Shall we Balkanize America?

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Written by Michael Whitehead Michael Whitehead

Shall We Balkanize America, or Unify Her?

 

Dear readers. Allow me to recount two seemingly-unrelated experiences that clearly reflect two antithetical attitudes towards America’s linguistic unity as demonstrated by two residents of my home town, Irving, TX.

Let’s start with the attitude of a Mexican national who resides in Irving.

At Home Depot one evening, a man approached me and asked for advice on which brand of caulk to buy. I told him that I was not a store employee but that I could give him my own personal advice, if he was interested. Yes, he was interested.

I immediately noticed his heavy Spanish accent. He was struggling to speak to me in English and was having great difficulty understanding my responses. Being a fluent Spanish speaker, I continued discussing the merits of certain brands of caulk over others, in Spanish. He immediately warmed up to me when he saw that the language hurdle had suddenly and unexpectedly been removed. We continued conversing pleasantly in Spanish for several minutes. His wife joined the conversation, too.

He complimented my Spanish repeatedly and effusively. My response, translated into English: “And you, my friend? How about your English?”

He smiled and made the typical excuse that he can’t afford to take English classes and doesn’t have time. I told

him, “You are surrounded with English; there is no excuse. You owe it to America to learn it. This is a matter of respect for the country that is offering you a chance at a better life than you have found in your home land.”

He smiled, again, and heartily agreed, as did his wife.

As we parted ways, I said, with a smile, “¡Unase con América!” which means, “Join America.” His response: “Yes! That’s a great idea!” understanding that I was speaking linguistically, not politically. He even reached out and took hold of my elbow, smiled enormously, nodded his head vigorously, and repeated, “Yes! That’s a great idea!” (in Spanish, of course.)

He gets it!

Now, let’s take a look at a very different attitude.

Here in Irving, TX, a lovable, grandmotherly lady is running to replace our current mayor Rick Stopfer. Her name is Olivia Abreu. In response to my questions to her about why we should vote for her, how her values differ from Mayor Stopfer’s, and how she is more qualified to be mayor than he, this is the most salient qualification she proffered.

Good morning…

Mr. Stopfer has no background, to my knowledge, of having lived extensively in another country, trying to fit in a different society and a foreign language. As Irving is growing more diverse, I can better serve the city by being multilingual and knowledgeable about world cultures.

My oh my! Doesn’t that sound pretty! I grant it does, but only cosmetically, only superficially.

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Joe GED Reveals CoVid-21

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Written by Joe GED Joe GED

CoVid-19 Scare-Demic:  We are now two years in from the CoVid-19 [19 means the 2019 mutation of the existing Covid virus (previously SARS, CoVid-2 for 2002)] Pandemic Scare.  Yes, it’s still ongoing and it’s a serious viral illness.  However, what have we learned?

2002 CoVid-2: (SARS) hits the news with a vengeance.  However, the “regular” annual flu took precedence in the public mind so SARS was relegated to the back of the bus.

2019-Flu: The CDC published their statistics for the “2019 Annual Flu Season” as 1.0% fatal (mostly for elderly and immune compromised people).  No one cared/noticed as this was normal.

2019-CoVid-19:  A new mutation of the CoVid virus hits the airwaves in the midst of an on-going battle for the “control” of the American Dream (Democrat –vs- Republican). Both parties quickly seized the media to expedite their political vision, corrupting the scientific facts. ALL parties and news-outlets have been reporting the death toll/percentage for the past two years.  They have all consistently reported a “running” total (that means 2 years as opposed to annual) of 1.8% fatal (please note that the “annual flu” is 2% fatal for the same two year period).

2021-CoVid-19 Delta Variant: We must keep going. First it was the Brazilian variant that was going to overrun the US. Then the India variant. Now it’s the Delta variant (which supposedly rests entirely on the shoulders of the unvaccinated). All of these variations of the virus ARE deadly, but the politicians have seized the moment to scare all of us into surrendering our liberties in the name of “the common good” (translate their control).

The REAL Pandemic:  The Annual Flu Virus has been around so long that we -as a society- have become ‘immune’ to its presence.  This variant of the CoVid virus (pay attention to the vials [listed as sars] when you go to get tested) is exceptional and makes for high drama reporting.  It has also made for an opportunity for politicians (we elected them) and bureaucrats (we allowed our politicians to hire them) to convince us to relinquish more of our freedoms and rights (Benjamin Franklin – Any man who surrenders his freedoms to purchase what he thinks of as security, deserves neither).

1. Essential-Worker:  We willingly granted our elected politicians the right to designate our labor as essential or superfluous.  Why is employment at a Big Box company (i.e. Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes) essential during a crisis; while employment at Ho’s Hometown Hardware is not?  The obvious answer is campaign contributions.

2. Shelter-In-Place:  Man, we fell for that!  The scare of the deadly virus caused all 50 States (plus US territories) to allow our elected officials to dictate our freedoms.  The problem now (2021) is that 2-YEARS later we are still allowing them to control our freedom.  The reason for that is allowing Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.,) to dictate our beliefs.  Stand Up for what you KNOW is right.  Shelter-In-Place was the boldest attempt at controlling the people, and it worked!

Vaccinate:  Yes! It works. Much like the annual Flu vaccination. Don’t fall for the political NO IT'S TOO EXPERIMANTAL crap.  Our elected officials have been vaccinated, but will boldly tell you, “It’s bad and experimental” while laughing at the Sheeple who fall for their statement.  After all, they want to be the Queen Bee/Ant that we all serve in this hive.

POST PUBLICATION EDIT (12Sep2021): You can check the CDCs website for confirmation of statistics.

 

Joe GED's Second Political Rant

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Written by JoeGED JoeGED

  It’s been quite some time since I’ve posted anything to FaceLip.  I’m going to take the socio-politico excuses, used by college educated persons, and blame CoVid-19.  Socially, I am traumatized.  Economically, I am devastated because I am not essential.  Altruistically, I know my personal, politically imposed, sacrifice of self and immediate family is for the greater good of my neighbors, community, and – MOST IMPORTANTLY - my elected officials (to include their families, friends, and compatriots) as they have college degrees and know more than my less than High School level self (three years, then 21+ years of USMC military service).  So….…Here we go:

  It’s almost an entire year later and Trump (et.al.,) are still bitching about a stolen election.  It reminds me of those in 2016 who bitched, “How could this have happened?” and then spent 4+ years pushing impeachment proceedings.  The 2016 Election = a huge “get off your ass and vote” movement on the far right.  The 2020 Election = a huge “get of your ass and vote” movement on the far left.  These elections should serve as proof that our Founding Fathers’ concept of government (BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE) works.  The conclusion – Get off Your Ass and Vote!

  President Biden made a ‘Commander In Chief’ decision and ended the 20+ Year War (that is FIVE Presidential election years) in Afghanistan.  This is a ‘war’ in which I am intimately familiar (just as my fore-fathers/seniors are familiar with VietNam).  Thank you Sir, though several years too late.  If you have NOT physically been there for more than a few photogenic hours or days, do NOT pontificate on what should or should not be done (or have happened). Having been there, I’ll state that on an intimate, person-to-person (wining the hearts and minds) level, the general populace did not want our help because they would have to work to keep their new level of ‘freedom’.  This resulted in the constant hiding of insurgents within the ‘passive’ populace.

  Can you blame them?  After we leave – if THEY (our Western conception of people who want to breath free) do not have the backbone and resolve to fight the ‘Dark Ages’ mentality of their currently existing culture, what can our ‘modern’ nations do?  I’m positive the United Nations can issue press releases, papers, modern social media campaigns (you know - fluff).  That is will certainly change Afghanistan’s practices.  As long as the U.N. appointed higher (and college educated/documented with Degrees) personnel do not have to actually do anything other than publish papers and other social media content, we - as a global entity - can rest assured that humanity will continue as hive of Bees or Ants, serving the Queen.

 

Joe GED's Political Rant

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Written by Joe GED Joe GED

Thank God my Local Officials still believe in our Democratic-Republic process of representation (I hope) as they publically and proudly publish their e-mail addresses. Currently, they do not require personal information and subscriptions/donations.  Kudos to those of you who truly know the power of our government (We - the people) is at the local level (until we willingly vote it away).  To those of you who believe the power resides in the State and Federal levels -your ignorance and stupidity will be the death of us all!  PLEASE wake up and learn.  IGNORANCE is benign, but STUPDIDTY is malignant!  Ignorance is thinking the Federal Government (bureaucrats) will solve all of our problems.  Stupidity is knowing that they tried and failed, but allowing them to 'try and try' again by giving up some of our freedoms to gain "security."  Who said that, "Any man willing to give up his freedoms in exchange for security is deserving of neither."?  Socialist Programs = Work Harder to Support Those Who Don't Want to Work.

Just a thought!  Why is it that most political campaigns always state that the candidate is "fighting" for us (as if they are in a war, or are a combat veteran) when the closest they have come to combat is a paper-cut or lack of toilet paper?  Unless the candidate truly experienced military combat for this nation, it is extremely offensive to those of us who have.  Socialist Programs = Work Harder to Support Those Who Don't Want to Work.

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  The socialist crap storm and smear campaign continues!  I love that President Trump is systematically dismantling the socialist agenda programs that were signed by previous Presidential Acts.  If you review them, they are all constitutionally legal under the purview of the Executive Branch (Foreign Policy - no legal need for Congressional approval - but funding IS required by Congress).  The pundits are bitching because the Congress/Senate never fully authorized nor moved to enact these Socialist Executive Orders into law.  Guess they thought the 'free ride' would continue without opposition as they were positive of their Democratic=Socialist Party supremacy (witness the continuing - "How did this happen?" media and higher education blitz from the 2016 Election).  Socialist Programs = Work Harder to Support Those Who Don't Want to Work.

  It's a shame that President Trump's own Republican Party Compatriots denounce him.  Obviously this is in fear that they will NOT be re-elected to their current political offices and perceived positions of power (said  power only resulting from our true government's -the individual peoples of the United States- lack of understanding of our Constitution).  Additionally, my own Nuclear Family (even those with higher education level degrees) fails to comprehend the end results of these socialist programs.  They mina-bird the media and socially educated experts of politics.  They laud the groups who reside in the United States that wave their countries of origin flags -within our own country, press and media- in protest of President Trump's Constitutionally legal actions.  They have been educated (AKA., indoctrinated) into believing in their perceived entitlements.  Having served 21+ years in our military, and being posted to many other countries, I can assure you that waving the U.S. Flag in those countries in protest of 'Equal Rights, Fairness, Diversity and Basic Entitlements' would result in your immediate incarceration and/or death!  Socialist Programs = Work Harder to Support Those Who Don't Want to Work.

  Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, and now Donald Trump.  All three Republican Presidents -whether the first, the middle, or the current- were/are all reviled by their contemporary media/educated (AKA, indoctrinated) pundits.  I have attempted to research a few poignant quotes (specifically their progeny so as to avoid accusations of plagiarism -vaguely remembered from my late 1980's/early 1990's learning [as opposed to education]- but have found that the internet references seem to have changed, and/or altogether disappeared).  Whether they are true and actual attributable quotes, or are manifestations of sentiment, they are still relevant to our current political clime.  I am a registered Independent and not a member of either the Republican or Democratic parties.  Socialist Programs = Work Harder to Support Those Who Don't Want to Work.

1. Benjamin Franklin (in response to a question about our new form of government):  The deliberations of the Constitutional Convention  of 1787 were held in strict secrecy.  Consequently, anxious citizens gathered outside Independence Hall when the proceedings  ended in order to learn what had been produced behind closed doors. The answer was provided immediately. A Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it!"    

2.  Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain (I love this guy - though today he would be called a Socialist, you can still find his quotes on the web):
    a.    “Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.”
    b.    "Education: that which reveals to the wise, and conceals from the stupid, the vast limits of their knowledge."
    c.    "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect."
    d.    "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education."  (Nowadays, we've flipped the terms schooling and education.)
    e.    "The silent colossal National Lie that is the support and confederate of all the tyrannies and shams and inequalities and unfairness's that afflict the peoples — that is the one to throw bricks and sermons at."        
    f.    "A half-truth is the most cowardly of lies."
    g.    Not sure about this one.  This is one I that remember finding on-line about 10 years back, but can no longer find now.  Supposedly in response to a reporter's question about the new Politician (out for themselves) versus the old Statesman (out for the people).  'I'll never understand a man who will pay thousands campaigning for a job that pay hundreds. Unless he intends to steal it all back.

3.    H.L. Menken (a remarkable essayist from the 1920's):  Again, I swear that I found this quote on-line several years ago, but no such luck now.  'A LIE THAT GOES UNCHALLENED WILL BE PERCIEVED AS THE TRUTH, AND JUST AS REAL IN ITS CONSEQUENCES.'

Socialist Programs = Work Harder to Support Those Who Don't Want to Work.

  Lastly, let's consider those who extol the virtues of the ant and beehive colonies.  How all work together for the (Utopian/Socialist) benefit of the whole.  Each individual selflessly and willingly toils to the best of their capabilities to provide for the needs of those less fortunate (translate - incapable or unwilling).  A single person -with no immediate family/children- should be willing to surrender his/her earnings (their ability) to those who have family/children (their needs).  How did my choice to live within my means (no/minimal children-because I could not financially support them) become my responsibility to support their decision to procreate at an indiscriminate level? (See the movie "Idiocracy - especially the opening credits - after that it's just idiocy).  Once again, we need to reference our current educational system (AKA, indoctrination). Those who extoll the virtues of the ant/bee colonies are always those who perceive themselves as the Queen/Benefactor of said colonies.  Socialist Programs = Work Harder to Support Those Who Don't Want to Work.