Not My Moral Voice

A little while ago I was watching Larry King interview a very successful singer/songwriter/musician who will remain anonymous. I happen to like his music. A large portion of the interview was dedicated to talking about his efforts to help stop the spread of AIDS. He became disgusted as he spoke about programs in the United States that 'waste' thousands, perhaps millions, of dollars advocating abstinence because, in effect, "It simply does not work." Um, excuse me? In the end, it's the only thing that will work. Any other idea for prevention is simply masking the real problem. Is it too much to ask people to practice self-control and to actually have morals? This man would have us think so, but there are millions who prove him wrong. His celebrity status might make him the 'moral voice' for Hollywood, but not for me. I'd like to use the phrase "the proof is in the pudding". The fact that you rarely find someone with AIDS in populations that practice abstinence while in other populations AIDS cases continue to rise is proof enough for me.

Americana?

So I was driving down Bulldog a few days ago, when my attention was drawn to a big display of "Cast Aluminum Yard Art." It includes several large animals, the Statue of Liberty, an Indian chief looking as stereotypical as ever, and some other stuff. I thought to myself, "That's just what my front yard has been missing--an almost life-size American bison stately perched on a boulder." Maybe it wasn't a boulder, but that's beside the point. Even better would be the larger than life five point buck. At least I've never seen one, dead or alive, with antlers that big. But it sure would make the neighbors jealous.

Support our Troops

If you've ever watched the State of the Union address, then you'll notice that when the president says something that the Dems like, they stand up and applaud. If the Republicans like it, they do the same. But if he mentions something about supporting our troops, everyone claps regardless of party lines. Everybody does it. Support our Troops. It's the "politically correct" thing to do. My question is, what exactly does that mean? Let me start by saying that I'm not pro-war. Who really is? But I'm all for establishing "inalienable rights" such as . . . "life, liberty, pursuit of happiness," etc., etc. . . And sometimes war is the means, which is the case with our own beloved America. So since we happen to be fighting abroad at the moment, how exactly does one "support our troops." Is it demanding that our troops come home right now? Is it proclaiming that we never should have been in Iraq (amongst other places), and the whole thing is a waste, and we're failing miserably? Because that's what I hear sometimes, and I wonder if that's how we support our troops. All I know is that we're there, and I am glad there are men and women (like my cousin who is a chaplain and has already been deployed twice and working on a third time) willing to do what they do even at the price some have to pay. I guess I'm just tired of hearing so many sons and daughters of America complain about how everything in our country is going wrong. Why not be "proud to be an American" and not just on the Fourth of July? Why not use our rights to do good, instead of bringing down the very institution that gave us those rights? So I'm kind of off topic, but the next time we talk about supporting our troops, let's find a good way to actually do it--like send a letter or a package or help out the family . . .