Sugar Creek Publishing

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 230

May 17, 2016

“…from nothing…”

Warning: This is an op-ed piece. I seldom write one; but after a number of weeks literally seething over the coverage of the current election, I have no choice but to put words out there to convey what I believe. What might have been several short columns is now one long one. Read on….

I often use history to introduce a column. With a background in history and political science, I refer to facts on a regular basis. However, in tandem with citing history as a foundation, this column offers something different. It breaks the mold of never taking sides.

Why? The stakes are too high. I am taking my side and holding firm.

When I reflect on graduate classes on presidential races characterized not only by candidate personalities but also with animus, those of Andrew Jackson come to mind. A consummate soldier and war hero, “Old Hickory” inspired many men in his command and earned the respect of his fellow citizens. He stood for the average American in more than rhetoric. He did so in action. What’s more, he didn’t mince words when opposed to something or someone. Colorful would be a mild way to describe his vocabulary when aggravated or annoyed.

In the words of The White House Website, “More nearly than any of his predecessors, Andrew Jackson was elected by popular vote; as President he sought to act as the direct representative of the common man.”

During his first campaign for president, he married Rachel Robards, the love of his life. Communication was slow, and Rachel’s final divorce papers had not arrived by the day she married Andrew. Opponents pushed this news to such a degree that Jackson blamed her untimely death on their ugly charges.

Jackson stood for the military. He knew the importance of security for the American people. He valued work, and he took on any challenge with all the zest he could muster. As our seventh president, his personality literally gave birth to the Democratic Party. A testament to that are the annual Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinners held around the nation to this day. It is said that he was the most consequential president between Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln. Such is his legacy and reputation.

I wonder what Jackson would think if he were to stand back today and listen to the two Democratic candidates for the highest office in the land. He held for hard work. I can find so indication that he was in favor of the government supporting families, save the fact that he valued veterans’ widows and children. He had seen the toll war had taken on his men and their loved ones.

Research confirms that the Spoils System Jackson implemented fortified the party structure by providing federal appointments to ordinary working people. Gone were the days of filling vacancies with political cronies. Well, at least gone for his time in office….

By the time of Jackson’s presidency the voting franchise had been extended to virtually all white males and Jackson’s Democratic Party positioned itself as the heir of Jefferson and the party of the common man. To think that his ideals have been warped to include socialism and “free everything” at taxpayer expense is astonishing.

As the French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville famously observed of Jackson’s America, “The people reign in the American political world as the Deity does in the universe. They are the cause and the aim of all things; everything comes from them, and everything is absorbed in them.”

Do not think for one moment that this column aims at just one political party. It does not. Going back to de Tocqueville’s wisdom and acumen in discerning the political climate in America, we seem to have forgotten that the power rests in the people. In the primary, the people spoke. Sadly, their judgment is lost on Republican elitists and they are bent out of shape — to put it mildly.

Take, for instance, the current posture of some self-acclaimed “conservatives” like Bill Crystal who are rumored to be considering a third party candidate this year. My, isn’t that special?

So, here we have it: one party with a duo of flawed candidates in terms of ideology and honesty and the other faced with the top dogs refusing to honor the will of the people.

Exit polls affirm that voters are unhappy with career politicians. Given a mandate with both the House and Senate, the elected men and women failed to do one thing promised. The few who did fight were nearly ostracized.

Failure breeds firing. Well, a political firing squad uses a ballot not a bullet. Odd. Two letters can make such a difference. What scares these electioneering snobs most is that someone is going to cut off their money train. The presumptive nominee owes them nothing, and that is precisely what they can expect — in terms of favors. He promises action, not goodies.

Flash back to the epic scene in the 1977 movie, “Network” when Peter Finch leans out a window and utters this now-famous quote, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”

That, in essence, mirrors the mood of today’s voters. Just change “I” to “we” and you see what is happening. The America of the 1940s and 1950s is gone. Those whom our parents viewed as the 1960s radicals are in positions of authority and seek to impose their aberrant lifestyles on all of us.

There is a meaning to right and wrong. There are limits to what people will accept when it comes to social issues and personal relationships. What people do in private is just that, private. The White House mandate to every American school and university or college that it opens bathroom access to choice and not bodily design crosses more than one line.

The recent assault of an 8-year-old girl by an adult male in a women’s restroom in Chicago serves as a light in this darkness. School administrators should decide what to do on a case-by-case basis. Such a directive puts every child at risk, no matter the age. Can you imagine an elementary school student fearing security in a restroom? And what about teenage girls in a locker room when a male identifying as female wants to come into the shower area? Egad. I would claim that we are living in “Twilight Zone,” but that would be a blatant insult to Rod Serling.

It’s about time Americans stiffened their backs, Democrats and Republicans alike. No party affiliation should top common sense values and love of country. I was taught there is an order to loyalty: God, country, and family.

Inch by inch, we witness America abandoning God, pandering to splinter groups, and serving up the farce of “social justice” (there is no such tenet). Using these current events as a backdrop, is there any wonder that those of us who can really think are worried? Country? It’s considered passé to laud one’s country. Criticizing it is more acceptable. Family? The disintegration of the American family fuels the very fractured society in which we live.

In the words of my grandparents, “It’s high time” to do something. Freedom is not free. Yet we see more and more of our freedoms bending to the whims of high officeholders and/or unelected bureaucrats who delight in regulating nearly every segment of our daily lives, at work and at home.

America rests on solid elements of free thought and action. More and more freedom is at risk today. Turn, once again, to movie dialogue — in this case, song lyrics. The singers are Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film, “The Sound of Music.” The year, 1965. The song: “Something good.”
Andrews as Maria von Trapp: “…somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good.
Andrews and Plummer as Captain von Trapp: “Nothing comes from nothing. Nothing ever could.”
The scene ends with Maria and the Captain trading phrases, “something in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good.”
What have you seen accomplished under the past three presidents? Anything of real substance reflecting the Founding Fathers?
“Nothing…” And that just affirms those old song lyrics, “Nothing comes from nothing. Nothing ever could.” Nothing ever will, either.
When it comes to national security and economic growth, inaction is deadly. It will destroy — if we allow it to continue.
How does this relate? Perfectly. America rests on her youth, when the firm foundation for this unparalleled experiment in freedom claims its genesis. The basics of that “good” goes widely unheralded and ignored today. Patriotism is labeled old fashioned and rarely seen among many of our youth. To that end, our schools teach edited history for decades and those of us in our senior years see the results.
American youth takes center stage here. Why? Their world has never been threatened, at least not in their view. But their world is threatened, and now is the time to face those threats — both military and economic. Consider the choice. If our government had been run like a business, it would not be nearly $20 trillion in debt.
More than anything, we need management and talent. We have that today in one private citizen, who — like Ronald Reagan — was once a Democrat. Forget the donation history. Businesses routinely donate to both parties. It is standard operating procedure.
Consider that Donald Trump made the same leap that Ronald Reagan made. I wouldn’t give a fig for someone who does not learn over time and change opinions accordingly. Trump has employed more than 200,000 people over his career, and he values the many women in high positions among his companies — a fact roundly ignored by the mainstream media. His opponents, on the other hand, have hired staff members. What a contrast! I would take his business rating over television ratings any day of the week.
Do you have flaws? Undoubtedly. Does Donald Trump? Sure. He is human. But, in contrast to either candidate who might face him in the general election, Trump speaks in terms the general public understands. More importantly, he echoes the disgruntled conversations voiced around kitchen tables, water coolers, and lunch counters across America. He boils the nation’s problems down and calls them out for what they are — challenges we must face quickly and with strength and resolve. It’s time to fight. We need a fighter. The time is gone for polite words and no action.
Another warning: it took decades to get into this mess, and it could take decades to get out of it. The sad thing is that today’s media-driven society wants instant results. Leadership must convince the public that there is no quick fix. Like an athlete recovering from a severe injury, American economic recovery will not only take years, but it will also take calculated, deliberate actions held for the long term. We know what happens with inaction. Isn’t it time we saw the opposite? It’s time those in office placed country above self — a welcome change!
Remember, we’ve had nothing for a quarter century and it’s brought us only decline. Now, it’s time we had something planned to achieve a secure, safe tomorrow for generations unborn. More than any other time in our history, the future is in our hands. Think about it.
Columnist Note: Am I biased? Sure. Just as you are… I find I cannot keep silent any longer.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 229

“The Lid”

It’s always more comfortable to feel in control. This goes for all aspects of life, but the emphasis here expands far beyond the personal.

Business today, especially for the small businessperson, centers on regulations and how they hamper everyday operations. Not so long ago, I came across the actual number of regulations passed during the past year. The total was staggering.

If you are in business, or help to manage one, and you encounter the EPA or the IRS, you are “SOL.” For those of us over fifty, the letters are clear. I will let the younger crowd explore the explanation independently.

How many of you wish that you could put a lid on government rules and regulations? What about federal spending? Now, there’s a bottomless pit, folks. More often that we realize, many of us tend to relate to sports metaphors. Here I resort to team names.

Some of the NBA team names are logical. Take, for example, the Detroit Pistons. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. Miami and Phoenix team names denote climate — the Miami Heat and the Phoenix Suns. Then we come to the Washington Wizards….

Well, that opens up a whole new conversation. A wizard depends on illusion. Audience reaction hinges on what the people think they see instead of what is really happening. I don’t know how any illustration could be any better.
Like a wizard, a government insider operates with guile, keeping the average American focused on small things — all the time doing really large things that defy rational thought.

Over twelve years ago, I wrote a column titled, “Ghost Riders in the Pie.” Since I majored in history and political science and wrote my Master’s Thesis on American presidential elections, I claim legitimate background in discussing the inane policy of adding an item or items to a congressional bill that have nothing at all to do with the bill’s actual content.

This is precisely how the pork machine works. To a bill in process, a legislator adds an item that benefits either his constituency or a large donor. In order to pass, congress goes along with the rider. So, now the bill comes not only with “strings,” but also with a very heavy rope. That rope, readers, costs taxpayers real dollars.

Since these riders would never fly on their own, congressmen or senators push them through attached to important legislation. Some of the most egregious defy common sense. True, some end up as public works projects named for high-level politicians. I am reminded of the many locales in West Virginia named for Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia. This can be replicated in other states, but considering the longevity of his service, Byrd seems an apt example of such largess. Yet, most are tailored to a specific area or industry holding little interest for the nation at large.

This practice is commonly applied to defense bills or highway bills. After all, how can you stand in the way of national security or safe roads? See how it works? It is disgusting.

Today, we are in the midst of an election where someone from outside the Washington “establishment” threatens to put a lid on a lot of things: the border, federal spending, indiscriminate and business hampering regulations, funneling monies to large corporate donors or private, wealthy individuals, accepting immigrants without fully investigating their background, funding foreign wars with little help from nations directly affected by those wars
and fully capable of contributing both manpower and money….

It is incredibly hard for an outsider to make inroads in politics. Run by a media focused more on the prurient than the factual and populated by hordes of people who see their positions as “privileged,” politics is a nasty cesspool of characters.

Like wizards, professional politicians are big talkers. Speeches sound good, but more often than not are simply well crafted talks. Some of the most junior among the politicians came to office with high ideals and commitment to changing how Washington operates; but, all too often, that enthusiasm soon finds itself shackled by the entrenched older office holders. Committee chairs come with years of “toeing the line,” so newly elected members cannot begin to voice their demands for change with any measure of clout.

Something must change. Nearly twenty trillion dollars of debt will bankrupt this nation and bear down heavily on our young people. The ultimate drug in Washington, D. C. is “OPM” –– Other People’s Money — a drum that this columnist has beaten for decades. Uncontrolled, indiscriminate spending continues, and with little focus on what really matters.

Border security, military readiness and equipment, domestic manufacturing, and less federal control should command the highest response from our federal government, but they do not. Rules are only good if the feds institute them. What’s more, when those rules are “inconvenient” or stand in the way of special interests, leadership just changes them to suit its purposes. How sad….

It’s time for a lid. The person who puts that lid in place must gather together really capable men and women — people of accomplishment, people who have actually have met payrolls, delayed expansion without proper funding, people who know how to prioritize for the best possible result, people who understand foreign leaders and will make sure that America comes out on the long end of the stick for a change. It is abundantly clear that we have not seen that kind of action from either party — or any administration in particular — since Calvin Coolidge, a man who accomplished a great deal with small government.

The cookie jar has been far too available for politicians. It’s time for a lid. Will we demand it? If not, as the old saying goes, (and excuse the grammatical error of ending with a preposition) “you get what you ask for.”

Hard working men and women built this country. They asked little and did for themselves. Today, we see another scenario. We see nearly half of our population on government assistance. Why work when federal, state and local programs can equal a healthy salary? This is a recipe for disaster, and the promises during a presidential campaign should be in sharp contrast to what we have seen since FDR. No more free lunch. It’s time to get to work.

Forget the recent personal attacks on presidential candidates’ wives. Such attacks are not new. Consider Rachel Jackson. Andrew Jackson’s wife died in the wake the personal abuse heaped on her when her husband ran for president. I don’t think anything you have read recently rises that level. Bear in mind that, in the 1820s, the press was far less powerful that it is today. Reporting came in time-delayed newspaper reports, not 24-hour, nonstop coverage bordering on the bizarre. Unfortunately, most of today’s news reports resemble tabloids rather than real news. More’s the pity, both for the nation and our international image.

We were promised hope and change eight years ago. Well, many Americans had hope. They got change, too, but not the change expected. There was no close working relationship between the parties. Regulations ran amok, and we slid into an abyss even deeper than the one that we wallowed in before 2008. Real change is more than talk. Real change requires action that makes America better and more secure. What’s more, moving for that change may not come in soaring rhetoric and polished speeches. Change may come in crusty, forthright, down to earth words. Basics. We are in a mess and it’s high time we did something about it. It’s our decision.

The question is, will the old boys network win and derail the votes of the people? The answer will determine the future of what has been a really great nation. I, for one, am tired of highly placed elected officials acting like spoiled children. If they don’t get their own way, they throw tantrums. That is precisely what we see right now. If the rules don’t fit the outcome, change the rules. Their message is clear.

“Threaten to take away our goodies, and we will destroy you.” If that doesn’t remind you of today’s campaign, take a breath.

Perhaps the answer will not come in a familiar package, but that’s not so bad. Traditional packaging has failed us. Don’t just think about it, vote about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 227

March 24, 2016

“Good”

One day remains until Good Friday. Given the tenor of the times, it is hard for us to label much as “good.” Whether the countless Americans who dropped out of the workforce after trying month after month to land a job or the incipient, constant terrorist attacks worldwide, good is not the word that comes to mind.

However, even given current circumstances, we must focus on the good. We have become accustomed to evil. It gets the headlines. Sad as it is, bad news always commands attention — serving as much as a warning as a dissemination of important facts.

Tomorrow, when Christian worldwide turns their hearts and minds upon the Crucifixion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, take time to internalize the important lessons of his life. He faced down evil. He did not flee in the face of danger. He encouraged all who listened to his message to approach life with energy, putting their lives in the hands of God.

Difficult? You bet. Few of us have equated modern life with that of Biblical times, yet stark parallels exist. The evil we face has a different name, different faces, and different weapons. Yet both share ugly similarities — forcible takeover of territory and peoples, constant threats, cruel and inhuman treatment, and public executions — making examples of innocents in order to terrorize to quell any form of retaliation.

The Bible is replete with battles between good and evil. We are in the midst of one today. As you take time to reflect on this series of three Holy Days, give thanks for your country and the protection it affords you. Do not ignore the specter of terrorism, but pray for divine guidance to those in charge. I remember the image of George Washington kneeling in prayer at Valley Forge. Those of you with computers can search for the image. It will hold you spellbound, as well it should.
We need leaders of that same mindset. We are not in this alone.

As you take time to reflect on this series of three Holy Days, give thanks for your country and the protection it affords you. Do not ignore the specter of terrorism, but pray for divine guidance to those in charge.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 226

March 10, 2016

“Playing with fire…”

Rules we learn as children…. Among them is “don’t play with matches. Fire is dangerous!”

Add to that brush your teeth, look both ways when you cross the street, and mind your manners and our recall becomes humorous. We can almost hear the voices of our parents and grandparents teaching us valuable life lessons.

We probably don’t play with fire, but our society definitely doesn’t hold to that rule. Forget the matches, America is busy with a blowtorch.

Far from what detractors deem a “Bible thumper,” I do hold true to the teachings that have guided untold millions over millennia. Ten of them are very familiar. Constantly under attack as “offensive,” The Ten Commandments have been moved from public spaces with no thought to the value of adhering to them.

At a writers’ conference held at Ball State University, I attended a panel discussion of mystery writers. One woman was especially “pushy,” and lived up to my assessment in short order. A younger writer brought up a plot for a novel, including the fact that it centered on a pastor and his struggle to lead his flock in the wake of what he viewed moral decay. Her main point was holding to the rules Moses had on tablets given him by God.

After polite criticism and guidance from a few other panel members, Pushy began to squirm. The moderator gave her the floor and she took off like a rocket. She demanded to know why one earth anyone would want those rues posted in public. Her viewpoint was that religion was a private matter and Christians had no right to impose their beliefs on others.

This went on and on. Finally, in an effort to quash the ranting and raving, the moderator asked if anyone in the audience had a comment. Far from shy, I rose and spoke directly to Pushy. I remember those words as if I uttered them seconds ago.

“I concede your point if you can answer one question.” She puffed up as if she had just been given a major award. “Fine,” she shot back with a smirk.

I spoke slowly, emphasizing every word. “Can you name me one person that any one of those rules has hurt?”

The room erupted in laughter and her face went red. She pushed her briefcase off the table and stormed out of the room in what my grandmother would have called “a huff.”

After the moderator had given her the floor, I guess my question gave her the door! In any event, she skirted me the rest of the day and gave me a look that would wilt crisp lettuce.

Yes, this is a small story, but it links to one that looms large within a much more serious context.

Those of us in our “golden years,” witness a lot of brass in our society. Sunday shines for sporting events and even youth coaches schedule games that interfere with going to church. Media embraces aberrant behavior and victimization is a virtual industry.

Drug use slowly gains legal ground, and gender lines blur to the extent that teenagers have a very warped view of what it means to be a man or a woman. Government aid over generations eroded work ethic and benefits encourage cheating. Who pays? We do, folks.

The other day I heard someone describe how a young man found out that if he didn’t marry his girlfriend, moved her into public housing, listed his home address as that of his parents and took advantage of every possible federal and state program, the two of them would have more than $70K a year.

Not only is that a travesty, it amounts to intentional deception and theft. What can we expect when we trap lower income folks in a system that provides no safety net as they move from assistance to standing on their own two feet?

There is no easy answer after fifty to sixty years of this. Once, decades before the turbulent 1960s, the church held forth as the bastion of hope and aid for those needing temporary help. What was once temporary has morphed into an unsustainable lifestyle funded by people reared in households with parents who taught “PR” — no not, public relations —
Personal Responsibility.

Religion in America is in upheaval. The fastest growing churches are those who stand alone, isolated from the dictates of a national church. Many of us attend a church with a national affiliation, holding out hope that those in charge will refuse to bend to the demands of a growing secular movement.

History gives us stark and brutal examples of what happens to nations that turn against God, nations that put forth self above God, nations that ignore decency and embrace indecency. Governments fall, populations divide and brothers turn against brothers. These are not pretty pictures. I remember a well-known comment, “The wages of sin are death.” Odd syntax, but powerful nonetheless. … The “ME” generations are chipping away at the America that has led the world for hundreds of years.

America’s future hinges on the upcoming election. It is wise for us to listen to more than talking points. We need someone who defends the Christians being mistreated here and beheaded abroad. We need someone to speak for the working person, man or woman. We need someone who understands that debt will crush generations to come. Words can be empty. We need action. What’s more, this may be the last chance we have to save our country.

If America continues to abandon Judeo-Christian teachings and ethics, she deserves what she gets. The question today is this. Is she getting it now? Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 225

March 1,2016

“Whose War?”

In these perilous times, reflecting on history, many of us conclude that far too little of it comes to our students. Like warning signs, the events of our history often can predict what may be just around the corner. Would that we heeded such important messages.

Uniformed, easily identified soldiers scatter across continents among many wars in world history. Whenever possible, since the 1949 revision of The Geneva Conventions, civilian populations gained protection in time of war.

The First Geneva Convention was instituted in 1864 provided for the
amelioration of the wounded and sick in Armed Forces” in the field. The Second Geneva Convention for “The Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea.” The Third Geneva Convention for “relative to the treatment of prisoners of war” in 1949 (first adopted in 1929). The Fourth, critical to today’s conflicts, is “relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War” (First adopted in 1949, it is based on parts of the 1907 Hague Convention of 1907.)

Civilians…. We are to afford them protection. Signatory nations number nearly 200 — all pledged to comply. In today’s headlines, more and more stories arise of innocent civilians murdered, slaughtered, pushed out of their homelands — many banished unless they convert to Islam. Sound familiar?

For centuries, wars were fought among and between nations. ISIS claims to be a nation state, but other than their black flag, they operate in street clothing — often within targeted countries. This one tactic makes them lethal in what we would like to call “polite society.”

Once upon a time, Hollywood studios ran under the firm hands of men whose families came to the United States seeking freedom. Founding a new industry, their love of that freedom fueled their zeal to produce films that supported American ideals and infuse deeper patriotism in their audiences.

Oh, there are a few films today that fit that description. “American Sniper” and “Thirteen Hours” come to mind. But, most of the films portray America and Americans as villains. I am appalled to see Ian Fleming’s James Bond films slide into a chasm where the classic villain is replaced with a warped view of capitalism. Business is the villain. Yet, no other form of government has assured freedom to more people than capitalism.

It is hard to patronize films that laud casual sex, drug use, and gratuitous violence. Finding a good film is akin to finding a needle in a haystack — and since I’ve dropped more than one needle on a simple floor never to find it, that fits perfectly into my assessment.

Herald back to 1942. Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, and Dame May Whitty led a cast one of my very favorite films. Read now www. reelclassics.com’s entry.
One of the most moving scenes in MRS. MINIVER is its finale– the speech made by the vicar (Henry Wilcoxon) to the local community assembled in their war -ravaged church, the walls held up by braces and the summer sky clearly visible through the rafters overhead. This scene had such an impact on American president Franklin D. Roosevelt that, at his request, the text was broadcast over the Voice of America in Europe and was printed on millions of leaflets dropped over German-occupied territory. The Wilcoxon speech is frequently cited in books about Hollywood’s World War II films as exemplary of the kind of filmmaking that helped mobilize the United States to war in defense of its English allies.
The Vicar:
“We, in this quiet corner of England, have suffered the loss of friends very dear to us– some close to this church: George West, choir boy; James Bellard, station master and bell ringer and a proud winner, only one hour before his death, of the Belding Cup for his beautiful Miniver rose; and our hearts go out in sympathy to the two families who share the cruel loss of a young girl who was married at this altar only two weeks ago.
“The homes of many of us have been destroyed, and the lives of young and old have been taken. There is scarcely a household that hasn’t been struck to the heart.
“And why? Surely you must have asked yourself this question. Why in all conscience should these be the ones to suffer? Children, old people, a young girl at the height of her loveliness…. Why these? Are these our soldiers? Are these our fighters? Why should they be sacrificed?
“I shall tell you why.
“Because this is not only a war of soldiers in uniform. It is a war of the people, of all the people, and it must be fought not only on the battlefield, but in the cities and in the villages, in the factories and on the farms, in the home, and in the heart of every man, woman, and child who loves freedom!
“Well, we have buried our dead, but we shall not forget them. Instead they will inspire us with an unbreakable determination to free ourselves and those who come after us from the tyranny and terror that threaten to strike us down. This is the people’s war! It is our war! We are the fighters! Fight it then! Fight it with all that is in us, and may God defend the right.”
More and more American churches are falling under the spell of “political correctness.” Perhaps never was there a more important time than now to awaken our own version of that brave, patriotic British Vicar.
He is among us. Pray that a 21st century clergyman rises to speak to our nation. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 224

February 23, 2016

“Promises, promises…”

Promise: we all know the term. Perhaps at no other time do we hear it incessantly than during an election. Yet, the word boasts a much deeper history.

Defined, it can be either a noun or a verb. As a noun, we recognize the meaning as a vow, a pledge or an assurance. As a verb, it shares the vow and pledge with its noun form, but adds this: to make somebody expect something. Now, isn’t that a perfect definition when applied to politics?

Going back hundreds of years, we point to the promise of a new nation. Yes, begun by our Founding Fathers. (I hope this irks the feminist crowd moving for terms like “foreperson” of a jury. Those gender-neutral terms go on ad nauseum and — quite frankly — insult a person’s intelligence.)

From its inception, the United States promised a brighter future for its people and freedom rooted in belief in God and His word. Ah, yes, the Bible. If we can point to one source for applying the word “promise,” then the Bible, the most widely printed and distributed work of all time, is it.

People are fallible. People break promises, be they men or women. Yet, there is one who never breaks a promise — God.

I number myself among huge numbers of Americans who cringe at the United States and its current relationship with Israel. Israel dates back not hundreds, but thousands of years and boasts a God-given as the home of the Jewish people. The disintegrating relationship between our nation and Israel is dangerous and unprecedented. Never before in its history did Israel need us more, yet this administration not turns its back to the nation. Not only is it an administrative problem, but it also seems to be that of our chief executive who saw fit to escort the Prime Minister of Israel out the back door of the White House. Shocked? You should not be.

Over the past years we have heard comments such as “occupied territory.” Just who is the occupier? The Palestinians are claiming actual Israeli land and screaming for the world to back it up. What do we do? Defend the Palestinians who constantly pelt Israelis with rockets and send their attackers into Israeli streets with guns and knives to wreak havoc on innocent people.

Since 1948, the United States has stood shoulder to shoulder with Israel to fend off enemies, both individual and mutual, and put freedom front and center in the highly charged atmosphere of the Middle East.

If we judge promises on their merit, we must consider the end result. Do these promises last? Are they fleeting and only meant for an opportune moment in time? Are they made in response to an opportunity for the one who gives them? Hmmmm….. food for thought, folks.

Remember this. God’s promises are for all time. They do not have an expiration date. It is true that, as Christians, we believe that God made a new covenant with his son, Jesus. But that does not mean that we believe He canceled His covenant with Israel. Reading the Bible, it is easy to see that when a nation turned away from God, it lost His protection and engendered a very bad outcome. I fear we are headed down that same, sad path today.

If you consider a promise a cue for someone to expect something, the link between promises and politics is more than clear. However, it is critical to remember one message: a promise is only good if kept.

Coming full circle, promise and truth stand inseparable. A broken promise is worth nothing. A kept promise is worth everything.

There is, of course, a difference between a promise and an intention. Maybe we should look at electioneering and its promises in just this way. If we put our trust in someone’s good intentions, then we understand when world events or pressures adjust the timing of fulfilling such intentions.

However, we cannot turn a blind eye to the constant, incessant attacks on Christianity in this country. Materialism holds no serious power to change lives, unless you consider how it encourages greed and crime. Faith, on the other hand, gives hope to the downtrodden, comfort to the suffering, and peace to the true believer. We should not shy away from anyone who espouses a strong faith and lives it.

We need believers more than ever. Murder and mayhem in the name of God is the deadliest form of faith. We cannot allow it to gain ground. The Devil is at work in every sphere, even in the best nation on the face of the planet. What’s more, he comes in a very tempting form.

Christians should dedicate our lives to living out the messages of the Gospel. It is, in truth, the “Good News.” We need good news now. Find a balance between what is put before you as promise and what you can accept as a result. In the midst of it all, know that we are all human.

We should never turn our backs on the poor, but we should never be in the business of discouraging them from gainful employment and encouraging them to accept government help in lieu of honest work. We need to get our house in order and bring jobs home, regain our firm footing in manufacturing, and commit ourselves to building a better life for the next generation.

What’s more, this is a prime example of how attitude and values should rule. We need a recommitment to hard work and moral character. With those in play at every level of society, people thrive and work together for good.

It is fruitless to only think about today. We need to build for tomorrow. The debt of this nation is a disgrace. Once again, I recall the words of JFK, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Today, we see government outspending itself at every turn and failing to heed the consequences. None of it makes sense.

A business cannot operate without profit. It cannot continue to borrow with no end in sight. It thrives of good management. We need that right now. We need a bottom line and it should be black, not red. The most talented business people should negotiate for our trade, not political appointees or those who may have contributed to an electoral campaign.

We need to promise one another to love our country and, with that love, work to turn the Ship of State around. It is on the rocks and we are its only hope. This is a promise we cannot break. Yes, there is a big difference between the promises of God and those of man. But now, it’s our turn to make the big one and keep it. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 223

February 5, 2016

“Man of Steel”

Please forgive the hiatus. The past three weeks have been especially difficult, but only dog lovers will understand the state of mind of an owner in the wake of a beloved canine companion’s death.

If you have been paying attention over the past few years, you have noticed a not-so-subtle undercurrent among not only advertising, but also attitudes and strong character traits among our younger people. By “younger,” I mean those 30-40 years of age.

Watching the popular HGTV series “House Hunters” is a real eye opener. Disregard the exorbitant ridiculous in terms of real value per square foot. (Sorry for that comment, but as the daughter of a talented builder and a woman who oversaw the building of a fairly large home, I do know home construction.)

Witness these young people as they walk through prospective homes. The first thing you notice is that they are shopping for a home that is likely what their parents had by the time they were in college. It is hard to believe that their folks started out the way they ended not an isolated attitude today.

What ever happened to “starter homes” — those dwellings that were far from ideal, but cozy enough to shelter newly married couples determined to do better as years passed? What ever happened to being satisfied with ordinary and not demanding unique and top-notch in a first home?

It beats me!

Now, let’s hop from attitudes to character traits. When I was in high school, I dreamed of going to college; yet, I understood that the financial burden would be hard for my parents to shoulder. As it worked out, I went away for a semester and then came home to get a job and pay my own way through school. Butler University welcomed me, as did two wonderful jobs. True, rearing three active boys interrupted that education. Yet, I did finish over time and graduated college the same year as my eldest finished high school.

Working your way through school was not that unique back in the 1960s. Many did it, and I am happy that I was numbered among them. Today, that “pay my own way” posture is all but extinct. Instead, a sense of entitlement has taken over a large number of collegians.

Currently we witness throngs of civics-deficient students clamoring for someone else to pay their way through school. Recently, I saw film interviews on Ivy League campuses. Students there embraced the reporter’s faux movement to do away with the First Amendment. Talk about illiteracy of government to the extreme?

Here it is in full color and, I fear, not isolated.

I can remember my grandparents saying that the worst thing that could happen to you would be “going on the dole,” or getting government assistance. My, how times have changed! When the statistics are cited, it is possible for a single mother with several children to pocket more money through welfare and entitlement programs than full-time workers.

There are, of course, many parents today whose sole purpose is to guide their children to good lives by teaching hard work and moral values. However, these parents are widely absent from news media or movies.
Instead, filmmakers focus on aberrant behavior and shocking lifestyles — giving high marks to same sex couples or households absent a father. When, for instance, was the last time have you saw the evening news feature a solid, two-parent family with high school children that hold down part-time jobs and go to church every Sunday?

And when a high profile person puts the spotlight on the disintegration of the American family, the media attacks him or her as if a pariah.

As a teenager, I never saw anything to equal the things we see and hear today. I know that many of today’s returning veterans need help adjusting, but I also recall clearly who came back from WWII and Korea. Contrasting the man of 1950 to many men today, I deem the 1950s man a “man of steel” — but not George Reeves or Christopher Reeve. And today’s man, generically speaking, I see him as emasculated. Sad, isn’t it?

Those men in the late 40s and 50s, many of whom took advantage of the GI Bill to finish school, went on to lead productive lives. Few of those men ever spoke of what they had seen, and yet I know that their experiences must have been horrendous. Those who didn’t further their education took jobs in manufacturing, founded small businesses and began families — with high numbers buying their first homes, and opening savings accounts for retirement.

Bottom line, they grew up with a work ethic and world-view widely absent today. Reared by parents and grandparents who worked hard, few of those men would grow old with even a small percentage of what young people expect to begin with today.

Backgrounds steeped in patriotism and faith coupled with hard work turned out men and women of stronger mettle than we see today. I can imagine those men shaking their heads when witnessing the antics and demands of the 30s and 40s set today. Evidently, made of far sterner stuff than their descendants, I believe that they would consider the mindset of parents over the past thirty years who offered their kids “an easier” life not only short-sighted, but also dangerous.

Just what will happen if this nation is plunged into really dire financial conditions? Given the national debt, that is not unforeseeable. Could they measure up to a real challenge when it comes to money and lifestyle? Are they capable of facing real trouble? Job losses? Downgraded lifestyles? I wouldn’t bet on it.

It’s time that someone stepped up in the public forum and sounded the alarm. It isn’t crying wolf, either. It is a legitimate warning.

The folks who coddled their kids and accepted and went along with the “no losers” mentality when it came to athletics are to blame for this. Making life easy for a child never prepares him or her for the tough day-to-day struggles that lie ahead.

There is no telling what is around the corner for us, but to turn over the reins to a generation populated to an appalling degree of “me first” individuals gives me more than pause. It frightens me.

For most of our history, loyalty was given first to God, then country, then family. It’s hard to fathom that in a time when sports fans seem to have more allegiance to their favorite team than to their God or country.

I know I should believe that it’s never too late to change things, but this “gimme, gimme I deserve it” attitude only seems to spread as years pass. Visit again the young couple and the wife that complains that the kitchen in the house she considers has no granite countertops and stainless appliances and the husband that wants his entertainment center and “man cave.” Well, the closest my father came to a room of that sort was his desk. And what did he do there? He read. Both of my parents read.

Oh, we had a television my folks were not only very well read, but also self-educated. I would offer the fact that the two of them would far surpass the younger set in terms of breadth of knowledge. Doesn’t say too much for our educators, does it? Today, young people clamor to be entertained. It’s as if they run away from everyday life to escape into a faux reality.

Looking back, to top it off, my parents came from generations replete with good, old-fashioned common sense. What’s more, that common sense fueled a fierce push to make sure that children of my generation knew the meaning of hard work and respected their elders.

Work was not a dirty word. It was the path to a better life. Remember, the only place that success comes before work is the dictionary. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 219

September 2, 2015

“Mis-America”

No, the title is not a spelling error, but simply a creation of this writer, a person who remembers well the day when America was — indeed — that shining city on a hill that President Ronald Wilson Reagan described.

America today is a shadow of her image forged at the end of World War II. Known worldwide as the defender of freedom and responsible for freeing more people than any other country in history, the America I knew as a child spiraled into a continuing growing abyss of debt and untrustworthiness. Although seen over a couple of decades, the low point of federal government and its operations have increased markedly over the past seven years.

A combination of a Congress unwilling to hold down expenses and a growing populace relying on the federal government for its very existence — coupled with a progressive agenda bent on serfdom for many of us — have ushered in a really dangerous situation. Today we witness the fruits of that nonsense in an economy recovering from recession far slower than it should, largely due to an unbelievable number of federal regulations aimed at businesses.

At the forefront of this is a corpulent federal bureaucracy that feeds on public largesse as if it were a forest fire starving for fuel. The fuel in this case is, of course, our tax money. In the end, we foot the bill and many of us are none too pleased about the prospect of passing on astronomical debt to our grandchildren within a society that is more and more centrally controlled.

Far from a comparison to the famous Miss America beauty pageant attracting huge television audiences over decades, instead of inspiring awe and appreciation, the current “Mis-America” should scare the socks right off of you.

Domestically? Since when have so many Americans been content to accept government support and not aspire to achieve on their own? How is it that respect for authority is absent in countless locations coast to coast? How on earth do we tolerate having law enforcement personnel fear for their lives simply in the course of doing their jobs? Why do we allow tiny splinter groups of people to wreak havoc on our daily lives and endanger those entrusted with our protection? Where are our voices?

The answers are stark, and they reveal more than we want to know about the costs of our timid complacency. Common sense hasn’t ruled for some time and I don’t see it resurging anytime soon.

When the government began to pay women who had children with no father in the home, it not only encouraged out of wedlock birth, but it also ushered in generations of homes without a male role model. And authority? Crime ridden neighborhoods buckle to gangs and we see a pitiful litany of and desperate children devoid of any dreams for a real future. God bless those mothers who do strive to keep their children off the streets and out of harm’s way. It must be a terrible way to live.

Exposure is the key here. If a child is exposed to loving themes, faith, and high example, he or she will look forward to personal success with relish and pride. There is no replacement for a strong masculine role model either in the home or at least in the neighborhood. However, if a child is exposed to violent movies, music and video games that desensitize any modicum of empathy or charity, then the child is a prime target for gang membership, drug use, and crime. A sense of belonging rules.

Consider the movies, music, and games available to our youth. The link is unmistakable. Prurient content draws children in like a moth to a flame. Easy money and reward for bad behavior only heightens the problems of inner city kids and the gangs win life after life — that is, before snuffed away at the point of a knife or a gunshot.

When you combine a large and growing, disgruntled, underemployed, angry portion of American youth with a declining job market, the result is far from pretty. In the end, as much as we are what we eat, we are also what we see and what we hear. Consider that for a moment. Filth and violence top gentility and generosity. Pulling away from our foundation of faith has only added fuel to the fire. No moral compass yields no conscience or morality!

In truth, we emulate the prime influences in our lives. Contrast the history of the American cinema. The most successful studio pioneers were immigrants who came up the hard way and fully appreciated both the freedom and the entrepreneurship America offered. Their films inspired real patriotism during World War II and film’s leading stars traveled nationwide selling War Bonds. While many of those movie stars were not angels in their personal lives, the studio heads took great pains to keep the actors’ actresses’ personal foibles from public view, resulting in stellar role models for young moviegoers.

Today is a different story. Most children are exposed to hundreds, if not
thousands, of screen deaths before they turn twelve. If life holds so little value in media, how can we expect children to value it in real life?

More than anything, the increasingly worrisome decline in the moral and fiscal fabric of the country can be given another title — but not one of beauty: “Mis-Management.”

It is not a fluke that three non-government types have soared to the top of the polling data across the country. You see, entrepreneur Donald Trump, Dr. Benjamin Carson and former HP CEO Carly Fiorina bring the key single ingredient to the 2016 electoral cycle. They are managers. This talent shines in the following, albeit brief, work histories.

Donald Trump runs a huge business conglomerate employing great numbers of people, Dr. Benjamin Carson managed the fragile environment of neurosurgery, including a team of professionals who depended on his judgment — all the while accomplishing amazing operations that impressed physicians around the world, and Carly Fiorina headed an international company those products continue to lead the world of print technology.

Today, “Mis-America” earns her name. Moreover, the American people are being misled. Investigative reporting is dead, or so it seems. Where are the Woodward and Bernstein of our generation? Investigative reporting seems to be dead. If not, someone would have uncovered why IRS personnel delayed applications for conservative groups applying for special designations as C3 entities and exposed those responsible. If reporting were alive, someone would have named those within the Veterans Administration who delayed care for our vets and cost lives in the process. Yes, veterans died due to delays in diagnosis and care. Those VA employees should have been fired immediately. No firings yet!

If we saw good investigative, unbiased reporting, billions of dollars would not have been channeled to so-called “green companies” –- all at taxpayer expense. Wasted billions. No wonder that many of us distrust government at its highest levels. Ponder good that that kind of money could have done if it had been spent wisely and aimed at fiscally defensible projects.

And what of the merits of what was sold to Americans —and rushed through Congress without a single opposition party vote — as a top-notch healthcare system? Why didn’t the Congress have to use it? A good manager would never have administered so inequitably. If it were the very best form of health care, then why allow anyone to opt out? The answer is that the favoritism of inequality equals the death of freedom. Shoving something down the people’s throats without public input is tantamount to tyranny. Oh, this administration pushes inequality when it suits their agenda, as in the nebulous area of salaries, but it totally ignores inequality in its own practices.

Lastly, “Mis-America” misinforms. Because leisure and entertainment rule among a large sector of the population, far too many people pay little attention to the political pulse. Remember this: a misinformed public will fall for anything. Run the gamut here from “If you like your health plan, you can keep your health plan,” to “Global warming is settled science.” Oh, please. Science, in and of itself, evolves constantly. Otherwise, there would be no breakthroughs and we would be stuck in the past, never progressing at all.

A complacent, uninformed public eager to get something for nothing is easy prey for the snake oil salesman. Beware of his spiel. There is no free lunch. Someone will pay for it and it could spell your end.

Mis-America? Sadly, yes…. Not only are we misled and mismanaged, but we are also misinformed. That, dear readers, is a toxic mixture. Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 218

August 5, 2015

“Words? Better yet, action.”

Forty-eight hours remain until a stable of potential candidates take the stage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. Would that their answers equal the memorable lyrics of the music so enshrined in that building.

Yes, song lyrics… Maybe that is a stretch for some of you, but take a moment to think about the overall morality and unusually apt messages of the songs we remember from the 50s and 60s. Oh, there were anomalies with car wrecks and tragedies, but most of the songs were seminal in their wisdom.

For example, review the lyrics of 1968’s “Get a Job!” by The Silhouettes. Today’s version might be “Create a Job!” We have the lowest participation rate in the national workforce in decades. True, more and more of us are slipping into the retirement years, but what of the college graduates and even the high school graduates who cannot find work?

We can lay part of the blame on governmental demands, and most small employers will tell you that health care costs cut deeply into their bottom line and deter them from expanding their employee numbers.

Getting back to the music, consider “The Great Pretender” (1955). Let’s hope that the men behind the podia actually answer with meaty answers instead of spewing “acceptable” rhetoric to avoid being caught up in a mainstream media firestorm.

I doubt if Mr. Trump has any such fear. Not long ago, most of us thought that straight talk had disappeared from the political scene. And then came Donald Trump…. Yes, “The Donald” who stepped away from working in his father’s successful business and launched into his own. He hasn’t done badly, has he? He did not succeed by making milk toast decisions or giving lukewarm answers to either his associates or his competitors. The “Great Pretender”? Not Trump….
And then there’s the 1958 hit “Yakety Yak” by The Coasters. There are few of us that have — at one time or another — thought that political spiels were nothing more than Yakety Yak and uttered as simple sound bites. No substance….

The Miracles brought us “Shop Around” in 1960. Isn’t that what this whole event Thursday night is about? Viewers need to assess the abilities and depth of each of these men. Like the lyrics suggest, Mama told her not to settle on the first man who came along. Instead, she should take care to shop around. So should primary voters.

The year 1965 gave us Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence”, but — so far — that does not apply to a number of these men. Consider, for instance Governor Mike Huckabee’s comment on Obama and Israel. While shocking to some, it was pointed and clear. Abandoning Israel and agreeing to allow Iran to be a nuclear power is tantamount to launching a new Holocaust. It’s ironic that mainstream media have no problem in assigning ugly terms to conservatives, and — more specifically — Christians. And where is the reaction to Christian beheadings overseas? Just as the administration cannot label Muslim Terrorists, neither can it identify those beheaded as Christians. How sad….

Even sadder is that the song title does apply to President Obama in 2009 when the young people of Iran begged for support. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the fallout of that inaction. Fallout? Sorry, apt choice, but perhaps a poor choice of words there…

1968: Tommy James and The Shondells offers another great title, “Mony, Mony.” While the spelling is wrong, the meat of the words could not be better. If there is one thing that we all worry about, it’s money. Businesses need to keep more in order to hire more. Workers need it for existence. Government needs to bring it in huge amounts. However, it needs to adopt a fair tax that applies to all. Yes, good old money. In short, money makes this nation hum. No lyrics needed for that tune.

If you doubt that, take a look at Greece. My, isn’t it the model of success for socialist policies? But, I digress. Back to the music….

1969 brings two titles to conclude this column.

First, consider Led Zeppelin’s “Dazed and Confused.” What better adjectives to describe the middle class across the nation, and — more specifically — the inner city families who hoped that the first black president would bring help to their neighborhoods? Nothing like that happened, and crime rates have continued to skyrocket in the inner cities around the country.

The Beatles close this column with what should be the goal of the next man to bring his acumen and determination into the Oval Office, “Come Together.”

At over seventy, I remember clearly every president back to Eisenhower. I have never seen or heard more divisive statements than those uttered by our current president over his terms in office.

We, as Americans, deserve better than this. We deserve a return to true representative government. We deserve a president committed to ridding us of mammoth federal debt, gutting waste in every government agency, dismantling the Department of Education, and returning lawmaking to the congress instead of ignoring its implementation by the judicial branch.

Lest the ground shake above the graves of each and every Founding Father, Americans need to demand a return to the government they envisioned and one that Benjamin Franklin, in particular, feared would not last. Recall his comment when a woman asked if the US constituted a democracy. His reply, “A republic, madam, if you can keep it.”

Can we restore it? Can we keep it? Pray that we can. Heed carefully the words of those who step up to the podia on Thursday night. The venue could not be more apt. “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”? You bet! We need to rock the political establishment and roll forward to a better future.

Think about it.

IN DEFENSE OF COMMON SENSE
By Hetty Gray

# 217

“Gullible’sTravels”

July 15, 2015

It seems as if Rod Serling is writing the copy for our news these days. Surely this must be the twilight zone. America, the country that would never negotiate with terrorists, sitting down with the Iranian government leaders to write a deal that even Serling would recognize as science fiction.

Most of us know how we came to this point, but we worry that a good portion of the electorate has come to only view the government as a source of income and ignores the primary responsibility of protecting the American people.

Government expansion defies all common sense. It virtually has its nose in everything from what you put in your tank to what you put in your mouth. And as far as foreign policy goes, it went….

How’s that “reset button” going with Russia? What about recognizing Cuba without any mention of human rights? Add to that Iran, and all I can summarize with is that our former and current Secretaries of State fit a slightly altered title of a popular children’s story: “Gullible Travels.”

It works, doesn’t it? These two people and our president are naïve to the point of disbelief. They amass a lot of air miles; but, in all their travels, they make a serious mistake. They ignore history. They ignore history. They side step the fact that four Americans are held or missing in Iran today as we transfer billion of dollars that will undoubtedly funnel arms and aid to the terrorists that they support in Israel, Iraq, North Africa, Yemen, and Egypt. Even in the midst of the negotiations, the head of the Iranian government led the chant, “Death to America. Death to Israel.” So just what has our administration done? It has penned an agreement with a nation bent on our destruction. And so I assign them a new title, and not one of presidential appointment or assumed coronation. They are not “The Incredibles,” but they are the “Gullibles.”

I see them that way. What about you? Think about it.