The Separation of ............

I'll bet you were thinking that I was going to say The Separation of Church and State. Well, maybe I will. But there are many things that separate us that shouldn't. I'm in a feisty mood today so I'm going to run through a few and say what I think.

The Separation of .....

Men and Women: Women are fantastic. But they are Americans. I don't care for "women's issues" when I hear it on the news. First, I don't need some 'journalist' telling me about women's issues. My state Senator received a letter from me on giving girls in the 6th grade a vaccine to help fight cervical cancer. She wanted to make it a state law that they be required to have this. The problem is that there isn't enough studies. They don't know the side effects of the vaccine, they don't know that it's a solution. I told her I was against it for those very reasons. She wrote back and said that it had failed to pass but she was re-introducing it because it's an important "women's issue". Now we're finding out the side effects. It's actually killing some, making others sick. Look at the advertising. A 30 second spot and 15 seconds of it is listing the disclaimers and conditions that can come from it. If someone I care about is suffering from cervical cancer or any other malady, I too am suffering because someone I care about is ill. Her suffering may be physically painful and it's her life in danger, but the loved one, me, is suffering because she is suffering. She has the painful part, but the loved ones difficulty is there as well. I would rather see a cure for all diseases, but while there isn't, I'm going to suffer, albeit in a different way, with the one that has the disease. I care about my daughters and don't want them to suffer needlessly because of a vaccine that has been rushed through under the guise of it being a "womens issue".

I believe that the job is how the pay ought to be determined and not the gender of the person holding the job. If a woman can't do the job, don't hire her. If she can, she should be entitled to the same pay as a man doing that job.

Women are special to me because I'm a man. But they are no more, nor no less an American than I am. They are not entitled to special rights or privileges.

Black and White: If you're white, good for you. If you're hispanic, good for you. If you're black, good for you, if you're brunette, good for you, if you're a redhead good for you, if you're blonde....well, if you're also female, call me, but good for you as well. Stop crying racism each time things go wrong for you. You've cried it so much it's getting difficult to determine which is racism and which is just because someone has a different belief on an issue. When Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson start talking, I immediately start wondering if it's really racism or if they are just trying to raise money for some other purpose. Yes, I'm sure there are racists still left. I see reports on the KKK and the skinheads. I've heard they are increasing. But they are the exception, not the rule. I mentioned in previous writing that I don't like the hyphenated American terms. I don't use them. My family came from Germany, Finland, Scotland, England and many other places. But that was 300 years ago. I'm an American. I'm not a European American. I'm an American. I have had family fighting for this country in every war since the French and Indian War. I was born here. Just because you and your neighbor don't get along, it doesn't make you a racist or them a racist. It only means that you and your neighbor need to work out an agreement to get along or avoid each other. If I can't use the "n" word, you can't use the "h" word. But they are words. It says more about the person using the term than it does about the person it's being used against. The civil war ended 144 years ago. It's time to move on from slavery. There are laws against discrimination. You shouldn't need Affirmative Action. You don't correct past history of slavery by discriminating against people that never owned a slave. The last slave died, I believe in the early 1970's. There are no former slaves left. Yes, I do remember the 60's. It wasn't right. But it's been changed legally, even if not in the hearts and minds of all Americans. It has changed in the hearts and minds of most Americans though. Once again, the bigots are the exception, not the rule. If you're wallowing in pity I suggest bending over, grabbing your bootstraps and yanking really hard and go about making yourself successful. Our founding fathers and ancestors did it. Yours did it too. It's time for you to do it. I have struggles too, and I'm working my backside off to get ahead. Why should you be any different?

Gay and Straight: If you're gay, and you're happy about being gay, then what's the problem? I don't need to know what's going on behind your closed doors. I don't go out in public and tell what goes on behind my closed doors. Yes, I disagree with the gay lifestyle, but it's not my call on how you live. It's my responsibility to choose how I live. I believe that it's wrong, but I'm not the sex police over you and other gay people. On the other hand, you're not entitled to special rights. You have the same rights that I do that are guaranteed by the Constitution. If you feel the need to throw your sexual preference in my face, you have opened the door for my opinion to be stated. We are all Americans and that is what matters. When you start asking to be represented on the job as a gay person, I have to wonder what job a gay person can do that a straight person can't do. If you need papers signed to visit your significant other in the hospital, do it now before either gets sick. Problem solved. Most don't care that you're gay. We're just tired of it being thrown in our face. You don't see me marching in a Straight Pride Parade. I don't ask for a national Straight day. I'm more concerned about the success of everyone in this country because they are Americans. Not because they are gay or straight.

Republican/Democrat: If you're a Democrat, good for you. I listen to your positions and I disagree with most of them. If you can't be tolerant of my opinion then I am under no obligation to listen to your opinion. I form my opinions based on my reading of the issues. If you want to discuss the issues, I'm happy to do so. I've never been one to hold back my opinions. I should point out that I'm neither Republican nor Democrat. I'm Conservative. I have no party. I'm mostly aligned with Republicans, but I identify myself proudly as a Conservative. If you can't honor a differing opinion, don't let the door hit you in the backside as you walk out. Don't tell me what I think. You're welcome to ask, but don't tell me. You're usually going to be wrong. I love it when a liberal says to me "you just think you're always right." How often do you say things or offer an opinion that you think is wrong? If you ever do, then my suggestion to you is that you rethink your positions. Might I suggest a Conservative point of view for you to adopt?

Church and State: Ok, I'll do this. It's really not that difficult. The Separation of Church and State is not in the Constitution. It does say that the Congress shall not make any laws regarding religion. They can't establish one, force people to be a part of one or dictate that you must avoid religion. However, it does not stop others that believe in God from being involved in government. If you have a problem with someone running for office that believes in God and admits it, then don't vote for him/her. There is nothing wrong with the government being run by a bunch of evangelists, nor is it wrong for it to be run by catholics, or any other person of a certain religion. What is important is that whomever is elected is ELECTED by the people who are legal citizens of this country.

Ahhhhh, I feel better now and I didn't even do the one on Illegal Aliens/legal immigrants.

You're welcome to comment.

Brett