I Wonder

I wonder why it seems

Men and women are opposites

When both our bodies teem

With similar genetic composites.

We both need oxygen and food

Water, nutrients, and other stuff

But similarities, while understood

Never seem to be enough.

I think the problem starts above

In that thing we call our noggin

Where our concepts of love

Get twisted in cerebral foggin’.

I am sure there is a good reason

For such emotional confusion

It has to be more than a season

Of perceptive disillusions.

I guess there is hope

For a day of insightful conception

When I won’t be such a dope

About feminine perception.

Capital Punishment

I watched an independent film called “At the Deathhouse Door” (I think that was the name of it) that chronicled the life of a Presbyterian minister who became the chaplain for the Huntsville prison right before the reinstitution of the death penalty. He ended up ministering to 93 executed prisoners during his tenure before he retired because of his changed belief in capital punishment. The final straw for him was the execution of an innocent man who unfortunately, took 17 minutes to die from lethal injection instead of the 7-14 seconds that is the standard length of time. The second drug injected, which was originally used by veterinarians to put down animals, was extremely painful which was the reason vets stopped using it. Mr. Pickett related the story of how much agony was involved before the third drug was administered which finally brought the man’s life to an end.

In my youth I was a huge proponent of the death penalty. My views have changed as I have gotten older for several reasons;

1. I don’t believe the “eye for an eye” argument is valid. The view that Old Testament justice should be practiced doesn’t fit with the rabbinical discussions and practices of the inter-testament period where rabbis considered it a disgrace to the community if they executed one person every seven years with some even stating they had failed as a society if they executed one person every 21 years.

2. History tells us the “deterrent” value of capital punishment is non-existent. Before the reinstatement of the death penalty in the 70’s there were 93 people on death row in Texas. Now we have over 400 and we kill more people than any other state (outside of Florida). If it is such a deterrent, why the huge increase?

3. If you are seeking to make someone pay for their heinous acts then why not go for a true punishment of life without parole in solitary confinement? 23 hours a day they would be in a cell alone with only 1 hour a day of getting to leave it. They are out of society. They are paying for their crime in a way that will make them think of what they did for the rest of their life. In the long run, it is more efficient, would free up court time from all the appeals, and is much cheaper to the tax payer.

4. Vengeance never brings closure. Vengeance breeds hate. If the families need closure for their loss, let them attend the funeral when the criminal is hauled from his cell after 30 years of totally being deprived of living normally. Let them walk around in his cell and see the way the criminal was forced to live. I believe they will get closure.

Back to the film… if you have IFC, give it look see. It is quite an eye opener.

5-4

Yesterday the Supreme Court upheld the 2nd Amendment by a vote of 5-4 which knocked down the 32 year old gun ban in Washington D.C. Of the comments that came out in dissenting manner, I had to laugh at Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s the most… “Today, President Bush’s radical Supreme Court justices put rigid ideology ahead of the safety of communities in New Jersey and across the country.” Hmm… if the good Senator would stop and think for a second (wait, I’m asking a Senator to stop and think? How cruel of me…)

1. Washington D.C. has consistently been in the top five deadliest cities since the ban was put into place. Many times it was the homicide king of the U.S. Which should make one think;
a. Banning handguns didn’t stop people from killing each other.
b. Maybe the issue isn’t the weapon, the issue is the person doing the killing.
c. There may be a reason more and more states are passing conceal/carry laws because the citizens are demanding it. Could it be the citizens don’t trust the government to protect them? Or could it be the citizens realize the loss of this constitutional right is the first step to losing total freedom?

2. Unarmed societies still kill people. They just do it with other weapons and different methods. Poisoning, bludgeoning, strangling, stabbing, burning, running people over, etc. are just some of the more “humane” ways criminals dispatch innocent people. Wait… shouldn’t we be banning chemicals, baseball bats, knives, cars, hands, matches, burnable fuels, too? Or at least put a seven day waiting period on them all…

Yes Senator, I am a supporter of the rigid ideology set forth by a few brave souls who carved out a constitution amidst great controversy and inner derision. The rigid ideology came after the original constitution was written when some wise people said, “Wait. There are some inalienable rights that should never be taken away by a federal or centrist government if this nation is to survive as a republic and avoid dictatorship and tyranny. Those rights are freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, etc….” I dare say it is the ten rights from the bill of rights that keep the government somewhat honest (okay, honest may be a stretch) to the point they realize they can and should be held responsible for duties they were elected to or we, through our inalienable rights, will rise up to protect ourselves and our freedom.

Rigid ideology? Perhaps but I for one am glad it is there.

Thursday 13 for June 26

13 Things That Should Never Be Seen at a Beach

1. Frustrated in a Speedo. (shiver)
2. A shark swimming by with a leg hanging out of its mouth.
3. Especially if it is my leg.
4. Anyone over the age of 25 in a Speedo.
5. Ladies over 30 wearing thongs.
6. Lobster wannabes (that would be the people who declared that morning, “sun screen? I don’t need no stinkin’ sun screen!)
7. Cats. Unless you are planning on fishing for sharks.
8. Jellyfish. The suckers hurt!
9. Litter. If you are caught littering, you should be used for shark fishing.
10. Over achieving sea gulls.
11. Hillary Clinton. No need to ruin my beach trip.
12. Babies in soaked diapers. Come on, change the kid!
13. Permit signs. Beaches should belong to the public… always!

Saving Voice

I love the character I am playing in the play but because I’m using such a gruff voice for him, I have a really sore throat in the morning. Luckily, hot tea and lemon seem to help so I will start my regime of sipping on that every night after practice. I am having a blast! I forgot how much fun this was but there is a downside… it takes a lot of time and that is time away from family. Sigh.

Read Through

Last night Slvr and I hit the stage a runnin’… okay, we sat down with the rest of the cast and read through the play. Tonight we read through it again and then start in haste on memorizing lines. I don’t think I have over 40 lines to memorize so it won’t be so bad. I have been away for so long, I have to admit I am a little nervous.

The play was written in the early 1900’s so there are some racial slurs involved. The cast is torn on whether or not to pc the play or leave it be as you are displaying a historical perspective of the time. Glad it isn’t me making the decision.

Walking Talk

Every morning I get up and walk a couple of miles with 20-50 kids. We are working towards getting in 100 miles of walking by the end of summer. I have noticed I can’t walk nearly as quickly as I normally would sans the kids, but the discussions we have are classic and just the chance to watch them being kids is a medicine all on its own.

Today I was walking with one boy who constantly runs up to me and points out from where he started stating, “I ran really hard to catch up with you Mr. Frustrated!” I always put plenty of oohs and aaahs to verify his running ability which makes him smile his big toothless grin and avow again that he will out walk this summer. He probably will! This kid is so full of energy he is just a joy to watch and talk too.

Today he had just caught up to me and after making the necessary announcements of how fast he had just made it from point A to point B he said, “I’m going to leave you behind Mr. Frustrated! Watch me!” Like a rabbit with a scalded butt, he fired away and made it about 10 yards when I heard him say, “Oops, pine cone!” He then applied the brakes, swerved all over the walking track to maintain his balance, and then hurtled back five yards to a spot on the grass where sure enough, there sat a pine cone. This prompted a whole conversation about pine cones and what they were, how they could be used, and why they were important. He proudly carried it around for another two laps when he said, “Man, carrying pine cones is tough work.” I told him he could put it back on the ground if he wanted as there were no rules about finders of pine cones having to carry them and with a big smile he threw it into the bank of pine trees across the road.

“Now I can run again Mr. Frustrated!” Leaving a trail of dust behind him I watched our young athlete eat up the yards as he ran to catch up with other 8 year old boys who were walking and talking about important things… like ants, crickets, and what happens when you put a cricket on an ant bed.

I am pretty sure the benefit from walking goes much further than a cardiovascular benefit as such discussions of seeds, insects, and the chain of life allow us old timers forget about budgets and deadlines for a bit and lets us slip into the world of simplicity where the wonderment of watching a horde of ants devour a dead cricket rules the day.

Twyla’s Song

I’ve heard love is an ocean

Sometimes it is a blur

It’s seems to be in motion

When it decides to occur.

I’ve heard it is barren

An eternal wasteland

Void of those caring

For their fellow man.

If love is an emptiness

On which hope has no basis

Then you my love, I confess

Are my own oasis.

In my time of love’s harsh drought

Dying ‘neath the sun’s bright sheen

I gasped in my desert of doubt

Until your glimmer could be seen.

Now I rest among the palms

And drink love’s waters deep

The angst of life now is calm

Because in your arms I sleep.

I can’t speak for anyone

Or on what they form their basis

Of love perceived, lost or won

Until they find their oasis.

Excerpts from the Awesome Civil War Trivia Book

Two quick questions…

Who served as the captain of the marines during the capture of John Brown at Harper’s Ferry?

Who, as a member of the State Militia, stood guard at the gallows when John Brown was hung?

When you come up with those answers you will shake your head and go, “huh…”

Cool Father’s Day Gifts

This morning I was treated to great Father’s Day gifts!  I was given three great cards (one has a magnet stating “Temporarily Out of Order” and another has Napoleon Dynamite sayings coming out of it when you open it, and the last one was a terrifically sweet card from my wonderful wife), a totally awesome coffee mug with a Large Mouth Bass on it, and a terrific Civil War Book that is the official Civil War Trivia book… the Civil War and Trivia… wow, like two of my all time favorite things!  I also received a coupon for the “tool thingy” I wanted (you have to love it when they talk technical) which I will pick up next week.  It was a great way to start the morning!

The best part of Father’s Day is of course, being with your kids, all of them.  Slvr, Suz, and Luke are actually here but I’ve heard from TGBO and Jman and earlier this week I had a chance to talk for a while with Cryss.  It is the way a Father’s Day ought to be.

Think I am going to have a most wonderful day as for the Father’s Day luncheon we will be feasting upon roast… sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!  Hope everyone out there has the best day ever!