23rd
& 24th June, 2008
New concerts announced!
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July autograph signing
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Photo by Dan Chapman ©2001
Stanyan Entertainment Group
A Thought for Today
Never stumble the same way twice.
TO BEGIN WITH
Until a few days ago I had never received one of those Barack Obama
‘pass it along’ hate compendiums; so much for my virginity, one finally
landed with a thud in my e-mail box. And it came from a friend of long
standing. I was surprised; not because a friend sent it to me but
because there was enough truth in it to make the half-truths it was
riddled with seem more plausible.
As for my friend, let’s call him John. His opinion is his opinion (or
more properly that of whoever started the chain letter somewhere off in
the blackness of the Internet.) Still, since I was one of the recipients
of this lopsided communiqué John decided to forward on I felt the least
my friend deserved was an answer. Don’t know if John will backward it
back (how’s that again), but here it is.
DON’T GET ME STARTED
Dear John,
There is much to think about in the e-mail you copied me regarding Obama.
It brings to mind what I've said so often, "the trouble with voting is
that you always end up electing somebody." But, we must vote. Because so
many have lived and died over the decades to ensure free elections to
not vote seems almost un-American.
I'm really disappointed that Hillary lost her bid to run. She has the
legislative experience, the intelligence and the passions that have made
her a great leader and would have contributed to her becoming a greater
president. Since she lost this particular shot for the presidency and
The Democrats have another candidate, those so inclined ought to get
with it or get over it.
Alas there is a much bigger problem facing us this year: Can this
country and the world afford four more years of Bush? There was a time
when I would have voted for McCain in a heartbeat but his views and
plans for the country have shifted to the point where he is now little
more than a mirror image of GW Bush; on the war, taxes, the economy,
energy, aid to our brave military forces, social services, women's
rights to own their own bodies, off-shore drilling ––– the list where he
flipped from being a fresh choice to a Bush echo is endless.
TOO LONG AT THE FAIR
Whatever Obama’s shortcomings and there are some, voting against more of
the same from the greedy uncaring, axel broken Republicans is now an
imperative. Once 'the people's party' the GOP elite have helped morph it
into a self-centered, mean group of individuals that can't even be
called a party –– except in terms of bribe taking, power swigging,
guests pissing on the rug and the furniture (furniture, in this case,
being the country) that have long overstayed an event once called
'what's best for the people.' It's time they took off their funny hats
and went home. The so-called Grand Old Party is an event Abraham Lincoln
wouldn't even be invited to, let alone RSVP.
And The Bush Cabinet in particular? This isn't a cabinet it's a
cupboard, one that has long been bare of honesty and self respect. Never
mind the chipped policies, cracked and broken promises or the beat-up,
dented constitution threatened almost daily by the would-be-chefs who ––
given the chance –– would carve and amend it out of recognition; do you
feel safer with the current head of Homeland Security and would you
trust the clueless, fumbling FEMA to come out swinging on behalf of
those displaced by the next set of natural disasters?
Fool me once.
Other than being a soldier deployed again and again to the same
battlefield with no end to the war in sight, whose relatives often have
to do battle with their own government for the right equipment to fight
that war, the loneliest American these days and nights must be the
survivor of The Great Floods of 2008.
CHOICES
Obama isn’t the perfect candidate. Who is or ever was? Most of the
elected officials we now remember and praise grew into the job once they
got elected and settled in at the position. Anyone unwilling to offer
Senator Obama that directive, over more of the same, resides in a
different America than the one I live and work in. And, John, that’s why
I won’t be passing along your e-mail to my mailing list,
Our disagreement on what or who to vote for have no bearing on our
friendship and my rights and decisions don’t abrogate yours. Differences
of opinion are why they hold elections. In fact, after giving the matter
much consideration I no longer plan to vote against a man and the
paralysis inducing party he represents, but for one I want to trust and
feel I can believe in.
So much for tempis fudge it.
Cheers,
Rod.
RM 6/21/08
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