two hundred seventy six

IN THE FAMOUS WORDS OF POPEYE "I YAM WHAT I YAM"

Well I'm an old straight blue collar Christian conservative white guy. Today some may say this is a brave and bold statement but like Popeye said "I yam what I yam". I am closing in on 70 years of age, far longer then I had ever expected to live. I have seen plenty of change in my life, some good and some not so good.

After that short statement I imagine a few people are already assigning labels, motives and tribal membership to me. If that is you there is nothing I can do about it. Name calling, judging and stereotyping does not promote discussion or debate it is simply a cheap tactic to silence and divide. 

I can't stop any of it I can only ignore the name calling, labeling and  implied motives and affiliations. I long to have honest discussions wherever possible but it is becoming rare. 

What once was common sense is now turned upside down and inside out. Name calling, assigning blame, guilt trips, victim status, self pity and rewritten history does not welcome debate. Censorship, changing the meaning of words, false science, the blanket omission of facts and character assassination are tactics to discredit and demonize opponents.

The desire to know the truth takes backstage to feelings. We don't speak the same language and don't share the same vision of history or the future. We now have narrative news coverage, blowhard panels of so called experts and the opinions of self appointed group leaders, all designed to justify hatred and resentments.

I think it is like two divorced parents in a custody battle that are trying to win the favor of their children. They desperately manipulate always masking it by saying things like "It's for the good of the children", however the tactics they use reveal their true motives. 

One offers no discipline, no bedtime, junk food and unrestricted playtime. The other parent has rules, bed times, nutritious meals and makes them do their homework. Both parents point out to the children how the other parent doesn't care about them.

It is up to the child to make a wise decision about their future and how they will be cared for. It is obvious most children will choose no rules, candy and playtime and think the parent with rules is mean and doesn't care how they feel.

Teaching children to be selfish is easy, it simply reinforces their existing immature natures. However, teaching a child about sharing, obeying rules and respect for others takes time, effort and struggle. 

Divorced parents have different motives. Some motives are loving and caring but some are based on financial gain, having control or revenge. The one constant in divorce is the children always pay a price.

The sad thing about political battles is many adults are subject to these same manipulative tactics. It is unfair to expect children to make adult choices but I do expect adults to make informed mature choices.

The notion of independence, personal responsibility and productive citizenship seems to be fading, but unfortunately jealousy, envy, self pity, hatred and emotional tantrums is becoming stylish. 

By their very nature all political parties seek power and control and they do not give a damn how they get it. Both parties spend billions on campaigns to sway voters to support their party by hook or by crook. 

Over two hundred years ago we saw the beginning of negative campaigns, so this is nothing new. What is new is the sophistication of the manipulative tactics they use. 

The targets of these campaigns have also changed. The ideal target of these campaigns are naive, poorly informed and self-centered people. They are easily swayed by emotion, transfer checks and envy. 

On the other hand the nightmare hard to manipulate voter is independent, informed and self disciplined. They need to be convinced using reason, information and principles. If you can't convince them with good arguments the only defense is to discredit, smear and discourage them to keep them on the sidelines.

I'm not saying the Republicans are better, smarter or more noble then the Democrats or that the Democrats are better, smarter or more noble then the Republicans. They are both political parties plotting and scheming to take power and money away from the citizens. 

Like the scorpion and the frog story it is just their nature, everything else is packaging and spin. We the people are responsible to keep both parties in check. 

Divide and conquer is the most effective tactic being used today.                  

Unity is becoming a forgotten principle, in fact it has been turned completely around. Some are again judging others by skin color, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference and religion. In some convoluted way they can spend hours justifying this backwards logic while demonizing those who call for unity. 

All I know is when I heard these words......

Doctor Martin Luther King Jr

"I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character"

.....When he delivered these life changing words on television, I like millions of others listened intently. I was deeply moved and from that moment on fully embraced this principle and have never changed. It breaks my heart that others have.

I have no answers other than encouraging others to be informed thinking voters. My heart is broken because of division and hatred. Forces are feeding this part of our lower nature to advance their agenda. 

This is not a partisan political post, yes I have conservative leanings. I think we should apply laws equally, live within our means, have transparency in government, a responsible media, value freedom and liberty and live in unity. If that makes me a racist, insurrectionist, radical, Neanderthal or bigot that is your problem.

I take my hat off when the flag passes, thank veterans nurses and policemen, wave and say hello to strangers and use my turn signals. Yes I'm a grumpy old guy at times but there is wisdom to living by principles instead of personalities. 

If we operate by principles we have a foundation that will last. If we follow or worship personalities we put our power and trust into another flawed human being. Politicians are tools, they serve a function but if they ignore the basic principles this country is built on they are destructive. 

...."Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. The second is like it: love your neighbor as yourself.  

                                           Mathew 22: 37-38

The theme of this bicycle blog resides in this statement. I traveled 14,000 miles on a bicycle using these principles. The neighbors (strangers) I met along the way responded to love in ways I will never truly understand. I'm not a naive fool I know I could easily be a victim. I claim no supernatural protection for my physical safety, I had to use common sense. 

However I now fully know two powerful truths, I was never alone and love reflects love.