Things have certainly taken a turn for the worst lately.  Yesterday a person drove a vehicle up on the curb, intent on killing folks, and then jumped out and using a butcher knife, wounded 9 and killed one.  He was justifiably killed shortly thereafter.  ISIS naturally claimed responsibility for the incident.  They can’t be trying to kill us off one at a time cause at this rate it will take them approximately 958,000 years to get the job done.  They have to have in mind making us afraid to carry on our daily lives and activities.  They have to be intent on disrupting us.  I can see no other reason for a small organization, hitting in commando type strikes, thinking they can accomplish their agenda.

We have allowed ourselves to be told that we can’t make judgement about individuals based on their looks, ideology, or religious affiliation.  We can’t make judgement based on generalities .  We must have an open mind about our fellow-man.  Our fellow-man is aware of this and is using it to make us more vulnerable to outside influences.  You simply cannot detail your home alarm system on the internet and expect not to be burglarized.  We need to change our attitude about those around us.  We need to use every tool in our tool chest to make our country safe again.  We simply need to be more aware.  Aware of those around us, the things they do that are different , and keep our minds on the end result of being cautious.

Gary

The recent presidential election was a study in how to win with little or no voter confidence.  Most of us voted with a prayer on our lips and hope in our heart.  One camp wanted political change at any cost and the other camp wanted to ride an ole horse across the finish line to nirvana.  We now have 4 years to learn who won and who didn’t win.  I can already tell you that the American people were the losers in the presidential election of 2016.

There are many who feel that the electoral college needs to be repealed and that our election should depend entirely upon the will of the popular vote.  Under this approach there are 6 states that could have elected the president in our recent election.  The population of these six states are more than the number of voters that voted.  Do we set up a system that has the potential to disenfranchise most of the nation?  I think not.  If your candidate lost the election, don’t waste time in trying to change a system that has worked since the formation of our nation, try to come up with a candidate that will appeal to more of the electorate.  Try to come up with platform planks that will appeal to all of our country.  Both parties need to start running a campaign on issues, not one that calls the opposition out for their shortcomings.  One might say, ” I am going to put 12 million young people to work, building infrastructure.  The other says ” I am going to put 13 million people to work building bridges and repairing potholes and I am going to do it cheaper”.  Let us decide who can do it and who can’t.  Despite what the elected representatives think, we the people, who they represent, are not idiots.  I, for one, can use the brain that I was graced with.  In fact, boasting, I may be better able to determine what is best for me.

We, as a nation, needs to take a hard look at ourselves.  We need to quit giving so much thought to what other nations think is best for us.  Our nation was founded on the principal that citizens had certain rights and freedoms.  These rights and freedoms were based on what the majority of citizens felt were in the best interest of our country.  Some of these rights and freedoms have been eroded in an attempt by a few vocal dissidents to weaken our nation.  We have spent too much time trying not to hurt the feelings of some small minorities, sometimes at the expense of the rest of our people.  Our representatives need to take a very good look at how they have voted on legislation.  Are they enacting laws that are the ones that keep our country on the path that our forefathers envisioned?  If not then they have until the end of their current term to make amends.

Gary

At our church there have traditionally been a couple of ladies who prepared deviled eggs for any and all gatherings.  No one makes them as well as these ladies.  End of discussion.  Unfortunately, they have gotten to the point of not being able to perform their appointed duties any longer.  Amateurs have taken their place.  Not to be critical but some people can make deviled eggs and others try to make them.  I am one of those who try.  I know my shortcomings.

Even when you are eating deviled eggs made by the second string you look longingly at the salad end of the buffet line to see how many deviled eggs have been made for the occasion.  It is gut wrenching to get to that position in the buffet line and find that the DE’s are gone.  What?  There were several plates of 24 eggs per plate.  How did this happen?  Who did this?  You look out at the sea of parishioners and you sight the culprits.  There are several people sitting there with 6 deviled eggs on their plate.  6 of those yellow eyed bundles of goodness.  Is Molly Manners on the floor in a dead faint over the breach of etiquette by the egg hogs?  Even though we are in a house of worship do not expect divine intervention and the feeding of the multitudes in connection with the deviled eggs.  It aint gonna happen.  Gone means wait until next time Leroy.

Chuy (deviled egg lover) Cowan

The election is over.  I don’t know who most of my friends voted for and for the most part I don’t care.  I hope you all voted.  I have read several things about people in other countries being upset and thinking that the USA has collectively lost our minds.  This is my open letter to them and to others who think that same thought.

Donald Trump is not America.  The people who voted for both of the candidates are America.  The election of Trump was a signal to those people who have run our country ,for way too long, that changes are wanted.  We need something done about our health care system.  We need new infrastructure, we need to bolster our military and we need to regain the respect, if not fear, from nations that have lost their respect for our country.  Our system of government insures that no individual or small group can long run our country without the approval of the people.  November 8th was our signal to those people that our approval has been withdrawn.  I have no illusions that the new President elect can get all our problems corrected in a short 4 year term.  What I hope is that he starts a movement towards getting our country back to the position of being able to produce another “greatest generation”.

I have always failed to pay much attention to what happens in Washington DC.  I have promised myself that I will no longer do that.  I have been told that one of my talents is my ability to write.  I am going to accept that and plan on using that talent to make my thoughts and feelings known to the people who I have helped elect.

My advise to those who have some doubts as to how the USA will survive now that Trump has been elected is that we will do just fine.  Dont lose hope, don’t think for a minute that this country is on the way to perdition.  It’s the folks who attend church on Sunday mornings, go to work on Monday mornings, help their fellow-man and love each other who make up this country.  When push comes to shove, make damned sure you are not in way of the shove.  Several times in history countries have decided that our country was one that could be taken advantage of because of some perceived idea that we were weak.  What they didnt understand was that the country was its people not its leaders.

Gary