Author Archives: themomteam

You Can Put A Label On A Jam Jar, But Don’t Put The Label “Jam” On Every Jar

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If you listen to the media, it would appear that heroes abound in our great country. Football players are called heroes because they risk their health weekly. The ACLU would like to be considered heroic for their public stances against virtually every religious issue that appears. And, there are the everyday heroes so labeled simply because they volunteer in a variety of ways. If you read the obituaries, you will also discover that many have fought a heroic battle against cancer or other diseases. Teachers are called everyday heroes for teaching. Bill Gates was even labeled a hero for donating a stupendous amount of money!

I disagree.

Heroism occurs when a person forgets his own life in the pursuit of saving another. So, while a cancer patient could be called tenacious or determined, they are not heroic. After all, what choice do they have in trying to defeat this scourge of our time? Nor is anyone else saved by their efforts. The families have a vested interest in saving their loved one, but no one risks their life to actually prolong the cancer patient’s life. So, although we love and honor them, and as painful as it is to accept, these are not heroes.

Football players do have to be concerned about injuries, but, they are paid huge salaries to do so. Nor are any lives saved by their running up and down the field on a given Sunday. The ACLU is a liberal organization with an agenda that wants to defeat anything that vaguely resembles a religious belief. If you can spell “religion”, you had better watch out! The ACLU is going to be after you! How does that make the organization heroic? It doesn’t.

Unless they are teaching in a dangerous zone, such as Iraq, or war-torn Africa , why would a teacher be considered a hero? Teachers are some of my favorite people because I am one and several of my relatives are teachers. But, preparing lesson plans, teaching, working with students, or motivating our youth to higher achievements does not qualify anyone for sainthood. While teachers are a wonderful asset to our society, and might work above and beyond their pay grade, they are not heroes.

So, who cares if we label virtually everyone a hero? I do. I think that this barrage of overblown hype destroys the value of true heroism. After all, if everyone is a hero, then, by definition, there are no heroes! And, we risk losing our appreciation for those who truly do risk their lives for others. When rock stars and Hollywood personalities become idolized by our youth as heroes – just because they are famous, we risk losing ideals that are intrinsic to the survival of our country. So, let’s consider who the real heroes are.

True heroes, like those firefighters and policeman who rushed the World Trade Center without regard for themselves, are an important thread in our society’s fabric. We should honor those people. We should also honor every firefighter and policeman who daily face the possibility of a mortal threat, but do so to keep our society intact and to save others.

We need to remember our military heroes and heroines who, no matter where they serve, are prepared to instantly jump to our country’s defense. Their devotion to duty is woven so deeply into our lives that we often forget their service. We do remember them on holidays like the Fourth of July, but we should keep them in our prayers every day of the year because, without them, the enemies of Liberty might prevail.

We also need to remind ourselves that heroes come in every color and shape and size and belong to every nationality on the face of the Earth. The Iraqui soldier who is willing to face an enemy he might not recognize might be a hero, too, just as our own troops are. Those who struggle against social injustice might also be considered heroes if they, like Martin Luther King, risked their lives. But, beware of elevating someone just because they are of a minority. Jessie Jackson might appear as a hero to some, but I think he is nothing more than a self-serving politician masquerading as a religious personality. If you want to honor a person from a minority, why not choose someone who deserves that honor like Clarence Thomas or Condaleza Rice? But, it is equally important to realize that heroes do come in white, too. Despite liberal attacks on each and every action, President Bush could be considered a hero because he has devoted his last 6 years to protecting his country and advancing the causes we conservatives and moderates believe in – and, yes, his life is constantly at risk. So, he does qualify as a hero.

The important point in determining a hero has to be whether the person is sacrificing himself on behalf of others. Those who do it for monetary gain or publicity alone do not qualify. Nor do those who are merely doing a job without risk qualify for the status of hero or heroine.

Let’s keep the title of “Hero” as a special acclamation for those who deserve such accolades. That way, our children will be able to look up to true role models and, perhaps, grow into giving and caring adults who perpetuate a generous world. Heroism is an indispensable virtue in every age. It is the spear which pricks and motivates other to raise their standards to benefit the greater whole which is society. It is the glue which holds our higher ideals together and makes us all better for having known the true HEROES of our age

From : The Mom Team

Who’s responsible?

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The American public is dissatisfied with their Congress, according to the media. I believe that NO ONE truly knows what the American public believes until the actual votes are counted and I resent anyone, especially the media, telling me that I SHOULD believe this or that. As an educated woman, I am fully capable of reading about the issues and deciding for myself. Certainly others are, too. It is important to remember that what is important to Americans today might not be what they asked for earlier. And, although, much of the media fervently wants us to believe that Republicans have done a bad job, consider the following.

When President Bush first took office, the economy was considered of paramount importance. Thanks to timely tax cuts, the economy has surged. Unemployment is lower and housing is up. The economy is roaring along, despite many obstacles along the way. Does the media remember who was in charge of this economic enthusiasm?

President Bush and his policies were responsible.

After 9/11, the media was abuzz with the immediate need for increased security inside the United States and world wide. Almost everyone agreed that our government should take every step to apprehend and destroy terrorists and to prevent another terrorist attack. TV news commentators discussed little else.…… until it was decided that somehow, somewhere, someone had to be at fault for the attack. Then, the hunt was on for whom to blame for the purported lapse in security. After all, the “American public” demanded to know who was responsible.

The terrorists were responsible.

Our armed forces reported to duty. Saddam Hussein was captured. There have been no further attacks within our country. Iraq is building a Democracy. And, the media was temporarily captivated by these stories until it was decided that too much credit was being attributed to President Bush’s policies. But, who was responsible for immediately deploying American troops and every asset available to destroy the terrorists?

President Bush was primarily responsible.

Hurricane Katrina ravaged many parts of the south. The Federal government offered aid only to have it refused by various Democrat state officials until the devastation had begun and it was difficult to move help in. Who was primarily responsible for not working with the Federal Government?

Look closely at the governor and mayor of the state which suffered so much destruction to see who is responsible.

Look to President Bush to see who immediately pledged Federal help.

Now, the media is exclaiming, with considerable glee, that the Republicans are going to suffer huge campaign losses this Fall. If the voters would truly consider where the blame or credit should really lie in all these national emergencies, it is obvious that President Bush has faced huge challenges from terrorism and natural disasters. At every turn, he has immediately offered as much aid as he could through Federal resources and even with his personal attention. He has visited innumerable families of fallen soldiers. He has kept the plight of the south at the forefront of his agenda, despite the constant barrage of criticism the attention brings.

Every American citizen should be proud of the efforts our government has made under the leadership of President Bush. In every instance, he has chosen the moral high ground and has exerted considerable effort to keep America safe and prosperous. Who is responsible for the current comfort zone we all share in America today?

President Bush is responsible.

It is time for the voters to stop listening to the rabid media who constantly reinvent the “issue of the day”. Remember that the media has a vested interest in drumming up stories. Many times, their personal biases and personal need for air time lead them to hype stories rather than just reporting the facts. It is time for voters to rediscover why they elected President Bush and Republican legislators. So, who is responsible for deciding the best candidate for any of the senate or congressional jobs being voted on this Fall?

Only the voters should be responsible!

From : The Mom Team

Racism & Driscrimination (My .02)

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Every responsible parent attempts to raise children who tolerate the quirks and foibles of others. We all hope and pray that our kids will not turn into bullies or attempt to move through life by intimidation; but that our offspring will try to help others and generally become responsible citizens of our wonderful country.

Being tolerant becomes a good attitude for children, families, and society because tolerance is the lubricant of daily life. It allows someone in a hurry because they have a crying baby to move to the head of the line. It is understanding that a clerk is trying to help everyone all at once, but might need a little more time to finish the job. It is also realizing that no one passes through this life unscathed. If we take the time, we will find that pretty much everyone around us has some sad tale to tell, if we would only listen. Being tolerant means weighing the possibility of another’s problems into the equation before jumping to unwarranted conclusions and assuming that the other person is just being a jerk.

However, tolerance itself has been abused. It is tolerant to understand that someone might need a helping hand more than you. It is intolerant to assume that someone “gets” that helping hand merely because they are a minority or because they “deserve” it, according to their own estimation. The justification for promoting affirmative action was originally a means to remove invisible barriers and allow all citizens to have a fair shot in business, education, and Life, in general. It was to allow everyone the “pursuit” of happiness, not a guarantee that our tax dollars would pave the way for them! Now, though, affirmative action is being used to excuse every form of discrimination. Madtown, for example, is saying that it will no longer give our top students entrance, just because they are good students! Isn’t UW-Madison supposed to be an institution of higher learning where we promote academics? How do you justify giving more weight to someone’s color, or ethnicity, over another student’s scholarly attributes? This is NOT tolerance! It is rank discrimination, but because the students who suffer from this policy are not a minority, the University plows ahead. I am ashamed of my alma mater for bowing to political correctness and for not attempting to lure the best and brightest minds to our state!

I believe that our political system promotes this kind of blatant discrimination because almost all politicians are ultimately using our tax dollars to buy voters. It is easy to secure some votes merely by legislating benefits for a minority. Illegal immigration is an example of corrupting the notion of tolerance into a system that treats our immigrants unfairly. By definition, illegal immigration means that these people are breaking our law. They should be required to follow all the requirements of immigration, and not be forgiven simply because they can sneak across our borders, whether northern or southern. It is not tolerance to allow this. It is a buying of votes with our tax dollars.

Tolerance and discrimination are at opposite ends of the spectrum. We should not confuse the two. Tolerance is our adjusting to Life as we pass through and our attempt to smooth out the rough edges of Life so that everyone has a fair chance. Discrimination is an attempt to leverage a benefit for someone who has not earned that benefit. Tolerance serves all of us well. Discrimination creates anger. In our world today, which do you think serves all of us better?

From : The Mom Team