Voter Disenfranchisement

Well my friends, it's happened.  Wisconsin's Voter ID law has been struck down.  Quite frankly, I'm not very surprised given that our judges have been doing their damndest to steer Wisconsin slightly left of California.  No, I'm not surprised...I'm pissed.

U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman sided with opponents of the law, who argued that low-income and minority voters aren't as likely to have photo IDs or the documents needed to get them.

This is SUCH a load of male bovine excrement.  If that is the case, then pray tell HOW do said low-income and minority folks accomplish anything?  As we well know, a valid ID is needed to:

• Drive
• Apply for a job
• Get prescriptions
• Get certain OTC medications
• Transact in pawn shops
• Pick up a letter from the post office
• Mail a package 
• Acquire a fishing/hunting license
• Board an airline

The list goes on and on and on.  But wait CFR!!!  Low-income and minority citizens don't DO some of those things, do they?  Well, I don't know about that, but I DO know that one needs a valid ID to do the following:

• Apply for/receive welfare
• Receive unemployment
• Apply for/receive food stamps
• Qualify for government assisted housing
• Qualify for/receive Medicare
• Cash a check.

As a matter of fact, in North Carolina just a few short weeks ago, the NAACP was holding a protest against Voter ID laws.  And guess what one needed in order to participate?  You guessed it!  A VALID ID.  

Striking down this law has nothing to do with the disenfranchisement of low-income and minority voters. If that were the case, then why does just about everything we do in our everyday life require a valid ID?  This action has everything to do with the disenfranchisement of all LEGAL voters - not just in Wisconsin, but across the country.  For every vote a dead person casts, your vote is obliterated.  For every ballot cast by someone who has voted in another county or state, my ballot is negated.  

I'm sure Wisconsin hasn't seen the end of this fight, for it is a fight for the very integrity of the election process in this country.

Bite Me™ Gwyneth

Most of you have already heard about Gwyneth Paltrow's condescending comments about how difficult it is to be a movie star mom.  To refresh your memory, here it is:

"I think it's different when you have an office job, because it's routine and, you know, you can do all the stuff in the morning and then you come home in the evening," she said. "When you're shooting a movie, they're like, 'We need you to go to Wisconsin for two weeks,' and then you work 14 hours a day and that part of it is very difficult. I think to have a regular job and be a mom is not as, of course there are challenges, but it's not like being on set."

As many of you know, I am a working mom.  Admittedly, it's easier now that the Boy is pretty self-sufficient. I do, however, remember the earlier days.  They went something like this:

I would wake the Boy up and make breakfast, make sure he had all his stuff in his backpack (he IS a boy after all - his organizational skills left something to be desired...and STILL do) and get him off to school (cuz, ya know, I didn't have a nanny).  In between that, I would shower and get ready for work.

Off to work I go.  During my lunch hour, I would usually run errands (cuz, ya know, I didn't have a personal assistant) then wolf down my lunch with whatever time I had left.  Back to work I go.  Of course if the Boy got sick, I would have to LEAVE my job to care for him (cuz, ya know, that no nanny thing).  I can't tell you how many days of PTO I had to use for doctors appointments, a sick kid, whatever.  And I'm very fortunate I HAD PTO.  Many don't.  Those of us who live in the real world know these things.

Then off to pick him up from day care.  With no nannies on staff, we regular people have to pay outrageous amounts of money to have someone look after their children while we finish our work day.  After work I cooked dinner (cuz, ya know, no personal chef in my house), cleaned up and then settled in to coax and argue the kid into doing his homework.   By the time we were done and he got showered and in bed, it was usually about 9:30.  Add to that cleaning, doing laundry and all those pesky little responsibilities that fall on us common folk with no household staff.

And THAT, my friends, is with only one child.  Many parents have to juggle more than one.  And as they get older some get into sports, after school clubs, what have you.  So you juggle those schedules as well.

Yep - being a working mother (as opposed to a "movie star") is a breeze!  I'm so glad she pointed that out!  How silly of me to think that she had it so easy!  In closing, I have one thing to say...

BITE ME™ Gwyneth!

Lone Survivor - A Review

I'm not really a movie person.  I don't go to the movies for a few reasons.  First, it's outrageously expensive.  I know good and well that I'll be able to see it for free or minimal cost soon enough, and there's usually nothing important enough to me to necessitate paying movie prices.  Secondly, I have a hard time sitting for 2+ hours without the benefit of a pause button.  I just don't have the attention span.  Thirdly, and most importantly, inevitably there will be someone who needs a good smack upside the head.  In case you are unaware, I'm not much of a people person.  ;)

Having said that, I've seen a multitude of interviews with people involved with Lone Survivor.  The actors, the families of the brave men who gave their lives in that mission, and the Lone Survivor himself.  Based on those interviews, I decided to see it.  I experienced quite a few emotions, but surprisingly the one that is most prominent is anger.

There was nothing remotely political about this film, contrary to what some liberal "reviewers" would say.  It was the story about a mission that went bad and the brotherhood of the men involved.  It was very well done, with no political over OR undertones whatsoever.  What I took from the story was how incredibly brave and loyal these men were.  They fought, and when they were backed into a corner they fought harder.  When it seemed they couldn't fight anymore, they continued.  The bonds displayed were awe inspiring.  The mental, physical and emotional strength demonstrated was beyond imagination.  It was humbling to watch.

Now - to the anger.  In what was the pivotal scene in the movie for me...the scene in which "the decision" was made...I saw the pussification of our armed forces.  It had nothing whatsoever to do with the men - it had to do with how the MSM has such influence as to water down our rules of engagement overseas.  The character even called one particular "news" outlet out by name.  SPOILER ALERT!  They discussed the rules of engagement, the fact that there were patriots who were in Leavenworth as a result of doing what these men and women are TRAINED to do, and went back and forth about how the headlines would read should they make certain decisions.

My friends - this is BULLSHIT!!!!  The fact that the pussy assed media in this country can influence life and death decisions overseas is wrong...WRONG!!!!  HOW many of our men and women have died because they have to stop and think rather than just acting on instinct?  Seconds can mean the difference between living and dying. These brave warriors should NOT have to wonder whether or not they will be prosecuted.  They should NOT have to worry about what headlines will be splattered on the masses.  They should worry about one thing and one thing only - doing their jobs.  That's it.  Nothing else should enter into the equation.  As I was pondering the movie on the drive home, I got angrier and angrier.  Some might not even catch the reference in the movie, but it really hit home for me.

I humbly thank the men and women who serve and have served this once great country.  And I pray to the Lord above that it's not too late to save her.

Never Forget

I realize I haven't been posting and I'm hoping to rectify that.  In the meantime, I cannot let this day go by without a tribute.

God Bless the victims, their families, and ALL the troops who have and are defending this country.  I pray for you all.

Well Hell.

Well my friends, I have been reminded Oh So Kindly from the Ol' Broad that I haven't posted since...well...last year.

Those of you have been facebook friends or have read this obscure blog for awhile might remember that two years ago we had an issue with my father-in-law.  Thankfully, everything turned out well.  That time.  He is once again ill and any prayers or good thoughts would be welcome.

Combined with that is the death of someone I called my brother.  It was very sudden and very unexpected.  AB was - well - something else.  He was larger than life.  That man lived a life one wouldn't be able to imagine, except he was SUCH a good story teller that you felt like you were there with him.  He was a man who was a tough sonofabitch on the outside, but a big ol' teddy bear on the inside.  He will be missed - by SO many.  He touched SOOOO many lives.  Mine included.  

God Bless You Steven R. Fucking Hering (those who know, know).  You will always be AB to me.  Rest in peace my friend and know that we love and miss you.  

Merry Christmas

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Here's wishing everyone a Blessed Christmas

Tragedy in Newtown

The shooting in Newtown, Connecticut today seems more tragic than most as it involves young children.  As I was watching the coverage while at work today, I couldn't help but shed tears.  None of us know enough about the particulars to make any judgments except that the loss of life is horrific.  What PISSES me off is that people are already politicizing this massacre.  To be sure, I have a definite opinion on gun control and I may or may not get into it here, but not now.  Not today.

For the moment, can we PLEASE keep politics out of this devastating tragedy and keep our hearts and our prayers on the victims and their loved ones?  Is that even possible in this day and age?