Michigan for Revolution at Leon's Family Dining, Dearborn!!!

Yes, I’m a snowflake, but I am not whining because I’m a liberal, or libtard as I’ve been called. I am not a bleeding heart, I am a moderate. I am not a democrat, I am an Independent. I am no longer a Christian, I am not a Muslim, I am an atheist. Therefore, I choose not to be led by the Torah, Quran, or the Bible. Propagandized media, preached for sensationalism and ratings, does not lead me. I do not fear Muslims, any more than I fear Christians. I do not fear illegals, or refugees. I do not fear instilled threats of Islamic terrorism. However, I am afraid of the broad stance of homophobia, xenophilia, or islamophobia that has increased with this current regime. I am also highly concerned of the rights Americans are going to lose do to a high level of corporate control. While the country is divided over race and religion, behind our backs, our rights, and the rights of our children, are being signed over to our new owners, the billionaire class. I am afraid that led in by fear, unknowingly, the people are supporting anti-constitutional laws, in the guise of God, terrorism, or job creation.  Over 20 years ago, I shared with a colleague, Charles Noble Esq, that I believed, due to the sever loss of our rights, that there would be a revolution within the next 20 to 25 years. Here we are.

Yes, I am afraid, but I am not going to whine. I am not going to argue with the ignorant or the uneducated. I am not going to explain facts to those that believe in the alternative. I am going to rise. I am going to hold up those that choose to rise along with me. Intelligently, we choose to take a proactive stance and resist, non violently, and in numbers.

I was invited to a meeting held by Michigan For Revolution by my bestie, Jill Megdall. This meeting was a new branch of a resistance group already solid in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Ayman Khafagi came to ignite a chapter of the grassroots movement in Dearborn/Dearborn Heights. It seems to be working.

I attended. I was impressed. I am very knowledgeable where politics and billionaires are concerned. Ayman impressed me. He shared my sentiment on many issues. He was informed. His base tool was fact and it was an awesome way to draw me in.

Yes, this is a political revolution. We intend on making our representatives and senators work for us, as they should. We will let it be known, that if they vote against their constituents, they will not be reelected. If they take money, we will not support you. If you continue to sell us out, we will vote you out.

We can all begin to loosen the grip of Wall Street by taking our money out of the banks and depositing it in a credit union. Look at the big move against Wells Fargo for their support of DAPL, Seattle just took three billion dollars away from them. Good job, Seattle. That’s a little step that can tell them, in numbers, that we are serious. They understand numbers, it’s usually what ends up in their total balance line at the end of the month.

We must involve ourselves in local governments. We will no longer turn our heads and ignore what goes on in the lives of every elected position in our city, county, or state, or country. We will only vote in progressive ideas, based in the freedoms of our constitution. We are done tolerating lies, propaganda, and fear. We aren’t afraid to stand up, we aren’t afraid to be Americans.

We need to show up and stand tall. We are what our soldiers have fought and died for, not Cheney’s Haliburton, not Koch’s Keystone XL, not Bush’s oil, and certainly not Trump Towers. Many gave their limbs, and too many gave their lives, all we have to give is our time, our true American intelligence, and our attendance, to preserve what they sacrificed too much to preserve, our freedom.

We are the middle and working class. We are the crux of America. Without us, the billionaires fail. They can out source our jobs, we will buy  from only local and small business. We, again, like in the seventies, should only buy American.

We’ve been lazy and we’ve dropped the ball. It’s time to unite, as one, and stand tall, like our lady who stands alone in the cold waters of the Alantic. Through uniting in diversity, we will conquer our suppressers.

There is another Michigan For Revolution meeting again tonight. I may not be able to make it due to some medical issues, but I’m going to see if we can do Facebook live, (while we are still allowed) for those who want to attend, but can’t. If not, check us out, stop by, join us.

The meeting will be held at Leon’s Family Dining on Michigan Ave., just east of Telegraph on the north side of the street, in Dearborn. We will be in a banquet room at 7. Hope to see you there!!!

Gathered snowflakes can become an avalanche.

Thanks for your support,

Pam

Pseudo Patriots

When are people going to get it? When did people become so frozen in their emotions they lost logic?  Critical thinking has gone out the window, intellectualism has become ignorance, and people just don't get it.  

When you sit on Facebook and spew all of your hate and anger, you show the world how incredibly weak and dumbed down Americans have become. On a global scale, look at us. We're a joke, we're hypocrites, we're liars, we're bullies, and no matter what our societies believe, the world sees the truth.

White people, Black Lives really do Matter. I’m sorry that racism is so huge in this country,  you are blinded by your whiteness. I’m sorry that black people are being slayed, daily, to get the ignorant whites to support severe police brutality, or in other words, Martial Law. You push pro police memes and post angry comments like, then don’t get in trouble with the police, then. (Just know, I always hear the unsaid humph and see the sticking out tongue that goes along with that mentality.) I’m sorry, white people, I was raised in Dearborn, circa 1959. I am as white as you, so I fully understand what you mean when you throw your support behind the cops that kill. If it was in your city, would it be acceptable to you? If it was your child or grandchild would you defend the officer that killed her and recite: well she stole 3 c.d.’s, six years ago, she was a criminal, she deserved it? One of the harsh realities is many think, how could it happen to my child, they’re not black. I grew up watching that attitude. Admittingly, I am guilty of many racial thoughts, in my past.  It was the politic of Dearborn. I lived the ordinances that were created to keep blacks out of the city.  Yes, white people, you don’t want to live in black communities and you don’t want them in yours. You say it’s the blacks that crate the ghettos. Again, if you knew the facts, you may get it. You may understand why Black Lives Matter.

Here, I have to throw in the newest Facebook meme: Anyone caught rioting should be banned from welfare for the rest of their lives. Yes, white people, many of you believe only blacks riot. They, obviously, think that sixteen-year-old rioters, will grow up to be dependent on the system, because that’s how black people are. Your remedy is to pose economic sanctions on an already strained situation? Criminals should be tried in our judicial system. I swear, it’s like there was a glitch in programming and your mind went blank.

Christians, I truly do respect your choice of dogma. I, also, respect Mormons, Catholics, Jewish, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Scientologists, and every other religion on this earth.  I respect all religions; I do not think prayer should be said in public schools. I don’t get it. I went to school with so many of you that consistently post: Bring prayer back into our schools. I’m fifty-seven years old. We didn’t have prayer in public school, at least not in Dearborn, nor have any of my children, except when they were in Catholic schools. It was my choice to put my children in a school that recited prayer. So please, stop with that. Prayer has no business in the public school arena. If you want your children to pray in school, put them in a private school. That’s how that works. Unless of course, you want to clutter the student’s day with prayers from all religions perceivable.  Don’t even try the really uneducated excuse: America was founded on Christian values. It is not true. Yes, you’ll argue, you’ll put me down for saying it, but you won’t research and seek the truth. If you attempt, it will be with citations from the Christian Science Monitor, not a history book. Holy cow, some of actually believe the earth is only 6,000 years old. So, please, stop, or don’t. Just know when you do post those things, intelligent people, the ones with the facts, are shaking their head. (Oh, and that other favorite, where bibles aren’t allowed in schools, well, I’m sure, if it was carried and read on a student’s free time, the Gestapo wouldn’t come and seize their book. At least, not yet.)

Another feather ruffling issue for me is, "Drug test Welfare recipients, because I had to pee in a cup to pay for them."  I do laugh at you guys, while I’m shaking my head. Really?  Americans stand in lines, with little cups, willfully. We have to submit body fluids to our employers and our government. Let that sink in. Why are you complaining: Why do we have to and they don’t? (Again, I hear the, It’s not fair, whine.) When the real question is, why have we allowed ourselves to have to submit body fluids to anyone, for any reason? The, we have to, so you should too, thought process, boggles my mind.

As for Colin, I’m glad it’s catching on. Of course, you’ll disagree. You will fight, slander, and even want to impose economic sanctions on him, while I feel pride. I know you can’t grasp, again, what Colin has done to bring awareness to an American condition. As you spew, “He’s disrespecting our flag,” “He’s disrespecting Americans,” “He should be fined,” and, “He should be fired,” (of course, we can’t forget all of the irrationally ignorant insults you publicly throw,) the movement grows. Are you really that unaware? I find myself thinking, and you vote? That’s a serious concern. You guys vote, without having a clue of the power of your vote, or what you are voting for. I know, and I hear this all the time, our vote doesn’t count. Well, with that mentality, it never will. To bash Colin, without a doubt, is a hypocrisy. Sadly, as you clutch to your judgment, you’re blind to the exact thing you say you’re about.

Now let’s traipse into the well beaten issue of the Syrian refugees. Again, I wonder how it feels to talk out of both sides of your mouths. First of all, what do you know about the Syrian refugee issue? Do you have any clue why there are so many Syrian refugees? I know, it’s common knowledge that we are bombing ISIS in Syria, right? Are you sure that is the only reason? Well, mainstream media and Facebook meme’s say it, so it’s all you need to know, right? I guess you don’t know why Putin is defending Syria’s Assad. Could it be that we sent chemical cylinders to the un-American soldiers, without instruction on how to use them? Those chemical cylinders went off accidently. Of course, we didn’t take responsibility. We turned it around to benefit us. We blamed Assad. We said he launched those chemical weapons on his own people. He didn’t. We did. We tried to use accidental chemical detonation as a catalyst to bully our way to overthrow a government, but Putin, rightfully, stepped in. Oh, I know, now you will call me a communist, or a Russian sympathizer, because you don’t even realize that Russia isn’t communist anymore, but, then again, that’s only if you know who Putin is.

NRA, come on. You guys are the best, or worst, for seeing only one issue, they are trying to take our guns. Little do you know; you guys are the worst for voting for the regimes that are setting the stage for your guns to be taken. While you support total gun freedom, you refuse to acknowledge that being loyal, to only the 2^nd Amendment, your vote destroys the meaning of the Constitution. Your vote supports Blue Lives Matter. You support the abuse of police power, helping to change us into a police state that allows officers to shoot and kill. American value? Nope, that isn’t acceptable to any real American.

Every one of you claim to be pro Constitution, Patriots. Your stance, on every issue above, conflicts with the very crux of what it means to be an American. You cast stones, scream, belittle, and humiliate that flag, you know, the one you claim you pledge your allegiance to (but only in public.) You call your politicians names, like Killery or Obummer, showing simple disrespect to your country. You shame me. You desecrate the value of my Americanism. You are free to say whatever you like, it’s a 1^st Amendment right, but, you also bare your ignorance in doing so. You are the sheep that continue to lead our Constitution to slaughter.  It’s with illiteracy, you cast your vote. You are American decay.  You turn a blind eye to facts, while your ears are busy gobbling up mainstream gossip, then your mouth vomits ridiculous soundbites into social media.  I am an America that values our rights. I value equality, due process, search and seizure, peaceful protesting, and religious freedom. Those are my rights as an American. Those rights were penned in for a reason.  It is my fellow Americans, my people, that fought, died, and were maimed to protect those fundaments rights. How dare you disrespect values that others died to secure?  No, I will not leave my country, because half-wits lack facts and run on prejudiced emotion. I am smarter than you. I will fight, with all my might, to keep my country free. I am a Patriot. I am an American.  I respect the fallen. I will defend my country, and my people, while you sit there, chomping at the bit in your pseudo patriotism, fighting against every American value we’ve treasured. I believe in America. I believe in the fundamental basics of Lady Liberty. No, I won’t leave, I’m a freedom fighter, and I won’t make it easy for you to destroy it. Throw all the insults you like, because I throwback fact. Maybe, just maybe, one of you will American up, instead of living drunked up on idiocrasy. Ignorance isn’t bliss when there is so much at stake.

Let freedom ring.

Peace,

Pam

SHELLY MILTON: THE SILENT HOPE OF THE WAYNE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

SHELLY MILTON

THE SILENT HOPE OF THE WAYNE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

 

I’ve tossed and turned debating on how I wanted to write this article. I want my readers to know I don’t support people easily. There is a personal standard I have to meet with myself, before I can support any candidate for any office.

Today, a voting day, I am speaking out for the Wayne County Sheriff’s that feel they are being held as operative hostages by their quasi leader: Benny Napoleon.

Call after call, disgruntled officers told their story. The stories infuriated me. Each call sang the same song, to the same tune. Time after time I listened to Kwame like, top heavy, over paid, out sourced, leadership.

Struggling officers, without a raise in fifteen years, were robbed in a recent contract that offered a five percent rise in pay. The offer robbed our county officers of their Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance, throwing the officers into high deductible and appointed insurance. Retirement also took a hit, going from a 5/1 to a ten percent match. With only a week to review, the union pushed for approval. The officers were threatened if they didn’t sign the contract in a timely fashion, the offer would be redacted.

At the same time, the appointees were granted a ten percent raise on their $120,000.00+ annual salary, kept their gold standard of insurance, and their pensions remain intact. Fair? Absolutely not. Benny is running Kwame’s Detroit under the guise of county sheriff. Benny gifted jobs, appointing his double dipping, Detroit Police buddies. These retired Detroit Police appointees will be collecting double retirements (on the taxpayers dime), while the county officers scramble to survive

Under both, Benny and Warren Evans, the county has replaced and outsourced working Wayne County police jobs to their L.L.C holding friends. The Wayne County Drug Enforcement Agency and the tether program are excellent examples of the privilege. Benny thinks its fine to appoint, double dip, and outsource, lining his pockets, and the pockets of his cronies. With eyes closed to anything but a Floridian golf ball, Benny is blind to the implosion within his own force. Promoting from within DPD is piss in the face of his own county workers.

Repeatedly, the names of these appointees keep reappearing. Deputy Chief Spivey, the reported appointee that crashed three county vehicles while drunk driving (without charges) is known as the Solitaire Chief. Report after report came in that the guy does nothing but sit at his desk playing online Solitaire. At a salary of over a hundred grand a year, the tax payers deserve more for their buck than a drunk who breaks the law, with police protection. Career Solitaire while sitting on your ass shouldn’t be considered a prerequisite for county appointees.

Then we come to the notorious Robert Dunlap. Bobby is twenty-two year retiree from the Detroit Police Department, and, you guessed it, a Benny appointee.  Almost as if Benny planned it himself, Bob retired and was instantly hired as an appointee, giving him the authority to double dip the system with dual retirements in place. His title: Project Consultant for Wayne County, according to his LinkedIn account.

The demeanor of The Bob seems predatory and predictable. He can always be counted on to be the belligerent one in the crowd. He acts the sexist, the manipulator, the do it my way, because I said so, without rule or order, King. Humiliation may be key in the DPD world, but there is no room for bullying on the WCS playground. At his first training class he put the officers on notice by saying: You are not the real police. DPD is the real police. The dignity of the County police was shrouded by the narcissistic derailment of spirit. One thing obvious, DPD was appointed to be in control of our counties finest.

Officer after officer complained. Same story, same names, recurrent. Nobody would speak out on the record. The inside was afraid to speak out. With job security at stake, the officers were afraid of repercussions of Benny’s appointed hierarchy.

 

The secrecy of the officers that spoke to me sent alarms panging my furor. Fear of exposure, for the officers, is real. All voices led to one woman, a must talk to, by the informers. She wasn’t afraid. She is tired of the mistreatment of her fellow officers. She is tired of buckling down to the indignant powers that be. She is speaking out; she is determined to destroy the stronghold on the balls of her fellow officers. She is little, she is brilliant, and she is determined.

Shelly Milton, tired of the shams of the current administration, is running against Benny Napoleon for Wayne County Sheriff. She has paid the price for her candidacy. She deals with people trying to silence her crusade against the over-spending, high appointee, no show Sheriff, Benny, daily.

Shelly worked her way to a 20 year corporal from a mere secretary. Her colleagues use words like honest, dedicated, persistent, and knowledgeable of the entire department, when discussing Shelly’s ability. It has often been said that what she doesn’t know, she will learn from experts, not the DPD.

Talking to Shelly, I took an instant liking to her. Her passion was undeniable. She is fed up with tax payers paying double retirements. She is fed up with the inability of the current administration to promote from within. She is tired of watching her brothers and sisters suffer and lay stagnant to an ill managed system. Her thirst for righteousness is strong against a system that resembles cronyism. She is hell bent on fixing what the Napoleon administration has implemented. 

Shelly is married to a DP officer. With four bi-racial children, her struggle is fact based when asked what her stance is on Black Lives Matter. She wrote a letter to address the concerns. Though, in her heart, with mixed children, she is better aware than most of the current racial situation.

Besides fiscal responsibility, Shelly is in this race to bring honor and respect to the office and the department she once loved and dedicated her life to.

Voting for Benny is a vote for mismanaged funds, appointees, and all included vacations with lots and lots of golf in the Golden State, but a vote for Shelly Milton is a vote towards truth, justice, and honor, something Wayne County has lacked for a very long time.

My vote is with you, Shelly, and I hope many follow my lead.

Till the next time,

Pam

Take A Stand, America

It's no secret that Donald Trump is pumping up the masses. American bigotry is effervescing through the fabric of his elite, Mexican made, fashion line. He appeals to a base I would like to silence, though I respect the Constitution too much to attempt to silence any sect or belief system. He demagogues as a financial wizard with wings of a sectarian politician. The Donald singles out those he deems less important. In the same blowhard tone, narcissistic Trump idolizes those entertained and embellished by his scathing and pompous demeanor. Though, my personal belief is his attitude, on a global scale, will get us nuked, I think The Donald is playing a role in the transformation of Americanism.

The flip side of Trump's antics and spewed propaganda: Bernie Sanders. Bernie, a man that has
fought for equality and civil rights his entire life, stands true and votes by standards of the American
Constitution. With honor, he doesn't want to change our protected freedoms. He honors the words,
scribed and signed by our forefathers, to guarantee the right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness.  Americans, albeit white, black, brown, yellow, gay, straight, trans, short, tall, fat, thin,
racist, secular, religious, atheist, ugly, pretty,  smart, not so smart, disabled, young, old, rich,
poor, working, unemployed, anchor babies, and bigots, have earned and deserve the rights of the
land.

Besides a shared and inconsequential hair issue, these two men have the chance to change it all. Though them, we may find our way out of the party choke hold. Both men, on opposite sides of the fence, have the power to abort party affiliation. The Donald is drawing crowds in record numbers with his billion dollar ability to achieve national media coverage. Bernie is drawing record crowds without bank. The Trump field, filled with bigotry and hatred, is pushing ideals that feed division, whilst the Bernie camp presses on for unity and equality on all levels.  Bernie calls out the Koch initiative. Bernie stands to rise above corporate greed and ownership of the Senate and Congress. He
is waging war on behalf of a failing middle class that seems too ignorant and too uninvolved to save
themselves. Trump, well, he is intelligent enough to take advantage of the dumbed down American
twist.

Campaigning under different dogmas, the power to change the 'nuts in a pipe wrench' two party strangulation system, can end with these two candidates.
On the left, The Democratic Party is refusing to acknowledge Bernie's existence, claiming Hillary has no clear and present threat.
On the right, they are opting for loyalty oaths. Trying to limit and control which choices the people will be allowed if Trump is not the choice of The Republican National Party. This party wants to tie hands and force support of their choice in this pseudo free country of ours. They are always about one form of voter suppression or another. Trump scares them to death, but their party lacks any credible contenders. 
The fear of independent runs, by either candidate, is already filling newsstands. Anchors are whispering gloom and doom from commercial broadcasting desks. The fear is Trump will 'give' the presidency to Hillary if he runs without RNC support.  The Dems, they're in hush mode on the epic Bernie frenzy. I believe they think if they ignore him long enough he will go away.
I have a brilliant idea. Let The Donald run as Donald Trump, without a party affiliation. He's come too far to let down his supporters, nominee or not. Let Bernie Sanders run without a party, as well, staying true to his supporters. Let the RNC run their ALEC and Koch candidate, and let the Dems put up their Wall Street candidate. Let's let the people have their say, let the people declare the next President of the United States, not electoral votes, not Supreme Court judges, but the people, one by one, vote by vote. Only then can we retrieve our balls from the scrotum of the two party system.
Let's send a message and let them know: We the people is the #1 basic American principle, we aren't joking, we aren't playing, and your two party ideology is over. Let the people speak, quit silencing the masses, and let freedom, for once in many, many years, ring.

 Till the next time,

Pam

School Kids Forced to Drop Their Pants, Lift Their Dresses

It was either 1993 or 1994 at Lathers Elementary School in Garden City, Michigan, that my daughter, Nicole, came home with a paragraph of apology she had to write, fifty times, in regards to disrespecting the substitute teacher, Ms. Ousterhout. Since Nicole had never been in trouble a day in her life, I questioned her about the circumstance that led to the punishment. She told me stories about the other kids, and the statement: “The only job you will ever be able to get will be flipping burgers,” which Ms. Ousterhout made to another student for not standing correctly in line. I was livid. I told Nicole she wasn’t allowed to write the paragraph, because she wasn’t going to apologize for something she didn’t do. She was upset. She was afraid she would get in trouble. I called the school, talked to the principle who switched me to Ms. Ousterhout. I asked her what role Nicole played in the trouble she had with the class. She admitted Nicole was not responsible for any of the trouble, but the whole class was ordered to write the paragraph. I refused to allow it. I told her as a parent, I trump her. I also raised the issue of telling any kid they were so dumb they would grow up flipping burgers. Ms. Ousterhout began to cry. She didn’t need to be in a classroom setting. The next day Ms. Ousterhout was on every television news broadcast for hitting a second grader. Today, I read about an elementary school in Texas that forced about twenty-four kids to pull down their pants and show their underwear. They were searching for the perpetrator who was defecating on the gym floor.

While researching this incident I ran across another case of tenured protected molestation. In San Diego, assistant principle, Rita Wilson, lifted girls’ skirts and dresses as they entered a school dance to see if they were wearing thongs. This was not done in private; this was done at the entrance of the dance, in front of boys and male and female adults. Not that doing it in private would make it any better, it would just bear less humiliation for the student. If the girls were wearing thongs, they were sent home to change before they would be admitted into the dance.

Rita’s punishment was demotion. She lost her position and is now a teacher of the same students of which she played peek a boo.

I thought about Ms. Ousterhout, egotistically ordering all to apologize for the act of one. I thought about how angry I was that my daughter was expected to admit responsibility for something she didn’t do and pay the price for it. Writing paragraphs is one thing, dropping your pants, lifting your skirts, that’s another.

If a preschool acted in the same manner they would be fully investigated and closed down. If a neighbor asked the kid next door to show either a thong or his underwear he would be arrested for molestation and put on the sexual predators list. Should high school or elementary school teachers be treated any differently? Should the penance be less than any other person who chooses to molest a child or should the consequence be higher, because children are taught to obey educational officials?

I am appalled that Rita was only demoted. I am disgusted that she still has a teaching position in a public school. Though, it’s unclear what will happen with the Texas school officials, I’m sure it will be another slap on the wrist and the remains will be swept under the entrance ramp rug of the public educational facility.

Next, it will be said that the teachers had a right to force the Texas children to drop their pants for a poop check. It will be okay Rita humiliated young women by her thong check. Why? Because their religion says it’s okay.

The storm is brewing in America. Leave our children alone. Angry parents are a force that should never be pushed.

Till the next time, keep your pants up and your skirts down kids…JUST SAY NO!!! And your parents will be proud.

Pam

The Castration of American Freedom

If our forefathers were to see what is happening in America they would shake their head and shed tears for the death of the nation they tried to protect. If they could feel what has become of American freedom they would cringe of shame and nauseate at the betrayal of the words they penned to protect the people. The uncontrollable slander and damnation would flow, deeming us too ignorant, lazy, complacent, and unworthy, to consider us truly American.  American’s have been legitimately raped of their given rights by their captors, their courts, their legislators, their lawmakers, but the ignorantly arrogant still believe in the entitlement of freedoms that never did exist. Laws enacted to promote religious condemnation clearly defy American freedom. Hence, another example of the wicked deflowering of our basic rights: Michigan House Bill 5958, also known as the Michigan Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Lawmakers have taken the crux of Americanism and twisted the values to fit a select few. The Michigan Religious Freedom Restoration Act is a perfect example of the twist on law and religion. Defiant to the founders, HB 5958 gives very limited power to the government in religious discrimination. The first paragraph states:

“The bill would create the "Michigan Religious Freedom Restoration Act" to prohibit government from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion, even if the burden resulted from a rule of general applicability. ("Exercise of religion" would mean "the practice or observance of religion, including an act or refusal to act, that is substantially motivated by a sincerely held religious belief, whether or not compelled by or central to a system or religious belief".)”

Who is the God all Americans worship? What religion is the National religion? Since being American grants us the freedom to choose, should everyone be held accountable by the biblical laws of a select religion or the secular belief of one? Should those who don’t worship in the same manner or believe in the same book receive any form of persecution? Does allowing any discrimination via religion create the dogmatic derogation of another?

The founders framed religious freedom on ones right to choose which dogma, if any, they decided to follow. It did not give credence to use that dogma to discriminate against those who made different choices. The non pork eaters had no right to treat someone differently on the basis of the consummation of pork. One who worships Christ has no right to condemn one who doesn’t. Those that abstain from tea and coffee have no right to put any tea or coffee drinker in a place of penance due to their choice of drink.

The United States Constitution protects the right of religious choice under the premise that we are responsible for our own beliefs and our choice bears no permission to persecute those who choose otherwise. Freedom of Religion was based on the observation of those who fled from The Church of England, because of the death and violence they suffered due to their religious beliefs.

They fled imprisonment and tortuous decapitation if they believed differently than the Church of England under King James. The only bible allowed was the King James Version, after his personal translation. The founders lived at a time in the New World when they watched the same religious war begin between the Catholics and those that fled the Church of England Christians. They watched the Christians, after teaching the practice of scalping to the American Indians; pay the Indians per Catholic scalp. Insidious behaviors were noted and abhorred in the free world. The founders etched a higher quality of privilege and humanity for their new land.

Being American is being free enough to believe and praise religion, but it is also to keep your neighbor free from being chastised and condemned for not believing in the same manner. No laws should be enacted to force any American under the guise of “freedom” to discriminate against anyone for any reason. It should never, ever be allowed in the name of Jesus. What a slap in the face to the man who taught anti hate, love, acceptance, and died for your sins.

HB 5958 gives the religious believers too much power to enact, with very little rebuttal from the government, discrimination. The Christians are chomping at the bit over the possibility of passing House Bill 5958. There is absolutely no purpose for this law in a free country, a country with many diverse people, all colors, religions, races, sexual orientations, and genders. When did it become possible, much less legal, in America for a Christian to have the right to refuse anyone anything based on any reason aside from violence?

America is a diverse country filled with immigrants from all over the world. Immigrants bring along their religious beliefs. We are not a Christian nation. We are Mormons, Catholics, Christians, Muslims, Jewish, Hindus, Buddhists, Scientologists, and Atheists. There is not one simple “good book” there are many scrolls of sacred beliefs. What will happen when HB 5958 backfires and the Christians find themselves in the hands of the non Jesus believing religions? Can those religions then damn them as heretics and crucify them based on their holy book in the name of their God? Will the religious right then fight for a religious war on our soil because they can’t accept what they themselves have imposed on others?

        The question we should be asking ourselves is why this is allowed to continue to happen in America. Why have Americans voted for politicians that would have such little respect for the real meaning of the constitution of the land they swore to protect. It’s treasonous to change the meaning of the laws to fit an agenda, and you can bet your last dollar there is an agenda. Americans have fallen prey to their rapists.

Christians back these laws in the name of Jesus, but in reality the laws aren’t about God, religion, Christ, Buddha, or any other sect, it is purely greed, power, and money. There is not a National religion in America; we are still free to choose where, if at all, we worship. God is not worshipped by all Americans, nor should those who don’t worship God, or any other entity, be punished by the beliefs of another. When the door to religious persecution is opened in America we have failed the crux of our freedom; the simple freedom to choose. With accepting any discrimination, in the name of God, or in any other premise, we have allowed the ultimate abortion, not of one, but of a nation of millions, allowing feticide of American rights and freedoms.

I’ve been sexually raped. I’ve been physically forced to do things I didn’t want to do. I’ve been beaten. But, I can’t ever remember crying uncle and just giving up or giving in, because it was easier. If I would have done that I would still be there. I was just fighting for myself. Now I feel I’m fighting for my children, my grandchildren, and many American generations to come. Unlike half of America, I will never embrace my rapist; I will never kiss the ass of the politicians that are bribed to make the laws that rape my people of their freedom. I will never side with politicians that manipulate people through their God or their religious dogma and I will continue to fight them until I can’t fight any more. Too much blood has been shed to keep our freedom, I’m not going quietly.

        I’m going to leave this article with a quote from Lyndon B. Johnson:

            "If you can convince the lowest white man that he is better than

              the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket.

              Hell, give him somebody to look down on and he'll empty his pockets

              for you." (Said in 1960.)

Obviously, President Johnson was right.

Till the next time…

Pam

       

       

 

Eric's Choice

Most know that my twenty-two year old son, Eric, is dying from hospital error due to his brain aneurysm. I feel a million different emotions raging inside of me. I’m going to attempt to share my inner most feelings with you, not for your sympathy, I don’t want that, but for those who have been or may be where I am, I want you to know I understand. For those that will never be in this position I want you to understand that this is not an easy road, nor does it grant easy choices.

I’ve learned a lot about myself and others through this process.

Yesterday, my forty-eight hours were up. I was supposed to make the decision to end Eric’s life after that time period. I’ve thought long and hard about making this decision. I have thought about it since May 7^th when it first happened. I never let go of the fear of having to make that decision.

I told myself that I would donate every organ I could, because he was young and healthy and he could provide life to others, he could provide sight to the blind, and I liked knowing someone else could live and thrive because of Eric. I told myself that somehow it gave Eric’s life, and death, meaning.

I was promised by the leading neurologist that Eric wouldn’t live until May 22^nd. I was told that his brain was going to explode through the stitches and it would bust out of the area that is missing skull. His intracranial pressures were through the roof and they couldn’t bring them down. With this thought in mind, I made myself believe that organ donation was a perfect route. He would die from brain death.

Eric did live and never broke through the stitches in his head, though his cranial pressure is still very high and he is somewhat disfigured from the swelling, he is still breathing above the vent.

I felt the pressure from the hospital growing. They wanted me to do comfort care. “Let him go with a dignified death.”

Those words rang over and over in my head. There was nothing dignified in what the hospital did to him and they are solely responsible for Eric’s current condition. They don’t even try to deny or hide that fact. Now, I should give him comfort care. I am expected to pull a ventilator on my child that is still breathing; as he breathes they administer more and more morphine until he goes into cardiac arrest. We lose his heart for donation because of the cardiac arrest that they cause, but they can still harvest the rest of his organs. “It’s the humane thing to do.”

I’ve heard all the comments that make me sound like a loving and selfless hero. Those kind words began to feel abrasive. It wasn’t and isn’t true. I am not a hero because I am willing to donate organs. I am not selfless because I’m willing to “part out” my son. Actually, the raw and bitter truth is probably the most selfish thing I’ve ever done in my life. I am not donating because I’m so good hearted I am sacrificing Eric’s organs to give life to the less fortunate. My truth is I am donating those organs, if I can, because I DON’T WANT ERIC TO DIE and if I can keep him, or pieces of him, alive in another host then he isn’t gone, he isn’t dead. So please, I’m no saint.

Yesterday I came to terms, being faced with ending his life. I thought out “dignified” death. This is what I believe:

Every life form, at the time of distinction does everything possible to maintain survival. Eric wouldn’t be any different.

In my mind, though I know he never wanted to live as a vegetable, he is locked in his failing body. He has had no choices. Fate made choices, doctor’s made choices, I made choices, but Eric’s voice is unable to be heard.

My choices remain: 1) Pull the ventilator and let him go into cardiac arrest eventually, after they drug him so he doesn’t feel the pain and torture of suffocation. With that, we lose the heart for donation, but all of his other organs can be donated. 2) We wait for the next stroke that will take out the brain stem so he will go brain dead and then we can “harvest” his heart along with his other organs. 3) Because his body is deteriorating, let him go into his own cardiac arrest and we lose all the organs and he is gone, no donations.

Because I have dealt with many, many hurtful and close deaths I have whispered “I love you, let go, be free” into many ears. I said those words with great love and acceptance of my personal loss, but it was never my son.

I have spent Eric’s twenty-two years, kissing booboos, scaring away monsters, and making things better. I can’t say the words “let go it’s okay to leave.” I can’t give my son the permission he may be waiting for because I see the scared little boy, the one waiting on me to make it better, to fix it, to fix him, and I know he will be so afraid if he knows I’m giving up on him. I wouldn’t. He knows that.  I can tell him I love him, but I can’t and won’t end his life with his last though of his mom being the one that ended his life. I believe he would be screaming, “No, mom, what are you doing, I said three months, please mom, don’t do this, why are you doing this to me.”

My opposition argues with me, they want the organ donation; they want a dignified death for Eric. They believe he would be screaming to put him out of his misery, but life, in its rawest forms fights to preserve itself and Eric wouldn’t be any different.

I have given the word “dignity” a lot of thought. Dignified death? Is death, brought on by man dignified? Is death, by the hand of family or medical personal dignified? What is dignified death?

Death is death. Just because we have the technology to end a life, do we have the right to do so? Do we have the right to put someone into eternal sleep because the costs have gotten too high or the family can’t handle any more traumas? Is that what we as a people have told ourselves; it’s humane, let them go with dignity because ending someone’s life is more convenient and cheaper than the alternative? I don’t think that is dignity.

Dignity to me is accepting fate with honor.

So, no matter how selfish I am in wanting Eric to live on, no matter how much he is costing me, my family, or the hospitals, I am granting Eric his own say. I am backing off. Eric is in control of his own death. I do not have the right to take his life, nor does anyone else. I do not have the right to farm out his organs. This one is Eric’s call.

I believe, no matter how bad I would wish for Eric to live on in others, that Eric will die as Eric chooses and through that death he is living out his fate. The death his fate chooses will tell me if I can donate organs. If he goes brain dead Eric is telling us to take what we need to save others. If he goes via cardiac arrest and we lose the ability to donate any organs, so be it, it is his way of saying: “I’m out and I’m taking me with me.”

I am backing off and allowing Eric to complete his life, his way, and to me that is dignity.

Thanks for listening,

Eric’s Mom.

https://www.crowdrise.com/helpushelperic/fundraiser/nicoleconsiglio