Clinging to Guns & Religion or in Need of a Scapegoat?

I am currently in the heartland of where small-town Americans supposedly cling to guns and religion telecommuting in the small town where I grew up and visit regularly. In a highly publicized and criticized statement, Barack Obama recently said “You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy toward people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”

Well, basically the economics in these small towns, especially those whose economies were dependent on manufacturing industries, i.e. Bethlehem Steel, are in dire straights. When the plants closed, Obama was correct: not much replaced them. This has led to many to become unemployed and lacking in the skills needed to compete in the “new economy” (i.e. technology workforce).Recent graduates, in hopes of better opportunities than their parents had, need to leave the area to find a job. Where are the job training programs? Where are resources for these small towns to plan and implement businesses and jobs that are driving today’s global economy so they can employ their workforce?

Do you think these people are not bitter? While they may not “cling” to guns and religion, they may feel resentment, especially to immigrants, whom they perceive as taking their jobs at lower wages or welfare recipients, who they perceive as sitting back and doing nothing except collecting money from the state while they work as hard as they can to support their families. These perceptions are based upon the frustrations referred to by Obama and they need to blame someone; they need a scapegoat.

While Obama may not have phrased what he meant to say well, he identified a problem that needs to be addressed. But can he be blamed. The candidates are getting up at 5 and 6 am and going to bed at 1 or 2 am. They are travelling non-stop and under a lot of stress and pressure. Mistakes are bound to be made when they are giving their zillionth speech day after day. Let’s give them a break and vote on the issues, not on their verbal mishaps and bouts of ill chosen words.

Sue: It's the American Way - Part II

I mentioned this unbelievable news item before (See: Sue: It's the American Way, posted February 29) but now that more details are coming forth, it absolutely sickens me and makes my head spin. Not only does it make me shudder to think what type of people exists in this world but it makes me question the logic of our legal system. For those of you not from DC, Banita Jacks, has been charged with murdering her four daughters whose decomposed bodies were in the home so long the cause of death could not be determined. Not one family member, including the fathers (the daughters had different fathers), grandmothers, aunts, uncles, etc. had any concern about the well being of these children. They never visited the family, provided any type of support or wondered about their well being.

Now, the father, Norman Penn Jr., of one of the girls, has filed a $25 million suit against the D.C. The Washington Post states that Penn “claims that 16-year-old Brittany Jacks' death has "denied (him) the financial benefits, gifts and other contributions.” What does that mean? I did not realize the purpose of having a child was to reap money and gifts. Penn, in his suit, accuses D.C. of negligence. What about Penn’s negligence as a parent? This just makes no sense. I am dumbfounded.

As for who is Norman Penn and what type of person he is, he signed a consent order in Charles County, Md., in 2002, admitting he was Brittany Jacks' father and agreeing to pay nearly $400 per month in child support. Court records indicate that Penn, who now lives in North Carolina, failed to pay child support, was convicted of criminal contempt and received a suspended jail sentence. So, in addition to being a criminal, he showed no interest in or support for his child.

How disgusting of a person can Penn be to file a suit like this? Does his attorney, Kim Brooks-Rodney, have any integrity? Or is the ulterior motive of both of them one thing: money – blood money. If this case proceeds to the courts and Penn is awarded the money, this will serve as an example that the system rewards negligent parents and that parents do not have to take any responsibility for raising a child. Instead of providing love and support for your children, just wait for something to happen to them because you were negligent, then blame the system and get all the money you can. It’s the new way of parenting in America!

May 24 or Bust

Note: I just came across an article in the LA Times by a reported who tore her ACL skiing. It looks like I'm in for a long, tedious, painful ordeal. Read her story. I can identify with a lot of now and that's before surgery.

Well, just found out that my surgery will not be until Saturday, May 24 – Memorial Day weekend. So while most folks will be soaking up the sun on the beach or grilling burgers, I’ll be elevating and icing my leg in bed – not to mention eating those pain killers like candy. So, in addition to burdening my friends to help me out, I now have to see if anyone wants to give up their start of the summer holiday weekend plans to help me out. What great timing!


I’ve been communicating with another women around my age who tore her ACL skiing in Colorado in February and is also quite active (I tore my ACL skiing in Colorado in January) via an online message board. We are now emailing each other with our trials and tribulations: misery loves company. Her surgery is scheduled for April 29 so I’ll get to hear her first-hand account before I have my surgery. While I am opting for an allograft (the tissue will be taken and transplanted from a cadaver - if my health insurance will foot the bill and if a match can be found), she needs to have an autograft (tissue will be transplanted from either her hamstring or patellar tendon) as being from Canada she says allografts are not easy to come by. Now, I see where there is also a thing called a xenograft, where the tissue is taken from another species. Hmm, I wonder if I can have xenograft from a cheetah so I can run faster. I can become the bionic mammal.

One thing that has been bugging me in all of this is full leg extension (having a straight leg) and knee stiffness. It is suggested to have full extension before surgery. On average it should take about one month post-injury to get full extension. I am going into my 12th week post-injury and still don’t have full extension. If I don’t have it now, will I have it after surgery? The whole reason I’ve decided to have this surgery is to get full extension so my one leg doesn’t feel shorter than the other and I can get back to walking normally. If I don’t get full extension after surgery, that will be a whole lot of pain and effort for naught.

Surgery is On

Well, I just got back from the surgeon and now he feels I need surgery. Although I have been doing those tedious quad-building exercises twice a day/every day for 2 months, the knee is not doing what is should be doing -- fully extending. There was a slim hope that I would not need surgery but it seems if I want to do what I want to do (run, bike, long walks, etc and maybe even ski), surgery probably is my best bet. Could I do without the surgery – perhaps. But, I’m going with the doc’s opinion especially since from the beginning he said let’s try and not do surgery. After today’s examine, I think he saw that surgery would indeed help me – and I’m going to believe him. At this point, I just want this done and over with.

I am waiting to schedule surgery for May. I’d prefer the end of November so that I could sit and do nothing during the winter months but the surgeon is suggestion May. At this point, I’m ready to do it tomorrow. I am getting an allograft (from a cadaver – maybe it will be from somebody famous) versus an autograph (from my body – which is falling apart). I started researching the options on the Internet and just had to stop as it all became very overwhelming. However, after digesting what I did read, I opted for the allograft, which is also what my surgeon suggested. There are advantages, disadvantages, controversy with both. For younger people & athletes, it’s usually a sure thing to go with the autograft but for me there isn’t a clear cut decision just as there isn’t a clear but decision with the surgery in general. It appears there is a shorter post-surgery recovery time (I’ll be on my feet more quickly) with the allograft, in part, because you will only have one wound, not two, to nurse but a longer long-term recovery. Wishful thinking on my part may also be less pain, which I heard is quite intense, for the allograft. The allograft may not be as effective, may not work and there is a greater risk of infection but I guess I need to just hope lady luck will be on my side.

In the ideal post-surgery world with an allograph, I will only need to be on crutches 3-4 days and will only need someone to help me out the first few days. I could only hope for this scenario to play out. Please let it be true! I assume I'll be in bed for several days elevating and icing my leg constantly. The pain will be fairly bad – bring on those pain killers. I will also be in a knee brace (goes from the calf to the thigh) to be worn all day and night and perhaps have an ice cooler machine (circulates cool water to the knee) and a continuous passive motion machine (which automatically moves your leg which is very crucial). I doubt I will use the stairs for several days so my bedroom will become quite familiar to me. And, I will need to continue doing my quad exercises starting almost right after surgery. Here’s one of many post-surgery to do’s and what’s in store for me.

I will try to prepare as much a possible such as doing my grocery shopping/laundry and taking a shower (bathing won’t be a possibility for several days) the day before surgery. If I set up things ahead of time (ice chest in my bedroom for water, snacks, ice bag, etc.), I will only need help getting to/from the bathroom, bringing in the paper/mail, feeding the cats, etc. - a cup of coffee in the am would be nice too. Then I will be needing rides to the physical therapist, doctor, etc. I will be asking my friends for a lot during this recovery period and hoping there is a Florence Nightingale and good Samaritans willing to help me.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Sunday was Opening Night at the brand new Nationals Park in Washington, DC. What more could fans have hoped for: A dramatic victory in the bottom of the ninth by the home team in their home opener in their new stadium provided a storybook ending to a memorable night.


There has been much fanfare and controversy over the new stadium leading up to and after its grand opening. Criticism followed the stadium, a $611 million, taxpayer-built arena in a formerly blighted part of the District, from conception through construction. It is a state of the art nearly 42,000-seat size stadium affording views of the Capitol dome and the Washington Monument with good sightlines throughout. It’s an example of a successful private-public economic development partnership. And, it’s a project where everyone had an opinion – good and bad.

So, I was a bit puzzled by the representation of the three letters to the editor in The Washington Post on Tuesday. One chastised those who booed President Bush before the start of the game. It was from a Navy veteran and the uncle of an Army Ranger on his third tour in Iraq. He said “Booing the president was like booing me and my nephew.” What does that have to do with the price of eggs? As they say, there is a time and place for everything. And at a baseball game, it should be “root, root, root for the home team”.

The second letter was from someone who questioned why the food concession vendors did not offer healthy, low-fat meal or snack options. Granted, I too usually try to avoid high fat, salty, bad-for-you food but what happened to “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don't care if I never get back.”

The third letter asked why the game could not have been broadcast on a local channel in addition to ESPN so that more people could have “shared in the joy and excitement at a stadium that public money helped to build.” I actually did question this myself but for those of us without cable TV, it is and will be “one, two, three strikes, you're out, at the old ball game" having to wait impatiently at home for the local news to report what happened.

It is interesting that opening day of baseball in a brand new stadium could elicit these type of opines – none having anything to do with the joy and excitement of being among the fortunate first to attend the game – one in which I and others were unable to get tickets. I don’t know if no one actually wrote a letter regarding their experience at the new stadium or whether the Post simply did not publish any of these. But, it would have been nice if someone who attended this historic game had something nice to say about Nationals Park, the home team and/or the game itself.

What Will the Democrats Do – and When?

I read an article March 23 in the Washington Post about the upcoming primary in Pennsylvania, where I was born and raised. I feel one man interviewed pretty much summed up things in that state by suggesting that “Some of these people still believe the woman should be home taking care of the baby, and they are not going to vote for a black.” So, who are these democrats going to vote for in November?

Will they vote for McCain, the Republican, instead of the Democratic nominee because they can’t bear to vote for a black or a woman? Will their prejudices overshadow their core values and beliefs in health care, the economy, the environment and the Iraq war – in other words, the issues? Will they decide voting for someone because of their race or gender is more important than a candidate’s platform?

If registered Democrats don’t elect McCain, the Democratic Party, Obama, Clinton and their campaigns may. McCain is off and running his campaign gathering momentum, strength and support each day while Clinton and Obama continue to squabble and attack each other. McCain doesn’t have to conduct a negative campaign; the democratic candidates are doing that for him. He can just sit back and reap the benefits.

What was up with Florida and Michigan breaking the primary rules? What did they think they were accomplishing by having their primaries so early and now they have to pay the consequences – their delegations won’t be seated at the Democratic Convention. Will the residents of these 2 states become disenfranchised voters?

And what about those superdelegates? Who are they going to support, when, and more, important, who should they support? Will they wait until the Democratic Convention to decide or will they commit earlier. Democratic strategist Bill Carrick believes that "Either the superdelegates end it in June or Democrats will self-destruct in August in Denver."

When the Democrats finally have a candidate for the upcoming presidential election, will it be too late to assemble campaign teams and garner the support and resources necessary to win the election? Will Democrats be so bitter and demoralized after their National Convention, that they won’t support the Democratic nominee?

The question du jour seems to be which Democratic candidate has the better chance of defeating McCain and by the sentiment illustrated above and the topsy, turvy status of the Democratic Party, it may be neither.

Why do Animals Need to Suffer?

I am an advocate of animal rights and it pains me to read again and again about animals being abused, tortured or killed especially when it’s done to entertain people. It even pains me more knowing that some of this suffering could be prevented and that the abuser/killer receives no punishment and is free to abuse, torture, kill repeatedly at his/her leisure.

The world of dogfighting was brought to light when authorities raided Michael Vick’s property and found 66 dogs, a dog-fighting pit, bloodstained carpets and equipment. Vick was, thankfully, convicted of running a dogfighting operation so grisly the losers either died in the pit or sometimes were electrocuted, drowned, hanged or shot. Unfortunately, the sad truth, as stated by John Goodwin, the deputy manager of the Animal Cruelty Campaign for The Humane Society is that "dogfighting is on the upswing….and I believe that certain elements of the pop culture have glamorized dogfighting and glamorized big, tough pit bulls." Michael Vick got what was coming to him but so many other people participating in dogfighting continue this inhumane behavior because they feel they will never get caught or punished.

This is where the government, local, state and federal, only aids & abets in the suffering of animals. There are either no laws protecting animals or what laws that do exist are arcane or only give abusers a slap on the wrist.


Why do puppy mills still exist where dogs live their entire lives in cages and are continually bred for years. These dogs receive little or no veterinary care and never see a bed, a treat or a toy. After their fertility wanes, breeding animals are commonly killed, abandoned or sold to another mill. Nice life! What possibly could be the reason to makes mills illegal? Money and greed. People are making money, and are successfully influencing legislators, at the expense of the welfare of animals. Who cares about an animal's life when there is a buck to be made. We do not need puppy mills as each year in the U.S. millions and millions of unwanted, abandoned dogs, and cats, are killed daily in shelters. If you do get a pet, please get it at your local shelter or rescue group, not at a pet store or puppy mill. Read more on Puppy Mills.

As far as arcane laws go, governments again fail us. In a recent case in Pennsylvania, a panel of Superior Court judges ruled that it is legal in for a person to kill a healthy, fit dog by shooting it. What? This case began when Randy Miller, pummeled his girlfriend's pit bull-chow mix five or six times with a shovel before shooting it to death. He also told a kid, who witnessed this ghastly scene that he would kill him if he told anyone. Can you imagine? The state said the local county judge erred when he told jurors in his instructions that shooting it is illegal. So now Mr. Miller is free to torture and kill his other pets (Miller lives with Wendy Kneller and told Miller to kill the dog. Her estranged husband, John, said "Kneller took the dog when they separated and kept it in the house where she and Miller, both unemployed, lived with her five children, ages 4 to 14, and 16 dogs, including a pit bull with 11 puppies.") and there is no law to prevent this. This is one law, along with so many others, that needs to be changed.

Animal abuse takes place every day, every where. Read about these at Pet-Abuse.com. If we do not lend our support to protect animals, government will continue to do nothing and allow people to abuse and kill animals and the undue suffering and abuse of animals will continue. Visit the Humane Society of the United States’ website to take part in their campaigns to end abuse.