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Restore the Vetreans Administration

The most neglected and even abused members of our society are disabled combat veterans. After seeing the destruction st the battle of Gettysburg Abraham Lincoln commissioned the Veterans Administration, "For those who have born the battle and their families." For centuries the VA had been a advocate for disabled veterans making sure that they got proper treatment and equipment needed for better living. They fought for benefits and just compensation for our injuries in the service of our country. This all ended in the 80 under President Reagan. After a fight with quadriplegic Vietnam veteran Grover Washington the then head of the Veterans Administration of allocation of the VA budget Reagan disbanded the Veterans Administration and put veterans affairs under the cabinet position department of Veterans Affairs. The initials VA remained and to most folks the move went unnoticed. The VA budget was put into the budget of the Department of Defense. At the time Washington rightly said that he was making veterans of past wars pay for future wars. So instead of having an agency to intervene for veterans we now have only a person appointed by the president presumably of his own thinking. The result has been devastating to veterans and our families. Walter Reed is the proof of that an is not an isolated incident. From the time the doctors told me that I was unable to work because of my war injuries until I received just compensation was nine years. Because the person who is supposed to help veterans to obtain our benefits works for the government and gets bonuses for denying us our benefits. I spent a year of that time living in national forest the rest with friends and family. After getting back pay I moved to San Francisco where my daughter lived. I was able to pay deposits get furniture and get a nice apartment on the outskirts of town. The treatment I received at the SFVMC was excellent. I had to live on a tight budget but I was happy and getting proper treatment for the first time in years Then by some bureaucratic SNAFU my check stopped for two and a half months. I lost my apartment and as a result everything else. I finally landed in a poverty stricken part of western North Carolina 65 miles from the nearest VA Medical Center. The treatment is poor and the attitude of apathy is worse. There are over 200,000 unresolved claims from the Vietnam war alone. Restore the Veterans Administration fir thise who have borne the battle that is the least that we can do.

The Meaning of Life

To live. The only value of death is to show us how precious life is. The greatest sin is not to live life in all of it's abundance. If you were created in the image of God the you are a creator. So create. If you live your life in fear of punishment or hope of reward you will always be controlled by whoever you accept as an authority.And therefore controls your thinking and your life. Life exist in the moment and anything else is just a though. Be the master of your own thoughts because thoughts become actions and actions habits. These are the things from which religions are born. Religion does not lead one to God but to as set of values defined by whoever claims and receives authority. Some of the worst crimes in history have been committed in the name of religion. Religions are all false because they claim to be able to define God. In doing so the place the Almighty in a box of their own self interest. If they come and say to you I am here or I am there don't believe them. God is as close to you as your breathing, No one can lead you to God because God consumes you. If you are not close to God it is you that has moved.
Finally religion fails to answer the undying question. Why do bad things happen to good people? They promise apple pie in the sky bye and bye if we suffer here on earth. Or they proclaim that God is testing you. As if the Almighty needed to test anyone. Sometime they even admit that they don't know. "It is a mystery" they say. but it was no mystery to Jesus who said God causes it to rain on the just and the unjust.
This guy died and found himself before the throne of God. "So my son" the Almighty ask, do you choose heaven or hell?"
"I thought that that was decided already?"
"Why would you think that? Haven't I always given you a choice?"
"Can I check them out first?
"Sure which do you want to visit first?
'Well since hell does not seem like where I would like to go or so I have been told I'll check it out first."
The man found himself in a large room filled with the smell of Mulligan stew. Around a pot filled with this delicious stew sat thousands starving because their spoons were too long to reach their mouths.
"I don't want to be here!" he cried.
Immediately he found himself in another room filled with the same aroma of Mulligan stew and the thousands that sat around were well fed and happy. Then he noticed that they had the same spoons too long to reach their mouths.
"I don't understand?"
To that he Almighty replied, "They are feeding each other."

Does Freedom of Religion include Freedom from Religion?

Has not religion done more harm than good throughout history? Is a religious zealot who kills one less evil than the one who kills a thousand? Religion seldom leads one to God because it is dedicated only to it's own ideology, dogma and interpretation of their own holy text. Anything that you can concieve in your mind is too small to be God. Religion puts God in a box and dictates the rules to the almighty its own self. Those who believe that they know the truth will never seek it and shall remain forever in everlasting darkness. Europeans fled to the new world for two main reasons. One was running from a government run buy religion the other a religion run by government. America as a nation rejected both. But since the onset of fundamental Christianity in the beginning of the 20th century religion has imposed its ideology on non believers and believers of other faiths to the magnitude of the 15th century holy Roman Catholic Church. The latest example of this is prop 8 in California. With the support of the Mormon Church and Roman Catholic church the majority was allowed to deprive a minority of basic human rights. Prop 8 will fail when hear by the US Supreme Court, as it surly will be, and set a precedent that will open the door to Gay and Lesbein marriage through the country.
When we deprive one small group their rights we put all of our liberty in danger. Marriage is a religious thing which the government does not have the right to define. Though ones religion says it is wrong another disagrees. Prop 8 therefore violates the first amendment right of freedom of religion. If a religion refuses to accept a marriage based on their beliefs that is their perogative. Do you want to be forced to follow the laws of a religion in which you do not believe? To those who think that the first amendment does not mean separation of church and state I say maybe we should further define it. Let us simple state, Render unto to Cesar that which is Cesar's and unto God that which is Gods.

To a new generation

It is not what Obama can do but what we can do together. The torch has been passed to a new generation. I challenge you young who want to change the world to volunteer. Find something that interest you and use it to serve your country. My generation stopped a war with violence and anger that further divided the country. Anarchy is self defeating because it gives strength for the need for stronger government.
Your generation stopped a war by electing a President who calls us to work together. It is time for that Yankee Doodle American spirit we can do it that has made this the greatest country. Inventors in every basement and every garage in America I call on you to strike it rich the way Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell did. Because you live in America at this great moment the world is you oyster.
For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know. These words come from the tombstone of a fallen hero.

The torch has been passed

Kennedy opened his ignoraration speech with the words, "The torch has been passed to a new generation" and that describes the election of Barack H Obama. This election produced more new voters than any I can remember. The slogan of change to them was more than just a slogan. With over seven million popular votes and over two thirds of the electoral votes America has certainly handed this president a mandate. For those who thought that it was the economy that got Obama elected let me point out that four states that elected Democrat Senators voted for McCain and Senators in eleven states who voted for President Elect Obama got from 1% in Illinois 12% more votes in Virgina than Obama. Though the McCain campaign challenged Obama's readiness to lead, personal character and judgment he was chosen by the people to have the vision America wants for the world. Dim is the torch that brandished unbridled power and bright the torch of Diplomacy. Both our friend and foes alike welcomes this era of reason. The entire world awaits America as one again the leader not the divider of the world.

Ano John McCain Open Letter t

I too am a Vietnam Veteran and I like more than 50 million Americans watched your heroic story and how you came to be the man you are today. There is no question of your courage under fire nor your unbelievable endurance. I watched with awe when you told of how in spite of knowing that you would be beaten you still would not sacrifice your Honor by being released ahead of others who had been there longer. Most of those who have never served under fire do not understand the need for Honor in our fighting forces. Honor is the glue that binds us one to another that makes us look out for each other. Without a Code of Honor it would be everyone for themselves. Without Honor our military would fall into anarchy. When one member violates the Military Code of Conduct we all suffer. That is why the code says that prisoners must be released in the same order as captured.

I cried when you told of being broken by the brutal beating. And when you told of how the prisoner in the next cell forgave you and said that no one of us can do it alone. And like 50 million other Americans forgave you too. It must have been an awful beating to get you to violate that same Code of Honor you took the beating for. But I did not hear you admit that you signed a confession saying that we, our troops were “black criminals” and targeted civilians. The same Code of Honor makes it wrong to take an early release also forbids us from signing anything against America and our fighting troops.

We all know that the Vietnam war was not lost on the battlefields and bases of Vietnam but in the streets of America. How many new recruits do you think joined William Ayers' Weather Underground when the news reported that a Naval Pilot, the son of the Admiral in charge of the entire SEA fleets said that we targeted schools and hospital? While 8,000,000 of us came home to the scorn of disdain of the nation in part because of you. Did you ever ask yourself if you should apologize to those of us who felt pain of your dishonorable act? While You came home as a hero the bus the rest of us came home to cries of “Murders”. When I arrived from 18 months fighting for my country hundreds of angry communist lead protesters rushed our bus. I tried to convince my wife returning home with me that they were just glad we are home. But even Hien, whose english was poor knew what FU and the middle finger meant.

Without Honor our military will deteriorate and victory will elude us. There is no one promise that we make when we swear to death before dishonor more important than another. How can You expect our brave troops to follow you into battle knowing that when it came to where the rubber hit the road you traded honor for life. The Code of Honor begins with, “I am an American fighting man I am prepared to give my life for my country”. Many have called me cruel for even bring this up. They say you deserve our honor for what You went through. You and I know that honor is doing the right thing for the right reason regardless of personal pain.

Your friend was not totally right when he said that no one could stand alone because there is a time when s/he has listened to the generals, admirals and advisors the Commander in Chief must stand alone.

What God wants of me

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

If you read the Kings You will see a pattern as you read the deeds from one king to the next. Israel forgets about God under one king then when the next king comes and the Book of the Law is found. They had forgotten the law that was given to them by Moses, the "Ten Commandments." They were not evil, no they abide by the laws of those derived from the law given to them not by Moses but by the kings. They had the rituals down pat, the symbols themselves but instead of a guide became a stumbling block. The law is useless unless one observes the first two. God identifies himself as the only god or at least the supreme god. However he never commands them to worship Him. He does however in the second warns them not to bow down before a graven image. But put also commands them not to make images of Him. God said, "Do not try to define me or put me in a box.". The next eight are ways to live in peace with our neighbors. Without the the first two the rest become an empty ritual .

Since God is love all the laws are based on love. Jesus said that all the laws are based on love. First God gives us that which is and commands us to spread it around. Following the laws chapter and verse becomes a the way of life. It is that love that is missing from the ritual. The Hebrew people had the rituals down right, they gave sacrifices and used the right incense . They did not kill nor steal. Not at least where it can be seen. Some sacrificed their kids trying please God. They danced around a sent platitudes of praise to God asking God for mercy, believing that God would visit them if praised in the correct manner. Society found easy to over looking the the first and second, create a ritual. The logical conclusion then that devout observer of the law those one might call fanatical. Making sure others kept the laws made by man under pain of death.

God did not want the sacrifices that they made in their lives just to please a God of Love, that loves us already. He just wants us to be humble. Be human be who you are what God created us to do. We can love God with all the love given to them. They had the letter of the law but had missed more important things like mercy, justice and understanding. The the law not to kill was changed to murder to justify the fact sometimes they sanction killing. We see it today it is OK to kill, in war, state executions , abortion doctors, other religions. The law without love is hollow but with love we do not kill because it is God's domain. Love therefore constrains us to obey the law not out of fear but out of a decision to do the right thing for the right reason, do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before God.

John McCain: The Manchurian Candidate

John McCain: The Manchurian Candidate

Testimonials

Testimonials

election08

Everybody is looking at the map, blue states red states who will win. The biggest problem with the map is that it is out dated. It does not take into account America's discuss with the Republican party and anyone connected to it. It is kind of scary if you think about it. We have seen what happens when one party dominates both the executive branch and the legislative branch not to mention the Supreme Court. Republicans believed that since Congress's approval rating is almost as low as the Presidents that it meant that the 2004 Democrats wins were a fluke. Some even thought the disapproval rating was aimed at Democrats because they did not stop the war in Iraq and now that the surge was working the issue of Iraq was mute. We though a lot of things until we saw the dominoes falling. Illinois, Indiana and Mississippi seats in Congress that Republicans have lost. Even though they spent millions of dollars in Mississippi tying the Democrat candidate to Senator Obama they still lost. The RNC has finally seen the hand writing on the wall. Those who hope to stay in office had better distance themselves from Bush. So instead of presenting a presidential candidate that was the same as Bush only better they made a 180 and began to emphasize his differences from the present administration. So instead of making him conservative enough for Republicans now they want to look liberal enough for Democrats. He came out for such Democrats issues as, global warming, health care, lobbying, ethic reforms, veterans care and human dignity all of which he has continually voted against. He claims to be different from Bush on such issues as Iraq, immigration, homeland security and the economy but again his voting record does not show that. In act he has always voted for everything asked for by Bush. The new image was exposed as just an image not by Democrats but by McCain himself when he publicly agreed with Bush's statements in Israel comparing Senator Obama to those who tried to appease Hitler.
I participate in three political forums online, one politically very much to the right, one moderate and the other more or less evenly mixed. I tried to find a liberal one but could not find one way way to the left. I am a conservative and all three forums have a liberal voice but nothing I would call that far to the left. I would not participate in a communist sponsored forum anymore than I would a racist one. The three I have chosen offer a wide representation of though. Three months ago when I called President Bush a traitor I got the raspberry salute on all three. The ultra conservative group of course gave me the most. I got hate mail when I suggested that McCain made anti American tapes for North Vietnam. Even the middle of the road participants rebuked for saying such things about a war hero. But yesterday when I posted the following statement on all three bulletin boards I even got four thumbs on the, get this, most anti Obama anti anything Democrat die hard Republicans.

John McCain by his own admission cracked under the pressure of torture and made anti American statements for the North Vietnamese. Do you really want a man at the helm of the Ship of State who cracks under pressure.

I also participate in a veterans only group who are 86% for Senator Obama. We will not forget that McCain broke his code of honor and made anti American statements giving fuel to the communist cause. It is called giving aid and comfort to the enemy and it is a court martial offence. Like most Americans I forgive him, it must have been terrible but I can not forgot that he choose dishonor over pain when he swore to a code of death before dishonor.

Al Jazeera English - News - Guantanamo Eclipses Other Us Abuses

Al Jazeera English - News - Guantanamo Eclipses Other Us Abuses

Election 2008

I have been writing a philosophy blog and did not want to take a position on this election year because it is more a satirical look at government and religion in general. Just because you are paranoid dose not mean that no one is after you. I can neither embrace nor deny the conspiracy theory that claims that the corporations are trying to form a one world government. Both the Clinton and Bush administrations talked about a new world order. It could be that they called Obama inexperienced because he is not in on it? I do not believe that there is anyone in the government who is responsible for 911 but I do believe politicians us tragedies to gain power. GWB used 911 as a pretext for invading Iraq moving the emphasis of the war on terror away from where those who attacked us are hiding and training others. What has this to do with this election? Everything. The greatest question we face is whether or not we will continue the failed policies of the traitor George W Bush? I make no secret of my destine for him though I have been called called a traitor and a coward for talking about the Commander in Chief. To those I say I fought for freedom and democracy. By right of the first amendment I can say anything I want hold any political position I choose. Even the 17% who still follow the would be dictator GWB have that right. In ninth grade civics class I learned "The American Creed". Though I do not agree with what you believe I will defend with my life your right to believe it. He has violated the constitution he swore to up hold, the Geneva Convention of which we are signers, the UN Charter of which we are coauthors and all the laws of human decency. George W. Bush is a war criminal on the par with of Saddam Hussein. If the Democrats had the majority of congress the Republicans held during the Clinton Dynasty he would have been impeached. Making "Shotgun Cheney" president to the worlds chagrin, president. I could go on but any intelligent person can see the results of his policies. By his own words, "The Constitution is just a damn piece of paper. "
In the beginning when I heard of Obama, long before the Clintons played the race card and the fear card he was inspiring a new generation of voters living in San Francisco. I spoke to a lot I mean an awful lot of young people voting for the first time charged up for him, asking donations of five or ten dollars for his campaign. Still I saw him as just another politician saying what the country wants to hear, capitalizing on the 06 mandate by the majority of the country, those who Bush says opinions do not matter, and run as an anti war candidate. Then when he had that sweep after the Iowa primary I took another look at him. I noticed that Democrat registration is up everywhere is a primary. I began to look him up on the net. He has had an impressive life. I read his first book where he talked openly about things Bush would classify as none of your business. He, I began to see is a man of integrity and American values, not the values of the Bush Dynasty, but those Yankee values that makes me proud to have served my country. I saw a man who wanted to be president not because of personal Ambition to make America better. Those who think there is no room for improvement have never read or understood the Constitution of the United States of America. Obama is a man who defines himself not by his race but by the character of his own convictions. I can say this for John McCain and I respect him for it, he denounced efforts to brand Obama as as racist or a Muslim. The Clinton camp has yet to do that, no in fact they have played up the slander that began with a white supremacist website............

Stop and smell the Urine

Roy has no politics that might account for his nonviolent attitude. He has no allegiance to any particular party or ideology. In fact what he cares about most is getting food and loving. He has always been fed three times a day. Because the food is there he has no fear of starving. He can be swayed by a dog biscuit. He has never been treated violently. So all those things that we worry so much about is nothing to a lovable brown lab. We though are in the middle of an election year. Three of America's finest politicians are running for the highest office in the land arguably the most powerful in the western world. There are some who say there is no difference I disagree. The last administration has shown us what happens we let one party have the advantage. More of the people's needs are taken care when we have a balance of power like in the Clinton years. Everybody I have talked to who are voting for HRC points to that era giving her the credit. I say if she takes credit for Bill's successes she must share the blame for his blunders. NAFTA has some potential but Bill gave away the whole farm or should I say manufacturing industry. We need to renegotiate a better deal for the American people. Now Democrats are saying they are against NAFTA and the Republicans are cautioning us not to abandon it.

Facebook | Daniel E Ford

Facebook | Daniel E Ford

Stop and smell the Urine

As I wonder about Roy's philosophy of nonviolence if it is just his nature or does he really know what is going on. One of the biggest problems facing the world today is the battle between extremist Christians and Muslims. I call it the fifth crusade. Others call it a holy war. We seem to be fighting on what to call God. It has been going on for over a thousand years. The war between the Sunni and Shiite's started four hundred years before that. Here we are in the twenty first century still fighting. Roy has no religion so maybe that is a good reason not to be violent. Imagine a world without religion. I am not talking from an atheist point of view I do believe in God. Most religions believe that they are right and that is the problem. The is no one so dangerous as one who believes that they is right. If you believe that you have the truth you will never seek it. Religion is not the path to God for it an attempt to control God. The first basic rule of all religions is total submission to the will of God. However upon closer investigation we find what they mean complete submission to a dogma. Dogma is not the truth it is what a group of people believe about the truth. religion helps one to deal with their greatest fear the fear of dying. I haven't counted all the religions of the world but I know that there over a thousand Christian denominations. I am most interested in three basic religions who consider themselves sons of Abraham, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Judaism out dates the other two as they are the outgrowth of it. Jews as they are called see themselves sons of Israel who was Abraham's grandson. There were twelve tribes united under king David but split after his son and successor Solomon died into two kingdoms know as Israel and Judah. Israel was conquered by Assyria and scattered all over the Assyrian Empire so they could not ban together and revolt. Babylonia conquered Assyria then conquered Judah. Instead of dispersing them Babylonia into captivity, which lasted 70 years Persia conquered Babylonia and allowed the Jews as they were named by their captures to return home. Abraham however had four sons. First there was Ishmael who is considered the father of the Arabian. His second was Isaac who had two sons, Jacob who later became known as Israel and Esau who had seven sons himself. After his wife Shara died Abraham remarried and had two sons that the Hebrew text does not name. Don't worry I am not going to give you a complete history of Judaism I just want you to see the origin of these religions.
Christianity who claim their founder was God was at first a sect of Judaism until Titus destroyed Jerusalem and the temple carrying them into slavery or sent elsewhere of the kingdom. Under Roman rule Christians were periodically persecuted starting with Nero in 66 ce. Most persecutions were local. This continued until the fourth century when Constantine converted to Christianity. By that time there were seven established Christian churches. However because of the council of Niece where all were gathered under one church. This did not include the churches of Ethiopia or Egypt. The collision was split over the nature of Jesus. While the council decided that he had two natures God and man the Orthodox church insisted he was all God and not man. In 383 Christianity was made the only religion in the crumbling Roman Empire.

2 b continued.

Stop and smell the Urine

Monday, April 14, 2008

Facebook | Daniel E Ford

I started out in November on what I thought was a month long road trip with Roy My daughter's chocolate lab. I was armed with a video camera planning on journeying our journey. As it has been said that the best laid plans of mice and men have gone astray. I suffer from combat related PTSD and leaving San Francisco I was leaving my support group. The change was slow in the beginning but I began to operate on survival mode. Most of the snap decisions I made moved me further and further in a dissociative state common to untreated PTSD. The next six months became a battle ground for my mind that ended with me being a home owner in Spindale. Still not standing upright on the ground. I took some good pictures and videos of Roy but the film could not say what I wanted to say. My original idea was to look at the world through Roy's eyes. Roy's wants, needs and desires are simple. There food and shelter like we who esteem ourselves higher beings, love and petting, eating, taking walks, treats, smelling the earth for whatever reasons, eating and getting treats. Roy like most labs is nonviolent but not afraid to defend himself and those he loves. I began to think what if we looked at the world through his eyes, the eyes of nonviolence we might usher peace into the world. It is not a new philosophy this philosophy of nonviolence, Gandhi used it to free India from the English empire, King spearheaded civil rights with it. In fact it turns out that nonviolence is a powerful tool. So why be nonviolent? We are the victims of violence. Do we not deserve justice? Another proponent of nonviolence Jesus said forgive your enemies and love them. Radical, what a notion. So here is Roy right up there with Jesus, Gandhi and Martin Luther King and oh yes Mohammad was also nonviolent. Oh yeah! For those who regard cries for peace as cowardice I do not speak to you because it has been said, "Cast not your pearls before swine." Besides what can you tell a person who believes that they are right? To the rest I say, consider this, they may have a good idea.
Why is Roy nonviolent? Why should we be? After all we have been attacked. Have not I already said that Roy defends himself and others? Though I advocate peace I am not naive enough to believe it can come true by wishing. Violence begets violence and considering the state of world affairs we are on a down hill slide. Maybe it is time we too another at, Give peace a chance. It will not happen today and it might not even happen in my life time but if we do not begin now it will never happen.

Facebook | Daniel E Ford

Facebook | Daniel E Ford
I have set up a page on face book where I have family pictures and will add more in the future.
I used to have a myspace account but it locked me out somehow and I can't get any response form the network.

With around six months until the Nov election I feel compelled to support Senator Barrack Obama for next president of the united states of America. To those who say that a vote does not matter I say, "I fought in a war before I was allowed to vote for president or any other elected official" Our vote dose not count only when we fail to cast it. Remember ladies you won the right to vote by one vote. They call it casting a vote because it is like throwing a stone in the water expecting it to skip. People expect politicians to be crooked. The only reason government of any kind exist is because it is easier and better to pay one master thief than every robber that comes down the road. At least in our government we have a right to pick who gets to pick our pockets. But then I hear of junior senators like Obama and Casey standing up to lobbyist and I think maybe maybe but again this might be a flash in the pan. Standing against the War in Iraq got him elected as the Illinois senator. Now he is running for president could he be another Kennedy? Remember Kennedy was the Irish descendant who was assassinated. Like Lincoln he wanted higher tariffs to protect American industry. remind me to research where McKinley or Garfield stood on this subject. The Clintons (Since Hillary claims partial for their successes the she must accept blame for their blunders.) gave America's industry to other nations sending us into the present recession which is exasperated raising oil cost. McCain plans to continue a war started by the traitor GWB and he will not rule out preemptive warfare. "That is the policy of attacking a country because we think the might be a danger to us."Jimmy Carter. Either way it is four more years of the same old,same old. Obama is the only hope we have for the chance to break the shackles of big oil and the Industrial Military Complex. We have had Nineteen years of Bushes and Clintons, we deserve a change. Obama is that hope that we do own this country and we do make a difference.