So Pointless I Can't Even Give This a Title

I sat down this morning with the intent of lighting into Mr. Spencer and Mr. Williams (yet again) for their (yet again) increasingly intolerant, factless, baseless assessment of who I am (which can be read at the xanga site. send me a note if you need/want the address). I took a break to get some coffee (essential to the functionality of my human brain). As I journeyed back from the kitchen, I decided that it's just not worth my time.

Nothing that I can say this morning would be new. I have justified, clarified, mapped out and shown exactly 'what I believe and why I believe it' on just about everything. There is nothing more that I could possibly say that hasn't been said before. Even if I had taken the time to explain, for the 3rd or 4th time, what I believe and why I believe it, the words would have been skimmed through and not thoroughly read. Then, small segments would have been chopped and pasted and regurgitate by either one of these fine, upstanding young citizens of the world to make me look like an evil person.

Look guys, if you want to say I'm a fat (thanks Ross, that was really a needed statement. By the way, I don't like fast food--I like a good cup-cake from time to time, but you can keep the fast food) racist, fascist freak who is neither conservative nor Christian then go for it. That is your God given (stop, I'm sorry--that is your Emerson given) right. You can think whatever you want to think of me.

I am not going to continue to worry myself with your assessment of who I am. I've said it before, now let me say it again--if you don't like who I am, what I stand for or the fact that I voice it, then by all means, STOP READING THIS. Just stop. It's not hard. I know that I am essential to most people, but you CAN FIGHT THE ADDICTION. Go to a clinic or something. They'll put you through a detox program to help take you off the Jeff. It'll be ok kids, I know you can do it.

I'm finished with you. Go read your Emersons and your Whitmans, write your little poems, eat your vegetables, whatever you want to do. Just leave me out of it.

PS- Mr. Spencer, I'm sorry that you didn't get to fight for your country and I will apologize for the statement I never made about you not defending your country. I think if you had been sent to Iraq to see the good we have done, you may have turned out to be a decent human being. As for me, thank you Mr. Williams, for pointing out that I can't join the military unless they make a jumbo camo blanket that I can wrap around my enormous, unbelievably large body.

The So-Called 'Umbrella of Understanding'

I'm not sure who this Matt Spencer fellow from xanga is, but apparently I have done something to upset him. I'm not sure what or how, but I have, apparently, truly upset him. Thank goodness he is a typical liberal who preaches understanding (that understanding, though, stops if you are a Christian or a conservative--apparently you just aren't worth being understood if you aren't black, Muslim, female, seeking an abortion, burning flags or you're not Ward Churchill talking about how the victims of 9/11 deserved to die). Since I'm a white male Christian Conservative I am not covered by the Umbrella of Understanding and therefore I am fair game to any intolerant statements he wishes to make. The following was left on the old Xanga site:

Radical right born again ignorant racists like yourself would give any religion
a bad name. Your far out ideas are not truer understanding, they are misguided
hate mistranslated by immaturity and the mold your horrible upbringing couldn't
break. What's bad isn't that you aren't at all what real Conservatism is, but
that your parents gave you such a shining example for you to emulate and
continue the spawning of our societies stigma. America would be a great nation
if we didn't have your likes tarnishing every bit of progress we make. I hope
you grow old and face irreversible regret and shame for the wrongs you have
done. I can not wait until the world completely evolves around you and evelops
all of your kind as true justice takes place.
Posted 2/18/2005 at 2:33 PM by MatthewMSpencer

I'd just like to address a few things here:

Firstly- I never claimed to have a 'truer understanding.' I go to Church on Sunday, read the Bible and pray regularly hoping that, someday, I might have a 'truer' understanding. It is not your place, Mr. Spencer, to decide whether my understanding of a religion you obviously hate is accpetable or not.

Secondly, I have very good parents. I mean, I'm not out drinking and doing drugs. I don't speed. I go to Church (this is the reason you, Mr. Spencer, see my parents as being bad. It's evil to impose moral goodness on a child isn't it? It would have been better if Mom had just gone and gotten one of the famous liberal 'abortions on demand' eh).

Thirdly, we wouldn't even have America if it weren't for people like me. I'm not saying that I have done much, if anything, to save America, but people who think like I do have protected this country day in and day out. You think that wars to defend this nation are won by saying, "now guys, hold on, lets think about it--I mean we can really sit down and make a chart of all the bad things you've done and all the bad things we've done and work it out." Let me give you a clue, sir. While you are reaching for you little notepad to 'jot down the bads for groups mediation' the enemy would say, "Holy crap--this is dumb' and shoot you in the face. You keep preaching the evils of Christianity and we (Christian Conservatives and others with brains) will continue to protect you from the scum you so love.

Fourthly, this doom day you are hoping for that, you say, will bring the death of the Christian Conservatives isn't coming. I'm sorry (actually that's a complete lie, I'm thrilled) to be the one to tell you--but it's not coming. Perhaps you are unaware of the fact that enrollement in school with a strong religions background are up almost double from five years ago. Why? Because of people like you. The normal people in our generation are tired of YOU being the mouthpiece for people like US. It's very much the truth that "those who know the least talk the most" and you and you're type haven't shut up since your yuppie parents were old enough to take the microphone. You're reign is nearly over.

On a final note, I'd just like to ask what took you so long?! I mean, you little mini-sermon about my evil religion is clearly a respones to my piece on the evils of Islam which I wrote well over a month ago.

TODAY'S MORAL: Once again, here we are talking about how un-understanding these so called "accepting liberals" really are. As per usual, I am under fire from another ultra-lefty with access to a computer. One day, if we're lucky, they'll learn to just shut up--doubt that will happen.

PS- An extra thanks to one "Sissy Willis" for supporting my dislike of "unwanted naked bottoms in the lunch line."

I Got Those Shepherd U Blues

Sometimes Shepherd University, well really the people (both staff and students) of the University, can just be awful. This terrible outlook at things is not limited to only people/situations I don't like, it is also extended to people whom I consider friends.

We all go through stress. Though it affects us all in different ways, most of us get rather cranky (we, to use Casey's words, turn into 'crabs'). It is certainly understandable that crabiness can be expected during extreme stress (IE midterms etc), but sometimes I just get tired of hearing about it.

What bothers me most is people who are unwilling to help themselves. Here's some advice: if you can't wait until the last minute to write a paper and put out something that your professor wants to read, then don't. And if you do, don't bitch about it when your paper sucks and you get a bad grade. Here's another word to the wise: if you can't sit there and listen to 6 weeks of lecture without taking a note and remember everything, then don't bitch about it when you miserably fail a test. One more helpful hint: if you can't B.S. your way through an essay because you were too damn lazy to read the SPARK NOTES about a book, don't come crying to me with your sob story because you 'didn't have a clue what to write about.' Some people just drive me bonkers with this crap.

There is no excuse for this. The amount of disappointment I have in some of my friends the last few weeks, particularly one who thinks it smart just to give up and stop trying, is something I never imagined I was capable of.

In high school, I thought it was my place to grab my friends by their noses and drag them through stuff. Unfortunately, I have to think more about dragging my own big butt through college. I don't have the time, energy or resources to pull 3 or 4 people through Shepherd. I wish I did, but I don't. At first this made me feel guilty. Now, though, I don't feel guilty. I feel sad because I know that a lot of potential is being wasted, but I just can't concentrate on everybody else. College is that time in life when we all need to grow up and take responsibility for our own actions!

This annoyance does not stop with just a group of people I know, though. The staff at Shepherd is sometimes remarkably stupid. How a VICE PRESIDENT can call and say, "uh, gee, I , uh, lost my cell phone. I don't know if I lost it lost it or just misplaced it in my car somewhere. Could you, uh, see if it's somewhere around there?!" This person is a VICE FREAKING PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY.

It doesn't stop there, either though. Here's a little notice to all my 'homies' in the dining hall. Pull up your pants. When I am standing in line to get my turkey sandwich, I do not, ever, under any circumstances want to see your ass hanging out. Put it away 'dawg.'

I also don't like you morons who stop right on the sidewalk to have a little chat. Move it over sparky, I'm trying to get through.

It's just been one of those weeks. Stop talking to me, looking at me, breathing my air, or anything else unless I grant you permission because I'm cranky (it's probably your fault if you fall into any of the above groups) and chances are, I probably don't like you.

Have a wonderful afternoon!

The Game

I love politics. The entire subject of 'politics' is just fascinating to me. Especially here in America--a country where WE, the PEOPLE get to have a direct impact on our policy. With that said, it should also be known that sometimes politics make me want to vomit. Such is today.

It is often said that to succeed in politics, you must be able to 'play the game.' This is very true in succeeding in anything--business, medicine, advertising, whatever. Sometimes, though, the game is just that--a game, and every now and then that game gets out of control because the players lose sight of the object. Sometimes it's not about politics, it's about right and wrong.

yesterday, the West Virginia Department of Education declared a "state of emergency in Hampshire County Schools and unanimously votes to place Hampshire County Schools on non-approval status. " Why?

The WVDE cited, "questionable financial practices and hiring practices."Now anybody who pays attention to Hampshire County education understands that the current system is certainly not great--not garbage, but not great. This is not a secret. The doings of the Board of Education are questionable at best. But why now?

It seems logical to me that a State of emergency does not just happen. Instead, it is a brewing soup of malpractice and wrong doings which sit and simmer for years and years. To the best of my ability, I can see only one reason for the decision to declare this so called State of emergency right now: that game!

This 'game' is now being played by a faction of radical hatemongerers whose sole purpose in life is to ruin Jerry Mezzatesta. They succeeded in ruining his political career, now they are ruining his career back in Hampshire County. This is the only logical explanation. They can no longer hurt him in Charleston, so they're bringing the war to Hampshire County.

Jerry is no longer a problem, yet the war rages on. What is the first thing cited in the justification for this 'State of emergency?" Jerry's job here in Hampshire County. Who are they referring to in their "questionable hiring practices?" Jerry's sister, Tammy Moreland, principal of Hampshire High School. (We all know she was hired without certification--but she's certified now and she's doing a hell of a job. Leave her alone!)

The 'game' is no longer just hurting Jerry. The hateful radicals are now waging all out war on Hampshire County. While it's true that maybe this war is just what we needed for the 'good of the children,' that is not the reason it was started, and the 'childrens' best interests' certainly will not be kept in mind. When Jerry and his sister are destroyed, the war will cease. That is the cold hard truth.

Nowhere in this investigation is there mention of curriculum, teaching, learning, education--the fundamentals of the educational system. Instead, the focus remains on hiring, firing, and SPENDING. This isn't about the children. It's about revenge on Jerry and it's about MONEY!

The corruption in Hampshire County's educational system is real; it must be dealt with. However, until that becomes the FOCUS of, not the sideshow of, this investigation, real progress will not be made. Until then, we remain deadlocked in a lose-lose situation.

'The Darkside Clouds Everything'

This famous phrase from one of the greatest philosophers of our time--fictional and non alike--is one of my favorites of all time. While Yoda used it to describe his inability to see deep into the future thus predicting what would happen to Luke's friends in Cloud City, I think it is particularly applicable to today's political left.

While it would be easy to assume that 'darkside' refers directly to liberalism, it does not. Instead, it refers to a faction of liberals who have made it a daily drive to see who can hate President Bush more. This group of hateful liberals is that same group that no longer wants to be referred to as 'liberal' (because they're really not) but instead as 'progressive.' Well folks, you're not progressive either.

This weeks installment of "Dem Fightin' Words" in the Picket was all about the evils of Bush's social security reform. While the writer shows that he understands there is a "major problem" it, he says, is "not on a crisis level" and Bush's use of these terms is only to 'further scare the American public.' Knowing that Social Security is in danger, though, is not reason enough, according to this column, to follow Bush's plan. However, the column has no idication of how to better the program either.

The biggest excuse the anti-Bush folks use to justify the hatred of this proposal is that "social security is just fine.' Obviously this is not true. They are also quick to proclaim that it would cost more to invest in personal savings accounts than it would to 'put the money back (I missed the part where Bush established cuts on these FICA taxes) into the current system.' Absolutely, folks, lets poor billions-- no, no trillions--into a system that doesn't work and hasn't worked and is doomed to die.

Aside from the fact that anybody with a calculator and the figures on social security can sit down and show that at the rate we're going, we'll be spending well over what is going into the system, who is the proposed plan really hurting? Nobody. Everybody will still be putting in a portion of their money, and those who wish to stay on the current system can. All this does is provide an OPTION--but then isn't that what they're afriad of?

In the quest to 'socialize' (AKA marxisize) our 'Capitalist Pig Nation' the libs must first assure that every aspect of life is in the control of the national government. Because that's what they like--absolute power. You may ONLY invest in their system and therefore only THEY can determine what you receive.

We have always been at war with Eastasia.

Before we know it we are going to be a nation controlled by Big Brother. I can see it now--a massive screen with Howard Dean's crazy eyes staring you right in the face--as you go to look behind the curtain, he'll scream, "and then you're not going to look behind the curtain YAAAA." You'll be brave, though, and as you pull the curtain away you'll find a wrinkled up, barely alive corpse of Ted Kennedy. Of course Hillary and Bob Byrd will be in there too!

The bottom line is this: personalized social security accounts are great ideas. Frankly, anything that gets the government out of my face is just fine.

TODAYS MORAL: it's only ok to be progressive if you progress in the direction subscribed to you by the leftest control freaks. Just like it's only ok to have free speech if you speak in their favor. The left have real ego problems and need the help of Dr. Phil.

What I Believe and Why I Believe It

This posts title is going to serve a very specific purpose which I shall get to later in the post. First, though, I have a few housekeeping items to take care of.

First and foremost, I want to thank people for commenting about THIS blog, over on the Xanga site. I'm glad to see that people are reading and whether you are a close personal friend, somebody I don't know or somebody I've known, but perhaps not befriended, I'm glad you stop by. Regardless of whether or not you (the reader) agrees with me, I am thankful that you stop by. Hopefully if you don't agree with me, I can, in some way shape or form, make you THINK, at least, about some issue or topic in a way that you have never thought before. That is why I keep this blog up and running.

Secondly, sticking to the topic of commenting, I have reopened the comment section of this blog. However, make no mistake, I have absolutely no problem with closing it again if it is abused. Commenting on one's blog is a privilege. Though I know that sounds like I think very highly of myself (actually, I do think I'm a pretty cool guy), my reasoning is quite simple: if you have something to say, you ought to have the courage to claim it. I do not like 'unsigned' comments. If you want to say something, say it--then provide a link back to your blog or to your email address or something so that I can have a dialogue with you. That's what this whole thing is about, isn't it? Communication and expression of ideas. I encourage you to comment, but like I said, please have the courage and the courtesy to claim your ideas.

On a final housekeeping note, for anybody keeping up with the Ross Feud, now may be a good time to stop. Ross may continue writing and responding, but I'm just not sure that I will. There is a reason for this--what I believe and why I believe it is based very much on the Bible and the teaching of the Bible. Now, while I am NOT saying that Ross is a nonbeliever, he has told me before that any (and I do mean any) response that I justify by quoting or citing the Bible will immediately be deleted (if I make the comment on his blog) or discredited if it is made here. So, since the Bible offers as my reason for much if not all of what I believe, especially on the topic of abortion and homosexuality, I cannot defend myself in the eyes of Ross and his cronies if I am to be discredited any time I sort the source of my belief structure.

Now onto the relevance of my title:

On particular comment that I received recently (this morning actually) was particularly troubling. A girl whom I do not know and will not address by name left a pretty rough comment about the evils of the Vent Pipe. She's from Cumberland, MD I think, but I really have no clue who she is. Anyway, here is a rough summary of what she had to say:

All religions have faults; Jesus hates George W. Bush; there are more Muslims than Christians; a developing child (as in inside the whom) is not a child it is a FETUS; abortions are expensive therefore they aren't abused; abortion can be, but isn't always, a terrible thing; Christianity is evil; Muslims and Christians believe the same except for the 'whole Jesus thing;' we can never teach bad people to stop doing bad things; 9/11 was awful but afterwards we should have said, 'Gosh that was rough. Oh well, they made a mistake, we'll just let it go and forget that there are still lots of crazies out there who want to crash a few more planes into buildings;' Bush's name 'won't be lost in history;' don't pray in school and people like her won't 'think in my church;' and I (jeff) shouldn't be angry that a once viable and noble organization (NOW and the Feminist Movement) has perverted itself to stand ONLY for liberal values which harm the family and women themselves; and that's all she has "for now." I suppose that is setting me up for another round of carpet bombing.

Before my response I just want to let it be known that, although I don't agree with much of that, I admire this young lady for posting and for sharing her thoughts. I also appreciate her recognition of my right to be open about my opinions. I thank her for posting and hope she returns to comment again.

Now, the response:

First of all, Jesus does not hate Bush. For anybody who follows the Hampshire Review (that would by my homies from Romney etc.), you know that I was told that Jesus hates me. Listen here, folks, Jesus hates nobody. That is what makes Him perfect and the rest of us slime. We are unworthy even to speak His name because He loves us even as we spit in His face everyday. I know that I don't lead a perfect life, and still He loves me--and that is why I, and Bush, love Him. He and he alone is perfect enough to love us even in our mistreating Him.

Secondly, I don't know where this idea that there are 'more Muslims than Christians' originated but it simply isn't true. As shown in the chart found here http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html, Christians out number Muslims by almost double. There are, after all, almost 1 billion Catholics alone worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ.

Sticking to the topic of religion, I just absolutely love that statement that "Muslims are Christians except for the whole Jesus thing." Now, miss, I don’t' know if you are a Christian. If you are, then you should know how bad that statement is. If you aren't, then let me show you the error you have made. Jesus is Christianity and Christianity is Jesus. Without Jesus, there is not Christianity. Christianity is a belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for our souls. He was the only perfect human being to ever live. He was the perfect sacrifice who died so that 'we may not die, but have ever lasting life.' So, without that 'whole Jesus things' we wouldn't be Muslims, we'd be non-existent. This is just the most awful, annoying thing I've ever heard. You can have Christianity without the 'whole Jesus thing.' Let me say it again: YOU CAN'T HAVE CHRISTIANITY WITHOUT THE 'WHOLE JESUS THING.' Is that sinking in?

Continuing on Christianity--the belief that "you shouldn't pray in my school and I won't think in your church" is fundamentally wrong for two reasons, and wrong on an abstract level in numerous other ways. First of all, it's not "your school" ok? It's my school. And your school. And my brothers' school. And Joes Smoe's school. A publicly funded school is owned and operated by the public. Therefore, I have just as much right to carry my beliefs and openly display them in that school as you do to carry your lack of (if that is the case) beliefs and openly display them. Secondly, 'pray' and 'think' are not antonyms and shouldn't be treated as such. I think when I pray and, often I pray when I think. For Christians, Jews, Muslims etc. 'pray' and 'think' go together hand in hand. We need to pray in order to think. That's just how it works. If you don't understand that, I'm sorry for you. And finally, to close the subject, prayer in school is the least of all that we should be worried about in America. Murder, poverty, abortion, National Security, National Defense, border patrol, Social Security--all of these things trump 'prayer in school.' I think that this is the least of our worries. Who am I hurting by saying, "God, thank you for what you have given me and for who you have made me. Thank you for the sacrifice of your Son. Please guide me and keep me safe. Amen." Nobody. Who are you (not you specifically) hurting by saying, "Shut the hell up. Thanking a higher power is evil and bad and blah blah." Approximately 2 million people worldwide. Just get over it and stop being petty.

Moving on: Abortion is not a sticky subject folks. I don't know where people get that it's ok to kill human beings just because they're not fully developed. After all, Ted Kennedy hasn't been fully developed in a mental capacity, but it isn't ok for me to kill him. I suppose this goes to the idea of what I believe and why I believe it: The Bible clearly states that "before we were formed, He knew us." While a few cells may not be able to live outside the womb, those cells are living, growing cells. New studies are showing that the child, even in its simplest form, feels the pain of the abortion. Aside from that, other studies are making correlations between abortion and cancer. If it's not the unborn child you care about, you should at least care about yourself not to have an abortion for the chance that you could develop cancer. Abortion isn’t' bad sometimes, it's always bad.

On 9/11: The wars (Afghanistan and Iraq) that followed 9/11 were not revenge; they were (are) prevention. It was not a matter of, "Dammit, you killed thousands of us now we're going to kill thousands of you!" It was "This is just awful--how to we prevent this from ever happening again." You may not like it, but these wars are for you. And me. And your family. And mine. Etc. Etc. These wars are to help prevent another 9/11.

Finally you show your disapproval of my belief that the Feminist movement has been led off the good path by NOW. Well, get over it. I think that there are more pressing issues in the world than whether or not abortion should be cheap and available on demand. Women should be ashamed to be associated with such a group--and most women are. Few women even feel like NOW speaks for them and their beliefs. That's just the facts, folks.

You, person who left these comments, said that was all for now. Let me extend an invitation for you to come back. I doubt that I will ever address your comments again in such detail--but please, come back to visit! I am glad to keep you thinking.