For Mother's Day

I can't do my mom justice in a blog entry, but I want to share a little of what made her incredible in honor of Mother's Day. It's been 3 years since she passed away.

Jewelers use what they call the 4 C's evaluate diamonds - clarity, color, carat, and cut. But humans are evaluated by other standards. Compassion. Character. Courage. Convictions. Class. By these standards, mom was a priceless jewel.

Mom was a compassionate conservative long before George Bush thought to coin the phrase for political purposes.

She's always been passionately opposed to abortion. I haven't always agreed with her on all aspects of the issue, but I have nothing but the utmost respect for her convictions, because she "walked the walk." Her compassion didn't end at birth. Every news story of an abandoned child hurt her heart. She'd have adopted them all if she could have. But she did what she could. Aside from the two children she did adopt - for whom I am eternally grateful - there were four more she and my stepfather tried to adopt, as well as the children she has fostered over the years, and her volunteer work with after-school programs and the battered women's shelter. Her actions have been consistent with her convictions, something increasingly rare these days.

She grew up in the segregated South. But she had the compassion even as a child to know that the status quo was wrong. She did not adopt the bigotry that was so common in that era, in that region. I always found that impressive about her. Too many people go with the flow and don't stand up against injustice. She took Martin Luther King's words to heart, to judge people only by the content of their character, and raised her children to do the same. She never tolerated racial epithets or so-called humor in her presence. She had the courage to speak out against prejudice wherever she found it. She didn't do so out of any sense of political correctness, but simply because she knew it was the right thing to do.

She didn't leave all of the south behind. She took the best of it with her in her travels through her life - the kindness, the courtesy, the concern for your neighbors. She knew how to act like a lady. She had class. In some families, you know when your mom calls you by your first and middle name, you're in trouble. While that was true with us, you knew it was really BIG trouble if mom happened to slip into the mildest of curses - it was that rare. She found profanity a crutch for the unimaginative. And in her own small ways, she tried to make the world a more civil place. I was always both amused and impressed when she'd stand up to some drunk, foul-mouthed yahoos at a football game, to let them know their behavior was inappropriate, especially with children around. And it didn't matter what side they were on. More importantly, I have always been extremely grateful to mom, and my dad as well, for the way they always handled their divorce in anything involving us kids. None of our special occasions, our graduations, our weddings, etc. were marred by any drama about having both parents and their spouses present, wondering if there might be a scene. They handled things with class, with a mutual respect, and wisdom.

The past few years of her life in particular, my mom was more than just a mother, she was my friend. We had fun on our football weekends, but it came to mean so much more than just the sport. If she and I had met in some parallel universe where she wasn't my mother, I think we'd still have been friends. But it's hard to imagine a universe in which I'd be who I am, without her as my mom. One thing I know since becoming a mother myself: When the little voice in my head says "You sound just like your mother", it usually means I'm on the right track. She taught me to value not only education, but to value knowledge for its own sake, and instilled in me a deep love of reading. I was never encouraged to play games, to dumb myself down, or to be anyone other than who I am. She taught me to be an informed and involved citizen, so much so that my favorite 18th birthday memory was about finally getting to vote - and not be embarrassed about admitting it.

One last thing that I think speaks volumes about Mom. I was profoundly touched by a conversation we had when she was about to start chemo. She wasn't fearful or self-pitying, though she certainly would have been entitled. No, what was bothering her was that, since she was going to be losing her hair anyway, she had wanted to donate it to Locks of Love. She was disappointed that she hadn't been able to grow it out long enough to do so. Despite her own suffering, what she was concerned about was the gift she hadn't been able to give a child she'd probably never meet.

In the end, while her heart may have failed her, it never failed any of us, or the children whose lives she touched. I'm not saying she was perfect. There was only one perfect person. She had her struggles and flaws like everyone else. But she did her best to approach life selflessly, compassionately, and with the best of intentions for her family. We couldn't have asked for more.

Am I Paranoid, Or Are They Really Out To Get Me?

I'm back. Yeah, it's been a while.

Was dabbling with the idea of getting this blog back up, and then I got into Twitter a couple of months ago. That really got me interested, because once I started expressing my political opinions on a regular basis again, 140 characters at a time started to get really confining.
I started out mainly enjoying the company of fellow conservatives. I know plenty of people I can argue politics with, Twitter started as a break from contentiousness in other platforms.

While I was quietly reading and discussing conservative and GOP politics, I started seeing a lot of talk about other accounts being unjustifiedly suspended after tangling with liberals.

Inevitably, I got drawn into confrontation with liberals.

I don't especially care for Rush Limbaugh. I thought his Fluke comments were over the top. I rarely listen to him. I don't think he's a good representative for conservatives, because he does get offensive. I am not especially PC, but there are certainly times he embarrasses GOP and conservatives.

But, these Soros-funded astroturf liberal fascists trying to get him off the air by bullying and threatening his sponsors are just too much. The solution to speech you don't like is more speech, not less. I don't believe in shutting people down.

The main website where the advertisers are targeted is stoprush.net. The site has a twitterfeed of Tweets using the #stoprush hashtag. So, I started using #stoprush on tweets defending Limbaugh's right to free speech. Where I saw Limbaugh sponsors being tweeted and harassed for supporting misogyny, racism, blah blah PC BS, I turned and tweeted those sponsors and thanked them for supporting Rush's right to free speech and encouraged them to stand up to the bullying tactics of the PC tyrants.

Naturally, I encouraged my followers to join me, and some did. So the Twitter feed at stoprush.net often had as much support for free speech and for Rush as they did rants against his sponsors and his content.

I think that's when certain liberals decided they'd had enough of me. Either that, or the sponsors I tweeted had a problem with me tweeting them. If that were the case, they'd have reported the liberals harassing them instead of thanking them, wouldn't they? But the #stoprush twits are still out there.

So my 1st Twitter account was suspended. My 2nd was also suspended after a mere handful of #stoprush tweets. I was however allowed to promise to be a good girl and reinstate my 2nd account. But then I got suspended again! So, on to my 3rd Twitter account. Which is still alive. For now. But I am for the moment avoiding #stoprush.

I spent a lot of time, followed a lot of people, thought up a lot of original tweets and funny thoughts, and got retweeted quite a bit. I was having a lot of fun with my first account, got up over 700 followers. Now, gone. When I did nothing to violate Twitter TOS.

Methods used to get conservatives suspended have been covered in other blogs, so I'm not going to get into that. But it's pretty clear I was targeted because I was interfering with Soros astroturf.

So what to do, what to do? I have some ideas. Revenge is the best revenge. And these f*&^%%s don't know who they're dealing with.

In a Nutshell

My attitude about the Roland Burris Senate nomination is pretty simple.

If he didn't have the political sense to realize that any Blagojevich nomination would be tainted by scandal, he's way too damn stupid to be a Senator. Granted, we have some pretty idiotic legislators, but really...

Is it that difficult to understand the cloud that will accompany him into office? Does he not realize that if he'd publicly turned down the offer from Blagojevich, he probably would have received it anyway, later, without the baggage? Or won a special election in a landslide for standing up for honor and integrity?

Sad.

Getting Off Politics For A Minute

There was about a month in my life where I was staring my own mortality right in the eye. First I needed surgery, and then I was waiting for the test results. They'd found a rather large ovarian tumor, and anyone old enough to remember Gilda Radner probably knows what that can mean. By the time ovarian cancer causes any symptoms, it has usually spread and is often terminal. They couldn't tell me before surgery that my tumor wasn't cancer - they weren't encouraging at all, really.

Terrified doesn't begin to describe what I was feeling.

I had almost a month between when I first landed in ER with abdominal pain, and when I saw the doctor post-op, to finally get all of the biopsy and pathology results.

I had almost a month to wonder if I would even see my daughter through to the end of her freshman year of high school, much less graduate high school, college, get married, etc.

I had almost a month to conclude that as challenging as my marriage can be at times, I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. But I had that same month to mourn the dreams we'd shared for our retirement, when we'd finally have some real time to devote to each other, to really enjoy life.

It's quite an experience, to stare down your own mortality for an extended basis - to not only see your life flash before your eyes, but have time to contemplate the future that might not be.

This time, mortality blinked first. My tumor was a rare type that looks malignant, but is benign.

I'd like to think I learned something from the experience, other than the need for more regular preventive care and checkups.

It's pretty cornball, but I try (and yes, sometimes fail) to remember who and what is really important.

I try to be slower to anger and faster to forgive. My pride is a lot easier to swallow these days - I'd much rather lose a little face than lose precious time with loved ones that I'll never get back.

I may not talk to my parents a lot more often now, but I tell them I love them on every call, something I didn't used to do.

I'm not perfect, and I'm not a doormat, but the experience gave me some Teflon for the soul. Some things that would have infuriated me or deeply wounded me often just slide off now. I probably have a nice, long life ahead of me now - but what if I don't? I'd rather choose my battles more carefully, and not waste time on crap that just won't matter when I am on my deathbed, whenever that may be.

This was all a couple of years ago, but every once in a while, I need to remind myself.

Stop The Hate On BOTH Sides

I part ways with most conservatives on a number of social issues, but I hope I can still be seen as respectful of their religion in the process.

For example, I have no problem at all with gay marriage. If it makes people feel better to call it “civil union” or “domestic partnership” to preserve in their mind the definition of marriage between a man and a woman, it's reasonable to me. But the fact remains that marriage, to the state, is a contractual commitment and obligation, and any two consenting adults should be able to enter into it, in my opinion. (Standard obligatory disclaimer: By “two consenting adults”, I do not mean a man and his goat, a woman and her twelve year old cousin, or anything other than exactly “two consenting adult” humans.)

However, we cannot let gay rights trample freedom of religion, either. I understand why some opponents of gay marriage fear the slippery slope. The lawsuit recently settled by eHarmony.com, in which they felt forced to provide services for same-sex couples, gives these opponents legitimate reason to be concerned. If a person of faith does not want to perform matchmaking services for unions they morally oppose, it is an outrage that they should legally be forced to do so. Thankfully, as the case was settled and not litigated to the bitter end, it should not set a poor precedent. I hope.

There are plenty of dating and matchmaking services out there that cater to all sexual orientations. I personally find it somewhat intolerant of eHarmony that they wouldn’t provide same-sex services, but I still think it should be their right not to. By the same token, should gay marriage become legal, churches should not be forced to perform the ceremonies. Unlike marriage, freedom of religion is explicitly protected in the Bill of Rights, so state intrusion into the religious sacrament of marriage should be off-limits.

We need more reasonable discussions with mutual respect on both sides, and fewer acrimonious discrimination lawsuits, to maintain the maximum rights for all people. But some groups in society really just need to agree to disagree, and leave it at that.

If you’re gay and a member of a religion that is intolerant of homosexuality, you have a choice to make, not the church. If they’re not allowed to force you to be straight, you are not allowed to try to force them into accepting homosexuality. Sorry. I feel badly for any person in that position, but the rest of the flock has their rights, too. I don’t agree with them either, if it makes you feel any better.

I hope someday the middle 70-80% of the country throw the fringes out on their ear, in order to have a civil and rational discussion on this issue and others like it, without the name-calling and bomb throwing. Until then....

Stop The Insanity

Crossposted at Conservative Badlands.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing, but expecting different results.

Yet, there appears to be growing consideration being given to revamping the 401(k) system, and possibly establishing a mandatory employee contribution into a government plan.

Wait, where have I heard this before? Social Insecurity, anyone heard of that?

We already have one bankrupt retirement entitlement system. Why the hell would we want another?

Part of the discussion involves removing the tax breaks from current 401(k) plans.

Wait. We have tax incentives to encourage savings, personal responsibility, and self-reliance in retirement. Well, we can’t have that under a Democratic administration, can we? No, it’s obviously better to pour even more of our money into a supposedly secure retirement fund administered by the government.

Never mind that this is the same government that raided Social Insecurity and bankrupted it.

Who are they trying to kid here? This is pure insanity.

I understand how severely the market crash affected many American’s 401(k) balances. My husband and I won’t be retiring as early as planned, and it is very disappointing. But, it was our investment decisions and we’re paying the consequences.

That’s life. Sometimes it kicks you in the ass.

But I have much more faith in our ability to recover from this debacle if the Feds just leave us alone to figure it out for ourselves.

If they’re that interested in providing a guaranteed return on a mandatory retirement plan contribution, do it with the money they’re already confiscating for Social Insecurity. Leave our 401(k) alone.

Vin Said It Better, But I Said It First

I had to chuckle a little to myself when I read today's column by Vin Suprynowicz, where he said, in part. . .

"The socialists never enter the next round with the scoreboard "reset to zero" -- they consolidate the gains of 1912 and 1932 and 1964 and 2008, digest their new powers and all the wealth they've confiscated from their victims, and then -- swollen with all they have devoured -- ask, "Play again?""

Compare that to what I said yesterday.

"This isn’t football, where (with the exception of the onside kick) they give us the ball back after scoring. We need to take the ball back, because once they score, the game is rigged forever in their favor. We can’t take the points off the board – not even if there is unsportsmanlike conduct."

What can I say, great minds think alike.