We are going downhill...

…and we are picking up speed.  

On June 10, 2012 the Netroots Nation conference was held  in San Jose, California.  Most people were probably unaware that the conference happened or even what Netroots is even about. Suffice it to say that this conference was a gathering of progressive-minded people who get together a couple times a year to discuss how to be activists using the internet and other technologies.  Don’t think pocket protectors and WOW, but think of people set on changing the political landscape of this country.  Netroots is to the left side as the Tea Party is to the right side.

If you go to their website you can see an archive of their different topics and even listen to most of the speakers.  Most of their topics are typical leftwing type items: “From Defeat to Triumph: Erasing the Death Penalty in America”, “Inside the Activists’ Studio: What to Do When the Right Comes After You”, “People, Not Polar Bears: Digital Revolutions and the New Fight Against Climate Change”.  Then there was this…”Liberate Your Ass: Why Sexual Freedom is Key to Fighting the Right”. 

You might think the Tea Party is comprised of a bunch of crackpots, but they probably don’t sit around and discuss sexual freedom in this country.   That’s the point though.  Believe it or not there is a segment of this country that sees sexual freedom as the defining issue in this country.  They believe that if somehow everyone has the right to express themselves sexually that this country will be healed, the economy will be booming and all will be right in the universe.  This is their all; sex in any form, sex with anyone (perhaps anything?), sex no matter what the cost. 

One of the panelists for “Liberate your ass” was Elizabeth Fernandez-Kimmel one of the staff members at the Woodull Sexual Freedom Alliance.  There’s an alliance for that?  Really?   The WSFA is all about making sure that people have the opportunity to have as much pleasure as possible.  Here’s an excerpt from their website

            Woodhull has been hard at work to combat the prohibition of pleasure, the rollbacks on hard-won freedoms and protections and to advance an agenda that recognizes the wonderful diversity of sex, sexuality and our rights to make informed, consensual choices in our lives.

Prohibition on pleasure?  Hard-won sexual freedoms?  Oh come on! Now they’re just making this stuff up.  Right?  Wrong.  There is a definite element in society whose goal is to sexualize our society to the point that sex between a married man and women in the privacy of their own bedroom will become deviant.

The WSFA wants to advance an agenda that recognizes, which is to say that they want you to recognize, the wonderful diversity of sex.  What does that mean?  Well for starters they want you to forget that there is a God-given standard in regards to sex.  Sex is intended to be between one man and one woman who are married. 

L. Kyle you old-fashioned prude! 

Let’s suspend reality for a minute and think what we would have to live without if everyone subscribed to this standard for sex.    Adultery. Gone. Teen Pregnancy. Gone.  STDs.  Gone.  AIDS. Gone.  Pornography.  Gone.  Prostitution.  Gone.  Dang, the WSFA’s is right, we need to champion the diversity of sex and pursue pleasure at all costs because we have gained so much. 

I’m no fool, I realize that even in the most conservative of places in our nation that sexual desires are lived out which deviate from this standard. But it’s alarming to what rate we as a nation have embraced the idea of sexual diversity and we have unabashedly thrown decency out the window.  It’s been 50 years since the sexual revolution of the 1960s.  Free love was the theme of the day.  But today, as the WSFA puts it, it’s all about sex and pleasure.  At least the hippies tried to sell their debauchery as love and not just self-gratification. 

In the past year a series of books have taken this country and the U.K. by storm.  The first in the series is titled 50 Shades of Grey.  The story is about a young college student becoming sexually involved with a Billionaire banker who has a panache for kinky sex.  What started as books sold only in digital format has now come to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide and currently is #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list, both in paperback and digital.  There is even talks of a movie deal some in the future. 

The problem?  The books (from what I’m told) are beyond graphic in their sexual content.  The New York Times dubs this book as “mommy porn”, not because there are mommies in them, but because now mommies can read books with graphic sexual content and feel okay about it.  After all, 10 million Elvis fans can’t be wrong, can they?  Ten million readers have purchased a book with a central theme of graphic, pornographic sex.  Although critics may have panned the books as poorly written it has not stopped millions from celebrating the sex scenes.  “I read it for the dramatic story line.” 

Millions are celebrating deviating from the standard.  The problem with deviating from the standard is that there are often times severe consequences.  We however began to minimize the consequences.  When AIDS became a problem we taught “safe sex.”  That is we taught that sex without a condom and with multiple partners was dangerous.  When teen pregnancy was on the rise we taught sex education.  That is we demonstrated to kids how to put on a condom, passed out free condoms and gave them some stats on STDs.  When unintended pregnancies happened we legalized abortion.

It seems we don’t have to minimize the consequences any longer.  Groups like the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance see it as their goal to maintain the “hard-won” freedoms to seek pleasure.  Books like 50 Shades of Grey will apparently continue to sell so that mommies can have their porn in a socially acceptable way.  To what end?  What is the eventual outcome of all this hedonism? 

The moral decay of our society, that’s what.  And when decency and morality stand in the way of seeking pleasure, then decency and morality will become deviant behavior.

Leftovers.  Enjoy

L. Kyle.

Something’s wrong with the world today…

…and I don’t know what it is.  I can tell you that our priorities in this country are severely misplaced. Just type into Google “mom leaves kids in car” and you will get quite a few recent stories of mothers leaving their kids in the car so they can do things like get piercings, go to parties or buy drugs.  And although this is not representative if all mothers out there, there seems to be a rash of parents making some pretty stupid decisions involving their kids. 

Stupid decisions and misplaced priorities do not stop with moms and dad in the American heartland, no, they go the highest levels of government.  Several months ago I had the somber task of telling a mother and father that their son had died in combat.  A difficult task indeed, but part of my job and one that must be done.  I must admit that days after giving the news I was still affected by watching these parents receive the worst news of their lives. 

I know some of the process which goes on during a death notification for our military men and women.  I know that there are a lot of tough decisions to be made by family members within hours of hearing the news.  I know that each family of the deceased service member receives proper notification by senior ranking officer or enlisted member in their Class A uniform.  I know the family receives letters of condolences by the Service Secretary, perhaps a phone call or personal visit by their child’s or spouse’s commanding officer.  But I have often wondered if they receive a phone call from the President. 

I hope they do.  I believe that the families of our fallen service members deserve the 10 minutes or less of The Commander and Chief’s time.  If they don’t get a phone call then this is the perfect example of misplaced priorities.  Some of you might be thinking “L.Kyle, the President is a busy man, he doesn’t have time.”  True.  The POTUS is a busy man.  I would not want his job.  I couldn’t imagine the burden that he carries and the decisions he must face. That’s probably why our presidents take so many vacations. 

However, I believe that our President has made the time to call, address or comment on other stories which do not even come close to the gravity of American sons and daughters losing their lives in the defense of this great nation. 

Here are four instances when the President has taken time out of his busy schedule  to address issues or groups of people in our nation.  You decide if you think these are more or less important than our fallen service members.

March 2, 2012

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/obama-calls-sandra-fluke-georgetown-law-student-assailed-by-rush-limbaugh/2012/03/02/gIQAIoW0mR_blog.html

Ms Sandra Fluke, a Georgetown University law student, testified in front of Congress about the need for institutions like Georgetown, to make contraceptives available at no cost. We should all remember the debate several months ago regarding a provision in the President’s healthcare law, which would require institutions to make contraception available, even if that institution did not agree with idea of contraception (i.e. the Catholic Church).  Ms Fluke wanted free condoms because she estimated that the average female Georgetown law student spends nearly $1000 on condoms a year during their time at law school. Ms Fluke was demonized by the likes of Rush Limbaugh who called Ms Fluke a ‘slut’. 

Well just so happens that when you get called a derogatory name over the airwaves it warrants a call from our President (unless you are Sarah Palin, or Michelle Bachman or S.E. Cupp).  And our president did just that.  He cleared at least a few minutes to console Ms Fluke on a private phone call. 

March 15, 2012

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-obama-ncaa-bracket-picks-20120314-002,0,5272586.photo

The President released his, much anticipated NCAA March Madness bracket picks. Now I’m not a huge college basketball fan, but I do know that the tournament starts off with 64 teams.  Now whether the POTUS picks based on actual knowledge of the teams or favorite colleges or jersey colors I’m not sure, but I do know it must have taken at least 10 minutes of his busy schedule to fill out. -- I wonder what the buy-in is in the White House bracket pool, $10, $20, $50?  Does the winner get a free game of bowling and a pizza party…veggie pizza of course with fat free cheese and gluten free crust and only 16 ounces of soda.

March 23, 2012

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-03-23/trayvon-florida-obama-protest/53734214/1

We all should remember in March when the story of a black teenager was shot and killed in Florida started garnering national attention.  It made national headlines for weeks and captured much of our lives. It was such a hotbed issue that the President had to weigh in and he took time out of his busy schedule to comment.  He said that if he had a son that his son would look like the victim, Trayvon Martin and that this tragedy should give the nation pause.  This is a tragedy, but 130+ men and women have lost their live in Afghanistan since January1, 2012 and if the death of a teenage boy in Florida should give us pause what does a 130+ dead service members give us?  Don’t just pause; take a 15 minute break…smoke if you got ‘em!  

June 9, 2012

http://www.netrootsnation.org/nn_events/nn-12/closing-keynote/

The President give a pre-recorded video presentation at Netroots Nation.  Now those not familiar with Netroots Nation, it is a conference which caters towards “progressives” and how to organize politically and trumpet the progressive message.  *Think grassroots, but for the more tech savvy among us.*  Some of the agenda items from the three-day conference were Turn it Up: How to use hip-hop to mobilize in 2012, okay, fairly benign.  How about Liberate your ass: why sexual freedom is key to fighting the Right. Wait. What? If you don’t believe me, you can see it here. 

Really, our president had time to address a group of people who think that liberating your backside (whatever that means) and sexual freedom is good political discourse.    But he doesn’t have time to call a family member who just lost a loved one in battle?

Something is wrong with the world today.

Leftovers enjoy.

L. Kyle

1, 2, 3 Not It!

Our founding fathers wrote in the Declaration of Independence that our Creator bestowed upon us certain rights, which are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  These words have been the cornerstone of American freedom and the envy of the world for over two centuries.  Our founding fathers recognized that people should be able to live in a country free from governmental intrusion, that government should protect its people’s rights rather than take them away.

If you are reading this in the comforts of your American home, realize how blessed you are.  Despite what the Occupy Wall Street protestors might have you think all Americans are “one percenters”.  The world population is around six billion and we make up less than one percent of that.  Even our poorest people have better opportunity than people in most other countries. 

Americans are exceptional people.  We essentially pulled ourselves up by our proverbial bootstraps to make this country what it is today.  This country was founded by the fortitude of a few people who had a vision of something better.  It was birthed from an ideal where people could be free to choose their station in life.  This idea of freedom has been defended by the brave men and women serving in our nation’s military. 

Sadly the fabric that holds this nation together in being unraveled and in time the idea that founded this country will be all but a memory.  And what will be our undoing?  Happiness.  Maybe not happiness itself, but the idea that people are not satisfied until they are happy.  People fail to realize that achieving happiness like chasing a rainbow.  As soon as you think you are at the end, it moves.   Happiness is an emotion.  In fact Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines happy as favored by luck or fortune. 

Happiness, like luck or fortune, comes and goes.  Most people are happy Friday afternoon at 3 p.m.  Then at 3:01 p.m. their boss lets them know they forgot their coversheet on their TPS report and they have to come in over the weekend. Then they are not happy. What happened in a minute’s time?  Quite simply their circumstances changed bringing about a new emotion.  That’s the true problem with happiness, it’s an emotion.  Emotions themselves are terrible masters; decent servants, but terrible masters. 

Emotions are ruling our country. Political ads are aimed directly at your emotions.  Politicians know that if they can appeal to your emotions you are more likely to vote.  Hope and change anyone? 

How many times have you heard people say “Well as long as it makes you happy…”  Really?  What happens if stealing cars makes a person happy?  What if clubbing baby seals make a person happy?   That statement is the same as “If it feels good, do it.”  Just turn on the television and see firsthand what happens when people live by these mantras.  Television is littered with a plethora of shows about people living their lives with ZERO regard for other people and now they are 14 and pregnant (and yes El Guapo I do know what a plethora is). 

That is the end result when happiness a person’s standard for living.  Not being 14 pregnant of course, but having no regard for anyone but themselves.  How can you focus on other people when you are so worried about your own happiness?  That’s why our divorce rates are so high in this nation.  If a husband or wife is not happy then they look to divorce to get out of the marriage so they can go and make themselves happy.  In 2010 the movie “Eat, Pray, Love”, based on the book of the same title, hit theaters.  The premise of the movie is that a woman who seemingly has everything, husband, house, career, decides she’s not happy and gets a divorce.  Then she embarks on a journey to find who she really is. 

What an endearing little story!  She’s not happy in the commitment she made so she decides to leave it behind.  I wonder if the same thing works for mortgage payments?  That’s the prevailing message in our society today in regards to marriage; if you’re not happy just get a divorce.  Most people’s wedding vows have the phrase “for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”  What ends being lived out is “until we become poor, or you become fat, or until I’m no longer happy.” 

What may be worse is that our younger generations are forsaking any commitments at all so they can walk away from relationships anytime they want with no difficulties.  If people are just “living together” or “friends with benefits” or just “hooking up” and it doesn’t work out, or when  they are not happy anymore they can just walk away. No messy divorce.  It’s not that people don’t want to have relationships, we all recognize that we must have connection with other people in order to survive.  The problem is we are creating millions of narcissistic people who can only focus on themselves and their happiness.  But I’m sure everything will work out just fine.

Leftovers enjoy!

L. Kyle