A Nurse's Journey » america

Gay bashing must stop

Lillie — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 17:08:23 +0000

No matter what your thoughts are about people being gay, if you are really a human being, you must disagree with gay bashing. Recently there is a rise in teen suicide due to people bulling them. These teens who are trying to come to term with their sexuality are made to feel they have nowhere to turn for support. The recent death of a male student, Tyler Clementi at Rutgers, has brought this issue into the forefront.

Celebrities are now lending their voices to support teens to let them know that things do get better if you can just hang in there. Such openly gay celebs as Ellen DeGeneres and Neil Patrick Harris are speaking out.

What has caused the new rash of this hate crime is unknown. But a gang called the Latin King Goonies brutalized three men in a New York boro where gays have lived openly in an accepting neighborhood for years. Eight men have been arrested and await arraignment. This city is in shock over this type of behavior. This is a melting pot where many ethnic and cultural groups live side by side in peace. If there is ever a case where the hate crime laws should come into play this is it. Hate crimes are defined as: perpetrators who target victims because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, or political affiliation.

Well theses men were beaten, sodomized, and tortured for hours. This is a hate crime at its worst. These crimes are federal and the whole weight of the federal government should come down on them. Gay bashing must stop and stop now. No civilized society should allow this to continue!

Open mouth insert foot

Lillie — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:05:25 +0000

Glen Beck did not learn from the Don Imus fiasco. If you open your mouth and insert your foot you may find people who influence your paycheck stepping away from you. Beck not known for anything less those racist remakes about Black’s recently called President Obama a racist. Since then Colorofchange.org, a group that promotes political action among Blacks, spearheaded a campaign to get sponsors to drop Beck. Well it seems to be working.

At last count 33 sponsor have distanced themselves from the loud mouth. I was unaware that companies did not always know where their ads would be played but that is often the case. They purchase a number of minutes and station often place them at their discretion. After the campaign by Colorofchange.org, large sponsors like Color, Sprint, CVS, and the retail giant Wal-mart, are saying No Thank you! Beck has a large audience and it will take more sponsors leaving to bring him down abut this may be a wake up notice to the man.

Have an opposing view, but do it with respect and stop attacking a man who is doing a job you are not equipped to do. It may not have reached the recesses of your mind, but this is not the old country where what you say rules.

You are under arrest

Lillie — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 01:54:30 +0000

I have written about the wrongdoing of those people in uniform that are supposed to protect and serve us, the citizens that pay their salaries. Lately they have not looked like people of character or people with professional ethics.

The latest case is beyond stupid. World Renowned African American Professor, Henry Louis Gates Jr. or Harvard, had, like we all have done at one time or another, locked himself out of his house. So he jimmied his locks to get in. An observant neighbor called the police. No problem there. The police came and found Gates was already in his house. Gates showed them his identification and that this was indeed his home. He was arrested for disorderly conduct. WHAT??

The charges were later dropped. DUH! But what does this say about the fools that arrested this man? The kicker is the cop said there will be “No apology coming from me.” Someone should have told him before he spoke that Professor Gates is a personal friend of Who? The top man in the country, President Obama!

The president called this incident “stupid” when he heard about it and also brought up the fact that there might have been a little racial profiling going on.

I’ll wait to see if there might be a turn around in this cops attitude. I think some of these people need to come to San Diego and ride along with my friend Dlyn, a female San Diego Police Officer and get some sensitivity lesson on how to treat people of all skin hues!

Thanks again Officer Dlynn for your great service.

The ACLU Sucks

Lillie — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:28:08 +0000

I received an email that showed a large group of Marines heads bowed in prayer. Boy did that bring out that group of religion hating people at the ACLU. Federal employees are going to war, leaving their families, jobs, and losing their lives, so this scourge of the earth can say what they want have the nerve to say when and where they can pray.

This country was built by people who have a strong belief in God and now we have to bow down to those that think it is all right to take God out of our country. No prayer in school. And God help us if you have a Christmas pageant on school grounds! There is no end to the way the ACLU will go to protect less acceptable things. But when it come to religion they come out like a pack of starved pit bulls.

Here in San Diego they have been fighting the community to have a cross taken down because it is a religious symbol even though the voter’s have voted to keep it more than once.

We need to take back our country. When does the minority rule? We need to put the ACLU on notice we can not allow them to cause this country to go down into the depths of hell.

Oh no he didn’t!

Lillie — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 16:34:53 +0000

The good ole boys of the GOP party have not learned anything since being beaten in the last election.

Case in point:

South Carolina’s Republican activist Rusty DePass made the statement that a gorilla that had escaped from the zoo was probably an ancestor of first lady Michelle Obama!

He only made a puny apology when called on it

Whites have long thought it was OK to make these remarks about Blacks with little thought that if not for the color of skin, eyes, and hair, Blacks and Whites are cut from the same cloth!

When will these blatant attacks on our first family stop? I feel that the people making these remarks are showing just how afraid they are of Blacks who prove they can rise up from an oppressed society and make it to the top!

Listen good ole boys. There are still Whites who share your view but the last election proved that there are many people who look beyond the color of a person’s skin and are willing to give them a chance to achieve whatever they are willing to work hard for.

Keep making these statements and Obama or what ever person that does not think along the old GOP party line ways will be a shoe in.

Get over it!! The TIMES are changing! And your sad, tired remarks are not going to make it come to an end!

Swine Flu: Possible Pandemic

Lillie — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:42:16 +0000

The world is in the throes of a possible pandemic called the Swine Flu. Pictures and reports coming out of Mexico, where the largest number of cases has been reported and where they are the most severe, are a flash back to fiction movies of the past coming to hunt us.

Mexico City at present seems to be the hardest hit. There have been 1348 people sickened with a death toll of 108. The president of Mexico stepped in and closed schools and public places. Pictures from this bustling city on Sunday showed a ghost town. The military is passing out masks and corralling people who appeared sick with the flu. The cases in Mexico seem to be more severe than cases of the flu elsewhere so far. There people on the streets are wearing masks.

America’s CDC, Center for Disease Control, and WHO, the World Health Organization, are working closely with their Mexican counterparts to fight this emergency. They also want to gain information to help prevent further spread of the flu. There are 12 million doses of Tamiflu are ready if needed.

We have not been spared here in the United States, but our strain of flu has been much milder. There have been cases in Texas, California, Ohio , Kansas and New York. The New York cases seem to have come from students returning from Mexico on spring break. The St. Francis School has been closed because of the flu. There have been small reports of cases in other countries.

Airlines have stepped up to the plate and dropped the usual fee for changing flights that go to or through Mexico.

No one is taking this lightly and right now everyone seems to be working together to prevent a pandemic of massive proportions. WE can all help out by washing our hands frequently. Cover our coughs not with our hands but in the crook of our arms. If you think you have the flu. DON’T go to the emergency room! Call your doctor.

The symptoms of the flu are high fever, nausea, and aches, pains, coughing, and chills. The elderly and those with health problems need to be very aware of the dangers and take proper precautions.

President Obama has promised to keep us informed as to what is going on. We all need to take care but there is no need to panic.

Made in America

Lillie — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 03:38:19 +0000

If you have read my posts before and I hope you have, you know that I have a problem with some of the products imported into our country. They, for the most part, don’t adhere to the same standards that our factories do. Second this importation of products we could make here is taking food off our tables. Making jobs in other countries while we lose jobs here is not a good idea. As an American consumer, we have the power to stop outsourcing and we can force companies to manufacture here in this country. Money rules! If more of us only “bought American“, we would see a big swing in companies bringing back work to our homeland.

Why do we just go along and be led by the nose? We can make a difference! We can no longer be complacent! If we stood together, things would change.

No big secret that I shop on the television network QVC. I have noticed that many designers are touting the fact create more things “made right here in America.” Since I am an equal opportunity shopper, I have known that several designer’s state they make the fabric, design the clothes, and sew them all on American soil. Guess what folks? These are the people that I wear.

Stand up and fight! Don’t just let our country keep bleeding greenbacks over seas. You, your relatives, and your friends, need the job. Besides, who has the knowledge to make it better?

Made In America Rules!!!

Defending bad behavior: Doesn’t work for me

Lillie — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:35:46 +0000

I have just finished reading a fellow blogger’s post defending Octo-mom. I don’t think her kids should be taken from her, but I don’t think we should be asked to take care of someone who put themselves in such a bad situation.

This blogger offered some solutions on how to help her. From prayer to taking care of her brood. Well I would be more than happy to pray for the children because they are really going to need divine intervention. Another suggestion was for neighbors to set up parenting circles to give help to this woman.

Where would most people find the time? Most smaller families have both mother and fathers working in this world where two paychecks are needed to support the family. Besides, I have watched interviews with this women and getting involved with her is setting yourself up for problems. She doesn’t seem to be grateful for anything! Her attitude is one of entitlement. She is a larger example of what is wrong with a lot of young people. They think they can do whatever they want. When it doesn’t turn out right, they yell for the world to rescue them!

I for one will not be there to hear her cries. I worked full time as a night nurse, with young children, while their father served two tours of duty in Vietnam. Where was the help for me and my children? Who offered a hand when I became a single mother because my ex was never the same after the war?

Folks I believe in taking a hard look at your situation and working to get out of it. Don’t cry and moan for others to save you. Have I ever helped someone and have my friends not helped me in my time of need? The answer is YES!. But that does not mean I would let them coddle me forever.

The author of the blog defending Nayda said we could, if we wanted to throw stones, to throw them at her. Well I am filling up a bucket with rocks, because I am sure you are one of those who would picket to not let a child abuser out of jail to walk amongst us.

Get a gripe lady! We don’t hate the babies! They will be taken care of just like the other six. By your and my tax dollars!!

No respect for Life

Lillie — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 19:15:45 +0000

This last week has made me wonder shat has happen to the younger generation. Is it television and violent video games that has people killing each other. Do they really think they can rack up points and walk away with no consequences? Are these people going to pop up after the game is over? Is there no feeling of self survival? Do they not understand or care that they can loose their lives or spend time in jail? Are they at such a tender age already thinking life is not worth living?

You would think that getting up on Sunday, dressing in your finest and going to church to worship, would give you a shield of protection. This did not happen at First Baptist Church in Maryvilles, Ill. Rev Fred Winters was gunned down. Several shots were deflected by his bible before he was mortally wounded. It is now being said that the shooter, a man named Terry Sedlacek, had suffered from Lymes disease and his mental status had deteriorated. One doctor said he never knew Lymes’ to cause that level of violence.

A mass killing of 19 people in Germany came to light this week also. The Europeans have often called us a “gun happy nation” but it looks like they are now imitating us. What a pity. A 19 year old ex student returned to carry out the deed in Stuttgart, Germany.

Not to be outdone, a young man travelled through two small towns in Alabama killing his own mother grandmother and others before being killed in a shootout. Michael McLendon was thought of as quiet and polite.

These are just three examples of the violence around us. Growing up, I think we knew that death was final. We also knew that whatever we did right or wrong would come back to visit us. Has a world of so much murder and killing, fed to our children at early ages, desensitized them to the point where life has no value?

I can’t answer this but neither can people on the scientific level. They can’t even decide just what violence is. Whatever the reason, we must try to find an answer quickly. These incidents have happened far too often to ignore!

Racism Alive and Well in 2009

Lillie — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 05:57:45 +0000

If there is anyone who thought that because we have a black president we should lock arms and sing Cum By Ya, well get this straight. Racism is alive and well rearing its ugly head at a moments notice. Once drug out to the light of public notice, it will slink back hoping to not be noticed by those who would view this as wrong or inappropriate.

I lived through the days when we had to ride in the rear of the bus. I saw the signs that said “white and colored” water. When I tried to ask my mother what was colored water, I was hushed up for fear of being overheard. Now I have to see this now in 2009.

A white, 52 year old, Niagara Falls New York public works employee, put up a “white’s only” sign over a drinking fountain. After being caught, he is now saying its wa just a joke. He, of course, was not given the stiff sentence a hate crime would have demanded. But this is just one example of Racism being alive and well in America.

The mayor of Los Alamitos, California, sent out a mass email with a cartoon showing the Whitehouse lawn planted with watermelon. When this came to light, he freigned an “ah shucks, I didn’t lnow it was racist.” Well since you have had to step down from your job, take this time to take some sensitivity courses. But looking at this “good ole boy” it would be a waste of time and money. I have walked in the world when often I was the only Black. Of one of a few Black RN’s so most of my friends are white and they are true friends. If the perception goes out that I need help, they are there. We support each other as friends do. Yesterday I was hit with what I’ll have to explore later. A “friend” I would have defended to my death, has shown what side is she really on. I found out that she sends what could be called racist material to another friend but not to me. I know she was opposed to President Obama. Racism is alive and well where you least expected it!

Should we draw up sides and withdraw from other cultures that reach out their hands as friends? NO! But we shouldn’t forget that not every hand is extending olive branches!

Get Rid of Black History Month

Lillie — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 03:03:16 +0000

There are people calling for the end of Black History Month. One of there people is Rochelle Riley Writer for the Detroit free Press.

I don’t know the age of Ms Riley but she looks too young to remember the days of segregation. She does not remember when being Black or Negroes, as we were called in those days, was not a thing of pride. Neither were there books or films to relate what we had contributed to America and the world.

Black History Month has been a way for Black youths and others to realize the Blacks have always contributed to the growth of this country often with out reward or credit. Giving up Black History Month would be a slap in the face of our ancestors. As if they did not exist and their toil, blood, sweat. and tears, was in vane.

Why must we give up Black History Month when others have their Cinco De Mayo and St. Patrick’s day? We can be a nation of one working for the greater good but does that mean we can’t be proud of our heritage? Must we fade into a bland copy of ourselves? We are Americans! Black Americas and we should be proud of it!