2009

Can you believe we all survived 2008? Is 2009 really as scary as the media would lead us to believe? Is Barack Obama really Abraham Lincoln and John Kennedy reincarnate? Was George Bush the worst President in American history? Will Britney Spears ever find happiness? Will the media ever stop boring us with stories about Britney Spears? All of these questions could be debated for the next 365 days and never would all of us agree on all or perhaps even any of the answers. We all see things through our own set of of predetermined glasses. There are very few things that all Americans agree on...and that is fine...the major issue that I personally believe that we must address this year as responsible, loyal Americans is how to disagree without being disagreeable. Just because I may not agree with you does not mean I hate you or anything you believe...I just don't agree with you. I find it amazing that those who scream so loudly for tolerance are, for the most part, the most intolerant people around. If you don't agree with them you are not given the respect that they demand, tolerance, but you are condemned and falsely accused of every evil they can conjure up...and that includes a lot of evil. This is where we must begin. We are all entitled to our beliefs and everyone...let me repeat...everyone is entitled to fight for and support those beliefs without being falsely labeled and accused of bigotry or any other hateful term. I find that when people can not legitimately defend their position they usually revert to name calling, yelling and hurling unsubstantiated allegations. Use this as a barometer the next time you either experience or hear hate speech.

Now...with that said...we do still live in the greatest nation on earth. Never have so many people with so many different ethnic backgrounds and diverse religions and beliefs (or lack of beliefs) ever existed with so much freedom to express those views. For this we should all give thanks to God. I know that I would not want to live anywhere else. This country may have a lot of warts...but, they are our warts...let us try and live in peace this year and may God make His face to shine upon us.