It’s the First Day of School, but Alicia Debolt will never enter high school

Today is the first day of school and for my youngest it is the first day of high school. She was understandably nervous but she left with a big smile on her face. This is a joyous time for her, but last week I read a story about another girl who should have been starting high school today, but instead she is in the morgue. Alicia Debolt was a cheerleader from Great Bend, Kansas who was about to enter her freshman year of high school. She was last seen at her home last Saturday night, when she left with her 19-year-old boyfriend at 11PM to attend a party. Her body was found burned beyond recognition in a dumpster. Two questions come to mind: why is a 19 year old allowed to date a minor and why is a 14 year old allowed to leave her home at 11PM to go out partying? A fourteen year old is not an adult and should not be treated like she is one. Parents want to have good relationships with their children, but their children have plenty of friends and they need parents that are there to actually teach them right from wrong. I would not be so callous as to judge this situation, but I will just say today I was grateful to see my 14 year old do what 14 teen year olds should be doing and that is starting high school.

Comedy Central Must be Stopped from Mocking Jesus Christ and We Can Stop them

One of the shows Comedy Central has in development is JC “the concept is to depict Christ as a “regular guy” who moves to New York to “escape his father’s enormous shadow.” With all the subjects available to their writing staff please tell me why would they choose Jesus as a comedic foil? Comedy Central is known for its irreverent humor, but even they have bowed to pressure from the Islamic community. “Comedy Central was the target of an Internet threat this spring from a Muslim group for a South Park episode that supposedly showed Muhammad in a bear costume. Like other media organizations, it resists showing a depiction of Muhammad because many Muslims consider a physical description of the prophet to be blasphemous. Such depictions of Muhammad in other media have resulted in death threats by fundamentalist Muslims against the purveyors.” So since some factions of the Muslim community have threatened violent retribution for depicting their highest religious figure in a comedic or unflattering light Comedy Central backed down. Well, Christians are not going to threaten violence, but we can boycott any company that sponsors this show. This show does not deserve to see the light of day but if it does let’s make sure its showing is short-lived. If you agree with me contact Comedy Central and make your voice heard: www.comedycentral.com

The Hateful Things People Say When You Can’t See Them

Today I was reading a news article about 6 year old Jasmina Anema. She has leukemia and the Make A Wish Foundation arranged for her to meet the president. He met with her and her mother in the Oval Office. People familiar with this organization know they grant the wishes of terminally ill children. So when I finished reading the story I started reading the comments and I was struck by one in particular  the writer responded to the article by writing “one less nigglet.”  I was struck by this vile hateful response to the story, but what we see is people will say practically anything under the cloak of anonymity. I have been writing this blog for almost 2 years and people will write some incredibly disrespectful things that they would never have the courage to say face to face. When you write a political blog some dissent goes with the territory, but even here there are some things so incredibly vile that I would never post them, but to respond with such hatred toward an innocent child is not expressing an opinion it is just expressing hatred.

Was Early Detection, Early Cure A Lie?

 For years we have heard the phrase “early detection, early cure” in association with breast cancer, and now we are told you can wait until you are 50 to get your first mammogram. What changed? ” The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued new breast cancer screening guidelines and published its updated recommendations in the November 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. The task force now recommends against routine mammography screening for women before age 50 years and suggests that screening end at age 74 years.” They contend that not enough cancers are discovered during the 40-49 year span to justify the procedure. Supposedly if you have a history of cancer in your family they will recommend that you be tested sooner. Well, that is just not good enough. One of my first cousins found a lump in her breast at the age of 35. She had no history of breast cancer, but she found the lump through self-examination which we are now told is unnecessary. What are we to believe? Is this a ploy by the insurance industry to stop paying for so many mammograms? Women are being asked to radically change their behavior. We bought into early detection; early cure and at this point we are not ready to make this radical change.

Disney’s The Princess and the Frog

Yesterday I received the attached link to the new Disney movie. The Princess and the Frog is the first Disney movie that features a black herione. The clip shows Princess Tiana working to make her dream come true. I like the clip because it illustrates the point that there are no shortcuts to making your dreams come true. To make a dream a reality is hard work and the heroine is willing to put in the work. So often in fairy tales the princess just waits to be rescued by the prince, but this princess knows if you want something bad enough you have to work for it and that is story worth telling.

http://differentdrummer.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=86eed61ac9acea748731400f7&id=740e917318&e=9881944673

Suicide is Not A Solution to Economic Problems

 

We have seen two families here in Maryland over the past few days that have been the victim of a homicidal father. Both families were seemingly facing horrific financial problems and the father decided that suicide and homicide would be the solution. Today, we sadly hear that the acting CFO of Freddie Mac has taken his own life.  We know that in all of these scenarios there were some deeply rooted problems that did not all relate to the families finances. It just seems that we as Americans are so defined by what we do and how much we make that the prospect of failure is overwhelming. In the first two cases the dad made a decision that he could no longer make it and that he and his family would be better off dead, but did he discuss his issues with his wife or was it just a unilateral, selfish decision?  We will never know all the facts, but what we do know is where there is life there is hope. I am not trying to judge, but in one case the father shot a 2, 4 and 5 year old, and slashed their throats after he shot them. This is not an act of love it was an act of cowardice. Taking your own life is a personal decision, but taking the life of others especially your own children is just selfish.

Obama is A Role Model for Black Children, but He’s Not the Only One

Tonight CBS News had a story on the Obama Effect and how it is inspiring black children. His candidacy gives them hope that if he can do this then this dream is not beyond their reach. They profiled one young boy on the Southside of Chicago who collects articles about the Senator. He had created a poster with all of the presidents on it and he had included Obama’s picture on the board. His mother said she has never seen her son so excited about anything other than video games until this election. They also talked to a group of high school students in Atlanta and they said his candidacy has made “being smart cool”. All of this is great on the surface, but it also exposes a bigger issue. These children need to see role models within their community and within their homes. My son admires Barack Obama, but he aspires to be like his own father. Not all children are blessed to have fathers in the home, but there are other individuals who can make our children say and believe “Yes We Can.” As parents it is our job to point these people out to our children and help them find success in their own house and not just in the man hopefully on his way to the White House.