JustAL Loqui

Category: Just Thoughts

  • 52 Years Ago Today

    Fifty-two years ago, this very day, I was rudely awakened in the middle of the night and dragged out into the snow.  I learned in an instant that, as a private in the U.S. Army, soundly sleeping in a pup-tent on the snow covered Rocky Mountains of Colorado is apparently a luxury that is not guaranteed.

    February’s 15 degree temperature demanded I crawl back into my sleeping bag but the obstacle to that desired intent was formidable.  My First Sergeant had other plans for me that very cold winter day.

    For the next 24 hours I was placed on perimeter guard; restricted to a frozen hole in the ground that was about 3 or 4 feet deep and a roughly 4 foot egg shaped circumference.  Whereas I was mad as a hornet and frozen to the core, I had to admit (after the fact) the view was awesome.  The only thing better than being in the snow covered Rocky Mountains is being in the snow covered Rocky Mountains surrounded by a fireplace heated cabin.  There really was no comparison to the view before me.  Regardless, at that particular moment anger ruled supreme.

    I could hear activity in the AO but most of the visibility was obscured by trees and boulders.  The longer I sat there, the angrier I got.  Not sure there has been since, a man I’ve hated more than that First Sergeant at that time. About every hour or so my Squad Leader or Platoon Sergeant (and even on one occasion the First Sergeant) came to check on me, bringing me hot drinks, snacks and meals as required. They would always chat for a minute or two; I figured they hung around for a bit to relish in my anguish. However, with time I grew to believe they chatted with me to ensure I had not faltered into a frozen stupor.

    First Sergeants control the lives of everyone in the unit.  You would have to have spent time in the military to fully understand that harsh reality.  I’ll not waste words here trying to explain it; it’s one of those things you have to live through to understand.  His intent to torture me on that day had no training value, it had no value in honing my skills, it certainly did not enhance my morale; so what was the purpose?

    To this day I cannot say for sure what his purpose was, but the fact of the matter is, had he not done that, my 18th birthday in 1973 would have come and gone with little to no fanfare.  As it is, I look back on that day with a fondness that I keep hidden away, a recollection that pops up every year around this time.

    Today is my birthday, I turned 70 years old.  I have many such memories that span my lifetime, some are good memories, some are bad memories, some are regrets of what I did and regrets of what I should have done.  I’ll not wax philosophically and say that day taught me to be strong and gave me stamina that served me my entire life.  It was just another day in the life of a Private in the U.S. Army; a day like any other that contains a memory.  This particular one was a hard day to live through at the time, but has changed into a memory that brings a smile to my face.

    Here, as they say, is the rest of the story.  A few days after this incident, while still in the training scenario, I received a package in the mail.  Letters for me during my early years in the military were few and far between, so a package was a spectacular surprise that helped ease the tension brought on by “the incident” of a few days prior.

    The package, in the hands of the First Sergeant, hereto referred to as my nemesis, was in bad shape; obviously crushed during shipment by the USPS.  As it turned out it was a cake sent to me by my girlfriend.  Sadly, the cake had also been crushed.  It wasn’t until after he gave me the package and I had opened it that I noticed he had with him a pick-axe.  He retrieved the package, gave me the pick-axe as well as my next task.  I dug a 3X3 foot hole in the frozen ground and we buried that cake with a 21 gun salute and taps sounded out by kazoo.  According to the First Sergeant, my cake had died in action yet continued to struggle and with it’s dying breath got back to the unit; and for that, it deserved a military funeral.  I don’t recall how I actually felt that day.  I think “stunned” would be a partial description of how I felt.

    Thus was my 18th birthday and the memories that surrounded it.  Full disclosure, when we concluded the field exercise a week or so later my First Sergeant gave me a 3 day pass, a freshly baked birthday cake and a six-pack of beer.   Guess he wasn’t so bad after all.

  • Our Search for Value

    The older you get, do you become desperate in a search to find value in what you believe to be your worth; do you ponder what you’ve accomplished? How do you compare to those who were before?  Will those to come compare their worth to yours? Who you are will leave a trace; the question is will it be of any value? How do you measure personal value? Is the metric you use easily attained or must you work hard to reach the level you have set for yourself?  If you reach your desired goal, do you reset the bar or do you rest on a bar that may rust and collapse with time? What is your worth?

    Is this a question you ask yourself? Are you content with what you have become; there is a fine line between being content and being complacent. What do you think? Is being content the same as being complacent? Is there a point in your life when steps toward self-improvement are no longer worth your time? Do you strive to be an individual struggling with your own thoughts and abilities or are you satisfied with living an easy life outlined by others? Do you act and react a certain way because that is what you are told to do? Is that little voice in your inner thoughts still viable: do you question when your inner voice tells you to question or has your inner voice been clouded and deluded by complacency?

    Is your value of any worth? I will not question your value; I have trouble enough sorting through and attaining my own goals. Your value, what you consider a value, is a quest you must embark upon through your own personal deliberation.

    It is said that when the course of humanity is changed it is often from the efforts of one person; not sure how true that is. It is doubtful I will be that person and chances of you being that person is slim; but if you are content and/or stagnant in who you are, your chances have gone to zero.

    I will not say you must always strive to do better to be of value. I will say if you do not strive,  you have become complacent and, chances are, you are less than you are capable of being.

  • Characteristics of Steel

    If steel lacks the characteristics of steel, is it steel?  If bread lacks the characteristics of bread, is it bread or something else pretending to be bread?  If a full spectrum color palette lacks a color or two, is it full spectrum? There are absolutes that cannot be altered and any attempt at changing what is, results in degradation of perfection (it becomes something less than it can be) or, worse case scenario, a total loss of something that can never be replaced.

    You can apply that analogy to whatever scenario you want, or you can ignore it and consider it worthless gibberish. However, I would submit, if you consider it babble, you have lost the ability to think for yourself and prefer to allow others to think for you. You accept, without consideration, the opinion of others and are content to do so. If you question anything, it is because someone somewhere told you to; you storm forward, forcefully shouting the questions with little concern for answers that contradict what you have been told to believe. 

    If you feel, without quiet consideration, or with outrageous indignation, that you do not fall into this category then you probably fall into this category.  If you fail to conduct an HONEST assessment and evaluation of who you are on a regular basis, you will fall prey to complacency and will become something less than you are capable of being.

    Question everything. Truth stands up to questions, deceit despises a legitimate question and the people who have the audacity to expect a legitimate answer.  If your questions result in anger, then rest assured you have uncovered deceitful behavior.  If someone questions you and you get angry, then chances are you are part of the deceit. Don’t be that person; be steel with the characteristics of steel.

  • Just 1 Second

    Just 1 Second

    We are all creatures of habit.  Perhaps some are more creature-like than others. But we’ll leave that thought in the shadows for now.

    We get up in the morning at pretty much the same time, take a shower, drink our coffee, and drive to work down the same street, day after day after day, on and on. Have you ever gotten out of your car once you got to work and not actually remember the drive in?  We do it so often it has become common place and unless something out of the ordinary happens, the drive is uneventful and your brain, from a layman’s point of view, shuts down and apparently does not bother to record anything.

    This phenomenon is a motorcyclist’s worst enemy.  Why?  Because every time a cager hits a rider, the first thing they say to anyone willing to listen is, “I didn’t see him!”  Now, before we go any further into this subject, let me set some ground rules.  First, the term “cager” refers to anyone in a car, truck, sedan, minivan… pretty much anything not two wheels.  Second, the term “him” in this instance refers to either a man or a woman regardless of whether the biped carries the Y Chromosome or not.  Third, if you are easily offended, I suggest you stop reading now. Full Disclosure, taking responsibility for, catering to, or monitoring your emotions is nowhere on my radar screen.

    We are creatures of habit.  We have all, for several decades in some cases, driven our cars to and fro and most of us diligently accept the responsibility that goes with the privilege of driving.  However, with repetition comes complacency.  We come to a stop sign and we glance left and right for oncoming traffic and proceed accordingly.  The brain is an amazing organ, but there is a problem with repetition and complacency—and I think it is self induced.  

    When we look left and right, or when we look in the mirror to change lanes, or when we look straight ahead with the intent to turn left and cross oncoming traffic we look for cars, trucks and minivans; many have not conditioned their brains to see motorcycles.  I cannot tell you the number of times a car has pulled out in front of me, ran me off the road by a lane change, or crossed my path as they turn left.  Some do so and never know I’m there even after the sounds of screeching tires, horns and expletives have filled the air.  They are oblivious to their surroundings and need to be put down for the safety of others.  Those that do eventually see me seemed totally surprised as if I have popped into their surroundings from nothingness, or as if a magician has conjured me up from the dust of the ground right in front of them.  I did not pop out of nothingness and I was not conjured up by sorcery, I was there all the time; they just didn’t take the time to see me. This would be the perfect time to go into the practical application of O2DA but that’s a topic for another narrative.

    Of course we have the brainless, self-indulgent, and self-important piece of worthless flesh who think it acceptable to drive down the highway or city street talking on a cell phone or sending/reading a text. I’ve even seen people drive down the road reading a book.  It is for this reason I seldom give myself ready access to a firearm while I ride.  The temptation to remove these hazards from the equation can be overwhelming.  Don’t take that as an actual threat, it’s just a flippant comment. If you choose to take it as anything other than flippant, I’ll assume you do so only because you want to, but it’s just a comment with no intended action behind it.  I will also assume most who will take that as a viable threat are the same ones who find it acceptable to drive down the road will a cell phone hanging off the side of the head.  Therein lies the real threat, the driver who will set aside their responsibility, put everyone in danger, so they can send a text.  That is a deliberate intent, not a flippantly made comment.

    Indulge me for one second.  Read the next three words out loud, “One Thousand One.”  If you read that in your mind go back and read it out loud.

    The one second it took to read those three words is all the time required to end a life.  That short span of inattention, the second it took to look over to grab your phone, the second you looked away while driving 40 MPH will carry you “58” feet (and a few inches to be completely accurate).  A lot can happen in “58” feet.  That same second is all the time it takes to end a Iife or save a life.  Just one second of looking a little harder to see what is actually there.  Take an extra moment to check the blind spot that will not hide a car but can hide a motorcycle.  Most riders will not hang in a cager’s blind spot but sometimes city traffic makes that difficult.

    Spring is here, which means motorcycles are going to be out and about 24/7.  Use your seconds wisely.  The life you save could be a family member, your friend, or your co-worker.  For sure and certain the life you save will be a family member, friend, or co-worker to someone.

    Take your responsibility seriously or get off the streets.

  • How Will You Be Remembered?

    This is an older article I wrote in 2010… but I think it still rings true today.

    I heard a line in a movie once that I thought was very profound, “What you do in life, echoes in eternity.” The movie was a fictional account of what an individual did while facing insurmountable odds. Some of you may know what movie I’m talking about, but the movie is not the premise of this discussion.

    How will you be remembered? Did you make every attempt to go to work every day and support your family? Did you go the extra step and extend your hand to others you knew needed assistance? Do you do for others as often as you can or do you wait for others to do for you? Do you cling to integrity or do you bend left or right of center based on the opinion of others?

    Everything we say, do, think and see has molded us into who we are today. Our experiences, both good and bad, have added fabric to the material that makes us who we are. Who we are will dictate our actions and our actions expose our worth. Doing the right thing is usually harder than doing the popular thing, but both carry direct and/or indirect consequences to ourselves and to those around us. Your actions will inscribe a memory in the minds of your family, friends, associates and strangers.

    Will the memory of you bring a smile or will it bring a dismal response? Will you be remembered at all? There are several names from history that will never be forgotten, some good and some bad. Names like Hitler, Gandhi, Mandela, Gangis Khan, Sgt York, the Wright Brothers, Lincoln, Stalin… all are names that resound in history. Had Sgt York not acted selflessly that one time it is possible you would not know his name and it is very possible that day during WWI would have ended very differently. Had Nelson Mandela let depression and hate take over his persona what would have been the outcome? Most of us will not go down in the history books. We will live our lives and then fade closer and closer to total obscurity with each passing generation. The best we can hope for is to affect those around us in the present and hope, once we are gone, we will be remembered by friends and family as a person of worth. If we are lucky our worth will be passed on to someone who will carry on, someone we have affected in a positive way.

    By our actions we display a right way or a wrong way to our children and those with whom we have influence. I suspect, if the truth be told, we will pass on both right and wrong; both ends of the spectrum. Hopefully the positive side of the spectrum will carry more weight… hopefully. It is a good bet that three generations from now no one will know your name or know what or who you were, but you can have a positive effect on that generation if you have a positive effect on this generation because they will pass that on to subsequent generations.

    Whether you want to or not you will affect those around you. By your actions, either good or bad, you will bestow upon someone a piece of fabric that will intertwine itself into who and what they will become and they, in turn, will pass it on to those around them. That is a great responsibility, one you may not acknowledge, but it is there nonetheless. What you do today will echo into the next generation and perhaps beyond. Please take that into account when you are faced with an option that requires a hard decision; others are watching and others will be affected. Think of who you are, who you want to be, and how you want to be remembered.

    Addendum added 6 February 2022. The two pictures portrayed in this article were not chosen at random nor were they chosen to demonstrate a specific segment of history. They just happened to be two pictures from the same era from opposite ends of the spectrum. These two men, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the unnamed guard were both at the work camp at Flossenburg Germany at the same time; one a guard and one a prisoner. Both roughly the same age, both raised in the same country, but they are remembered differently. This is the choice we make with every action and every word we speak. How will you be remembered?

  • The New Norm

    It’s now 2022 and the buzz phrase of the day is “The New Norm.” Its most recent application is used to identify the many changes in our daily lives brought on by the, all too often falsely focused, attempts to mitigate COVID. But things have been changing for a long time. Look at what is acceptable behavior today and compare it to similar behavior from 60, 40, 20, or even 10 years ago. If you are still able to visualize and be persuaded by truth, you will acknowledge significant differences and slowly creeping changes that are proving detrimental to society. Analyzing the differences will reveal to you the damage done by the “new normal” adopted by our society. There are some cities in this nation that no longer consider certain felonies a crime and will refuse to prosecute; this is an open door to anarchy. An ID is required to buy a pack of cigarettes, but asking for an ID to practice a most precious right of citizenship is considered racist. Fact is, it is not racist but using the term “racist” is a sure fire way to get what you want. Another fun fact, it is easier to defraud and circumvent when IDs are not required and we willingly accept this as the “new norm.” I challenge you to identify any behavioral change, at the social level, that has improved society as a whole.

    COVID has changed what we do, but has had little to do with a change in who we are. COVID has had nothing to do with the decline in honor, integrity, compassion, and respect. Before you go all “social justice” on me, I’m not saying these attributes are dead in us all as individuals. I know far too many honorable and compassionate people to believe that. But, these people are not the norm and sometimes it takes a little effort to seek them out. A sure way to find a person of honor is to look for anyone ridiculed for doing the right thing. It’s easy to find people who talk it, hard to find those who live it. Those who easily and eloquently talk honor and integrity often show a distinct inability to practice honor and integrity when pressed into service. A distinct indicator that shines a bright light on those who lack any level of integrity are those who condemn a person based on an action committed and then praise a different person who does the very same thing. Do they think we are blind and do not see. If you do not see, it is because you decide to turn a blind eye and pretend all is well. If you condemn an action, then ignore the same action when your role model does it, then you should consider that a trait to analyze and re-evaluate.

    Far too often the role models for our youth are fictional super heroes whose powers come from CGI or sports superstars who, when removed from the arena, fall short and are found wanting. Those who pursues honor, integrity and compassion and teaches the same are not only ignored, they are often sought out and ridiculed by the woke culture.

    You cannot accept a “new norm” and live by a code, the two contradict each other. If you live your life based on a true “code” of honor, integrity, and compassion then chances are, more often than not, you abide alone. But, you cannot always abide alone, you must seek out like minded people who live by a similar code so you can support and encourage each other when the “new normal” presses in and attempts to force changes that are contradictory to your sworn code. Standing against tyranny is a group effort, a single entity will fail with time.

    You cannot stand alone against the Woke Culture.

    Often times, to abide by your code, you must not only walk alone but be content to do so; you must be comfortable with a life detached from what society offers. Many, once they sense you abide by a code, will do everything they can to break you down, ridicule you, embarrass you, and shame you. Why? Because if they can break you down, and see you go against your chosen path under pressure, it justifies and vindicates their failures and shifts the light that highlights their faults away from them. To see a person stand firm to their values in the face of adversity – whether those values be a belief in God, a belief in a high moral standard, or a refusal to see a lie as truth or see evil as good – is something today’s “normal” cannot abide. All too often if, after extreme effort, they cannot break you they bring false testimony against you and let loose the trolls of propaganda.

    If you refuse to see evil as anything other than evil, then today’s “normal” will label you as deplorable, despicable, unworthy, and a blot on the utopia so many believe they live in.

    So, if you live your life based on a high moral value (yesterday’s value, not today’s) then expect troubled times, expect to be hated, expect to see the “new normal” suffocate your surroundings. The “woke and cancel” culture will make you their next focused target. Seek out like minded people and associate yourself with them. Dissociate yourself from those who see your code as something to attack. Disassociate yourself from those who see evil as good and see good as evil. Standing firm will win some over but most will never accept the possibility they could be wrong; even when wrong stares them in the face.

    And most important, do not hide your code, allow it to be a beacon so those of like mind can find you. Your beacon will draw in the trolls, but it will also summon the allies.

  • Who is Responsible for My Safety

    Couple of problem areas to discuss today.  Stupidity should have consequences. The results of stupidity should hurt and leave a visible scar to be a constant reminder of what happens when you do stupid things. Signs are often plastered around work sites warning of potential accidents and injuries; “Watch Your Step” “Lift With Your Legs” “Wear Safety Glasses” “Caution, Wet Floor” to name a few. Why do we need signs to point out danger areas? If the floor is wet, common sense would (should) tell you to walk with sure footing. But apparently, we need a sign to tell us because we have lost the ability of critical thought and therefore cannot be expected to take responsibility for our own actions. We slip on wet pavement or trip over a crack, it’s obviously someone else’s fault, even though 500 other people just walked over the same area and did not slip and fall. We have willingly relinquished our God given obligation to take care of ourselves and our family; it’s now someone else’s responsibility and they own a little piece of us.  That’s problem one.

    Problem two. Not only do we need warning signs to replace our sense of self preservation and common sense, the warning signs and/or notices cannot offend fragile sensibilities of the workforce; it might hurt their feelings.  A requirement to wear safety glasses cannot contain a picture of a nail embedded in someone’s eye; the consequence of not wearing safety glasses. Why? Because the picture may offend or give someone nightmares. The warning has no teeth.

    What has happened to bring us to this? We’re not responsible for our own safety but when someone else is forced to step in and protect or warn us our first instinct is to look for ways to be offended. Sign on the wall says, “Wear Safety Glasses.” Company issued you a set of OSHA approved safety glasses, but you don’t wear them because you don’t care for the way they look.  You lose an eye, and you blame the employer; employer is not at fault, they voiced their safety requirements on a Politically Correct sign, they gave you glasses.  OK, let’s sue the company and make it the insurance company’s problem.

    We are our own worst enemy. We have pushed the envelope so far that companies will check a “safety” block on an official form or give notice in a bulletin, but the warning has no teeth.  Any effort to add teeth is met with rebuke. In truth, most companies care nothing for safety anymore.  How can they? Any legitimate attempt is deemed offensive; they care about the perception of safety. It boils down to, “Can they demonstrate compliance in a court of law.” This dilemma is not their fault, it is ours.

    For grins and giggles let’s take this one more step; a third problem if you will. We are so concerned with the perception of safety we have muffled individual advancement.  Face it, most advancements (both at the individual and national level) has come about when someone is willing to take a risk. Whether it was a physical safety risk, financial risk, or, in the case of writing politically incorrect blogs, the risk of personal standing.  Don’t fear taking a risk, don’t let fear stop you.  In fact, walk up to fear, look fear in the face and slap it across the face as hard as you can, you may find there was nothing to fear at all. Even if there is something to fear, chances are you will prevail… if your courage holds.

  • To What End…

    Blogs, they’re everywhere and everyone believes their words are worth reading, and they are; but within the confines of today’s society very few people actually care enough to read anything longer than a bumper sticker. Why is that? The most prominent reason might be that after it is all said and done, “Your words don’t make no sense.” Another reason might be that you do make sense but your topic is trivial. Or maybe you’re just a lousy narrator—bad plot, bad grammar, and an inability to bring your idea to an acceptable conclusion. Possible answers all, but I think these reasons do not actually explain the substantial lack of interest.

    Ever wonder where the word “blog” came from? The origin of the word actually explains why so many lack any level of interest in reading them. With the onset of online oratory came new words to explain the phenomenon. “Weblog” was one of those new words; like Captain’s Log or a personal journal. But apparently people lacked an ability, or were too busy, to say the whole word so “weblog” was shortened to “blog” thereby saving the time it takes to say “we.” One could write a number of paragraphs on the removal of “we” but we’ll save that for later. Everyone demands to be heard, but nobody cares to listen. Intelligence is a good thing, but without wisdom intelligence is not only worthless, it’s an obstacle. The application of both intellect and wisdom requires an ability, and a desire, to listen to all sides and formulate your own opinion; to be able to admit you might be wrong. You must be able to apply historical fact to your thought process, but we are re-writing and erasing history thinking it will go away… I may be getting off topic here. Let’s get back on the main road.  

    “So, what are you doing today?” asked with a snarky attitude. “Well, I’m blogging.” “I’m a blogger.” “I blog in the morning, I blog in the evening, and I blog at supper time.” But to what end?

    Face it, you get an idea, your write about it, you read it, edit, re-read it, edit again, and only stop re-reading and editing when another idea pops into your head and you know you must push on. You post your thoughts on personal site and compete with the thousands of other short articles posted within the last 3 minutes on tens of thousands of other personal sites. From time to time you check back to see who has read and commented on your previous blogs.

    Based on reports from my weblog I have a very small following; around 50 people claim to follow my every word. OK, I’m being a bit sarcastic as I know nobody follows my every word and even fewer follow only some of my words. I have discovered the people who comment are usually the same few people. So, I ask again, to what end?

    I live under no illusion that my words carry any philosophical treasures or answer any of life’s most elusive questions. It costs money to blog. Perhaps not much when compared to a college education but I’ve seen blogs from supposedly college educated writers and I have to wonder which college had the audacity to give that person a degree—in anything. My grammar is better than some and worse than some and, thanks to spellcheck, my spelling is exceptional. Not bad for a guy went through most of life with nothing more than a GED. I did spend some time at a Community College but the intent was to meet girls, not get an education. As it turned out I failed at both.

    If you have the courage to write on a polarized subject you will be praised by some and called “too stupid for words” by others. Truth is, regardless of the subject or your abilities to articulate a thought, you are not worthy of praise nor should you ever be considered too stupid. The difference between the two ends of the spectrum is, those who “praise” you will never degrade you regardless of what you write, and those who call you too stupid for words will never offer a kind word even if you saved a puppy from a cobra. So take that into consideration when you adding worth to written critiques of your narrations.

    Let’s bring this to a close. I’m not a philosopher, not overly educated, I have no hidden super ability to answer life’s most prominent questions, nor do I really care to be a philosopher, overly educated, nor do I have a desire to possess super powers. I write because I want to; it is my right to write; fight for the right to write… Someday—maybe—surely long after I am buried and forgotten, someone somewhere may see an old picture, or maybe see an old article I have written, or see my tomb stone in a rundown old cemetery and wonder, “Who was Steve Briscoe?” Reading these snippets will tell them who I was and maybe then my words will be worthwhile. Probably not, but maybe.

    Of course, considering the speed at which indoctrination is growing, I suspect any media that proclaims the positive attribute of individual thought will be censored, erased, and deemed illegal by the ruling class. Rulers can’t rule if people think for themselves. Individual thought is the new bigotry.

    I feel a need to make a confession here, “I think it would be kinda cool to have a super power; using them for the good of mankind of course.” I know what my super power would be, but I’ll keep that to myself.

  • The Great Manipulation

    Not sure when it started but it had to start in the schools at a young age. A grown person with a well-developed sense of right and wrong, an ability to formulate original thought, and at least a semblance of self-assurance, would never fall for such manipulation. But sadly, many do. So, it had to start in the schools that have twisted the education system from a world of academics to an arena of indoctrination teaching the new bigotry.

    Gaslighting – covert attempts of psychological manipulation by a person or group to plant doubt in a targeted individual or group. The ultimate goal is to persuade the person or group to question their own memory, perception, judgment, or personal beliefs. There are always ulterior motives; a facilitation of change with dubious intent, a destabilization of a person’s self-esteem, or a desire to focus your attention elsewhere so misguided assertions go unnoticed. Tools used to “gaslight” an individual or group include but are not limited to repeated denials, misdirection, contradiction, disinformation, and outright lies. It is unfortunate that attempts to “gaslight” a person or group of people no longer needs a clandestine approach. If you call out an individual for gaslighting you are automatically labeled a racist (the new bigotry), mentally unstable, or intolerant. If you call out someone for gaslighting you will most probably fall victim to cancel culture.

    Cancel Culture – is a modern form of ancient Athenian law, referred to as “ostracism” which allowed for expulsion from the city of Athens for ten years. Current practice calls for individuals who, prior to some perceived offense, were held in high regard, to be viciously thrown out of social or professional circles. There is no room for forgiveness nor will an acceptable explanation suffice; asking for forgiveness and offering an acceptable narrative will only compound the hurling of stones by the cancel culture. You have offended society, you must pay. Whether the “offense” was perpetrated intentionally or by mistake, your “casting out” will be complete, very public, and exceedingly emotional. The intent is not to correct, the intent is to inflict pain and embarrassment. A word, deed, or intent, considered acceptable when said or done, can cause a massive backlash years later should someone ferret out your past comment or deed. In truth, factual data is not required to be found guilty of an offense, a faulty perception is all that is required. A 40-year-old is “cancelled” because of something said 23 years before. Clearly, after a cursory glance, it is evident the ousted individual is guilty of some other offense that has nothing to do with the offense paraded under the spotlights. This is easily proven when the same offense, or one much more egregious, is ignored by the same crowd who are holding the signs in the parade or operating the lights glaring down on you. Cancel Culture will roll like raging prairie fire consuming everything in its path. I should mention here, the ones who are the loudest proponents of and ostracism as proper punishment are those who are recently woke.

    Woke Culture – is a term that refers to a newfound abundance of arrogant awareness of social justice or social justice issues. I could write paragraphs about how “social justice” has been hijacked and manipulated to enhance gaslighting and cancel culture, but that’s a different blog. The term “woke” is not new, it can be traced to Abraham Lincoln’s Republican Party movement opposed to slavery known as Wide Awake and was made up predominantly of young people of all races. Being aware of events and injustices is not a bad thing, but when the manipulation by gaslighting and cancel culture are used as tools to motivate the Woke Culture then their “awareness” cannot help but be misconstrued and misguided; it will never end well.

    There are some who see the use of any of these efforts as having great potential to serve a need, to serve the common good, but they are either delusional or intent on ill-conceived manipulation. The current use of today’s “acceptable” tactics is to gain power and control by tearing others down. Like the bully who will relish in the fear and humiliation of those tormented, so fearful people will see the bully is the real coward, so fearful people will see the bully is incapable of standing on their own, so fearful that people will someday see behind the bully’s façade. Individuals and groups who use this type manipulation for personal gain are not hard to identify. Unfortunately, regardless of the factual documentation in hand, when you shine the light on them, and show in exquisite detail their intent, the gaslighted will energize the woke who will in turn cancel you in quick order.

    Gaslighting, Cancel Culture, and Woke Culture feed off of each other; one fuels the other. We’re being played by the puppet master.

  • A Prelude Ignored

    A recent post on FaceBook made reference to a Senator who tested positive for COVID-19 and the multitude, rather than wish the Senator well, blasted the Senator for having ready access to the COVID-19 test kit.  Several comments made reference akin to, “…my friend’s mother knows a co-worker whose cousin read an article about a guy whose girlfriend had symptoms but couldn’t get a test…”  Obviously I’ve applied a bit of literary freedoms with that bit, but you get the idea.

    I, being a person who has the right to an opinion, commented on the post…

    “Understand completely and agree… hopefully those who want a socialist government are watching. If you think the government ignores you now, wait until we get the socialist government everyone seems to be pining for. You think it’s hard to get tested now, wait until your socialist government takes control of things. If you have no specialty, or are not ultra-special in some unique way, then you are of no value and are ultra-expendable. They will weigh the cost of care with what you have to offer in return. This is not fearmongering, nor is it doom and gloom prophecy, it is history retold again and again. And, most important, it has nothing to do with who is seated in the Oval Office; push the Trump Hate Train all you want, you’ve been played. Welcome to the new world.”

    Of course, there was an almost immediate response that ignored the entirety of my comment, except “…the man in the Oval Office…” part.  The momentum of the “Trump Hate Train” cannot be stopped by truth or fact nor can it even be discussed using the rules of civil debate; one side always goes “junk yard dog” sooner or later.  We’ll ignore the responses as, like I say, they are fueled by Trump Hate and seldom use fact or conscious thought as a premise.

    The premise of my comment was how a socialist government will treat you during such times. I’m not privy to any decision made about the purchase or stock pile of COVID-19 test kits or respirators.  However, common sense would, should one ever consider using it, lead to a belief that, like many other medical tests, the COVID-19 test is good for testing COVID-19 and not much use for anything else.  There may be some crossover for some, but not likely is there anything out there that is, “one test fits all” product.  However, the purchase of, or who was responsible for the failure to purchase are not really what I want to discuss.  Some of you are smart and, based on the title and the preamble, already know where I’m going with this.

    willful

    History has documented over and over again, the population that is overwhelmingly controlled by the government (regardless of what kind of government), is the same population that will be ignored during a crisis; if you are not in the “inner circle” you are not considered and pushed aside (unless of course you’re armed).  As I stated in the comment that preempted this narrative, “…you think the government ignores you now, wait until we get your socialist government…”  This is a prelude that can, if you give it the chance, give you a glimpse of how the government is going to treat you the closer and closer we get to socialist rule.  A prudent person would give this a moment of pause and contemplate, for themselves, what is the probable outcome when one person has absolute power over another.  Don’t dwell on what you would do, dwell instead on what others will do given control over you; two totally different perspectives, two totally different outcomes.  I will also submit, if you do dwell on what “you” will do, you’re wasting your time.  Chances are you like your neighbor, chances are you get along well and share on a regular basis, chances are you would never consider hurting your neighbor.  But, if your neighbor has food and you do not and your neighbor stands between your child starving to death or living just one more day, then chances are you will see your neighbor as an obstacle that must be eliminated at all costs; comes from an ability to justify a wrong and see it as a right.  You might think yourself special, and caring, and all compassionate, but given the right circumstances, and no moral absolute, you would end your neighbor for a sack of rice. Let’s move on.

    Even that part of the government the leftist cling to as their guiding light and the ultimate champion of their cause have set aside the “concern for public health” and are using the pandemic to impose controls that far outreach what the U.S. Constitution allows and, if imposed, will do nothing to curb, slow down, or eradicate the pandemic.  The hijack of the coronavirus stimulus should be a clear indicator of their ultimate intent… but it is not, many make excuses for their behavior.  An article in the USA Today laid it out clearly.  Of course, this is the European version of the USA Today so your USA Today may say something completely different; I’ve come to the conclusion the USA Today is not wholly owned by a single minded entity, but rather separately owned by an assortment of entities that span the spectrum from factual conclusion stemming from logical thought all the way over to confused utterances stemming from willful ignorance.

    We have become so focused on the difference between the extremes of left and right, that we now believe everyone is at one extreme or the other and are the root of all calamity and deserve to be hated; there is no middle, there is no common ground. In our left or right focus we have forgotten there is actually an up and a down and there is a right and there is a wrong.  And, these “rights and wrongs” are absolute.  We’ve convinced ourselves there are no longer firm principles, but rather varying degrees of right and wrong; it may be wrong for one person, but depending on how they were raised, or a particular set of circumstances, it’s not wrong for another person.  “It was my right to attack my neighbor and steal what they had., my child was hungry.”  Contrary to this not so new revelation, a belief in the shifting concepts of right and wrong do not sway the factual bearing of where right and wrong reside.  If this confuses you, look up the word “Absolute” in your Webster.  I recommend using a Webster that is at least 30 years old.  Newer versions of Webster, and for sure and certain Google search engine, have modified definitions to accommodate the weak and gullible.  We must stop taking for granted what our chosen political party or our trusted news source tells us; if we are not capable of thinking for ourselves, regardless of which end or at what point within the scope of the spectrum we reside, we will all fall under the heavy yoke of tyranny.  That tyranny will see us as a commodity and if we, in their eyes, have no tradeable and reusable commodity, we will be considered sub-human and the controlling class will have no need to protect us, no need to feed us, and will certainly feel no obligation to provide us with medical care.  “They will weigh the cost of care with what we have to offer in return.”  In fact they may go so far as to make it illegal to fend for yourself if you do so without their permission.  See Germany, November 8th 1938.

    There is no doubt in my mind this country will eventually embrace socialism either legally or by deceit and all these things will come to pass.  However, I do not now nor have I ever put my faith in our government, regardless of who holds the majority.  I put all my faith in the God who created me and His Son who showed me Grace; I’m good with whatever happens.

    Final note:  It’s common knowledge that art imitates life; today’s science fiction is tomorrow’s fact.  Way back when the original Star Trek was televised in 1966 they carried a hand held wireless communication device in their pockets, volumes of data were stored on small plastic disks, computers answered you when you spoke to them, and they used prosthesis that could be mechanically manipulated by thought.  Pretty amazing when you try to comprehend such things using a 1966 mindset.  Barring WARP Drive and Teleportation, most of the fiction of yesterday’s Star Trek is now a part of our everyday lives.  Have you ever seen the movie Soylent Green?