Topics From the News Desk

7th of October 2010


TOPICS FROM THE NEWS DESK


I have remained quiet over the past six months when numerous topics hit the news desk that I eagerly wanted to share my thoughts about. Some have sent emails asking why I did not write; simply stated, my job had me too busy and focused to offer my opinion. I have taken much time on each of the follow subjects to read the news articles and the bloggers take on these subjects and while many have written on each matter, I still find my voice needing to be heard above the crowded corridors of diverse opinions as I see people unwilling to see the opposite side from their own perspective.

PROPOSITION 8 – CALIFORNIA’S INITIATIVE TO
ELIMINATE GAY/LESBIANS FROM MARRIAGE:
Before I say what is on my mind about the Judge’s ruling on Proposition 8, I must apologize to Judge Vaughn Walker for assuming that by his looks alone he would be a conservative Christian and that he carried with him a verdict already purchased by the fear mongering zealots within the Christian community. These are the same conservatives who have shoved DOMA Bills and Constitutional Amendments down the throats of the American people with fear as the main tool to coerce them into voting for hate over Love and Acceptance. After reading the ruling, I must say that I have not read anything more absolute advancing from the United States judiciary in a very long time.

After the United States Supreme Court allowed corporate America to bring the bribing and purchasing of the political landscape into the open as opposed to the dark corners it was confined to before, I was not hopeful that any Republican run agenda would be honestly rendered upon. The ruling District Chief Judge disseminated wasn’t judicial activism as the conservative Right wishes to portrait it, but it was a precise verdict that represents the sincerity that our founding fathers envisioned when they wrote our constitution. It still perplexes me how so many give into hate and ultimately fear from those who purposely divert and/or misguide their followers. Eventually I have great hope that the average person will start looking at their political and spiritual leaders with open eyes and an inquisitive mind as opposed to blindly following every word they dictate. To find true leaders, we will discover them to be void of pressure tactics such as playing on fear, worries and concerns. A true leader exposes such acts by others for what are: Rhetoric used to control the minds of truly good people.

While some may not like Judge Walker’s ruling, you cannot read it without seeing the symmetry between how he viewed each point and a sincere expression of the truth as mandated by the United States Constitution. I have no doubt that if our Republican guided United States Supreme Court is not bought and paid for a verdict already, that it will validate his ruling thereby destroying this farce of a battle by the Christian Right designed to segregate millions of innocent people for the purposes of money and faith. There is no true faith when it is sold and disseminated with fear for the simple goals of greed and power.

REPEAL OF DON’T ASK DON’T TELL:
Millions of people felt the uneasy hand of politics when then President Bill Clinton compromised on over-turning the ban on gays in the military at the birth of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Before DADT, military personnel did not have a formalized process and had to use other means of victimizing those gay men and women who wanted nothing more than to serve their country. It is HONOR that men and women feel when they are led to serve their country in a non-political way such as a career in the military. While most people have forgotten what HONOR means, there are millions of service members who lead by example every day. For a small percentage of them, their dreams of serving their country is curtailed because of a homophobic boss who can’t stand a gay or lesbian service member to be in their unit showing them constantly how some people can live an honest, sincere life as a soul and not hiding any part of them.

Judge Virginia Phillips issued an extremely past due decision finding the current Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy as unconstitutional to the American Citizens it serves. I was elated that finally a Judge found the balls to tell the United States Government that it was wrong and must stop its homophobic witch hunt. There is no irony that the first Judge to grow a set large enough to render such a decision is a woman. I’ve laughingly said for years that it won’t be the men in this world who deliver us from injustice and segregationism, but rather the women who have the nerve to buy their own balls and strap on a larger set than the men surrounding them. Congratulations and my heart felt “Thank You” go to Judge Virginia Phillips for having the audacity to wear a larger pair right now!

I have been angered by the current Obama administration for his lack of attention and willingness to sweep this issue under the rug. I know exactly what President Obama and the Democratic Party is doing; they don’t want Don’t Ask Don’t Tell to become a Republican battle cry, so they are fighting it to polarize as many conservative voters as possible, but that is cowardice and not true leadership. President Obama, a true leader (and I once thought that you were one and that is why I voted for Change) was the person who stood up to those educating them when they were wrong and fear led their biases into making deplorable decisions; however, your attempts to withdrawal from this issue when the flames are high and can combust taking all who are close with the blast. I understand that you and the Democratic Party are delaying this topic until after the November elections in an attempt to maintain a control over the House and Senate, but a true leader doesn’t play politics with the souls they should be honored to defend. You cheapen yourself and your administration when you play politics with the lives of such admirable people like those gay men and women who serve in our military today.

IMMIGRATION AND THE UNITED STATES:
I am sympathetic with those neighboring cities, towns and villages who are experiencing horrible immigration problems with deadly crimes increasing exponentially over drug wars. The bad souls who carry, sell and deal drugs even if they are immigrant people deserve to be dealt with swiftly and justly given the laws they break. Our government must do a better job at preventing nasty, horrible people from coming into any country in order to sell and distribute their illegal drugs. The problem is that the average illegal immigrant is the father, mother or children who just like our early families seek an opportunity for a better life, a job and the dream that one day their family won’t be living without.

If you have a heart that beats within your chest, you cannot find the efforts of those good people trying to survive and find a place where they can live with the promise of a better tomorrow. It is our compassion that separates us from the apes and while I am empathetic with those in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California who find innocent lives decimated by crime, drugs and those who don’t care any longer; however I challenge every American soul to stop giving into fear and judging every Hispanic person because of a small percentage who regardless of ethnicity care little about life. Separate the two issues and find a way to invite law abiding Hispanics seeking a better way of life at their shot of the American dream and push for legislation that deals with the drug dealers, Cartels and those souls killing for an ounce of drugs and the money that buys it.

NOVEMBER POLITICAL ELECTIONS:
I am so tired of Washington D.C. and politics as usual. I pushed to elect President Obama because of the promise of CHANGE, but we started his term off by selling Washington to pay off his debts that got him elected over Hillary Clinton. There were many promises that have yet to be delivered to the American people and while I have supported the bail outs in order to stem the flow of job losses, we have not revoked NAFTA and Corporate America is still shipping thousands of jobs to developing countries like India, Malaysia, Mexico and others. They continue to do so because of the tax credits that make it possible to employ someone and write off what their pay and the office that holds them. We still have record unemployment within the United States, but until our Federal government repeals those tax credits and give credits for companies who invest within this country; we won’t see changes in the loss of work or the enormously high unemployment with climbing poverty amounts. It is our job as a wealthy nation to invest in countries and assist in feeding, clothing and bringing clean drinking water to all around the world. We won’t have the personnel or the taxes to do so when we give tax credits for every job that is shipped over-seas and an increasing number of souls are unable to make a living within our country. We must take care of all of our citizens and then take care of those around the world; but if our country is in such disarray, then we are unable to give to any other. If we have a higher percentage of unemployment than those third world countries we give corporate America credits to hire people from, then we are failing the very souls who pay the taxes to hire in another location. We must change our priority so that building America is job number one in order to make ourselves strong again. Only when we are strong can we help others and we should help all others when our strength returns.

THE COMMON TREAD:
You may agree with my comments or you may not; that is what makes this country so great. I try to live my life by finding LOVE, HONOR & RESPECT for every soul in this world. I don’t have to agree with them in order to respect who they are and why they believe as they do. It can be difficult at times given that some of my writings may seem to slant one way or the other. Just because I believe in one subject as I do does not mean I cannot see the opposite point of view. I pride myself in searching until I can understand my opponent’s perspective. As difficult as it is I also live without judging others. God doesn’t judge me and I am a soul just as every other soul is; here to learn the lessons in this lifetime I agreed to learn. I believe with all of my heart that no one is better than anyone else and no one is less than anyone else; we are all here to learn our lessons and those differ from soul to soul. Given that philosophy on life, if you disagree with me on any subject that is exceptional and I challenge you to find it within your heart to feel the exact same way I do about me and everyone else in this world. I know it is difficult to set aside fear, anger, pain, hurt and ego; but they do not serve us as souls; only us as human beings.

LOVE CAN NEVER BE WRONG ~ LOVE EVERY SOUL

Your humble servant – Rev. Todd M Dobson