The Underclass

"The poor we always have with us." This society has done very well upgrading it's poor (using the poor of third world countries as a standard) to the point that creature comforts are available to all. It is a society that truly has compassion for the poor. All religions in this country have ministry's that work to relieve the plight of the poor. Alas, sometimes they must go to foreign countries to find worthy poor for an outlet of their compassion. Even Oprah had to go overseas when she wanted to make a difference, having been discouraged when she would ask children here what they would like and they answered, exotic cell phones, or very expensive tennis shoes. Christians respond to Christ's saying: "What you do to the least of my brethren, you do unto me." Rarely will you hear a christian say, "I do not give to charity because I pay my taxes and a lot of those taxes go to the needy." Jimmy Carter spends some of his time building or repairing homes through "Habitat For Humanity" a christian charity. Every Catholic Church to which I have belonged in the last fifty years has a foreign parish in a city or town in a third world country to which it gives support. My present church, St. Thomas the Apostle, supports a church in Nigeria. My previous church, Sacred Heart, supported a church in Cameroon. Mark and Dawn's Lutheran church support a ministry that gives aid to Lutheran churches that have suffered a catastrophe such as: earthquake, tsunami, flood, or fire. Mark has a job that sends him to many countries to organize the help for those that need it. All funds he expends comes from the parishioners, none from the government.

It is our government that distributes to the underclass what they need, and it is done with the money from collected taxes. The American people have acquiesced with these distributions to the poor. There is one salient fact about these distributions, it is never enough. There is always some need that has been overlooked and that need requires fulfilling. Once that is done another pops up. Recently, it was explained, some females did not have the money for contraception and and this unfeeling, unjust society must provide funds for it. Of course, once provided, other needs will be found. Maybe someday this society will be required to provide sex-changes for those that desire it. This is done with the utter disregard that this country is broke, there is no money available.

This society has done great damage to the black underclass while trying to be compassionate toward people in general. The black underclass about which I am concerned here are the black inner cities with a distinct subculture. Here, the black male is not interested in supporting a family, and, the black female does not expect him to do so. Children are not raised with fathers and the family unit is composed of a woman and children. The government has stepped in to provide for the female with children. This subculture has spawned children that, as they grow up, join gangs that brutalize other gangs. They behave similar to tribes in Africa where violence is a way of life. This violence keeps prosperity from accruing to inhabitants of inner cities. Sociologists have stated that education is the answer, but the underclass do not respond in a manner that alows them to learn. Actual learning is frowned upon as "trying to act white". This attitude is pervasive in all our large cities with a black underclass. These cities are usually headed by a black, democrat mayor and, despite the efforts made, the cities continue to deteriorate. Solving this inner city problem is the greatest challenge in our time. It will not be solved by politicians, it cannot be solved by the people themselves, there is not enough money in the world to do it assuming money is the answer. What is to be done? In my lifetime I have seen this problem get bigger, when will it stop getting bigger? Can Christian churches do it? The black Christian churches are trying but have not made a dent in the problem. Indeed, some Christian churches exacerbate the problem, of note, Reverend Wright's Church with it's Liberation Theology. Here victim hood is taught and that victim hood is used as excuse for not being able to control one's own destiny. A true Christianity would be the answer, understanding God's love of every soul, an individual responsibility for one's actions, the desire to improve in God's eyes, a strict following of the Ten Commandments, loving others as oneself, etc. But how can that be done? I certainly don't know.

Amber's Wedding

Last Saturday Amber Beauregard became Amber Rainwater in the most nonreligious, nonspiritual wedding ceremony I have ever attended. She had a beautiful white dress and she looked like she was a model for a "Wedding Magazine". Duane walked her down the isle and he looked like a Grand Duke. I believe some pictures will be shown on Facebook.

The ceremony was held outside in wonderful weather. It was on a hillside overlooking a lake, attendees had to walk down a steep hillside to get to the seating area. That walk was difficult for the ladies with high heels and treacherous for one old, heavy lady who fell and rolled down the hill. She was helped up, escorted back up the hill, and we did not see her again. The traditional music for the bride's walking in was not played and I did not recognize what was played.s

A "sand ceremony" (presumably from Indians in the Southwest) was accomplished by Amber, Philip, and his four year old daughter, Grace. Yes, Amber can be called Mom already. They each poured a quantity of colored sand into a glass signifying the beautiful pattern that can be attained in their lives together. A reference was made about South Pacific peoples by the minister but it went over my head. He pronounced them man and wife, they kissed. After this ceremony we ascended the hill for the festivities.

This building was made for weddings: a magnificent view, large parking lot, very large deck for drinks and Hors D'oeuvres, inside is a large dance floor and many tables for dining. It easily handled the 130 guests there. A sturdy, discardable plate for food with beautiful silverware was used. An announcement was made to save the silverware and discard only the plate. Both beef and chicken were available. The caterers did a great job with the food. I had erroneously believed that Phillip's Mother and his Aunt did the cooking because it was they that cooked for the Rehearsal Dinner on Friday. At that event, the pulled pork was better than we find in local restaurants of renown.

The DJ was well known to Phillip, he had played at his first wedding. Some joked with him about his having a punch-card and getting the fourth one free. During the first part of the evening I recognized what was being played, even some of the line dances. Later, a form of music was played that only allowed jumping and arm waving.This made some participants ecstatic in joy and stimulated sweat glands to overproduce. There were the few, obligatory young children on the dance floor who more than seldom rolled and slithered on the floor. Also noticed were two seventeen year-olds who danced every single dance. They were remarkable for hitting every beat, no matter how fast, on one foot or the other, sometimes breaking out into air guitar. I believe they were imports from whatever South Pacific Island the minister had mentioned. What they did had nothing to do with any type of dance from Western Civilization.

Wedding outcome: Phillip has a second wife, Amber becomes an instant mom, Duane and Debbie have a second grandchild, Pat and I have an additional great-grandchild for a total of twelve.

We hosted a Sunday morning breakfast in the Condo and had 24 people attend. Debbie brought some of the Wedding leftovers and it turned into a brunch. It was here that we got to know other people better. Blaring wedding music is not conducive for conversations but here we were able talk, listen and laugh. Sometimes the best part is not rehearsed.

War On Women

Liberals, progressives and left leaning democrats seek to define republicans by proclaiming that republicans are waging a war on women. They state that because of their two issues: abortion and women's health. For abortion, they are quick to bring up the images of bathtubs and coat hangers. For women's health, any cut in social services is perceived as done to affect women personally. Of course, they do this to maintain the vast benefits that have accrued to their social causes. They have fought hard to obtain those benefits and do not want to lose them. In concentrating on what the republicans might do they ignore what is actually happening in our Muslim female population and to Muslim women worldwide.

The real war on women is codified in Sharia Law. Even in this Country, where there are large communities of Muslims, there is a push for Sharia Law. The honor killing of a daughter is not unknown in this Country. It is possible to find an Islamic doctor to perform a clitorectomy. Female beatings, when the family male member desires, is condoned by Sharia. Now this is a real war on women. How can we ignore this?

Inflation

The stock market has done very well recently, even hitting new highs. There are two ways to look at this increase: 1) The Obama administration has finally got some proof in it's statements that the economy is improving. 2) Inflation is coming to the stock market. In response to 1), nearly all other indicators about the economy are dismal. In response to 2), the recent Fed. moves, QE 3, is a step to more inflation.

QE (Quantitative Easing) means that the administrative is printing more money. It should not be any surprise that this administration is spending more money than it takes in and that the deficit is growing larger each year. The deficit is covered by more borrowing and printing of money. Right now the deficit is in excess of 16 trillion dollars. About three years ago Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve System, was asked about monetizing the debt. He answered that he would not do so. Shortly after, he did indeed monetize the debt and we had QE 1. Monetizing the debt (which makes the dollar worth less) in spite of what he had promised. Later we had QE 2 because, as stated at the time, the banks needed more money to lend to those that needed it, the economy was not recovering as anticipated. Now we have QE 3 because, one more time, the banks need more money to stimulate the economy. Each time there is quantitative easing our dollar is worth less. When the dollar is worth less it takes more money to buy goods. That is what we are seeing in the stock market, it takes more money to buy stocks now.

Of course, the stock market is not the only place where it takes more money to buy goods. The gas station is an example that touched me recently. I filled my tank with just over 15 gallons and the bill came to $55. 94. The super market is another place, a can of Campbells soup used to cost .96 and now costs $1.25. The Blizzard from Dairy Queen was $1.00 and now sells for $2.49. Inflation is here and the problems that come with it are only going to get worse.

Obama is to be admired for his persistence in continuing what he believes to be true, big government and Socialism is the direction for this Country. In spite of an economy in decline, he continues in his ideology and will not accept capitalism as a possible answer. The buzzing fly in the window is also to be admired for it's persistence in trying to get free, continually banging it's head against the window. As we all know that type of persistence leads to death.

The Democrat Platform, 2012

Early on, I heard the Platform had eliminated, from the entire document, any mention of God. This was hard to believe because platforms are usually inclusive to the leanings of it's members, i.e. they do not want to leave any possible voters out. Democrats have always prided themselves on how they are the party of inclusiveness, meaning if you are a member of a small group this party will include your agenda in it's goals. And so they include: animal rights, environmentalists, global warming, gays, atheists, anarchists, abortion, Darwinism, food faddists, womens health rights, anti-war groups, profitless corporations, a border less Country, voting for anyone that has a mind to, unlimited spending, unionism, the black minority, free college education, legislative courts, diminishment of state rights, and there are more but you get the drift.

Could it be that the Democrats would ignore the large groups of Christians that are in their party? That they would allow themselves to be open to losing the Christian voters entirely? That they would not understand that many black voters, whom they count as their voters, are Christian (many even Christian first) who would not look kindly on being left out.

Alas, at the last minute, the error was discovered and a very late change to the platform was attempted. The change would put one (yes, that is right, only one) reference of God into the platform. This was a minutely small crumb to the religionists in the Democrat party. There was a hitch, the change had to have a two-thirds voice vote to be included. That voice vote was televised and everyone heard the yeas and the nays. The first vote taken had a small advantage for yeas which meant inclusion. A second vote was taken and this time it sounded even. A third vote was taken and, like the first vote, it appeared that the yeas were slightly louder. The chairman declared that a two-thirds for yeas was heard and the changes would be accepted. God was in the Democrat platform.

The fact that God was excluded at first, that many in the convention voted three times for exclusion, that later the floor burst out with boos about the action taken, has not been lost on Christians. This election will reveal how well this charade worked.