A True American Hero

[For the full text of the speech, click here.  —  KMAB]
.
On This Day In:
2016	What #AmnestyDon Is Really Afraid Of
2015	What Are You Doing?
2014	The Ideal Man
2013	Daring Ripples
2012	Evermore
2011	Unpredictable Opportunity
2010	Giants Fall In Game 2 (1 to 6) – Leave PA With 1-1 Split !!

Advertisements

Read Full Post »

True Courage

I asked him [Jon Stewart] about the fans.  I said, “There are too many people who expect a certain, directed kind of sarcasm.  I feel they want me to continue making fun of people who are no longer in power.  I can’t do that.  It is not right.  I am afraid that I will lose a lot of my fans.  I lot of people will hate me when they see I went against them.”
“Well, yes, that might happen,” he replied.  “So tell me, what else are you afraid of?  Your safety?  That they might jail you?  What?  What is you biggest fear?”
I thought about it for a minute and said, “Well, if they put me in jail that will make them look too stupid.”
“I agree,” he said.
“I guess it is just the fact that I might lose the popularity and the support,” I finally admitted.
“Well, my friend,” he said, “that is true courage.  Standing up for what you believe might not be what the people want.  You’re staying true to yourself no matter what the consequences are, though… that is true integrity.  Bassem, remember when I visited you in Egypt?  I told you that you need to ask yourself, what do you want to do?  Do you want to do comedy?  Or do you want to do something that lasts longer?  When you answer that, you will know what to do.”
“Dude, you never fail to impress me,” I said.
“Well, I am not in your shoes, and I can’t imagine being in your position.  We sometimes take freedom of speech for granted in the U.S.  It is people like you that will have to carve out their own space.  Whether you succeed or you fail, you have already made your mark in history.”
I realized how far I had come in only two years.  And here was my idol cheering me on.  His words echoed in my head:  “Write what you really feel, you will find a way.  If you are afraid, make fun of your fear.  If you can’t speak, make fun of that.”
—  Bassem Youssef
From his book:  “Revolution For Dummies“
.
On This Day In:
2016	What’s Your Excuse?
2015	Some Meaningful Resemblance
2014	Bloom
	Orange October (VII) – The Giants Win The Pennant!!
2013	Walking The Walk
2012	Legacy Of Star Trek (TOS)
2011	Tolerating The Intolerant
	Passionate Germs
2010	Giants Win Game 1 In Philly (4 to 3)!!

Read Full Post »

Never Forget

Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.
―  Martin Luther King, Jr.
.
On This Day In:
2016	It’s All Greek To Me (Well, Latin Actually)
2015	Truism
2014	Thank You
2013	Really
2012	Ordinary Five Minutes Longer
2011	The Wealth Of Sons (And Daughters)

Read Full Post »

A Letter To 45

Dear Mr. President –
Congratulations on a remarkable run.  Millions have placed their hopes in you, and all of us, regardless of party, should hope for expanded prosperity and security during your tenure.
This is a unique office, without a clear blueprint for success, so I don’t know that any advice from me will be particularly helpful.  Still, let me offer a few reflections from the past 8 years.
First, we’ve both been blessed, in different ways, with great good fortune.  Not everyone is so lucky.  It’s up to us to do everything we can (to) build more ladders of success for every child and family that’s willing to work hard.
Second, American leadership in this world really is indispensable.  It’s up to us, through action and example, to sustain the international order that’s expanded steadily since the end of the Cold War, and upon which our own wealth and safety depend.
Third, we are just temporary occupants of this office.  That makes us guardians of those democratic institutions and traditions — like rule of law, separation of powers, equal protection and civil liberties — that our forebears fought and bled for.  Regardless of the push and pull of daily politics, it’s up to us to leave those instruments of our democracy at least as strong as we found them.
And finally, take time, in the rush of events and responsibilities, for friends and family.  They’ll get you through the inevitable rough patches.
Michelle and I wish you and Melania the very best as you embark on this great adventure, and know that we stand ready to help in any ways which we can.
Good luck and Godspeed,
BO
[Former President Barack Obama’s hand-written letter to his successor – President Donald Trump.  Unfortunately, I fear for the seed, for the ground was rocky and the soil was shallow…  —  KMAB]
.
On This Day In:
2016	REDs
2015	Cities
2014	Still
2013	Dare = Hope
2012	Check My Math
2011	Just Asking

Read Full Post »

Rogers’ Rules (Hexadecimal)

1.)  Never slap a man who’s chewing tobacco.
2.)  Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
3.)  Always drink upstream from the herd.
4.)  The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back in your pocket.
5.)  There are three kinds of men:  The ones that learn by reading.  The few who learn by observation.  The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence.
6.)  If you’re riding’ ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it’s still there.
7.)  Lettin’ the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier’n puttin’ it back.
8.)  After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring.  He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him…  The moral:  When you’re full of bull, keep your mouth shut.
9.)  Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.
A.)  The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.
B.)  When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth, think of Algebra.
C.)  You know you are getting old when every thing either dries up or leaks.
D.)  One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it is such a nice change from being young.
E.)  One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has been.
F.)  Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.
10.)  If you don’t learn to laugh at trouble, you won’t have anything to laugh at when you are old.
—  Will Rogers
.
On This Day In:
2016	But, It’s Such A Simple Mistake
2015	Crawl Towards The Light
2014	Sweet Songs
2013	The Wife Of An Ordinary Man
2012	Three Words
2011	Know Anyone Like This?
2010	Apoplexy??
	When Breaking Up Is Hard To Do…
	Sibling Awareness

Read Full Post »

Sea Worthy

Amid questions, here’s what we’re sure of in the USS Fitzgerald collision…
“On the sea there is a tradition older even than the traditions of the country itself and wiser in its age than this new custom.  It is the tradition that with responsibility goes authority and with them both goes accountability.”
It continues: “It is cruel, this accountability of good and well-intentioned men.  But the choice is that or an end of responsibility and finally as the cruel scene has taught, an end to the confidence and trust in the men who lead, for men will not long trust leaders who feel themselves beyond accountability for what they do.”
“And when men lose confidence and trust in those who lead, order disintegrates into chaos and purposeful ships into uncontrollable derelicts.”
—  By John Kirby
From the article:  “Accountability, Navy Style”  Thursday, 31 July 2008
Found at:   http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/17/opinions/uss-fitzgerald-this-much-we-know-kirby/index.html
Originally from: http://conservativewahoo.blogspot.com/2008/07/accountability-navy-style.html
.
On This Day In:
2016	Rising Integration
2015	No Worries
2014	Devouring The Present
2013	But So Far…
	Twice Moved
2012	Just Like Bubbles
2011	Caring and Driving
	Achieve Greatly
2010	Unwise To Trust
	Attitude
	If The Mind Is Not Tired
	Irrationally Crazy
	2nd Pair – Shoe Review
	Ahnu – Gesundheit!
2009	As for me…
	Health Care Reform Now!!

Read Full Post »

Cowardly Defamation

A competent leader can get efficient service from poor troops, while on the contrary an incapable leader can demoralize the best of troops.
—  General John J. Pershing
[I really wish the Draft avoider in the Oval Office would stop defaming the character of a General who (by all accounts) seems to have been a decent man and a good commander.  I do not have a great deal of knowledge about General Pershing because I’ve never studied him or his achievements.  I have recently taken the time to read about President Trump’s “claims” (lies) about the General and the stores of how he supposedly dealt with Islamic fighters while he was commanding in the Philippines.  Trump’s lies were debunked during the 2016 campaign (when he first made them) and they are being exposed again after Trump’s latest tweets on the topic.  Our President doesn’t do our military forces or its historic leaders any honor when he dishonors their achievements with lies in the attempt to make himself out to be a “tough-guy” or strong-man leader.  It just illustrates how small a man he really is.   SAD…   —  KMAB]
.
On This Day In:
2016	With No Allowance For Chance?
2015	Details
2014	Here’s One…
2013	Non-Fungible Commodities
2012	Hope And Tears
2011	Just Long Enough
	Meaningful Thoughts

Read Full Post »