Counciman Bob Kellar- "The Proud Racist"

Bob Kellar, a former two-time mayor of Santa Clarita, states at an anti-immigration rally that, "the US has room for only one flag and one language".

To start off, what kind of arrogant patriot of America now led by an African American, makes that kind of snide comment. I know it might have been in the heat of the moment, but there is just no excuse for that kind of hatred. In fact, if he wants this country to be all American, there would be no one left. Everyone came to America at some point in time. As for the part about one language; that was just unintelligent to say. In this educated world, knowing and speaking more than one language is qualified as an aid to this world. It is this kind of comment that gives America a bad name; this just fortifies the stereotypical country that wants nothing to do with the outside world. How can a person so cavalierly say such a thing when so many of us, so many of us in high powered positions, matter in this country.

Today I was thinking about America's past reputation involving slavery and the hatred that accompanied it, and how far we had come to even express our equality to elect an African American president. It's thoughts like these that make many patriots proud; America can play nice. It's one of those thoughts that makes the US seem a little more respectable; and it is those thoughts of hatred and prejudice that drag us back to our ugly, tainted views.

The Shock from Haiti Keeps Devastating

As of right now, the terror and destruction in Haiti seems to keep creating more and more distress. Now it is becoming clear to family members that the chances of finding their loved ones is becoming smaller. It's now been 15 days since the natural disaster and the likelihood of people surviving under the remains of buildings without food or water is slim to none. I know that our country has been helping send food, water, resources and more over to Haiti to assist them in all of their problems; but to me, it seems like we are not doing enough. I know that at our schools we fundraise and send money, online there are adds to send money, more and more schemes to send money are popping up. And as helpful as money is, it's going to take a lot more to help this country overcome this disaster. I feel as if addition to sending money we should help in different ways, and by this I mean send more people. America may not be thriving right now, but where we are is a lot better then where the people in Haiti are. I don't know how we can send more support, possibly use paid vacation time to assist over there, or get paid leave to keep helping. I know that our country is in a great deficit but I can't help but think that, somehow if we manage to help a struggling country restore itself, then possibly we too, as a country, might come through.

But on the brighter side of things, the people of Haiti have not given up hope. They continue to search for people in the rubble. One man, Hector Mendez persists with hope as his power, and possibly this power of hope, love and strength will be able to emotionally heal this country. In fact, he travels from natural disaster to natural disaster instilling hope and help. We need more people with this attitude; the attitude that we will not give up and we will make things right. Something tells me America, as powerful as it is, has a lot more to give than its currently giving.

Is a Crime Still a Crime When it Seems Morally Correct?

In September 2008, Li Shiming was stabbed through the heart by a 19 year-old Chinese boy, Zhang Xuping. Generally, this case would be classified as morally and legally wrong; but many people have come forward to say that Li was a terrible communist official. On many accounts he was said to have taken land by force. Some 20,000 people came forward to defend the assassination of the greedy official.

My question is simple. Should this boy be pardoned for excecuting an overenforcer? One man came forward and even said "I wanted to kill Li myself, but I was too weak." In fact Zhang was hired by another farmer whos land was stolen from by Li. It is clear that this official was hated and deserved some time of punishment for his actions. But my moral compass just can't let go that Li had to die. Perhaps another method of punishment could have been taken. Yet, I also don't think that Zhang should suffer the death penalty. We will have two murders on our hands instead of just the one.

Drunk With Power! Oxymoron and Bad Influence Rolled into One!

Windows is now soliciting a new kind of "Cool". By buying this program, you can participate in the world by getting "Drunk with Power!"

Two problems, when your drunk, isn't the first thing to fly out the window your Power? Seems a little like an oxymoron to me.

And, this is on the internet. This is basically soliciting alcohol to young, impressionable, underage, minds who are looking for any excuse to down some booze.

Community Service for the Homeless

For a community service project I am interested in, I chose to help the homeless. For two weeks, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Mount Diablo will be hosting a refuge for the homeless to stay. At this event there will be food, water, shelter and friendship offered and I am prepared to assist with all four. It is a non-profitable event in all ways and will do more good than harm. However, I am still waiting to hear back for the go-ahead from the supervisor. Chances are that I will be able to help in one way or another.

The 2010 Deficit is Still Astronomical, Estimating 1.5 Trillion Debt

So for the new year, instead of new jobs and a better outlook on life, the rate of unemployment is still expected to rise from 9.5% to 10% (Bernanke) even though it's said the U.S. is coming out of the longest recession in 50 years (Geithner). Unfortunately for those unemployed Americans, it just means more long months with little to no income.

So the big question is: How do we get out of this hole? And by that 'we' I mean the United States as a whole; not just the middle class. Because as of now, the main victims of this recession are the middle class. The low income population is voided from most taxes, as is living on a low income in America is near impossible. The wealthy population donates little of their income to the matter; even though they make the most money, they use it to buy middle-life crisis cars instead of putting their 'hard-earned' money to a real benefit for the country. Well all I can say to these wealthy folks, good luck in the future when the American Empire has fallen and we all have to move to a foreign country where we are scoffed at for being such 'materialistic, unpatriotic Americans'. Because that's really what it is, not giving aid to your country when it most needs your help, and you have the cash to flash, is unpatriotic.

But what if the American country came up with a new part to the system. What if we installed a flat tax to those who are financially stable. Perhaps, a 7% income tax for all the middle to upper classes. I mean, 7% of a seventy-thousand dollar income is smaller than 7% of a one-million dollar income; the numbers might not be the same, but the proportion is. And if I remember correctly in the Declaration of Independence it states, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal". Well if the middle and upper class each take a 7% hit, that sounds equal to me.

Relating the idea of a flat tax to the current United States problem is simple. If we simply installed the low tax rate to anyone with a stable income, America could rise out of this recession like smoke rises in the sky.

In any case, if I haven't given you enough facts to make you think then let's relate it more close to home. In my house close to 50% of the income never makes it to the house because of the taxes. Now if both upper classes were charged a 50% rate there wouldn't be a problem, but it's not so. The middle class pays more when they have less, and the upper class pays less when they have more.

An Attack is an Attack, Isn't It?

On Christmas Day a terrorist bent on blowing up yet again another plane snuck on to a U.S. bound plane. The controversial topic in this article is whether or not this terrorist attack was of that similar to the memorable attacks of 9/11. I find this only semi-relevant to the situation at hand. It's understandable that for future safety measures it's important to compare and contrast terrorist attacks; but in this can, the concern I hold first and foremost would be for the present time. In the time after the 9/11 attacks many civilians were terrified that a terrorist could somehow get onto a plane an commit another horrible attack. In response to declining flights (declining income) and the general pride and safety of America, airports became some of the most secure and safe places in the U.S. Everyone that boarded a plane was searched thoroughly. And after a few years, the people of America began to feel safe once again. Until now the thought of a terrorist even being able to board a plane seemed impossible. So it now not only surprises me but also scares me to know that any terrorist is boarding a plane.

Cartooning Has Turned out to be a Dangerous Job

On Friday the first of the New Year, a Danish cartoonist was forced to conceal himself and his granddaughter into a panic room because of a threatening terrorist outside his home. The Danish political cartoonist, Kurt Westergaard, is known for his political depictions about the Prophet Muhammad. The attacker was a member of the terrorist group al-Shabaab also a known al Qaeda ally; the spokesman of al-Shabaab, Sheikh Ali Mohamud Rage, tells the news conference:

We are very happy with the Somali national who attacked the house of the Danish cartoonist who previously insulted our prophet Mohammed. This is an honor for the Somali people. We are telling that we are glad that anyone who insults Islam should be attacked wherever they are.

And because of that, I question where the right to freedom of speech comes in.

The ironically interesting part that stands out from this event is that this was a Danish cartoonist al-Shabaab attacked. Cartoonists don't have the strongest influence in the world, so his cartoons involving the Prophet Muhammad have little effect. But the strength of the response to these cartoons was at a lethal level. Here is when the irony sets in, the controversial cartoons have much more publicity now, when an attack on the Cartoonist has happened. If the al-Shabaab would have swallowed their pride and turned their heads, these cartoons would never have been publicized and the value the cartoons carried would have remained small.