An Open Letter...

The following is an open letter to President Barack Obama, and the Congress of the United States.

Mr. President, Speaker Boehner, and other esteemed members of Congress,
     I'd like to call your attention to something that I'm sure you're already aware of. If you take a look to the East, you'll see a democratic state in unrest. It is one of our allies, and its name is Turkey.

Since 2003 when the current Prime Minister Erdogan took office, the democratic rights of Turkey's citizens have slowly, but steadily, vanished. And all of this work has culminated into what we are, and have been seeing these last four days. When a group of peaceful protesters staged a sit-in to show their displeasure of the razing of Taksim Square, one of Istanbul's last refuge of nature. The protesters were blatantly and brutally attacked by the police, and protests have now spiraled out of control in one of the largest anti-government protests in years.

The infancy of these riots reminds me a lot of the way the "Occupy," protests in the United States were handled. Especially the one in Oakland, CA. And the way Erdogan and the political machine in Turkey has slowly been stripping the rights of Turkey's citizens reminds me greatly of what appears to be happening here today. And if the political machine in the United States continues to careen headlong down the path it's on now, I fear that our future holds nothing less than what Turkey experiences right now.

From the gridlock-causing bickering between Republicans and Democrats, to the most recent scandals of the IRS and the FBI, this nation is in a crisis of doubt. Not doubt in the system of government itself, but in the people that were elected to that government. It's not growing pains, it's not simple restlessness, and for heaven's sake it certainly isn't just Twitter, as Mr. Erdogan says it is. The more you appear to use smoke screens to obfuscate the American people, the more angry and disillusioned the American people will become.

Mr. Obama, you pledged in your first presidential campaign that yours would be the most transparent administration in history. You have failed, sir. Mr. Boehner, you claim to want nothing more than to uphold the Constitution and support the Bill of Rights. With you and your party's support of bills like CISPA and DOMA, you fail as well.

I plead with you both, open your eyes and do what is right for America and the world. Uphold human and civil liberties, like you both swore an oath to do. Bring attention to what is going on in Turkey, and here at home. Stop taking away our rights as provided for us in the Constitution.

Don't stand for it anymore, stand against it. Or you may well suffer the same consequences as that place to the east of us.

Well hello there.....

 

 

Hi everybody!

 

     I know it's been quite a long time since I've done this, and many, many things have changed for the better in my life. And I will get to all those things in a later blog. But first I'd like to take a couple minutes to talk to you about something that I'm sure has already crossed your mind in the past few months; and also about something that maybe has not.

 

 

The first thing is... politics in America. Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm an asshole for even bringing this up. We all are already super-saturated with political ads on TV, radio, and even unsolicited print, that I'm sure you're as close to insanity as I am. But, here's the thing. I'm not going to tell you who to vote for. I'm not even going to tell you who I'm voting for. That's none of your damn business. And besides, I'm sure that anyone who reads this already knows me well enough to know which presidential candidate I support, and why.

 

What I'd really like to talk about here, is the political and civil climate that we're encountering right now. With the invention of the internet, and social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter, people now literally have the ability to run their own ad campaigns for a political candidate. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't have any problem with people voicing their opinion on any subject, whether it be about politics, food, sports, or whether or not they want to wear pants during the day. But what I do take particular issue with, is when people who have an opposing view lash out at another person. And I mean like a cobra striking at a mongoose. I'm sure that some of you have experienced this, in some way at least, over the last few months. I'd like to tell you about my own personal experience that I had a few weeks ago.

I’m an Army veteran, a paramedic, a former volunteer firefighter, and I currently work for a human services agency that provides mental health support for children on Medicaid. In one Facebook thread that was started by a friend of mine, I was called a lunatic, un-American, spineless, sheeple, stupid, and worst of all, a traitor to my country. All by people that have never met me. At least not that I know of, anyway.

I do have to point out that the friend that started the thread, on his page, has never made a derogatory comment about me when I was voicing my opinion about politics. So there’s that, I guess. (thanks Fred)

My point here is that, while political candidates and private citizens, have always had opposing views, I've never seen this country so polarized, so divided, or so in love with hating itself, as I am seeing right now. And I think it's all due to the behavior of our politicians.

We're all sick of negative ads. We're all tired of seeing those stupid meme posts on Facebook, putting down our beliefs and our candidate. But let me tell you something, friends. We've continued to allow our candidates to behave this way, and now we're all falling in behind them. We're the ones that continue to post that divisive crap on our favorite social media website. We're the ones who continue to tune in to a presidential, or vice-presidential, debate and sit there and watch our candidate trash the other guy, without ever answering the question that was asked! And we're the ones who will continue to vote for a candidate who, by the time next Tuesday comes around, will have spent a total of over...wait for it...One. Billion. Dollars. Almost exclusively on negative advertising. It literally makes me sick thinking about that number. Hundreds of millions of dollars that could've gone to building homeless shelters, feeding hungry people, educating our children, or opening small businesses and getting more people back to work.

A billion fucking dollars, people!

When is it going to end? When will we finally stand up and say, "Enough is enough!" When will you have the courage to vote for someone that you actually think will do a better job, instead of the candidate that the party nominates?

For those of you that will say, "Well if I do that, it's just a wasted vote," I say, NO IT'S NOT!!!The only wasted vote is the one that is not cast!

 And it's not just a wasted vote. It's a wasted drop of blood, or a wasted tear that some man or woman shed for this great nation. It's a life that was given in order for you to be able to walk to that poll and check the box next to, or write in the name of, the person that you think will do the best job. And to be able to do that without the fear of retribution.

Our political process needs to change. Our politicians' behavior needs to improve, drastically. But it needs to start with us holding ourselves accountable, and not letting negative emotions run rampant, just because we disagree with someone. Be kind to one another, even if you don't agree. Be factual. Don't continue to spread the lies of BOTH parties; of BOTH candidates. Remember where we live, and honor the legacy of those that have come before us.

And remember also what Churchill said: "Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

Take care, my friends.

My name is Brian Woodyard, and I approved this message.

 

I am a veteran of the United States Armed Forces. I am NOT a combat veteran, but I swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies, foreign and domestic. And to obey the orders of the officers appointed over me.

If you have not sworn the same oath as I have, and the few others like me, please do not attempt to pass yourself off as one of us. We WILL find you out. And we WILL take offense. And if given the opportunity, some of us WILL correct your malfunction; physically, if and when possible.

Enough..

In America, from the time that we are small children, just old enough to understand the concept of wanting something that we don't just automatically get, we are told that all we have to do is want it enough. If you want to be a doctor, all you have to do is study hard and want it enough. If you want to be an athlete, work hard and want it enough. If you want to be a firefighter, just be brave and want it enough.

If you really love her, all you have to do is tell her how you feel, and want her enough...

What our parents, our family members and our role models never tell us when we are children, though, is that when it's another person that we want, it takes more than just wanting them enough. They have to want you back.

I could be a doctor if I studied enough. I could be a professional hockey player, even at the age of 33, if I simply worked hard enough. And I've been a firefighter. Lord knows I've been brave enough to do many things that most people would cower from.

But no one on this planet can tell me that I simply haven't been there enough, sacrificed enough, or worked hard enough to earn the love and respect of the woman that I care most about in this world. And yet she continues to turn away from me.

You see, the other things in life are simply academic. It's true; almost anyone in the world can be a doctor, or a lawyer, or a football player. Even an astronaut. All they have to do is work enough, study enough and stay focused enough. If you make the grades, mentally and/or physically, the goal is static. It stays where you can see it, and it is forever achieveable.

Love, however, is dependent on the thoughts and feelings of another person. So it is fleeting. It's dynamic and ever changing. It's shifty, like Mohammed Ali. It floats like a butterfly...and stings like an Abrams tank. Just when you think you have a firm grasp on it, that beautiful little dove will turn around, bite you in the hand, and fly away. And probably crap on your nice clean car as it passes over, just to add insult to injury.

So for now, I'm done. I'm tired and I need to rest and reset my life; cleanse my heart and mind of the the toxicity that I've exposed myself to. Things will get better over time. In fact, I think it's already started. Today was a big first step. And tomorrow will be another one.

Brotherhood

Just thought I'd throw this out there.

I am currently reading 1..2..3....4, books right now lol. But one of them is entitled "The Colonels." It is the fourth in a series of books called "The Brotherhood of War" written by W.E.B. Griffin.

I've read this series at least 6 times now and these books still make me laugh and cry. They invoke memories of my brief time in the military. If anyone ever wonders why or how people who serve together become as close as family, I would suggest that they pick up the first in the series called "The Lieutenants."

They are written in the most wonderful prose. The scenes are beautifully described and there is dialogue that stimulates every human emotion imaginable. Hemingway surely would've been proud.

Perfectly Flawed

I am (contrary to what most people think) normally a positive person. But I am cynical, and I suppose I'm afraid to let my positivity shine because I have been wrong so many times in my life. I'm sick of people, including my family and closest friends, telling me that I'm not doing it right, or letting myself be duped when all I try to do is see the good things that may come from my decisions.

I'm a risk taker. I always have been. And God willing, I'll continue to be one for the rest of my life. "You can't lose what you don't put in the middle. But you can't win much either." I weigh the factors of cost versus benefit, and I think that if the cost is worth it in the end, if things work out for me, I will always take the risk.

A lot of this is based on trust. Most people say that I trust too quickly, and too much. They say it's my biggest imperfection, of which I have more than a few.

I disagree. To most people when they see me, or even after they get to know me, I am very imperfect. I say that I am simply...

Perfectly flawed.

Just Breathe

I was wondering this morning, "Where and when did I lose sight of taking one day at a time?" I'm not really sure what the answer to that question is, but I think that if I could get back to that, things might get simpler and happier.

Now, don't get me wrong, there's always a place for thinking about the future, whether it's near or far. Goals and plans are important. But what I seemed to have forgotten recenlty was that a journey of a mile begins with a single step. And continues with one more step after that.

I tend to be a product of my generation, which means that I am impatient at times. I try to take that mile long journey in only one or two HUGE strides.

Now, once again, don't mistake me. There's nothing wrong with running. But before taking off at full bore, you should warm up with a good steady walk first.

So I'm gonna try and relax, take a nice walk....and JUST BREATHE.