Ramblings

OK, it's been a few weeks since I've posted anything here. I'm not sure why I've been so hesitant, well I do, it's because my thoughts are a bit, radical sometimes. I don't try to be radical, it's just that I tend to think without concept of boundaries, I've been told that while some people think outside or inside the box, I don't feel the box really exists, the belief in this "box" provides an instant limiting factor.

It's been interesting to watch the flow of the political season. While I don't like being called a Democrat, for lack of a better term I am one of those. I don't like associating with parties because they instantly want to build a box around you. It's like what my mother told her students at BYU "When I became Mormon, the Elders told me I had to be open minded", one of the students commented back "They forgot to tell you that once you've joined, you need to close your mind again". Mom was fairly radical also, which is why her students liked her, I'm sure she was a breath of fresh air at that very religious institution. Mom also preached to me that I most likely looked as different to the person I was looking at as they looked to me, this is an important concept that many people aren't taught.

That's what I feel is the issue with these political parties, they expect you to embrace their philosophy, but don't want to listen to other's ideas and concepts. I look at the two parties in power right now and I see two groups of people who've lost sight of what's important for the people. They just want to win and gain power. Right now the Republicans are coming out of their power curve, they've gone in, exploited their power, and are now being voted out. I'm sure given 4-8 years of Democratic leadership the same thing will happen to the Democrats, they will have exploited their power, and will be voted out. This pendulum is swinging in very wide arcs right now, leaving the majority of the American population to fend for themselves. What are being looked after are the special interest groups who pay for the elections, the majority of the American people are left to try to pick between two groups who don't care that much about them.

I am very careful about what I tell people, again many of the thoughts are "different" and I prefer to sit and debate topics than write about them from a blog pulpit. I've had people who think my thoughts are not within the teachings of their religion, and try to force their faith on me, disowning me as a bad person if I don't change my thoughts. Personally I believe in being Christ-Like and I try not to judge a person by their opinions, but rather there actions. I try to be people's friends and I have many of them. Many people define me as being "cool", not sure what that means, but I guess it's OK. I think they like me because they know I'm there to help and listen, I'll go out of my way to help someone, even though it's not my job or I'm not getting paid to do it, I do these things because I feel they are right.

OK, I must be in a philosophical mood today ;). Maybe we should instead discuss what is the color red?

Freedom of Speech

I had my friend the "BarkingCarrot" (Actually I don't know her, she frequents a social app that I've been playing with lately, she seems to be pretty bright though) congratulate me on a posting I put on her site, she said it took "Balls" (her words not mine) to say what I said. I've been thinking about this for a bit and I started thinking, when does someone have to have balls to state their mind on the state of our current political situation. To be honest we're a bit messed up in this country (this is one of these things were I'm not sure if we've ALWAYS been messed up and as I get older I'm realizing it, or if this is something new, I think we've been ALWAYS messed up, but I like status quo).

This is the state of the current political situation as I see it. We have two groups that don't like each other. They have taken on causes, not out of desire to push that cause, but because they enjoy power. I would respect both parties if they could just look at each other from time to time and say "Hey, that's a great idea, and it's not my idea", instead we've become a nation where we're completely polarized. People don't like each other based on their skin color, background, orientation, political stance, favorite football team, sock color, etc... We've become a nation that is afraid to speak our mind for fear that it will offend. One race can't talk about problems with another race without being labeled racist (I've analyzed myself on a very critical level, I know I have issues, but I believe I can say that overall I'm not a racist, I love people).

Back to freedom of speech. As a professional I feel that I don't have the freedom to write in this blog what I truly feel. I know that whatever I write could be used against me on some level and right now I'm not in the position to do this. I think the President of the United States saying "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists" has done more to destroy this country and it's freedoms than the war in Iraq that is in theory being fought to preserve our freedoms. After that little sentence, everyone who didn't agree with the war in Iraq is a terrorist. This Administration has done more harm to the country and to the office of the President than any in history. They have lied to the country and world, illegally invaded a country, tortured prisoners of war (sorry they are terrorists, not prisoners of war), they've made it so I laugh when the President told Russia that they can't invade a Georgia (of course he said a democratically elected country). They've done all this and they are still allowed to stay in power (well at least he didn't lie about having an intern perform oral sex on him, we all know lying about that is wrong).

This freedom of speech needs to be protected, our founding fathers thought it so important that they made it #1 on their list of Amendments. We need to understand that we might not agree with each other about political, moral, or other issues, but that doesn't make us bad people. I've been labeled a "Liberal", whatever that is, I fight the term "Democrat", we had a Republican here in Prince William County I would have voted for in a heartbeat, He was concerned about his community, not his party (of course when he went for higher office, he changed his voice). In reality we don't have "true" freedom of speech though, I could easily have someone look at this blog and decide not to do business with me or decide I'm just a bad guy. To that person I feel bad for, I wish they would take the time to sit down with me and talk with me, I'm actually what most would call "good people".

Political Rant

Wow I just read that there are Clinton supporters who will not be voting or will be voting for McCain solely because Clinton didn't get the nomination nod from the DNC. What a bunch of babies, this is exactly the problem with this country, people are much more into the person running than the country itself. People should be voting for their ideals and for where they think the country should be going, instead both Republicans and Democrats are voting for individual people or their party.

Let's set things straight, so you understand where I am coming from. I am fairly liberal, but I refuse to take the banner of Democrat, I don't believe in parties, I believe in voting for the people I think will make a change. If I thought a Republican could do a better job at leading the country or moving the country into a position that I believed was correct, you better believe I would be voting Republican.

I think setting ideologies based on people or a group is counter-productive to the whole. These people should not believe in Clinton, but her goals, Clinton's goals are very much like those of Obama. Personally if Clinton had won the nomination, I would have though about voting for McCain, not because I don't like Clinton, but because I think we need someone other than a Bush or a Clinton in the White House, these two families have dominated American politics since 1981 and it's past time for a change.

The other issue that bothers me is when a politician changes their mind, all of a sudden they are considered waffleres, I'd rather have someone change their minds about a decision, than to stick to their guns and illegally invade a country, killing tens of thousands of that countries innocent citizens in the process. I expect my politicians to change their minds, to review information and readjust their thinking based on that information. I expect them to work towards the good of the country and not the good of their investors. Only an idiot would find a single path and stick to it and I expect my politicians to be brilliant. Of course there's the problem in my logic, I expect my politicians to be brilliant, to review and accept opinions counter to their own, and to act in regards to our country instead of their investors (note I'm using the word "investor" on purpose).

I have a unique perspective in that I have dual citizenship. I love the USA, but I also have strong feelings for Brazil. If I had to make a serious choice, it would be the USA hands down. Without having to make a serious choice, I choose the USA when it comes to Brazil vs USA soccer and Brazil when it comes to all forms of auto racing. I also have a degree in theoretical mathematics which allows me to think way outside of the box, actually I'm usually told that when I think the box doesn't exist, I like this way of thought, it allows me to be very abstract and objective in my approach to life and problems.