Thoughts, Rants, and Other Stuff

“She’s also poor — she cannot afford a toothbrush or batteries for her Walkman. (Some readers may initially find this unrealistic, but through the novel one comes to have a better understanding of how poverty interacts with abuse to marginalize and oppress.)” From John Green’s review on the book “Eleanor & Park” by Rainbow Rowell

I find this… disturbing. I grew up in a very loving family with both of my parents. But we were poor. My father was a hard working but countless times he had to worry about gas to get to work. We came close to having our utilities shut off more than once and sometimes only made it through with help from our church. My father’s side hobby of wood work paid for gas to help heat our trailer in the coldest months when the wood burning stove didn’t cut it and help to pay for car repairs and glasses. We had TV stations that was aired publicly, not cable or satellite. There were times when mom and/or dad went with very little food so that I could eat my fill. The same tooth brush was used until damn near all the bristles fell out and then you had to wait until there was a free paycheck to A.) Get gas to get to town and B.)Afford a toothbrush. Batteries were a luxury reserved mostly for my father as battery toys were too costly for me.

No I’m not writing about my childhood in the 1950’s. In fact I graduated High School in 1997. While now in my mid-thirties and, I assume, thought “old” by teenagers, this wasn’t that long ago (in fact in 1986, the year this book takes place, I would have been in 2nd grade). I find it very difficult to believe that people find poverty to be “unrealistic”. When you fight and live paycheck to paycheck and your home, your utilities, and your healthcare balance on the razor’s edge of chance… this is real life for a great many peoples in the USA. How can people be so blind? 

I remember clearly a story told by my parents from their Sunday School Class in church. Their teacher said, “What do you spend the most money on? That is possibly your God instead of God.”  When my parents said food, they received some strange looks. When they shared how much they spent monthly on food, another in the class felt embarrassed to say she spent that much a week just in cleaning supplies.

Poverty exists folks. It is real. And it is not just abroad in third world countries, but right here at home in decent two parent, one kid, hard working for 30+ years at a manufacturing job households.

I was not robbed of my childhood. I received some very nice gifts. I often did not get what I wanted or as much as I wanted. But I learned to love what I had and appreciate it. I love my parents with everything I have. Poverty does not equal bad, but maybe it does need a spokesman to speak to the realism of the problem if so many don’t understand this.

Edit: The source of this quote is from this review on the NY Times website. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/books/review/eleanor-park-by-rainbow-rowell.html?_r=1&

“TO ALL OF YOU…WE ARE IN A WONDERFUL, FASCINATING, CAPTIVATING, GLORIOUSLY DEEP HOLE DEBT TO YOU AND WE LOVE IT DOWN HERE SO MUCH. ” — Hank Green

This was posted by Hank a few minutes after the vlogbrothers channel hit one million subscribers. While I feel honored to be part of a community with such generous and honest hosts, I disagree with your sentiment… the debt is ours to bear.

For every book John wrote that allowed us escape, for the cynical viewer finding hope in your engaged and active young community you built, for teaching the value of critical thinking and empathy, for the tireless work you guys give to bring us things like crashcourse, scishow, hankgames, LBD, VidCon, while still maintaining your vlog, for being there (oh god now I’m crying) in the deep dark hole of despair and depression and anxiety with so many of us without even knowing who we are helping in the recovery by just being you, and for continuing to never let each and every one of us never FTBA… thank you.

The debt is ours Mr Green brothers. We are entertained and we are enlightened because of your efforts, and we are strengthened by the community formed around you guys. While the center may not hold if it is a man, an idea, a feeling, is immortal and eternal. This is your gift to us.

A well regulated Militia*, being necessary to the security of a free State**, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. - 2nd amendment to the Constitution of the United States

* Militia - a body of CITIZENS organized for military service.
** No mention of when it might become necessary.

I am not a lawyer. I have, however, read the rulings of the Federal Supreme Court on several matters including how our Constitution is perceived as it pertains to the second amendment. It seems to me though that many of my liberal friends are in favor of the stripping of assault weapons from the public, reducing magazine sizes, and dictating ammo available for public use. I am against this in the strongest form.

The second amendment was designed at a time when there were no “machine” guns. Flight did not exist and weapons of mass destruction were yet to be conceived. However, the purpose of this amendment is still clear. The founders of our country did everything in their power to ensure that we do not fall under the sway of tyrants. As such they gave us the Bill of Rights in which was outline ways protects the person from the state; not a few of the amendments but EVERY. LAST. ONE. They gave us articles in that same Constitution that ensure the people hold the power over leadership and not the other way around. And now, with gun control being screamed from the hill tops, I figured now I will say why I am against this and my layman understand on why I feel I am correct.

It is the duty and responsibility of the people of this country and the governments contained therein to safeguard our freedoms. Should things go badly, a town, a city, a county, even a state needs the ability to call into service a military of citizens out of necessity to safeguard our free country as a last resort if our basic rights have been so infringed. As such, it is important for that citizenry to have weapons and tools with which they are familiar and can safety operate. Therefore if a private citizen can afford an arsenal of weaponry and ammo, from handguns, to assault rifles, to tanks, to Apache Helicopters he/she should be allowed the right to own such weapons to help combat invaders both foreign and domestic.

As far as legislation to protect us from ourselves? I’m perfectly willing to agree to mental checks and background checks. I’m fine with limiting or removing the right from those who have committed violent crimes. I’m more than willing to have a period of one to two weeks waiting for a “cooldown” and allowing time for background checks. I would be in favor of mandatory and extremely cheap or, better yet, free safety classes for owners of weapons. These are all reasonable stipulations and are not an undue burden on the public while providing reasonable security.

I get tired of the argument ”Just call the police” when it takes them time to get there and I am, at that point, knowingly and actively putting another life at risk. Even if that is their job, if I am able to protect myself, I should not endanger another. Another one that angers me is “You don’t need ‘X’ to hunt”. That is correct, but I don’t have to tell anyone why I need a weapon. In fact, I don’t even need to need it. I can want it and if I can afford it, that should be the end of the debate. I should be guaranteed the ability to have such a thing.

Tyrants take control of people. I do not fear my government… not too much anyway. I honestly and truly do not think a single politician or pundit  Republican or Democrat, wants to take away my right to keep and bare a handgun or a tank because he or she wishes to make it easier to control me to start a tyrannical regime. I do, however, know that with a disarmed citizenry it is far easier to control the populace should a military dictator or a tyrant ever arise. When the people have no choice in legislation and civil disobedience is ineffective, violence is the only answer left. We must always ALWAYS endeavour to use our words first. But sometimes, the only way to stop a bully is to punch him in the mouth.

The day may come when we all live in a world where everyone is safe. But until that time comes, I believe we are better off with a well armed, well regulated militia that can be called upon if the need so arises. Rights are guaranteed whether we so choose to use them (as in actually forming the militia) is our own concern.