The Miley and Robin Letters

MTV stands for Music Television.  But this past week MTV became Miley Television.

Miley Cyrus, the once cute and lovable Hanna Montana on the Disney channel, displayed her disturbing and sexually overt persona transformation into a tongue wagging, butt slapping, twerking spectacle at the VMA’s and and in that instant became a polarizing pop culture figure.

I’m not going to discuss the disgusting details of Cyrus’ performance or failure depending upon your perspective.  What I want to share are the lessons that can and should be learned by every person who watched or has read about the now infamous awards show.

The lessons have been eloquently penned by two bloggers in the form of letters to their sons and daughters.

Some will read this and be changed by it.  Others will scoff, mock, and dismiss as an over-reaction or old-fashioned thinking.

You have your agency to choose how you react, but at least choose to read and consider.

 

Penned by Blogger Kim Keller at Roadkillgoldfish.com

Dear daughter, let Miley Cyrus be a lesson to you.

Yes, this is what happens when you constantly hear everything you do is awesome. This is what happens when people fawn over your every Tweet and Instagram photo. This is what happens when no responsible adult has ever said the word “no,” made you change your clothes before leaving the house, or never spanked your butt for deliberate defiance.

If you ever even consider doing something like that, I promise you that I will run up and twerk so you will see how ridiculous twerking looks. I will duct tape your mouth shut so your tongue doesn’t hang out like an overheated hound dog. I will smack any male whom you decide to smash against his pelvis – after I first knock you on your butt for forgetting how a lady acts in public.

Why would I do that? Because I love you and I want you to respect yourself. Miley Cyrus is not edgy or cool or sexy. She’s a desperate girl screaming for attention: Notice me. Tell me I’m pretty. See how hot I am. I know all the guys want me. All the girls want to be me.

You probably know girls who will emulate this behavior at the next school dance. Don’t do it with them. You are far too valuable to sell yourself so cheaply. Walk away. Let the boys gawk and know in your heart that they see only a body that can be used for their pleasure and then forgotten.

I’m sorry if you’ve ever felt sad because I haven’t gushed over everything you’ve done. My role is to praise when praise is due, but also to offer constructive criticism and correction when it is needed as well. I’m sorry if you’ve ever felt demoralized because your Instagram following isn’t in the thousands, and I’m sorry those “selfies” can never capture how amazingly beautiful you truly are. I’m sorry if you’ve ever wished you had a friend instead of a mom, and I promise you that I will probably get worse when you hit high school.

Dear daughter, I am going to fight or die trying to keep you from becoming like the Miley Cyruses of the world.

You can thank me later.

**********************

Penned by Blogger and Radio Show host Matt Walsh at The Matt Walsh Blog

Dear son,

Don’t let Robin Thicke be a lesson to you.

Don’t let any of these pigs and perverts you see on TV be a lesson to you. They treat women like garbage; they possess no chivalry, no self control; they are disloyal and dishonest; they spend all day pursuing pleasure at the expense of others, and they encourage you to do the same. You might be tempted to follow suit. In fact, you WILL be tempted. These male pop stars and celebrities, look at them, you’ll think. They take advantage of emotionally broken, self loathing, confused young women, and they are rewarded handsomely for it. Look at their nice clothes and their nice cars. Look how they are admired and loved. Look, they treat women like trash and other women fawn all over them because of it. This must be how real men behave, you’ll think.

And you’ll be wrong. You’ll be wrong about a lot of things in life — this is what it means to be human — but never will you be more wrong than when you feel the temptation to buy the lies that pop culture sells about the nature of true masculinity. Son, there is nothing glamorous or fun about being a man of low character and no integrity. What you see on TV is a facade. It’s a sales pitch. It’s poison. You see the bright lights and the sexy women, but you don’t see what happens when the cameras are off and these pop culture gods return to their lives as mere mortals. You don’t see them in their big, empty, lonely houses. You don’t see the emptiness in the pit of their souls. You don’t see all the alcohol and drugs they have to use to dull the pain of living a life devoid of real, committed relationships. You don’t see the hatred they have for themselves and for humanity. You don’t see the jealousy they have towards normal, decent men.

Your dad is no celebrity. He’s just an average, boring guy. But he’s got something that every famous and non-famous womanizer envies: He’s got the love and commitment of ONE beautiful, smart, faithful woman. He’s got your mom, and he’ll only have your mom until the day he dies. He ought to be waking up every day shouting praises to the Lord because of that.

Listen, son, don’t let the world tell you how to be a man. They don’t know anything about the subject.

Men are loyal. Men are honest. Men respect and honor women. A man goes out and finds one woman, and he vows to protect and love her for the rest of his life. A man would never betray that vow. Even the weakest and most cowardly man — if he is a man at all — would die for the woman he loves. Your dad is no hero, but let someone try to hurt your mom and watch him suddenly turn into Superman (or Batman, whichever you prefer).

See, son, you don’t have to be big and strong to be a man, although I think you will be one day. You don’t have to be “cool” or athletic. You don’t have to play guitar or fix cars. These are all fine things, but they don’t define a man. A man is defined by how he treats women, by how he keeps his promises, and by how he protects and serves the ones he loves. That’s what makes a man a man. My dad taught me that, he taught it by example. I pray I can do the same for you.

Oh, and by the way, if I ever catch you disrespecting women, I will sit you down and talk to you about it. But first I’ll kick your butt up and down the street. That’s a promise.

Love,

Your old man

Another Judicial Blow to Freedom

The New Mexico Supreme Court struck a blow to personal and religious freedom in the name of tolerance and the idea that “compromise is the price of citizenship”.

A photography shop refused to provide services to photograph a commitment ceremony for a same-sex couple.  Their refusal was based on their personal religious convictions regarding marriage.

Rather than go find another photographer, the couple decided to file a discrimination claim.  The claim made its way up to the New Mexico Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the same-sex couple and against the photographers.

The Court in essence has ruled that Christians, Muslims, Orthodox Jews, and others must surrender the faithful practice of their religion in the name of citizenship.

Justice Richard Bosson wrote in his concurring opinion:

At its heart, this case teaches that at some point in our lives all of us must compromise, if only a little, to accommodate the contrasting values of others…. That compromise is part of the glue that holds us together as a nation, the tolerance that lubricates the varied moving parts of us as a people…. In short, I would say to the Huguenins [Photography shop owners], with the utmost respect: it is the price of citizenship.

But as Erick Erickson of Red State points out:

…the tolerance is one way. In the name of tolerance, Mrs. Huguenin can be compelled by state power on pain of punishment to provide her services to Ms. Willock [couple member] against Mrs. Huguenin’s several thousand-year old orthodox religious beliefs, but Ms. Willock is under no obligation to simply tolerate those who disagree with her and find someone who is happy to provide the service.

Now let’s look at the unintended consequences (or perhaps not so unintended) that are sure to come if this ruling is not struck down by the SCOTUS which most assuredly will be asked to hear this case.  Imagine now, other couples or any one that is LGBT and equally as vindictive as this one in New Mexico, who decides to make it a point to seek out Christian establishments which may feel equally strong about their religious convictions and when services are refused, WHAM the precedent is in place to sue them into submission or out of business.

85% of the American public, men, women, black, white, hispanic, conservatives, moderates, and even liberals agree that Christians should not be forced to provide goods and services to couples seeking gay marriages.  This isn’t a divided topic.

One sided tolerance isn’t tolerance at all.

It’s prejudice.

Related articles

• NM Supreme Court Finds Refusing to Photograph Gay Wedding Is Violation of Human Rights… (nationalreview.com)
• New Mexico Supreme Court Says Wedding Photographer Can’t Discriminate Against Same-Sex Couples (towleroad.com)
• New Mexico Supreme Court rules photographer cannot deny services to same-sex couple (metroweekly.com)
• TYRANNY: New Mexico Supreme Court says wedding photographers can’t refuse gay weddings (therightscoop.com)
• http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765636407/New-Mexico-photographer-loses-gay-marriage-case.html (Deseret News)

Germany 1938 and Egypt 2013

The altar of St. George Coptic orthodox church in Assuit after it has been attacked by Muslim Brotherhood

If you’re watching the major networks for news on Egypt you probably don’t know that the Muslim Brotherhood supporters have ransacked, damaged, destroyed, or burned nearly 50 Christian churches, kidnapped and killed Christians, and are blaming it on the military crackdown and state of emergency.

The most shocking part of this story, aside from the horrific violence, obviously, is that in the U.S. where 70% of the population labels themselves Christian, a country with much of it’s foundation rooted in Christianity, no major mainstream media outlets are providing major coverage of what is happening in Egypt if they are giving it any coverage at all.  Most Americans and American churches are not informed on what is happening to their Christian brothers and sisters in Egypt.

All that is being reported is the violent clash between police, the military, and the protesters.

Why? Is the killing of Christians and destruction of their places of worship not news? Do these news agencies not know this is happening or that it’s connected to the uprising and protests?

Coptic Christians in the country are living in fear as they watch the levels of violence against Christians rise each day.  Do they face the same fate the Jewish population of Egypt did during World War II? In the 1940s there the population of Jews in Egypt was 100,000 strong. Today, it is reported there are less than 100 Jews in the country. The population of Egypt is estimated to be about 84 million and, until recently, at least 10 percent of that population was Christian.

For anyone with a knowledge of Pre-World War 2 history what is taking place in Egypt will look very similar to what happened one night in Germany in 1938 when German military and civilians ransacked and burned Jewish businesses and homes.  That night known as Kristallnacht or Crystal Night, the night of broken glass.

Much like Kristallnacht was used to blame Germany’s problems on the communists, Christian churches are being destroyed and Christians are being blamed for Egypt’s problems.

I encourage you to do just a little bit of study about pre-world war 2 Germany to see some startling parallels, and the mindset that allows this kind of thing to happen in the first place. Kristallnacht is a good place to start.

just google it.

STORY UPDATE 8/19/13

The Christian Science Monitor published a report suggesting at least some of the attacks were premeditated, with Christian homes and shops in one village being marked with red graffiti, “vowing to protect Morsi’s electoral legitimacy with ‘blood’” and mosque minarets blaring accusations that Christians were behind the Cairo killings.

In Minya, one Christian resident told the AP that Islamists had “painted a red X on Muslim stores and a black X on Christian stores.”

Christian Science Monitor Correspondent Kristen Chick writes from the village of Al Nazla that Islamists were spreading rumors that Christians were behind the mass protests which led to the July 3 ousting of Muslim Brotherhood-aligned President Mohammed Morsi.

Related articles

• Egypt’s Churches Aflame as Brotherhood Targets Christians (israelnationalnews.com)
• Egypt’s Coptic Christians facing renewed attacks following crackdown (globalnews.ca)
• Egypt: Coptic Christians under fire, live targets for Muslim Brotherhood – expert (voiceofrussia.com)
• Christian churches across Egypt stormed, torched (fox2now.com)

Sensibility and Nonsense

Sensibility says the overthrow of the government in Egypt was a military coup – Nonsense says it was democracy at work.

Sensibility says the attack at Fort Hood was perpetrated by a terrorist – Nonsense says it was workplace violence.

Sensibility says the attack on the consulate in Benghazi was a terrorist attack – Nonsense says it was random violence sparked by a video.

Sensibility says terminating a pregnancy after the 20th week is too late – Nonsense says it’s never to late.

Sensibility says a government collecting mass amounts of data on its citizens including personal communications without cause can’t be trusted – Nonsense says it’s no big deal because I’m not doing anything wrong.

Sensibility says the IRS singling out individuals and groups based on religious, political, or ideological views for scrutiny and ill-favored treatment is abuse of power – Nonsense says it’s a conspiracy theory.

Sensibility says the rash of scandals in recent months coming out of this administration is a symptom of a much bigger problem – Nonsense says it’s all phony.

I don’t know about you but all this nonsense is offending my sensibilities.

Confessions of a Welfare Worker

A recent report by Bret Baire of FOX News followed a California beach bum through his typical day, driving a nice black pickup truck, hanging out on the beach drinking beers with friends and flashing his SNAP card.

SNAP is an acronym for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as food stamps…

How does a guy living the life on a California beach do it?  The same way many Americans do it.  Gaming the system, finding its flaws and loopholes, which are many, and taking advantage.

The following is a post by a person only identified as a Welfare Worker.  As I followed previous and subsequent posts it became clear he or she was indeed what they said they were or perhaps even higher in the welfare food chain.

Regardless, what they had to say should be cause for every tax payer to be hammering their elected representatives to clean up and fix a corrupt and broken system that seems to foster dependency and discourage self-sufficiency.

Welfare Worker

Management discourages us from looking into fraud, for all but the worst cases.

I once discovered fraud from a bank statement, the bank statement were not required, but the transactions showed unreported income. I got called into my supervisor’s office and asked “Why did you request a bank statement? You know it is not needed.” I had to apologize, and tell her I did not request it, they just sent it in with the rest of the paperwork. If I would have actually requested it, I would have been in real trouble, but there wasn’t much she could no.

Most of what people think is fraud, is actually just gaming the system – shaping the circumstances so maximum benefits are received.

People can quit jobs to increase welfare benefits for ANY reason.

No work requirements for food stamps in 46 states, mostly done under Bush.
ABAWD regulations suspended for 12 month periods, year after year.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/rules/memo/…
http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/rules/memo/…

Many states have no resource requirements. In our county one family got $600,000 in a settlement, quit their jobs and went on food stamps and Medicaid, no problem. This type of think is common nationwide.

People spend more for cell phones and cable TV than for heat, cooling, electric, and welfare programs pay those bills, no fraud.

Many people live off social services, and will not apply for cash assistance (TANF) because they do not want to work or file for child support, no fraud.

It is known that for adults with SSI (welfare) children, half of their income is the SSI – pays the bills not covered by welfare.

(Per the SSA reference below – SSI and children – “On average, SSI payments accounted for nearly 48 percent of the family income of SSI children,”) For all families with SSI children, SSI is nearly half of ALL income. SSI and children.
http://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/ssb/v66n2…

Myth: Most welfare recipients are on benefits a short time.

Let me make that clearer.

At any one time 80% of any given caseload is chronic, repeat for one or more lifetimes.
80% of the money being spent at any one moment in time, is for the chronic, constantly needy, needy by choice, more than circumstances. The other 20% comes and goes on a regular basis, in one door, out the other, never to be seen again.

At any moment in time, only 20% of the total, but over a long stretch (say five years), most of the ones helped were short timers, came and went, just like the myth says, most of the recipients on a short time,but they only use 20% of the total funds available.

80% of the financial help available, goes to those ‘few bad apples.’ That does not sound like a good taxpayer investment to me. It seems to me the lion share of the money should be spent on the temporarily poor, the poor by circumstances, more than choice.
http://www.urban.org/publications/900288…

~ ~ ~
Cash Welfare Caseload. In December 2010, the number of families receiving TANF cash welfare was 1.9 million families, consisting of 4.7 million recipients, of which 3.5 million were children. The cash welfare caseload is very heterogeneous. The type of family historically thought of as the “typical” cash welfare family—one with an unemployed adult recipient—accounted for less than half of all families on the rolls in FY2008. Additionally, 15% of cash welfare families had an employed adult, while almost half of all families had no adult recipient. Child-only families include those with disabled adults receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), adults who are non-parents (e.g., grandparents, aunts, uncles) caring for children, and families consisting of citizen children and ineligible noncitizen parents.
http://www.nationalaglawcenter.org/asset…

~ ~

Today’s antipoverty safety net is dramatically different from the one in place two decades ago when welfare reform was enacted. Rather than a safety net primarily dependent on cash assistance programs, as is the common perception, the current system is highly reliant on social service programs funded by government and delivered through community-based nonprofits. Annual public and private expenditures for social service programs today exceed total federal outlays for cash assistance programs like welfare, food stamps, and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

https://ed.stanford.edu/events/…

Related articles

• Welfare Dependency Destroying America (thebrennerbrief.com)
• Fox News “Reports” on SNAP: Binging, Losers, And “Too Much Food” (feeds.mediamatters.org)
• Democrats not feeling at all amenable to Republicans’ new food-stamp proposal (hotair.com)