Merry Christmas Daily Press

My discourse to the Daily Press opinion's written on this joyous day of Christmas. May you learn something today, find joy in your hearts and give thanks for family.  

As I do every day, we make the coffee, hope the paper is on time and awaiting my barefoot scamper across an aggregate driveway. The scamper reminds me I should have put on shoes for the millionth time. In this moment of darkness, as I reach for my paper, I look up. The winter stars are shining, the sun nowhere to be found, all is quiet on the western front. It is here I stop every day and look up. I look up and I thank God for everything he has given me. 

Have you ever stopped and watched a crowd of people? Watched intently, selected individuals and then regress to the understanding of the crowd? For me, I do not see people, I see individual realities. Every person in the crowd lives their own reality. There are times to stop and offer assistance to realities and, understanding. There is also a time to stop and fight realities lived by those who mean to do us harm, change our realities or harm our nation. 

Today we remember Jesus the Christ. My church reality has become neutral over the years like Digby’s. I ponder the need for humans to have to believe in miracles to believe in Jesus the Christ. The Bible is riddled with stories of nonbelievers until Jesus performs a miracle. I think my faith has grown, has found a different reality, a lonely reality. I do not need Jesus to perform miracles for me to believe. I do not need Jesus to die on a cross and rise three days later for me to believe. I believe because I know, it is the right thing to do to help humanity.  I am reminded of a small book Thomas Jefferson wrote, I have a copy but for the sake of having to leave my coffee, I will not retrieve for the proper title. Google this and find “The morals of Jesus Christ.” This book is a book that every reality should own and read. It is this book if lived by, will bring you happiness. Or shall I say, brings my happiness to bear. 

I think about  Barabbas and another book I read “The Zealot.” While our bible leads us to believe he was a robber, factual history tells us he was a freedom fighter captured. This freedom fighter resisted the Roman rule in Jerusalem. This is why he was set free by the crowds and not this rabble-rouser Jesus the Christ. Jesus to was a fighter, prone to acts of demeaning others, and violence in the temple, throwing over the money changers tables in the temple (John 3:15). Luke 22:35-36 Jesus called for his follower to buy a sword. Luke 12:51 Not peace, but a sword. Because of him, a son will turn against father, the daughter against mother, and a daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. Even a person’s enemy will be a member of one’s own household (Matt. 10:34-36.) Like John the Baptist, Jesus the Christ was a freedom fighter, a rabble-rouser, a zealot, and a thorn in the side of the Jewish Priest he saw as collaborating with the Romans. He saw the taxing of the poor and requiring animal sacrifice in the temple as a means to find favor in the eyes of God. You see the money changers were there to sell animals to be sacrificed and we can all guess who kept the money or do I have to spell it out for you?

What amazes me most is the people's lack of understanding Jesus. There are two Jesus’s if you will, Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus the Christ. Each has a story to tell, a beautiful story of love, forgiveness, anger, violence, and war. Today’s Daily Press offers only one side, much like our Pastors found in everyday church USA. They are preaching a dogma that benefits them and justifies their own realities while trying to change my reality by using shame. 

I urge each person to read Thomas Jefferson's book. I would also urge each person who reads this to understand, there is a time to fight and a time for forgiveness and love. This is what Jesus teaches.  

Medical science and morals, the Left will not tolerate

Abortion: Medical science and morals, the left will not tolerate.

I think Liberals will say the mother carrying the child owns the unborn child and therefore may do with this unborn child as they see fit. Kill her, bear him, give the child up for adoption.

Conservatives might say, The moment of conception is the birth of a child and therefore the child should be protected. 

Charles Krauthammer, a brilliant man, in my opinion, offers us this. “There is not the slightest recognition on either side that abortion might be at the limits of our empirical and moral knowledge. The problem starts with an awesome mystery: the transformation of two soulless cells into a living human being. That leads to an insoluble empirical question: How and exactly when does that occur? On that, in turn, hangs the moral issue: What are the claims of the entity undergoing that transformation?” How can we expect such a question to yield answers that are not tentative and indeterminate? So difficult a moral question should command humility or at least a little old-fashioned tolerance, I think." 

Liberals either do not agree with the medical interpretation of Charles Krauthammer or will not use science in determining when two soulless cells become a child. In other words, it is here that liberals (some liberals) cast aside science. It is here where the hypocrisy of the left begins. It is here where liberals will simply tout only the science they agree with. Example: Liberals tout climate change science as factual. Yet when it comes to the unborn child, in the 10–12 week period of pregnancy, the liberal will disregard the functioning brain of a child and the rights of a child, afforded to the child life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

My interpretation: Abortion: At 10–12 weeks the unborn child has by medical standards, a functioning brain. If a child, a person, has a functioning brain then the questions become who owns this person? If the mother has made the mistake of not keeping her legs crossed, do I blame the child? I do not have a problem with abortion before the functioning brain has developed and in cases of severe defects or harm to the mother. My best research finds the 10– 12-week window to be the time if, we have to establish time, as a reason to make a decision. I think Walter Williams said it best. I am paraphrasing here but, will use quotation marks to make sure my social hero is documented. Take a moment to ponder the following and please stop and answer the next question before you read on. Do you believe you own yourself? 

“If you believe you own yourself, then what others try to take from you, without your permission, is a form of slavery” Is the unborn child a slave to the mother? If abortion is ok then yes, a child with a functioning brain is a slave to the mother. Here we see Liberals, in this case, promoting slavery. A child, a slave to the mother, the mother with every right to kill the unborn child. I am reminded of the rights of the southern slave owner. They had the right to kill slaves with functioning brains 230 years ago. 

The Follower

The Follower: Chapter one

From time to time, I tire of politics and current events. I have tired of puppets and have begun to ignore them. As dangerous as they are, I have to let go for now and try something new. I plan to write about my life. Throughout this year, I plan to write a few chapters and continue this story.  

1961-Morristown Tennessee is home. Born and raised until we left for Thomasville NC. I don't remember a lot and I suppose that is normal. I grew up in Thomasville NC. My father on his 4 or 5th job now, has gone to work for Thomasville Furniture. We rented a small home on Elliott Street.  Doak Park was nearby, Doak Park was a city park with basketball, swings, tennis, and baseball. How I loved baseball growing up and, with other children in the neighborhood who became friends made growing up a little easier. A great time to be a kid I think but, also a hard time to be a kid. I want to save those stories for the next chapter. My father had finally found a job he could hold on to. It's 1966 and after 2-3 years of renting my parents bought their first house, 400 Spring Street. This home was in really bad shape and needed tons of work. My Mom and Dad did a lot of the work that they could and, created a beautiful home for the next 10 years. 

 Three gentlemen came to our front door. Dressed in business suits I remember, my father greets them at the door and calls for me. " These men are here to see you, Reed, my father said." We sat down in the living room and oblivious as to why they were there, they start to ask me questions. I don't rightly remember the questions except for one, " do you believe in Jesus Christ, do you take Jesus as your savior?" Not knowing what else to do, I simple remembering nodding in agreement, and told them what they wanted to hear. A few weeks later, I was baptized at The First Baptist Church. I have fond memories of this church, many friends, fun, RA's. Today, I think back to that day the three men came to see me and wondered why at such a young age would someone be asked to make such a profound statement of belief?

    Fond memories of our church in Thomasville NC, but to look back on my memories of Church in Morristown TN was another story. When I was 4-5 years of age the memories of church are still with me. One has to ask how can memories of such a young age stick with us all these years? Does something horrible or wonderful have to happen to impregnate these memories into our brain? I remember being beaten in church, yes that's right, for whatever reason, my father thought I should be able to sit still for one hour. Sit still and listen to the pastor preach unknown and at that time uncaring words of wisdom, after all, I was just four, On more Sundays than I can count or remember, after the sermons, I would be taken to the deacons room and beat with a belt for not sitting still. In my later years, I would wonder why God would allow such a thing to exist in his church? This was long before the Catholic Church was forced to admit to the assaults of children. 

 After moving again, to Appomattox VA our family settled down in a small rural town at the age of 13. Another town and another Baptist Church. You see my father could not hold a job but somehow had managed to hold down a job with Thomasville furniture for the last 15 years. The move to Appomattox was a promotion, a move up. In the first 16 years of my life, my Dad had been fired from 6 jobs. An angry man, a man who abused my Mom and my sister. I was lucky for the most part, he left me alone, most of the time. Church in these years was not of anything particularly worth remembering. My friend Bill and I spent our time playing ping pong in the student center, our parents thinking we are sitting in the balcony. One day my Mom and Dad brought us all together and we talk about moving from the Baptist Church to the Episcopal Church. Evidently, a group of women had come to the house one day and, asked my Mom why we were not in church, Something happened and I am not sure why but, we left the Baptist Church and began a life in a new Church. Good or Bad my parents have made sure we attended. 

Saint Ann's Episcopal Church was a great Church with fond memories. Our pastor worked on VW's and I use to go over to his house and work on cars with him. This is where I learned to work on VW's and established a love for the Karmann Ghia. I was an altar boy, I read in Church at least one time and, attended youth group. I was still not particularly religious it seems but, still a part of the Church. 

    At the age of 18, I am off to college and failed miserably. This high school life of just being passed along, parents more concerned with fighting each other than raising children took its toll. The moving from Morristown to Thomasville to Appomattox was detrimental to my sister and I. Constantly having to fit in, to this day I believe if we had just stayed in NC until we graduated from high school, life for my sister and I would have turned out much differently. Age 20 my parents divorcing, my father fired yet again and the Church became a thing of the past. Living on my own in a trailer, in a campground, the day came, it was time to leave. I left Appomattox with a pick-up truck, a bag of clothes and, a tent. A new life before me, a poor life, an uneducated life, but God, thank-you for giving me the tools to use my hands. I was fortunate to have the ability to work with my hands. Living in a one-room boarding house in VA Beach on Pacific Avenue, my first job was rebuilding starters and alternators, on a night shift for a small business. Later on building shipping crates for equipment headed to Saudi Arabia. Moving in and moving out with housemates, and for some time living in a tent again. I would only see family once a year, Christmas time was nice. My Mom had gone on to remarry a good man, my Mom went on to build a successful real estate business but never knew how I lived or struggled, never asked. My father living the life of a bachelor, a ski instructor, fired yet again from another job in sales but, he did manage to continue with ski instructing and living off his parent's money until of course that was all gone. I did not see my Father much and for many years. 

When people ask me why I am, who I am, I generally don't have an answer. Reflection has been the key to resolving my inner demons I think. The whole "an unexamined life, is life is not worth living." Don't get me wrong, I still have demons but unless you can identify them, you cannot be rid of them. Some demons, I don't want to be rid of and some I have yet to identify in a meaningful way.

I had presented forgiveness to my father and I never told him how disappointed I was with him. I just let it go and did the best I could to make sure he had a roof over his head.  Somewhere along the way I think, God has guided. Somewhere along the line, I chose not to be my father. I chose to apply what I had learned from the bible in my everyday dealings with people, but mostly I had become fiercely independent. I had, through life's experiences learned, I could only depend on myself. This independence I think created a part of me where it was hard to make friends and trust others. This life also created the idea that if I can make it anyone can. The fact is, this is not true. Some will not make it in life, some will fail, some will simply not have the brain power to succeed I think. It is this population we need to care for. Some, like my father, possessed the ability to succeed (college educated mind you) but chose to abuse the system, take and not give, me first, cheat welfare, cheat insurance companies, cheat on others, cheat himself of a blessed life. If there was one thing Dad was good at, it was scheming for the easy money. In hindsight even this, he was not good at I think. Dad was often caught in lies and deceit. I wonder, why do people behave in such a destructive way? I had every opportunity to turn out like my Dad and God had other plans. 

My open offer to College lecture: Rural conservative values and to shed light on the puppet masters.

A few weeks ago, I wrote within my blog Disourseweekly.com the following: “Diversity a range of different things.” And “The Unobtainable Equality.”

I had sent copies to Katherine Rowe, President of William and Mary. I believe the common conservative opinion is often silenced by local and national media and in our classrooms. I wanted to share my ideas, address misconceptions, and teach that we can make good decisions through knowledge.

Ms. Rowe’s response was as follows.

 “Though our views differ on many of the matters you raise, I appreciate you sharing your

thoughts with me. One area of potential alignment is ensuring a range of views,

including those from more conservative perspectives, are welcomed to campus. I have

extended some speaker invitations to do just that.” 

I am grateful to respond to my concerns and offer this abstract for consideration to speak at Colleges and Universities. The question becomes, are College Presidents brave enough to turn me loose on their students? 

In this Lecture, we would discuss the following:

• We will examine the common conservative, rural living and small business owners’ collective thoughts concerning politics and a way of life.

• We will examine the ideologies of rural living and urban living. Is it Republication vs. Democrat or Urban vs. Rural?

• We will create discussion around the thoughts as to why urban politicians will sometimes refer to rural inhabitants as racist, deplorable, and stupid. We will discuss why rural America views urban cities as lacking morality.

• We will discuss why the mainstream media and Hollywood attacks rural America with degrading cartoons, opinions, and contempt. 

• We will take a look at famous people and politicians. How do they influence the population?

• What can Socrates teach us? 

• Closing remarks.
  

Part one: Who is the MAGA voter?

Abstract: Who is the MAGA voter? Why is southern heritage disparaged in colleges, the

media, and Hollywood? Who is the real southern rural conservative? How can our values

help you become successful in life?

The common rural conservative
I grew up in the small town of Appomattox, VA. I have lived in large metropolitan cities since I was 21 years of age. My observations of residing in a large metropolitan yet, living by rural moral standards differ me from others. I understand I am not special and to allow identity politics to claim you are special simply because of the color of your skin or heritage is nonsense according to our rural way of life. According to urban Democrats, I am stupid, deplorable, and now, get this, an uninformed racist. Why?

Who am I? I am a rural raised, self-sufficient, lawful conceal-carry permit holder, NRA member, motorcycle rider, hunter/gatherer and, a tactical gun enthusiast who can thrust a 30-caliber bullet downrange, 800 yards, into a deer’s lung. Yes, my dear college professors, I can utilize mathematical ballistics and variables like a minute of angle, windage, humidity, elevation, temperature, barometric pressure, gravity, and the Coriolis Effect to launch a rocket the size of a pencil tip into an 8 x 11 sheet of paper at 800 yards. I took shop in high school, was an FFA member, and became an accomplished welder by 13. I have had a job since I was 10 years old. I have delivered newspapers, worked dairy farms, washed dishes, planted trees, garbage collector, a furniture plant worker, and all before the age of 21.

Today, I am the person who makes sure the water you drink is clean. I use advanced mathematics and science to calculate the important tasks of making sure the dinosaur pee you depend on is potable. I am responsible for ensuring you do not die or are sickened by cholera, dysentery, amoebiasis, giardia, and other water-borne diseases. Your life is in the hands of a deplorable Trump supporter; it is a good thing; you are wrong about us. It is a good thing that I am tolerant of urban media pundits and the politician’s lies that spew hate for us.

Lastly, I have been homeless, a functioning alcoholic, drug use in my teens and college years was regrettable. I grew up in the 1970s and, if you want to use this against me, then go right ahead, as I do not worry about what any of you think of me. I have made my share of mistakes and, I still made it without complaining too much about my past and how others kept me down. I have owned up to taking responsibility for my actions. My good decisions have outweighed my bad decisions. Thusly, I am wealthy, married 28 years to a wonderful spouse, two grown children that have never been a minute’s trouble. My daughter will practice speech pathology after graduate school, and my son, a sophomore in college, is studying economics and doing well. After 4 and 6 years of College, each will come out only owing about fifteen thousand dollars as my wife, and I have paid the rest. We live and have lived by a few rules I share today. Let’s discuss the top 10 rules of the common conservative.

1. It is not what you make. It is what you spend.
   
2. Is it a want or a need?
   
3. Do not convent thy neighbor’s possessions. In other words, don’t let what others
   have achieved get you down.
   
4. Stay focus on what you can change about yourself.
   
5. Delayed satisfaction is the key to wealth.
6. Learn from your mistakes.
7. The ladder of achievement is generational. There are few shortcuts.
8. Do not have children outside of wedlock.
9. Do not have children you cannot afford.
10. (Number one rule) Children who grow up in a committed relationship between a man and woman have the best chance for success and the best chance to eliminate poverty. This idea alone creates the best chance for success.

The common conservative’s beliefs

In this segment of our discussion, we will examine the true common conservative. My findings are based on common conversation with those in my industry over the last 30 years. We are small business owners, mostly rural upbringing, high school educated, college-educated engineers, and 95% of us are pro-gun, nationalist, and Pro POTUS. We will discuss common traits of the rural small businessperson.

Republicans. We don’t care about your skin color; this is a progressive liberal lie about rural. We care about how you take care of yourself, how you take care of your family, and how you accept responsibility for your actions. The president’s immigration policy is a lot like a rural business owner's decision to hire.

Let me explain; I like to write; I am not the greatest writer, the best writer. Creators Syndicate, I would assume, wants the best writers for their business. Why not let all writers be published based on equality? I am a small business owner, I want to hire the best available employees I can find. Why should I have to hire based on skin color or race? I like to speak on conservative values; why not let me speak at William and Mary....... where is the diversity? Why should academia be the only speakers you hear from, so I have no value? They all want what they deem to be the best. Elites look for education and experience. Small rural business owners look for talent and experience. Your best speakers have talent and a vision that others will follow.

We also care if you are self-sufficient. To be self-sufficient, one must not need outside help in satisfying their basic needs nor, should you want what others have achieved. I am 57-years old and have never taken a dime in handouts from the government (food stamps, unemployment, housing subsidies, etc.) I would have rather been homeless, living in a tent, and did so. We do not discriminate based on race in this respect.

We have learned to make good decisions; however, colleges do not want to lend a hand to those who work for a living or better themselves. Is this because we work too hard and make good decisions. Are we too successful? In the last month, UVA declared free tuition for those who make less than 80,000 dollars. This is discrimination towards those who have achieved and worked harder. Colleges reward scholarship and admittance based on skin color, background, and wealth. We see higher education discriminating against people based on race. Is it fair to allow a person into college with lower SAT scores and GPA based on race? Harvard University seems to think so. We believe your work ethic is your grounds for admittance into the workforce, so should it be for College. We care not when it comes to skin color or race in the private sector, we care about probable success.

We do help those who are less fortunate, despite what most Democrats may think. According to ChristianityToday, 10 million Americans donate more than 50 billion dollars to religious and charitable causes each year. However, these donations are falling because of debt inherited by our children and, a move away from religion. Most rural business owners are religious and give regular penance to the church, which helps the poor.

Part two: Why do others ridicule southern men?
Start Powerpoint here:
PowerPoint example: Slides to discuss.

Why is the white southern man the only demographic, ok to make fun of, disparage, hate, and insult? Why does the mainstream media, Hollywood, Colleges and Democrats not care? (wait for a response as you run through these slides) discuss.

"Deliverance is the most influential image that there's ever been in the modern period,"

"That's what Hollywood wants us to think of the rural South. Get out of the civilized

world and you're going to be surrounded by these people." I assure you we are not what

Hollywood depicts us as.

"They're all designed to showcase the pathologies of poor white people for middle-class

viewers," "It's a foil for suburban or urban classes who can effectively feel superior to

poor whites."

This is the same divineness that accompanied the Dixie Democrats or

Dixiecrats in the late 1940s. Their slogan was “segregation forever.” Dixiecrats wanted

division. Dixiecrat's protest was to segregate based on the color of the person's skin. Today, we see the same thing when Democrats attack southern white men, this is meant to divide us, to humiliate us, as did the Dixiecrats humiliate blacks in the late 1940s.

The Politically correct America has few "safe" groups to poke fun at these days. The white poor is still one of them and the liberal left as exemplified by Hillary Clinton’s boast calling us deplorable for the mere fact of who we voted for, is somehow still ok. The news media regularly runs cartoons depicting poor white southerners in demeaning ways. Urban opinion writers like Leonard Pitts and Eugene Robinson call us stupid and ignorant because of whom we voted for. Why is this still ok? (I believe it is meant to divide us.)

Part Three: A study of famous people
Famous Hampton Sydney Graduate:
Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American comedian, writer, producer, actor, and television host. He is best known for hosting the satirical Comedy Central program. Stephen Colbert is a Hampton Sydney College graduate. You may already know that Colbert grew up in South Carolina, but you may not know that he consciously trained himself to speak differently from those around him. “At a very young age, I decided I was not gonna have a Southern accent. Stephen Colbert once said “Because people, when I was a kid watching TV, if you wanted to use a shorthand that someone was stupid, you gave the character a Southern accent. And that's not true. Southern people are not stupid. But I didn't wanna seem stupid. I wanted to seem smart. And so I thought, ‘Well, you can't tell where newsmen are from."

Stephen Colbert on politics: "However, the next best thing is to vote for Herman Cain."

“He’s an outsider - how much more an outsider can you be? He’s not even running!” said Colbert. “If people hunger for a Colbert candidacy, then they should vote for Herman Cain on Saturday, and then I will know that people out there share both my and Herman Cain’s values.” “Herman Cain is my main man. He’s my main man with a tax plan so fine, they called it 9-9-9. The Mad Max of the flat tax, he’s a family man, he’s pro-business." My point is, we have a lot in common. Mr. Stephen Colbert, however, will often attack the current POTUS. Why does Mr. Colbert attack DJT when they seem to have much in common? DJT is a family man; he is pro-business, wants lower taxes, and is an outsider? What considerations might Mr. Colbert deem DJT as unworthy? (Stop here for student input.) Discuss.

Kanye West: “Kanye West is what happens when negroes don’t read.”

"That is how CNN commentator Bakari Sellers, who is black, responded to Kanye West’s meeting in the Oval Office this week with President Donald Trump. Sellers made his insulting remarks on the CNN Tonight program with host Don Lemon, who is also an African American, precipitating approving laughter from Lemon, and fellow commentator Tara Setmayer, who is also black.

Setmayer was particularly vicious in her insults of West because he dared to speak favorably of Trump, calling him “an attention whore like the president,” adding, “Black folks are about to trade Kanye West in the racial draft,” dismissing West as “the token Negro of the Trump Administration.” There were even insinuations that West has mental problems, supposedly explaining his wearing a “Make America Great Again” cap at the White House."

Donald Trump, Jr. responded on Twitter, accurately describing what had occurred. “Kanye dares to think for himself, so @CNN commentators mock him, saying Kanye (a wildly successful businessman) ‘is what happens when negroes don’t read.’ At some point, you have to ask, why is free thought & expression so dangerous & scary to liberals.”

The answer to Donald Jr.’s question is quite obvious. The overwhelming black support for liberal Democrats is essential to the Democrats’ continued competitiveness in American politics. Without the African American vote, which is consistently between 85- 95 percent Democrat, the Democrats simply could not win a national election.

That is why every time a well-known black person such as Kanye West dares to support a Republican, or take a conservative viewpoint, that person must be shamed, and if necessary, have their reputation shredded, complete with name-calling, with names such as “Oreo" (referring to the cookie and meaning black on the outside, white on the inside), “Negroes,” or “Uncle Toms.”

Reference: Steve Byass of The New America

Famous Comedians, and the left: I think those like Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Samantha Bee, Trevor Noah, Jon Oliver, Jon Stewart do not possess the knowledge to make good decisions. Television is like Plato’s Allegory of the cave. If you have not done so, take a philosophy class. Take at least one, and I hope you study classical Greek philosophy; the Socratic method is a method worthy of your time and study. This will help you in business once you reach the outside world. If you prioritize, go to the library and check out a book on the subject. I believe the puppets on the wall are actors and comedians like Stephen Cobert but, they are not real forms, they are not the puppet masters. The puppet's masters are the Media, the powerful Hollywood executives who, are pushing an agenda in combination with Liberals who want to change the world you live in. They do this by casting shadows on the wall that are not real but deceptive in nature. The facts are, the Media controls what we see and hear and the narrative. Kanye West opened his mind; he looked left and right, broke the chains, and walked out.

They hate Republicans and anyone not on the left of American politics, as describe a few minutes ago. How many jokes or skits have you seen or heard, ever seen or heard, about Obama, Clinton, Biden, Schumer, Waters, Pelosi, or Harry Reid? You didn't get to laugh at the hilarious skit about Hillary collapsing on election night because there has never been such a skit; oh, but Alec Baldwin doing Donald Trump is 'hilarious.' Comedians who can only be funny on one side aren't comedians; they're political hacks. How I miss Carol Burnett, Flip Wilson and Red Skelton, these were true comedians.
Perhaps Mr. Colbert’s time at Hampton Sydney taught him nothing?

Look at today’s hosts. Jimmy Kimmel goes on a rant about how good Obamacare is — and how awful people are if they don’t think so. Stephen Colbert goes on a profanity-laced tirade targeting conservatives. I believe in  “Come here as boys so you may leave as men,” One has to ask, Does the vile rhetoric of Stephen Colbert hidden behind comedy really a Hampton Sydney College trait to be proud of? Did he really leave as a man? 

Congressmen elect Dan Crenshaw: A Veteran was recently mocked by SNL.

Congressman Crenshaw lost his eye in combat as a Navy Seal “We do not have to be

outraged by offensive material because it was offensive.”

Washington (CNN) A Republican congressman-elect who was the target of an insensitive joke on SNL, referring to him as a porn star because of his eye patch, said Wednesday that entertainers and politicians, including President Donald Trump, should tone down their divisive rhetoric and not "attack someone's core."

Dan Crenshaw -- who lost his right eye in 2012 while serving as a Navy SEAL in Iraq -- urged athletes and comedians Wednesday to "take a break from politics."

"Please don't politicize your comedy in a way that is just mean-spirited," he told CNN's Alisyn Camerota on "New Day." "And that's what happened, but it happens a lot more than just that. I think the American people could use a break." "I'm going to try to be part of the solution there, not part of the problem," he continued. "And by that I mean, don't attack someone's core, don't attack someone's intent if you disagree with them. "The Houston-area congressman-elect also said that Trump should use less incendiary speech." I would always call for him to tone down the rhetoric sometimes and lower the temperature," Crenshaw said. "It would certainly help."

But Crenshaw also lamented the overly personal attacks that he felt were directed at conservatives." Especially on the conservative side, we feel as though every time we have a policy disagreement, the left attacks who we are," he said. "They attack our intent as if we were bad people."

Republican Congressman Ben Crenshaw sends a message we all need to learn from. Don’t attack a person core, making fun of southern white men, poor urban blacks, Jewish community and the Muslim community are just wrong. Hollywood and the Main Stream Media seems to think this is also wrong until, “you guessed it,” white conservative southern men and those who agree with our current POTUS.

Part four Socrates: What can we learn from this man
“Socrates is one of the few individuals whom one could say has so-shaped the cultural and intellectual development of the world that, without him, history would be profoundly different. He is best known for his association with the Socratic method of question and answer, his claim that he was ignorant (or aware of his own absence of knowledge), and his claim that the unexamined life is not worth living for human beings. He was the inspiration for Plato, the thinker widely held to be the founder of the Western philosophical tradition. Plato, in turn, served as the teacher of Aristotle, thus establishing the famous triad of ancient philosophers: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Unlike other philosophers of his time and ours, Socrates never wrote anything down but was committed to living simply and interrogating the everyday views and popular opinions of those in his home city of Athens. At the age of 70, he was put to death at the hands of his fellow citizens on charges of impiety and corruption of the youth. His trial, along with the social and political context in which occurred, has warranted as much treatment from historians and classicists as his arguments and methods have from philosophers.

i. Unity of Virtue; All Virtue is Knowledge
In the Protagoras (329b-333b), Socrates argues for the view that all of the virtues— justice, wisdom, courage, piety, and so forth—are one. He provides several arguments for this thesis. For example, while it is typical to think that one can be wise without being temperate, Socrates rejects this possibility on the grounds that wisdom and temperance both have the same opposite: folly. Were they truly distinct, they would each have their own opposites. As it stands, the identity of their opposites indicates that one cannot possess wisdom without temperance and vice versa.
This thesis is sometimes paired with another Socratic view, that is, that virtue is a form of knowledge (Meno 87e-89a; cf. Euthydemus 278d-282a). Things like beauty, strength, and health benefit human beings but can also harm them if they are not accompanied by knowledge or wisdom. If virtue is to be beneficial, it must be knowledge since all the qualities of the soul are in themselves neither beneficial nor harmful but are only beneficial when accompanied by wisdom and harmful when accompanied by folly.

ii. No One Errs Knowingly/No One Errs Willingly
Socrates famously declares that no one errs or makes mistakes knowingly (Protagoras 352c, 358b-b). Here we find an example of Socrates’ intellectualism. When a person does what is wrong, their failure to do what is right is an intellectual error, or due to their own ignorance about what is right. If the person knew what was right, he would have done it. Hence, it is impossible for someone to simultaneously know what is right and do what is wrong. If someone does what is wrong, they do so because they do not know what is right, and if they claim to have known what was right at the time when they committed the wrong, they are mistaken, for had they truly known what was right, they would have done it.”

Donald Trump and Socrates have a lot in common. Is Donald Trump the philosopher of what we find in Socrates? Not by a long shot. The commonality is he was put to death or, in Trump's case, attacked by the media and Democrats and at the hands of his fellow citizens on charges of impiety and corruption. Why? It is because he thinks differently. Trump's ongoing trial in the media, along with the social and political context in which this has occurred, hold commonality. Human nature has changed very little, in my opinion.

I did not know; I did not err willingly in my life. Your education is the most important priority you can achieve today. Gain the knowledge to not make mistakes later in life. If you are struggling, work harder; if you are still struggling, ask for help, there is not one person in this room who is not willing to help you make something of your life. Remember this, education does not equal knowledge when the education you receive is an indoctrination. According to a recent survey, college professors should realize that 52% of their students are afraid to say anything that goes against the professor's doctrine. What a sad day in the life of a student, afraid to ask a question. At this time, let us thank God for the public library where anyone can gain knowledge. You have got to want knowledge more than anything else in the world, even more than the breath you take. Do not make my mistakes, I truly regret not finishing college and even though I have gone on to be wealthy and successful, I regret not finishing. Don’t make the same mistake.

Closing Remarks:
We have discussed what the rural conservative stands for. We believe in working hard to get ahead and not free handouts. You are not special and, the laws of the land already make for fair achievement. The fair achievement was won within the civil rights movement, and we are indeed grateful for the sacrifice of those whose vision made this possible. We are leery of the social welfare movement that accompanied the civil rights movement. Social welfare in its form today is thought to be detrimental to achievement. Are there those who need a helping hand? Sure there are, but when 56% of America are the only ones paying taxes that, does not bode well for “all of America?” If you want to live here, then contribute to living here and, it is that simple. We live our lives well, despite our lowly income and disadvantages early in life. We live by simple rules. We say it is better to die on your feet than to crawl on your knees and pray at the altar of socialism. We say it is better to achieve on your own than to take from others. To take from others is a form of slavery. 

The mainstream media, politicians, and Hollywood depict white southern men as racist, ignorant, homophobic, and evil. This is far from the truth, many southern men and women of all heritages have contributed to our great nation and have resided in the south, Martin Luther King, George Washington Carver, NASA engineer, and writer -Homer Hickman, Norbert Rillieux, Charles Townes just to name a few.

Despite a rural upbringing, low social standing, poor and uneducated like some of the scientists mentioned above, I have struggled, fought, worked hard, and made good decisions to achieve a good life. This achievement does not discriminate; without these traits, all citizens will fail. No amount of social welfare will help you achieve a good life, a happy life. This is why we call for “the pursuit of happiness.” Happiness is not an entitlement; it must be earned. While some fringe elements on both the left and the right promote hate, we must be mindful of the majority in the middle and not allow ourselves to become the fringe.

Passion/virtue/vice, It is virtue we should seek, and I believe our friend Congressman. Ben Crenshaw has exemplified this virtue. The one thing that Democrats fear most is success and self-reliance. If we are all successful, we do not need the crutch of the government to lean on; this, in turn, can shrink our federal government and take power back from those who want to control us. We need to mimic what our founding fathers meant for us in the beginning. If you have not done so, obtain the knowledge of John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. Seek the knowledge of the federalist papers, our Constitution and, The Bill of Rights. Understand our founding fathers' intent for making America great. If there is no class on this subject, you should demand one.

Note: Another author to read: Dr. Walter Williams George Mason University. Visit his website and gain his knowledge, read his books, understand self-reliance and understand the puppet masters.

If we are to come together, I can only ask that we open our minds, look left, and look right. We realize puppet masters create the shadows on the wall. Some puppet masters tell the story of division and hate and can be found in high school classrooms, college classrooms, our government, and the media. We offer you a chance to break your chains, to walk out of the cave and into the light.

The walk of life through the cave or up the never-ending and winding staircase is tough and can only be accomplished through self-reliance, hard work, and knowing thyself. We are waiting for you at the entrance to the cave, encouraging you to come forth and live a life of self- reliance and self-awareness. Kayne West, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, Walter Williams, and I dare not enter the cave to help you. The puppet masters who intend to keep you in your place will martyr us if we enter.


One last thought: Dan Crenshaw said it best “We do not have to be

outraged by offensive material because it was offensive.” We do not have to be outraged because we disagree. This is why you do not see southern men in the streets every time you disparage him, ridicule him, thrust hate speech at him. 

The Unobtainable Equality

The Unobtainable Equality

I wrote a piece concerning the human condition and progressivism in my last blog (www.discourseweekly.com). Our companies vision is created around perfecting the human condition in the industry of water. In other words, what we have control over is our impact on water as a company. Lets us consider the human condition as part of our vision. "The characteristics, key events, and situations which compose the essentials of human existence, such as birth, growth, emotionality, aspiration, conflict, and mortality."

Therefore, our new vision statement should be " Providing innovation for the essentials of human existence."

"Progressivism is an ideology based on the idea that historical and social progress is inevitable. The idea of progress assumes movement toward some ideal or end that usually includes the perfectibility of human nature and human society." When we talk about "progress our evolution" in our industry, we are committed to a concern for water, air, health, and equality. (I want to remove equality and exchange it for fair achievement). We want to progress our industry, our society, and the human condition for the benefit of mankind, and that is a noble cause. There are, however grave concerns for some ideas of progressivism.

The Progressive believes that progress is being stifled by vast economic inequality between the rich and the poor, minimally regulated capitalism, and out-of-control monopolistic corporations. An intense and sometimes violent conflict between workers and capitalists and a need for measures to address these problems are the goals of progressives today. In our recent history, progressives use violence against our public officials, publicly traded companies, et al. to promote equality. Let us be mindful, equality in its human abstract form does not exist outside of mathematics. In other words, equality is unobtainable outside of mathematics. The abstract thought of equality and its ideology of governing is found in oligarchy, socialism, communism, and eventually totalitarianism. Even then, equality will be unobtainable and eventually enslaves the population. However, fair achievement can be obtainable and should be examined as the best way to progress our evolution. Example: Harvard University has been accused of discrimination against Asian Americans based on achievement. With higher grade point averages, higher SAT scores, and achieving higher academic standards, they are discriminated against for lesser quality candidates. Why work harder if the color of your skin is going to get you into Harvard? Why achieve if a socialist government is going to give you what you need to live?

The idea that the greedy rich control everything and the want for equality is a progressive trait. Basically, a progressive wants to take from one person and give to another, without that person's permission, his or her possessions. If you believe that you own yourself and own your achievements, being forced to give up your achievements is a form of slavery.

Progressives use white privilege to poison the minds of our youth. Liberal Professors attempt to convince our youth, they should give up their achievements because of a historical past. Today's white youth have no control over what happened 150 years ago yet are shamed in a class by academia and, all in the name of equality. An equality that is, in fact, unobtainable. 

Progressives, in order to obtain equality, will use governance to apply unattainable equality. I believe countries under such rule will eventually fall to totalitarianism. Sometimes, I think we are almost there in America. Our country may indeed be an oligarchy. I think the election of Donald Trump has threatened the oligarchy. What I do know is, if the progressive doctrine achieves power, we will all be slaves to the common good and, achievement may no longer matter. When achievement no longer matters, our ability to innovate best practices to protect air, water, achievement, all those things we desire fail.

I think progressives like to attack the achievement of others. Just remember, being rich is a matter of perspective and, not all are evil or want power over others. I think we can all say: "You are richer than me, or you achieved more than me," but to go on and say, I want equality, so give me your stuff. Give me your stuff so I may bind your hands with the chains of slavery. Meaning, I demand you work for me for free, as I blame you and your ancestors for my human condition, should not be tolerated. Equality will forever be unobtainable as long as our country believes in liberty, life, and the pursuit of happiness. Not one of us is the same or grew up the same or shares the same experiences or talent. Therefore our achievements (like equality) will not be the same nor have the same results. In this manner, our lives will be different, will create the rich and the poor and the haves and have-nots. The only way we can create a fairer society is to have a concern for fair achievement and the opportunity to achieve. Fair achievement is obtainable, and in America, we won that battle in the 1960s with the civil rights movement. Unfortunately, during the same period, we also witness social welfare that squashes a want to achieve. Meaning, there is not one law that keeps a person from achieving but, due to social welfare, "the want" to achieve is diminished. 

Diversity "A range of different things"

Diversity “A range of different things.”

An article ran in the Williamsburg Gazette with concern to William and Marys look to the future. I offer my observations and concerns.

President Taylor Reveley was working on diversity before he retired. He removed a Confederate plaque in August of 2015 from the Wren building. He promised diversity in naming all soldiers who fought in the civil war be remembered with a plaque. When asked about the plaque in 2018 the College would only tell us, they were still working on it. Three years have passed and the College does not honor its diversity promise of including all of the fallen.

In 2016, I approached Taylor Reveley with the idea, an opportunity to, start an aviation school. It was the first year of the Williamsburg Aviation Scholarship Program or (WASP). A group of industry leaders had formed this program. This program is designed to help students learn to fly and possibly fill jobs in aviation where there is a shortage of pilots. Mr. Reveley did attend an informational meeting but, when pressed later, he said and I quote “aviation is not a fit for our College.” Where is the diversity, I thought?

Now enters Katherine Rowe. Ms. Rowe has continued her efforts to focus on how to prepare students for post- graduation. I would like to note the recent discussion where mostly professor and faculty attended along with two students. Sitting in groups of ten they discussed ways to make the College more diverse.

Diversity “A range of different things.” How can a discussion on diversity and preparing students for post-graduation be discussed without a diversified field of participants in the discussion groups? If one is going to believe faculty and professors can possibly offer diversity while hiding behind the wall of a College, and most not experiencing the real world in decades then, I would have to say this discussion was a failure. Where are your industry leaders in this discussion? You know, the ones who will hire your precious snowflakes?

Diversity “A range of different things.” When will the College (any College) acknowledge the need for diversity within its own ranks? I am reminded of the Honors ceremony my wife and I attended when my wife was doing graduate work in special education at W&M. The speaker says, “go out and change the world!” It was all my wife could do to keep me from busting out laughing. I looked around the room and, I watched these 20 something’s gobbling up fantasies of changing the world. Then a horrible thought came over me. What if these indoctrinated progressives actually do change the world or worse change America? As a 50-year old something in attendance, I began to realize the danger.

Apologizing for history

I have but two words for this, utter nonsense. Formally apologizing for Jim Crow laws and slavery is nothing more than "white guilt." However, a deeper understanding of the underlying progressive ideology that is indoctrinating our children, runs deeper than white guilt. Let us in turn, consider multiculturalism as the deeply rooted W&M cause. Diversity is being used to achieve this globalization goal progressives teach our children. In doing so, is diversity put at risk? The answer can be found in W&M’s mission statement along with W&M’s vision statement.

• Attract outstanding students from diverse backgrounds.
• Develop a diverse faculty
• Provide challenging curriculums in liberal arts and sciences
• Prepare students for intellectual, professional and public leadership
• Instill in students an appreciation for the human condition, a concern for public well-being.
• Use of its faculty and students to further human knowledge and understanding.
• W&M vision statement. “develop critical thinking and understanding of diverse perspectives.”

The human condition and applying Progressivism.

“Progressivism is an ideology based on the idea that historical and social progress is inevitable. The idea of progress assumes movement toward some ideal or end that usually includes the perfectibility of human nature and human society. One has to ask, Is it the goal of W&M to perfect human nature and society? If W&M is instilling in its students an appreciation for the human condition and public well-being through the closed eyes of progressivism, in the name of diversity and, the ultimate goal of globalization or “one rule government” then we are all in trouble and should be alarmed.

William and Mary’s utter nonsense in apologizing for something that happened in the past is, not only the white guilt of a few but, it is, in fact, a ploy to create the idea of globalism. W&M et al are altering our understanding of history through the removal of plaques, removal of statues, teaching and, the erasure of the past. In doing so W&M is trying to unite people into accepting one world thought by, erasing the past they feel divides us. Removal of the Christian cross from the chapel is an excellent example of W&M’s attempt to globalize the college and thus globalize the world. The removal of a cross, so that “others felt welcomed” was Dr. Nichols call for diversity. Obviously, W&M backed down after donations and pledges were denied. I guess W&M cares more about money than they do about their principles.

In closing: W&M’s indoctrination of students into progressive ideology lacks the diversity it seeks and seems to be an oxymoron. There seems to be no diversity within its own ranks in this writer’s opinions and observations and thus students are not developing critical thinking skills if, only one political vision, one view of the world and, one side of the story, is taught. In this manner, W&M fails its own mission statement. William and Mary seemingly want to teach diversity that is geared toward the globalization of the world. Yet, when it comes to teaching diversity in political ideologies, creating diversity within in its curriculum, diversifying its faculty and providing the basic understanding, humans will forever be tribal, does not fit their global agenda. Thus, the realization of danger as reported earlier. God help us all if, W&M succeeds in the destruction of America through progressive ideology and globalism.

Discourse: 1st amendment under attack by the political party the media supports.

Discourse: October 7th, 2018: Newport News VA, Daily Press “Where the Newspaper Stands”

“It was a victory because it strengthens a principle that we hold sacred in any democracy- that the public’s work should be done before the public’s eye.” On the surface, this seems to be a legitimate and thoughtful ideology. Let’s dig deeper to reveal fallacies in this opinion.

National security – Staff leakers have routinely leaked classified information to the media, in the Trump administration. The media, in turn, is all too glad to print anonymous unauthorized leaks. Some might say, like The Daily Press “public work should be done in the public eye”. I disagree, unauthorized leaks to the press undermine the duly elected President of the United States and can put operatives in the field into harm’s way. It is a noble idea to be transparent, but another to use the idea of transparency to viciously attack a political opponent. This is what the Daily Press et al does every day. The media has no shame in putting people’s lives at risk.

The Democrats have put people’s lives at risk for political gain. Dr. Ford, is an example of leaked information, of unsubstantiated allegations from 36 years ago, against a political opponent. The media was all too glad to run with unfounded allegations, leaked to the media without, regard to ruining the lives of others. This was done in the name of supporting one political party over another, but not in the name of transparency. I think one can say truthfully, the media no longer investigate for the truth but, willing to report unsubstantiated claims, whether true or not.

According to the Investor Business Daily 2016 – “The Democrats have attacked the 1st, 2nd and 5th amendment. Incredibly, the Democrats' disdain for the Bill of Rights includes even the 1st Amendment's protection of free speech. Party leaders have in the recent past, openly pushed to limit free speech rights when it conflicts with their own viewpoints.

In a speech at an Iowa community college, for example, Hillary Clinton: "We need to fix our dysfunctional political system and get unaccountable money out of it once and for all, even if that takes a constitutional amendment. I threw up in my mouth a little when, I read that Hillary Clinton wanted to get money out of politics, a lie if I ever heard one. "Left unsaid is that the only way to do what she suggests, to put restrictions on the 1st Amendment? A few years ago, 54 Senate Democrats voted for a new constitutional amendment that would do just that.

In California, Democrats pushed a state bill that would have criminalized speech that questions the "consensus" on climate change. Attorney General Loretta Lynch told the Senate Judiciary Committee, she has discussed with her colleagues the possibility of pursuing civil actions against "climate change deniers."

Democrats have long expressed frustration, if not outright contempt, for the Constitution whenever it hinders their ability to enact some new government program. President Obama had repeatedly complained about the "messy" process the Constitution's co-equal branches created and has several times acted as though the Constitution's limits on the president's authority simply don't apply to him.

The fact that a major U.S. political party -- which still considers itself mainstream -- is now willing to specifically target amendments designed to protect Americans from tyrannical government control is alarming, to say the least. “

In closing: The first amendment, an amendment the Daily Press holds so dear, is under attack by the very political party they support. Oh, and one more thing, we are not a Democracy Daily Press, we are a Republic. How many times do we have to correct you?