One Year Anniversary

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana

One year ago today, I started this blog. It began as a simple commentary on news of the day, an opportunity for me to express my particular opinion as seen from my peculiar perspective. Hence, the rather odd blog address, describing my perspective as coming from somewhere out in left field.

One of the first commenters I ever had in the beginning pointed out that I should have named it right field perspectives, since my ideology is decidedly right wing. He had a point. I responded brilliantly, of course, by saying, when you are seated 4 rows back in the bleacher seats in left field, and facing left field, it is on your right.

Looking back over the past year, There have been many changes, both to America, and to the style and substance of my blog. As a way of celebrating this milestone I have decided to republish what I consider to be the best opinion piece I ever wrote.

And announce, that after today, I will not be quite as committed to making sure I post something everyday, as sometimes I just don't seem to have an idea of what to write about. I will try to write as often as I can, and indeed, I still may post something everyday, but if I don't, you will understand. I lost a personal relationship due to my commitment to this blog, and that will not happen again. I learn from my mistakes.

The following was posted here July 2, 2005:

A Question

Someone asked me today, "Do you really believe all the things you write about in your blog?" I had to stop and give it some thought.

So, I thought back, to a 7th grade classroom and the intercom crackling to life with the news that the President had just been shot. The ultimate disrespect for the office of President.

Then I thought back 5 years later and the bullets of the false revenge struck again. Twice.

And I think about all the rights that we were supposed to be guaranteed to us by the constitution, the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And how they are being continually and methodically stripped away.

A court case decided that a woman has the right to kill her baby. It was called Roe vs. Wade.

I remember how my belief in the integrity of the senate was drowned in the murky waters of Chappaquidick.

And the images of soldiers returning from Viet Nam being spat upon and called "baby killers" by the people with whom I had once identified. And the way they were reviled by the very government that should have thanked them for their service.

Murderers and child molesters being freed by technicalities and "race cards". And innocent people being persecuted for their faith in a God whom the founders of our country based our system of government on.

I can think of cases where children are being suspended and expelled from public schools for writing essays on Jesus, the Bible, or their personal belief in God. And being sent home for wearing T shirts that proclaim "Jesus loves you" while other students are allowed to wear T shirts with the images of Marilyn Manson,Godsmack, and other "death metal, Satanic Bands, and pentagrams.

I remember Dr. Jack Kevorkian and his commitment to legalize murder of the elderly and infirmed.

I think of how the Supreme Court keeps ordering the removal of the ten commandments from Courthouse lawns, the very rule of law our system of justice is based on.

Hate speech by politicians, news media organizations, and radical associations.

Then I remember the pain and anger I felt when terrorists flew jet airliners into the world trade center towers and pentagon. And then there were people who blamed the attacks on our own government and those who support it.

Muslim extremists terrorists sawing off the heads of innocent civilians, some of who were in their country to help them.

Then there was the starving to death of a young comatose woman in Florida, not just a mercy killing, but a long agonizing death, and the numbers of people that think it is ok to do that to someone.

A hurricane strikes New Orleans, causing a canal wall to break apart, flooding the entire city, leaving death and destruction in it's wake, and some reprehensible people use the suffering to politicize and take advantage of it for political capital.

The mother of one of our brave men who sacrificed his life for our country uses his death shamelessly to protest the war against global terrorism, to the point that she has made his death meaningless and herself a national shame.

People lobby to keep cold blooded murderers alive and/or complain that the execution by painless lethal injection is not painless enough, while the families of the victims receive little or no sympathy.

And now, My President is being called a liar and a loser and a murderer by politicians and news media who want to undermine him and his efforts to create a better world for our children

And on, and on, and on, and on.

So, Whenever someone asks me, "Do you really believe the things you write about in your blog?" I smile, and wink, and say, "Hell no, but the money's good."

For what else could I say to such a question?