When Wise Men Stumble Down a Cliff

This week....a problem arose over the nation as an assistant director of a school in Illinois came to announce their planned trip to a basketball tournament in Arizona....was canceled. Obviously, you can guess the reasoning here.

I read through the commentary. The school board has been careful since this occurred and said little to nothing. You get the impression that they have a busy weekend where they want this mess tidied up quickly and the team allowed to chose their direction without the assistant director involved.

I paused over this and did a long moment of pondering.

We've come to a point where we involve politics into religion, sports, business, and the media. The game here...is reaching a level where people's patience and understanding are being tested.

Imagine yourself standing there, and your union rep from the pipefitter's union has announced the union's judgement against Arizona. You stand and then ask what the heck does this have to do with welding or pipes? There won't be answer to your question.

Imagine yourself standing there at a local community college where a golf team was supposed to journey down to Tucson for July to participate in a college tournament, and the school administration says that this just can't happen. So you stand up and ask what this ban on Arizona has to do with golf? There's not going to be an answer to your question.

Imagine yourself sitting in a pew and the minister telling you to stand against Arizona. You stand at that moment and ask what Bible verse this wisdom came from. There's not going to be an answer to the question.

Those with an agenda....are going to face a hostile crowd in the coming weeks and months. It's stupid to be for or against Arizona in this immigration episode. It's their state and their problem to fix. Obviously, the federal government hasn't moved to fix anything....even after they passed this bill....nothing moved.

So when this individual faces you and announces a decision has been made for you.....simply stand and smile....and ask them if their remarkable intelligence or wisdom has faltered in this moment of stupidity. They'll look at you for a few moments in disbelief that you challenged them. And then ask them if they've got any problems with states who've bankrupted themselves? The conversation will end at that point.

We've become this mighty blue state versus red state argument. Nothing is gained from this. And the sad thing is that once this trend starts.....we could find alot of reasons to fault Florida, Texas, California, Michigan and even Kansas. Will there be a weekly crucifixion to punish them as well?

It's Right, I Think

Down in Geneva, Bama....the Census guy had this database print-out.....and there was this guy who didn't respond. So the Census guy went out to visit the house. After coming up on the porch and peering into the window a good bit....he came to realize that this guy was dead. So he calls the police.

The cops come and come to the same belief. No one....even relatives or neighbors....had said anything, and you got the impression that this guy might have been dead for a month or two.

I sat and pondered over this a while....and it was curious to me but the news folks never asked this question. Did the Census guy count the dead guy or not?

You know....dead folks have the right to vote in America, and dead folks have the right to run for office. Both rights have been proven over the past decade....so it's best not to argue. So I sat and wondered....can we count the dead guy in the Census?

For Bama, this is a serious topic. We need just about everybody possible (well...except illegal folks) to be counted. And it's fine with most of us to count cases like this...where we just aren't sure if he was dead a month ago or an hour ago. So I'm pushing for this Geneva guy to be counted. Maybe he actually got the Census form and it frustrated him so much....that he died right there on the spot. You just can't be sure of anything.

Just my Bama thoughts for today.

You Could Be a Republican

Being from Bama...means that you really have to have a bit of patience and understanding. This week...the national media came and realized that a new political mud-slanging ad existed, and came out of Bama. They referred to it as the "Bible ad". I sat and pondered over the topic, and finally went to review the ad myself.



I kinda laughed. It was a $200 ad...the kind of ad that you'd pay a college geeky guy to put together for you.

This guy, Bradley Byrne? Well....he was a life-long Democrat....at least as far as I could see. No one is really sure when....but Bradley woke up one day and realized that his mind had shifted (not overnight but at least over a year), and he was a pure true Republican. He started talking Republican. He began to cite Republican literature. And you had to admire the effort he put into this political change in life.

I can say...from my entire life....it's probably harder to fall from the Democratic horse than the Republican horse. Evidentially, in this case....some folks just didn't believe Bradley. They didn't call him a liar but they suggested a number of issues with his platform and his past.

My issue with the ad....is that it really doesn't help to drag the Bible into a political race. It's like putting sweet onions all over a good T-bone steak. It's like mixing peanut butter with apple pie. It's like being a Baptist and marrying a Catholic. So I had problems with this ad for the ten seconds of Bible talk. After that....the ad carried some weight.

At this point in the race....Bradley has to be kicking himself. There's alot stacked against the guy with this ad. The positive is that fifty percent of all Bama folks still don't do the internet and haven't seen this ad. The negative is that fifty percent do view the internet and they will remember this ad.

Can a Democrat do the switch and play Republican? This is a philosophical question. I'm guessing at some point.....after a a case of Pabst Blue-Ribbon and in-depth discussion with their local local barber....some guys come out of a trance and feel Republican. Heck, they might even cite Bible verses and chant Reagan quotes. But deep down....they really are a moderate type Republican at best. Kinda like that McCain fellow, you know.

So tonight, deep in the heart of Bama.....Bradley is likely sitting on the back porch....sipping a Pabst Blue-Ribbon. He's thinking over all the stupid things he ever did in his life....and wonder if becoming a Republican was one of them. My advice....your heart and gut will generally carry you through life. If you are convinced of this remarkable change in attitude....then keep slugging. If you were faking it for the most part.....you might want to evaluate what other part-time jobs you might find in the future.

Life goes on....either way.

As for the national media....well...considering the other ninety-nine stories that you've yet to really get into or tell, and this was the best you could do this week on Bama.....well....it kinda says something. Nothing positive on your side....but folks do pick up on that after a while.