Other Writings

The Misuse of the American Constitution

Thu, 21 May 2009 21:38:00 -0400

The British Parliament was anything but content over the signing of the American Constitution in 1787. It made official, among many things, the independent right for America to stand on its own as a free nation---under God. No longer would there be taxation without representation. No longer would the American people have to suffer under unjustified rule from the old world. The signing of the Constitution set apart America from any other nation in existence, establishing her as a just and goodly realm that would not be wavered by enemy force, and that would stand firm under the eternal leadership of God the father.

Indeed when the Constitutional Convention gathered in Philadelphia on that summers day to construct a new, moral way of life, an empire built under God was the primary initiative. They understood the significance in the faith of Christianity, as every man there either believed in and worshiped, or respected those who believed in and worshiped, the supreme creator and father of all living. George Washington, signer of the Constitution and one of the greatest, most respected presidents in the history of the United States, noted in his Fairwell Address that, quote: “Morality is a necessary spring of popular government. Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.” “...reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” The whole reason why America was founded in the first place was because a handful of English misfits wanted a nation where they could worship God as they pleased without satanic interference. From the very beginning America was meant to be a kingdom for God and his followers.

But the fathers of the Constitution knew that there would be a time in the future when certain adjustments would have to be made, so they designed the Constitution to be flexible. Even Hamilton pointed out, upon argument over a national bank being accepted in America, that all the powers of the national government could not be set down in explicit words, for, quote: “that would mean intolerable detail.” However arguing over a national bank is one thing, but arguing over abortion, same-sex marriage, letting a Vampire be governor of Minnesota.... These are dissimilar affairs entirely. The forefathers never dreamed that their Constitution would ever be the object of such controversy.

There is a segment in the Constitution, called the Bill of Rights, that allows Americans the freedom of speech. This section ensures the flexibility of the Constitution, and was written in light of granting Americans the legitimate power to stand up against opposing crowds, and to have the right to participate in religion. The freedom of speech is in many respects a good thing; it separates America from the common dictatorship. But when representatives rise up in force, wishing to misuse or disuse the powers granted us a free nation under father God, suddenly Hamilton’s statement becomes dire.

Open up a family-friendly magazine and find repetitive segments of profanity. Turn on the Television and prepare to gaze upon some man’s or woman’s naked body. Sit back

long enough and you’ll witness the destruction of biblical monuments, such as the ten commandments, the one set of laws that every nation should follow.

Some representatives say that as time advances and changes, the Constitution should advance and change. They claim that Congress of the late eighteenth century could not look into the future and foresee what changes and difficulties lay ahead, so their judgment

in many areas was clouded.

It is true that time does advance, and congress could not look into the future. But has it never occurred to these representatives that, because congress of the time did not foresee the American future as a future of greed, abuse, lust, the Constitution therefore holds no outright amendments binding such? Never in their wildest dreams could they imagine future American citizens, who shall forever build their stronghold upon God, fighting to discontinue the worship of God! Indeed that thought alone should awaken sleepy politics of the nation, and bring to life a controversy of its own.

And what do we as true American citizens do to legally fill in the gaps intentionally (for sake of flexibility) scattered throughout the Constitution? How do we know when the freedom of speech is taken too far, when the concerns of American citizens, according to the one God upon which this nation was founded, become concerns of greed, lust, abuse?

In the past century mankind has speculated seriously over the equation of right and wrong. One party may find favor in a rainy day, the other in a sunny, bright day. Over here we have the democratic group, over there the republican. How do we know who is the true god, my god or your god? Is it wrong to consider the universe infinite?

The fact is that we men, born into our sins, naturally face these decisions. And if we men were to decide right now to form another nation, with our own regulations and rights, how might we word our own Constitution?

Reading a book, you see not only the word use, but the author his self. You realize that he is just another human being, bearing the human language. And if he messes up on a word or phrase, you the reader obliges to overlook, knowing what he really meant because you are familiar with his spirit.

Picture the fathers of the Constitution as the authors of a very important, very precise book called the Bill of Rights. They sat down to present what was on their hearts, in the most natural way they knew how.

Indeed, if you and a group of people sat to make your own Constitution today, how would you word what is on your heart? And what would you do if, over two centuries later, representatives gathered in dispute over your words, saying that because you left a space here, or used the word “flexible”, they can squeeze in and tear apart any form of morality you had established, “filling in the spaces” with anything they please to better suit their greedy desires?

America was founded with a heart. All true Christians, true leaders in the Lord, bear this heart. And it is with this heart that appropriate decisions are made.

I’m sure, if you are a true American, you care about the well being of this country, and pray that it lasts. Indeed what separates America from any other nation on earth? Religion. Christian religion, that is. Most of us are born into some sort of Christian environment. It is bred into our blood. We grow up, knowing of morality, knowing what is right and wrong. We are a different people, sitting apart from any other class of people on earth. And it’s all because of our beliefs. We can not allow false idols and false religion to become a standing part of our country. It will change our perspectives of morality, and it will change who we are. Like I said in the article, America was founded with a heart. The heart of America is who America is. What America is! To change any aspect of our own morality is to alter the foundations upon which this nation dwells. American citizens need to rise up against the plague that is creeping into our good nation. Stop defiling our constitution!

Lurking Sin

Thu, 21 May 2009 21:36:00 -0400

The horror...

The sights, the smells

The feeling that comes over my soul

I am reminded of Babel

Of a sin so great, a people so confused,

that an entire nation was cursed

I obsurve this world

I wonder---how?

People weren't made to like this...

...to crave this...

Yet people everywhere do

O God, help me!

I do not wish to step on anyone's toes, and yet...

I must speak!

Help me to speak the right words

Empower me to prosper

Equip me with your mighty armor

so that, when the walls fall down,

I am left standing...

...and not alone...

Oh, the dark, evil sin that lurks over this world!

In my mind's eye, I see ugly creatures

and they are eating people one by one

I must warn them!

I must show them how they, too, can survive

The world needs to see...to smell...to feel the truth

Or else it will never know what lurks in the shadows

But I am so afraid!

Many of my friends don't believe...

...don't know...

I have a knowledge that could set them free

But I risk turning everyone against me if they do not accept

I'm...

...feeble...

I need your strength to fill me

How do you tell a world that it is doomed unless it changes?

My mission is in your hands, O Lord

For all of America

Thu, 21 May 2009 21:11:00 -0400

?Japan should have known better. I tell you what, it was bound to happen!?

The general reached over and flipped off the radio. Extracting a mouthful of smoke and tobacco from the cigarette hanging out his mouth, he blow the smoke into the face of his American friend, the chef at The Crawford Diner, who in turn closed his eyes and faced the opposite direction.

?But think of all those innocent women and children, bill.? the chef said, turning back to the general when the smoke had drifted away. ?They didn?t even know it was coming.?

The general covered his face and heaved a sigh. ?Jon, Jon, Jon. How many times do we have to go over this? Remember Pearl Harbor? The way they flew in, completely by surprise, and bombed the smithereens out of us? Our women and children didn?t have a warning, either.?

Jon was tired of arguing the point. He believed that war was not the only solution to problems. If you look hard enough, he thought, you would find another, far better solution. Peace.

He looked the general in the eyes. He knew his words would mean nothing. Something inside brought him to speak again.

?An atomic bomb brings nothing but further conflict. Maybe not now, or a hundred years from now. But someday it will come, and somebody will not be prepared. At that point, what will be so wrong in shooting someone in the back??

General Bill stared for a moment. Taking the cigarette out of his mouth, he said, ?Our boys are over there right this moment, fighting their hearts away. They knew before they ever went over there that it would not be easy, would not be fun and games. They knew that there was a very large chance that most of them would not return. These are men and women that willingly put their lives on the line. And for what??

Jon looked down.

?For us, Jon. For me and you. For all of America. They are willing to die for our freedom, our rights to remain human. It doesn?t matter if we agree or disagree with the destruction of Hiroshima. That isn?t the point. The point is that we as Americans should support our boys, just as they are supporting us this second. And how would you feel if you were over there in Japan fighting for a nation that you later discovered was opposing your every move??

The chef said nothing, which was how it always ended. The diner remained empty, and the general continued puffing on his cigarette.

end

Women in the Infantry

Thu, 21 May 2009 20:50:00 -0400

A lot of debate has went on as to whether or not women should be allowed in the infantry. It has been stressed many times that women are not as physically capable of performing the tasks of men, hence making the infantry a “man’s profession.” However women prove every day that this argument has no strength. For instance, during military training, women must perform the same tasks that men do. They must participate in the same competitions. They are required to carry a weapon around with them, just like the men. Female Drill Sergeants have proven to be every bit as intense and gruesome as their male counterparts. Sure, the Army’s standards for women are a bit lower that its standards for men. Women are not required to score as high on the Physical Fitness exam. However this is a military decision, not evidence that women can’t very well score as high as men if they applied themselves. And one who wishes to judge by physical strength must clearly take into account that there are indeed men serving in the infantry who are smaller built and have less strength than many of the females working in non-combative fields. Wayne L. Westcott, PHD, CSCS, of The International Fitness Professionals Association (IFPA) did a study on the physical strength of men vs. women. In his study, Wayne collected data from 900 men and women. The average age of the men was 43, and the average age of the women was 42. Wayne had them perform a number of leg exercises. He used special computer-equipped equipment to ensure proper exercise technique with respect to movement speed as well as full movement range. “To better examine pound-for-pound muscle strength between men and women” Wayne said in his article, “it is necessary to divide the weight lifted by the subjects lean (muscle) weight. When we made this calculation we found that the average male and the average female could both perform 10 leg extensions with about 75 percent of their lean weight.” Follow-up studies have demonstrated that women respond to strength exercise in the same rate as men (Westcott 1991). They are therefore not the weaker sex. They are the smaller sex, but on a muscle-for-muscle basis, women are just as strong as men. Of course, considering what I mentioned about some men being smaller and weaker than some women, this clearly proves that physical strength is not an issue when considering women’s ability to serve in combat.

Consider, then, mental strength. Okay, so men are more equipped than women to handle the stresses and even horror of the battlefield? I wonder who drew (and continues to draw) that conclusion? I have served in the Army for two years, and I have met men who have attempted to hang themselves with their belts because they couldn’t handle the hardships of the military. At the same time I knew females, who were living in the same environment, with not only strength enough to keep themselves sane, but strength enough to help others stay sane. Remember Jessica Lynch, who was a Unit Supply Specialist with 507th Maintenance Company. She told the media, upon her rescue, that when her convoy was ambushed by Iraqi forces, her M-16 jammed. She was knocked unconscious when the Humvee she was in crashed. She later awoke to find herself in an Iraqi hospital with a broken arm, a broken thigh, a dislocated ankle, and possible bullet wounds. The media tried to make Jessica out to be a heroine, even stating that she “fought until being wounded.” Jessica later said “That wasn't me. I'm not about to take credit for something I didn't do ... I'm just a survivor.” Yeah, a survivor who had the strength to endure over three months as a POW.

It’s idiotic to say that women can’t handle the mental stresses of combat situations when females like Jessica can and do survive hellish situations in the military every day. Also, take a look at female policemen. When it comes to a gun fight in the streets, women officers stand their ground and fight just as well as any male. All people think and react to situations differently. It’s not a male or female debate; it’s a human debate.

So neither physical nor mental strength is an issue. The issue, then, might lie somewhere else. What about hygiene? Could a female survive months without taking a bath or changing clothes? She can always take the shot to control her periods. However of the percent of the women who are physically and mentally able to perform in the infantry, an even smaller percent could function without daily hygiene. In fact, because of the fact that most women wouldn’t be able to handle it, and that the few females who could handle it would have to struggle more to keep up with the men, that alone could be a sensible reason why the infantry isn’t for women. Another debate: If both a man and a woman were injured, the woman was obviously not going to make it and the man had a good shot of making it, and if a soldier were to come along, by nature that soldier is going to be inclined to try and save the female. So instead of one dead soldier, there will be two. It is a natural reaction for a man to try to save the woman first. And if captured by the enemy, there is a greater chance that a female would be harmed worse than a male, especially considering what kind of enemy we are dealing with here. Males get raped too, but when the enemy is made up primarily of males who have a great obsession with the female body, it is far more likely that a female would be raped before a male.

The Center for Military Readiness (CMR) conducted a study on females in the infantry. They concluded that “if the military were substantially the same as a civilian employer, a decision to promote equal opportunity as the primary goal would have been easy to make …But when it comes to combat assignments, the needs of the military must take precedence over all other considerations, including the career prospects of individual members.” In other words, the true matter isn’t about whether or not women are capable, but about the mission at hand. We say, “Well, since women, for the most part, seem well capable of functioning in the infantry, they should be able to if they want.” But are voluntary practices fair? CMR also concluded that, “Under current policy, all men are subject to involuntary assignment, subject to the needs of the Army, in any position for which they are qualified. Repeal of combat rules would impose identical obligations on women.” Perhaps, then, it should be in the contract when one enters the military that, whether male or female, if you are needed in combat, combat is where you will go!

When the world is at war, I don’t believe we should argue over fair or unfair humanity concerns. The war is with the enemy, and all who are capable should be willing, and therefore allowed, to assist in defending their country.

Fiction vs. Nonfiction

Thu, 21 May 2009 20:48:00 -0400

Reading requires some effort. And a purpose. For who would sit and read through the pages of a book, or the paragraphs of an article, if the writings hadn’t a point? Reason inspires motivation; a willingness to break away and devote one’s self--minutes, maybe hours--to mere characters on a page. I think we all can agree that the effort it takes to read is almost a natural routine, if you will; however, as natural and enjoyable as it may be, we still have to bring ourselves to a state of readiness, or eagerness to want to read. Writers can always rely on curiosity to lure their readers in. However, in the big picture of things, there are only two types of readers, so there must also be two types of writers. Let’s examine them.

Fiction readers (aka “those readers who would prefer a Stephen King novel over a book on society any day”) seek entertainment out of what the imagination can provide. The fiction reader, as well as fiction writer, understands and respects the art of a good plot, good characters, and a good, amusing handle on the pen. They look at outer space or a place in the future and imagine themselves there, far away without any troubles. In fact, it might even be said that a good fiction story helps the reader to “escape his misery and gloom” and “find refuge in what the real world can’t touch.” Fiction might also amuse the reader by challenging the brain. A good, hard scientific equation, as might be found in a time travel novel, serves as a puzzle for the “loves a good challenge” type. Also, with fiction, we can present a new idea, and not have to worry about too much controversy. It is, after all, “only fiction.”

With nonfiction we see quite the opposite. Nonfiction readers and writers thrive off reality. They are interested in what is real, and what they can see and touch--and experience--for themselves. Writing nonfiction requires extensive research. Very rarely is “guessing” tolerated. The nonfiction writer must be able to tell a story--or describe something that’s in existence--accurately, and still be able to hold the reader’s attention using vivid descriptions, historical references and humor. Like fiction, there are many “genres” associated with nonfiction, meaning a vast audience. A nonfiction biography, for example, might only interest a small hand full of people. You can’t expect a biography of Charles Schultz, the creator of Charley Brown, to interest everybody; some people may not like Snoopy or Woodstock. On the other hand, an article on water pollution in Boston would interest almost everybody, for this is an important matter that people should be concerned with.

In the world nowadays, there are many ways of broadcasting a message. Some ways are simpler than others. For instance, conveying a message through television requires only a camera operator and someone to stand before the camera and talk. Radio requires even less, for with radio transmissions you don’t have to worry about video. I would consider writing the least simplest. In society, people expect writings to be a certain way. The words have to be spelled properly and used in their right forms. It must be written so that it keeps the reader’s attention. Not only does the writer have to convey his message, but the printing press must work hard to produce duplicate copies of the forms and finally the reader must take the time to read what was produced! A long process. Sitting down and listening to the radio or watching television seems so much faster and simpler.

Fiction can be found in all these places--radio, television, literature--however, unlike nonfiction, fiction is often enjoyed when consumed slowly. People who are interested in fiction are usually in no hurry to “get the facts.” Fiction is consumed primarily for the purpose of entertainment, even those certain genres that deal more with facts than with fiction.

The nonfiction writer has, in many cases, a heads up on the story or article he is planning to write. The plot, characters, location and reason are already made up for him. He need only compile it.

With fiction, it’s all out of the imagination. The fiction writer will sometimes base his stories around a setting and characters that actually do exist. But the plot and reason must all be original. Starting out, the fiction writer hasn’t a clue what all he’ll talk about in his story or novel. He may have ideas, but even ideas aren’t required when starting some fiction. You need only begin at a certain place, maybe with a great event… And the story will unfold from there. Fiction writers are required to have vivid imaginations and great story ideas. Writing good fiction is an art that few can do.

I have heard people say that it’s pointless to waste time writing some genres of nonfiction. The general person lives a busy lifestyle. Is the general man going to take time out of his day to read what is going on in the world when he need only look around and see for himself? If the adventure we read about in fiction were in fact happening all around us, would we still want to read the stories?

Think about the world today. Think about the media, and how entertainment-hungry people are. If a poll were taken to determine what interests people the most, which do you think would win: fiction or nonfiction?

Killer of Man: His Own Ignorance

Thu, 21 May 2009 20:46:00 -0400

People become possessive. We search for things that make us happy, and when we find them we don’t want to let them go. Happiness can be found in anything, from objects to people. And, depending on the environment, people sometimes go to extremes with what we consider “pleasing.”

One of the number one killers in America is drug abuse. People do drugs for a number of reasons. Whether it’s because they want to fit in, they think drugs make them forget their problems, or because they have poor self esteem. People who abuse drugs are seeking one thing: liberation from all that ails them.

Society recognizes the danger drug abuse poses and is constantly holding “anti-drug abuse” protests. Their efforts have been a success, for the most part. It seems the “glory days of tobacco” back in the 1920s when smokers were ignorant to the damages they were doing to their bodies by smoking, are over. Authors of a report on longevity in the Archives of Internal Medicine say that “Smoking, diabetes, obesity and hypertension significantly reduced the likelihood of a 90-year life span . . . Furthermore, men with a life span of 90 or more years also had better physical function, mental well-being, and self-perceived health in late life compared with men who died at a younger age. Adverse factors associated with reduced longevity--smoking, obesity and sedentary lifestyle--also were significantly associated with poorer functional status in elderly years.” We see here that smoking is an influential evil, but it isn’t the only evil.

Freevibe.com, a popular website devoted to helping teens “say no” to drugs, has posted facts about the consumption of alcohol and what its effects are.

“Alcohol can damage every organ in your body. It is absorbed directly into your bloodstream and can increase your risk for a variety of life-threatening diseases, including cancer. Alcohol depresses your central nervous system, lowers your inhibitions, and impairs your judgment.” The article goes on, “Drinking can lead to risky behaviors, including having unprotected sex. This may expose you to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases or cause unwanted pregnancy. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can lead to coma or even death. Also, in 2004, 36 percent of traffic deaths of 16- to 20-year-olds were alcohol-related. That equates to the deaths of 2,115 people in this age group alone.” And perhaps the most interesting fact Freevibe.com states is that “If you're around people who are drinking, you have an increased risk of being seriously injured, involved in car crashes, or affected by violence. At the very least, you may have to deal with people who are sick, out of control, or unable to take care of themselves.”

Many religious and health organizations form methods that they hope will assist in the prevention of suicidal deaths. The U.S. Army teaches soldiers to apply “ACE” (Ask, Care, Escort) as part of the “ASIST” program, whenever confronted with a suicidal situation. The program lists many reasons why people are tempted to commit suicide. Among these reasons are: depression, loneliness, the inability to fit in with groups, death of a family member or dear friend, hopelessness and drugs. (Primarily alcohol.) It’s interesting to point out that alcohol abuse is usually last on the list, and briefly mentioned. The Division of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York writes this in one of their articles: “Retrospective studies indicate that a large majority of suicide decedents with alcohol use disorders meet criteria for alcohol dependence.#### Alcohol dependence is a maladaptive pattern of alcohol use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12-month period: (i) tolerance; (ii) withdrawal; (iii) the alcohol is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended; (iv) there is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control alcohol use; (v) a great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain alcohol, use alcohol, or recover from its effects; (vi) important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of alcohol use; (vii) alcohol use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by alcohol.” This clip from The Hutch Report sums it up nicely: “…the US military should be even more mindful of the potential problems that could occur if their youngest soldiers are left alone for too long and have access to alcohol.” The Division of Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry also says this in their article: “During recent years, the relationships between suicide rates and measures of alcohol consumption have been investigated in several studies. The association between alcohol consumption and suicide rates have been analyzed in 13 nations of the world (Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the US, and West Germany); in 10/13, suicide rates were positively associated with per capita consumption of alcohol.” Alcohol seems to have many adverse effects on lonely soldiers’ minds. Consider this news clip from USA Today: “BAGHDAD (AP) — American soldiers took turns raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl, and one of them put a bullet through her head after killing her parents and 5-year-old sister, an Army investigator testified Monday. The attack followed a session of whiskey drinking and card-playing during which five soldiers plotted the March 12 assault, criminal investigator Benjamin Bierce said.”

It is a fact—not idea—that alcohol is a mighty killer. But why do people continue to drink? Let’s go down to the root of the problem: Why is alcohol still allowed to be manufactured?

Some people say, “Well, there are those who drink way too much, and then there are those of us who know how to drink responsibly. We should not have to suffer because of their stupidity.”

Would not the responsible thing to do be to put concerns of yourself aside and to care about the health (physical and mental) of your fellow man/woman? If the “leaders” would stop their consumption (“responsible” or not) of alcohol, and stop supporting its producers, proper rules and reinforcements could be set to prevent a majority of the accidents that occur because of alcohol. But because the “leaders” refuse to set the example, no changes are made, and alcohol-related accidents continue to occur.

The effects of alcohol consumption are clear. Why do we continue to drink?

"True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise man doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things but his own ignorance."

--Akhenaton

Voices, Voices, Voices...

Thu, 21 May 2009 20:42:00 -0400

Possessing numerous voices is okay

"Alas, now I must admit! It was I who stole the volume, bound and cased, from yonder sanctuary!"

For the most part, this little excerpt out of my imagination sounds all right. If you could see the whole picture, the European setting, you would agree that it fits in with the style at hand.

Then what is wrong? Nothing. It just isn’t my usual voice, that’s all.

Imagine sitting down with a book written by Shakespeare. You know his style. You have heard his voice a million times in plays like Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. Yet the words used in this book sounds more like Dan Brown than William Shakespeare. The sudden alteration bewilders you!

In all possibility, there could only be two explanations: You only thought Shakespeare wrote it, but it was really Dan Brown. Or: Shakespeare was experimenting with a new writing style.

Most people would choose the first explanation as the answer. The renowned W.S. could only sound one way, they would think. Mr. Dan Brown mysteriously wrote it under the pen name Shakespeare.

But for those who chose the latter explanation, you were probably right. After all, is it a crime to experiment with other voices besides your own?

Experimenting, any scientist will tell you, is key to revelation. You may claim yourself as a "deep-toned-serious-poetic" sort of fellow, but if you don’t venture into the "humorous-laid-back-romantic-adventurer" setting, how will you know your talents?

Many people have a fear that if they "venture", they will forget their own voice and start writing like someone else. They convince themselves that writing should be limited to only one style per person. And if ever, in their writing, they inadvertently sound like someone else, they condemn themselves for not knowing who they are.

The fact is, you should never condemn yourself for expressing many voices. A lot of writers wish that they could write in a colorful variety, and you should consider yourself gifted to be able to express more than one voice. Even if that voice sounds nothing like you.

Consider Benjamin Franklin. As a kid he began writing for a newspaper, portraying the voice of an elderly lady.

Now, Ben certainly wasn’t anticipating that posing as an elderly woman would win his recognition as the master of ideas. But he did know that it was the only way for his works to get published, so he did it. And without forgetting who he truly was.

And consider Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick. He spent his entire life searching for the perfect writing voice, only to find that variety was his writing voice. He is now know for his assortment of character.

You need to know where you stand

While bearing many voices is stupendous, there is one thing you need to keep in mind: Know where you stand. You don’t want to be writing a serious article using one voice and all of a sudden start using another. That will make you sound wishy-washy, which isn’t what any good writer wants. You have to hone your talents and assort them appropriately according to the subject matter of what you are writing.

Notice how I present in these first-person descriptions the same point in three different voices:

* Th’ blasted sun is a-shinin’ in my eye and I wanna’ knock it out o’ the sky, it makes me so furious!

* I say, the sun is intensely bright and bothersome today!

* I am mad because the sun is in my eyes.

The first voice allows you to picture a feisty person raised in, perhaps, a back-country community.

The second voice describes a well-educated person of maybe a British or English ancestry.

The third, a common method, used by perhaps a child or a straight-foreword adult.

I would only use these voices in the places where they are at home. An ill-tempered country man would not do to tell about a new perfume coming out mid-summer. On the other hand, he would sound right in a biography or certain novels.

Having many voices besides your own is a good thing. But you must use them in the places where they are needed.

Memories

Thu, 21 May 2009 20:36:00 -0400

Memories, dear memories

They haunt and they inspire

They remind us of the past

and force us to consider the future

We can't escape them, try as we may

They will always come back, sometimes in the form of a dream

Our memories can enslave us

They can latch onto our heels and pull us under

We become miserable souls--poor, miserable souls!--when we allow our thoughts to get the best of us

Our bodies start to deform and before long we are as ugly as those dark, miserable thoughts that won't leave us alone

"Leave me be!" our souls scream

Sometimes our thoughts make us cry

Sometimes our hearts ache so badly that we want to die

"Die! Die!" we say to our soul. "Die, and get over with!"

But thoughts can be uplifting, too

They can come in and clear out a place and dominate all that is on our minds

These memories are swell--swell, I say!

They make us whole, and full of glee

Such memories will make us laugh, will make us proud

Memories, good or bad, are accessed at the speed of thought

We call on these memories--we do!--and they fill our heads

Why, when we are down and miserable, do we not fill our heads with happy memories?

end

To Function Well Within

Thu, 21 May 2009 20:33:00 -0400

I study the world, these eyes of mine

wondering what I behold

Could it be, there’s more to life

and my spiritual heart gone cold?

I rush to the fire to warm it up

to make it beat again

‘Tis covered with frost a good ways down

stiffened with years of sin

Yet something--something--urges still

for me to know my inner will

this heavy burden I strive to kill!

to function well within

Passers go and passers come

though not a moment’s heed

Left all alone to worry

no friends, no wife, no seed

So how might I, poor miserable me

escape this fearsome plague,

the winter grows more fearsome

more coals, my fire do beg?

Yet something--something--calls me still

to shuck these shackles and hunt my will

the night and fiery darts I kill!

must function well within

Behold! a revelation does strike

my head so full of doubt

But amidst the frost and eternal quake

an inspiration to shout!

Could it be that all along

a refuge towers high,

and all I need but is to yell:

Oh God, down here I lie!

And something--something--happens then

the broken dark, the shattered sin

‘tis all of heaven, and all of men

does function well within

end

Close Call

Thu, 21 May 2009 20:14:00 -0400

Experience proves itself worthy for one Cropfine man today after a close encounter with a bomb at his home. It all started when retired veteran Mark Weldon stepped outside to check his mail on Rabbit Foot road in Cropfine, about five miles south of Tell City. Earning his experience in the Navy, and having fought in two wars, Weldon can naturally sense right off when something is wrong. However on this day it wasn?t until the last second that he gained this practice-given acumen, realizing, just as he started to reach into his mailbox, that someone had placed a hot bomb in it!

Within an hour authorities were gathered around the residence, scrutinizing from a safe distance the hazard implanted inside Weldon?s mailbox. They affirmed it was a tap-activated bomb, designed to detonate when touched. From the looks of it it appeared to have been constructed using everyday devises in someone?s basement. Evidently some local prankster?s idea of fun.

Shortly after the arrival of the police, the bomb squad arrived, bringing with them a secret weapon---a marvel of modern ingenuity.

By remote control, the squad was able to direct a special robot designed for detonating bombs in the direction of the mailbox, where it stopped a couple feet away from its opening. The gathering crowd watched in awe as the robot maneuvered a steel rod into the opening of the mailbox. The plan was to tap the bomb so that it would explode, ridding the area of just another danger squad members everywhere confront almost every day while performing their respect-worthy duties.

When contact was made between the rod and the bomb, all that remained of the mailbox was a wooden stub.

When Mark Weldon was asked to mention something on the matter, he replied: ?I?m just glad it wasn?t my hand.?

An investigation is underway to discern who is responsible for the bomb attack.

end