Consumer Escort

The volunteers’ sense of companionship can strengthen the local community spirit, and naturally it will fulfill the volunteers’ goal of aiding those who can’t support themselves. But where do you find the time to donate your time? It’s much less hassle to volunteer when an event has been organized for you. And don’t you agree that with your co-workers working alongside you, you’d all have a better time while volunteering?

The obvious step, then, is for other companies to follow the lead of far-sighted firms like Adaptive Marketing LLC. In addition to programs including Passport to Fun made to benefit consumers, Adaptive Marketing organizes local volunteer activity to give its employees the time to help the local community.

Such initiatives used to be rare activities — but this has come to be seen as the minimum of effort. Tennis shoe recycling programs and more energetic efforts like tree-planting weekends — these and other activities have been scheduled by Adaptive Marketing for its staff. By centralizing the organization the initiatives grew into larger programs, with specific times, dates, and locations noted early to make time management easy for volunteers. It’s hardly volunteering if there’s no choice between projects. Companies involved in this like Adaptive Marketing, offer their staffers a diverse list of projects in their area. There’s so much to be done, after all; getting involved in the education and entertainment of young adults, lending a hand to environmental activities, or bolstering the community through artists among others. Adaptive Marketing’s employees are presented with such a choice that they’re certain to find something they enjoy to volunteer for, ensuring they’ll enjoy the time they spend volunteering. A regular addition to their schedule or a one-off event — these are the usual ways for a company to arrange this kind of volunteer initiative, possibly at a nearby homeless shelter or one of the local schools. Staff may well say they have no time to give, though it would be surprising if they genuinely cannot find the resources to lend a hand with an event lasting just a single day. It has always been a fairly common practice for firms to help out the community in which they’re based. The good worksefforts of the staff at Adaptive Marketing and firms like it create precious goodwill in their hometown. The simple fact is, the benefits of volunteer work include a sense of accomplishment and generosity — an upbeat feeling that leaves not just the volunteer but the whole business feeling better. Creating the opportunity to help employees become volunteers is nothing but positive.

Volunteering - a bridge to a stronger community, and assisting the poor in the vicinity. As the old saying has it, “charity begins at home”. Of course, freeing up the time to volunteer tends to squander some of that very same free time. Let’s not forget that you’ll have more fun volunteering with your friends from work getting involved right along with you. Companies like Adaptive Marketing LLC, that developed financial benefits programs including Credit Diagnosis, are becoming points of organization which co-ordinate volunteer activity and help employees make time for reaching out.

If you were asked for examples of company-backed volunteer work, you’d most likely talk in terms of giving blood, maybe an annual donation drive, nothing more, but that’s no longer the case in today’s world. The staff members of Adaptive Marketing have been provided with the chance to participate in a wide variety of community initiatives. For these events, the times, locations and dates that had been arranged were made clear well in advance, which made it convenient for employees to know what to expect, and the specific amount of time a given event might really require.

The spirit of volunteering means a choice between activities, naturally. Businesses providing this kind of service to their community like Adaptive Marketing, present their staff members with a diverse list of programs. Prior projects have included work in areas as diverse as aid and assistance for children and young adults, green awareness activities, and events cultivating the area’s artistic projects. In many cases, the more they enjoy it, the more productive they are, consequently, through offering such a variety of programs Adaptive Marketing ensure that progress will be made in as many projects as possible.

Typically a company-supported volunteer initiative - getting involved with a homeless shelter, for example, or helping out at a local school - is done either as a one-off event or on a regular schedule to accomplish a bigger goal. Even those who say they haven’t the time may be able to squeeze in a Saturday morning spent litter picking in the park.

Commercial history is full of examples of firms supporting the people who live nearby. Adaptive Marketing like many other companies supports volunteer projects in part to spread goodwill through the local community by the activities of its staff. Helping others can make you feel a lot better about yourself - exactly what you need, of course, to motivate members of staff both in their volunteer activities and back behind their desks. Promoting the volunteer spirit among your members of staff creates other rewards than the obvious, as we hope we’ve shown.

Research executed on healthy, premenopausal women in the Netherlands specified that Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella (generic Yaz) suffered an enhanced risk of venous thrombosis as compared to non-users. The risks were increased as high as five times with oral contraceptives. These reports were published in August 2009. This was merely the beginning of the controversy surrounding Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella and the consequent lawsuits to come regarding Yaz side effects.

Among the recent tilts impending on Yasmin, Yaz and Ocella birth control, the pills also include drospirenone, an element not in other oral contraceptives. The British Medical Journal issued studies in August 2009 establishing a higher risk of venous blood clots in adult females taking drospirenone as opposed to those who received other oral contraceptives. In the same month, the Food & Drug Administration issued an unconnected advisory to Bayer Pharmaceuticals, makers of Yaz, for using low-quality batches of drospirenone from a plant in Germany. For the benefit of public interest and well-being, these studies have been made available free on the internet.

Any women that have been hurt as a result of taking Yaz, Yasmin or Ocella may be entitled to recompense. Many attorneys and legal counsel agencies such as thelegaladvocate.com now offer assistance to anyone experiencing side effects and health issues as a direct result of using Yasmin contraception. Now that more adult females across the United States are coming forward and filing lawsuits, the legal system is moving closer to furnishing justice for those who were misled by the birth control manufacturers and possibly their doctors.

One of my favourite pieces of music is the Sex Pistols’ classic
‘Holidays in the Sun’ - a song that begins with the line, ‘a
cheap holiday in other people’s misery’. This would have made a
fitting epitaph for my holiday in Israel, except that the $3000
air ticket meant that it wasn’t exactly cheap.

I went to Israel full of apprehension. Just knowing what we all
know of the backdrop of paranoia and pain that hangs over that
land is enough to make anybody apprehensive, but I also went
carrying a dark secret - that I was a friend of Mordechai
Vanunu’s, and I was nervous about the reaction I’d get should
this truth suddenly become public.

My friend Morde was completing an 18-year prison sentence for
doing something that most people in this country consider heroic.
Morde told the world about a secret stash of WMD’s (’weapons of
mass destruction’) that are being developed in an underground
factory in the Negev desert. Most people I know think he did the
world an enormous favour, but most people in his own country wish
Morde had kept his mouth shut. Indeed, most Israelis regard him
as a traitor!

In order to try to understand this attitude towards my friend, I
tried talking to local people about their attitude to nuclear
weapons. The response I received was alarming! “They’re only
there as our last resort” one articulate young journalist said to
me. “Just in case we get completely overrun.” “Well … what
happens then?” I asked. “Well”, he said, “then we destroy
everybody!”

Tragically, this was not an isolated example. Almost every time I
sought an opinion from taxi-drivers, cafe workers or hostel staff
concerning Israel’s nuclear capacity, the word ‘Armageddon’ would
come up. And these apologists seemed quite accepting of the fact
that in order to strike this decisive blow against their
neighbours, they might indeed need to take the rest of the planet
with them!

Thankfully not every Israeli took this position. Indeed, the
‘Free Vanunu’ campaign itself had a strong local contingent of
active peace campaigners.

These local activists were some of the most impressive people I
met during my stay in Israel. Even in Australia they would have
been impressive - mainly young, idealistic University students,
with a commitment to world peace and global disarmament -
impressive but not extraordinary in our context. In this context
though, growing up in an environment so overshadowed by violence
and fear, these brave young souls stood out like shining lights.

The violent side of Israeli culture was never more tangible to me
than it was on the day of Morde’s release. I had traveled many
thousands of miles to be reunited with my friend on the day that
he walked free. In my dreams I had imagined our reunion countless
times. Morde would walk through those gates with his belongings
in one hand, and me and a few friends and family would be there
to embrace him and lead him away. I didn’t really realise until I
reached the prison just how far from reality my imaginary
depiction of that scene would prove to be.

There were hundreds of us at the prison, and the vast majority
were not Morde’s friends. As the time of his release drew near, I
tried to move towards the prison gate where I had always imagined
myself standing as Morde walked out. I soon found myself squeezed
into the middle of an angry mob.

It was certainly one of the nastiest experiences of my life. The
whole mass of men seemed to seethe with aggression, and each
individual was competing to claw his way to the front, for what
exact purpose was not entirely clear. Thankfully I could not
understand the chants that were being sung to the tune of ‘here
we go, here we go, here we go’, but I was told later that the
words for ‘death’ and ‘traitor’ had been central to all the
mantras that were chanted that day.

On reflection I now think that it was a good thing that by the
time Morde came through those prison gates the police had packed
us together so tightly that I wasn’t able to move a limb. What
prevented me from running out to embrace Morde also prevented my
neighbours from reaching him with more sinister intent.

Thankfully the car with my friend in it got away with no more
than a dented panel and a shower of eggs. One antagonist did
manage to mount his motorbike in time to catch the car, but after
slamming into the side of the vehicle he lost his mount, and the
‘free man’ was able to proceed in peace.

Back at the gaol things then started to unravel. With their anger
unresolved, the mob started to vent their aggression on other
targets. I found myself swept up in this like a wave breaking
over my head. One second I was walking towards my bus. The next
moment I was surrounded by a mob led by an angry rabbi, screaming
at the top of his voice. ‘Go home’ was the only phrase I could
understand. Equally unambiguous though were the rough hands that
were being placed on my body, the kicks that were landing on my
legs, and the spittle that was accumulating on my face.

I didn’t see any path of escape in this situation, so I placed my
hands together in a position of prayer and bowed my head, working
on the hitherto successful strategy that if you refuse to fight
back, guys are generally very reluctant to beat you up. It
worked. A man grabbed me from behind with both hands and hauled
me out of the centre of the mob. I made it back to my bus without
further incident.

All of this would have been water off a duck’s back had Morde and
I then been able to board a plane and fly back to Australia.
Unfortunately the authorities had ruled that this ‘free’ man
should not be allowed to leave the country, nor go anywhere near
a border or a foreign embassy, nor have any contact with
‘foreigners’. The ‘foreigner’ restriction was aimed at the
foreign press. Even so, technically, I wasn’t allowed to spend
extensive time with my old friend without risking seeing him
re-arrested!

We were reunited briefly on the evening of that same day of his
release. Unfortunately I cried so much that I really didn’t get
the chance to tell him all of the things that I had prepared for
that moment. All I can hope for now is that one-day we will catch
up properly - perhaps over a few beers back here in the land of
Oz. I know that Morde would like that.

Getting Morde out of Israel is indeed the next big challenge for
the Vanunu campaign. I don’t know how hard this will prove to be.
I do know that I had a bloody hard time getting out myself. In my
case it wasn’t that they didn’t want me out (they held off the
departure of the plane until I got on board). They just seemed
determined to let me know that they didn’t want me back.

I had been warned by the other peace activists of intimidation
tactics employed by airport staff. Ironically, I initially made
it through all four security checkpoints without being stopped.
It was only as I proceeded to the final gate that a young man in
a suit caught up with me and said, “Excuse me sir, but can I see
your passport.” He then told me that there had been a ‘problem’
and that he would need to retain my passport until the ‘problem’
had been resolved. I was then shuffled into a small room to begin
a three-hour process of interrogation, body searching and luggage
examination.

In the end the verdict was that I was free to go and that there
was nothing suspect about the contents of my bags, but that the
bags themselves were suspect and that none of them could be taken
on board as hand luggage. This meant that I could carry with me
my camera, but not in my camera case, my laptop, but not my
laptop case, my video camera, but not the bag with the shoulder
strap that I lugged it around in, my toothbrush and paste, but
not my toiletries bag, and even my Palm-pilot portable keyboard,
but not the little vinyl dust-jacket that I kept it in. I could
take what I liked, so long as I carried it in my arms.

It was just a game, though they managed to keep straight faces
throughout the whole ordeal. For my part I refused to get on
board without the bulk of my carry-on items. In the end they
agreed to give me a large cardboard box to put them in.

And so my cheap holiday in other people’s misery came to an end.
But now the real work begins. For I returned home, but I left my
friend inside the confines of St George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem,
where the good bishop has offered him sanctuary.

Morde can’t leave the Cathedral grounds. He has at least two
reporters on every exit, taking shifts to cover his movements
24-hours per day. If Morde tries to walk out into the street,
he’ll be immediately surrounded and identified, and given the
number of locals that would count it as a point of pride to be
responsible for his death, Morde’s life in the open probably
wouldn’t last more than a few minutes.

I’d like to see my friend back here in Australia. I wonder if the
Australian government has the courage to offer him citizenship?

DBS. April 2004

About the Author

‘Fighting’ Father Dave Smith - Parish Priest, community worker,professional fighter, father of three. Dave is the only Australian in Holy Orders to turn pro boxer to help fund his work. He is Parish Priest in Dulwich Hill, Sydney,and has received numerous awards for his work with young people

Get a free preview of his book, ‘Sex, the Ring & the Eucharist’ when you sign up for Dave’s newsletter at www.fatherdave.org

Colin Powell is a good story teller!
“He hid the weapons of mass destruction in all sorts of odd places. But we saw him hide it. We took photographs. We recorded discussions. We saw his links with terrorists. It is the most evil empire on earth right now. And he must be stopped!”

This story-teller is not some fiction writer. Or some movie star from Hollywood, the entertainment capital of the world. And the scene is far removed from Frankenstein territory. But this story-teller is a former war general turned American Secretary of State named Colin Powell. The scene is the floor of the great United Nations, which some folks who have a bad sense of humor call Talking Nations. The major character of the story is Saddam Hussein. And the devilish empire is Iraq.

The high point of the JAMES BOND story is not the satellite photographs (after all where are the weapons?) nor is it the Al Qaeda connection (after all if you are not with us you are against us - by George Bush). But the most interesting point of the over one-hour speech at the Talking Nations, sorry United Nations, is the voice recording. For these “devils” in Iraq were actually saying “hide it, hide it, hide it” in reference to the weapons of mass destruction, sorry wepunmassdistrucshun. I actually like the literary effect (The Arabic version is musical to the ears).

And after the great “revelation,” war mongers went to town. They said that it has been proved that Iraq is actually a threat to world peace. What do they call a proven theory in Latin? Quod erat Demonstradum. Yes, the theory has been demonstrated that if Iraq is not disarmed right now, that “madman” directing events in that country will cause historians issuing titles like THE END OF ORDER. Or THE END OF HISTORY. Or THE END OF THE WORLD. What a pity! And these war mongers rolled out Ukulele the drum, and serenaded the movie star, Colin Powell.

But the pacifists were not impressed. First in that number was the Inspection Team in Iraq who thought they would have been handed these evidences ab initio, instead of making it a public show. (Forget them for they know not the rules of script writing.) Then Iraqi officials called it a cock-and-bull story. (Make it a cattle-and-ram story.) France and Germany say no to war. (Americans call them the old Europe) And even Russia is not impressed. Is it because they have their hands on Iraqi oil? (Never mind anyway. That Powerless country is part of “pieces of eight”)

Before then, Africa’s Nelson Mandela, was up in arms against George Bush Jnr. and Tony Blair. He called Bush an arrogant man intent in plunging the world into a holocaust, calling Blair George Bush’s foreign minister .He even says that Bush wants to render the UN irrelevant because an African -Koffi Annan - not a Whiteman, is Secretary-General.

But some wonder why Mandela said so. Is it that old age is telling on him? And he is forgetting things as if he crossed the River Lethe. Or drank Mandragora. Does he not know that Tony Blair, Britain’s Prime Minister cannot be a foreign minister to the president of another sovereign country? And it pained not a few Africans that this their illustrious son has forgotten elementary government.

Regarding his anti war stance, some point to his guerilla war against white South Africa. After all, his “terrorism” paid off because South Africa is now free of violence, anarchists, and rapists. And Bush and Blair want to make the earth a paradise– free of devils– by declaring war on dangerous Iraq. Forget Nelson Mandela. When last did a black man say useful things?

Now the game is over for Saddam Hussein. We are going to war. Do not think of the effect of the war on the world economy. After all, Iraq has some of the world’s finest oil. When we win the war, we would install our own Governor - General and take charge of the oil. You can imagine the rest of the story.

Do not think of the humanitarian cost. For Saddam has always gassed his own people to death. So, what if a few Iraqis die for the salvation of the many. Regarding the soldiers that would die in battle, never mind about that. For they would have beautiful memorial tombs erected for them .And the sons of the war planners would lay wreaths on them, and write their epitaghs. Some would take Charles Dickens book A TALE OF TWO CITIES with them to the grave yard, and copy the opening lines: “It was a summer of hope. It was a winter of despair”.

When Charles Dickens wrote A TALE OF TWO CITIES, however, he was not thinking of the war on terror. Or wepunmassdistrucshun. But in the world of James Bond, anything goes.

THE WINTER OF DESPAIR

We are ready to attack Iraq. The spy planes have done their work and we know just where to strike. So we advance with guns and bombs through the torturous Iraqi desert terrain. We kill and maim as we go, and the enemy decimates our soldiers, too. And we the surviving soldiers press on, ever wearing our masks. Because this “mad” man that rules this evil empire could use anything on us - including chemicals and biological weapons. But alas - after all the hazards, we win and disarm Iraq.

THE SUMMER OF HOPE

We celebrate our victory. The world will be a better place to live now without dangerous weapons in the hands of this evil country. Israel has these weapons too, but that country is better behaved. Besides, they are God’s chosen people.

The newly appointed Governor-General has just inspected his guard-of-honor, and is telling Iraqis how different this new democratic, liberal regime will be. For the people will now enjoy total freedom and life will be more abundant.

We hear many wonderful Arabian Night stories. It was told of a poor Arab cattle rearer who bought a field to graze his livestock. But unbeknownst to him, the field was laid with gold. And this poor shepherd now became a fabulously rich sheikh ever after.

The story strikes a semblance to our adventure. Because after we have buried thousands of our dead soldiers, and laid beautiful wreaths on their tombs, we retire to reflect on the success of our mission. Suddenly, we find ourselves, champagne in hand, floating on top of fine-grade Iraqi oil; watching Saddam Hussein hanging on a 1000-foot high pole and listening to a musical composition of Colin Powell. And it happens to be the musical rendition of the poem, PARADISE REGAINED by the blind poet, John Milton.It was then that I realized the vision of Collins Powell, and I remembered the JAMES BOND story at the UN.

Bravo!

ARTHUR ZULU. The Most Controversial Writer in the World is the author of the best -selling book HOW TO WRITE A BEST-SELLER. For your copy and FREE excerpt, click on: http://www.1stbooks.com/bookview/10975 For contact, mailto: controversialwriter@yahoo.com

About the Author

Arthur Zulu, The Most Controversial Writer in the World is the author of the best-selling book, HOW TO WRITE A BEST-SELLER. Download your copy and FREE excerpt at :http://www.1stbooks.com/bookview/10975

Learn from my mistake if you don’t want the FBI knocking on your door! I had read or heard that if you don’t properly LOG OUT that someone who’s computer savvy can enter your site and appear as you. Because I was in a hurry the other day, I just shut my computer off without logging out. Today, ironically July 4th, 2 FBI agents knocked on my door and said they wanted to question me. First they said I had to go with them to be questioned and I refused, insisting they could ask me any questions they wanted right here. They said I had to go with them. I asked if they had a warrant. They said they didn’t need one, and that that was “new.” The one man and black woman ended up questioning me for over an hour here.

They said I had sent a bomb threat to the FBI in New York City against some Hindu festival. I said I did NOT. I told them that I wouldn’t do that and am not so stupid anyway, especially since I know e-mails can be traced since I had gone to the FBI last year to report several death threats I had received (which they said they traced to east Jerusalem). They said the threat came from my computer, but that it was made to appear to have originated in Jordan. I don’t know how to do that, and didn’t do it. It just happens that when I recently didn’t log out I had been on an Arab forum at www.arabia.com from JORDAN. Obviously, one of my enemies there abused the situation.

The FBI agents asked if I had any enemies. I said any militant Muslims could hate me for calling upon the Israeli government to build the Temple; that traditional Christians could hate me for speaking the plain truth that contradicts their pagan beliefs; that some Jews could hate me if they thought I was a “missionary,” etc. I also gave them the name of the former Church member, an embittered, demon-possessed person who had written Israel that I was going to try and blow up the mosque to stop the peace process. That’s why Israel deported me - fears based upon LIES.

I referred the FBI agents to my website at www.benariel.com and to my frequent Jerusalem Post letters, and my book Beyond Babylon: Europe’s Rise and Fall, to clearly see my beliefs that are honestly on record - and ENTIRELY aboveground and LEGAL. I have nothing to hide and am completely innocent, so I spoke with them and wished them a good Fourth as they left. The moral of this all-too-true story: LOG OUT!

But it doesn’t end there. I called and complained to the FBI director in this area about being lied to by his agent. The director said I was correct, that there wasn’t any change in the law that demanded I go with them for questioning without a warrant.

Later I agreed to permit the FBI to come and copy my hard drive, to further prove my innocence (although some friends were angry that I enabled my rights to be infringed upon). That time the nice black lady returned with someone new, not the Italian man who lied to me. She appeared sincerely interested in my book and biblical beliefs, which we discussed while the fellow was working with my computer. I said if they had any further questions they could call me to come downtown to their office. They must have “solved” their case, because she’s since been transferred to Detroit and I haven’t heard anything more from them about it. As I told her, I just figured they used that as an excuse to question me and remind me they’re aware of me, not that it was necessary at all. She insisted the FBI in New York really had received a bomb threat allegedly from me. God knows.

I watch the TV news and I get angry. I really need to quit that. It’s not good for my blood pressure. However, there are certain things that always get me going no matter how hard I try to ignore them. They get me hot under the collar and I guess they always will. I feel a need to vent right now, so I’ll discuss seven of them below. (Hey, that’s a nice round biblical number).

(1) Unrighteous indignation. What right do convicted felons serving time in prison have to punish someone else for their sins? They have no right whatsoever, but they do it all the time and the system winks at it. Very often, we’ll hear about a convicted child molester, for example, being assaulted or killed by another inmate. The sad part is that society has grown to accept this kind of behavior as a fact of life and, in many cases, seems to approve of it because of our deep hatred for certain kinds of criminals. Actually, God doesn’t give anyone, not even the best of us, the right to hate anyone else, not even someone like Hitler or Osama Bin Laden. When it comes to punishment for crimes, only those with clean records have a right to apply it, and then only in a lawful manner in keeping with the due process of law. Apparently, most of us, including members of the news media, have forgotten this precept.

(2) Forced acceptance. I’m a very tolerant person. I believe in religious freedom for all. I don’t believe in so-called “crimes against nature” laws. I believe everyone should be free to do whatever they want as long as it doesn’t directly affect anyone else. However, I wish the liberal busybodies would quit trying to force me to accept other people’s life styles, religions, customs, and cultures. Isn’t tolerance good enough? Apparently, it isn’t. I’m now being told that I must accept homosexuality as the moral equal to heterosexuality or risk being branded a “homophobe.” I must now accept other religions as being on a par with Christianity. It is politically incorrect to acknowledge Christianity as the only true religion. Instead, I am told that I must worship at the alter of diversity. In the name of multiculturalism, I must now refrain from viewing mainstream American culture and customs and as being superior to other cultures and customs. Otherwise, I risk failing the sensitivity test.

(3) Government coercion and confiscation. No law-abiding citizen should ever have to give up life, limb, liberty, or property (other than reasonable taxes) at the behest of government. However, all of these things happen or have happened, even in our beloved United States. People who have not been charged with crimes have been and continue to be detained for various reasons. The USA Patriot Act, among other things, places controls on where we can go and how we can use and store our cash. The concept of eminent domain is utilized every day to confiscate people’s property. For years, we had a military draft in this country and may have it again soon. A draft is not needed as people can be enticed into the military with enhanced salaries and benefits (which I’m all for). In times when that isn’t enough, I don’t see why convicts can’t be allowed the option of going into the military in lieu of their prison sentences. A draft, however, takes productive, law-abiding citizens by force and places their lives in jeopardy. To me, that’s almost the same as executing innocent people!

(4) Censorship. Other than for reasons of national security, censorship should never be used. Free adults should be allowed to choose whatever they want to view or hear and should be allowed to regulate what their children can see or hear. The marketplace should be the only deciding factor as to what is available. A free market system will provide what people want and discard what they don’t want. Each individual should have the right to decide what is offensive to him or her. No one should be given the right to decide that for another adult. Besides being a violation of a person’s basic rights to exercise his or her own tastes, censorship is problematic for another reason. Those doing the censoring rarely have enough common sense to avoid throwing the baby out with the bath water. In other words, stuff that most people would find acceptable or even desirable tends to get thrown out along with the obvious garbage.

(5) Double standards. Why is it “okay” for a man to be sexually promiscuous, while a woman behaving that way is considered a slut? Why do many fathers tell their sons to “have fun”, while telling their daughters they better not? In my opinion, sexual impurity just as bad for one gender as it is for the other. Why are only men required to register for the draft? Isn’t that government-sponsored sexism? Why are married men with kids encouraged to be safe, while single men without kids are not? Shouldn’t a high level of safety be stressed for everyone? Why can we have black history celebrations, Miss Black America pageants, black congressional caucuses, and so forth, but not the corresponding items for whites? Would their white equivalents be racist? Maybe, but not necessarily. Personally, I think we should forget about race and strive toward Martin Luther King’s ideal of a colorblind society. However, as long as we continue to identify people by race, his dream will never come to fruition.

(6) Too many lawsuits awarding too much money. Many small communities no longer have the services of an obstetrician. Medical costs are skyrocketing. No company within the borders of the U.S. now produces flu shots. Most of this is due to out-of-control lawsuits in which juries award ridiculous amounts of money. Lawsuits for accidental or negligent behavior should be limited to actual damages only. No pain and suffering or punitive damage awards should be made in those cases. Lawsuits for intentional misconduct that don’t involve physical injury should be limited to actual damages and punitive damages. Only lawsuits for intentional misconduct involving physical injury should be eligible for pain and suffering damage awards. Lawsuits involving the consequences from things that people do to themselves, ex., smoking or overeating, should never be allowed and not even be taken seriously.

(7) Nation building with American blood. If George W. Bush wants to “export freedom”, that’s fine with me. It’s certainly an honorable endeavor and there are many ways to do it without placing our military personnel in harm’s way. However, Americans should never have to shed their blood fighting for someone else’s freedom, especially in when it’s unclear whether many of the people we’re trying to liberate actually want the kind of freedom we’re trying to bestow on them. Despite what some will have us believe, it is neither our duty nor in our interest to remove tyrants that are not a direct and imminent threat to our security. If people of other countries yearn for freedom, let them take up arms and fight for it themselves. Americans will be more than happy to provide encouragement and send weapons and other types of aid.

Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, freelance writer, and trivia buff from Hopewell, VA. He also serves as a political columnist for American Daily and operates his own website - http://www.commenterry.com - on which he posts commentaries on various subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being, personal finance, and sports. His commentaries offer a unique point of view that is not often found in mainstream media.

With the recent shakeups in the presidential cabinet, it has frequently been observed that the quality most treasured in the present administration is that of loyalty.

Is that such an admirable quality?

We prize the loyalty of our friends who protect our good name when we are not present. We respect the loyalty of committed couples who stay true to each other no matter the outside temptations. We recognize the loyalty of employees who stand by their ethics and keep competitors and enemies at bay. We treasure the loyalty of a soldier to his commander, if necessary to the death. We revere the loyalty of believers in their god and their unswerving commitment to their tenets of faith. We equate disloyalty with treason, dishonor, betrayal. We use names like Quisling, Benedict Arnold, Burgess and Hiss as epithets to express our loathing and disgust.

But loyalty has a darker side. In crime families, loyalty means embracing death or imprisonment rather than exposing crime, violence, and murder. In prison, the most despised inmate is the “snitch” who fails to stay silent about his knowledge of criminal acts, plots, and planned violence. Within adolescent groups and street gangs, the rule of silence and total loyalty is an absolute requirement for continued membership.

The old courts of kings and emperors were rife with sycophants: whatever the leader wanted to hear, they offered. Disagreements and alternative plans for the direction of governance were considered intrigue - dangerous differences of opinion to be rooted out and permanently excised from the body politic.

Where does the White House fit in? For all the positive connotations that loyalty may engender, we must look to the extent it is used and continually monitor it for abuse. No one would suggest that a President surround himself with staff who constantly criticize his ideas or regularly publicly disagree with his programs and proposals. However, the negative aspect of over-loyalty - zealousness - must be confronted if the goal is to weave plans for the common good through compromise in the face of diverse opinion.

The United States was born out of public political and ideological debate. While the framers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution has fundamental beliefs in common, they did not hesitate to publicly disagree and argue in an effort to reach the most workable goals. For more than two centuries, American political discourse has embraced differences more often than celebrating similarities. Commonly, the friction and arguments of elections become translated into legislation and leadership that seeks to bridge the gaps and bring all into the common fold.

What seems to have changed is the willingness to let disparate views and opinions coexist. We have moved from a mentality that celebrates diversity and multiplicity to a narrow conception of what is right, absolutely right. Other opinions are not valued for the richness their views add to the national fabric but are considered wrong, without value, discounted, dangerously unpatriotic. The second term White House has purified its dogma, filtering our nuances and opposing ideas until everything is distilled into the single voice of one man. The moat around the faithful has been filled, the crocs loosed, and the land lies fallow beneath the keen eye of the true believers.

Arrogance and disdain, disguised as “political capital,” has the potential to morph into a level of power and intolerance that can only encourage eventual, inevitable, corruption.

Virginia Bola is a licensed clinical psychologist with deep interests in Social Psychology and politics. She has performed therapeutic services for more than 20 years and has studied the results of cultural forces and employment on the individual. The author of an interactive workbook, The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a monthly ezine, The Worker’s Edge, she can be reached at http://www.virginiabola.com

We have been told that it’s Republicans who are racists and the ones who discriminate against minorities. This is not true. We only have to look at Democratic and Republican ideologies to find out who the real bigots are. The party that discriminates against minorities is the Democratic party. Are you surprised? Well you shouldn’t be.

So lets analyze the Democrats ideology on minorities. Democrats and Liberals believe that we must throw money at immigrants and minorities in order for those groups to survive in America. If the Democrats had their way, they would throw billions of dollars away to immigrant groups in the hopes that those groups would survive. This is a racist policy. The Democrats don’t believe that immigrants have the ability to make it in America. They don’t believe that immigrants could survive.

This ideology mocks the intelligence and ability of every immigrant that comes to America. It should make them feel inferior that Democrats want to hold their hands and guide them along like little babies. This is horrible and unfair to new immigrants. They don’t need a parent. They need a friend.

Republicans believe that every person who comes to this country can make it and live the American dream. Conservatives like me don’t care which country those wonderful and awesome people come from. All we believe is that they have the ability, talent and drive to make it in this great country. This belief is what has made this country so great. If the Liberals had their way, they would destroy that ideology and take America down a dark path. You see, it’s the Republicans who believe everyone is equal. We give everyone a fair chance. We don’t favor any group or person over another.

Democrats discriminate in another way. It’s called affirmative action. Democrats and Liberals hide behind this useless policy and claim it’s to make the playing field equal. All that affirmative action does is tell minority groups that they’re inferior and need big brother’s help. If I was a minority, I would be offended by this policy. I would be wondering why big brother didn’t believe in me. It’s been about forty years since equal employment and affirmative action laws were past. Isn’t that long enough? Shouldn’t we have more confidence in all Americans?

Democrats continue to discriminate through their actions and policies. They don’t believe that immigrants and minorities have the ability to live the American dream. Democrats and Liberals want to act like big brother forcing their ideals on every one. It’s my belief that Liberals want to keep immigrants and minorities from living the American dream, so they can enforce their big brother policies on them. You can’t fight for the little guy if they succeed and prosper. Who would the Democrats fight for if there wasn’t a little guy? This is a racist and horrible ideology. It would offend and hurt me if I was a minority.

The Republican ideology is fair. It treats everyone as being equal. Republicans believe everyone can live the American dream

Anthony B. is the founder and owner of ItsTheRightWay.com a news, political and sports commentary website.

Anthony has over 7 years of experience as a business professional

As I watch the news on a daily basis, which I have become somewhat addicted to since 9/11, I can’t help but to sit back and wish that I was rich. I don’t have to be Bill Gates or Donald Trump rich. I just wish I was rich enough to start my own NEW political party. Why you may ask? Because I am absolutely embarassed to consider myself a Democrat, and totally against the majority of the philosophies of the Republicans. Now days, if you’re not for one, then you’re automatically considered to be a follower of the other. I, and I am growing to learn, many, many others do not fall into either of these two political categories. Sure, you say well, there’s the Independent or the Green parties. Frankly, they both seemed a bit weird to me. I definitely could not follow them. So let’s look at what we have.

We have the Republicans: A politically savvy group of people who seem to be very power hungry. A group whose primary desire seems to be to take over everything. Seems to derives from a very pompous egotistical attitude that they are the greatest and most intellectually inclined…and everyone else is not only beneath them, but less intelligent, less intellectual, even less patriotic (they’re so savvy that they strategically make you think that if you’re against them, then you’re against America). The Republicans seem to be a party filled with inner contradiction. On one side, they are super pro-life. At the same time, they’re super pro-war! How is that mentally possible. How can a person’s mind and heart care about life so deeply that they will do everything thinkable to protect the embryo, (which I commend that desire) but at the same time, be so willing and eager to send our young men and women (other people’s sons and daughters) to war to possibly be killed, tortured, at least mamed and their lives destroyed. Are they emphatic about saving the embryo so they can raise up a new army 18 years from now to fight in Iraq? (We’ll probably still be there). It’s weird.

The Republicans seem to be a party made up of liars, conivers, schemers and law breakers. They’ll lie to accomplish whatever their goal is at the time. And then, even after it’s proven to be a lie, Republican followers go on with an ‘ahhh…it’s still ok’ attitude. It’s weird. The Republicans seem to care only about the rich, the Haliburtons, the opportunity to make their super rich base just richer. They are commited to everything except the concerns of the middle and lower class citizens of America. It actually feels like they are systematically doing little things to smother out the middle class. As if they want this country to be a two class system. The rich and the poor. It’s weird. It seems like a lot of the Republican citizens in the middle and lower economic status have been strong supporters of the party and followers of the lies for one main reason. FEAR! The devistation of 9/11 shook up our entire country. Some folks are so afraid that they needed ‘John Wayne’ to come to the resue. It seems like they would like to see us just go and nuke everyone who is not ‘in-line’ with us. It’s weird. Their answer to everything is to just send more troops, as if the lives of our young sons and daughters are totally expendable. (But don’t forget…they’re suppose to be pro-life).

I could go on about the war but, even if I didn’t concentrate on the sending of our troops to Iraq as a main issue, I still have to pay attention to the other goings on in the Republican party. For one, they could care less about the economic condition of average Americans. They could care less that gas prices are unaffordable, that heating gas prices are going up 45%. That illegals are taking jobs that are needed by average Americans. (sometimes I forget a lot of the illegals work for the super rich at super cheap, below minimum wages…lawn care, nannies, field workers, assembly, etc.) Also, day after day another Republican is being accused of doing something illegal (Frist, DeLay, Rove
etc.). I think about how the great Colin Powell was so hurt and crushed by his own party for being used as a pawn in the con game, that he chose to quit. A great man quit serving our country! That’s so sad. Colin’s son was so mad he even quit HIS gravy job as head of the FCC.

I watch how there seems to actually be two seperate groups of Republicans. Those who have legitimate views and ideas, which they feel are best for the country and the world, and that’s their right. Then there’s the other group of Conservatives who are more driven by what they call ‘the movement’(dedicated to Republicans taking over everything). What’s absolutely weird is to watch these two groups in action, particularly the ‘movementeers’ which are rallied through the ‘movementeer’ talk show hosts and media. These are your Hannity’s, Laura Ingrams, Ann Coulters, Rush’s, Bill Kristols and the like. This group is so dedicated to ‘the movement’ that they will do anything and everything in their power to crush, smother and destroy ANYONE who is in disagreement with their views…even their own constituents! It’s weird. Look at what they’ve done to folks like Richard Wright, O’Neil, Joe Wilson…they hate Voinovich now. And now they’ve added Senator Dewine to their hate list. And these are ALL FELLOW REPUBLICANS! It’s weird. Now, since they aren’t absolutely positive that Harriet Miers is for ‘the movement’, they hate her. And to top it all off, they are slowly but surely coming to the realization that President Bush is making his decisions based on his own ideas and views…NOT FOR THE MOVEMENT! And if they could…the ‘movementeers’ would squash him next! (he’d better watch it) It’s almost funny to watch…but at the same time, it’s actually very sad.

I could go on and on about other things I disagree with the Republicans about but I’ll just go to the Democrats now and talk about what they are all about…………….Bare with me a minute here………I’m thinking…………wait, they….no……..what about..no…………..what! The Democratics aren’t about ANYTHING ! It it so sad for me to have to say that what had been my party throughout my life has absolutely no agenda whatsoever. NOTHING. What are they for? What are they against? Who the heck knows? Do they? Does Hillary? (and I like Hillary) So nowdays, if I say I’m a Democrat, I’m really saying that I’m for NOTHING! This is so sad. It’s like the Dems are totally afraid to have a view. The only thing they are, is against Bush! That’s it! That’s weird.

So I watch this stuff, day after day and just fantasize about starting my own political party. I’d call it ‘The Realist Party’. If I only had the money, it would be simple to do. I would take the good that the Dems used to be about and combine it with the little good that does exist in the Conservative camp…tweek things a bit, add a little essence (I like Emeril too) and BAM! We’d have ourselves a winner. A winner for America. A winner for the world. Hmmm…If…..

Greg Jones
Cleveland, Ohio

Greg Jones is the composer of the special anthem for world peace CD entitled ‘God Bless the World-While You Bless America’ which is already available on over 125 music sites and is garnering accolades worldwide. He is also a fellow blogger with talkingpeace.myblogsite.com as well as editor of Blogazine World. For CD free preview/lyrics/download/specials and more visit; http://www.godblesstheworldonline.com
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