My Opinion About Opinions

Back on December 3, 2013, I wrote my opinion about opinions on Facebook. The following is what I wrote:

I firmly believe that everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion and that each person should be able to feel free to express his/her own opinion without fear of retaliation, reprisal, or retribution. Disagreements happen; that is part of life. In my humble opinion, friends do not have to share the same opinion in order to remain friends. The key to me is expressing differences in opinions and perspectives in a polite, courteous, intelligent, and respectful manner, and to allow true communication to take place. Communication is a two-way process. It takes all parties involved to be willing receive the message being sent as well as sending one’s own message in order to be effective. I love to learn whether it be from sitting in a lecture hall, from reading, from watching a documentary, or from a good honest debate such as can be had from a respectful, intelligent verbal or written exchange of differing opinions and perspectives. 

Am I going to Hell?

November 18, 2022. 9:00 p.m.

I just read a disturbing post on a person's Facebook that has left me livid. Apparently, the person who posted it did one of those copy and paste things. I will be 75 years old in one week and I am shocked that someone I have known since childhood and who knows that I am Jewish would be so insensitive as to post it being aware that I would be a recipient of its message.

I have placed a full copy of that posting in its entirity below. Upon reading it, it seems to me that I am being told that I am going to Hell because I am Jewish. What are your thoughts?

Let's be clear.  If you end up in a burning hell for all eternity, it won't be because you have a tattoo, or because you have a nose ring, or because you drink beer or smoke cigarettes, or because you cuss, or because you spent time in prison. It won't be because you didn't do enough good deeds. It won't be because you didn't belong to the right church. It won't be because of that dumb thing you did that you don't want anybody to know about. It won't be because of what anyone else did to you.  

It will be because you refused to receive Jesus Christ (God the Son) as your personal Savior.  He already paid for all the stupid stuff you have done and all the stupid stuff you are going to do when He died FOR YOU on the cross and rose again. He offers salvation as a free gift because, let's face it, if it was up to us to earn it, we would have no chance (We both know that, don't we?).

 The gift of salvation is there for you to receive. 💓 The decision is totally up to you. The price for your sins has been paid, the way to heaven for you has been made. If you end up in a burning hell for all eternity, you have no one to blame but yourself.

—copied and pasted

 Anti-Semitism is on the rise throughout the world, including the United States of America where hate crimes against Jews have been dramatically increasing.

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Why Vote?

"A recent Pew Research Center study found that only one in three Americans can name one of three branches of government. This shows just how little emphasis is being placed on teaching American ideals and values in our schools. It's time to address the glaring lack of civics education in America." 

ref: Public Civics Online

"Voting gets this writer’s vote every time as the most vital of all cherished civil liberties enjoyed by U.S. citizens. The underlying rationale is dual-pronged and hinges on two indisputable facts. The first is automatic forfeiture of any right to complain about self-imposed adverse circumstances. Secondly, as Boston Tea Party antagonists aptly noted, one cannot expect meaningful relief from burdensome taxation absent zealous representation." 

ref: Reasons why you should vote

Life is a Double-Edged Sword

The Answer to a Secure Southern Border for the U.S.A.

American Political Conservatives just may have the solution to securing the U.S.A. Southern Border, and it costs absolutely Zero Dollars.

My Opinion About Stupidity and MAGA Republican Trump Supporters

This meme says it all for me!

Oh, and by the way, it is my opinion that MAGA Republican Trump Supporters perfectly fit this definition of stupidiy.

Education Begins At Home.

School starts this month and I want to ask you a favor. 

Sit down with your child for 5 minutes and explain to him or her that being very tall, short, chubby, skinny or a different skin color is not a reason to laugh at someone, nor is it a reason to laugh, make fun of, ridicule, or taunt another student if he or she wears the same shoes every day. Explain to your child that a used backpack carries the same dreams as a new one. Teach your child not to exclude anyone for being "different" or not having the same possibilities that he himself or she herself may have. Explain to your child that teasing hurts. Make sure your child knows that he or she goes to school to learn, not to compete! 

Education begins at home.

Thoughts about Working as Presented by Dolly Parton - 9 To 5

9 to 5

Song by Dolly Parton

Lyrics

Well, I tumble outta bed and stumble to the kitchen

Pour myself a cup of ambition

Yawn and stretch and try to come to life

Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumping

Out on the street, the traffic starts jumping

With folks like me on the job from 9 to 5

Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living

Barely getting by, it's all taking and no giving

They just use your mind, and they never give you credit

It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it

Working 5 to 9, you've got passion and a vision

'Cause it's hustlin' time, a whole new way to make a livin'

Gonna change your life, do somethin' that gives it meanin'

With a website that is worthy of your dreamin'

Well you got dreams and you know they matter

Be your own boss, climb your own ladder

That moment's getting closer by the day

And you're in the same boat with a lotta your friends

Launching ideas you all believe in

The tide's gonna turn, and it's all gonna roll your way

Working 5 to 9, making something of your own now

And it feels so fine to build a business from your know-how

Gonna move ahead, and there's nothing that you can't do

When you listen to that little voice inside you

Yeah, 5 to 9 you've got passion and a vision

'Cause it's hustlin' time, a whole new way to make a livin'

Gonna change your life, do somethin' that gives it meanin'

With a website that is worthy of your dreaming

5 to 9, you keep working, working, working

Working 5 to 9, 'til your dreams, come true

Working 5 to 9, you keep dreaming, dreaming, dreaming

5 to 9, 5 to 9, you can do it

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Dolly Parton

9 to 5 lyrics © Velvet Apple Music

Beware of Political Candidates who Spout Christianity!

Regardless of the American perspective of the "separation of Church and State" in government, many people in the United States of America today are turning to candidates seeking election/re-election to public office who spout Christianity in their campaign rhetoric.

These "Christian" voters should take a lesson from history and be extremely weary of who they are supporting for elective office in America.

Read the following quote of a world renowned political powerhouse.

"I pledge that I never will tie myself to parties who want to destroy Christianity.

We want to fill our culture again with the Christian spirit.

We want to burn out all the recent immoral developments in literature... and in the press - in short, we want to burn out the poison of immorality which has entered into our whole life and culture as a result of liberal excess during the past few years."

That was said by Adolf Hitler as part of his campaign rhetoric that got him elected as the leader of Germany. We saw how that worked out!

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. 

Let's go, Brandon!

"Let's go, Brandon" is code for:

"I'm an ignorant gullible hick who can't get over my Conman's loss and I need a new way to show the nation just how stupid I am"

Mel Arndt addresses the gun control debate.

Mel Arndt, my friend since childhood who I met during my school years, wrote on May 31, 2022 on his Facebook about his perspective on the debate concerning the issue of gun control.

Mel has put a lot of thought in formulating his perspective. While I, myself, believe the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution should be repealed, Mel Arndt believes differently. And while, he and I have reached different conclusions about regulations on guns in the United States,  I appreciate and respect the thoughts he has put forth in formulating his opinion on this extremely important issue in America today.

The following is a copy and paste of what my friend Mel posted on his Facebook.

I've listened to all the arguments about guns and gun control. The latest shooter acquired his rifles legally. I'm not sure gun control is the be all end all solution to this problem. It may help, but ultimately will fall short. I believe this is just one symptom of a much bigger problem and until it is addressed this problem will not go away.

     My Dad was a hunter and owned several rifles and a shotgun. None of them was semiautomatic. No need to be.

     Neither I or my friends ever considered using a gun against another person. Born in 1947 the memory of WWII still loomed large. I had cap guns. We often played war. That didn't result in shootings. We also were not inundated with films or programs where a gun is used to solve problems with seemingly no consequences.

     Something has happened to cause these events. My personal belief is that since Nixon the average citizen has had opportunities snatched from their grasp. Wages have been essentially stagnate. Prices have gone through the roof! When I graduated one could reasonably expect to work a Summer job and could put by enough to cover attending a university or college. Try that today! I worked in a small off campus bar and was paid $20 per night. I could work as much or as little as I chose. I usually worked 4 or 5 nights per week. My apartment rent was $90 a month and included utilities. I covered that easily!  It fell within the common wisdom of the day that housing should not exceed 25% of your income. Even if you were paid $15/hour now it would not meet that criteria!!! One could also have a job that you could work until retirement. I wouldn't want to be a young person now. I would be frustrated at every turn!!

      We need to end violence in games, television and films that show individuals using guns to solve problems with no consequences!

      We need to provide free medical care for everyone! Supposedly being the richest nation on the planet we are told we can't afford it. If that is the case why are we the only industrialized nation that can't?

     We need to assure our representatives are working for EVERYONE not just those with deep pockets. We have no plan for where we wanted our nation to be in 10, 20 or 50 years. There should be no agreements to vote as a block before they attend the first session. Term limits will not fix this. We already have term limits....   They are disguised as elections.

     We need to stop the dissemination of false information. 

     We need to provide education for everyone at no cost. Other countries do somehow. Others also give student a basic income while in school.

     We need to assure that no one goes hungry. 

No one should go to bed hungry. Ever.

     We need to eliminate discrimination. No one group, race or religion should be excluded for the sole reason other than being born into the wrong sex, color or religion. 

      Until these issues have been addressed we will never solve the gun issue. We have some unworldly number of guns in our country. Even if we banned all of them there are enough already out there to last centuries! Until we eliminate the root causes for these shootings they will never end.

     Just my opinion. Like it. Don't like. I don't really care. I see our society as having lost touch with reality. No one party will have the answers, but if we continue as we have eliminating guns will be as effective as taking an aspirin as a cure-all for any and all diseases.

ref: Original Facebook post of Mel Arndt.

American Health Care System in the Year 2022

Today's modern American Health Care System is that of an obstacle course filled automaton that will kill you.