Posts Tagged ‘history’

There has been a lot talk about Illegal Immigration and opposition to Mosques in the US lately. There have been plenty of people who have for political reasons been throwing the word “Racist” around. What these people don’t understand (at least I HOPE they don’t understand) is the reason why we see this much anger over these issues is because Illegal Immigration and Radical Islam both violate the implied American Social Compact.

This social compact represent the genius of America, it is why both the best and brightest and the poor and oppressed have come here. It’s a very simple thing. It works as follows:

1. You can come to America and make a better life for your children and grandchildren.

2. While you are here you can worship as you believe, think what you believe, write what you believe and bring up your children with your values.

3. You can embrace and lovingly reflect your native culture as you assimilate into American Culture

4. You can even over time become a US Citizen and vote how you believe as well.

5. In return we expect you to become American, You will learn the language as best you can and transfer your loyalty to this country.

6. You will obey the laws of the country. You will not work for its defeat or destruction.

7. Regardless of how you feel you will not act on any ethnic or religious grudges you had in the old country.

8. And you will carry your own load, we will provide education for your children and some assistance but you will do your best.

9. If you follow all of these conditions America will help you become the best you can be! And by doing so you will make America a better place.

When Mosques breed Jihadists they are violating this compact. When Mosques do not they are embracing it.

When Muslims practice honor killings in America it violates the compact, when Muslims march with Jews and Christians in 4th of July parades they embrace it.

When you come to America legally you embrace the compact, when you come illegally you reject it.

When come here and work hard to put your children through college in America you embrace it, when you come here illegally and expect your children to get in state tuition you reject it.

Americans understand that we are very lucky to be born here. I understand that I owe what I have to the decision by my grandparents to leave everything and come here from Sicily just over 100 years ago. What the majority of the country objects are people not only ignoring the compact that their ancestors lived by, but claiming to be victimized by those who pay for their safety net and protect the freedoms they enjoy here.

I don’t blame any person from moving heaven and earth to come here, particularly if their own country is plagued by violence, but if you come here and violate the law don’t complain when it is enforced.

Hey I know times are hard I’m on unemployment myself, but I also know that the money that is currently sustaining me is the generosity of the taxpayer and the votes of their representatives. The moment I feel I am entitled to their largess I am no longer worthy of it.

Nellie King, born too early

Posted: August 11, 2010 by datechguy in baseball, oddities
Tags: ,

Baseball Musings announced the death of Pirates Announcer Nellie King. I wasn’t familiar with the man but something in the post on his death struck me.

He pitched two outstanding seasons in 1955 and 1956, and then was out of baseball after the 1957 season.

I looked at his stars from baseball reference.com and his stats looked ok.

What struck me was the 4 seasons and out. If he came up today he might have made enough to live pretty comfortably and with current sports medicine the injury (of which I have no details about) might have only shelved him for a season or less.

Then again the pirates would have been deprived of a fine announcer.

Pretty soon we will run out of players who played under the old reserve clause and there will be nobody with actual baseball experience to remind young ballplayers just how lucky they are to have been born after 1970.

then you are either Andrew Sullivan or you paid no attention during the first half of 2009.

Don’t forget that the big story last year was how even comedians wouldn’t touch Obama. Stewart provided a very small tweak of his inaugural speech comparing it to Bush’s in Jan. In Feb the story was nothing is funny about Obama flash forward to May 15 when I post on Stewart hitting Obama by name saying:

Jon Stewart has now directly ridiculed president Obama by name. He has done it on a primary news source for the far left and for many young people who pay no attention, and not only that he has done it in a way that a person who has no idea about politics can understand.

People may not realize how big this is. Will this mean that other comics will now be willing to hit him? Will this give the imprimatur to other to speak up? Only time will tell, but the first time is always easiest.

In September Stewart hit the Acorn story and it stuck.

Hey MSM when John Stewart isn’t going to go along you’d better start worrying.

Don’t forget that CNN felt compelled to fact check SNL when they hit Obama once in OCTOBER!.

Do you realize if Jeffrey Immelt owned Comedy Central we still might not have anyone in the media saying boo to Barack Obama.

Memeorandum thread here

Tuesday Night poetry: The touch of the Master’s Hand 

Posted: August 10, 2010 by datechguy in hobbies
Tags: , ,

I often read from the 1936 Volume The Best loved Poems of the American People. It’s amazing how much quality poetry has likely been forgotten by my generation.

So in that spirit I’d like over the next month or two share a few poems for the next few Tuesdays.  Let’s start with  Myra Brooks Welch

The Touch of the Masters Hand

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin,
but held it up with a smile;

“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?” “A dollar, a dollar”; then two!” “Only
two? Two dollars, and who’ll make it three? Three dollars, once; three
dollars twice; going for three..”

But no, from the room, far back, a
gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow; Then, wiping the dust
from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings, he played a melody
pure and sweet as caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low,
said; “What am I bid for the old violin?” And he held it up with the bow.

A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two? Two thousand! And who’ll make
it three? Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going and
gone,” said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried, “We do not
quite understnad what changed its worth.” Swift came the reply: “The touch
of a master’s hand.”

And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin

, A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine; a game – and he travels on. “He is
going” once, and “going twice, He’s going and almost gone.” But the Master
comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand the worth of a soul
and the change that’s wrought by the touch of the Master’s hand.