BALTIMORE, Maryland, Monday, November 28, 2016 - In These United States, we have just celebrated the Thanksgiving Holiday. It was a day designated for Americans to say thank you for all of the countless blessings bestowed upon us. Although the day is officially secular, most Christians and Jews give most of their thanks to the Almighty. Most churches hold services. I was at one of these services, at the Church where I am a member, and where the man giving the sermon reminded all of us just how fortunate we all are. I have traveled enough to see severe poverty and profound squalor up close, and it is a depressing sight, a sight that cannot leave you unaffected. I am a Christian, as I have stated many times, and I give thanks to God for all that he has done for me. And I do wonder why I am so blessed in a world where so very many equally deserving souls are not. I do not have an answer about why this is so; I really don't even know the questions to ask. I am sure, for the most part, that the answer is not for the United States to allow its own progress to be decimated. That would be senseless and send the wrong message to the billions of human beings longing to improve their standings in this world. I believe the answer has something to do with making a commitment to raise the standard of living around the world in an ecologically responsible manner. I accept President Reagan's belief that the USA is a shining light up high on mankind's worldly hill. We cannot slip down into evil or squalor. Instead, we must raise the rest of mankind up to where we are. It can be done. I know it is possible. I have no problem in someone - some leader with a sense of humanity - renewing and energizing our commitment to improving the world's lot quickly and, in fact, making it a high priority. The God I worship insists upon it. Someone needs to tell me why the ultra left thinks the first step in such a commitment must be knocking this nation down.
Many on the ultra left, including the USA President, Barack Hussein Obama, and the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, have released embarrassing press statements about the death, over the weekend, of the stale and narcissistic dictator, Fidel Castro. There is something about this blood-thirsty dictator, who was 90, that attracts those who do their thinking on that far away leftist plane, where reality is just a mirage. Trudeau said something in his government's press statement about Castro's advances in health care and education. When you mumble nonsense like that, you show you have lost all touch with the real Fidel Castro, who butchered and imprisoned his enemies and enforced a complete ban on free speech, a free press, economic vitality and other marks of a great civilization. He also leaves behind a nation that is both impoverished and depressed. The tens of thousands of Cuban Americans, who experienced Castro up close and personal, were downright joyous at the word of Castro's death, and they took to the streets of Miami and other Florida locations to celebrate the long overdue news.
Some of Castro's stunts - including the Mariel Boatlift - were beyond cruel in both concept and implementation. In the aforementioned "Boatlift," Castro emptied his jails and mental institutions and put the former residents of those facilities on rafts and small boats bound for Florida. He did not inform the USA and its then-President, Jimmy Carter, that he was doing this, which left officials here to deal with these poor souls without any time to prepare. So much for the Cuban model for public health care. The number of Cubans shot by firing squads has never been officially determined, but rest assured that any true humanitarian would be appalled by the real number, not to mention the number of political prisoners who still reside in Castro's squalid jails. Yet the ultra far left doesn't allow for such atrocities by their hero, Castro. As far as they are concerned, the firing squads didn't exist and if, in fact, anyone was killed by such neolithic means, they no doubt deserved it. It is such thinking that keeps the ultra far left on the fringe of political thinking.
When people of the far left do manage to wander into power, they get themselves into deep trouble when they let their feelings about people like Castro get loose in the public forum. Trudeau drew heavy criticism for his laughable statement on Castro's demise, and Obama has also drawn heavy push back, even though his statement was far less candid than was Trudeau's. The blow-back has, however, convinced Trudeau to announce that he will not attend the funeral. As this post is published, there is no word on Obama's intentions, although anyone who follows the man knows he is itching to be there. Then there is the entry on the opinion pages of the New York Times and Washington Post, which confirm again why such publications are losing influence so quickly.
It is the contemplation of my life when it is compared to the lives lived by equally worthy souls in Cuba that helps me to understand how fortunate I am. Christ has done more for me than I could have ever asked, and I realize exactly how fortunate I am. I was in Church Thanksgiving Morning trying to muster the humility I struggle to attain. I know it should not be that difficult to realize. I know I in no way deserve what I have been given.
In the Credible and Incisive post of November 19 and November 21 - it was one consolidated post - I quoted the words of St. Paul, which he had included in his letter to the Christian Church established in Colossus (St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians, Chapter 1, Verses 13-20). Those words can be read on a daily basis without ever tiring of the message the words provide. Unless, of course, you aren't Christian. That's a discussion for another day.
Americans, indeed, all of the citizens of Western Civilization, seem to think that they have a certain right and, at least, an expectation of some of the talismans of the good life. It is said that the poorest Americans have a car, one or more new televisions as well as a selection of other top shelf electrical appliances, central heat, running water and sewage service, as well as other belongings which portray the fact that they live the good life. Middle and upper class citizens have it even better. There is a lot to be thankful for. There are tens of millions of people around this Earth who are willing to work just as hard as we do to achieve the good life. The great question is why we have it and they do not. We need to address the disparity with our actions, words and plans.
Yet many Americans believe that the current President ran an administration that was dedicated to the proposition that we have too much and need to have our national strength severely checked, our influence weakened, and our ability to quell evil curtailed. Now, a new President has been elected whose ideas are the polar opposite of Obama's. Unlike President Bush before him, we doubt that Obama will go quietly. We believe he will do all he can to portray Donald Trump as an enemy of the people. Go quietly?
I suppose that would be too much to ask for.
Sports: Manchester City Back Atop Premier After Edging Burnley, 2-1, at Turf Moor; Veteran Dean Marney Had Given Claret First Half Lead
It is a testament to how well Burnley is playing these days that no one is surprised when the Claret take the best team in the best league to the final whistle before succumbing narrowly.
Dean Marney's long range rocket blast of a goal - on a set piece - had given Burnley the lead in front of nearly 22,000 at the venerable home of the Claret, and it was a lead that Burnley held for over 20 minutes.
City's agile scorer, Sergio Aguero, scored the first of his two scores in the 37th minute to knot the battle. Then, Aguero scored again in the 60th minute to put City ahead. Burnley had lots of opportunities to get even - a shot by George Boyd came quite close - but the leaders held on for the win.
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