"This" President

I don't like it when people use the phrase "this President" when referring to President Obama. In the past people refer to the President as "the President" or "our President" but lately when conservatives are talking about President Obama they use the phrase "this President."

I don't like it. I think it seperates themselves from the President and I believe it has an unspoken racist tone to it. As if to say "this black President." As if to imply that he isn't really the President to all of us, we're just throwing black America a bone and giving them one.

Barak Obama is the President of the United States and he deserves to the respect due his office by all, whether they voted for him or not. Conservatives need to remember the freedom's they value so highly are being held in defense by "this President."

Lottie Moon

So this Sunday I'm going to tell the story of the Mother of Modern Missions, the Cookie Lady Lottie Moon as the text assigned for Children's Time at church.

Lottie Moon certainly is an interesting historical figure. I question why we are teaching her to the kids, and I doubly question why we are teaching it in terms of Chirst's Love.

Okay, before I share what I have learned this week about Lottie Moon with you I want to first say.... I am the only person that cares about this, I know. Nobody but me would ever even raise an eyebrow about this. So this is very much a non-issue, however, its been in my craw for a few days so I thought I would at least share it.

Oh... and let me say again that I intend to share none of what I am about to share with you to the kids.

Lottie Moon was born on a slave-plantation in Virginia in 1840. She was not a slave. At the age of 13 her father died and her mother sold the plantation and moved to Oxford, Ohio. In Lottie's own words she was "appalled" to learn that they would not have negro servants in Ohio. When Lottie was 18 she attended school in Viriginia. She used her status as a citizen of Ohio and a student in Virginia to become a Confederate Spy. In 1863 her sister was arrested and Lottie attempted to seduce a Union General (and former suitor, Ambrose Burnside) into releasing her sister. When the attempt failed she was also incarcerated.

She was released to her mother's custody in Ohio until after the war (it is worth noting that while she was under house arrest in Ohio she travelled to Canada to give a speech to the Canadian Confederate Sypathizers) and in 1873 when she joined the missions (a year after her sister did) it is speculated that she did so because there was talk of charging Confederate sympathizers with treason. She was, quite literally, running from America.

In China she believed that if she didn't baptize the chinese people they would burn in hell. And she told them so. She was openly racist toward the Chinese and attempted to convert them into wearing "christian" clothing.

Now is the good part.... After about 8 years in China she started to become understanding of the chinese. She began wearing chinese clothing. She began having respect for the chinese people and she became a beloved and endeared woman in China. She became known as the Cookie Lady for giving western style chocolate chip cookies to the people who would convert.

Lottie Moon has become a "Paul Bunyon" or "Davey Crockett" style of American Legend as the Missions Cookie Lady... but the truth of Lottie Moon isn't as peachy as the legend. Luckily, come Monday Morning, I am certain none of the kids will remember who she is :)

Carrie Prejean is an idiot. But she's allowed to be, back off the girl!

Carrie Prejean, Miss California, has received noted celebrity due to her answer when questioned as to whether or not every state should allow same-sex marriages.

First I want to say that her answer was convoluted, it was awkward "we live in a land where you can choose, same-sex marriage or opposite marriage." She appears to awkwardly be in support of same-sex marriage. But she follows it up with "You know what? In my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there..." she goes on to repeat herself a little bit.

My first thought is that my marriage isn't defined by my, or my wife's sex. It is rather defined by the love we have for one another. I think this world needs more love, not less.

My second thought was that Perez Hilton, who achieved fame as a celebrity rumor-monger and blogger (its a living) used the Miss USA pageant to further his own political agenda. I don't have a problem with that. Except. Miss California is now being targeted based on the views she shared in the same Miss USA pageant. Miss Prejean wasn't using it as a political platform, she was answering the question of a person who was.

She was attacked by those of my brethren in the pro-gay stance as if they forgot she was entitled to her opinion. The other thing they forgot was that by attacking a sympathetic opponent they make themselves look petty and do more harm than good to their cause by swaying the fence-sitters away from them. Have they learned no lessens from the failure of the GOP?

Recently some topless photos of Miss California have risen. They were taken when she was a 17 year old aspiring model. First I would like to state that these are tantamount to child porn. I understand age of consent, but I'm saying that as a parent, I don't care. I don't fault the 17 year old for wanting to pose for sexy pictures. What 17 year old girl doesn't want to feel sexy and pretty? However, that decision should have been intercepted by her parents.

Apparently she signed a contract stating there were no partially nude photos of her... when in fact there were. So the pageant cops are certainly within their rights to strip her of her tiara. Its a shame that she would lose her title because she received infamy for her remarks. She shared her legitimate and , thanfully unpopular, opinion. Its a shame she has been demonized for her opinion. This sort of thing is expected from the grossly behaved GOP. I'm embarassed that members of the political left have engaged in it.

I can't help but to remember that the only pageant winner of any sort who'se name I remember without having to look it up is Vanessa Williams. Oh God! She's nude.

She turned out pretty well.

By the way.... the attached photo was stolen from perezhilton.com and used without permission. The faux "milk" stain on her lip was placed there, presumably, by Mr. Hilton. I used that particular picture because it was relevant to what I wrote about. And also because it allows me to address Mr. Hilton. Placing a picture on your website of Ms. Prejean with a stain on her mouth is tacky and it makes you look like a negative, shallow, queen. You do a disservice to gay society by appearing so petty.

Oso Poops and Farts

Here is a chain of emails I sent Ms.T-Hawks this morning.

Mohawks spelled this morning. We were coloring and Mohawks drew an "O" and then an "S" and than an "O" all by himself. I asked him what he was drawing and he told me "Special Agent Oso. See... O.. S... O."

And then a little later Mohawks said Oso! Oh... ess.. oh... Oso... and then he started singing the song.

Just now I asked him as if I didn't know... "Hey Mohawks, how do you spell Oso?"

"You just use an oh... and an ess... and an oh."

About 20 minutes later:

Okay... so I'm now using OSO to explain to Mohawks sounds. Up until today we've worked mostly on recognizing letters. We've worked a little on what sounds those letters made, but Mohawks didn't understand why we did that.

Now I can use Oso to show him how the sounds go together with the letters to form a word. Once I explained it he quickly read the word Dog with prompting and the word Dad without prompting!

About 20 minutes later:

Oh too much fun! Mohawks can spell poop!

About 10 mintues later:

Well, we're done for the day. We've been writing the sentences "...poops and farts." and filling in the blank with a name. "Daddy poops and farts." "Oso poops and farts." "Mommy poops and farts." And then, of course, we giggle uncontrollably! Mohawks draws little pictures next to the sentence of the person pooping and farting.

Now, I know that there are going to be parents who read this that think that sophomoric activity is just revolting. All I have to say is that for an hour today a Dad and his son laughed together. And my 4 year old can read!

Careful what you wish for... Lesbians are on the move!

I read an article in CNN.com today about how it is becoming fashionable for women to ditch male partners in favor of female partners. I was raised by gay men, you won't find a more pro-gay straight man in America than I am. My Dads are two of the greatest human beings I know. However, I also have a lesbian ex-wife. We were married at 20 and divorced at 23. What did we know, we were kids? I'm pretty sure she was attracted to my parents and not to me. They were the only gay people she knew.

So I'm a bit ahead of the fashion curve.

The problem I have with the Lesbian being the new chic is that men don't stand a chance. I mean when women and men are young and in our 20's we're all attractive and sex is fun! When we start having children and we turn dumpy and our careers take off and the children always have a need, life sometimes gets in the way of sex, and almost certainly gets in the way of the fun, off the hook, crazy sex you had a decade ago.

Now when we hit our late 30's and early 40's if women can then choose not to be bothered with surly men and smelly old shoes we're doomed! Men don't stand a chance.

What person of that 30something age group, male or female, wouldn't enjoy spending an evening with their best friend? Someone that understands you without having to explain it. Someone who gets your emotions. Or gets that hate you have for the New England Patriots. If this becomes a socially acceptable alternative men are doomed! Why would a woman choose a dumpy old man when she could have an attractive peer who understands she doesn't have problems and they most certainly don't need fixed.

How many times did we say "Honey, are you sure you don't want to try a threesome?"

Be careful what you wish for... she may say "yes."

Susan Boyle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk

Susan Boyle's performance on Britain's Got Talent ought to be required viewing to all High Schoolers.

I didn't understand the hoopla until I watched the entire performance. It isn't her surprisingly outstanding voice. But it is her hidden confidence in the face of social attack. She smiled at the leering audience with a chesire grin as if to say "You sophomore's are in for a real surprise." She was, of course right.

She made us all feel very small, very judgmental. She made us all realize how unloving we can be. She has done more for spreading love than any person has ever done in 6 minutes.

Susan Boyle most certainly deserves her 15 minutes!

Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary GW and Crista LeMaster!