HAPPY VETERANS DAY ...

I'm going to make this short and sweet.  In honor of all those who served, fought, lost lives, limbs, sanity and made a sacrifice most of us can't imagine, here are those who do not deserve any thanks.  Because THEY DIDN'T SERVE:

President Elect Donald J. Trump - 

 This does not constitute, nor does it suffice as "serving your country."  It's called Military SCHOOL.  NOT serving in the Military.

Back in 1968, at the age of 22, Donald J. Trump seemed the picture of health.

He stood 6 feet 2 inches with an athletic build; had played football, tennis and squash; and was taking up golf. His medical history was unblemished, aside from a routine appendectomy when he was 10.

But after he graduated from college in the spring of 1968, making him eligible to be drafted and sent to Vietnam, he received a diagnosis that would change his path: bone spurs in his heels.

The diagnosis resulted in a coveted 1-Y medical deferment that fall, exempting him from military service as the United States was undertaking huge troop deployments to Southeast Asia, inducting about 300,000 men into the military that year.

The deferment was one of five Mr. Trump received during Vietnam. The others were for education.

Bill Clinton -

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ THE ENTIRE PIECE I'LL GIVE YOU THE CRIB NOTES.  HE GOT OUT OF SERVING.  SO IN MY OPINION, HE IS A SHAMEFUL COWARD. 

In 1964 Bill Clinton was classified 2-S (student deferment), which protected him from the draft throughout his undergraduate years at Georgetown University. As Bill Clinton approached graduation from Georgetown in 1968 his classification was changed to 1-A (Available for the draft).  

Family and friends with political influence kept Bill Clinton out of the draft after his graduation from Georgetown University.  His uncle, Raymond Clinton, in 1968 personally contacted Senator Fulbright, William Armstrong (Chairman of the Hot Springs draft board) and Lt. Commander Tice Ellis, Jr. (Commanding Officer of the local Naval Reserve unit) to obtain a slot for Bill in the Naval Reserve. A slot was specially created for Bill when no existing reserve slots were open at his local reserve unit. 

Bill Clinton, choosing not to follow through, failed to show up at the reserve unit for his interview and physical. Raymond Clinton later informed Lt. Com. Ellis that Bill would not be joining the reserves and that everything has been taken care of.

On February 2nd, 1969 Bill Clinton, while at Oxford University, finally takes his physical for the armed services and passes. His pre-induction physical was delayed over 10 months (twice as long as anyone else in his age group and situation).

In April 1969 Clinton fails to show up for his induction to military service. Clinton claims he did not receive the notice until after the dead line date and the draft board told him to ignore this notice.

While still in Oxford, Bill Clinton begins planning his appeal for his next induction notice. The plan he comes up with is to have his notice rescinded by joining the R.O.T.C. at the University of Arkansas.

In July of 1969 Clinton returns home from Oxford after he receives a second induction notice. He is to report on July 28, 1969.


Clinton's friend and Oxford classmate, Cliff Jackson, had several friends in influential positions arranged a meeting for Bill Clinton with Col. William A. Hawkins. Hawkins was the only man in the State of Arkansas who could rescind the induction notice.


Clinton's induction notice was rescinded and was admitted into the Arkansas University R.O.T.C. program after he promised to enroll in law school at the University of Arkansas. Bill's new draft classification is 1-D (ROTC deferment)
For the remainder of the summer, Bill Clinton goes to Washington D.C. and works with the anti-war movement at the National Headquarters of the Vietnam Moratorium.

George W. Bush -

On May 2 1973, Richard Nixon was still reeling from the Watergate scandal. American troops were on their way home from Vietnam. And outside Houston, in Texas, a 26-year-old named George Bush, a lieutenant in the National Guard, reported for drill duty as usual at Ellington air force base. 

That, at any rate, is the impression given by military payroll records released by the Bush administration on Tuesday. Apparently, however, Lt Bush's superiors at Ellington didn't see it that way. In an annual evaluation of his performance - dated, coincidentally, the very same day, May 2 - they conceded that they couldn't actually evaluate his performance, because they hadn't seen him for months.
 





Rush Limbaugh -

The best story concerns Rush Limbaugh, the ferociously bellicose radio personality, who allegedly had either "anal cysts" or an "ingrown hair follicle on his ass". It is not my custom to mock others' ailments, but anyone who has listened to Limbaugh's program can imagine the dripping scorn he would bring to the revelation that a prominent Democrat had skipped a war over something like that. Also, in his case, a pain in the ass is peculiarly appropriate.

Dick Cheney -

It was 1959 when Dick Cheney, then a student at Yale University, turned 18 and became eligible for the draft.

Mr. Cheney sought deferments. By the time he turned 26 in January 1967 and was no longer eligible for the draft, he had asked for and received five deferments, four because he was a student and one for being a new father.

NOW FOR THE HEROES.

My papa daddy. Abel Martinez, Jr., served as a medic during Korea.  Was drafted and by the grace of God was sent to Germany.  

IS HE HANDSOME OR WHAT!

My brother, George A. Martinez.  Served five years in the Navy - Seabees.

 

My grandfather Abel Martinez was a career army man.  Served during WWI.  Fought and was wounded in the Argonne Forrest in France.  Wish I had a picture of him, but I don't.  

Uncle Hector Martinez - Paratroopers.

Uncle Larry Salcido - served in the Philippines during WWII.

Uncle Pablo - served WWII.  Was bayoneted by a Japanese soldier and lost an eye.

Uncle Francisco - Served in WWII.  Came home.

Uncle Eliso Martinez - Served in WWII.  Fought on the front lines.  Came home.

Uncle Chato - Korea.  Fought and saw action in Korea. Came home.

Uncle Chato in Korea <3

Cousin Carlos Jimenez.  Served in Vietnam.  Was a career Army man.

My good GOOD Friend - Al Varela.  Served in Vietnam, earned a Bronze Star.

 

Al Varela

 

My neighbor Frank Felix - Vietnam, lost his leg.  Came home and had a really difficult time.  

I wish I had pictures of all of them so you could see what REAL HEROES look like.  REAL MEN.  Their country called and they went.  They didn't cry about it, they didn't go to Canada, THEY DIDN'T RUN AWAY and they didn't get deferments.   They went.  They served.  They fought.  And thank God, they came home.  I am incredibly proud of all of them.  Wish I could say the same for the four cowards above.  

PRESIDENT TRUMP???

I feel extraordinarily sad today.  A man, a strange orange man who had a reality TV show has been voted into the office of the presidency.  A reality star.  A man whose words are disgusting, vile, shameless, unintelligent, disrespectful, racist, misogynistic.  A man whose business practices are unethical.  Who is an adulterer and a sexual predator.  A man who many evangelicals voted for.  Good Christian people ... which I cannot understand.  It appears that America has spoken and they want a misogynistic, racist with no real plan for the country to be president and the leader of the free world. Incredible.  



It is now 1:00 pm and I still cannot process this.  My heart is heavy.  I feel disappointment, sadness that so many Americans are so angry that the only way to send a message to Washington was to vote for a despicable man.  A man who finally gives them the permission to say and act out loud their most deeply held prejudices.  Mexicans - LEAVE!  Muslims - LEAVE!  Build a wall, don't let anyone in, get out!  HATE HATE HATE.  It's shameful.  It's un-American.  It's heartbreaking.



But I guess it isn't that hard to understand when you consider that America has become one big reality TV show and the uninformed Trump supporters, who love a cage fight, voted for their favorite cage fighter ... Donald Trump.  He fights like they do, thinks like they do, talks like they do, and communicates like they do.  With ugly words backed up by no facts.  Just rancor and vitriol.  When did people stop thinking?  When did Christians forget the truths they were raised on?  There was a time when a good, honest person could not overlook the glaring unethical character of a man like Trump.  And now they've just voted him into the presidency because they hate Hillary Clinton so much.  Well ... now he's the president. 



And I understand the voters wanted to send a message.  I really do.  That is why I voted for Bernie Sanders.  But this message?  A man who openly degrades and objectifies women?  Who would not rent to African-Americans?  Who dodged the draft at a time of war and cheated his employees and business vendors?  THIS is who you want to run the country?


But you know what?  I feel no rancor or contempt.  I really don't.  I feel no compulsion to go off on one of my usual "rants" because I am just so damn sad. Sad over the whole thing.  The entire election and politics in general.  The name calling, the lack of civility and graciousness.  There is a huge divide in this country and it's something we have not seen in decades.  Real ugliness.  And I feel shame.  Shame that this is what we've become.  Instead of common goals for the good of the country and her citizens, we are miles apart in ideology and beliefs.  Capitalism and greed vs. The Will of the People.  The Little People.  Perhaps if we were invaded by aliens from another planet the world would come together ... short of that, capitalism won.  Big business won.  Big Pharma won.  And so on.  The worker, the middle class, those of us that basically do all the work and pay all the taxes lost yesterday.  And we lost BIG. 


The ideals of America that we once believed in, the dream of a future with possibility, owning a home, getting a good education, raising our children in a safe environment was once possible for everyone ... it really did exist at one time.  But it hasn't existed now for many decades and the divide just grows wider and wider still.  I don't know what Trump will do for the country.  I can only hope he does some good.  But I am really fearful of what he might do in the event of a catastrophic event like 9/11.


And unlike most "Christian Evangelicals," this Catholic woman does not believe that God cares who I vote for.  I think God cares who WE are as individuals.  How we love others.  How we treat others.  How we forgive others.  And as far as Evangelicals go, my judgment, yes my judgment, is that a lot of these folks are so blinded by their hatred toward Hillary Clinton they would have cast a vote for Satan if he were running against Hillary and feel perfectly justified and vindicated in doing so because they really believe that God is on THEIR side and that God sent Donald Trump to redeem America.  And this makes me sadder still.  Good people willing to overlook a character like Donald Trump and all his horrible deeds and words.  It is hypocrisy on a colossal level.  But again, it is what it is. 


So, with all that said, I will go to bed tonight and hopefully sleep well.  And I will get up tomorrow morning and get myself to work, put in my 8 hours, catch my bus home, do my marketing, my laundry, celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas, celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, wait for the birth of my next grandchild, pray for my family, and live to the best of my ability with my God and my neighbor and try to grow in love and grace.  As flawed as I am, I really do try to live my life with a clean heart. 


God bless all you who come to visit and read my blog.  I hope you have work, shelter, family, friends and love in your life.  Because in the end, that is ALL that really matters.


 

SO ...

as we come to the end of another election cycle (or, as I like to refer to it World War III) I would like to sum up in a few words some of my feelings in one tidy little post.   

The Evangelical Christians

THIS is a completely mystifying phenomena to me.  How these people are so willing to overlook Trump's glaring character flaws and nobly assert that "everyone has sinned and deserves forgiveness" is just too much for me. They continue to remain adamantly committed to voting for Trump despite his colossal misogynism, complete and total lack of respect for the dignity of women, his serial adultery, cheating on his taxes, filing of multiple bankruptcies, and nonpayment of the hard labor provided by workers who built his "empire".  And while their Christian charity is overflowing with forgiveness for Donald Trump it does not, and CANNOT, extend to Hillary Clinton because SHE'S A LIAR.  OK.  I thought forgiveness was forgiveness.  You know, like Jesus forgave.  Seventy times seven?  From what I've read in the Gospels Jesus never withheld his forgiveness.  So I think y'all need to reexamine that passage.  Here's a good one, in case you forgot:

Matthew 6:14-15

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

References for Matthew 6:14

• Cross References

• 15 6:14 - Mt 18:21-35 ; Mk 11:25,26 ; Eph 4:32 ; Col 3:13

15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. 

YUGE HYPOCRISY! 

If you're going to talk about forgiveness and casting the first stone and all that other bible stuff, it should apply to ALL people, not just your perverted candidate.  Can you forgive Hillary?  Or are her failings much too serious in comparison to Trump's?  See ... that's why you guys lose a lot of respect with people.  You're very quick to forgive your own and very willing to crucify others.  Not very Christian if you ask me. 

Evangelical Christians believe that Trump was sent by God to heal and reclaim the United States of America.  Oh brother!

Remember that scene in Annie Hall where Woody Allen is standing in line at a movie theater listening to the guy behind him pontificate on a writer's pretentious B.S. and then Woody Allen pulls the writer, in the flesh, from behind a cardboard cutout and the writer confronts the fool about how he knows nothing about his writing?  Well, I wish I could pull Jesus out to confront all these horribly misled Christians so he could set them straight.  

Donald J. Trump is a misogynist of colossal proportions.  Women are merely convenient vessels with little holes that he likes to put his pee-pee into.  Or, grab with his hands if the first option isn't possible.
Today, he says he's a Christian.  Tomorrow?  Who knows.  I guess when he allowed a bunch of them to lay hands on him and pray over him he was BORN AGAIN.  You can check it out for yourself on Youtube.com.  It's pretty damn hilarious.  

I know I am a passionate person.  And I have held my tongue in this election insofar as commenting on Facebook with others.  Oh I've posted tons of memes etc., but I have not ENGAGED with anyone.  However, I did get into one long conversation with one Christian lady who informed me that she is a Christian and is voting how God wants her to vote.  

(Comments in red are mine)

CL:  As a Christian God is my King....that being said it's my responsibility to vote for someone who is not for killing babies and lies to the country in a position of power, being paid for by the people. I don't agree with perverted behavior in anyone, but what one says on tape 11 years ago does not overshadow criminal behavior at the expense of the people.

(1)  Hillary may be pro-life but she is not KILLING the babies.  That would be doctors.  Doctors are killing the babies.  And FYI ... this has been legal in this country for years and years and years . IT IS LAW.  I think you should address your anger to all women who have had abortions and the doctors who perform them.  Not Hillary.  And P.S. ... shock of shocks ... I am not a proponent of abortion.  That is why I took birth control and NEVER HAD ONE.  (2) If you don't agree with perverted behavior in anyone, WHY are you voting for Donald Trump?  Is there a statute of limitations on disgusting comments and behavior?  Like after eleven years it's expunged from your psyche?   

CL:  Also let's not forget the perverted actual behavior of her husband who admitted getting oral sex from Monica Lewinsky in the Oval Office... which then was covered up by both she and her husband, by calling it a vast right wing conspiracy.  So there we have it..vote for Trump who said perverted stuff 11 years ago, and nothing proven at any other level, believe me the Dems would be all over it if it were true, or the proven corrupted, for abortion, lying to the country Hilary! 

(1) Bill fornicated in the oval office, not Hillary; (2) Trump has a pretrial conference scheduled in New York re allegations of raping a 13 year old; AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST (3) I wouldn't be too sure about a "vast right wing conspiracy" being a fallacy.  WHO saves a dress with semen on it?  Just sayin'.

I'd print the entire exchange but you'd just get bored.  Bottom line ... I know I'm not going to change anyone's mind.  Of course I'm not.  But these people are so incapable of seeing how they are being misled and lied to.  Listen, I voted for Bill Clinton twice.  When he admitted on national T.V. that "he did in fact have sexual relations ..." I wanted to punch him in the throat.  And if he had ran for a third time, I WOULD NOT have voted for him because he was a freaking LIAR and I wouldn't trust him ever again.  I am not that loyal to someone who has misled me.  However, these evangelicals are almost beyond the pale.  If we had video of Trump nailing the spikes in the hands and feet of Jesus, THEY'D COME UP WITH SOME EXCUSE FOR HIM!  I am not that delusional.  Am I right or am I right?  When I see some of the comments and excuses these people make for Trump it just boggles my mind. 

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.  That is why we have all this craziness every election year.

My church does not tell me how to vote. I have never sat in mass and had the priest tell the congregation how they should vote. That is not their job. Their job is to guide me spiritually on this journey of life. Today, religion has become synonymous with nationalism. Very dangerous. And politicians, no matter if they're republican or democrat, DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOU. The rich get richer, the middle class (dissipating as it is) do all the work and pay all the taxes, and the poor (as George Carlin says) are just there to scare the shit out of the middle class. American politics has become a scandal. We have no one in government who actually has a moral compass, integrity, ethics, honesty. All the things we need in a leader. Our leaders are liars, philanderers, cheaters, tax evaders, hypocrites, draft dodgers, greedy and Christians who do not behave like Christians and only SAY they're Christians to get your vote. 

Vote your conscience. Only when enough Americans do so will Washington D.C. seriously sit up and take notice. When a Jill Stein, or a Ralph Nader, or a Bernie Sanders, or any other individual who is running on a platform of REAL TRUTH and HONESTY earns enough votes to scare the hell out of the establishment, then things will change. That is why Donald Trump (crazy as he is) was able to get as far as he has. People are pissed.  But their anger is misguided and voting for Trump is not going to bring jobs back to the USA because ALL of Trumps holdings and assets are OVERSEAS! He is part of the problem. EDUCATE yourselves on the issues. Do not base your vote on the fact that someone says he is a Christian.  

It's been one hell of an election season.  I guess we'll see how it all plays out in the next week.  Until then ... I'll see you in four years.

AND THANK GOD IT'LL ALL BE OVER NEXT WEEK.