ONE IDIOT STOOD UP TO BE COUNTED
By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration

Some of you may recall that I pleaded with all idiots to please stand up to be counted. One did. On Thursday, June 24, 2010, one claimed his birthright when he queried, “Where is the White House?” “Where are the Senators and Congressmen?”
“Not a one of them is here!”

I’m going to attempt to paraphrase his ‘enlightened speech.’ “Last night I could not sleep thinking about this event, thinking about this building. Here we are in the Nations’ Capital and not one senator is here and only two congressmen are here. There is no one from the White House here, no cabinet members. Where are they? Where are they?”

It is with great pleasure that I tell you where the White House was, if you were referring specifically to President Barack Obama. President Obama was meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia attempting to mend some fences to eliminate the necessity for answering the red phone in the middle of the night. Thus, he was tending to the business of the
Nation. Bridging the divide, President Obama heartily endorsed the position that Russia be admitted into the WTO, the World Trade Organization, something that Russia has wanted for a long time.

Additionally, I’d like to inform you that because the Nation’s Capital has not moved to Bethesda, MD, you were not in the Nation’s Capital, my dear sir.

I listened to your remarks with mixed feelings, pleased that you answered roll call; but displeased that your cacophonous complaints spoiled the dignity that the ceremony deserved. The dedication of the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD was a cause for elation and celebration. The $65,000,000.00 72,000 square foot state-of-the-art center dedicated to the diagnosis and clinical care of service members suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post traumatic stress syndrome (PTS) was built and paid for with private donations given to the military. Lacking both in class and candor, you misspoke because like most idiots, you were devoid of facts. Of course, absence of facts has never stopped the babbling of idiots.

I have to ask you were you equally concerned when Walter Reed Hospital and other veterans’ hospitals were neglected and were operating in disrepair? After an expose in the Washington Post in 2007, it came to light that a name familiar with troublesome ventures was named. The contract for maintenance was awarded to former executives with Kellog, Brown and Root, a subsidiary of Haliburton. Coincidentally, Haliburton’s name came up with some problems with overbilling and other problems with their contract in Iraq. Now with the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill, again the name Haliburton comes up. I’m beginning to wonder if there is a pattern developing. I am positive that you must have vented your fury about these disastrous events.

I am certain that you must be cognizant of the fact that to their credit both the President and Mrs. Obama have advocated for veterans and their families in order to make conditions better for them. President Obama tried to get a more substantial raise in the pay for service people; but, typically the opposition party blocked the effort. Have you ever taken the time to applaud them for that?

Now, let me tell you something about the absence of Secretary Gates who was scheduled to be there. All of us who were awake were aware of the fact that we had a general with motor mouth syndrome who had to be relieved of duty in Afghanistan. It was important that the Secretary be involved in the transition to make certain that a change in leadership would not create a lack of continuity in our efforts to carry out the mission in Afghanistan.
There is as pointy hat awaiting you. You have earned it. I have made several because daily the idiots are opening their mouths to prove to us that they have earned their stripes and their pointy hats. I’m so glad you answered roll call. You have a lot of company so don’t worry, don’t lose any sleep because you won’t be lonely or look odd for many will be wearing a pointy hat just like yours.

I’m sorry about the fact that your hat is not personalized but I could not find your name. Wear it as it is. As soon as I learn your name, I will personalize it for you.

THE COLOR OF MY HEART IS RED
By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration

As a young teacher, I was assigned to a predominantly white school on the near west side of the City of Chicago. I wanted to request a transfer because I wanted to teach children of African descent. I had nothing against white children, but I knew unequivocally that they were already exposed to a much better education depending upon class and status. I also knew unequivocally, that wealthy white children of the upper class get a superior education compared to those of the lower class, especially those in the wealthier suburban communities. There are reasons for that. One of the reasons is that the elite demand quality schools and the tax base supports the demands that they make. The second reason is that the parents are very involved in their children’s education and equip them with whatever resources are required to facilitate the learning process, whether it’s tutoring or psychological support. In these homes there are the tools that enhance learning: computers, a quiet place to study, and books and supplies needed to supplement learning. In many instances the guests in the homes are the leaders in industry, finance, politics, government, the arts and literature.

On the other hand, in the inner cities where the community residents are mostly Americans of African descent, too often, the schools are overcrowded, dilapidated, poorly equipped and lacking in resources.

These are strong contrasts, but they are true. How do I know? I know because I have walked on both sides of the street. The elementary schools that I attended in the wealthier Hyde Park neighborhood where I grew up, were world-class schools with the best and the latest in equipment and texts. I attended Kenwood Elementary School from 1935-1940. I graduated in 1943 from Ray Elementary school, a few blocks away from the University of Chicago. I graduated from Hyde Park High School in 1946. Ray school was a pilot school and we were paired with the University’s education department. When William S. Gray of the Department of Education of the University came up with an innovation called the non-oral or silent approach to reading, we were the first public school to participate in the experimentation. My classmates and friends were children from wealthy homes. Their parents were in the legal and medical professions and giants of commerce: Kleins Potato Chips, Japps Potato Chips (later during WWII changed to Jays) Brandywein Mattress, Handmacher Clothiers, the granddaughter of Amos Alonzo Stagg, Judge Sabbath, Goodman Ice Cream Company and professors from the University of Chicago. Most of them had servants in the home and lived in some of the mansions in the area. Some of them had chauffeurs who drove them to school. They were the children of privilege. They had all the advantages that money could buy.
Let’s go back to the inner city school where I taught on Chicago’s south side. There were mobile units, popularly called Willis Wagons, classes were overcrowded and 2 and sometimes 3 children had to turn around in their seats to share a single text book. I then realized what happened to the text books my schools discarded at the end of each school year to be replaced by the latest copyright dates. In the inner city school, the texts were worn, often tattered, dirty and outdated. It was the tale of two cities: one rich and rewarded and the other poor, neglected and punished.

It was for this reason that I wanted to teach in the inner city schools where I could fully utilize all the skills and knowledge that I had gained at the privileged all white schools that I attended as a child. I worked diligently with the children trying to help them catch up by reaching and teaching each child according to his/her learning style. I had great success. I used the research writing book, written by Kate L. Turabian of the University of Chicago to teach research skills. I tailored the curriculum to meet the students where they were in order to bring them along to where I knew they needed to be. Today, I am in touch with many of my former students and I take pride in knowing that some have gone on to become professionals in all fields; one, after earning a doctorate became the head of the physical education department for the City of Chicago, there are educators, physicians, attorneys, ministers and just plain decent citizens; and, I am so glad that I could play a role in challenging them to excel.

This is being written because of what happened today to Shirley Sherrod, who, like me, had an epiphany and realized that people are people and when they need you, you respond, ignoring race, creed or color. Having experienced a personal tragedy, naturally, Ms. Sherrod viewed white people on the surface as those she did not want to help to the fullest extent. How many of you can honestly say, that you can love someone from a group that caused the death of your father? In spite of this, she overcame her bias; and, according to the farmer and his wife, who were the subject of her conversation, she saved their farm and they are now friends.

Like Ms. Sherrod, I had a change of heart. I loved my white students as much as I did those Americans of African descent. When I retired, my classes at the predominantly white school cried and kissed me goodbye when they found that despite their efforts I was leaving to become a full-time mother to my son. They had worked out a schedule where their mothers would volunteer to take care of my son on a rotating basis in order for me to continue teaching at their school because some had told their younger siblings to be certain to sign up for my classes.

Like Shirley Sherrod, I found a loving place in my heart. I pray that her life will serve as a lesson for us all and that she will be restored to her position which gives her an opportunity to demonstrate repeatedly that there is something stronger than ignorance; and, that is love.

All the ignorant should take a page from her book.

I love all children because the color of my heart is red!

IS THIS CONSIDERED AMERICAN JUSTICE?
By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration

The case of Oscar Grant raises many questions. The first question is how could a trained police officer not know the difference between a gun and a taser? The second question is the placement of the two weapons, was the taser in a holster next to the gun or was the taser in a holster on the opposite side of the body? The next question raised is the training given in the use of a taser. Are officers trained to have each weapon in the same place or in opposite places? The next is, is there a weight difference which distinguishes the two weapons? This leads me to the next and a very important question. Also, isn’t the purpose of a taser to subdue an out of control person? Can a person be considered out of control if he is face down and motionless?

According to the video that has been shown, Mr. Grant was restrained, was on his stomach and motionless. How could an officer surrounded by several other officers feel threatened by a victim thus restrained?
This leads to a very important question. Once a trial date was set, why was there a change in venue? According to the American justice system as I understand it, due process includes the composition of a jury that is supposed to reflect one’s peers. Was the venue changed to circumvent finding a jury of the peers of the citizen who was dead as a result of being shot in the back?

Was the decision to change the venue made only by the prosecution without input from the defense attorney? What was the rationale for changing the venue? Was this a deliberate attempt to predetermine the outcome?
I remember a recent case where a college student cut in line in a Wal-Mart; and, because she was accused of resisting arrest, she was given a 14 year prison term. I understand that later through negotiations that that severe penalty was lifted. No one died as a result of the Wal-Mart incident.

One begins to wonder if Lady Justice has removed her blinders and is making arbitrary decisions based on reasons other than the merits of the case.

It was always my belief that there was equal justice under the law; but, I must admit my faith and confidence in our judicial system is being stretched to the limit.

The arbitrary and discretionary authority that police have and use in selected situations needs a very careful analysis and calls for that authority to be reformed to correspond to a given situation. No one can feel threatened by a man who is face down and motionless. American justice is being compromised and that does not bode well.

We have gone on record as a nation that does not sanction or tolerate torture; and, yet there are too many instances of selective torture and cruel and unusual punishment.

I have read that the Justice Department will investigate this case. It is my fervent prayer that they will remove any sun shades and with clear vision examine all the facts and procedures that resulted in what I consider to be a gross miscarriage of justice.

I raise the question, is what transpired in the case of the death of Oscar Grant considered American justice?

CALLING OUT ALL HYPOCRITES
By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration

When it comes to hypocrites, it’s hard to decide who to name first. Let’s start with Dylan Radigan of MSNBC. In assessing the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster, Mr. Radigan, who appears to be lacking in objectivity, seems to conclude that the problem for addressing and resolving this crisis is lack of leadership.

Mr. Radigan may I remind you that all of the problems that our current president, President Barack Obama is faced with are the results of lack of leadership in our country for years, maybe for decades. Why was BP allowed to drill without following recognized standard safety procedures? Where was the Congressional oversight? How does Haliburton figure in this? There has been so much cronyism, nepotism, palm greasing, cooking books, looking the other way, and just plain corruption in our government that has led to the problems that we are facing today.
Recently, it has been revealed that one sensitive government department had workers spending their time watching undesirable videos. Another very important department MMS uncovered the fact that some of their workers were too cozy with those they were responsible for regulating.

It’s time for true confessions! It’s time to stop the lies and pretenses! Stop the game playing! It is time to bring our heads up out of the sand and look at reality! It’s time to behave like adults and Americans. It is time to work collectively, assertively and aggressively to address the very real needs of the people of this country who are suffering because of failed past practices.

Stop this ridiculous trumped up blaming of the current president for all the corruption, incompetency, inadequacy and inattention to due diligence of past administrations, especially the most recent past administration.

Like it or not President Barack Obama will go down in history as THE GREATEST PRESIDENT AMERICA HAS EVER KNOWN. This is the true problem with the malcontents. They know this is true and they are doing their darndest to tamper with history. History is on the side of President Obama. The hypocrites might just as well get over it! Republican Bob Corker, Tennessee, says the President has thin skin. It is Mr. Corker whose veneer is cracked and revealing. Republican Senator Pat Roberts, Kansas, says the President needs to take a pill before he comes in and talks to Republicans. Only a man of peace and wisdom would walk into the lions’ den which the Republican Party has become. Only a man of steely resolve would bother with a group who are determined to make his presidency his Waterloo.

I am so proud that we have a president who is mature and wise beyond his years and can withstand the slings and arrows that are being thrown at him from the detractors, the demons and the diabolical whose contempt for him is based on their own feelings of inadequacy and lack of accomplishment.

While we are singling out some of the hypocrites, we can’t leave out Republican Congressman Mike Pence, Indiana. We must recognize the number one hypocrite, Republican Senator John McCain, Arizona, who has vacillated and flip flopped on every issue he was once for, now that he lost his bid for the presidency. As a long-term senator from Arizona, why hasn’t he introduced legislation to resolve the border issues? Arizona’s problems of illegal immigration did not start with President Obama’s presidency. Because he has now become an “INSTANT EXPERT” on everything, is McCain suffering from amnesia? If 6.000 members of the National Guard were required to guard the borders, when the Republicans had the majority, why wasn’t this done?

For the thinking people of America; and, I sincerely hope we are in the majority, our vision is like infra red and we can see through the layers and layers of hypocrisy. Our country will never be successful as long as we have people who are intentionally exerting massive energy to divide us, to delude us and to dissuade us from evaluating everything objectively, free from biases. Wake up America and let’s call out all these hypocrites!

IGNORANCE AND IMMORALITY EQUALS SUCCESS IN AMERICA
OR THE WORSE YOU BEHAVE THE MORE YOU ARE WORTH
By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration

Want our daughters assured of making mega bucks, preach abstinence to them and then let them turn a deaf ear and get pregnant as a teenager! How about between $15,000 to $30,000 to go on the speakers circuit to talk about abstinence and the perils of being an unwed, teen mother.

One American family has really found the secret to success. When so many young people are in college today trying to broaden their knowledge, we have a former political candidate running around the country giving hateful sound bites , incendiary and inciteful remarks whose being made a multi-millionaire through book deals and speaking engagements despite the fact that her very limited knowledge is soaringly and glaringly obvious.
What a mother–daughter team! They must be the model duo for the 21st Century. Forget about all those old-fashioned values and ideals that girls used to be taught and adhered to, this is a new day, a new way and a new say to raise a fortune.

Now we’re going to hear lectured to young girls, don’t do what I did, do what I failed to do. This great message should resonant well especially when the audience of young girls out there are working at fast food places making minimum wages and trying to figure out how they’re going to be able to pay for their college tuition. Are they going to think of themselves as suckers who listened to their mothers and let their conscience be their guide when they resisted the temptation of early, unprotected sex? I wonder, if instead, they say, what the heck, if I get a baby, I’ll be set for life; and, a very glamorous and well rewarded one at that.

You have to give credit to this mother-daughter team; they really know how to game the system. Have someone write a book for you, travel in luxurious style, flash a smile and soak up all the praise along with all the dollars. The ideal is to appear at political functions, offer nothing on policies or solutions that might help the country overcome its multitude of problems. All you have to do to please your equally-yoked audience is to slam the President of the United States of America, plant the seed of distrust and disrespect, fuel the flames with fiery rhetoric in syncopated rhythm and then work the crowd up into a frenzied pitch where they shout out things like, “no one is going to take our guns away from us or we want our country back.”

The unwed father of the baby has gone Hollywood and is getting offers to pose for magazines. I guess next it will be the baby born out of wedlock who will start racking in the bucks. Why not? There’s no shame in this brazen assortment of exhibitionists.

All I can say is go, girls go. You make the rest of us who follow the Ten Commandments look like pikers and nerds. Anybody ready to trade places?

TAKING A LOOK AT REPARATIONS

By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration

Like Americans everywhere, I too, was shocked, saddened and outraged when the World Trade Center was obliterated by terrorists who wanted to destroy the United States of America. I was overwhelmed with empathy and compassion for the wives whose husbands would not come home that night, the husbands whose wives would not come home that night, the children whose lives would be shattered and the parents who had the most horrendous task imaginable, burying their child/children.

I felt that a memorial to those Americans was appropriate because seldom had the United States been attacked by outside forces since the advent of Pearl Harbor.

When I heard that the survivors were demanding rhestitution or reparations for the lives lost, I was not only puzzled, but I felt a sense of outrage. Never had I heard of anyone suggesting that the families of the sailors who lost their lives on the ships in Pearl Harbor, nor had I ever heard of the families of all military personnel killed in service for their country being adequately compensated for their loss. I reflected back to the bombing in Oklahoma City of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and other internal acts of terrorism where no one in the body politic or the public demanded compensation for the lives lost in such tragedies.

Now, I’m going to apply some logic to the slavery of Africans in America. I know there are arguments that the United States was not the sole perpetrator of forcing people against their will to leave their homeland to work in servitude with no compensation as Professor Henry Louis Gates attests. It does not matter that some African leaders helped to facilitate the capture and enslavement of their fellow man. What does matter is that the slaves who survived the Middle Passage and those that endured the ever perpetual humiliation, torture, brutality, the castration, the rape, and the lynchings carried out by their slave owners were forced to work without compensation.

The survivors were forced to labor under the most inhumane conditions with no benefit accrued to themselves or their families. Instead, this labor fattened the coffers of the landowners. Much of the wealth of the United States of America was built on the backs of these unpaid workers who were devalued, dehumanized, devastated and emotionally destroyed. These are the people who did not volunteer for this forced service or labor; they had no choice. Their fate was either comply or die!

The descendants of these African slaves should be adequately compensated for the loss of lives of their ancestors just as the survivors of the families of people who lost their lives in the World Trade Center. The two situations are not even equal or parallel. The WTC workers went to work voluntarily in order to support themselves and their families. The African slaves were forced to work without any pay to sustain themselves or their families. Their ancestors inherited nothing because the slaves had nothing to leave to their progeny. Many white families in America are wealthy because of the wealth inherited from their ancestors, who as free people were able to accumulate wealth, in many instances the wealth was gained because of the free labor rendered by their enslaved workers.

Fairness and decency compel America to address these grievances. Just as veterans, under the G. I. Bill, were given points in qualifying for tests for employment to help to compensate for their service, Americans of African descent deserve to be compensated in money for the service of their ancestors.

There is no justification for denying Americans of African descent the chance to catch up. Starting out of the gate miles behind the rest of Americans, they start out with this distinct disadvantage of starting from scratch with NO BOOTS and no straps to pull them up.

LET’S TALK NUKES

By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration

There is a valid reason why many countries, especially the smaller countries do not trust the United States of America. There is a justifiable rationale for why so many countries do not have respect or confidence in the United States of America. We, Americans, of course, love and respect our country and want her to do well under any set of circumstances.

We must admit that we have always talked tough and carried a big stick and have not hesitated to use our big stick whenever we felt threatened; and, even occasions where we were not threatened. The reason why we now occupy this country is because we fought the Native Americans. The Indians had bows and arrow and we used muskets and cannons. It’s no surprise that we won because the Indians were out gunned.

In the history of the world, we, Americans, are the only people who have used atomic energy to end a war. Both the physical and human destruction of Nagasaki and Hiroshima left millions displaced and many mangled or dead.

Now we have a president who believes the combination practice of moderation, negotiation and compromise is a valued premise upon which our foreign policy should be based. This is not only wise, but sane and humane. It means we will not take unfair advantage of those who pose no threat or harm to us; and, if they do not have nuclear weapons, we will not use ours to settle disputes. The president, prudently left open the option of reserving the right to use nuclear weapons if we are threatened based on actionable intelligence that imminent danger comes from a country poised to attack us with nuclear power; and, then we will meet such force with force. This equalizes the playing field and reduces tensions among smaller nations who may feel the pressure to develop nuclear weapons to defend themselves against any pre-emptive strikes that we may launch. This they know from experience can and did occur in Iraq. Such potential can cause smaller nations to fear for their safety. A frightened people are an irrational people and irrational behavior can wreak havoc of unimagined proportions. An example of this is Afghanistan, where George Bush sent troops in to go after the Taliban and Al-Qaida. This war which President Obama inherited is now being called Obama’s war. In order to bring this war to a conclusion, President Obama ordered additional troops in hopes that a stronger input of force could reduce the time required to defeat the Taliban and to reduce American tragedies. History may not be on his side in this conflagration, given the propensity of this nation to produce so many Afgahani people willing to commit suicide in order to take out as many of their perceived enemy as they can.

Many people think that war means that we go into a country, kill a lot of people and beat them down until they surrender. There is another side to that coin – the loss of innocence and loss of life of the fruit of our wombs – our future leaders, innovators, states people, teachers, doctors, nurses, engineers and others who could contribute to society in a positive way. What about those lives? What about those mothers, those wives, those children, those brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts and other relatives who only have left a flag, some ribbons or some medals. How many of you welcome and relish the opportunity the meet a flag draped coffin as it returns to our shores after being killed on foreign shores? I don’t think that enough of us think of the human toll caused by war. War is not always inevitable. War and weapons of war should be used wisely, and with great discretion, and only as a means of self defense.

This new policy of nuclear stand down is the wisest, sanest, and safest policy that we could conceive of. What happens to smaller countries when they fear the big stick? They have one alternative and that is to develop nuclear weapons to defend themselves. So far there are a limited number of countries that have nuclear weapons and we know who they are and the extent of their stockpile.

I applaud President Obama for attempting to deescalate nuclear proliferation. The President is to be commended for making us safer by demonstrating to the world that he is a man of peace who wants to solve problems with right not might. Thank you again, Mr. President for trying to bring peace to the world through honest dialogue, communications, understanding and reconciliation. It will not be perfect, for man knows no perfection; but, it is a step in the right direction and our children and their children will thank you for making the world a more tranquil place where they can grow up without the fear of war.

According to the Bible, there will be wars and rumors of wars, but we owe it to ourselves to keep them to a minimum.

THE RIGHTIES ARE COMING! THE RIGHTIES ARE COMING!
By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration

In a right wing e-mail being circulated to paralyze you with fear, they are circulating one with the heading,
“BOY, THINGS ARE GOING TO GET UGLY”
“YOU’D BETTER WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!"
“So you think you live in a free country.Boy have you got a surprise coming.A License will be required for your house…no longer just for cars and mobile homes…Thinking about selling your house? Take a look at H. R……..”

Let me tell you what I know as a Real Estate Broker/Owner and a homeowner.
1. Many local municipalities and the government already have rules and codes on their books that mandate some of the things discussed here.
a. FHA requires homeowners to upgrade their electric: no fuse boxesmust have at least 100 amp service, many require 220.
b. FHA requires homeowners in homes built before 1978 to scrape and paint interior and exterior where there is peeling paint to protect children from lead poisoning (yet they import toys from China loaded with lead) b.f. Obama (before Obama).
c. FHA requires hand rails on stair cases.
d. FHA requires that no railings be wide enough for a child's head to get wedged in.
e. FHA requires that all windows be operational and in good repair.
f. FHA requires that concrete not have cracks that will cause one to trip. In other words FHA inspects for health and safety factors; and, home buyers must be given a booklet advising them of lead-based paint hazards, now radon, asbestos and mold are included.

2. Some villages require that the extra lock in interior/exterior doors have flip locks for ease of egress in case of emergency.

3. Some upscale villages have point-of-sale or occupancy requirement s and sellers must comply with those standards before a certificate of occupancy can be granted.

4. Some municipalities forbid the parking of work vehicles overnight in the homeowner’s driveway.

5. Some municipalities forbid parking on the street after certain early morning hours, l. e. no parking after 3:00 a.m.

6. Some municipalities require that garbage cans not be out earlier than the night before pick up and removed that day after being emptied.

7. Some municipalities forbid the cutting down of trees without a permit.

8. Some municipalities require that grass be cut and maintained.

9. Some municipalities have building codes that restrict ones' own creativity in building and determine the height, building lines and numbers of unrelated people who can occupy a home.

10. Some municipalities require fees for licenses for dogs and burglar alarms, as well as fees for municipal stickers.

11. Some municipalities require homeowners to pay for correcting past sewage problems caused by the village.

12. Some municipalities require a license and building permit before additions can be added to a home.

To address this alarmist e-mail being circulated to further discredit President Obama, it is nothing but fearmongering. This is just another example of the right wing determination to cause Obama to meet his Waterloo. What passes for information, when it is disseminated by the tea baggers, right wingers, and lunatic fringe, is nothing but sheer paralyzing propaganda designed to reach the illiterate, those who do not do due diligence on their own, and those who like sheep are easily blindly led to their own self destruction. It appears to be the goal of the right wing to so inflame, arouse and infuriate the gullible so that they will resort to violence.

Before anyone takes the message of this e-mail at face value, I suggest you go to snopes.com and enter Cap and Trade Energy Bill. Snopes identifies this as FALSE. As usual, conforming to their attention to fact finding and research, they have even reprinted this e-mail to authenticate that the e-mail circulating is based on lies and a deliberate misinterpretation and misrepresentation of the facts.

Every word that comes out of the mouths of people like Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Shawn Hannity and most of those FOX entertainers is carefully crafted to elicit the most banal, animalistic, mob think mentality. Words like reload, Nazi, socialism, and you’d better get your guns, are provocative. When the inadequate and those with inferior intellect, out of jealousy, envy and inferiority, they prey upon the unfortunate people who do not research, read or think for themselves. Those “spokespeople” have their own ulterior motives. Notice how each one of these “spokespeople” (for the average American, the little people, the real Americans) have millions of dollars. They write mediocre books, give asinine speeches and charge a fortune. What are you “so called little people, average Americans getting out of it, other than a psychological outlet for your rage? While you rant and rave, these spokespeople are constantly going to the bank depositing their bounty earned from your discontent. Compare their fees and their lifestyles to the school teachers, the college professors and other educators who truly transmit American culture. Most of them can barely make their mortgage payments, while these parasites and piranha are getting rich off of your stupidity.

Follow the money! Open your eyes! Go to more than one source for information. Look at your check book. Do you have millions in the bank? They do. The educators, who are sincerely concerned about knowledge, do not have millions in the bank. The next time you visit your child’s teacher, ask how much he or she earns for a whole year, all the while being held accountable for making certain that your child knows the history, the geography of their country, math, science, reading, spelling, penmanship – the basics - that prepare them for success in life. These educators are with your children 6 and sometimes 8 hours a day for five days a week, for a nine month school year. At the end of that year, your child has progressed, especially if you as parents, have done your part.

Now, here flies in a mouth who pokes fun at education, determination, vision, accomplishments, goals and success, this flashy mouth speaks for an hour or two and walks away with thousands of dollars, more than a school teacher, who is one of the most valuable people in society, walks away with at the end of a year.

Yes, wake up America, you are being duped and you are being used as a tool for someone who’s not adequately prepared. Their only purpose is to further their greed at your expense. Should you act out your frustrations as they are urging you to do, you will be the one to pay the ultimate price. Now you will have been double billed. You’ve been billed to listen to their bombastic drivel; and you’ll be billed to pay a fine for civil disobedience. Is the price worth it? Think on that!