Conservative Corner: Are We Really Tolerant?

With the advancement of political correctness and social justice we seem to have fallen under the ironclad choke-hold of what many people call tolerance and fairness. We as a society have used the word “tolerant” so much it seems to have lost meaning, and possible its true meaning.  

Today we commonly see and hear of intolerance as being racist, homophobic, anti-gender, and anti-class but there are more intolerances that aren’t commonly recognized in a liberal society. Anti-gun, anti-conservative, anti-patriotic and anti-religion (especially anti-Christian), and sometimes anti-free speech are intolerances that you may not see on the cable news or see in liberal publications.

Dictionary.com defines tolerance as a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one's own. This, however, that is not always the case. It seems as though the “hate card” is only played when conservatives do something unpopular with liberals and progressives.

When a small business or company stands up for their faith against a wall of opposition and feel they cannot betray their faith by making products that is against what they believe in? It would stand to reason that liberals would understand the pain people feel when others try to changing their values or punish them for their views. Chick-Fil-A and Sweet Cakes by Mellissa in Gresham, Oregon have felt the pressure. The gay/lesbian supporter’s boycott of Chick-Fil-A backfired with the Christian community giving support to the fast food restaurant. The Gresham bakery wasn’t so lucky. On August 30^th the bakery closed their doors and forced the owners to work from their homes. To this day they still receive hateful messages on their Face Book page. That doesn’t seem very tolerant or fair to me.

The Tea Party has been the target of such intolerance by those on the “left side of the isle” almost since the conception of the organization. It is no secret that many liberals and progressive Democrats have little, to no respect for the conservative grass roots organization.  The black Democrat representative from California, Maxine Waters, said, “This is a tough game. You can’t be intimidated. You can’t be frightened. And as far as I’m concerned, the ‘tea party’ can go straight to Hell!”, as reported by washingtonpost.com. Again we see another instance of hypocrisy of those who follow the lead of liberals. Again, that appears far from tolerant.

If you see a person walking down the street with a pistol peeping out of the holster under their clothing, what’s the next thing on your mind? Do you scream “OH MY GOD, A GUN!” as you point and immediately call 911 or do you relax and realize that if something happens chances are the person with the pistol will probably help keep you safe until the police arrive. Many liberals and progressives seem to think that taking guns away from everyone is the safest thing to do. Many actually want to completely remove guns from Mr. and Mrs. America. Dianne Feinstein (D.-Calif.) is in favor of this kind of action. All in all at least 9 Democrats strongly favor tighter gun laws or even removing guns from the population of the county according to www.gunandgame.com. Once again, where is the tolerance for the 2^nd Amendment supporter and law-abiding gun owner?

We get constantly bombarded from the mass media and progressive left on the “hatred” from the Tea Party, Republicans, and other like-minded groups. Every time a Republican Congressman votes against a liberal idea, he or she gets labeled in a negative light. However, when a Democrat does something negative against Republicans or conservatives it is either ignored or it is blamed on Republicans and they are accused of wagering a “war” against  certain groups and are again labeled, homophobic, anti-gender, anti-class and others.

 If we could step back and see the bigger picture and look at the world though another’s eyes we would see the intolerances clearly go in both directions. Are you truly a tolerant person? Look at someone with whom you don’t agree with politically and/or socially. Would you consider them a racist, homophobic, anti-gender, and anti-class person? If you do then perhaps you’re not as tolerant as you thought you were.

As I see it, we should not be concentrating on mere tolerance to bridge the gap between our disagreements and differences, but instead we should be looking more toward acceptance.  Try not to just “tolerate” someone but accept them for who they are, even if they are a conservative, Tea Party member who votes Republican.

                              

                               Dkhummel.com, dkhummel.blogspot.com/

Conservative Corner: A Glance in the Mirror

As we go through life, weather it is our education or professional careers, we tend to pause and reflect on thoughts and actions throughout our lives. Since I started this column in mid-January 2013 with a brief description of conservatives, I have myself reflected on what I have written. After all, I do consider myself a representative of the conservative movement, a Tea Party follower, and a Commuter writer. What I have written in the past, even though I possibly should have worded some of them a little differently, I stand firmly by my values as a social and fiscal conservative.

To the new students attending LBCC I say “Welcome”, and don’t be afraid to read your campus newspaper and give us your ideas and comments. They are always welcome. To the veteran readers of the Commuter, I ask for your continued readership, support and response in continuing to improve an already award winning publication. You can help make your campus paper the best.

 To the readers and critics of Conservative Corner: I would like to remind you that Conservative Corner is an opinion column. Dictionary.com defines opinion as a personal view, attitude, or appraisal. Since the name of the column is called Conservative Corner, then it stands to reason that it will be at least somewhat bias toward my views and values as a conservative. If you agree with my columns, I’m glad. If you don’t agree with what I write, that’s ok too. After all, conservatives are very strong supporters of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The First Amendment is extremely important.

The Freedom of Speech is like a double-edged sword. That’s why even the Westboro Baptist Church can preach their messages, (no matter how hateful they are) without being ruled unconstitutional. We all have the right to say or write what we think and we all need to respect the rights of others to do so even if it is controversial or unpopular.

As the new students come into LBCC, weather they are fresh from high school or middle-age people trying to gain knowledge in a new field of endeavor,  I ask them to hold on to their values and beliefs. Don’t let anyone try to sway you from your fundamental values in the name of progressive higher learning. To the students who have “been around the block” a few times. I strongly suggest keep your eyes on your goals and don’t let anyone tell you that you values are wrong or misguided.  It is very easy to lose sight of your true self when in contact which the wrong influences or influences that do not support your core values.

I have looked in my proverbial “mirror” and realized that I have still have yet to be the writer that I want to be, however, I hold strongly to my values and beliefs and am proud to write about them. I ask you, the reader, to do the same thing. As you look in your own “mirror”, do you feel at piece with your opinions?

Do you follow the values that made you the person you are today? I implore you to uphold your values and standards, no matter what they are and no matter who you are with. But above all, use your time at LBCC to make yourself the best person you can make.

For Those Who Have Fallen

                                                     Pvt. Dale Hummel, US Army

Last Wednesday the rain and breezy weather set a somber mood for the LBCC Memorial Day Vigil. It rained enough to move the event from the courtyard to the Eastern entrance of the campus. The event was sponsored by the LBCC Veteran’s Club and featured the members of the American Legion Post 10 in Albany and their color guard, Vets Helping Vets HQ, and Local vets from different wars and different branches of the service made appearances at the ceremony.

Derek Smith, the LBCC Vets Club president, presided over the ceremony which included the LBCC choir honoring the ceremony with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem and America the Beautiful, and the Color Guard posted the colors,(the US and Oregon State flag). Before Smith began the proceedings he requested a moment of silence for those suffering in Oklahoma during the recent storm.

The main speaker, Victor Kuhns, President of Vets Helping Vets HQ, first gave a history of Memorial Day, then explained to the crowd of about 30 to 40 students, staff and guests what Memorial Day meant to him. Kuhns explained, “Because to them [Veterans] we are able to live in a free society with liberties that even our most desperate and reviled enemies admire”.

As he spoke, tears were dapped around the vigil. Kuhns continued with, “The price was paid for each one of us here today. As my hear weeps and the tears flow”, he said while choking back his own emotions, “the voice says you will never be forgotten”.  Kuhns also said, “The ones that have come home have settled into my heart, the ones that didn’t come home have settled deeper into my heart”.

After Mr. Kuhns completed his thoughts in words, Derek Smith introduced Eriq Thompson of the Boy Scout Troop 99 in Albany. The young Mr. Thompson played a heart wrenching presentation of Taps in honor of all the fallen from the past and present.

Derek Smith explained that before the ending of the vigil, there were some very special guests, Robin and Mecenna Davis, which needed to be recognized. Smith, struggling with his own emotions, announced the presentation of a memorial flag to Robin in honor of her father, Staff Sargent Kevin Davis, US Army. Tears streamed down Mecenna’s face as Robin was presented a folded flag by a color guard member who handed it to her on bended knee.

Smith continued after the presentation with, “We would like to extend our sincere condolences to your entire family”, again Smith battled with his emotions, “The loss of Kevin was not in vain and we are truly in dept to you”, Smith said as he spoke directly to the Davis Family members who were there.

Derek Smith concluded the vigil by thanking all those groups and people who were responsible in making the event successful, including the LBCC Vets Club, LBCC Student Leadership Council, campus staff and administration, LBCC Choral Group, American Legion, Post 10 and Color Guard in Albany, American Legion, Post 51 in Lebanon, Victor Kuhns, President, Vets Helping Vets HQ, and Eriq Thompson of the Boy Scout Troop 99 in Albany. After the colors were retired, everyone was thanked and dismissed.

One of the things that made this event special was the presence of Dave Adams of KGAL Radio. The entire ceremony was being broadcasted on KGAL during their Valley Talk radio show and was also being streamed live on operationeagleswing.com and vetshelpingvetshq.us. The entire vigil can be seen on YouTube at youtu.be/8hyFNA51JyE

One of the people in attendance was LBCC’s own theater instructor and director Dan Stone, who said, “I want thank the Veteran's Club for a memorable heart felt service today. As a veteran myself who has experienced the loss of friends and family in the line of duty I am greatly appreciative.”

Even with the vigil being moved to a less than high traffic area on campus, and with less than perfect weather, it seems to be very success full. Even though the attendance was a little less than expected, it seemed to be a wonderful and emotional event in showing respect to those armed services that have fallen.

Conservative Corner: The Price for Freedom

America is a wonderful place. The freedom to speak and gather without concern of punishment from government or royalty, the freedom for us to keep and bear arms without confiscation from an overbearing authority, and the freedom to worship(or not) any deity you wish without fear persecution.

However, even though in the eyes of some conservative groups these freedoms seem to be threatened, there is a group of exceptional people who tirelessly and selflessly put their lives at risk every day and are prepared to pay the ultimate price to defend the freedom of Americans. These incredible individuals are the defenders of our country and our liberties; they are the US Army, Navy, Air Force, and US Marines, They are the United States Armed Forces.

The beginning of our armed forces goes back to 1747 as www.u-s-history.com tells us. This unit was commanded under the British Crown at that time, but it was manned by American colonists. It was the first all-American armed unit. The American Army continued to be small groups of men using ambush and guerilla techniques; however the military we know today got its start on June 14 1775 with the establishment of the Continental Army. The very next day George Washington was chosen as Commander in Chief and commanded ten rifle companies.

The Navy’s history is almost as old as the Army’s. The Navy sees its original birthday as October 13 1775 when The Continental Congress approved the Continental Navy, but when the war for independence ended the ships were sold and Continental Navy was disbanded, however, eleven years later American merchant ships were trying to deal with pirates in the Mediterranean Sea which created the Navel Act of 1794. For the next twenty years the Navy used just 6 frigates in battles.

The Air Force, according to www.hill.af.mi, is the youngest of the US Armed Forces. It was originally called The Aeronautical Division of the U.S. Army Signal Corps when in was formed on August 1st 1907. For the next several years’ service men test flew planes and even delivered the US mail. But then on June 4^th, 1920 The Army Reorganization Bill was approved. This created an Air Service with its own servicemen. On June 20^th 1941 The United States Army Air Forces was created, then on the 18^th of September, 1947 the Air Force we know today was born and all air actives that the Army was doing at that time was transferred to the Air Force.

The Marines have also been around for a while. The Marine Corps celebrates its birthday on November 10, 1775 when a committee of the Continental Congress met at a tavern in Philadelphia and wrote up a draft calling for 2 battalions of Marines to fight on ships and on the shores during the fight for independence. In 1800 there were 368 Marines, 343 Enlisted; 25 Officers. Today the Marines total more than 204,153. The Marines have been known to be a special force in the US military with specialized and more intense tactical training than most other branches. According to www.marines.com/history-heritage, “Our purpose, by congressional mandate, is to be this nation's rapid response force; we are thus called to be "most ready when the nation is least ready."

No matter what your opinion is of the US Military, they are defenders of our freedoms, and guaranty our rights. Like anywhere else, not all military people serve their country proudly, but all military people have taken an oath, “I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

Some milestones do exist in the military. On July 26, 1948, an executive order was signed that forbid discriminating against military personnel because of race, color, religion, or national origin. The Women’s Armed Services Integration Act was signed into law by President Truman on June 12, 1948 allowing women to join the regular Army.  In December 2010 President Obama signed the bill lifting restrictions on gay, lesbian, and bisexual personnel.

Regardless of what you think the US Military does one thing for sure, they protect you and your rights as an American. So the next time you protest or rally in support of anything, just remember, you have that right because it was paid for with the blood of American men and women in the armed service. So please so respect our men and women in uniform and the next time you see one thank them for their service to our country. If you see a disabled vet, thank them for their sacrifice.  God bless our military and God bless America!

                      dkhummel.blogspot.com, dkhummel.com

 

Conservative Corner: Then and Now

Some of us many remember those times as kids when we would sit down and listen with interest to Grandpa or Grandma talk about “the good ‘ol days”, or even the “not-so-good days” and how things were for them when they were younger. Of course experiences were different depending upon what part of the country you lived in and, (unfortunately), what you looked like, however, one thing is for certain; we as a country have changed.

It seems back when I was young there was a lot more pride and honor in the cities, states and in the country. No matter where the neighbors came from, the adults would go out and share business or war stories, cups of sugar, and beers during Barbeques or after mowing the lawn. All the kids would play together without the worry of being taken or bullying. The families were of course, different. This did not frighten us. In fact, it was quite interesting. We all took turns playing in each other’s house and cherished how the houses were decorated and the environments that we had become a part of.

 All of the fathers in the neighborhood were decent men. They took care of their families and weren’t afraid to inform all us kids when we were doing something we shouldn’t be. Even though the economy was different then, no one was on welfare, or would have been ashamed of it. I remember when it was shameful to be on welfare, now it seems like a badge of honor for some people. Even in the 1970’s sitcom, “All in The Family”, Archie and Edith Bunker sat at their piano and sang “didn’t need no welfare state, everybody pulled his weight.” The Obama Administration hasn’t helped to bring honor back to man’s traditional role in the family, or pride back to the family unit.

From 2008 to 2012 the food stamp problem has gone from 1.45 million users in 2008 to 3.35 million, according to heritage.org. To make matters work, heritage also tells us that in 2009 the president suspended work requirements for food stamp users. I seems as though Americans have just given up. Even though the U.S. unemployment rate has fallen to 7.5, examiner.com says it is not from an increase of jobs, but rather from people just giving up and dropping out of the labor force.

I have also noticed how unfriendly people seem to be today. It seems you will more likely see a scowl on the face of a passerby instead of a smile, or at least a friendly nod. I recall my father driving his vehicle and flipping his hand up every time a car would pass by. I one day I asked him if he knew those people he waved to. “Nope” he replied, “It’s just a nice thing to do”. Granted, we did live in a smaller town, however, I do miss the close feeling of connection with the people in the small towns.

Speaking of human contact, that is something that is also missing in today’s world. Technology is a wonderful thing, unfortunately, the more we are connected to everyone through the internet, the more we avoid the ones who are not connected. When I was young the internet was use for the public. We would actually talk, to each other, face to face.

The world has definitely changed. Some say for the better, others say not so much. But, like anything else, everything in moderation. So, no matter if you’re a young person who enjoys life today or an older person who longs for human contact, pride and honor of yesterday, the world is not the same. That is not a bad thing, just different. We need to change with the world as long as we keep our pride, and honor and values intact, and, above all, don’t let technology push you away from actual human contact.

 

                         dkhummel.blogspot.com, dkhummel.com

Conservative Corner: The Death of True Journalism

There was a time in America when anyone could turn on a TV, radio or open a newspaper and be informed on the real news and not some talking head, corporate yes-man, or government approved idea of what was happening in the United States or the world.

What has happened to real journalism? The days of true journalism legends like Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite, I fear, are long gone. I long for the days when an anchor person would sit in front of the camera or a reporter would sit at his desk in a newspaper and simply give the public the staples of true journalism, the truth. All we really need to know is who, what, when, where, why and how and not all this other nonsense.

Today, no matter what network news broadcast you get your information from, you will probably see a “face man”,(or woman) sitting behind a desk reading the teleprompter and just smiling. Almost like they are just telling a fairy tale that they don’t believe in. On the next set you will see a collection of people who call themselves “experts” sit around a table surrounded by cameras and try to convince the public and each other that what they are saying, (whatever it is) is true. It is closer to The Jerry Springer Show than it is to real news.

Most of the cable TV news programs are extremely bad at this. No matter what political or social side they are on, the lack of real news and media bias is staggering. To those young people or liberals who think Fox is the only bias news source out there, think again. Yes, there are some definite biases in Fox News however; what Fox says is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to the liberal media agenda of CNN, MSNBC and even the network news broadcasts like NBC, CBS, and ABC. Besides, to my count, 5 against 1 hardly seems fair.

Some of the worst offenders in the liberal cable TV “news” seem to go out of their way to show how bias they really are, despite the praise from their wayward, brainwashed viewers.

According to huffingtonpost.com, Chris Matthews of MSNBC is infamous for his quote, “when they hear Barack Obama's speech, I felt this thrill going up my leg.” Ed Shultz and Rachel Maddow have shown the same affection toward the president in their broadcasts.  That’s a little too bias for me.

Piers Morgan is a talk show host on CNN and avidly is in support of strict gun control. He is British and has said, “If you don’t change your gun laws you don’t have to worry about deporting me, I would seriously consider deporting myself”, according to www.inquisitr.com. Once again, too much bias for real journalism.

The examiner.com tells us of the bias for Obama and Muslims at the Fort Hood terrorist attack. I recall the day it happened. I remember it took at least 3 days for even Fox News to admit it was an attack from a Muslim American soldier. Before Nidal Hasan shot and killed 13 people he shouted the Muslim expression "Allahu Akbar." In an outrageous attempt at political correctness, many media reports failed to mention the killer’s religion.

I am not saying that Fox News is not without issues. From what sourcewatch.org tells us, the news channel is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation and co-owned by Saudi Arabian Prince Alwaleed bin Talal. To many critics it is a “quasi-arm of the Republican Party” and possibly the right-wing conservative movement. It is, however, well known that Fox News broadcasts are right-leaning and has no love affair with Democrats, liberals, or Obama.

It boggles the mind that many young people will watch fake news shows to get their information. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is one of these kinds of “news” broadcasts. According to the Pew Research Center, 80% of people from 18 to 49 enjoy The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. I am assuming they do not realize it is not real news, but watch is just for the comedic value. These two shows are as real as Saturday Night Lives’ Weekend Report. However, many of these same people will watch The Daily Show and The Colbert Report thinking it is real while convinced that Fox News is fake. They even go as far as calling the Fox News broadcast the “Faux” news.

No matter what kind of  news source you choose, unfortunately most news is bias and deceives the American public in one way or another. Weather you get your news from cable TV, the internet,  radio, or the newspaper, the secret for the news junkies; do not believe what TV cable news tells you. What kind of news are you to subscribe to make sure you are properly informed? That is something only you will know. That will depend on your system of values. When you do find news that looks inviting, look for the key elements; who, what, when, where, why and how. As Fox News radio infers, let them report and you decide.

 

 

Conservative Corner: Sins of the GOP

There was a time when being a part of the Grand old Party, (Republican Party) was respectable, after all, it was the party of Lincoln. This was the man who led the country through a bloody civil war and helped to end slavery by signing the Emancipation Proclamation. This was also the party of what many call the father of the modern conservative movement, Ronald Reagan, and his vision of a country of limited government and maximum freedom.

 So what the heck has happened to the Republican Party to allow such dismal failures within the last 5 to 8 years? What happened to the party that had the leadership, foresight and the will bring the country together and set us on the path of healing?  No matter what your party affiliation is or if you don’t care about either one, there are several reasons why a political group can fail its constituents. Here are some of the sins the Republican Party have committed. I will recruit the help of news.yahoo.com to list a few “sins” that the Republican Party should change, (in my most humble opinion) to attract more independent and conservative voters.

Do more to attract the minority members and candidates into the party. It is common knowledge that many people think of the Republicans to be the party of the “rich, old, white, guys”, even though there are many who are not. The party needs to put more Hispanics, women and blacks in the spot light and in their ranks. That has happened in the past with Sarah Palin, Herman Cain and Marco Rubio, however, the party did not give these people the political and media support they needed to survive in the cut-throat political world and they sufferd for it.

Next, do more to attract the youth vote. Most of the young people get there information from certain cable TV shows and the internet. The party needs to invest heavily into young people and prove to them that the next generations of Republicans aren’t just bunch of out-of-touch, rich, white guys. There are some smart, young people in the ranks of the Republican Party and the old guys need to step aside and let the young people get some of the spotlight and show a fresher side of the party.

A big sin that most politians commit is the act of being a Politian.  Politics breeds corruption and feeds on power, and as it has been said, absolute power corrupts absolutely. As I understand it, our founding fathers never meant for a legislator or congressman to use his office as a career. The job of being a legislator or congressman was meant to be a part-time gig and not a life-long activity. Unfortunately, too many people think of this kind of work as “job security” and have never had a real product job. Simply put, they are out of touch with the “average American”.

One of the biggest issues the Republicans have been facing for a while is not using the internet and social media to its fullest potential. As I understand, the tweet, “four more years” that was sent after Obama realized he had won his second term was the most re-tweeted phrase in twitter history. The Republicans need to embrace the internet in the same way and use it to their advantage. John McCain was persecuted not sending emails during the 2008 election. You see where that got him.

And finally, and probably one of the biggest sins of the Republican Party today, they are cowardly, yellow-bellied, wussies!! When Republican congressmen get to Washington D.C. they find a deep dark evil covers the land much like the evil that covers the land of Mordor and the evil seduces them in a way that would make even Senator Palpatine jealous. No matter what letter is ahead of the name of the inhabitant of the Whitehouse, the evil will flow.  Even the congressmen who were sent by Tea Party members and enthusiasts will almost always fall under the spell of the evil that dwells there and turn the good intentions of a conservative into a RINO, (Republican In Name Only) and act like something else.

John Boehner is one of those people who changed when they got to Washington.  So is John McCain and Lisa Murkowski just to name a few. Too many people who have good conservative values go to Washington and get seduced by the money, power, and fame and turn into pushovers and support anything that they think will make them look good to the power in the oval office and the will of a bias media group.

When the Republican Party wakes, pulls their head out of the warm, dark place between their legs, and realizes that what they are doing is not the will of the people of Lincoln, Reagan and the people who put them into office we may have a Republican Party with conservative values worthy of combating a very powerful group of people that has kept the country in an economic, social, and spending choke hold and has made America the laughing stock of the world.

                       Dkhummel.com and dkhummel.blogspot.com