Voted Yesterday With Photo ID!

I just had to see how it was going to work.  Yesterday was the first day of early voting for our primary. I'll be gone on election day.  Nothing going on in the Democratic races - no surprise.  Big last gasp for the few moderates left in the Republican races.  The obits. for the last of the Republican moderates are about to be written.  VERY SCARY even here!  (We have schools to worry about, and WORRY I do!)

As I said above, I just had to see how the new pointless photo ID restrictions were to be enforced.  Well, "enforcement" be thy name.  I also brought my "golden ticket" to be on the safe side, but they just wanted to see that drivers license.  One person looked it over, without looking at me, and handed it to another person who also didn't look at me ------ just handed it back to person number one while I scowled.

While being escorted to a voting machine, I mentioned that I had considered also bringing my birth certificate.  My escort, an older gentleman, (clearly, my age,) didn't read my tone, as he replied, "Oh, people just make too much of such things --- all they need is a drivers license." I responded, "Yes, yes, exactly!"

MERIT DRUGS - No Guns!

If you own a drug store you have exactly what a "strung out" thief is looking for.  It announces that fact on the outside of the store - in large letters!  DRUGS! DRUGS! DRUGS!  Now here is the thing.... Richard positively refused to have a gun on the property.  There was no gun hidden beneath the counter.  Many people might consider that to be foolish, but Richard strongly felt that someone strung out on drugs was enough of a problem, and usually well beyond reason regarding his own abilities.  What would surely happen  was that Richard would either be killed with his own gun, or the grabbing of that gun might send bullets flying around the store endangering customers and employees.  Best reduce the danger to all, and reach in to "the stash" of outdated drugs kept for just such a visit.  The stuff would probably "work," but why give him your best stock, you know?  Really, he isn't apt to check the exp. date! Bag them up, and send the fool off!  Finally, it is considered good form to not only call the police, but also call the store down the street to let them know who might be headed their way.

Richard was raised with a father and brothers that hunted and collected guns, but he decided at a young age that they could be the "hunters," and he would be the "gatherer." I think if Richard were alive today and was aware of the gun carnage in the news, he might say he didn't think the "The Founding Fathers" had six thousand bullets in mind when they were writing The Second Amendment.

No, even with the many times that our store presented such danger, we just weren't much for guns.

The Golden Ticket

Guess what came in the mail today?  A gold colored -- honest to God -- GOLD - colored certificate of voter registration!  It tells me a lot of things --- what U.S. Congressional district, Senate district, KS. Congressional district, and Senate district, St. Bd. of Ed., County Commission I live in, and where I should go to actually cast a vote if there are people running in those afore mentioned offices. (This is a primary.) The golden card also has my ward #, my pct. # and,   TAA- DAA - my VOTER REGISTRATION NUMBER!!!!!  In case anything happens to me, I will , from this day forward, keep that number in my purse taped to my drivers lic.!  JUST TO BE SAFE!   After all, this is Kansas, and if you are reading this blog you KNOW this card is truly precious.  This card, (plus my photo,) says I can claim my right to vote on election day, and I will never take that for granted again!

The Eagle Scout Award

One more visit to the B. S. A. subject.  The question was - what to do with the Eagle Scout Award?  It was earned by my son at a remarkably young age.  It was a true accomplishment.  Yes?  Finish what you start - good resume builder and all that.  Well, of course we eventually learned otherwise ---- quite a few years back.  Now, what to do with his medal?  First instinct - send it back, but, I thought it should be kept as a symbol of his hard work and their "wrong headedness," as we say on the prairie.   We could point to it and say --- this was given for high ideals and accomplishments, both of which we hope the B. S. A. will some day attain, as they have yet to earn "their" medal  -- so to speak.  Or ----- the medal could be shown to his children, and the children could marvel at how things were in the "old days."  Of course, you run the risk, of your kids wondering "just" how old you really are!!!!

Is There A Badge For That?

If you are looking for recognition for your abilities in "division" & "intolerance," ----- if you seek to excel in these areas, may I suggest joining The Boy Scouts Of America.  After "careful consideration" they have chosen to uphold a longtime ban on gay members, and that is now their legacy.  WHAT A LEGACY!


Apparently the "careful consideration" and vote were held by a "secret committee." And it had to be kept confidential... because?  I mean, if they are so sure this needed to be studied, and a continuation of the ban would likely be the result, why keep it hush, hush?  Right is right, and after "careful consideration," they must be right!   While we're at it, why take two years to review?  When you are going after people for the purpose of treating them like second class citizens ---- get on with it!  Don't scurry around like roaches!  Someone might misinterpret your "careful consideration" and think YOU are less than first class.  For God and country, right? 

I have a favorite saying that some of you know.  It applies to those people that made this decision to continue the ban on gays as official policy of the B.S.A. ------ When these fine people reach THEIR judgement day, best they ask for mercy --- not justice!

I recently came across someone who suggested the B.S.A. should be be renamed by dropping the "B" which now stands for bogus, backwards, bigots, etc and just call them The Oy Scouts.  Oy, indeed.  


UPDATE:  Want to help make a difference?  You can click here and sign this petition from Eagle Scout Zach Whahls, and son of two lesbian moms, who is calling for transparency and accountability.  No more "secret committees."  The B.S.A must allow the resolution to allow openly gay scouts and leaders to come to a full vote at the next BSA convention, in May 2013.  http://www.change.org/petitions/boy-scouts-stop-the-secrecy-allow-your-board-to-vote-to-end-the-ban-on-gay-scouts-and-leaders

BLOODY KANSAS!

Do I have your attention?  Yes, it was bloody.  But, we did enter the Union as a free state.  We had several names - Bleeding Kansas, Bloody Kansas, Border War state - all names that represented the fact that we were anti-slavery ------ John Brown against Quantrill's Raiders.  SO MUCH HISTORY!  SO MUCH HISTORY!  (One of the new high schools in Lawrence, KS is named Lawrence Free State.)

Why is all this so amazing today?  Our Gov. Brownback couldn't wait to take the lead in making sure Kansas was at the top of the heap - first in line - leading the parade of states that would suppress the vote of those citizens most likely to vote Democratic.  Voter suppression for an exact few along with several other groups, the young and elderly, who voted the wrong way in the last election.
Oddly enough, Kansas, the reddest of the red states does not really need to suppress it's voters.  It could have kept it's proud history of joining the union a free state.  It could have said, "Look at us.  We have a high school named Lawrence Free State." Well, Gov. Brownback, just where do you place THIS in our state's history?

TORCH PASSING? REALLY?

What was going on out in the west?  "No pictures allowed!"  We are told it was the "the passing of the torch from Cheney to Romney."  Come on folks.  Does anyone, and I mean anyone, REALLY want THAT torch passed?  Did they really word it that way?  In the name of decency and humanity, SNUFF THE THING OUT!  NOW!

Mothering

This mothering business is quite tricky. I've been at it for 40 plus years and know one thing for sure ---- the goal is for your child to out shine you!  CONGRATULATIONS Jane Pitt.  Your son Brad is not only doing great things for New Orleans, but he has touched Kansas City.  You didn't know? You were busy writing a letter to your local paper clarifying your anti-gay stance?  Yes, yes, we wouldn't want anybody to get the wrong idea. So, you got that sorted out while Brad got together with the Make It Right Foundation and together with our housing redevelopment project made it possible to transform the old Bancroft School for resident development.  Well, that sure does out shine your great need to write your stunning letter.  YUP!  Mothering is tricky.  Thank you, Mr. Pitt.

Kansas Is Burning Too

The prairie is burning up. The crops are scorched. The farmers are suffering, and George Will makes a "flip" remark, "Its Summer!" This from the king of Republican pundits that is considered quite the wise sophisticate. There are all kinds of Republicans, though ---- all kinds of flavors.  Right?  We have the haters.  The haters feel superior to those they have chosen to hate ---- not complicated.  They have finally been given permission to feel this way by the usual suspects: hate radio, Fox, Tea Party, etc.  Next we have the old school Republicans.  These people still understand such words as honesty, shame, and decency.  At least when they lie they feel a slight moment of what we call the "petite cringe."  Finally, we have the life long Republicans ------- the ones that continue to vote even against their better interests.  They vote R. because they always have, and they don't understand what the implications are, especially when they pull that lever "down ballot" as we say.  (The consequences are more direct "down ballot" with the exception of the Supreme Court at the top of the ballot.)  I don't know one person that under -------- oh, never mind. Lets just say that times have changed , but not so as these people can see. They think Reagan is still alive and has his wits -- such as they were.

Oh well! It is just summer. Yes?  Nooooo! Do not look to Kansas to make governing choices for the good of our beloved nation.  Kansas is burning, and Mr. Will, it is not because it's summer.