Has the Nation Gone Mad or Are We Victims of Our Society?

It is a tragic ending two days before school is out for summer break. Tuesday’s shooting at Robb Elementary School in the community of Uvalde, Texas resulted in 19 children and two teachers dead. The nation is shocked and saddened as the parents and community mourn their loss. We will not forget this incident as it bears the scar of innocent lives lost to a madman. It leads one to think “where were the parents of the gunman involved?” As a former public school teacher, I can’t help to believe that there were warning signs that this person was mentally disturbed.

Salvador Ramos is a name we will never forget. Before the shooting, he shot his grandmother in the face* and reportedly left a message on social media that he was going to “shoot up” an elementary school. He then drove to the school, crashed his truck, and entered the school at an unlocked west entrance. By his mother’s own words, her son was a loner, stuck to himself, abused animals, and cut himself on his face. He was bullied in early grades for having a speech impediment. It was reported that he had behavioral problems and had conflicts with other students before dropping out of high school.

Ramos not only took the lives of innocent children, but he also destroyed some trust in our school system. It is beyond comprehension why these children weren’t protected more and why so many children were killed due to the lack of security measures at the school. It took an hour* to shoot the assailant as he barricaded himself in a classroom. Why didn’t the police move faster? Ramos started shooting before he entered the building. The shooting only took about 4 minutes to massacre 21 people. The children and teachers didn’t have time to react.

One solution is to provide security codes at each entrance with a security camera at each door. Doors would remain locked. Teachers and staff members would have to punch in a code to enter the building. Visitors and parents would need to ring a button to alert the front office in order to enter the school. School children would be allowed entrance in the morning and as buses arrive. This would also include as children leave the school in the afternoon. The doors need to be replaced with heavy steel doors for added protection from outsiders attempting to enter the building. An armed police officer or security guard seems reasonable, yet, there are not enough police officers to meet the security needs of every school.

We need to do better, especially with our school children. How many more children do we have to lose before something is done? According to the media, there have been 27 school-related shootings in 2022 already and there will be more. It is a domino effect from Columbine in 1999 whereby two teenagers entered the high school and shot students. People are copycats, they will do anything for fame to get the attention of others. However, I believe if Ramos had gotten the proper help he needed years ago, this tragic event could have been avoided. I blame the parents (and grandparents) for not recognizing their son’s mental illness early enough as well as the school staff.

America needs better security measures for schools. God only knows how long it will take to prevent another tragedy like Tuesday’s shooting. Americans can’t afford to lose more children. They are our future generation. This goes for teachers as well. There are too few of them.

*Updated with new information.

What Good Is Jesus Christ?…

My friend asked today after seeing the devastation left by many tornados which hit several states across the nation. Dismayed upon hearing that workers were killed in KY early this morning when a tornado struck a candle factory, my friend questioned why God didn’t intervene to save lives. Tragic as it is, God didn’t cause the deaths of at least 70 people in the building.

This was the worst storm recorded in KY. The death toll could rise to a hundred or more for all six states. Life hasn’t been that easy for some people this year. With COVID-19 for nearly two years, to be able to work extra hours during a time of unemployment and inflation certainly sounded appealing. The workers were working overnight at the candle factory to have money for Christmas.

My friend has the right to question God, but he doesn’t understand that God is working to make good no matter the circumstances. It is unfortunate that many people died and rebuilding will take a while. But people will rebuild; homes, towns, buildings, and factories will rebuild. God is always in charge. He will restore loss, heal pain, build hope, maintain strength, and give wisdom to those in need.

“Let’s Make America Great Again”

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Blogging, Media, Networking, Social Media, Writing

Heard by Trump many times, a phrase that not only has political value, it lies in the heart of every American. Whether you voted for Trump or Biden, one vision that stays in my mind is that this country needs to get back to greatness again. We have staggered with the COVID-19 epidemic. It was unexpected, unwarranted, and definitely unwanted. How do we recover as a nation after the coronavirus hits all over the world? Without realizing the extent of the impact on our economy, our nation has come through a major setback that may never fully recover from it. Not to sound negative, this year we have gone through a series of declines economically. They have an adverse effect on our country’s morale.

I feel that America has lost its vision of unity and equality. Americans do not carry the pride our forefathers had. During the epidemic, some have become depressed and discouraged, disillusioned about our economy’s inflation. Yes, we are suffering the worst economic inflation I’ve seen in my lifetime with higher taxes and price increases, but I’m encouraged that this will be resolved. It will not be automatic, it will be over time with a new government, a new voice, and a new America. Americans are not that stupid, at least the majority of them. They see through the political “bull” chaos going on in Washington, D.C. Our nation needs new leaders, new ideas that will benefit everyone. I’m tired of hearing about the Far Left, the Woke, the demise of the Democratic Party. Give me some good news, damn it.

As far as the Critical Race Theory (CRT) and the education program, children aren’t learning in schools. Yet, I see this as a period of transition. The premise that children have to apologize for the color of their skin seems absurd to me. What are we teaching our children these days? To hate, to feel inferior, to be ashamed of who they are. I taught high school students for some years. The word “racist” was used to heighten racial tension in some situations. However, I saw positive interactions among a diverse group of people too. It was understood that non-whites and whites could get along. There is also no need for white students to apologize for being white. It is their origin, as any other race. One would have to address “white supremacy” as a form of racial denial for white students. It is a farce, no such thing exists, and shouldn’t be allowed to be taught in schools.

America needs to stand strong and rebuild strength, especially seen today while honoring our veterans who served our country. They fought for our freedom and our liberty. Watching President Biden honor the fallen hero at the ‘Tomb of the Unknown Soldier’ brought back memories of how many have given their lives for our country. They served proudly and bravely. The ceremony was moving and filled the heart with courage to move forward. My father served both in the Navy at Corpus Christi and the Air Forces at Cocoa Beach, FL during the Korean War. Other family members have served in the Army Corps, such as my uncle, cousin, nephew, and brother-in-law, to name a few. It is an honor to have them serve our country.

What has happened to our nation? It seems as if Americans have lost their spirit. The ideology behind America’s dream of a better world is going in the wrong direction. This is not the America I grew up in. We had so much hope, more positive thinking, and dreams of a bright future. That is all but an image now. We need to start building a foundation of common ground and put our interests into America, not worrying that our country will be filtrated with illegal aliens. This is a sign of the times that the American culture is changing, as we see thousands of immigrants flood the southern border every day. Remember, the country voted for a man whom we thought would be good for America, only to be blindsided by efforts to change our nation into a more socialistic society. Wake up, America! It is our time to fight back.

Are We Doing Okay as a Nation?

Gas prices are increasing every day, inflation hikes economically, higher property taxes, cost of living increases, cargo delays in ports, manpower shortages due to vaccine mandates nationwide, southern border crisis, and our foreign policy is shot to hell, which has caused other countries to laugh at us. We are literally the laughing stock of countries like China and Russia. We are no longer the greatest nation in the world. We have lost credibility all over the world.

Are we doing okay as a nation? The country has shifted downhill this year when Biden came into office last January. It is obvious to most Americans that something is terribly wrong and the Biden Administration is turning their heads in acknowledging that problems exist in our nation. Furthermore, they are ignoring the problems and refuse to find solutions. It is as if we are being lied to in order to shut us up.

Over thirty years ago, I was a liberal and even volunteered for the Democratic Party. My ex-husband knew the Speaker of the House, Tom Murphy, at that time. Now, at my age of maturity, I feel that politics has shifted in this country to a more socialist (communist-like) movement in society. Are we to be governed as a people, told how and where to live? In the future, will young families be told to limit their number of children, as China does now? The maximum is one to two children, due to overpopulation.

The average gas price nationally at this time last year was $2.24 per gallon; now, it is $3.44 per gallon. That is $1.20 or 43.3% above average. Vaccine mandates over COVID-19 have caused manpower to lessen nationally, causing delays in delivering cargo to ports. In addition, former workers are paid not to work, to stay at home. Why should they work? There are 1.7 million immigrants crossing our southern border and a wave of more to come from Mexico, and Honduras. Let’s not forget the immigrants from Haiti, Venezuela, and neighboring countries that have crossed the border already.

Frankly, I didn’t like either candidate in 2020, however, I felt Trump was a better and stronger candidate than Biden. Biden’s weak leadership, havoc over his foreign policy, and other critical decisions, such as stopping the wall at the southern border, and stopping the Keystone Turnpike, natural oil leading from Canada to plants in Texas, lead me to think he is wrong for what this country needs. Biden wants to buy oil from the Arab Republic, making gas and oil prices exorbitantly high in the near future. The Far Left doesn’t seem to want natural power and energy. Rather, the Woke controls what our country is becoming, a Socialist country.

The Biden Administration is just as crippled in government. Their advice is poor and makes Biden look incompetent rather than strong, as a leader of our country should be. Immigrants are invading our country at a record speed. They will be able to obtain driver licenses, and state IDs, which will lead them to voter rights in years to come. They will be able to vote for state and national elections, mainly Democrats. We will soon not have a country nor a democracy.

I will not go into critical race theory or mandates for teachers. Let’s save that for another day. I was a high school teacher, teaching students with learning problems in mainstream classrooms. My subjects were English, Math, and Literature. I loved language, as my mother, and got my thirst of knowledge from her. Do I believe in separating gifted students from average students? Absolutely, whereas more advanced students can help average students in the general classrooms, gifted students are held back from learning their full potential, talent(s), and creativity.

I am not a phenetic over politics, just a concerned citizen. I am from a middle-class family of four daughters. My mother was an elementary school teacher, teaching gifted children. My father was a businessman and salesman. They worked hard all their lives and encouraged their children. They promoted family pride and being proud of our southern roots. We didn’t have a lot of money to spend, but it had gone a long way with what we had.

Growing up, my maternal grandmother taught me goodness, honesty, and truth. She represented the ‘Old South” to me. Her heart was good as gold. Being taken out of public school as a young child due to the death of her father, taught me the importance of a good education. It gave me meaning and purpose in life. A reason I love to write so much.

My suggestion is to contact your local representatives. Hound them if you must and voice your concerns. You are an American citizen, you have that right. Become proactive in critical decisions concerning your children, grandchildren, education, healthcare, medicare, and social security, particularly in retirement. In addition, there are other issues, such as cost of living, inflation, high taxes, price increases, and mandates.

Come on, wake up Americans! We are steadily losing our great country and what it stood for, what our ancestors fought for – freedom, liberty, and democracy. Start getting involved before it is too late. If afraid to respond to this post due to censorship, please write to Trump’s website at Gettr or Trump Truth at Gettr. I understand that millions have responded already.

The South Could Have Won The Civil War

Please note: These are personal beliefs only. You can reblog this post, send to friends and family. This is a replica of writings I am working on.

I am a Southerner and proud of it. Reared in Georgia, I was born in metro-Atlanta and now reside in Atlanta. I am sixth generation Cobb Countian. My family roots go back to Georgia for many generations. My ancestors could have stayed in the northeastern region of the country, but challenging times led them here. Whether it was less industrialism, a warmer climate, lower population, agriculture/land, making a living, and/or trying to survive economically, they were attracted to Georgia. Being a southern gal, I often wondered what if the South had won the Civil War.

It was a possibility, given the military strategies of General Robert E. Lee. His brilliance and excellence for militant warfare led the Confederate Army to win some battles, yet, they were outnumbered by the Union soldiers. General Ulysses Grant was one general that could defeat General Lee in respect to the size of his army and strong perseverance. Lee’s army was dispositioned after given information which led to their surrender at Appomattox on April 9, 1865. Overpowered by Union troops, his army of soldiers were in a dangerous position seen by the enemy. What would had happened if the South had won?

For one thing, the South wouldn’t have been unionized into a ‘nation’ and the Southern Confederate states would have remained as seceded states “the Confederacy”. Two different countries would had existed. President Abraham Lincoln wouldn’t have abolished slavery so quickly after the war. President Lincoln might not have been assassinated. Segregation would still had remained, however, not to the degree it did after the war. The Reconstruction period from 1865 to 1876 would have been unheard of to this date. The freed slaves would not have rights of equity under the Constitution. The 14th Amendment wouldn’t had been established for civil rights of blacks. The South wouldn’t had to reintegrate and reorganize itself. The KKK wouldn’t have been so prevalent in the South. Lien on crops wouldn’t had existed, especially with cotton gins in the South.

There are solutions to President Lincoln’s political movement of slavery. Lincoln could had prevented the civil war. He could had developed a five-year plan for the North and the South to ‘adopt’ into an agreement. Primarily, slavery would be abolished within five years. Each slave would become an “indentured servant” in which every family received up to an acre of land to cultivate and farm whatever crops they wanted. Upon five years, every freed slave would have their own resources to make a living and provide food for their family.

Frankly, slavery would had been abolished over time. Civil laws would had formed leniency toward blacks and civil rights activists would had advocated toward freedom of slaves. It was just a matter of time for slavery to be a thing of the past. Prejudices and bias still existed in the South, especially during the Reconstruction era. The mistreatment of blacks was an ongoing dilemma, causing many freed slaves to travel to other parts of the country after the war, particularly to the North. Some did stay after the war, setting the South as their permanent home. Others had no way to travel and no where to go, forcing them to stay in the South.

Did You Know…

A Texas Superintendent recently advised teachers to choose books for students which stated that the Holocaust was a matter of opinion, whether it happened or not? Unbelievable that this superintendent wants to knock out world history after World War I, mainly European history, as a fragment of one’s opinion. The extermination of six million Jews didn’t actually happen nor Adolf Hitler’s dominance over Germany and a large portion of Europe. Hitler loved Jews and concentration camps all over Poland and south Germany didn’t exist. If you believe this, you might believe anything that President Biden states. The Democratic Party is more idealistic to the European principles of government. It doesn’t seem very democratic these days, but there is still freedom of speech. That might be taken away too.

I know in fact the Holocaust existed. I have a Jewish friend whose one side of his family was killed in Poland. Fortunately, his grandparents fled Europe safely before arriving in America in the early 1920s. They are among the lucky ones, the survivors under the government of the German Social Democratic (Nazi) Party. What about millions of Jews being led like cattle onto train boxcars? They were bunched up with no room to breathe or move. What about the gas chambers themselves? What about photographs showing dead naked bodies in ditches stacked on top of each other? What about chimneys blowing steam from fire ovens with the ghastly smell and stanch from human flesh?

Hitler was one-eighth Jewish himself. Instead of destroying the Jewish race in Germany, he could have utilized them in government, monetary positions, military strategic decisions, law, science, medicine, and in civil actions. What was Hitler thinking? His hatred for the Jews and his desire to create a superior nation with ‘aryan’ people in race overrode his power as a great leader. Anyone ‘non-aryan’ was viewed as obsolete by Nazi ideology. This not only included people of Jewish descent, it included gypsies and non-Caucasian people too.

Something to think about. If we are to teach our children that one has an opinion of a historical event, whether it’s factual or not, it seems a little over the edge to me. I taught high school students some years back. I taught truth, actual events and history. But the Texas Superintendent’s way of teaching will only confuse students. It conflicts with theology, ideology, and sociology of natural history. It condemns historical research and knowledge. Granted it teaches our children to think individually, but it also divides history into two different sectors. What do you think? You have my permission as the author to reblog this post.

An Act of Faith

I know I sound like a broken record, but faith brought me through a lot of challenges over the years. It gave me strength, a purpose, and a new meaning to life itself.

When first diagnosed with LEMS, I was told there was no cure and life-threatening, I set out to prove I would not be debilitated for life. When the oncologist said I might be bedridden from LEMS, I was determined to stay strong. When she also said I might have weekly infusions, I proved her wrong. When the neurologist said I would probably stay on infusions the rest of my life, I stayed focused on being healthy. When both doctors told me the infusions kept me alive, I made up my mind to get better. When doctors told me I might not walk again due to the inversion of both feet, I walked a week after getting out of a cast post-surgically. When the majority of them said surgery would not work, I proved them all wrong. When current blood tests showed that my white (wbc) and red (rbc) blood counts had improved, and my blood platelets were normal too, I was practically cured of LEMS. When I was told I might not live past ten years with LEMS, I have lived eleven years already.

You tell me – was this a miraculous act of medicine or was it Godsend? Faith kept me going and the belief someday that I would walk again, that my feet would be straighter. In addition, I met a man this past year that helped to increase my wbc from a very high vitamins regimen. A brilliant Jewish medical doctor. He was a medical podiatrist, immunologist, and wound healer. When I last spoke to my neurologist last month, he was amazed that my wbc had tripled this year. So much so that I am now off infusions entirely. I get my port out in two weeks.

Life brought me a bowl of rotten eggs, but I overcame the circumstances, and moved forward with life. Please don’t ever judge me. I don’t feel like a victim; rather, I’m affected by a medical disability with LEMS disease. One needs to walk in my shoes for a day, a week, or even a month to understand my physical condition. I live with daily pain; joint pain and inflammation, however, I stay active in weekly activities. Prayer, strength, guidance, and a belief that all things are possible with Jesus Christ are the answers. Remain focused, stay positive, and “never give up,” as my mother used to say.

A Second Chance

I’ve been given a second chance at life. It is more than an incredible circumstance; it’s God send. What has occurred in my life for the past few years could have killed or worsened me, However, it is this remarkable set of circumstances that sent me in another direction. I ended up falling in love again, even at my age, and stage of life. I met a medical doctor on October 23, 2020, when I first entered this place last year. What is incredible is that I have already bonded with his children. Not having children biologically, I feel close to his five children.

Fred gave me medical advice through a very high vitamin regimen that I wouldn’t get otherwise. He also helped me get off monthly IV-G infusions and Rituxan for my autoimmune (LEMS) disease, raised my white blood count from 2.3 to 7.1 within 10 months, and practically cured me of LEMS.

How dare anyone say I play the victim role! If someone feels that way, he or she needs to walk in my shoes for at least one day. I’m doing the best I can. I write posts to this blog as therapy to my illness, and connect to the world. Since I don’t see my family very often, I update and connect with them through FB.

It’s been a daily struggle both physically and medically, but I have made new friendships here. My life is full of compassionate and caring people. I didn’t like this environment at first. It took me several months to adapt to my new surroundings, but meeting Fred made it easier for me.

I’ve developed a new relationship with God, going to weekly bible studies, and putting trust in Him. Maybe this new experience proved beneficial for several reasons. I’m not only restoring my faith in God, Fred has shown interest in knowing the Lord. He was reared in the the Northeast, me in the Southeast. He was brought up in a Jewish synagogue, me in a Baptist church. But given our differences, we are two peas in a pod. We get along very well.

Other than that, it’s been peaceful and calm lately. Less stress as I complete my journey I’m on. Actually, less tension with less phone calls. I personally feel my family has been in conflict ever since my mother’s death on March 23, 2020. It has caused chaos, but we are slowly building a new foundation with each other. More importantly, we have stayed together as a whole. One important ingredient is that we learn to love and respect each other.

The New Age

We are living in a new age. Times have changed from even a decade ago. We have moved into an age of mask mandates for the public, as well as public school children. This past year, we have dealt with social distancing, COVID-19 vaccines, boosters, delta variant strains. higher taxes, inflation, gasoline price increases, cost of living and so forth. What about all this climate change? Seems to me, global warning is an established pattern started a few decades ago. Is it a hoax? Are we really going to burn up eventually?

I’m getting tired of social media reporting tragic news. I sometimes just shut off the television or radio. Sometimes, I feel that the facts are not completely reported to the viewers, often misconstrued as “fake” news. Local news can sometimes be interesting, however, national news becomes repetitive and monotonous. Forget world news – it is even more tragic. What news can we believe is true and what do we need to filter out, if any?

I believe people are doing the best they can. An equal break doesn’t exist anymore. We are in an age of “survival among the fittest”. I see frustrations in everyday living, families, and individuals. People have been depressed because they are unable to get out socially as much as in the past years. We are human beings – social beings. When social distancing occurs, something happens to us.

I see this almost everyday as I talk to others, even with family members and friends. People tend to forget that I’ve been in assisted living off and on for two years. I am physically handicapped and unable to get out some as most people. Tension adds as I’m recovering from another surgery. Truth is, I’d rather be left alone to heal fully right now. I need rest, not retaliation.

I Walked – Praise God!

I walked today on my own on a walker. If you know my medical health history and have been following my blog the past few years, this is nothing short of a miraculous blessing. I’ve been in a wheelchair the last two years, having multiple hospitalizations, surgeries, rehabilitations, and surgical procedures. It has been a long painful journey, but almost over. Praise God and thankful for all the continuous prayers over the years.