I have gotten a little more than fed up with the lack of respect shown to the office of the President of the United States recently. I think it started with President Bush, when an Iraqi reporter, Muntadhar al-Zaidi, threw a shoe at him. This, in my mind, was an epic fail on the part of the President's security team. That reporter should have been shot by at least four different agents as he drew his arm back. He should not have lived long enough to release his footwear.
It happened again when South Carolina senator Joe Wilson became the first and only person to shout at a sitting president (President Obama) as he was addressing congress, calling him a liar. That man should have been removed from office, but instead nothing happened to him. Now, one of Mitt Romney's sons, Tagg Romney, has said that he would like to take a swing at the President. I am going to speak to this issue in two parts.
Part 1. If you do not like the President, or are racist, or just ignorant, this is important for you to know: the United States of America, and the office of the President in particular, do not just deserve, but demand your respect. This is why it is illegal to make threats against the President. The position is too important to be treated so shabbily. When you insult either one, you insult every person living in our country. If you do not like or cannot grasp this, please feel free to get the hell out of my country.
Part 2. This part is for Tagg Romney, his father Mitt, and the rest of the Romney clones. I personally would like to kick your father's teeth down his throat. He is the single most insincere and dishonest person I have ever had the displeasure of seeing run for any kind of political office. I would also like to beat the living hell out of you. Your brothers are also all welcome to a piece of that beating. I am offering to do this in a public forum, with a ref for y'all's sake. Let's sell tickets to the fight and give all the proceeds to charity. If I win, all the money goes to the Wounded Warrior project. If the Romneys win, they can give the money to whatever charity they want. I will fight you all, one after the other, MMA rules, with no rest between fights or timer for the rounds of combat. Each fight will last until someone loses, at which point a new combatant will enter the octagon and the match will continue. I am willing to fight all of you myself, but might have to have one or two other people on my team, because I have a number of friends that are as angry as I am about your total lack of respect for the country that we fought for. I promise that, while some of the folks in my corner might be veterans, none of them will be professional fighters or anything like that. No ringers, I promise. In the case of a team-on-team event, whichever team still has members with their asses un-kicked (this means folks who didn't get a chance to go into the ring/octagon/playground/whatever) at the end wins.
You guys can bring Senator Wilson and Muntadhar al-Zaidi with you if you'd like.
The more knuckleheads the merrier.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
I voted early today.
I did early voting for the first time today. It was fun. I like to vote. But I don't care if you vote or don't--just don't come whining to me about how much you think things suck if you didn't.
Because I will smack you if you do.
Because I will smack you if you do.
Friday, October 19, 2012
No fags allowed, but all you pedophiles are welcome.
I personally hope that Jerry Sandusky and every person that helped hide his crimes all get done to them what they did or helped him to do to those children while they are in prison. This also goes for every priest in the Catholic Church that helped to hide the same crimes.
Now the Boy Scouts are on that list, too. How could any organization be so rabidly homophobic while simultaneously condoning the rape of children? And garner such widespread support in hiding their crimes? The 15,000--and yes, that's fifteen thousand--page report known as the "abuse files" that have been reported on in the news recently are just a small portion of a record that the Scouts have been keeping since shortly after they were founded in 1910. That's a hundred years of suffering children silenced when they begged for help because every police officer, prosecutor, and pastor they or their parents approached turned a deaf ear to their cries--all for the sake of saving the "good name" of the Boy Scouts.
Don't get me wrong. I think that the idea of the Scouts is a good one. In the world we live in now, we need groups and organizations that can teach boys the necessary characteristics they will need to become not just good men but good members of society. However, no organization is or should be above reproach or the law. No institution is that sacred. Not one thing in this world is worth preserving if we have to sacrifice our children for its sake. If any group that is supposed to serve the public trust cannot be held up before the candle of free speech and show itself as transparent, then it does not deserve to exist.
Now the Boy Scouts are on that list, too. How could any organization be so rabidly homophobic while simultaneously condoning the rape of children? And garner such widespread support in hiding their crimes? The 15,000--and yes, that's fifteen thousand--page report known as the "abuse files" that have been reported on in the news recently are just a small portion of a record that the Scouts have been keeping since shortly after they were founded in 1910. That's a hundred years of suffering children silenced when they begged for help because every police officer, prosecutor, and pastor they or their parents approached turned a deaf ear to their cries--all for the sake of saving the "good name" of the Boy Scouts.
Don't get me wrong. I think that the idea of the Scouts is a good one. In the world we live in now, we need groups and organizations that can teach boys the necessary characteristics they will need to become not just good men but good members of society. However, no organization is or should be above reproach or the law. No institution is that sacred. Not one thing in this world is worth preserving if we have to sacrifice our children for its sake. If any group that is supposed to serve the public trust cannot be held up before the candle of free speech and show itself as transparent, then it does not deserve to exist.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Just another brick in the wall.
On Saturday, 13OCT2012, I attended the funeral for Sgt. Donna Johnson of Raeford, a soldier in the National Guard who was recently killed in Afghanistan. I attended as part of the Human Wall in an effort to keep the Westboro Baptist Church protesters from desecrating the service. This was done pretty easily. There were at least three thousand of us and about ten of them. They rapidly got the idea that their health was in danger, since they had forgotten their usual defensive tactic--hiding behind a wall of children that they use as human shields. One of the WBC crowd (according to hearsay) grabbed a flag from one of the Human Wall members and began stomping on it, which started a fight. I was told that the police, who maintained a high degree of visibility and a constant presence just about everywhere during the event, arrested the WBC attacker.
I got there about 0830 and left sometime after 1230. For the first hour or so all I could hear from down the street was the sound of the well-meaning Human Wall crowd shouting at the WBC crowd. I guess they forgot that it was about the family and their loss, not verbally abusing some idiots.
Everything seemed to quiet down after the WBC crowd fled. The funeral procession passed the corner I stood on with quiet dignity. Sgt. Johnson's flag-draped casket was drawn behind a motorcycle. That was the first time I have ever seen so many different motorcycle club colors together in one place without any friction between them. They, at least, seemed to have the right idea. Of course, it was easy to tell that most of them were veterans, so I wasn't surprised.
I did not attend the service at the graveside, nor the service in the church. I had begun to feel that the presence of so many individuals, no matter how well-meaning, was terribly intrusive to the family. I spent most of my time by the Raeford Courthouse, trying to dodge chain-smokers. It seemed as though I couldn't find anywhere to stand without being surrounded by at least three of them, puffing away as hard as they could.
I am a reformed smoker, and I confess that there is no more rabid an anti-smoker than one who used to have the habit themselves.
I got a speeding ticket on the way home, so I guess it is true, no good deed goes unpunished. I hope that Sgt. Johnson's family, as well as the families of Sgt. Thomas Butler and Sgt. Jeremy Hardison, have had their grief eased at least a little by this large show of public support. Your losses were not in vain, but helped to secure a better future for us all.
Lastly, I don't know how many combat veterans might ever see this post, but there is one truth that we all share in knowing when we see one of our fallen warriors pass us by:
There, but for the grace of God, go I.
I got there about 0830 and left sometime after 1230. For the first hour or so all I could hear from down the street was the sound of the well-meaning Human Wall crowd shouting at the WBC crowd. I guess they forgot that it was about the family and their loss, not verbally abusing some idiots.
Everything seemed to quiet down after the WBC crowd fled. The funeral procession passed the corner I stood on with quiet dignity. Sgt. Johnson's flag-draped casket was drawn behind a motorcycle. That was the first time I have ever seen so many different motorcycle club colors together in one place without any friction between them. They, at least, seemed to have the right idea. Of course, it was easy to tell that most of them were veterans, so I wasn't surprised.
I did not attend the service at the graveside, nor the service in the church. I had begun to feel that the presence of so many individuals, no matter how well-meaning, was terribly intrusive to the family. I spent most of my time by the Raeford Courthouse, trying to dodge chain-smokers. It seemed as though I couldn't find anywhere to stand without being surrounded by at least three of them, puffing away as hard as they could.
I am a reformed smoker, and I confess that there is no more rabid an anti-smoker than one who used to have the habit themselves.
I got a speeding ticket on the way home, so I guess it is true, no good deed goes unpunished. I hope that Sgt. Johnson's family, as well as the families of Sgt. Thomas Butler and Sgt. Jeremy Hardison, have had their grief eased at least a little by this large show of public support. Your losses were not in vain, but helped to secure a better future for us all.
Lastly, I don't know how many combat veterans might ever see this post, but there is one truth that we all share in knowing when we see one of our fallen warriors pass us by:
There, but for the grace of God, go I.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Oh noes!
So I found this while doing rooting through the news this morning: http://www.slashgear.com/huawei-and-zte-could-undermine-us-national-security-say-lawmakers-08250855/ which basically says that the Chinese government is or is capable of using devices made by these companies to gather intelligence on America. I'm guessing they mean kind of like how we (or, more accurately, the U.S. intelligence agency known as the NSA) listens to every cell and telephone call (and every other means of communication) on the planet. I guess the panic is because now China is starting to catch up with us in the dirty tricks department, because they are using old favorites from our own black bag.
Now we know what it tales to worry the U.S. government. Not cyber attacks, or shooting down our aircraft, or stealing our nuclear secrets. Not even poisoning our pets and children, child slave labor, or any other kind of human rights abuse. Just someone poaching on their turf. Can anyone else taste the hypocrisy?
Don't get me wrong. I'm as sick and tired as everyone of walking into American stores and only being able to find crappy Chinese products as everyone else is in this country. I'm pissed of I can't find any of the great stuff made in Japan. (And I bet nobody born more than a generation ago would have ever thought they'd wish for that. Is it me, or was that bit of hypocrisy just a little salty?) This isn't the fault of the Chinese people or their political leaders, however--it is because our leaders have failed us.
I will let that sink in for a second before going on.
I happen like Chinese food, culture, and people. I just think their political leaders suck--which is something that they share with the rest of the world. I kind of get the feeling that a lot of Chinese people don't like their government, either. Please let me be the first to welcome all one billion plus of you to that club. You will like it, we have cookies.
You aren't the first great people to be ruled by idiots.
Just look at us.
Or the Iranians.
Y'all are welcome in the club, too.
Now we know what it tales to worry the U.S. government. Not cyber attacks, or shooting down our aircraft, or stealing our nuclear secrets. Not even poisoning our pets and children, child slave labor, or any other kind of human rights abuse. Just someone poaching on their turf. Can anyone else taste the hypocrisy?
Don't get me wrong. I'm as sick and tired as everyone of walking into American stores and only being able to find crappy Chinese products as everyone else is in this country. I'm pissed of I can't find any of the great stuff made in Japan. (And I bet nobody born more than a generation ago would have ever thought they'd wish for that. Is it me, or was that bit of hypocrisy just a little salty?) This isn't the fault of the Chinese people or their political leaders, however--it is because our leaders have failed us.
I will let that sink in for a second before going on.
I happen like Chinese food, culture, and people. I just think their political leaders suck--which is something that they share with the rest of the world. I kind of get the feeling that a lot of Chinese people don't like their government, either. Please let me be the first to welcome all one billion plus of you to that club. You will like it, we have cookies.
You aren't the first great people to be ruled by idiots.
Just look at us.
Or the Iranians.
Y'all are welcome in the club, too.
Friday, October 5, 2012
This one's got some more Rules.
19. Guys (of all ages), no matter how big it is when fully erect, it isn't that big when you pee. Take a step closer to the toilet, please. And lift both lids, even in public toilets.
20. Always put both lids down. If you have ever dropped a brand new cell phone (or anything else) down the toilet, you will know why. There is a secondary advantage to this behavior for men: the women in your life women will like you more and harass you less.
21. The older you get, the less you can trust a fart. Another one I didn't invent, but I can't remember who said it first so we will pretend it's mine if you can't, either.
22. Don't be afraid to 'courtesy flush.' This one is mostly for camp (all you Wadokai Aikidoka know what I mean) but should be applied by anyone in any public toilet.
20. Always put both lids down. If you have ever dropped a brand new cell phone (or anything else) down the toilet, you will know why. There is a secondary advantage to this behavior for men: the women in your life women will like you more and harass you less.
21. The older you get, the less you can trust a fart. Another one I didn't invent, but I can't remember who said it first so we will pretend it's mine if you can't, either.
22. Don't be afraid to 'courtesy flush.' This one is mostly for camp (all you Wadokai Aikidoka know what I mean) but should be applied by anyone in any public toilet.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
A correction--and then some.
In the my last post, the last sentence of the second paragraph reads, "You can Google charts for how many each year, but that is an average of
200 people per decade, or about 182 people killed per year." It should read, "You can Google charts for how many each year, but that is an average of about 182 people killed per year."
Here are a couple more Rules:
16. If you ever feel the need to start a sentence with the words, "I know I shouldn't say this, but," just shut up.
17. If you ever feel the need to start a sentence with words like, "There are two kinds of black/white/gay/whatever people," just shut up.
18. It is not only okay, but also signifies good character and a superior intellect, when you instantly hang up on any machine voice that speaks when you answer the phone.
Now for some other stuff. I recently tested for nikyu, the second or lower level brown belt, in Aikido. The test was a blast, one of the best times I have ever had in my life. I have received many compliments on my performance in the test, so I think that might have shown. Not being able to fall (because of a back injury), as is usually required of someone taking a kyu (below black belt ranks) or dan (all the black ranks) test in our school, has made learning the techniques much more difficult than the process otherwise would be. Getting thrown by a technique--falling from it--goes a long way toward teaching your body how to do the technique when your turn comes around. Because I couldn't fall, I concentrated a lot more on the physical side than the knowledge side for this test, and it showed in a way i will explain shortly.
I should explain that our tests begin with a written paper (of varying length, mine had to be a minimum of five double-spaced pages in a 12 pica font) on an Aikido related topic, that must be turned in before testing begins. When the test begins, there is a question and answer period where the student is required to demonstrate knowledge of the Japanese language, the history of Aikido (as well as its founder, O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, and our chief instructor, Sensei Roy Suenaka), philosophical and esoteric concepts, as well as a great number of other things. After that, you do either the 15 or 50 basic throws. These are done on the left and right, and some techniques have an A and B to their left and right sides respectively, so that you end up having to throw and be thrown over 100 times on a brown belt or higher test. Then come optional techniques, where each member of the testing board calls out an attack or response, and the student demonstrates whatever is required with a minimum of five different responses. For example, I had eight optionals, one of which was tepo-tori, or gun-taking techniques. I had to disarm an attacker wielding a pistol a bunch of times, and try not only t make it look like I knew what I was doing, but to show some variety and skill while doing so. After that there are weapon katas, the jo (short staff) and bokken (wooden sword). We skipped bokken katas for the sake of time this year (we had a pile of people testing), but I am certain we will be demonstrating them when we test again in the spring. After the katas you enter the home stretch of testing, the randoris. Randori is a Japanese word that means, "beat up the guy standing in the middle of the mat." You get out in the middle of the mat and everyone jumps on you, basically. You do three of these, back to back with no break, starting with a jo randori. Then there is a general randori, where any attack is to be expected and any Aiki response allowed. Lastly is the ryokatatori (pronounce it 'yo-kata-tory') randori. This means everyone comes at you while trying to grab the collar or lapels of your gi and you have to keep turning continuously to throw them off to one side or the other. By this time, no matter how great a shape you might be in, you are gassed. The testing board wants to see what you do, what you are made of, when you have nothing left.
Now that you know what testing is like, you will be better able to understand my explanation of how my test went. When I was called before the testing board, I bowed and answered what questions I could. I missed several, but that didn't matter to me. Not because I didn't care, but because I had become totally relaxed and had decided that I would just have as much fun with the test as I could. Instead of high-speed slammy waza (the Japanese word for techniques), I did slower, more controlled Aikido. I just wanted to show that I was relaxed, focused, and in control. The outcome of the test meant nothing to me, nor did any missteps or other errors. Instead of how I usually am, which is kind of like a hurricane (if you ask any of my friends), I became the calm eye of the storm. It is the closest I have ever come to takemusu-aiki, or infinite martial creativity, the goal of every martial artist. it is also the closest I have ever come to being able to see the world as it truly is (without nearly dying), rather than the distorted image we all perceive through the lens of our egos. Now here is my favorite part: some of that stayed with me. I am no longer the same person.
And I like the change.
Here are a couple more Rules:
16. If you ever feel the need to start a sentence with the words, "I know I shouldn't say this, but," just shut up.
17. If you ever feel the need to start a sentence with words like, "There are two kinds of black/white/gay/whatever people," just shut up.
18. It is not only okay, but also signifies good character and a superior intellect, when you instantly hang up on any machine voice that speaks when you answer the phone.
Now for some other stuff. I recently tested for nikyu, the second or lower level brown belt, in Aikido. The test was a blast, one of the best times I have ever had in my life. I have received many compliments on my performance in the test, so I think that might have shown. Not being able to fall (because of a back injury), as is usually required of someone taking a kyu (below black belt ranks) or dan (all the black ranks) test in our school, has made learning the techniques much more difficult than the process otherwise would be. Getting thrown by a technique--falling from it--goes a long way toward teaching your body how to do the technique when your turn comes around. Because I couldn't fall, I concentrated a lot more on the physical side than the knowledge side for this test, and it showed in a way i will explain shortly.
I should explain that our tests begin with a written paper (of varying length, mine had to be a minimum of five double-spaced pages in a 12 pica font) on an Aikido related topic, that must be turned in before testing begins. When the test begins, there is a question and answer period where the student is required to demonstrate knowledge of the Japanese language, the history of Aikido (as well as its founder, O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, and our chief instructor, Sensei Roy Suenaka), philosophical and esoteric concepts, as well as a great number of other things. After that, you do either the 15 or 50 basic throws. These are done on the left and right, and some techniques have an A and B to their left and right sides respectively, so that you end up having to throw and be thrown over 100 times on a brown belt or higher test. Then come optional techniques, where each member of the testing board calls out an attack or response, and the student demonstrates whatever is required with a minimum of five different responses. For example, I had eight optionals, one of which was tepo-tori, or gun-taking techniques. I had to disarm an attacker wielding a pistol a bunch of times, and try not only t make it look like I knew what I was doing, but to show some variety and skill while doing so. After that there are weapon katas, the jo (short staff) and bokken (wooden sword). We skipped bokken katas for the sake of time this year (we had a pile of people testing), but I am certain we will be demonstrating them when we test again in the spring. After the katas you enter the home stretch of testing, the randoris. Randori is a Japanese word that means, "beat up the guy standing in the middle of the mat." You get out in the middle of the mat and everyone jumps on you, basically. You do three of these, back to back with no break, starting with a jo randori. Then there is a general randori, where any attack is to be expected and any Aiki response allowed. Lastly is the ryokatatori (pronounce it 'yo-kata-tory') randori. This means everyone comes at you while trying to grab the collar or lapels of your gi and you have to keep turning continuously to throw them off to one side or the other. By this time, no matter how great a shape you might be in, you are gassed. The testing board wants to see what you do, what you are made of, when you have nothing left.
Now that you know what testing is like, you will be better able to understand my explanation of how my test went. When I was called before the testing board, I bowed and answered what questions I could. I missed several, but that didn't matter to me. Not because I didn't care, but because I had become totally relaxed and had decided that I would just have as much fun with the test as I could. Instead of high-speed slammy waza (the Japanese word for techniques), I did slower, more controlled Aikido. I just wanted to show that I was relaxed, focused, and in control. The outcome of the test meant nothing to me, nor did any missteps or other errors. Instead of how I usually am, which is kind of like a hurricane (if you ask any of my friends), I became the calm eye of the storm. It is the closest I have ever come to takemusu-aiki, or infinite martial creativity, the goal of every martial artist. it is also the closest I have ever come to being able to see the world as it truly is (without nearly dying), rather than the distorted image we all perceive through the lens of our egos. Now here is my favorite part: some of that stayed with me. I am no longer the same person.
And I like the change.
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