Notable and Quotable: Saul Alinsky

"Lest we forget at least an over-the-shoulder acknowledgment to the very first radical: from all our legends, mythology, and history (and who is to know where mythology leaves off and history begins - or which is which), the first radical known to man who rebelled against the establishment and did it so effectively that he at least won his own kingdom - Lucifer."

                                         Author Saul Alinsky

Interestingly, this man has been quoted (or misquoted) by both politicians on the Left and those on the Right. Are Barack Obama, Ben Carson, and Hillary Clinton fans? Look at two different political perspectives below:

From the Political Left
From the Political Right

Saul Alinsky has also been quoted for his famous piece (graphic depiction above) on How to Create a Socialist State. 

The next set of elections is going to prove very, very interesting.

Enough!

Stop the bullying! Just Stop. Please. All kinds of bullying. On line and in person. I'm sick of it, aren't you? In all its forms. Isn't it amazing, for example, what people will say on face book that they would never say in person? That's one reason I left it.

Look at the news, but look beyond as well. It's not just Harvey Weinstein and sexual abusers like him. Bullying takes many forms as well. It happens in schools, offices, playgrounds, boardrooms, churches, locker rooms, on the highways, and in the White House. Some bullies are straight up aggressive like our current president, and some are passive aggressive, shaming people instead of using intimidation. Like our previous one president. When bullies group together, it's even worse. Just take a close look at your favorite political action group. Or sports team. Or executive board. Take a very close look. See what I mean?

Now look even closer. Some bullies are like you, and some are like me. Every size, shape, color, philosophy and persuasion. Open bigots to liberal-minded folks. It's the human condition to not only prefer ourselves above others but to make sure that we self-promote - and to make sure our desires and preferences are satisfied. 

Physical and verbal intimidation are only two forms of this kind of abuse. Sexual intimidation another. Ridicule, innuendo, and being snarky are other forms of abuse and bullying. Abuse of power from the boardroom to the bedroom and everywhere in between. The list goes on and on because sin runs deep within us. More than we admit, more than we realize, and more than I acknowledge within me. God have mercy on us all.

(Think about this- the most powerful person to ever grace the earth was its humblest resident. You know who I'm talking about.)

Taking a Position of Wait and See

New President of the United States, Donald Trump, delivered the following address immediately after being sworn in. As with every president before and after him, promises were delivered. I'm watching to see if he keeps them. Here are his words:

Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, fellow Americans, and people of the world: thank you.

We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and to restore its promise for all of our people.

Together, we will determine the course of America and the world for years to come.

We will face challenges. We will confront hardships. But we will get the job done.

Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent.

Today's ceremony, however, has very special meaning. Because today we are not merely transferring power from one Administration to another, or from one party to another – but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the American People.

For too long, a small group in our nation's Capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost.

Washington flourished – but the people did not share in its wealth.

Politicians prospered – but the jobs left, and the factories closed.

The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.

Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs; and while they celebrated in our nation's Capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.

That all changes – starting right here, and right now, because this moment is your moment: it belongs to you.
It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across America.

This is your day. This is your celebration.

And this, the United States of America, is your country.

What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people.

January 20th 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again.
The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

Everyone is listening to you now.

You came by the tens of millions to become part of a historic movement the likes of which the world has never seen before.

At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction: that a nation exists to serve its citizens.
Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves.

These are the just and reasonable demands of a righteous public.

But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists: Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation; an education system, flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of knowledge; and the crime and gangs and drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential.

This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.

We are one nation – and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams; and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny.

The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.

For many decades, we've enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry;
Subsidized the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military;
We've defended other nation's borders while refusing to defend our own;
And spent trillions of dollars overseas while America's infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay.
We've made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has disappeared over the horizon.

One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions upon millions of American workers left behind.

The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed across the entire world.

But that is the past. And now we are looking only to the future.

We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power.

From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land.

From this moment on, it's going to be America First.

Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families.

We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.

I will fight for you with every breath in my body – and I will never, ever let you down.

America will start winning again, winning like never before.

We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.

We will build new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation.

We will get our people off of welfare and back to work – rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor.

We will follow two simple rules: Buy American and Hire American.

We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world – but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first.

We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example for everyone to follow.

We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones – and unite the civilized world against Radical Islamic Terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.

At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America, and through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other.

When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.

The Bible tells us, "how good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity."

We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity.
When America is united, America is totally unstoppable.

There should be no fear – we are protected, and we will always be protected.

We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we are protected by God.

Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger.

In America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving.

We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action – constantly complaining but never doing anything about it.

The time for empty talk is over.

Now arrives the hour of action.

Do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America.

We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.

We stand at the birth of a new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the Earth from the miseries of disease, and to harness the energies, industries and technologies of tomorrow.

A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our divisions.

It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag.

And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator.

So to all Americans, in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, and from ocean to ocean, hear these words:

You will never be ignored again.

Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams, will define our American destiny. And your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us along the way.

Together, We Will Make America Strong Again.

We Will Make America Wealthy Again.

We Will Make America Proud Again.

We Will Make America Safe Again.

And, Yes, Together, We Will Make America Great Again. Thank you, God Bless You, And God Bless America.

(Photograph copyright REUTERS/CARLOS BARRIA)

Strange Gym Interactions

Strange interactions at the gym seem to come in spurts. A few days ago, I was in the locker room changing into my work out clothes, and this crazy guy with dark sunglasses comes into the room. He starts talking to himself about how things will change under President elect Trump, and how he doesn't want any more "White guys coming into the country". Then he starts getting louder and louder, his pony tale flying behind him. 

I choose to ignore him. Especially as I'm the only other person in the room. Not wanting to start a fight, I don't respond as his words get more and more inflammatory.

Later on the gym floor, he begins walking up to other white guys trying to start a disturbance, saying more racist things. (Yes,  friends, people of color can be racists too!) Eventually, I finish my workout, full of sweat and pretty exhausted.  Glad to walk out and away from the crazy man.

Princes and Praises

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!

I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.

When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God,

who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;

who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;

the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.

The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord!

      (Psalm 146)

Divided We Fall

Alright folks- let's talk politics. You've read my previous post on the election day. It still holds. But let me share with you a few other pieces I found that are excellently written and make great points to ponder.

Found on Facebook by one of my family members:

"1) Remember when everyone who didn't want Obama in office thought the world was going to end in 2008/2012? It didn't. Same thing goes for this election. Life goes on. We'll endure and make it through these four years.

2) Calling a group of 59 million+ people racist, sexist, KKK supporters, uneducated, etc is unbelievably ignorant. There are other legitimate reasons people may have chosen to vote for Trump over Clinton, but grouping them all together under these terms goes exactly against the very motto the Democratic Party has been pushing these last few months: "Love Trumps Hate." So stop spreading more hate.

3) Just because I am glad Clinton lost doesn't mean I am happy about Trump winning.

If #2 specifically seems like something you absolutely can't stop doing or get your mind around as a Democrat who just watched Clinton lose, I would honestly love to have an open and honest discussion with you to try and help you see that there can be good in people you disagree with, and that we do need to come together as a country."

As expected, lots of articles are being written about a Trump Presidency. A link to the best one, one explaining why a large group of Christians could vote for a guy like Trump is below. Catch it before it disappears off USA Today. It's just too objective to last for long in a news format that is losing its balance on reporting vs. propaganda. 

Best article so far. (11/11/16- and another one!)

Regardless, we need to work together as a country, and we need to pray for it. The world is watching. Will democracy fail because the extreme liberal left is angry about the results? I hope not.

The Businessman or the Politician

Well, today is the day that one of the greatest free countries ever known to grace this earth will choose its next leader. But what a horrible choice we have!

Who will it be? The pompous, foolish, loose-tongued, hateful, self-serving, sex predator businessman worth millions or the arrogant, self-serving, Christian- hating millionaire career politician criminal who covered up the acts of a sex predator? They are both disgusting in my view, and like you and me, they need to repent from their sin. Each give lip service to faith in Jesus Christ, but neither of their lives reflect it. 

Is this really the best we Americans can do? Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will be the next president. There's no turning back now. Either way, America loses.

My trust rests in no party and in no man or woman. And that view is about to be severely tested. Severely.

Proverbs 29: 2 says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people mourn." 

As a nation that has largely turned away from God, I'm afraid that we are getting what we deserve. Lord, have mercy on us!

Notable and Quotable: Joseph Stalin

"It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything."
                                          Joseph Stalin 

Dumb and Dumber

How our great nation has fallen! We have succumbed to this duo as our Presidential candidates? Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are the best we can do? (No, Bernie Sanders isn't any better!) I'm not ashamed to be an American- at least when it stood for something. Now, I'm just embarrassed for our nation. God save us!

We Could Do Much Worse

Would Tim Tebow really consider a career in politics? This USA Today article sure sounds like it could be under consideration- one day. 

Regardless of what you think of his football skill or his religious beliefs, one thing is certain: The guy has integrity and is pretty honest. That's more than you can say for Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Donald Trump. I'd certainly vote for the guy!