Quick Hits

Commenter Moment of Choice asked me

you might be expected to participate actively in helping others as well as yourselves to move this country forward. how anti-american!

does the concept of having an open heart and open mind resonate with anyone here?

My quick response is that there is a big difference when we are forced to be charitable. In your world, someone else decides how much we are to be compassionate, how open hearted we should be. My hard-earned money is taken and given to someone else. There is a big difference in charity and the redistribution of wealth. There have been numerous studies throughout the years that show Republicans give more to charities than Democrats. Some of this might be attributed to social-economics, but some is in the basic foundations of our political beliefs and understanding of human responsibility.

I am working on a long post that might surprise you MOC, that addresses this topic. I will challenge YOU to look at it with an open mind. Your first task is to accept that stereotypes are not productive. Your assumption that I am uncharitable, cold-hearted and closed minded has no basis in fact. You have no idea how I spend my time. Do you really only believe Liberals work at Habitat for Humanity or the local food bank? How much do I donate to the Boys Club? You have no idea if I help out families at Christmas or spend my weekends cleaning the local river. Do you think only Democrats spend their Spring Break working to improve conditions in a Haitian village? Your very assumption is pompous and arrogant. How dare you lecture me on being closed-minded? We might have a difference in opinion, but that does not justify the judgment I am in the wrong. Come back when the post is done and then you can show me the error of my ways. In the meantime, you should open up and accept that most Americans are good, kind-hearted people. That does not change based on political preference.

Unfortunately I am faced with a heavy workload and personal issues (I do have a life outside of the internet). It may be the weekend before it is done.

I want to take a moment here to ask those of you who are so inclined to say a quick prayer for my friend Jan. Her stepfather Jim died yesterday. Jim was one of the nicest men you would ever meet. He doted on his grandchildren. When we would be at her house and he was there you could almost always find him down playing with the kids or watching a movie with them. I have known him for three decades and I never heard him speak harsh word. Jim was always smiling. I am sure he had the same worries and problems as the rest of us, but he never showed it. The world is worse place today with out him. We will all miss you Pappy. His loss will be hard for Jan and her family as well as all of us who knew him.