enough to be painful.  Far too many of us have become accustomed to ignoring the light of wisdom.  We shield ourselves from knowledge.  We bat at it, pushing it away.  We turn and run away from it with strength and passion.  I want you to take a moment to truly consider this, for it is a common recurring theme within the thread of human existence.  There are many of us that wallow in ignorance, and celebrate stupidity.  Think about it … for just a minute, and wonder in fascination at it, our shared reality. 

Yes, we can choose to ignore the bright light of wisdom shining through the doorway.  We can yell at the doorway in righteous indignation, screaming at it with hate filled vitriol and scorn.  However, for a moment clear your mind and grab hold of the concept.  If we choose the perspective that demands we consider Black History as simply a doorway, a metaphor for the quest for knowledge, a path for those seeking edification.  Then, we understand that this perspective is imminently applicable.  It more then feels right.  It is empirically accurate.   

Please allow me to clarify.  

With regard to the question of why should we let the government tell us when to celebrate our history … who said anything about allow?  Honestly, for those of you that hold this perspective, I want you to think about it.  Where did you pick up this peculiar piece of knowledge?  Where did you first hear that the United States of America allows people to celebrate Black History in February?  Where did you hear that the United States of America allows you to celebrate Black History in February to the exclusion of all other months?  Where did you hear this?  And now, consider it.  Does it make any sense?  Who is preventing you from celebrating Black History in August?  Who’s preventing you from celebrating Black History in December?  Is there a government agent waiting to arrest and prosecute you for celebrating Black History 365 days a year?  If not, then why have this perspective?  Why think in terms of permission?  Black History Month or African American Heritage Month is nationally recognized.

Recognition is not permission.   

Going back to the doorway metaphor, I would like all of you who actively work to achieve critical success to take a moment and consider when you would celebrate Black History, or any history for that matter.  Consider that perhaps by acknowledging when such a thing is nationally recognized, you are providing yourself an opportunity to take a pause from the arduous and daily work of succeeding.  For a moment, you’re taking a break for a little bit of historical introspection.  By walking through the doorway you’re indulging in historical examination, you’re taking a look into the past, and by looking into Black History, you readily walk into the illuminating light of human history, peering just a bit closer at the ties that bind us all together, and form the story of our humanity in the aggregate.   This introspection into ourselves provides enlightenment, and when done with passion and sincerity, effectively informs and dictates the decision we make for ourselves today and our posterity tomorrow. 

When we ask the question why should we relegate ourselves, our very history to one month, again I must ask the question, considering it critically, who’s doing this?  Who says Black History Month has to fit into the month of February?  Some people are even asinine enough to argue THEY gave us the shortest month of the year, that’s how they be doin’ us?   This shows a fundamental lack of critical thinking.  No, not even critical thinking, it shows a lack of simple on the surface common sense thinking.  

Who are they?  

Are some people referring to the White man?  Really?  So, is the White man keeping Black History month squished into the month of February?  Is the government’s RECOGNITION, which is not PERMISSION, equating to RELEGATION and LIMITATION?  Stop … just for a moment … and consider.  Is some arbitrary white man really doing this to you?  Is he really keeping Black History caged within a month?  Must I answer this question?  Really?  Must I?

The answer is no.  No, the White man is not keeping your Black History confined to a single month of the year.  He does not possess such power.  Only one person does.  In terms of your ability to seek, take hold of, internalize, and own the knowledge that is uniquely your cultural ethnic history as African-Americans, the only person who can limit your exposure, narrow your focus, relegate your history, and limit your access to knowledge in today’s world … is you.   

Let’s next consider the question of celebrating White History Month.  Many say if we don’t celebrate White History Month, then why should we celebrate Black History Month.  It’s a fair question based on a stupid premise.  Let’s just focus on my country, The United States of America.  The overwhelming majority of history, action, discussion, does NOT revolve around Black Americans.  Now, understand this is not something over which one should get angry.   Consider, Blacks comprise less then a quarter of this country’s population.  We’re somewhere around 13%.  Of course, given the amount of media coverage afforded to us you would think the country was half and half.  However, this is simply not the case.  Understanding this simple statistic allows us to understand much with regard to my country’s written history.  

History has been, and still is, being made by all of America’s sons and daughters.  However, written history was being created by educated White men.  They wrote about other White men, their thoughts, their actions, their intrigues.  White History Month is a non-thing, because our entire written history has arisen within the confines of White minds, and white perspective.  Can we complain about this?  Sure.  Should we?  Only to a certain degree.  

What do I mean?  I think the complaint should include the demand that we continuously work to bring balance to our written history.  This effort is not about a quid pro quo, the need to detail as much Black history as there is White history, or even proportional amounts based on population percentages.  My friends, the effort should tie to none of these propositions.  Speaking of such efforts shows a lack of critical thinking skills, and common sense.  It is not about finding something black to mirror that which is white.  No, the work of expanding all our written history should be about the work itself, and the knowledge and wisdom the work provides.  The goal is not in the quantity, but rather the quality, the enlightenment provided through national introspection along ethnic cultural lines, which is a far more expansive enterprise than just Black History.  The effort includes seeking historical knowledge about all of America’s children, no matter their ethnic origins.  

If one considers such an effort to be a mandate, something necessary for the progress of all our people, then it stands to reason that we might want to do something to celebrate such an effort, to call out such a need, to on occasion shine a light on this mandate and remind us that the need is real, the need is here, and that we all can choose to make an effort towards expanding our collective knowledge.  We can do this kind of recognition, such that it would serve as a doorway one could choose to step through and acquire knowledge.  Interestingly enough, we have such a doorway, do we not?  I believe it’s called Black History Month.  

All of us, every last one of us can benefit from studying our collective history, be it African-American, Asian-American, Latin-American, Indian-American, Native- American, or European-American.   Each of these can be viewed as a distinctive group that should be given recognition, doorways of light if you will, through which we can choose to walk for a time, and benefit from enlightenment.  

Well, you know what?  The United States of America has seen fit to provide just such recognition.  Remember, permission is not recognition.  Note some of the following nationally recognized Months:

March: Women’s History Month, Irish American Heritage Month, 
May: Asian/Pacific Heritage Month
June: Gay and Lesbian Pride Month
September: Hispanic Heritage Month
October: German American Heritage Month, Polish American Heritage Month
November: Native American Heritage Month

Look over this list.  See anything interesting with regard to the original complaint about White History Month?  I bet you do.  Some may think all this celebrating is overdone and unnecessary.  It is truly a matter of perspective.  As I said, we are free to choose.  One can choose to participate and celebrate seeking knowledge for one’s own education.  Or, one can choose not to and remain ignorant. 

Some people think about Black History month and get angry.  They ask, why must we always spend a month talking about slavery?  They want to know why we can’t just put it behind us and forget about it. 

This is a very illuminating perspective with regard to how we as human beings choose to view the world around us, our connections to each other, how we’ve formed the world we live in, and how our antecedents formed the world before us.  It seems to me that a person who chooses to view African-American history solely through the prism of slavery is lacking in critical cognition (no insult intended … much).  They are narrow in thought and must strive to be more expansive.  Honestly, this does not require too much thought and really no debate.  Black History Month is not solely about slavery.  Again, we can choose to view it as we see fit, but if slavery is your personal prism of choice, then why complain?  You chose it. 

Each individual must stop and consider.  They must decide for themselves what this celebration, this recognition will be.  If you choose to view it as a month to remember slavery … well, who can you blame for this?  Whose responsibility is it?  Is someone telling you to remember slavery?  Is someone telling you to remember the Emancipation Proclamation?  Is someone telling you to be so narrow in thought as to consider Black American History in its whole as simply the story of American slavery, and nothing more?  

Only you can make this choice … for yourself.  You decide.  

However, even as many of us shake our heads sadly and strive to remind others that Black History Month is so much more then a remembrance of whippings, cotton fields, chains, broken backs, and decimated families, we also take pause to remind each other that forgetting cannot, must not be an option.   One may not want to remind oneself every year in February about America’s peculiar institution, but it would be the doom of us all to forget it even occurred.  

One may not be able to fathom an America that somehow continues to move forward in the world, while at the same time moving backward, devolving into reviving slavery.  However, let me assure you, it can happen.  The study of history and the rich tapestry of human life provides us with lessons for how we must carry ourselves, how we must interact, how we must strive to avoid making the same mistakes again, and again.  This is an exercise that we often do not utilize.  It is human nature to strive to forget, and trip over the same mistake several times.  Still, we must embrace the better part of ourselves, and maintain the memory within our collective consciousness as something real and concrete.  Even if it’s distasteful, we must all strive to continuously understand the lessons of the world in which our society was born and flourished, the interactions between human being and human being, the hows and whys of our shared history, the reconciliation with faith and religion, and the unfathomable mystery of acceptance.   We must always remember, and never forget, for it can happen again.  

For those that believe Black History Month is celebrated by people who think they’re special, remembering other people who thought they were special, when all of them are nothing more than completely and totally boring … well, I personally believe such a person should take some time to get deeply involved in Step 3 of my Ten Point Plan for achieving Critical Success:  Look in the Mirror and Paint the Picture.  First, we’re all special.  Second, you must believe you are special, and discover what about you is core, what is distinctive below the surface.  Third, take that distinction, which should be your passion, and spark a fire, light it and let it burn bright.  Fourth, study it further, dive deep into introspection, to better be able to realize your full worth.  

What does this have to do with thinking Black History is a waste of time?  Here’s the kicker, in order to do the above effectively, overturning personal issues and looking at them wholistically requires the realization and development of a skill many in our country no longer value, Critical Thinking.  

I’ll make this really simple.  Embracing critical thinking expands your mental horizons.  You begin to question the suppositions of others, but more importantly you’re willing to question your own.  Remember, the hallmark of a critical thinker is a person who readily considers and internalizes the perspective of others, even when that perspective is diametrically, even violently opposed to your own.  This questioning beckons, no requires study.  You nurture your natural curiosity.  At our best, utilizing the gifts we are given, we want to know.  We need to know.  It is how we grow.  

So simply, the aspiring critical thinker who has looked deeply within himself readily realizes the importance of all history.  She puts emphasis on Black History, then she may shift and place emphasis on Native American History, or Hawaiian History, still later she may focus on Inuit History.  It is all special.  It is all connected.  It is worthy of consideration.  And an introduction to one, may very well lead the curious to look deeply into another.  When did the first encounter between Native American and African take place?  I don’t know.  It’s a grand question to ask.  Then, once answered what about the environment in which the meeting took place?  What other people were involved.  How long did it last?  What was the outcome?  What were the perspectives of others who were there to witness it?  What did they think?  Is any of the testimony reliable?   Critical questions asked by aspiring critical thinkers, who don’t say silly simple-minded things like, I don’t care who invented the stop light, so what?  Of course, it’s worth our time to know who invented the Traffic Signal.  It’s worth knowing the circumstances in which it was invented.  It’s worth looking into the life of the man who created it, his challenges, his passion.  It’s worth seeking to understand what drove such a man.  Such investigation provides illumination for ourselves and our world. 

It seems to me there are two things we must consider with regard to Black History Month.  One is choice, the other is attitude.  Despite all that I’ve written it really comes down to your ability to choose, and your attitude with regard to the choice you’ve made.   

For those that look upon Black History Month with disdain and ask why, why celebrate?  My question is why do you do so?  Why do you ask such a question?    What part of your thinking has led you down the path which is clearly negative?  Why not simply look upon it as a month to take pause, celebrate this unique portion of our shared history, and perhaps use it as a doorway to further exploration into the past.  All our history is a rich, wondrous thing.  It’s not just about pivotal dates and empire.  It’s about the living history we’re creating now, and the ties that bind us to the history that was made before us.  It is the tale of loves found and lost, joy, passion, desire, invention, and enlightenment.  It is the story of the people, and the world they inhabited.  It is truly an amazing thing.  

This negativity, these hateful hurtful words that some people use to describe the celebration are the outward expression of one’s attitude.  You don’t have to be negative.   You can have a positive attitude with regard to Black History Month, and while we’re at it let’s just say you can have a positive attitude in general.  We can choose to be more wholistic about how we consider Black History, questioning both the things we consider negative as well as those we consider positive.  We can view the celebration, or doorway, whichever you prefer, with a discerning eye.  We can be positive or we can be negative.  We are free to choose.   

 The proof of the Black History Month as a doorway metaphor is simple.  It only requires observation, looking at those who choose to walk through, as opposed to those who do not.  Those that walk through are often enlightened and pleasantly surprised at learning something new.  Often, it leads them to make connections, to search out more information, to expand their horizons.  In this effort, this action, they feel good.  Their attitudes are positive.  The converse appears to be true as well.  Those that choose to not walk through the door for whatever reason seem to carry a negative attitude.  They don’t seem to be as happy.  They complain.  They grouse.  If pressed even in the slightest, they become angry.  

It is about choice and attitude.  My personal desire is that we all choose to engage, and walk through the doorway, and every other doorway that presents itself as an opportunity for personal growth and enlightenment.  Celebrate Black History Month, and every other nationally recognized month.  Expand your horizons.  Don’t be limited.  Be expansive.  Be positive.  Grow and through growth and the acquiring of knowledge, achieve Critical Success.  





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Posted by DS Brown at 3/15/2010 5:28 PM | View Comments (2)

The Critical Thinker Considers President Obama’s First State of the Union Address

The Critical Thinker

Considers President Obama's

First 

State of the Union Address

By

D.S. Brown





Success is the result of thinking, critical thinking that informs a given perspective.  However, critical thinking is not a panacea, a cure all, magic that imbues the practitioner with the ability to always arrive at the correct solution.   No, critical thinking is something to aspire to, it is the life long walk along the path to wisdom, which is brightly illuminated by perspective.  However, when the light on the path is dim, and one’s vision is limited, we sometimes don’t look far enough, or perhaps have not considered that which we cannot see, the unintended consequence.  This can result in mistakes. 

The year has not gone well.  However, let’s qualify this statement. The year was not going to go well no matter what we did, unless the man we elected to the office of President turned out to be a messiah, perhaps Jesus Christ himself.  And even Jesus would look at our mess with concern and think, “This is gonna take some work.”   As it turned out, the man many of us voted for is only human.  Still, saying the year has not gone well is relative. 

I’m starting this piece before the President’s State of the Union address, and I’ll complete it afterwards.  Interestingly enough, I was listening to talk radio, an excellent source of information that is often tainted in order to drive profits, most especially when the show you’re listening to is political in nature (not all, just some).  What you get on some of these shows is facts dressed with highly charged emotional opinions, but facts nonetheless.  The commentator, Herman Cain, a local black Republican (can’t verify his conservative bonafides because honestly these days it’s a tricky proposition) was filling in for Neal Boortz, a local white Libertarian who leans more Republican than Democrat.  For Neal it’s a matter of a lesser of two evils (his perspective). Keep in mind I only mention their color as a descriptor, not an assumption about ideology.  

Today Herman spoke of President’s Obama’s lack of attention, his lack of accountability.  In summary, Herman was criticizing the backroom deal on health care with the Unions.  He was criticizing Congressional Democrats for making closet agreements to move health care forward (look up Cornhusker Kickback), essentially buying votes.   You know what?  He’s absolutely right.  

However, should we blast the President for this?  Should we blast him for a process that is steeped in tradition, albeit smarmy tradition?  Should we blast him for not recognizing that the paradigm has indeed shifted, and it is for the better, even though this better is something quite difficult to come by, and is still itself in its infancy?  Now, more than ever America is an informed electorate (to some degree), and that is something we must consider critically. 

I’ll endeavor to cover the depths of the changing electorate another time.  For now, these are the things I’m considering as the hour approaches.  I’m looking forward to the speech.  I’m looking forward to hearing him shift on a shifting playing field.  I’m hopeful that he will hold fast to purpose and intent, and readily dismiss those who will call him a flapper, trying to peg him down because he changed his mind on an issue, which requires a changing perspective, which requires a critical thinking mind.  In a word, to not change, especially in modern politics, is stupid.   Yet those who do not change are who we often support.  We equate obstinance with intestinal fortitude and character, which is just plain dumb.  I also still hope to hear about healthcare.  I do not expect him to walk away from the fight.  If he does, he will most certainly lose my vote.  I’m waiting.  I’ll be watching.  I’ll be listening.  I’ll be considering critically. 

 



I’ll say this for the man, he is a master rhetorician, and can hold forth on a speech like no other.   Of course, I do like the President.  I also admire his intellect, and consider him a critical thinker.  With all that said, I believe he hit it OUT of the park!  The man gave a hell of a speech.  My opinion.  You’re welcome to your own. 

He took the time to go over several points that I truly consider important, starting not with the economy, but with the state of our polity.  The climate of our politics is either in the throes of global warming, or in an ice age, depending on your perspective and penchant for imagination.  However, I don’t think anyone will deny that it simply does not work, and is getting worse.  The ideological divide is no longer a simple thing across which we can reach, hold hands, and come together.  No, now it’s a mawing chasm across which we fire metaphorical artillery seeking to annihilate each other.   This must stop!  We must elevate our politics.  

“They are tired of the partisanship and the shouting and the pettiness”

These words from the President’s speech indeed exemplify my personal pain and frustration at the current political climate, and the ideological power and profit driven forces that promote and propagate it.  However, personally I find greater fault with the people, and those of us that should be wise enough to know, that allow the people to wander, to go with the gut, to dispense perspective, call others sheeple, and proceed to immediately act like sheep. 


We should each consider the effects of policy on ourselves, then our families, and then our communities.  Many of us may then make the logical step to how a given policy will affect our state, and in the aggregate our nation.  However, it is those first few steps that far too many of us don’t take.  We listen to the rhetoric and internalize the words and thoughts of others, and we’re quick to accuse the so-called opposition of a lack of consideration, a lack of critical thinking skills.  In fact we readily jump on the bandwagon and call others evil, or just plain stupid.  We lack the critical perspective to understand that we’re being negatively critical of others, which is not a way to form a more perfect union.  There is no back road to achieving success for us all by being divisive, by calling an ideology a disease, by accusing people of associating with murderers and child killers, and laughing about it.  THIS IS NOT FUNNY!  

Actually, it’s quite sad and does not bode well for the majority of Americans.  There are those Americans who call others sheeple, but act like sheep, and happily support their espoused ideology, be it liberal or conservative, without regard for the impact either path has on their own lives.  They instead, without realizing it, lobby in the aggregate for the privileged.  They miss the fact that the privileged are often good rain or shine, expansion or recession, and in a depression, they have people on retainer to make it better.  You find this thought process in both Democrat and Republican.  It must stop.

“The American people hope, what they deserve, is for all of us to work through our differences; to overcome the numbing weight of our politics.”

The President is right.  We ordinary Americans do hope.  I hold myself and my fellow Americans responsible.  I also hold our elected officials responsible.  The Democrats are in power and though I have voted Republican, I am demanding that Republicans stop acting like children and start behaving like adults.  Every move they have made is designed to look somehow productive to the people as an effort to save America from destruction.  Actually, it is nothing more then obstructionists politics with a populists appeal aimed at regaining power.  TO WHAT END?  

The people seem to miss that if they vote Republican in November not only will they get more of the same from the Bush Administration, but they’ll get it with delay, and contradiction, and no forward movement in policy.  The Democrats will attempt to become obstructionist and we will be in the same place we are now.  Our government will stall right when it needs to be making progress.  I demand that we elevate our politics.  I will vote for the Republican that actually reads the bills, that actually sits with Democrats, that stops lying.   I will vote for the Democrat that best represents my interest and is willing to sit down with the Republicans in earnest and lean into discomfort, engaging in positive conflict in order to define a workable solution.  

The President did cut taxes.  If he were a Republican this would make sense to other Republicans.  However, because he’s a Democrat the Republican consensus is he didn’t go far enough.  They’re already lining up to say no to his new tax cut proposals because they say they’re not broad enough.  That’s not the truth.  The truth is he’s a Democrat and they are still working on removing him from power.  And the same plan would be in place if things were the other way around.  We, as the American electorate, must seek and push for the elevation of our politics!  We must eschew ideological rhetoric and hateful vitriol.  We must hold our officials accountable and seek to be knowledgeable enough to do so effectively.  And most importantly for us individuals, we must aspire to critical cognition, to think effectively, so that we don’t simply devour information and regurgitate it without careful consideration. 

“Now, the true engine of job creation in this country will always be America’s business.” 

This is part and parcel to the ideology of government as an evil monolithic thing that seeks to control every aspect of your life.  This isn’t even really ideology.  It’s a show piece, fluff at the core of a profit making agenda.  Evil resonates.  Attaching evil to an object resonates.  It gives people something to fight, to objectify, to rail against.  And why do this? Because it’s profitable.  Are we all getting it yet?

The truth is Government creates jobs.  Those of you who listen to the rhetoric, please take a moment to consider a differing perspective.  I want you first to define what a job is.  Go ahead.  Look up the definition of job.  Then, look at a department of the government be it local, state, or federal.  Okay, answer the question based solely on the definition.  Does government create jobs?  Go ahead … answer the question.  Both my parents worked at the Internal Revenue Service until they retired.  That was their job.  It doesn’t have anything to do with me hating taxes.  The fact is they had a job working for the IRS.  Their hard work at their job raised me, and put me through college.   It was a job.  A job created by the government of the United States of America.  I personally would have liked the President to toss this government does not create jobs garbage aside and speak truth to words, to power.  However, he’s walking a fine line.  I do understand.  He’s absolutely right that government can and should create an environment that fosters job growth for small businesses.  However, can we dispense with the asinine rhetoric as well?  Please?  

Spending continues, because it must.  There are those out there that actually advocate a broad scythe to the budget.  The Federal government needs to stop spending immediately.  The Federal government needs to concentrate on defense and eliminate its impact everywhere else.  This assertion … is frustrating.  If one considers it critically, it truly makes no sense.  Human beings, and the world we’ve crafted, are far too dynamic … and primitive.  I believe in the axiom that one day Human will not kill Human.  Sincerely this is a noble thing to aspire to.  However, as we are today we spend an inordinate amount of time killing each other.  We kill dreams.  We kill hope.  We kill the possibility of change.  We kill progress.  We do this to accumulate power, and in the act of seeking power, even as we break the backs of psyches and souls, we commit the ultimate act, and kill literally.  We traffic across the globe in murder as the end-product of acts of individual desire, passion, or hate, and we do the same in the aggregate, as policing actions, power politics that pierce souls and lays waste to minds, bodies, and hearts.  We, as human beings, are not evolved enough to stand apart, and persist in a minimalists government.   As we are now, as soon as we make the attempt, a few people will get together to assert …something, some kind of authority.  It’s human nature.  Hopefully it would be for the good, it could quite possibly be for ill.  Consider it. 

In terms of the national debt, I would posit that people truly stop listening to the mantra coming through the megaphone and truly take a look at what happens every time an official gets tax cutting happy.  There’s a reason Supply Side economics never works in practice.  It’s because every time it’s attempted the government keeps right on spending, and sometimes without regard to the impact.  One need only look back over the last eight years to see this.  

This is not an indictment of Supply Side Theory.  I’m no Keynesian.  As with so many things I believe the path to prosperity requires perspective, a healthy mix of both sides in our overall policy.  We must spur innovation and spend wisely, not haphazardly.  I, like most Americans, hate taxes on general principle.  However, I’m willing to foot my fair share as long as it’s being spent wisely, and the truth of that spending is readily available.  I’m thoroughly enjoying the many groups and information outlets that are dragging the lies into the light of day.  Officials have operated in the shadow for too long.  Our paradigm shift in information exposure has changed this.  WEB 2.0 makes it possible.  No side can hide, nor should they attempt to do so.  This is no indictment of Republicans in favor of Democrats.  They are BOTH CUPLABLE.  We must close the schism between factions.  Heal our wounds and come to compromise.  We must be serious about our political discourse. 

WE MUST ELEVATE OUR POLITICS!

With regard to health care … it’s simple.  It’s a must.  The administration steps away from Health Care Reform at the risk of losing my vote.  I will be a thorn in the side of this administration if they step away from this critical debate.  It is just as important, if not more important, than any military engagement in Afghanistan. We are talking about the well being of OUR PEOPLE!  Health care is a must.

The Supreme Court’s ruling appears to hold true to the task of that august institution. However, what is at issue, in my opinion, is the crux of the problem between strict constructionists and loose constructionists; the highly charged debate between judicial activism and judicial restraint.  What most of us wanted in this instance is for the Court to consider the ramifications beyond the extent of the highest law of the land.  Even some who support judicial restraint call for this perspective with regard to this particular verdict.  It’s difficult to have it both ways.  We must all concede this.  I assert, as in all things involving human beings, there is no absolute.  The very nature of humanity prohibits it.  When we attempt to do so, we run the risk of disaster, the possibility of things going awry.  This is the critical perspective of the majority, with regard to the Court’s decision.  Now, the Legislative Branch of our government must act quickly to reverse the course the courts have set.  If not, I fear this year’s elections will be a corporate circus of spending and spin, marketing to the masses to push corporate agendas.  The same power that convinces you to by that hot new product will now be able to expend considerable sums of money in convincing you that the official who should govern is the man in this hot candy-colored commercial.  It will be MDC (Media-Driven ConsumerCelebreality) at its finest, determining the direction of government, even more than it does already.   

In the speech he mentioned more, much more.  Again, many will consider this President as taking on too much.  I completely disagree.  One must reach for the stars in order to attain the mountaintop.  The President once wrote a book about being audacious.  Americans are most certainly audacious.  Ours is a nation that is characterized by innovation, courage, hope, and a core ethic that believes in doing things not only because we must, but because we can.  It has been said, and I firmly believe, that such a personal mandate is what makes us Americans.   We can and must hold fast to the courage of our convictions, and continue to be AUDACIOUS! 


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Posted by DS Brown at 2/11/2010 9:44 AM

The Critical Thinker Participates in the Power Over Prejudice Summit

The Critical Thinker

Participates In

 The Power Over Prejudice

Summit

By

D.S. Brown

  

 

On November 6, 2009 I had the honor and extreme pleasure ofonce again participating in the Anti-Prejudice Consortium’s Atlanta POPSummit.  The POP in POP Summit standsfor Power Over Prejudice. 

The Summit was modeled after a similar program started inHouston, Texas in 1991.   Theprogram was designed to help educate and guide young people in understandingthe power of stereotypes and generalizations, and the harm they can cause whennot dealt with effectively.  In1997 the Power Over Prejudice Summit was launched in Atlanta, bringing togethera diverse group of individuals, organizations, agencies, and schools to launchthe first summit.  The statedmission of the APC is to fight prejudice, increase tolerance, and promoterespect among all people.

This was my second year participating in the POP Summit, andI tell you now I will most certainly be participating again next year.  If I may indulge my altruistic,capitalistic infused, dichotomous self-serving while serving the world nature,please allow me to say that participating in this summit satisfies much of thecriterion I personally define as best in being human, representing what weshould aspire to as human beings, concerned with the growth and welfare of ourposterity.

As a volunteer facilitator I was charged with workingclosely with fifteen young boys and girls, middle-school kids on the cusp ofadulthood.   My task was tolead them on a journey of directed education regarding prejudice, stereotypes,generalizations, and bullying.  Formy own good measure I like to mix in my mantra about critical thinkingskills.  It’s a lesson that neverseems to fall on deaf ears or closed minds.  However they arrive, they seem to leave more open, moreaccepting, well past tolerant, and if I may add, considerate with regard tocritical thinking skills.

My goal in working for the APC is to increase my level ofparticipation and use it as a vehicle to spread nuggets of knowledge around thecritical thinking approach.  Eventhough I could only participate for one of the three days, I think my personalmandate was well established.  Irelish seeing people, be they kids or adults, furrow their eyebrows, stop,think and consider.  They listen, asopposed to spontaneously speaking. They take the time to successfully digest what’s being discussed,seeking clearer understanding, and then contributing, adding to the overalldiscussion.  They lean intodiscomfort and positive conflict in order to elevate not only themselves, buteveryone present.  This year Ithink my group of kids accomplished this objective quite admirably.

Before breaking into separate learning groups, we startedthe day with an opening ceremony, and a speech by Dr. Leon Bass.  If you have not heard of Dr. Bass takea moment to look him up.  He wasborn in 1925, served in World War II, and can bear witness to any detractor ofthe holocaust, and state emphatically with the power of eye witness testimony thatthe horrors at Buchenwald were real. He regaled us with his stirring oratory, a tale of a man steeped in therichness of diversity, and wise in the ways of prejudice and intolerance, andhow best to combat it.  We listenedto Dr. Bass with rapt hearts and minds. After his speech, it was time for us to get engaged in the day’s work.

This year’s group was markedly different from the two groupsI worked with last year in two major ways that I could readily observe, one byimmediate recognition, and the other after they introduced themselves and Inoted some physical, behavioral characteristics.   First, nine of my fifteen kids were African-American,or black, whichever you prefer, though I think perhaps two might state theywere of mixed ethnic origins.  Last year less than half of my kids were black.  Also, I would say three of my four kidsoutwardly exhibited homosexual characteristics, one far more vividly than therest.

Let me clarify my position on diversity, tolerance, andacceptance regarding this observation.   I have observed at my wife’s school, and from thestories she’s shared with me regarding some of her students in particular thattimes have changed … in my opinion for the better.   I did not highlight my observation of homosexual charactertraits in front of the students while conducting the training, but I did checkit in my mental data bank as something of note. 

Why?  Because itis important to understand and note differences. 

The class itself is about seeing, acknowledging, andaccepting differences AND similarities, which I also noted.   When considering the situationcritically, I understand that as our word evolves we must be able to grow intoreadily identifying and celebrating our rich differences, being tolerant wheresomething is striking, and moving on towards accepting when a difference, aswell as a similarity, is not a negative character trait, not something harmfuleither to the individual, or the people he or she interacts with.  Now, we may have to lean into a greatdeal of discomfort when identifying and discussing these differences.  However, doing so, actually taking thetime to discuss our differences as well as our similarities, no matter howdifficult, is what leads to tolerance, and from tolerance we move to acceptance.  

Communication is key to achieving Power Over Prejudice.  Education is key to achieving Power OverPrejudice.  Together, they form acritical construction of information shared between the participants in thedialogue.  In any POP Summit facilitationsession you see just such a construction created, for many the basis is alreadythere, which simply fills me with such hope, noting that the children are sofar beyond where I and my contemporaries were at their age.

The children in my group were open and engaging.  As we discussed stereotypes andgeneralizations, it was refreshing to see them ask questions, to offer answers andanecdotes pertaining to their particular experiences.  It was also very interesting, and refreshing to see themeschew the word race, albeit not racism. They spoke in terms of ethnicity. As I’ve pointed out before, I do not believe in the man-made contrivanceknown as race, rather I speak in terms of the very real, basic but powerfulcultural differences inherent in our ethnicities, which from my perspectiveleave room for dynamic interpretation.   For example, the ethnic cultural experience of aJamaican will vary greatly in comparison to that of an Atlanta, GeorgiaAfrican-American, which will vary to a large degree with that of a Black youthgrowing up in Swainsboro, Georgia. However, the two African-Americans have a uniquely American ethnicbackground that is in contrast to the ethnic cultural world of the Jamaican, aworld with which even an American naturalized citizen of  Jamaican origin strongly identifies,and will do so until the day he dies. Have you ever heard a Jamaican talk about being a Jamaican?  If you have, then you know exactly whatI mean. 

The students worked through issues regarding group dynamics,why people gather with others that look like them, and what keeps themsecularized in such groups.  Fromthis dialogue we moved into discussions regarding bullying.  We talked about the various reasons whybullies do what they do, and what we can do to stop them. 

As part of the students’ education on bullies, we asked themto break up into groups and conduct a stage play according to a givenscenario.  Each of the groups didvery well.  However, we all as oneagreed that one of the groups was far better than the rest.  This group just happened to be led bythe most flamboyant and fabulous person in the class.  This individual seemed to be very comfortable with who hewas, and how he expressed himself. In fact, he said he wanted to grow up to be an actor.  If what he showed us was any indicationof his future, then I’m quite certain he will go very far.   However, though his performancewas great, what really warmed my heart was the look of acceptance from theother children in the room.  I muststress the word acceptance because their behavior was beyond tolerance. 

As I recall, only one of the kids, let’s call him Anthony,seemed to react in a questionable manner to the other child’s behavior.  At one point, Anthony looked at me andstared, questioningly.  I read hisexpression.  Inherent in his starewas the query of tolerance.  Was Igoing to be tolerant?  Was I goingto be alarmed?  Would I frown atthe lilt in the other young man’s voice, his mannerisms, his flamboyantfeminine behavior?   The staredidn’t last long.  I looked at him,and then simply looked back at the young man standing before us, excitedlydescribing his triple-threat potential and the already perceived extremebrightness of his future.  Anthonyquickly turned back around and paid attention.  We were all in a place beyond tolerance.  We were all very accepting, as itshould be.  

Over the course of the day I was again moved, as I alwaysam, by the volunteers that put on the summit, by my fellow facilitators, thoseof us who take time out of our hectic schedules to help pay forward the giftsof diversity by helping to further the education of our youth.  However, I was most moved by thechildren, the middle-schoolers who are at the point in between being what was,and becoming what will be, impressionable minds open to understandingstereotypes and generalizations, open to nourishing critical thinking skills soas to not prejudge, and give in to said stereotypes and generalizations, butrather to embrace the richness of our diversity, to seek the similaritiesbetween us all, and celebrate the differences, to move beyond tolerance, andlive a life of acceptance.

 

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Posted by DS Brown at 11/18/2009 12:14 PM

The Critical Thinker Considers The Nobel Committee Awarding President Obama The Peace Prize

 

The Critical Thinker

Considers

The Nobel Committee Awarding

President Obama The Peace Prize

By

D.S. Brown







As an aspiring critical thinker, a person on a personal mission to continue growing and becoming, I strive to utilize all the faculties given to me to understand the how and why of human nature; why we do what do, what’s the meaning of our actions?  What is our purpose?  In order to aspire to be a critical thinker I have to remind myself that perspective is important, just as important as asking questions, because it is the questions that inform and elucidate perspective.  I am forced often in these critical times to remember my own personal credo, “The path to wisdom is brightly illuminated by the light of perspective. “  I remember my credo and endeavor to remain true to its mandate.  I continuously strive to walk the path.

I strived to walk the path as I considered the reactions of Americans upon hearing that President Barack Hussein Obama II had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.  I strived to remember to consider perspective, as it is fundamental in applying a critical thinking approach to understanding human nature, the how and why. 

First, I want to consider my own perspective.  Let me start by saying my first response was, “WOW!”  Then, I smiled, nodding, innately understanding the importance of the award, the gesture, and knowing without having to delve deeply the whys of the decision.  After all, when one considers it critically, it is not so complex as many try to make it seem.  Please allow me to explain why. 

I voted for Barack Obama.  

Unlike some I took the time to really consider what I was getting for my vote.  As I’ve asked others to do, I read the platform of the candidates, both McCain and Obama.  I compared them to each other.  I voted what I personally thought was best for me, my family, my community, and my nation.  As he moved into the White House, making promises many of which I knew he would not be able to keep, I was still buoyed by his sincere effort to try and keep them.  Not once, has he let me down in terms of displaying critical thinking skills … when it really mattered.  He is measured.  He is proving himself to be a master at brinkmanship.  You don’t agree?  Just be patient and watch as the healthcare debate unfolds.  He continues to surprise me even in the face of clearly unreasonable and irrational opposition.  

However, though his composure and steadfastness impress and surprise me, the irrational opposition from many of his detractors does not.  This opposition of spoon mentality and complete irrationality was expected and has presented itself in grand fashion.  It is so far over the top as to almost defy reason, causing critical thinkers both liberal and conservative, democrat and republican, to take pause and ask, “are they crazy?”  It is an irrational movement working to form alliances, move minds, manipulate masses, and ensure the prosperity of select interests.   It is against this movement that we must remain vigilant, critical thinking, and engaged.

Into this whirlwind of opposition the President has extended a hand in peace to the Muslim world.  He has done as I would like and pressed against the lack of critical thinking in regard to how we combat terrorism.  A War on Terror is a never-ending proposition.  The creation of peace and prosperity in response to Terror, or as I like to call it, The Abrogation of Terror, is a goal that shows sincere cognition at work in the halls of power.  

He has acknowledged the need for innovation, and supports stem cell research, green technology, and the need to lessen and eventually remove our dependence on foreign oil.  He continues the work as he did as a Senator in halting nuclear proliferation.  He has promised to end, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and supports Homosexual Rights, a true vote for rationality and an understanding and acknowledgement of the inevitability of the future.   He is not narrow in vision, and clearly sees accountability by parents as necessary in order to ensure prosperity for our children.  To this end he seeks to change our educational system.  He also offered me, a middle-class man, a tax cut.  All this is the CHANGE I voted for.  All this is the HOPE I still maintain, and speak about, in order to aid in achieving success. 

However, allow me to clearly clarify why I think he won the Nobel Peace Prize, and why I smiled so readily when it was announced.
 
President Barack Hussein Obama II represents a paradigm shift in the world order, and not just for the obvious reason.   The peoples of the world recognize this.  They see in him the promise of an America that is not so preoccupied with empire and dominance.   They see cooperation.  They see multilateral decisions and actions, as opposed to unilateral decisions and derision.  They recognize America as a super power, and acknowledge her strength, and still very much rely on her strength.  In fact many of them hope that the American strength will be fortified by this shift, and that we will utilize the power of our critical thinking intellect and the will that drives it to utilize every tool at our nation’s disposal, not just our tanks and guns, jeeps and trucks, all with substandard armor and a commitment to profit, as opposed to critical success for our soldiers and our interests.   No, they see us utilizing all our tools to ensure a better tomorrow for the entire globe.  

Those that see this paradigm shift as a weakening of America only do so because they lack vision.  The sincere utilization of all at our disposal: cooperation, dialogue, diplomacy, as well as cruise missiles, special warfare operatives, and the blunt force trauma of an Army brigade is what the world believes we can and should bring to bear.  It is peace and peace-keeping.  It is the hope that we can bring change to parts of the world where positive productive change is nonexistent and hope is a rare commodity.  This is the paradigm shift.  This is the promise of an Obama Presidency.  It is a weighty responsibility, one the man and his administration in all likelihood will not be able to bear.  However, it is what the world sees, believes, and hopes for.  

This is why I smiled without question.  This is why I felt sincere admiration for the man I voted for.  This is why I viewed the awarding of the Peace Prize as right and appropriate, a vote of confidence from the world, a reminder of why they all come to America, and hope beyond hope that America can perhaps bring a little of what she is to them. 

Then, I frowned.  I knew what was coming.  I could feel the detractors, before even seeing or hearing them.  For me, it started when I turned on the television to watch Morning Joe on MSNBC.   After all the vitriol behind the Olympic Bid (pure asininity), I knew this was going to be a colossal, derisive, pin the tail on the messianic President bash and name-slash parade.  I was glad to be going in to work a bit early.  

The Morning Joe crew called it a disaster.  They saw themselves as trying to find any good in the President winning this award.  The said it was difficult.  They supposedly tried valiantly to see what I so readily saw clearly.  They offered suggestions as to how the President could deal with the situation, much of which would be echoed later in the day by other so-called pundits, experts, and world watchers.  

In my humble common-man’s opinion all of these people have become lost in their own perspective.  Some are ideologues, like Limbaugh, and get paid to BE their perspective, and move the minds of others.  Others are simply narrow of vision, and lack the skill to think critically.  They are unable to question what they see and hear, to consider the differing perspective, to perhaps divest themselves of what has become common and easy in their lives, and perhaps, just perhaps, work hard at trying to divine a different solution when considering human behavior, motivation, decisions, and beliefs.  What they are, and what they lack is quite clear.  The Morning Joe crew and so many others … are not thinking critically. 

It continued into the weekend.  As a person that loves information I could not avoid the flow.  By the time the Sunday morning shows were on, I had almost had enough.  Then, Bill Kristol was on Chris Wallace’s show, and I was almost sad to utter despair as he smiled, chuckled, and reveled in his sincere and forthright myopic ignorance, an ignorance that is even more devastating because it is a state of being that he so readily chooses. 

Bill Kristol said he was disappointed … and chuckled.  Why?  He said he had written a few articles, which he equated to President Obama’s speeches.  I’m assuming he’s making a comparison between his articles and the speech Obama gave to thousands in Europe, a speech that was startling, motivating, and historic.  He said he didn’t get the call.  By making the point that he was qualified to win the Nobel Prize, he intimates that Obama is by no means qualified.  Not only is it premature, but he quite simply fails to qualify.  The arrogance is mind-boggling.  I would also suggest he reread the prize qualifications.  

He went on to talk about the prize going to Kofi Anaann and the UN in December of 2001 right after 9/11.  He was still smiling.  He talked about how the committee did not give it to an American, some American, perhaps a fire fighter, or even to one of the people who led the initiative to intervene in Afghanistan and stop the Taliban.   He said the Norwegians who award the prize are anti-American.  In closing he said Obama should have refused the prize.  To round it out he thought Obama should go over and give a pro-American acceptance speech.  

Personally, in my opinion, whenever the President takes to the world stage and speaks, he’s being powerfully pro-American.  His very presence is indicative of the American Ideal.  Just by being there he’s being pro-America.  The myopic miss this clear fact. 

The dialogue continued, controlled by Chris Wallace.
 
Nina Easton of Fortune magazine clarified for me the fact that spoonishness dwells up and down the socio-economic strata.  She explained with conciseness and anti-intellectual confidence how the committee’s nomination was pretty destructive to the youth because it would teach them that one can receive honors without work. 

… receive honors without work … yes, that’s what she said.  I’m still trying to figure out who she’s talking about.  She is, of course, referring to the President.  However, one has to pause and think, she can’t really mean President Obama, right?  I mean, that’s willfully ignorant and conscientiously stupid, right?  Okay, I get it, she didn’t really mean it.  It was simply histrionics and noise to move minds, the minds of the devoted crowd.  I was watching FOX after all. 

She then went on to say the award would be destructive politically in America because it feeds into the storyline that the President is a show horse (show horse?) and not a work horse.  Indeed, there are liberals who support this position.  Narrow vision is not isolated to the left or right.   Miss Easton believes the award will only expose him to ridicule.  Then, she closed stating that it was difficult to find anyone, anyone who supports President Obama being awarded the Peace Prize.

I wonder, where was she looking?  Oh yeah, I was watching FOX.    

Let me make it clear, and no I don’t have a global voice, or television airtime, however, I do know that I matter.  I matter and I fully support the nomination and awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to our President.  I’m not hiding.  I’m online.  My name is D.S. Brown.  Come find me if you need a quote.   

I continued to watch and listen as Liz Cheney waxed inanely about appeasement.  What fantasy country is she living in where she is referenced as a political pundit, and expert?  Oh yeah, I was watching FOX.  

What is Miss Cheney’s day job?  Surely, it’s time she went back to it.  Am I wrong in this?  I sincerely don’t think so.  She stated the President has nothing to show for his shift in foreign policy.   Understand my friends, this is what comes out of your mouth when you are an unfortunate compassionless conservative, a power broker for your side without regard for any other perspective, a rhetorician, an ideologue, someone who is completely narrow of vision, looks out at the world, both left and right, and simply refuses to see.   

Hope can make mighty change.  Hope inspires, moves minds.  Miss Cheney should take a moment to listen to the people of the world, what they think, what they desire, and what kind of impact that can have on politics in their respective parts of the world.  Obama’s views, his aspirations and plans for foreign policy bolster hope, inspires change, moves minds and hearts, bringing people to the table, in hopes of paying real dividends in the fight for peace.  I’m not so stubbornly, willfully blind as to not see this.  She should take a moment to see and listen.  Or better yet, she should just go back to her day job. 

I must stop for a moment after my own written diatribe concerning the comments of others and pace myself.   What I’ve written is fraught with emotion, and belies my desire to remain critical, logical, common in how I utilize my senses, rational and pragmatic, as opposed to bombastic.  But so many say and do so much, which in regard to how I view them, makes it so difficult to eschew all emotion.  Sometimes, it simply makes you want to scream. 

However, I do think my being critical of their statements is warranted.   My opinion is just my opinion.  My perspective is my own.  After considering their perspective on this matter it seems that too many Americans seem to me to be completely unreasonable.  It makes no sense.  Well, actually it does … when I consider their perspective in terms of power, and the desire to re-quire it, to shift our focus, taking our country in the direction that the compassionless dictate, a unilateral world view without regard for others, even our own here in this country.  It does make sense when considering it from this perspective.

Though a portion of the American population decries President Obama’s global appeal, the world apparently does not.  Though some Americans cringe when considering his multicultural background, the blood and spirit that is the product of generations of disparate ethnicities, the larger part of the world apparently does not.  I firmly believe some Americans despise (or perhaps simply dislike) this aspect of the President.  They cannot abide his roots, which is why so many of them have taken to questioning its veracity.  Again, they display ignorance and narrow vision, a myopic worldview that they have become quite accustomed to, and wish to see predominate.  

Point of clarification, I’ve used the word ignorance quite a bit.  Let me explain my meaning.  By ignorance I mean lack of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.  All of us are ignorant to a certain degree.  Those who aspire to critical cognition readily admit this, and embrace this state of being as we move from ignorance to enlightenment in subsequent cycles.  

We all suffer from the ignorance of perception.  In terms of the Nobel Peace Prize, we have become accustomed to what the award is perceived to be, as opposed to what it is in fact. 

In an effort to dispel ignorance, and clearly understand the qualifications for the Nobel Peace Prize, and why President Barack Hussein Obama II is indeed qualified for this prestigious award, which despite the bombastic noise created by the detractors remains a high honor, let us clearly understand what Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Awards, listed as the qualification for being awarded the Peace Prize.

In his 1895 will, Nobel stipulated that the Peace Prize should go "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses."

Consider what I listed as President Obama’s qualifications.  Consider critically what he has accomplished and why I did not think the award premature.  Consider a perspective where one takes into account his accomplishments, meager though they may be according to some.  Consider the hope he has engendered, the camaraderie he has created among nations.  Look up the definition of camaraderie.  Then, reread Alfred Nobel’s qualification for the Peace Prize.  

You will consider Afghanistan.  You will consider Iraq.  You will question.  That is fine.   However, again consider the Abrogation of Terror.  Consider the outreach to the Muslim world.  Consider the commitment to cooperation and diplomacy.   Consider the award as a vote of confidence, a tool to be utilized to further an agenda, yes an agenda that many Americans see as anti-American, but that the critical thinking see as an enlightened world view, CHANGE we can believe in.  Take a moment to stop and think.  Take a moment to truly consider the minds of men, women, and children of the world, who do not see President Obama as a messianic movement unto himself waiting to happen, but rather a real man, with real promise, who may just move America to change the world …. again. 


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Posted by DS Brown at 10/13/2009 4:50 PM

The Critical Thinker Considers His Own Personal Demands For American Health Care Reform

The Critical Thinker

Considers His Own Personal 

Demands

For American Health Care Reform 

By

D.S.Brown


Canada is not the answer.  Britain is not the answer.  France is not the answer.  Switzerland is not the answer.  Cuba is not the answer.  Michael Moore’s film SICKO was in my opinion a great movie,but it by no means provided the answer. What we need to accept and aggressively promote is the fact that America is the answer.  America must commit to providing the best to all its citizens.  It must look critically at what has been provided around theworld, take what it can, innovate what it must, and deploy what will be most effective. 

Please, my friends, Americans and others around the world,let’s clarify the situation from my perspective, the perspective of an aspiring critical thinker who claims the title of Critical Thinker because I believe in the best of a thing, and thinking a thing best into existence, and working hard to achieve it increases the probability that such a thing can come to pass, such is the nature of Critical Success. And what is Critical Success? It is the planned achievement of something urgent and essential utilizing careful planning and judgment for the express purpose of attaining personal prosperity. 

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Our nation as a whole should be rallied around the national tragedy that is health care.  I firmly believe that far too many of us do not have the proper perspective on this issue.  You have GOP rank-and-file inciting, and talking about Death Panels, winnowing the intelligent from their ranks and focusing more on hyperbole and the attainment of personal and party power in the mid-term elections. 

There are GOP constituents who are understandably upset about government expenditures, yet they are not critically considering the size and weight of the debt we have incurred in the past, or the need of the additional debt we’ve incurred since the transition from the previous administration.  They think they are considering it critically, but they are not.  How can this be true?  

Their leaders, such as Congressman Cantor, make statements lauding the President for supporting Afghanistan, and call for an immediate troop surge, and state nothing regarding the cost of said surge.  They play power politics as we continue to spend billions in Iraq.  We must concede that these military actions are necessary in order to ensure global stability(after a fashion), but they do nothing to eliminate the debt.  

The GOP is not attempting to discuss how these proposals will require funding, just as their Medicare Part D drug plan required funding,generating a debt that was kicked down to the next generation.  Where were the TEA citizens then?  Where are the TEA citizens today on the GOP’s own health care reform costs? They have put forth proposals, and those proposals will require additional funding.  Where are theTEA citizens on the outrageous costs of the global expansion of military initiatives?  The GOP leadership is silent on the costs, as they happily support and pursue additional expenditures.  Secretary Gates, a die-hard Republican, seeks to balance military need with costs.  He is a critical thinker, and an aspiring fiscal conservative, a man after my own heart.  But he appears to be a man without a party, as if the party was on a boat, they stopped, he stepped off, and the party boat went on without him. Incidentally, if you ask some folks they’ll tell you the boat is sinking.  Every time Michael Steele speaks … well.

The GOP constituent doesn’t appear to begin to think critically about this situation.  I’m not making an insult. I’m simply making an observation that seems to  be increasingly clear with each passing day.  They are more apt to go to a rally with a sign saying get me my gun, or from my cold dead hands.  Or, they’ll actually go to a rally carrying an unloaded gun.  They’ll talk about veterans, supporting the military, dress up in fatigues, and proceed to aggressively dress-down everyone they encounter who they perceive to be a liberal. 

THEY AREN’T THINKING!!!! 

I say this because it’s clearly evident.  I believe in the right to bear arms.  I fire guns.  I’m pretty good at it.  It might surprise you to know I will be the first to say from my cold dead hands.  However, I don’t equate this with any of the previous critical national issues.  I know and understand that the prosecution of war costs money, a ton of money.  Supporting our veterans costs money, a ton of money.  Remember when our military was fighting in Iraq with substandard body armor, and put HUMVEES in the field that lacked armor plating, allowing insurgent SHOCK and AWE to come right up through the bottom of a jeep, blasting our proud soldiers all to hell and back?  I know we Americans have short memories, but I’m fairly certain most of you remember.  Do you remember why?  Do you remember it being a matter of costs? 

Do you remember?

Understand, we should not compromise on the costs for our soldiers.  In fact, for all our people we should not compromise on any of it.  We need to spend the money.  However, if we’re going to spend the money, and satisfy our national requirements, we must think and consider critically the actions we take, and put forth initiatives UNLIKE Medicare Part D, or a war to end the regime of a man who did not possess Weapons of Mass Destruction, or an initiative to add a definition of marriage to our Constitution (a cost prohibitive national referendum to fight the future and common sense), or even the creation of nuclear bunker buster bombs (didn’t know that about the previous administration did you?), a ridiculous waste of funds to create a weapon that is a slap in the face to our international allies and a complete disruption to the peaceful direction of worldwide progress through nuclear non-proliferation, all to blast dirty-faced men with guns deep in holes all to hell and back. 

If we’re going to spend money on national initiatives, and it is clear to the critical thinking that we must, then we must spend it on programs that will benefit all Americans. The money must be spent in a manner that will generate efficiencies that contribute to aggressive cost savings in coming years, essentially requiring our expenditures to generate savings that chase down our debts.  We’re Americans, we’re innovators, we can do this.  We will do this.  And we will do it all the more speedier and without acrimony if we attempt to do it together. 

The issue of health care is a national tragedy and it requires a national focus.  It is an emergency that rivals 9/11, or anything we’ve faced in a generation.   It is a situation that will of itself result in the catastrophic disillusion of our nation, if the status quo remains, and we push the issue down the road.  If GOP constituents are concerned about the debt to their posterity as much as we critical thinkers are, then they should open their eyes now, and readily acknowledge this national catastrophe waiting to explode to nation-ending proportions.  This issue alone is the debt that will break the backs of their children, and our own.  We must face this, and end it together.

Something to critically consider in terms of health care reform, I personally think Americans don’t mind at all price shopping on medical services that are not life threatening.  We do it already for some services, going to a local clinic for blood tests and CRT scans.  We can do this within the confines of a new wellness initiative.  Annual checkups, scans, and other services can and should be open to competition, pushing the cost down up the line, based on a combination of the profit motive, and a sincere desire to provide the patient the very best service available. 

However, in terms of trauma and life-threatening diseases,the national mandate should not require the American citizen to go through the emotional, critical, anti-sympathetic activity of price shopping for a possible cancer cure.  The national mandate should follow the lines of what we do for a downed soldier in the field.  Every American demands that we provide our soldiers the very, very best, that they need not worry about that lifesaving operation in the trauma unit, removal of that bullet, saving that arm or leg.  We should regard every single last American the same way.  When it comes to that which threatens our very lives, in America there is no option, because the choice has been made for you, we will move both Heaven and Earth to give the very best money and science can provide, because that is the American way, that is the American ideal. 

As for the money? If you do it … it will come. American medicine is advanced medicine.  It is innovative and ground breaking.  We can make it even more innovative with stem cells, and other advanced lines of research, while at the same time providing a cost and service model un-paralleled anywhere in the world.  Yes, they will come from all over the world, even more than they do now; and yes, for those of you strongly money-minded, they will pay.

Let me state that I started writing this before the President’s speech on Wednesday.  I wrote a basis, some notes, pertinent details that I wanted to be sure to highlight in the finished article. Then, I waited.  I wanted to listen to his speech before finishing the article.  I had made a supposition about the President’s actions, and wanted to see if the supposition held. It did.  The tenor of the speech, the words said rang true. However, I knew it would not make all happy.  Of course, Joe Wilson let the entire world know how he felt by calling the President a liar on International television, a disgusting, unwarranted, and unprecedented act, in extremely poor taste.  Very bad form Congressman Wilson, very bad form. 

Some progressives are still complaining about how the President waited too long to make this speech, that the summer was wasted, and that even though we know the President’s modus operandi, it has become wearying and he should have entered the field much earlier.  They have a perspective, a singular one, which I do not hold.  The summer gave us time to toss about the most heated ideas. The summer gave us time to elevate the game of the detractors.  Perhaps, if one considers it critically, this was a necessary piece, an integral piece in this political interactive.   Many have shown their hands.  Many have placed their cards on the table. 

They have … exposed themselves. 

We know a great deal more than we did entering the summer.  An argument can be made that we might have known as much about the myriad sides of the debate earlier, if the President had pushed his political will onto the process.   Or, perhaps the moves were appropriately calculated, in the mode of a serious critical thinker

With Fall before us and the President engaged, I have given it some thought and laid out what I personally believe would be a good basis for an effective Health Care Reform Bill. The aspiring critical thinker took a shot at it.  Please take a moment to consider what I’ve written.  Think about it, toss it around in your mental ring, look at it, weigh it, beat it, pick it up, see if it’s tough enough, if it has what it takes, and then, only after truly considering it, please render you opinion.  Comment on what I’ve laid out.  As a citizen of these United States of America I, D.S.Brown, the aspiring critical thinker demand that we include the following policy initiatives in the ObamaCare Health Care Reform Bill of 2009, which will include the Kennedy Public Medicare Plan:

 

Demand 1:

Establish health care as an accepted right for every American citizen.  On the day you are born, you are covered either by your parent’s private insurance, or the Kennedy Medicare Program.  As a child, once you reach majority (age 18), you may choose.  You can either be dropped by your parents, or retained by your parents. Or, you can either drop Medicare, or retain Medicare.   Or, you can purchase your own private insurance.

 

Demand 2:

Elimination of the de-facto Private Insurance monopoly.  Establishment of the American Health Care Exchange, where individuals and groups may shop for health insurance that conforms to the Federal standard.

Participation in the Health Care Exchange is not a requirement.  However, be you individual, company, or insurance company, you have the right to exercise your freedom and not participate in the Exchange.  Not participating in the Exchange comes with risks, just like any capitalist enterprise. However, in taking on this risks as a company or individual, one must remember that in being the best of that which is human in us, we must never allow politics or profit to come before human lives.  This factor is not and can never be negotiable.

 

Demand 3:

Creation of 12 Basic Base health care plans that can support all Americans.

Private industry, as taxpayers, must be a part of the Exchange in terms of policy, and participate on the panel that establishes and maintains the base standards.  This sets the ground rules for competition between public, private and private.  It levels the field and provides Americans with a simple basis by which to compare and shop.  Incidentally, it will also create new opportunities for innovative companies to alleviate the burden of seeking out the best policy, similar to what you see in car insurance, life insurance, and home mortgages.   

Apply overall insurance policy reform that patterns insurance expenditures on services based on comparative effectiveness research.  Allow policy options that permit increased expenditures based on varying factors and/or patient payment.  If the patient wants it,and is willing to pay for it, then give it to them.  Services along these lines will be competitive between insurance companies, clinics, and other medical facilities.

New businesses will crop up around this model whose sole purpose and revenue generation will be in guiding American’s to the best health care options.

 

Demand 4:

Health care need not and should not be mandatory after the age of majority (age 18).  We can get the numbers necessary to induce competition, and generate cost savings just by opening the doors of Kennedy Medicare. I guarantee just providing the option will create a flood of new customers, without making it mandatory. However, just like American citizenship, you can choose to relinquish it.  We need not force people into a health care program.  To me, forcing them is just not the American thing to do.  We usually have options.  You don’t have to have car insurance.  Of course, if you don’t, you just can’t, or rather legally you can’t, drive a car.  However, and this is critically important, just like driving a car illegally, seeking medical services without the ability to cover charges will be illegal, and seen as an egregious act against your fellow American taxpayers. 

 

Demand 5:

By not signing up for insurance after the age of majority each American is responsible for the risk of covering their own medical expenses.  If an individual seeks medical services and cannot pay they will immediately at that moment be logged in the national medical database as a member of the Kennedy Medicare Program,and will incur penalties, as well as interest on the outstanding service fee.  The new enrollee will stay on the Public Plan for a specified amount of time AFTER penalties and interests have been paid.  This shows good faith and an ability to pay.  At this point, they will have the option to go with a private company.

 

Demand 6:

Enroll the indigent in the Kennedy Medicare Program immediately.  Allow Americans 55 and older to enroll in Kennedy Medicare in the first year.  In the second year allow Americans 45 and older to enroll in Kennedy Medicare. In the third year allow Americans 30 and older to enroll in Kennedy Medicare.  In the fourth year allow all Americans to enroll in Kennedy Medicare if they so choose.  All enrollees go through a validation process to guaranty America citizenship. No person currently enrolled in Medicare will be dropped through this process.   

 

Demand 7:

For small businesses that seek services in the Exchange we will provide strong cost discounts on coverage plans determined by an applicable scale based on business performance factors such as income, balance, and cashflow.  This will be preferable to tax credits, and far easier to understand.

 

Demand 8:

End discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions for any insurance company participating in the Health Care Exchange.  This will allow companies to pursue insurance options that might cater to a customer with factors that make them eligible for a different product outside the Base 12 because of their health status.  It fosters innovation, includes high risks, and creates even more competitive options.

 

Demand 9:

All health care companies industry-wide are prevented from dropping coverage when people are sick.

 

Demand 10:

All health care companies industry-wide must set caps on out-of-pocket expenses.

 

Demand 11:

Enact immediate health care policy changes on Medicare.

If you are a doctor that services Medicare patients you now have a choice.  Medicare must be shifted to salary-based programs on an aggressive timetable.  This will give doctors the time they need to choose.  If they elect to stay with Medicare they must adjust their practices.  If they want to keep seeing Medicare patients, they can choose to create business models that satisfy the Mayo model cost structure.  This opens the door to innovative programs that adhere to a basic cost framework.  In the finest American tradition this also allows a doctor to not see Medicare patients and charge whatever he likes for each service, if his service is just that good.  Doctors can operate niche markets to cater to those that want to pay top dollar for their services, which should be above and beyond the 12 Basic Base Plans. 

 

Demand 12:

Elimination of insurance subsidies for private insurance companies.  As those billions are funneled back into the core program, it is imperative that Medicare Advantage customers see no discernable impact to their level of service.  The patient is always our first priority.  Kennedy Medicare will be able to maintain the same level of service without the extra funds because there will be no need to cover the excessive administrative costs private insurance companies must have in their business models in order to maintain and increase market share and profit.

 

Demand 13:

Removal of state barriers against competition. 

It is clear that state barriers are part of the model that has created health care monopolies across the nation.  The elimination of state barriers is core to increasing the level of competition between public, private and private, and absolutely essential to lowering health care costs.

 

Demand 14:

Utilize costs savings to enact the American Wellness Initiative.  Establish an applicable cost savings structure within the Health Care Exchange that applies discounts on services that are eligible. Eligibility will be based on accepted standards of health and the ability to improve in a given area, such as risks for cardiovascular disease.  In addition, it will provide quarterly bonuses to Exchange doctors and nurses that actively promote and succeed in improving the wellness of their patients.   This will also serve as a model for private insurers outside the exchange and will help spur competition. 

 

Demand 15:

Utilize costs savings to give immediate financial relief on loans to medical professionals. Utilize funds to offer grants to students seeking careers in the medical field, especially nurses and primary care physicians.

 

Demand 16:

Tort Reform must be enacted immediately.  It is tearing the industry apart.  Enact aggressive tort reform analysis and employ an immediate action program with a phased time horizon in order to enact changes to tort laws, protecting all citizens from abuse, patients aswell as doctors.

 

Demand 17:

Immediately establish a program to drive the Health Care Exchange to contract with the very best Information Technology companies in the world to develop and deploy in multiple phases (getting services online quickly) the best Electronic Medical Analysis and Record system ever established.  The system will retain doctor, nurse, and patient information.  It will establish interfaces and analytics to examine and analyze data such as pharmacology, giving likely responses by patients to medicines and procedures.  In later phases it will serve as a Medical Knowledge Engine, leveraging information as an incredibly powerful tool facilitating successful medical outcomes formedical facilities across the nation, and citizens around the globe. 

 

Demand 18:

Establish a multi-tiered trigger option with cost impact over the entire Health Care initiative that is executed in the event of cost overruns.  Costs for the program must not exceed $900 Billion, and must be absolutely neutral to the deficit.   If for whatever reasons costs exceed the limit and begin to be accretive to the national debt an emergency committee is to be convened immediately and enact cost cutting measures to the program, being as sensitive as possible, but nevertheless ensuring cost containment first and foremost, and then costs reduction.

 

Those are my 18 demands for Health Care reform.   In my humble opinion, I see these 18 policy initiatives as a clear and concise path towards Critical Success for all Americans.  Health Care reform as a goal attained will not only make those of us alive today healthier and more financially sound, but so to our posterity. 

  

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Posted by DS Brown at 9/14/2009 9:39 PM | View Comments (4)

The Critical Thinker Considers The Response to President Obama’s Speech To America’s Students


The Critical Thinker

Considers

The Response to

President Obama’s Speech To America’s Students



The President of theUnited States, Barack Hussein Obama II is going to address the nation’sstudents on September 8th, 2009.   The President indicated his intent to do this some timeago.  When the President wasinterviewed by student reporter Damon Weaver, he talked about reading,studying, doing well in school, and getting involved in the community byhelping others.  I’m fairly certainthe President intends to expand on this message, one I fully agree with. 

I think seeing andhearing from our President is inspiring. He was a man of modest means. He wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth.  He didn’t come from a wealthyfamily.   However, he valued educationand knowledge.  He knew what he hadto do in order to achieve critical success.  He worked hard. Then, he worked harder.  Heachieved critical success, and today he is the President of the UnitedStates.  This is a powerful story,one worth hearing again, and again.

So, my wife and I werefrustrated, but not surprised, to hear the so-called Right talking aboutObama’s indoctrination speech, and how he is trying to get to the nation’schildren to further his political agenda, and separate the youth from theirparents.  We were disgusted to hearleaders, members of the GOP echo this nonsense.  We discussed it, as we are wont to do in our home.  We considered it critically.  We had a personal perspective on the issue.  However, the hallmark of the criticalthinker is the sincere consideration of someone else’s perspective, especiallywhen they are completely and diametrically opposed to your own.   

So, to that end I putmy own perspective to the side and considered critically why people might notwant to have the President speak to their children.  I thought about it. I considered the sincere damage to someone’s child, the awful damagethat might occur by listening to the President’s speech.  I couldn’t imagine it. I couldn’t seeit, or hear it in my mind’s eye. Damage?  What damage?  I took a mental pause.  Well, there are those that are callinghim a fascist.  Okay, I certainlywouldn’t want my daughter to listen to a fascist.  Or is he a communist? I shook my head at the consideration and had to swiftly dismiss it.  The train of thought, which hascaptured the minds of so many weak-willed non-critical thinking American’s wasspoonish in the extreme, and trying to walk that mental path was causing me anguish,such was the level of sincere stupidity.

I switched gears, andtried again. I saw the video of Florida GOP Chairman Jim Greer on CNN withAnderson Cooper, and Roland Martin. I saw Anderson Cooper visibly work on hiding his disgust at theChairman’s sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.  I saw Roland smile, and exerciserestraint as he waded into ignorance. What was Chairman Greer’s supposition?  He stated that based on the curriculum disseminated by theadministration there was cause for concern, that it led one to believe that thePresident was going to speak to America’s children about his policies, theCHANGE he wants to make, and that this is unacceptable. 

You know what?  A critical thinker would view this asan exercise for his or her child. If the family stance is diametrically opposed to the President’sposition, it would be worthwhile to have the child listen, come home anddiscuss the critical points of what was said, to have an intellectual familydebate and perhaps discuss actions the family should take in order to furthertheir political position, peacefully, amicably, leaning into positive conflictwith those they ideologically oppose, trying mightily to define solutions thateveryone can live with.  Alas,that’s my family, that’s other like-minded families, critical thinkingfamilies.  The people out there talkingabout keeping their kids out of school and shutting down school districts arenot critical thinkers at all.  Theyare the spoon-mass, the mindless on legs, with feet for brains, and brains forfeet, consistently stepping, stomping, mashing down their critical cognitionwith ignorance, stupidity, and mass-fear, engendered by their ideologicalmongers, men and women of immense wealth who take perverse pleasure in incitingignorance and making money at the expense of the minds of the people they catertoo.

Sorry about the rant.

This is simplydisgusting.  As I continued mycritical consideration I had to work to push back my disgust, my knowing andunderstanding innately the whys of this situation.  Images of the newly political crept into my head.  I’ve always exercised the franchise,and made it my business to know who I voted for.  However, I’ve been more active now than I ever havebefore.  I recognize this activityin those that make me increasingly ill. Many of them are the newly political.  They’ve never been so engaged.  What’s so different now?  Where was this righteous indignation in theyesteryears?  Why do they cry,wail, and beat their breast, lamenting change, talking about their lostAmerica, the America that has seemingly vanished over the last six months.  Where did their America go?  I mean, I would hate to lose anAmerica?  I fear such a loss aswell.  Maybe we should form ahunting posse, or maybe a classical quest?  … do I need to even say it?  Do I need to even mention the conscientious stupidityevident in this train of thought? 

Oh, there are theCommittee on Foreign Relation theorists, the anti-tax crowd, and those thathated Bush as much as Clinton who are coming to the fore, but I’m not talkingto them.  They are the CHANGE theyseek and always have been, I’m talking about the massive motivated everydaymiddle-of-the-road masses that have popped out of the wood work of late,standing side-by-side with hate mongers, killers, anti-this that and the otheractivists, calling others sheeple, when they are happily motivated and moved bymoney interests and cigar-chomping ideologues who say plainly stupid thingslike I want this country’s leader to fail so our country can be saved.

Sorry, I’m rantingagain. 

Okay, I continued downthe path of a differing perspective. I looked at the curriculum, which was surrounded by a diatribe by somewriter on the Portland Parenting Examiner.  I saw quotes from FOX, a definition of indoctrination, astatement this woman made about high-schoolers rebelling against their parentsand most notably a sentence about these huge time-consuming projects duringlayoffs and reduction in school days. Huge time consuming projects? She is clearly not a critical-thinker, and strikes me as the kind ofperson that might have voted for that spoon-bag Senator from Oklahoma, Inhofe,a man who merrily states, “I’ don’t have to read it, I know what’s in it.  I’m going to oppose it anyways.”  People, READING IS FUNDAMENTAL!  And our kids need to be doing MOREwork, and they definitely don’t need parents complaining about the amount ofschool work they have, HUGE PROJECTS?!?! No wonder so many of us are so woefully ignorant. 

Okay, if you have notdone so, I encourage you to please go read the curriculum that wasproposed.  I’m not putting any ofit in here.  I’ve written too muchas it is.  Go read it foryourself.  Google it.  Really read it, lowering your filters,and consider it critically.  As itis written, if your child is diametrically opposed to the President and hispolicies, even though he does not intend to discuss policy I’ve been told, yourchild could use these exercises to build an opposing position, write about it,discuss it, make a video, and a poster. Those opposed to this activity are most certainly non-criticalthinkers. 

Here are what somepeople are thinking regarding the President’s speech:

Mark Steven, aCanadian author and political commentator, speaking on the Rush Limbaugh showon Wednesday, accused Mr. Obama of trying to create a cult of personality,comparing him to Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong-il, the North Korean leader. 

The Republican Partychairman in Florida, Jim Greer, said he “was appalled that taxpayer dollars arebeing used to spread President Obama’s socialist ideology.”

And Chris Stigall, aKansas City talk show host, said, “I wouldn’t let my next-door neighbor talk tomy kid alone; I’m sure as hell not letting Barack Obama talk to him alone.”

These are the peoplewho feel they are losing our America, and it’s happening in record time.  That’s where I stopped.  I had considered enough.  It was very, very difficult, becausethis reaction to the President was asinine in the extreme, just my personalopinion.  However, I tried, I wentdown the path.  I considered.  It changed nothing. Just so we can beclear,  I WANT MILLIONS OF AMERICANCHILDREN TO HEAR THE PRESIDENT AND FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE. 

Listening to Jim Greertalk about how most American parents are concerned about the President’s agendaindoctrinating their youth is like listening to the sound of mucous flying fromJim Belushi’s nose as he spoke into his hands in the student court scene ofAnimal House.  Go check it out ifyou don’t know the reference.

Most Americans MOST,have kids that need to be exercising their mental muscles.  They need to be writing how they canhelp the President, whether they agree or disagree.  They should be reading, writing, and thinking.  They should be engaged in dealing withthe President.  It is disgusting,idiotic, stupid, racist, disrespectful of the office, the President, and BarackObama the man to raise a total uproar against him speaking to this nation’sstudents, and threatening to keep them out of school.  If you don’t want the President to speak to your child,simply keep them out of school, don’t disgust the air with this mendacity andasinine political agenda which is rooted in exploiting any and all differencesin order to reacquire power for your party, or no party at all.  I have voted Republican and was proudto do so.  I have voted Democratand seen my candidate do that which I believe and support.  The GOP needs to undergo a paradigmshift.  At this moment, they are theparty of no, the party of hate, the party of theocratic dominance, the party ofdivisiveness, the party that will never again have my vote, unless they undergoa fundamental transformation.

Let me say that I oncebelieved we had come so far. Understand, we really have, but I had shifted myperspective, my focus and intent. When I heard people talk about race stillbeing the core issue in America, I felt wise when I corrected them. I agreedwith W.E.B. DuBois’s statement that the critical question of the 20th centurywas the color line. However, I posited that the critical question of the 21stcentury was the economic line, the struggle between the haves and have-nots. Iwas woefully ignorant and naive, bolstered by the kids at the Mall of Georgia,the integrated couples here in Suwanee, and all the great race relations herein Atlanta, and just about everywhere else I looked. Oh, I knew, and stillacknowledged the struggle, but I let my hope and desire to tackle that 21stcentury challenge cloud my vision, dimming the stench of the 20th centurylegacy, that still roiled our nation's social fabric, an undercurrent that isincredibly slow to recede. Obama's elevation to the White House blasted away myignorance, and re-focused my vision, as so much of what was hidden kept jumpingout of the dark. 

 

Racism is a componentin this issue. Power politics is an even larger component.  Ideology and fear are powerfulcomponents. Human emotion takes hold of these factors and we see the mess thatnow predominates as our politics.  Ifyou're being a good parent, then whatever subliminal (?) message some man isbeaming into your child's head through the television should not matter. Iguess there are those New World Order, Bilderberger, Illuminati powers toconsider, but I don't get into that. In fact, if you're teaching your child tobe a critical thinker, listening to the President's message should be a goodexercise, don't cha think? If you don't like what he's saying, see how hiswords come across to your child. Or, are you afraid that your child will not bewhat YOU want them to be instead of what they are destined to be, growing fromyour sincere efforts? THAT ... is a very critical question.

Honestly, it wasill-advised to send out the lesson-plan info. Someone over-reached. The onlyreason I say this is because someone forgot the President is black, and thatstigma from the 20th century is still an undercurrent. As I tell black men from5 to 50 the eyes of scrutiny are on you. No matter how successful you are thereis no magical door you can walk through where success is not questioned by someone,scrutinized by someone, despised by someone, because of the color of your skin,no matter its shade, origin, or ethnicity. If your last name is Hernandez andyou are the divisional director someone is going to wonder how you got there,was it a favor, did you deserve it, and did you take that position from someonemore deserving, but your elevation satisfied a quota. You will spend your lifeshowing and proving. The best of us don't dwell on this. We simply DO. Ipersonally despise petty power politics, but I do it well in my corporateenvironment because I must. Focusing on achieving critical success makes iteasier. Doing anything else, thinking you are privileged leads to disaster, askMarion Barry, or Bill Campbell. Being of color means you strive for perfection,knowing it will never be achieved, but it is your goal until the day you die.The best of us know that we must live to make no mistakes, even though we will,that we must stand up after each failure, and acknowledge that as black men weare considered the least of men, even by our African brethren. As the kids say,please believe it. Acknowledging this, means that someone in the administrationmust always stay on guard for those that will attack the President for everyconceivable little thing, looking for the cracks in the armor, waiting topounce, while at the same time throwing everything at him in the hopes thatsomething will stick, even that which evokes a sense of racism.

Where is the respectfor the office? Where is the respect for the President? Where is the respectfor the man? I need not answer this. I won't. In a country where the youth needto see a man who has achieved critical success from modest means, who found abootstrap, put on, laced up, and launched out, it is a shame that we have aportion of the population that calls themselves real Americans wanting to denytheir children the opportunity to see and listen to such an accomplished man.It is sad that they are so apparently weak in mental critical cognition thatthey don't see value in having their children engage the President's words evenfrom the standpoint of disagreement. It's a shame to see people talking aboutindoctrination, socio-communistic-fascism, the destruction of America, and thedoom of us all. It's shameful to see so much hate, so much vitriol, so muchnonsense. It's a shame to see this expressed by the elected, by the leaders, bythe people who should be at the forefront of change, even if it's change thatis ideologically different. They should be leaning into positive conflict,instead of spreading stupidity and ignorance, seeding their followers with ODS,Obama Derangement Syndrome, and pushing them further and further from simplecommon sense.

I will be listeningnext week. I will be watching. I will be writing. I will be vlogging. I willremain ever critical of the President, moreso than any other, because I ampersonally invested in his success, and his ethnicity. I make no excuses onthis score. There are those just waiting to say he was never fit for theposition. I am invested in America. I am no longer naive. I'm not blatantlystupid enough to try and explain how I want my leader to fail so my nation cansucceed. I am truly re-invested in the capital markets, in several American companies.If Obama succeeds, I see these companies succeeding (non critical-thinkersfabricate an agenda where free-market stagnation is Obama's goal, despite hisown words otherwise). If these companies succeed, and the initiatives hesupports succeed, America will be vastly incredibly different, far better in myopinion, an America I will be proud to live in, just as proud I was yesterday,last year, and just as proud as I am today.

 

Oh, and just in caseyou didn't know, SUPPORT THE KENNEDY PUBLIC OPTION, AND OBAMACARE IN '09!!!

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Posted by DS Brown at 9/7/2009 7:44 AM | View Comments (12)

The Critical Thinker’s Response to The Five Freedoms You’d Lose In Health Care Reform

The Critical Thinker’s

 Response to 

The Five Freedoms You’d Lose In Health Care Reform

By

D.S. Brown



 

The assertion is there are Five Freedoms we will lose under ObamaCare.  As an aspiring critical thinker that clearly understands the need for health care reform now, I recognize and understand the need for rich dialogue, and heated debate.  Still, as heated as the debate may be, it must be focused on the critical disparities, the points that divide us, with both parties leaning into positive conflict, in order to define a solution that might not satisfy all, but still gets the job done for most.  We need health reform now, as opposed to some time later in the future, perhaps far in the future when getting it done becomes a nationalized industry wide tragedy that will place the fate of the entire country on a precipice poised for doom.  Of course, in this doom scenario I am employing my imagination to maximum effect.  However, despite my unchecked mental flights of fancy, there is still a very real chance of running into a national tragedy if we don’t address health care soon.  As such, I felt obligated to read this article and then write a critical response.  As a common American aspiring to be a strong critical thinker I feel not only qualified, but obligated to write a response.  All Americans should be active.  We all should be engaged.  We all should aspire to be critical thinkers.   

Before we begin, before we delve deep, let me clearly state my approach by sharing my favorite quote, coined by me:

“The path to wisdom is brightly illuminated by the light of perspective.”

I divined this quote some time ago as I continued down my critical thinking path of discovery and growth, seeking to achieve my own personal Critical Success.  And what is critical success?  For those that don’t know, let me clearly define it:

Critical Success is the planned achievement of something urgent and essential utilizing careful planning and judgment for the express purpose of attaining personal prosperity.  

This is Critical Success.  So why is it important to consider my quote, and my definition of Critical Success in this, the critical issue of our time, health care reform?  Please allow me to explain.  In driving towards achieving Critical Success I find that I must approach all activities from the perspective of one that thinks, one that questions, one that makes informed decisions, decisions based on prevailing facts, and careful reasoning.  This is critical to me personally in regard to health care reform.  My plan to achieve Critical Success involves the establishment of F-PEC in my life, and for my family.   

What is F-PEC?

F-PEC is Fundamental Personal Economic Control.   I’m a fiscal conservative and a social liberal.  I must utilize critical thinking skills to divine my path through both these personal mandates.  They are not mutually exclusive.  In fact, they are intimately bound, when one considers a personal situation critically.   How do I reconcile the two?  Simple, I know that I must be a master of the wealth that I generate through my personal effort.  

I must manage it wisely, invest it wisely, and most importantly spend it wisely.  I exercise 3POP, The Three Principles of Prosperity, and what are they?  One must own real estate, one most invest in the capital markets, and one must try entrepreneurship.  In America one can readily pursue all three.  However, even if you are not the kind of individual to own and effectively manage a business, you can, and must adhere to the first two tenets of the 3POP rule.  You must invest, and you must own property.  Not mentioned in the rule directly, but implied nonetheless, you must save your money in order to execute these activities.  

Of course, if you mismanage your money, spending it on the floss and flash, and then add crushing credit debt on top of it … well, I don’t think I need to clarify that this is a recipe for disaster and a sincere barrier to achieving Critical Success.  However, in life, there are those things that one can only mitigate, that we can and must try to manage, but sometimes are completely out of our control.  Many of us view health care from this perspective.  We can’t afford it, so we simply don’t get it.  And if we do get it, it is painfully destructive to our monthly budgets, so much so that even those of us that practice aggressive F-PEC must shudder, and monthly dream of new ways to cut our healthcare costs, usually to no avail. 


 

As part of my family’s financial plan I must take into account health care.  I’ve watched my premiums increase over the last ten years from $5 to $35.  I took my daughter to the doctor last Friday.  She apparently had been a bit rough at daycare.  My little girl as a wanna be daredevil, which scares the living daylights out of me.  When we picked her up we noticed she was sore around the rib cage just underneath her left shoulder.  She howled like a banshee whenever I pressed under her arm to pick her up.  

In seconds my wife, my mother, and my child were loaded in our 4-Runner and flying to Children’s Medical.  The doctor examined my little angel, and recommended X-Ray scans.  Needless to say this was very unpleasant.  Still, according to the technician my baby’s howling was minor compared to most.  As we went through this exercise the last thing that was on my mind was cost.  My child’s health is not a negotiating point, it’s not something to be compromised.   Providing my family superior service and care is not debatable.  My wrath, though tempered by age, has always been something cold, terrible, and quite dangerous.  Critical thinking be damned all to hell if you threaten my own.  I was once upon a time considered jubilantly insane, and completely without limits.  Of course, age and the pursuit of wisdom weans one of younger indulgences.  However, the tendency, and the requisite ability to behave in said manner still remains. 

My friends, it is not about profits … not from my perspective, especially not when you’re in the middle of a medical crisis, and I’m quite willing to bet that you and all your friends share my perspective. 

The X-Rays will be around $75.  Our co-pay for the visit was $45.  I just went to the doctor two weeks prior, and surprisingly enough I found out I had to pay my own lab-work.  Two years ago my insurance covered my lab-work.  Now, they apparently don’t, or only pay some of it.  I was so disgusted I tossed the bill.  I didn’t thoroughly interrogate it, at least not yet.  However, I will read every detail and balance back against our policy before paying.  Did I mention the bill was for $120?  Money is no object when it comes to taking care of my family, but what about the things I can’t afford?  What about the families that can’t make ends meet, and stomach the almost $400 per paycheck I was paying twice a month before getting on my wife’s insurance.  
Hmmm, another did I mention moment.
Did I mention the attendant at Children’s medical, a very, very nice woman who was quite attentive didn’t have health care insurance?  Did I mention this?  Everyone at the facility gave us OUTSTANDING service.  You could tell how much they really cared.  They looked tired, their movements were indicative of stress, wear and tear, but you had to pay attention to really notice just how weary they were.  I did indeed notice, but still they smiled.  Still they were professional.  Still they were helpful, and they treated my daughter like the little princess she is.  All this service, and no health care; she said it was simple.  She said it with a smile.  She couldn’t make ends meet with her family expenses, and include health care.  This was a woman working in the health care field, who could not afford health care.  Instead, she would rely on our current Universal Healthcare model, also known as Emergency Room Primary Care Physician, or Medicaid Clinic care, all subsidized by the taxpayer … rife with excess and waste.  

We need change. 

The time is now. 

However, if you listen to the detractors, those that stand happily opposed to ObamaCare, you will believe that the complete and total disillusion of the Union is on the offing, that our great nation will cease to exist, our freedoms slowly marginalized into obscurity, as we enter into an Obamaesque communistic utopia, planned and executed by the leftist proponents of the New World Order.  

 




Spoon …

Below we will examine some information I pulled from the article I mentioned earlier.  It was written by CNN Money contributor Shawn Tulley.  It was posted on Rush Limbaugh’s site, and I picked it up on Neal Boortz’s site.  Let’s examine what some are calling facts, and see if it is really fiction, seeking to be made into fact through the effective utilization of hyperbole and propaganda. 



The article was called, “5 Freedoms You’d Lose In Health Care Reform.”  Let’s engage each one critically, and examine it. 

1. Freedom to choose what's in your plan. 

Under ObamaCare, the government will mandate "standard benefits packages" that all health care plans must offer in order to be "qualified" by ObamaCare. Will this really make health care less expensive? Don't count on it. "Every group, from chiropractors to alcohol-abuse counselors, do lobbying to get included. Connecticut, for example, requires reimbursement for hair transplants, hearing aids, and in vitro fertilization."

My friends, let’s try and parse this paragraph in an effort to understand it clearly.  Keep in mind we can apply part of my mental methodology, 3FE (Find, Focus, establish the Fundamentals, Execute) in order to understand what is being said.  First, it indicates that ObamaCare will mandate standard benefits packages, that all health care plans must offer in order to be qualified.  We can ask critical questions here, like what is the benefits package?  What does qualified mean?  Who gets included?  Where, and in what situation might this be applied?  How different might this be from the mandates placed on me by my insurance company?  How different might it be from the mandates on my Medicare, Medicaid, or here in Georgia my state run Peachcare?  

Remember, in any given situation it is a must that we be engaged and respond with critical questions.  One must not simply drink from the fount of the loud, the bombastic, or the hopelessly inane.  One must regard a critical situation such as healthcare reform seriously, and analyze it for themselves.   

Understand, this means reading and seeking to understand as best as you can, the facts.  I can’t begin to tell you how many people comment on my own YouTube videos by directing me to other YouTube videos that supposedly speak the facts.  After watching the video, which in turn is nothing more than witless, and increasingly dangerous propaganda, I’ll check the information links for more information, which I have been directed to read by the YouTuber.  I click the links and end up reading about conspiracy theories, legalized White House Power czars, child slave camps, and death boards.  This is not conducting primary research my friends.  If a government official states publicly they will do a thing, then find where it is written, and read it for yourself.  

So what can we infer from the loss of Freedom number 1?  First, consider that if one implies that this is a freedom, and it is one which we already possess, then one is hopelessly inaccurate.  All healthcare plans that are offered now offer a standard care package.  When you sign up for you insurance through your employer you are offered packages from standard to what may be called deluxe.  Given prevailing economic factors and what the customer may demand in services, a government mandated package will not limit what an individual insurance company can provide in its pursuit of higher profits.

Will this make health care less expensive?  Will everybody try to creep into the standard government package?  Perhaps, and it will be priced accordingly.  However, what would prevent the government Public Option from providing a suite of options, priced accordingly for the indigent to the wealthy?  What precludes government from offering a suite of options just as private insurance does now?  Conclusion, so long as we maintain critical dialogue and engage our government effectively, we can gain the best in terms of care and the least in terms of cost for a suite of packages, an option we can demand, which is not a freedom we currently enjoy.   

SUPPORT AND ACTIVELY PROMOTE OBAMACARE IN ’09!


2. Freedom to be rewarded for healthy living, or to pay your own costs. 

Under ObamaCare, all qualified plans must conform to a yet-to-be-developed "community rating" scheme, whereby all insureds pay roughly the same premium, regardless of age or health. Giving a break to people who suffer from chronic or hereditary conditions like diabetes or cancer is not a bad idea, but community rating is like "car insurers [having] to charge the same rates to safe drivers as to chronic speeders with a history of accidents."

The second freedom we are set to lose appears to me once again like a freedom we never had.  If we focus on the comparison used, I’m certain many people will wonder what the article’s author means.  There are many people who are excellent drivers, but have been adversely affected by how insurance companies rate them based on where they live, and what type of ethnicity they may be (well, this is illegal, and does not happen anymore?).  Still, let’s dispel that thought and focus on what is being said.  

It does seem clear that ObamaCare as currently outlined by House Bill 3200: America’s Affordable Health Choices Act, is insisting that premiums be maintained at reasonable levels in order to insure that coverage can be maintained at all levels of the socio-economic ladder.  It also implies a tax penalty for those that do not have coverage.  In this sense, I can’t agree with the plan as outlined.  It would seem to deny the ability to offer a suite of coverage defined by private enterprise, by holding private insurance companies to a community rating with certain specific areas of variance.  This can be a point of contention and should be re-examined for real-world viability.  I have an option that should be included in place of what HR 3200 is offering, and I will detail it after we discuss the next freedom.  

In summary, this too is not a freedom that we currently enjoy.  I don’t know anyone who gets rewarded for being well, accept when one considers the healthier they are the fewer co-pays and lab-work fees they’ll have to pay.  They still have to suffer the pain of ever-increasing monthly insurance payments eating, no devouring their salaries or wages.  Part of what OBAMACARE is emphasizing is programs to promote wellness.  I fully stand behind this.  The only thing I would add, and hopefully something like it will be added as the final version of the bill nears completion, is a provision truly rewarding an individual for being well, which might translate into something like annual credits to be utilized as accumulated costs savings on health services, and/or credits to doctors for successfully maintaining a healthy and vigorous clientele.  I would not like to see this incorporated as a tax credit … because I’m still praying for the Fair Tax in coming years.  I don’t see anything like this in the current incarnation of HR 3200.  However, don’t think this means you should step away from the table, and pull your support.  No!  Quite the opposite!  It means you should increase your engagement and push for the things you want to see in Health Care reform.  

SUPPORT OBAMACARE IN ’09!
 
3. Freedom to choose high-deductible coverage. 
The mandatory low-deductible, full-coverage benefits packages in qualified ObamaCare programs will end the ability of consumers to buy cheaper, catastrophic care health policies and use the resulting premium savings to pay for occasional doctor visits and prescriptions out of pocket. For young, healthy Americans who do not need monthly prescription medications, this is an attractive and affordable option for health coverage. (This was the type of coverage I bought until I got married and had kids. It cost me $110 a month in the mid-1990's.)

The Freedom to choose high-deductible coverage is very much an enticing option when one is young, healthy, and feels quite invincible.  When I first started working I did the exact same thing as the author, opted for the super cheap insurance.  I want to take a moment and ask that you focus on what is being detailed here, what is the essence of this supposed loss of freedom.  

An aspect of choice.  

On the surface, allow me to say I think we finally hit upon something on which the article’s author and I can agree.  One of our most important freedoms is indeed the freedom to choose, within reason, given legal constraints by law, and of course the natural rights of humankind.  According to HR 3200, as I interpret it, an individual will be taxed a penalty for not having health insurance coverage.  I think this is wrong.  One should be able to choose whether or not they want to have insurance coverage.  It’s just that simple.  

We have to be critical and use sound judgment in where we want to apply force in improving and evolving our culture.  This evolution and growth should be forced only in terms of promoting, and making a thing (health services) available.  The ultimate choice should still remain the purview of the adult individual.  So what does this mean in terms of HR 3200?  As I alluded to earlier, I have my own solution, which I would like to see added to the legislation.  

I’ve considered it critically, and to my common mind it means if a person chooses to not have coverage, and they aren’t in the indigent category (such as the homeless wandering into a hospital), then that’s fine.  If this person of means gets sick, they should be given the right to pay the $20, $30, $150, $500 required by the physician, or emergency room attendant tending to their care.  If that person does not have the necessary funds to cover whatever care has been provided, then that burden naturally falls on the taxpayer.  At that moment, in that very instance, our data systems implemented due to the provisions provided in ObamaCare, should indicate this person has violated our health care policies to the detriment of the American taxpayer, and should be assessed a tax penalty, and immediately enrolled in the public plan, at the primary benefits package cost.  That person will have the option of changing plans, and going with a private insurer, so long as they maintain continuous coverage, which means demonstrating that they maintain their payments for six months, proof that they will not again burden the taxpayer with personal negligence.  Just my opinion.  I would like to see this added to the legislation.  






SUPPORT AND ACTIVELY PROMOTE OBAMACARE IN ’09!
 

4. Freedom to keep your existing plan. 

This has been discussed at length here at WizBang. And frankly, it's the biggest lie currently being told by the Obama Administration. Draconian restrictions that will be placed on private health insurance plans by ObamaCare guarantee that almost everyone who is currently covered by private insurance will be forced out of those plans and into the public ObamaCare insurance exchange within 12 months.

This has been discussed at length by many of my follow critical thinkers and we think the assertion made by the author in this statement is one of the stupidest, worst piece of broadcast political spin histrionic propaganda put forth throughout this entire health care debate, next to Death Panels of course.  It is pure political ideological, meant to press forth an agenda and ruin the current administration, hot off the hyped-up press garbage.  My friends, we don’t even need to debate freedom number 4.  Why, because the President of these United States has stated time and time again that you will be able to keep your plan if you so desire.  Personally, it’s quite clear that my plan sucks rhinoceros waste.  However, I love my doctor.  Really!  The man is just there for me whenever I need him.  If competition drives down the cost of my plan and expands my coverage, then lets get moving on reform starting yesterday.  However, for those of you that enjoy your current plan, it’s really simple … you keep it.  Spin-doctors and Poll-Moronic-Mind-Meisters are incredibly adept at moving the common man’s mind, and making him see things that aren’t even there, believe things, that have not happened, and fear things that don’t exist.  This is their purpose, and their reason for living.  They elect officials with ulterior motives, and care nothing for the good of the common human being, be he wealthy or poor.  It’s all about the objective, and their personal benefit.  This is the crux of THEIR freedom number 4.  

In summary, Freedom number 4 has been assured by the President himself.  If he doesn’t hold true to his word, it’s simple.  We kick him out of office.  However, the Miesters are convincing the non-critical thinking masses that this freedom’s loss is a fait accompli, that we Americans can’t even give the President the chance to try for CHANGE we can believe in, because he’s going to take our freedoms away.  People, be critical.  Be thinking … for yourself.  Be engaged, so you can counter this mindlessness that is passed out to the masses like so much mental candy fit for consumption, when really, it’s only fit for waste.

SUPPORT AND ACTIVELY PROMOTE OBAMACARE IN ’09!

 




5. Freedom to choose your doctors. 

Under ObamaCare, you'll be "assigned a primary care doctor, and the doctor controls your access to specialists. The primary care physicians will decide which services, like MRIs and other diagnostic scans, are best for you, and will decide when you really need to see a cardiologists or orthopedist ... The danger is that doctors will be financially rewarded for denying care, as were HMO physicians more than a decade ago." If the fees paid by the government to primary care physicians are going to be based on efficiency or cost-saving ratings by government bureaucrats, then doctors can also easily be punished if they make too many specialist referrals. Is this really the way to sustain quality health care for Americans? Remember, on of President Obama’s goals is to level the playing field with respect to how much money primary care physicians and specialists earn.

This is what is known as prevarication.  What is the definition of prevarication?  It is the act of shuffling, or quibbling in order to evade the truth, to speak falsely, or more importantly, to speak in a misleading manner; to deliberately misstate or create an incorrect impression.  

Can you say Poll-Moronic-Mind-Meisters three times fast? 

First, let’s just say the President has said time and time again, you can keep the doctor, and the insurance you have if you so desire  … again.  In fact, let’s say it one more time.  You can keep your doctor, and your plan.  There, again just for good measure.  Please remember people, all we need do is hold the man to his word.  Don’t call him a liar when the Bill is still sitting in committee.  In fact, just don’t call him a liar at all, until he gives you proof that he is one.   Be critical thinking.  Don’t be a spoon.  

Applying portions of 3FE, the critical thinking common man’s tool of motivational empowerment, let us parse this statement, Find what’s pertinent in it, Focus on it, and establish the critical Fundamental facts.  Will you be assigned a primary care physician under ObamaCare?  Sure you will.  Are you not assigned a primary care physician now, from a variety of choices?  Will this be any different under ObamaCare?  No, it won’t.  This is not a Freedom you will lose.

Under ObamaCare will the doctor decide what services you will receive?  Duhhh, yes he will.  Again, is this any different from how we do things now?  No, it is not.  Just as it is now, under ObamaCare you will have to be a responsible patient, working closely with your physician to understand what is happening to you, and partnering on how best to treat what ails you.  This is common sense.  It is common sense that many Americans actively run away from.  However, times are changing.  People are working to be well, to live healthier lifestyles, to lose weight, understanding that fat is not okay, if it is indeed trending you toward diabetes and heart disease.  

Will doctors be rewarded for not giving you services?  As part of an imperative to limit costs, let’s just say this is accurate.  However, in this statement the word prevaricate is so appropriate and aptly applied.  The objective would be to set certain standards to which doctors adhere so they don’t actively work to avoid lawsuits and run up costs, especially for Medicare patients.  

People, please understand that rightsizing medical services is a tricky and complex thing, but it can be done.  We can establish norms that not only accurately assess health and provide diagnostic information, but give the patient that feel-good feeling one so readily needs when they visit the doctor, that the services she has provided are very appropriate, and more than adequate.  For clarification on why this is so important read a very critical article from the New Yorker regarding health care in McAllen Texas.  It’s called, The Cost Conundrum, written by Atul Gawande.  Don’t be put off by the name.  Remember, this is America.   And, for a sobering differing perspective by a doctor from McAllen, read an article from Health Leaders Media called, Doctor Says New Yorker Used Slanted Stats Against McAllen, TX.   Remember, we need perspective in order to achieve wisdom.  I would hope after reading both you would find that the truth lies in the middle, and the story of McAllen is truly required reading, an example of what not to do, and where we can find incredibly significant cost savings. 

What is clear?  It’s clear that the President’s mandate is to eliminate waste, not punish doctors for referring people to specialists, but rather incentivize the promotion of wellness so the doctor won’t have to send patients to specialists.  Remember the word prevaricate?

Regarding the level playing field in terms of how much money primary care physicians make, it’s not about some socialized mandate that means everyone makes the same.  It’s about removing abuse from the system, and letting market forces in terms of service and demand drive costs at reasonable levels, without financially murdering the patient, or the taxpayer, who in many cases, more than we might think, is one and the same.  Personally I feel like I’m getting stabbed every time I see a bill for lab-work, which used to be covered by my insurance.  

In summary, this is not a Freedom you would lose under ObamaCare.  Keep yourself accountable.  Keep you doctor accountable.  Keep you government accountable.  And remember, there is a clear difference between keeping them accountable utilizing critical thinking skills versus blindly spewing hate and rhetoric in an effort to bring down the administration because … they just ain’t right!      

SUPPORT AND ACTIVELY PROMOTE OBAMACARE IN ’09!

 
In the rest of the article the author basically goes on to state that nothing will change under ObamaCare except the entire health care delivery system.  Let me make this simple for you, THAT IS A GREAT THING.  I’m sick of $400 out of each paycheck.  I’m sick of $45 dollar co-pays when they used to be $5.  I’m sick of paying for my own lab work on the best insurance available to my family through our employer, with coverage that doesn’t cover everything.  I’m sick, and trembling at the thought of catastrophic illness striking anyone in my family, as it did my father-in-law, who had to pay $2000 for his procrit shot (per shot) when he was fighting cancer.  I’m sick and shuddering as I remember the bill we received from the hospital after he passed.  I’m sick, remembering that he was so fiscally conservative that he funneled sums of money to insurance and other sources just to cover such eventualities.  I’m sick because even as I practice F-PEC, I can’t do that with my money right now.  It’s not feasible as a middle-class American paying a mortgage, saving for retirement, and living reasonably well on a budget in modern America to shunt sums of money to extra, yes extra, insurance to cover every eventuality.  I’m sick because I miss my father-in-law dearly.  He was a great man.  





I’m sick because I watch Americans on a daily basis give in to mindless rhetoric and propaganda.  I’m sick because I watch so many white Americans who consider themselves moderates and compassionate conservatives, ally themselves with the compassionless conservatives and racists.  I’m sick because the remnants of that peculiar institution for which so many Americans can’t even bring themselves to remotely apologize for still remains.  

Yes, I’m sick, and even as I speak to kids and tell them that once upon a time a great black man named W.E.B Dubious, a learned scholar from Harvard, stated that the defining issue of 20th Century America is the problem of the color line, racism, the issue of his era remains the issue of our own.  I stay sick because as I keep talking to them I say that though the issue is very much still relevant, the defining issue, the problem of 21st Century America is the money line, economics, the widening divide between the haves, and the have-nots.  I almost vomit as I stop and consider it critically, and realize, even as I think about Geraldo Rivera’s book, His-Panic, Why America Fears Hispanics in the US, that the problem of the color line has not receded quite as far back as I had once thought, that I was being naïve, and that I must dispel that naiveté and gird myself for what looks like an onrushing wave of intensifying racism.  I must remind the young Black American men that they are Black American men, and still considered less-than in the eyes of all the other children of planet Earth, despite the fact that a black man of vast intelligence, wise political acumen, ethics, and good strong aspirations for all of Earth’s peoples resides in the White House.  

I’m sick because I know there are Americans, my people, even now, plotting.  I’m sick because racism is alive, strong, hateful, willful, and consuming.  I’m sick because people, white Americans, are banding together in unreasoning irrationality to oppose just about anything this administration does, starting this year, THIS YEAR, and are at a loss to explain why.  I’m sick because my fellow Americans can’t acknowledge their own racism, which will be their downfall, as well ours.  Yes, we will all be doomed to hell together.  I’m sick because just like an alcoholic, they fight against accepting the condition, which of course is the first step in moving on to wellness.  

I’m … just … sick

My fellow Americans, please, I beg of you, let’s stand together, and plan to be well. I go to the mall, and I see hope, and the promise of feeling well.  I see White, Black, Latino, Asian, Indian and everything else walking, talking, laughing, embracing, and I’m filled with hope.  I talk to my friends, of all ethnicities, and rejoice at their feelings of hope, knowing that the see what I see, feel what I feel, empathizing as best as they can, fully considering my perspective, and eagerly joining me in this struggle.  I feel this, and I have hope of feeling well.  Yes, I have great hope, because I know so many people, so many that are Anglo-American, African-American, Latin-American, Asian-American, Indian-American, and whatever else American are strongly committed to the American ideal, and consider a statement like, “I hope he fails,” to be the mantra of the mindless and asinine, a statement that can’t be coddled, sugar coated, or retracted, simply because the person who said it refuses to do so, even though we would willingly give him the chance.   Yes, I have hope.  Yes, I believe I will get better.  I believe I will be well.  My fellow Americans, let us all work together to be well.  Let us work together to be innovative, creative, brilliant, world-changing Americans.  Let us be … together. 

SUPPORT AND ACTIVELY PROMOTE OBAMACARE IN ’09!



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Posted by DS Brown at 8/18/2009 12:19 PM | View Comments (4)

D.S. Brown Goes To The Inauguration: Chapter 2

D.S. Brown Goes
To The
Inauguration

Chapter 2
January 6th



On Monday, January 5th Governor Bill Richardson withdrew his nomination as Commerce Secretary.  I had watched Governor Richardson during the democratic campaign as he debated Obama and Clinton.  As I observed the man, it became quite clear that he is a shrewd politician, indeed a bright man.  Unfortunately, as so often happens in the pursuit of wealth and power, as well as growth and change, lines can become blurred.  I don’t know the specifics of Governor Richardson’s situation, the ethics or the legalities.  I will assume that all he has worked for, all he has struggled to achieve, was for the good of his constituents, and for himself to an appropriate degree.  What I will not assume is that his position had quickly become politically untenable.   This we know to be a fact.  He was now the subject of a government probe.  What was being investigated?  His dealings with several business interests were being questioned.  So, the Governor did the right thing.  He bowed out. 

I considered this first from a practical and rational perspective, as I should, as a person striving to be a relevant component in his country’s political process.  Then, because I’m only human, I considered the situation from a more personal perspective.

How did I view it? 

Well, I smiled as I considered it, and thought of this as nothing more than another challenge in a long line of forthcoming challenges for the nation’s first African-American President.  I don’t say this to imply that any other President-Elect would not have the same challenges, clearly they would, given our country’s current circumstances.  As an African-American I’m simply speaking about something many of us consider germane to our particular ethnicity’s American experience.   It is something we have heard time and time again, have often ignored, to our own detriment, but when understood and faced effectively, the challenge only served to make a better person, a better American.

Please, allow me a moment … a pause, so to speak, to ponder.  

As I’ve allowed my mind to journey down this fantastical road of fantasy turned reality, there have been many moments when I squinted as I journeyed, when my eyebrows furrowed and I strained my eyes.  I worked hard, very hard to see that which seemed so far away.  

I looked down this metaphorical mental rode and saw him, there he was, a man.  I saw a man destined to be President.  What was even more intriguing was seeing this man in my future, in all our futures.  As I stared, I realized I knew who he was.  I recognized him from his current job.  I recalled how he had wowed the world at the National Democratic Convention.  I was intrigued by the fact that he looked so much like me … at least in terms of close-cropped hair and skin complexion. 

Wow, what a thing!

Now, of course, there will be many, so very many  … those that will look at my words sideways, frown slightly, and perhaps sigh heavily.  You will look at my words and say, SO WHAT? 

My friends, not to be crass … well, I’ll be crass anyway because I must.  Understand that this entire event, this entire historic happening resonates with me, within me, around me, it changes things.  It’s humbling and uplifting at the same time.  So, if you say so what, then you obviously JUST DON’T GET IT! 

Those of you that sigh and roll your eyes at the mention of blackness, please stop and think.  Consider the weight of the moment.  This is indeed powerful.  If fate be a great and wondrous thing for the common good then this event is even more powerful than we can imagine.  The repercussions will impact generations.  It is history, yes, but it is more than just simple history.   It is a paradigm shift in world perspective.  For me, critical thinking, aspiring, hopeful, a proud American named D.S. Brown, this is very, very personal.  It means so much.

Yes, Billy withdrew his nomination for Commerce Secretary, took his hat out of the circle.  And yes I called this just one of many upcoming challenges for the black man in charge.  But WOW.  I mean WOW!  The black man is in charge of this thing!  He’s actually in charge!

Man, ain’t that somethin’? 

Here’s the honest truth.  The job of leading this nation is challenging, and will forever be challenging for any worthy man, and one day soon I predict, any worthy woman.  The mantle of leadership is quite the burden to bear.  Heavy is the brow that wears the crown, my friends.  It’s very heavy, indeed.  

            Still, I feel the need to go a little further.  Bear with me.  This is my continuing attempt to explain what I’m feeling.  Allow me to wax a little about the challenges of being an African-American male. 

Understand, there are those who still don’t comprehend.  There are those who just don’t get it.  They have never had a need to be sympathetic, or empathetic around this particular issue.  Still, some can, and many do, rationalize.  They can understand the situation logically, not as we see it, but better yet as we actually live it, mentally forming a vivid simulation in their mind of what it might possibly be like to walk a mile in my shoes.  Critical Cognition, truly thinking, questioning, and considering allows one to form just such a mental construct; to acknowledge the things that separate us, to find common ground, achieve empathy, and tolerance, and eventually love and full acceptance. 

I strive to explain it.  This is what I’ve committed myself to doing whenever the need arises.  It’s not just being black, my friends.  It’s being black and American.  It’s being African-American and male.  When I speak to young black men in America I often tell them they are at the bottom of the human barrel.  They are considered the least of men, less then boys in some eyes, little more than trained animals.  Please, don’t jump to conclusions.  Stop and consider my words for just a moment.




This … hurts.  

Many get angry when I say such things.  Some look at me as though I had a crack-pipe glued to my bottom lip and was constantly on blow, suck, blow, blow, cough, suck, no-pass.  Some simply look at me sadly and wonder. 

They question. 

Some outright dismiss.  A few, yes sometimes a few, with their eyes narrow, indulge anger, hot heat from resentment and fury threatens to engulf their young minds.  Their hands form fists as they process a perceived insult.  For a brief moment, no more than a second, the heat in their eyes meets my own.  They see in me the hard strength necessary to turn their heat aside, to strike them down as I enforce discipline, and then readily lift them back up again.  This cools the heat, simmers the brow, as the fog of youthful burgeoning hate is dissipated, and the mind opens.  Then, only then, do I begin.  They sit still.  Their eyes wide open, ready, there they remain … and they listen.  If they remain still, and open, I know there is hope, that even the hardest among them simply seeks real and true understanding.   

            I speak to them.  They don’t quite get it at first, but still they listen.

            So, what do I mean?  What do I say?  Why do I tell these young men, these young black men, that we are considered the least among men?  I tell them it is a matter of observation, perspective, stereotypes, and generalizations.  I take the time to explain these words to them, in case they don’t understand.  I let them use the words.  I get them engaged in the conversation, in the pain that I too feel, just as they feel.  I tell them that the whole world listens to American Rap and thinks it’s okay to call us niggers.  I tell them that when far too many of us enter into serious conversation and can’t pull ourselves away from ebonicized ghetto-speak, we lose stature in the eyes of others.  I tell them when statistics show that we are more likely to go to prison than to college, an expectation is being set in the minds of others, as well as ourselves.   I tell them that for each step they make, for each goal they achieve, they need to be doing it cleaner, and better than all the rest.  The excuse, well the white guy can get away with it, is asinine and spoonish in the extreme.  It is not a valid excuse.  There is no valid excuse.  I tell them they should aspire to be the best they can be.  I tell them they should not live their lives in comparison to others, save where it is healthy and wholesome to do so as part of a conscious positive effort towards self-improvement.  I tell them to not put strong belief in some generational learning gap or cultural divide.  I tell them to forever let go of the belief that some MAN is holding them back.  I tell them that as living breathing human beings they owe it to their very existence as living creatures in this wondrous world to realize their own full potential.  I tell that them that even if they fail, they need to pick themselves up and try again.  Their objective should always be to be the brightest, the leader, the champion. 

I tell them these necessary personal mandates, and they listen. 

I reiterate that it is indeed a matter of perspective.  I continue by explaining that we are not viewed as the lowest of the low by all the peoples of the world.  There are many people of all types of ethnicities who don’t see us in this negative light, who will not judge us based on the merits of a song (or lack thereof), that bitch, ho, nigga, dizzle, yayo, pipe, dollahs, whips, steak and shrimp and driving six-figure priced exotic cars through the ghetto don’t factor into their mental calculus as the result of a given human being, or how one is to be perceived, not by external factors, but rather by the merits of the man himself. 

Unfortunately, some do allow these external factors to interfere with their mental processes, to skew their perceptions, to jade their thoughts, and relegate a black man to the bottom, animal status, metaphor for … a baboon.  I recall when a really nice Asian lady on my job, who we all considered to be a good friend, told a few of us black folks that she had never known black people were smart, at least not American blacks.  She told us that real Africans were different.  She had met quite a few.  She had always thought they were better and smarter.  Now, she knew different.  We were stunned into silence.  She said this with a matter-of-fact tone, completely absent of malice.  It was an awful and amazing thing to hear.  In her estimation, based on what she had once heard, none of us were considered smart, not the women, but most certainly not the men.  You can program? You know what a computer actually is, and how it works?

Or, consider the story Oprah told of her travels, and what happened while visiting with dignitaries in Africa, how she was greeted with a hearty “Wazzup, my Nigga!”  It is a different sort of example, but still a valid example.  There are filters that people employ, there are perspectives, an image is being projected, and a low expectation is being set.  We must all work to change this. 

            Then, there is Barack Hussein Obama.

            He shatters stereotypes.  He puts the lie to generalizations.  He reminds the world that black men in America are indeed achievers.  Still, this only goes so far.  His historic accomplishment is an accomplishment for all Americans, but it is still his.  African-American men need to use it as an example, as fuel to propel us forward on the road of progress, with each step getting firmer, stronger, gathering others to the cause, as we black men step confidently towards prosperity.  We need to believe we can achieve, and push to be the very best. 

            We African-American men often jokingly talk about how it’s always harder for the black man.  This is not true in every situation.  However, there are times when it can, and most emphatically does still apply.  A black man can get a job first, based on some perhaps unwritten corporate mandate, and then be the first one fired.  He may definitely deserve to be fired, if he did not go in prepared, working to be the very best he can be.  Termination may very well be exactly what he deserves.  However, we black men have seen, and still believe that we can, achieve just as much if not more than any other well-meaning, hard-working, prosperous ethnicity in the workplace.  However, those of us that succeed always recognize the fact that even if no one tells us to be twice as good as the competition, being twice as good in some eyes, just barely makes us equal.  Take this not as a justifiable generalization, but rather a justifiable truth in some situations.  One who is thinking, who is observant, who is aware of his circumstance and bent on achieving critical success will know when such a situation is valid and real. 

Thankfully, some see us, and acknowledge the time and effort we must put in just to be considered.  Thankfully, there are others in power that are on a personal diversity journey of discovery, and can see us black men as we push with everything we have in order to achieve.  These individuals who are learning to value diversity, lean into discomfort, and remove mental filters can and do readily acknowledge the fact that there is indeed a struggle.  They understand that it is a struggle they can never fully know, or experience personally, but can definitely understand rationally, and with care and concern, show empathy.  In their eyes, we may even be … stellar. 

            Barack Hussein Obama is indeed stellar.  Still, my friends and I joke about how hard it is for the man.  He’s inheriting an economic disaster, a war on two-fronts (always a possible disaster waiting to implode, explode, just get totally out of control), escalating conflicts around the globe, and scandals at home.  Governor Richardson is stepping aside in order to limit the spread of scandal.  There will be more.  And so, I close out this day thinking about … oh woe is us, oh woe is us, the burden of the black man is so, so great.

            Then … I laugh.

            The burden of any hard-working, well-meaning, success-seeking man is great.  The burden of any hard-working, well-meaning, success-seeking woman is great.  Our burdens are ours, personal, painful, joy at the success of overcoming.  Burdens break us back, wear us down, and strike us swiftly and unmercifully.  Yet, they temper us, like steel.  If we have the courage to bear the weight, to shift burdens when appropriate, to think, and then act, then even as we lament the burden of our position, the burden of our ethnicity, the burdens of our lives, we can stop as we walk down the road to progress, down the road to wisdom.  We can stop, look back at our burdens, and smile.

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Posted by DS Brown at 5/26/2009 4:10 PM
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