The Oz Syndrome – Quest for Success or Quest for God?

My friend was so earnest. It was clear that she truly believed what she was saying. “You’ve got to have faith! With faith in Him, it’ll happen. Put yourself in His hands; God will take care of you.” She equated her personal success to her faith in God. I wanted to ask how that was workin' out for her.

Denny and I just looked at each other and smiled. For more than three years Jennifer has been struggling to realize her dream of running a non-profit arts program for kids, to help fill in the gap left when government school funding began disappearing (thanks, Pres. Obama). During that time she filed for the non-profit status required and ran up against the IRS brick wall because of a snafu on her home mortgage loan.

Her home is in danger of being repossessed because she lost her job about the same time she spent the dollars she thought she had, to apply for non-profit status. Her mortgage company jerked her around and now she’s in litigation and a class-action suit against them.

Jennifer still believes God will take care of her. Since 2007 she’s had multiple business and personal associates who have drained her of energy and dollars. I kept my mouth shut today. Believe me, that was a major accomplishment.

I’ve tried to believe in “God.” In fact, I looked for “God” in Baptist, Protestant, Catholic, and Lutheran religions. Then took a peek at Buddhism and Confucianism … suffice it to say, I was seeking the “man behind the curtain.” After years of disappointment, I dubbed my quest the new definition of the Oz Syndrome. 

The answer my friend, is blowin’ in the wind … and it always comes back to me.

Fun, Humor, Tolerance – Extinct?

 What has happened to our country? To our world?

I’m the first to tell you that “nobody said life was easy” as my mother often warned me. And there is much to frown about, cry over, and exclaim in anger or frustration in life. But our emotions – and we are an emotional species – also include laughter, wonder, and tolerance, to make life bearable and at times, even enjoyable.

Our governments and others who CLAIM to have our best interests at heart, however, are eroding not only our desire to laugh and view this incredible world – and society – with wonder, but they are destroying our tolerance of each other … when it exists at all.

In what way, you ask? Make that wayS.

- By creating laws that punish the minority and leave the majority frustrated because they are penalized too

- By pitting race against race in immigration and “minority”laws

- By constructing such a convoluted and corrupt lawmaking system that even lawmakers become entangled in their webs of deceit

- By extorting taxes and spending the funds irresponsibly, causing higher taxes while under-funding the intended (and advertised) faction

- And so many more …

Add ALL of these government sanctions along with natural disasters, common personal ailments and life pains … it gives pause to consider exactly why should we smile? I wish I could offer a rosy alternative.

No-Fault Life -- It's Called Compromise

The word “fault” was bandied about in a recent family argument. “It isn’t my fault!” “It’s your fault!”

Part way through the heated discussion (OK, yelling match), I thought I made a good point about not assigning blame at all; to consider that fault is not the issue. Point is, the situation exists – what are we going to do about it?

But of course, since the shrieking outweighed any common sense remark, my observation fell on the proverbial deaf ears. You can’t hear anything while you’re shouting.

My weak compromise (I was willing at least to take equal “blame”) was, “Even California has a ‘No Fault’ law!” And we know that California’s government loves to blame everyone except itself for its blown-out financial state. I thought that was a credible comment.

Will there be an Earth in 2050?

We have raped our world. Mother Earth is suffering, crying out in anguish … and we should be ashamed. And by “we,” of course I mean all of us, because it takes collective awareness to maintain Earth-friendly consumable manufacturing measures and in-home recycle/reuse/refrain lifestyles.

However, it’s up to our governments—comprised of politicians—to generate and enforce the INTELLIGENT laws that will help us create and maintain an ecologically balanced environment.

Supposedly, to establish intelligent laws there must be intelligent people proposing them. Aha! Therein lies our problem. While I could point fingers at―“in my opinion”―those who have let us down through corrupt and completely insane leadership, that won’t solve problems.

Motor City Madman vs. the Secret Service—who’s more believable?

Old people speak their minds because by over 60 there’s no point in lying and more to the point … nobody cares what you’re saying anyway (well, with the exception of Betty White) ...

But old Rockers speak their minds and the media (and Secret Service) are all over ’em. “Secret Service looking into Ted Nugent violent anti-Obama message,” by Olivier Knox.

One could argue that celebrities should know better. Stars of the ‘60s and ‘70s know all about how the media machine works—and the government. But they’re old—they don’t care. Big difference.

Shares in the American Dream--Majority or Minority?

July 14, 2008

I’m confused. Of course at my age, that’s not surprising anymore. Nevertheless, would someone please explain to me how we can be an America that is “united”—you know, as in “United States” of America? Have you looked around lately? Doesn’t everyone who comes here from another country seem to simply want to start their own country on their little share of American soil? No other country in the world allows immigrants the audacity of establishing themselves without assimilation.

Please do not take this as a discriminatory or inflammatory or racist or hate speech. I have some valid points to make regardless of your ethnicity. And I don’t give a whit what color you are—you’re human (right?)—that’s my criteria for initial judgment. Whether you’re a good human or not is left for judgment of your actions. Are you a “good” American?

I’m a child of the ‘60s. Oh no, I wasn’t born then. That’s when I became socially aware of my world and spent my teenage years in relative confusion—and here I am, confused again.

I agreed with our demands for race equality in that turbulent decade. (And of course, if it hadn’t been anatomically uncomfortable, I’d have burned my bra with Gloria Steinem. But that’s another article for another day.) And I’m no ostrich—I know that discrimination still exists. I’m just not convinced now, that 1) it will ever go away, and 2) that all immigrants want it to disappear completely. We’ve offered our country up on a silver platter because we are ashamed of the misery our ancestors wrought on incoming immigrants; and we originally wanted to be the “land of opportunity.”

Unfortunately, we didn’t know when to quit giving, and now and it’s being regurgitated back to us in a foreign language and jigsaw pieces of “the company,” once known as America.

Yes, I’m a native American—not to be misread as Native American (though they are truly the only real Americans, another issue, another topic). Practically a stereotype, I was raised in a rural, “white” lower-middle-class area during a couple of decades that shook our country to its foundation. If you were “White” you were alternately proud and ashamed, to “be American.” I was 17 years old when I learned that the color of one’s skin makes us all different, in more than appearance. But then, as now, I don’t think diversity is a bad thing … if we could “all just get along.” (Look it up—we had not learned anything even by 1992.)

Because of the Sixties though, today more than ever, born in America has its privileges for everyone. I became acutely aware of this after visiting abroad. I am ever-so-thankful to ancestors who had the foresight to allow me to be born on American soil. Not only because we have amenities here that are still not prevalent in many countries, but because we are “free” to “rule ourselves” (another later subject of discussion) and thus, have freedoms other world citizens may never experience or enjoy.

However, I’m beginning to feel as demoralized as any inhabitant of an oppressed country!
The minority laws of the 1960s and for at least another decade, were certainly needed at the time. And discrimination laws should likely never be repealed. But it is time for a change in our laws for new immigrants; and repeal or revision of many of the minority standards and regulations that measure minority assistance in the United States of America.

These laws have allowed immigrants to establish what amounts to their own little countries within our country. And I can say “our country,” because my family has been here long enough that we don’t know how we got here. Although I can trace my Irish ancestry back further than my Austrian/German heritage, there’s likely a little of a few other countries thrown into the mix, too. Who cares?! I’m American, now.

Back in the ‘60s, the idea of minorities’ laws was not to help immigrants build their own country, but to allow them to assimilate more comfortably into this one. That includes Blacks; though the laws for them should have materialized centuries earlier—in fact, they should never been brought here involuntarily in the first place. Same with Chinese slaves, etc. (You guessed it, another issue/day.)

But those migrants who came of their own free will during the 1960s-1980s or so, felt blessed to have survived the trek, and were grateful. They showed their gratitude—then—by humbly accepting the gratuities of special programs and funding—not available to those born on this soil. They became bilingual and for most, though they spoke their own language at home, they made a concentrated effort to learn English. They were the people the laws were made to protect and assist. That was then, this is now.

Things have changed. Immigrants have changed. Our laws have not. The “United States” of America is in imminent danger of losing its identity and as such, its sovereignty.

Let me ask you—seriously—if I were to migrate to France, Turkey, Russia, Japan, Kenya … it doesn’t matter where … should I expect their government to print legal documents in my language? They would laugh me right back across the border! Granted, many other countries require their citizens to learn English as a second language. But the language of their country is … well … the language of their country! They’re not going to mollycoddle me, just because “I arrived”! Whoop-de-doo!

Please explain to me (and the world) why this or ANY American should accept:
- losing a job to “minorities;” are we not now “one of them”?
- a low-income lifestyle without “assistance;” with the only barrier color/ethnicity
- legal documents in two or more languages
- street signs in two or more languages
- bank documents in two or more languages
- grocery signs in two or more languages
- schools mandated to teach another language, not as an auxiliary language, but side-by-side with English
- and the most heinous of all …
o foreign landowners and major business investors—those still residing in their homeland!

Don’t get me wrong—especially in legal issues, I believe in providing interpreters—if the foreigner has been living in America for less than say, 5-8 years. Isn’t that long enough to learn what you’re doing wrong in English? Or how to avoid American scammers in a language you don’t know? You live here—learn it! (Of course, I know that if you live in America, originated from another country and reading this, you did—congratulations and thank you!) If I moved even for a short while, to another country, I would welcome the adventure of learning a new language.

And haven’t you noticed the escalating—no, skyrocketing—numbers of foreign-owned companies that also own the “piece of America” on which that company sits? What were we thinking??!! Why is our government allowing this to happen? OK, I know our government and big businesses have investments in other countries, too, but when it gets right down to—or up to—the top rung of the “owner”—is it really “American-owned”?

We may be heading toward a World Government … yeah that too, is another issue, another day … but we’re not there yet and it isn’t likely in our lifetime. In the meantime, “we, the people of the United States of America,” who are true Americans—not in color, but in heart, soul, and patriotism—are fighting for our lives and we don’t even acknowledge the war. We’re allowing our country to be involved in a “hostile takeover” without a fight.

My question to immigrants is: You fought so hard and may have risked much to buy, rent, or even steal your little piece of this country, because you wanted the American Dream—so why are you so hell-bent on shaping it into the same nightmare from which you escaped? English-speaking or not?

Minority laws now discriminate against “Whites.”
I am NOT discriminating, nor advocating hate, here! I have the utmost respect for all people—I don’t care who they are, or the color of their skin. THEY are not the problem. THEY have merely taken advantage of opportunities offered to them. Wouldn’t you? Believe me, I would if I could, but I can’t. And if hate crimes seem to be escalating, perhaps the government should take a long, hard look at what it’s doing to provoke them.

Especially when it comes to financial and educational opportunities, the minority laws should be abolished, leaving only low-income status as the sole measure of assistance, regardless of race. I don’t blame those “of color” or auspicious ethnicity for exploiting the system. Humans are inherently acquisitive.

I do blame MANY of the immigrants of the past two decades, however, who are maliciously taking advantage of the United States’ minority programs, and have been trained to take advantage. Yet our government cannot see it.

And beyond my frustration with our archaic minority laws, I believe there is a much more diabolical scheme being wrought on this country. What will it take to wake up our leaders? Or is it already too late?

So what prompted this diatribe today?
A Mexican festival. An Armenian festival. A Chinese festival. An African-American festival. Can I have a Caucasian-American festival???!!!

We have Hispanic, African-American, and Chinese Chambers-of-Commerce. Isn’t just a “Chamber of Commerce” good enough for everyone? It used to be! Wouldn't it be healthier to address equality issues together? There are many other ethnic-related differences established in this country in events and beyond. So don’t vilify me for naming the ones that came quickly to mind. This is my soapbox, thank you.

Actually, now that I think about it even more, I believe the festivals are a great idea—as long as attendance isn’t limited to that ethnic group and allows everyone to revel in the celebration of their neighbor's heritage and ancestral culture. But again—can we offer a Caucasian-American festival without being labeled as discriminatory?! Go ahead, try it.

Wake up, America—before it’s too late and English is no longer the language of the United States of America—because there will be no “united states.”

In danger of losing our language notwithstanding (did you ever thunk it?!), our land and businesses are being parceled out like stockholder shares in a company … is anyone remembering to keep 51%?!

Always Writing—as a proud American,

About ~ Welcome!

July 4, 2008

Hi! This is your "welcome" to the Write Sassy Blog. I do graciously invite you to peruse its pages; but on this auspicious Independence Day let me remind you that "independent thinking" and Freedom of Speech are the cornerstones on which this blog is built.

Thus, this page will likely be the nicest soliloquy you will read here. The Write Sassy Blog intends to be irreverent, informative, with a hint of humor, and unabashedly biased. After all, we have the freedom of speech, right? Let's see how far it takes us. I'm aiming for weekly editions, but like most of you, I work for a living, so cut me some slack, OK?

A few words about who you're reading, which may influence your decision of whether you want to continue ... I am decidedly female, absolutely straight, and older than dirt, as the saying goes. But that is what gives me the right to bitch, moan, groan and hypothesize. About anything and everything. Think of me as Maxine in 300 words or more.

Why do I cower behind a catchy blog name and not reveal my true identity? Because we are a judgmental society and this blog is not about "me" (I have other blogs for that). Its purpose is to explore issues, raise awareness and yep, I admit it -- allow me to climb up on a soapbox to vent without feeling the heat from family, friends, and clients. Will I solve any problems here? Likely not. But who knows. Open discussion and "bouncing ideas off" are famous for following to a resolved conclusion.

At Write Sassy you will find, as I say in my intro, no subject safe. Whatever strikes my fancy will be the topic of the day. Will I fit into the standard blog category? Nope. Will that affect my readership? Maybe. Do I care? Not one iota.

Although riffing is a comedian's term, it works well here, because I will be working off the news of the day, or a pet peeve reignited, or perhaps one of your comments. Feel free.

And ... know this about me ... while I am certainly opinionated (that's my inalienable right - and yours, on your own blog) I take relish in presenting opposing points of view -- respectfully and eloquently stated. If you can't present your opinion in a comment under those guidelines, then please comment somewhere else.

So, after you're read my blog(s) ~ "Talk"! I want to know if you agree with me or not and whether I've wasted my time and yours by writing about the topic. In fact, I even admit that I may learn from your viewpoint ... no promises. And I know it may be difficult, but swallow your pride and let me know if you learned a thing or two from me, OK? Hey, we all have egos. You can comment here, and/or send a note ... your choice.

And if you have not yet learned that you can be wrong at times too, then you are likely too young to read this blog. Go check out YouTube. Come back in a few years. I'll be here!

Always writing,