Washington's Crossing

            I spent the weekend in Princeton, New Jersey. I was impressed that 800-plus students received their master’s degrees from Princeton Seminary. But the weekend didn’t end there for me.

            We visited the site where George Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River that long ago Christmas night. Let me refresh our memories about this significant incident.

            It was winter. The troops were cold, tired, and had no hope of defeating the Red Coats. How can you defeat your enemies when you have boots with holes in the soles or no shoes at all, or rags tied around your feet when you are trudging through snow, sleet, rain and wind? You have no coat. No gloves to warm protect your hands. You are tired, hungry and feel the enemy breathing down your necks.

            Washington’s troops camped on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware. The British and Hessians defeated the colonists on Long Island and then Manhattan in August, the colonists fleeing further west until they were across the Delaware into Pennsylvania.

            The British, having gained New Jersey and Rhode Island, were sure they would successfully end the Revolution in Britain’s favor.

            As 1776 neared its close, the troops would be released from their commitment and return to their homes. Many of them probably were counting the days, anxious to get back to their families, their farms, their warm, comfortable beds.

            Washington decided they were attack the British at Trenton. On Christmas night he and his troops crossed the narrow river, choppy with ice and wind, pelted with sleet, rain and snow. It took eight hours to transport the men, the artillery, horses and other equipment they would need. Each man carried 40 rounds of ammunition for his weapon.

            They surprised the enemy. Who would have expected an attack on Christmas? The Rebels gained the victory. Less than a week later they crossed again, gaining victories on Jan. 2 and 3 and beginning a new year with hope and strength, determined that they could, in fact, send the Red Coats back to England with their tails between their legs.

            Washington and his troops brought about the turning point of the Revolutionary War by bringing hope to the Rebels, the kind of hope they needed to rise up and become a force to be reckoned with. We all know the outcome of the Revolutionary War.

            What worth does this story have? Why is it still relevant today?

If you like this blog entry, please leave a comment to let me know. ;) 

(c) 2012 Cathy Thomas Brownfield ~ All Rights Reserved.

Something important is missing

Something important is missing.

Let me tell you a story. Actually, it was published in the local newspapers.

Village council convened and heard the complaints of some residents who want youth to be stopped from dropping the F-word while they listen to their loud boom boxes and shoot hoops on private property when there often is no adult supervision.

The village solicitor advised the complainants and council that they can’t stop anyone from swearing loudly in a public place. Such behavior is covered under the First Amendment: Freedom of Speech.

Published reports advise that Councilman Coleman said, “We have laws. Why in the world do people have to put up with this? I think something can be done…”

I am uncertain why Mr. Coleman believes his rights are more important than someone else’s. As a former mayor, isn’t he well aware about rights? About laws…including the First Amendment? But in a small town where you are a big fish in a little pond, maybe it’s easy to forget about others’ rights and freedoms. Maybe you don’t look past your self, past your town’s borders because the whole world—your whole world—is right here and nothing else matters. ..Kind of like the tortoise that draws its head into its shell, ignoring the real world outside.

Except there is danger in that thinking. Elders glean wisdom with age. But that doesn’t mean elders know everything. They are, however, good for guidance. But today’s youth are tougher, less likely to tolerate bullying, disrespect, from anyone else. And if you want respect, with them you have to earn it the old fashioned way, by giving it. Throwing your weight around isn’t going to make things right. I guess everyone doesn’t understand how to use power properly.

In decades past youth hanging out on the square eventually deferred to police who ordered them to disperse and find somewhere else to be. It was even reported that some of the older customers of businesses on the square were intimidated by the youth who hung out there. I’m still not sure what the older residents feared those kids were going to do. Today’s youth appear to be more of a threat. Look at the number of school shootings, the acts of violence across the country, the numbers of youth who kill the figures of authority in their lives. Why do you suppose this is happening?

In The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America, the author explains that American school children don’t learn about right and wrong any more. They are encouraged to explore, to satisfy self rather than considering the big picture. Another day I will talk about education. For today it’s enough to share the list of the top ten education systems in the world. The United States is not on that list. In fact, the U.S. education system follows France (#20) at #21.

The top ten:
1. Finland
2. Singapore
3. Korea
4. Japan
5. Canada
6. New Zealand
7. Australia
8. Netherlands
9. Switzerland
10. Germany

When I was in grade school (several decades ago) we started each day with a reading from the Bible, a brief prayer, the playing of the National Anthem (The Star-Spangled Banner) and the Pledge to the Flag, including the words “under God.” No one objected to participation. No teachers raged at students about how things were going to be or bounced them off walls, etc. Most of the time teachers were self-controlled, soft-spoken, reasoning and reasonable. They were examples for the students to emulate.

It wasn’t about “religion.” It was about having good values and acceptable morals. It was about respect and actually learning. I don’t care what anyone says, humans are above animals. Humans aren’t just intelligent, they also have the ability—when they choose to use it—of conscience.

In the Sword of Truth series of novels by Terry Goodkind, he uses the Wizard’s Rules as premises for each of the 12 books in the series. Wizard’s First Rule: “People are stupid; they will believe something because they want it to be true, or because they’re afraid it might be true.”

The former mayor, now councilman, believes something can be done about youth shooting hoops, hollering the F-bomb and jamming to loud music.

A lot of politicians believe they have the right to tell us what to do with our income, our property, our bodies. This begs the question: What is freedom?

Another question that begs to be asked: What is the true role of government?

Yet another question: Why has American education dropped so low on the list?

Something important is missing. It’s called Respect.

FDR for President

On Jan. 6, 1941, Franklin Roosevelt addressed the U.S. Congress stating, "In the future days which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms...everywhere in the world." He represented the freedoms of speech and expression; freedom to worship God our own ways; freedom from want, meaning economic security; and freedom from fear from physical aggression.

Which 2012 candidate currently stumping for their parties' endorsements for U.S. president represents these same ethics and morals emphasized by FDR that long ago day?

Since 1979 a Great Depression, better known as the Economic Malaise, has affected too many lives cast into a downward spiral,a black pit of loss and despair. Who has a viable plan to turn around the economic decline, the Malaise, of the past 33 years?

As I prepared to vote at the Ohio primary on Super Tuesday, I was faced with a choice. I voted for the underdog, Ron Paul. Why? I have to ask myself how a wealthy woman like Mrs. Romney could actually say, and expect people to believe, "I don't look at myself as wealthy." When is the last time she had to do without things she needed? And why did news reports advise that Mitt Romney's sons were keeping a low profile "this time"? The discussions of women who take birth control, the remarks that throw us backwards to a time when women were extremely regarded as second class citizens (not sure how much that has changed)...We are supposed to be moving forward!

The secrecy around Mr. Obama's birth, his beliefs and associations with the Muslim world, the rumors of what ObamaCare is going to do to our civil rights...There are too many questions, too many violations of the public trust.

FDR, where are you?

by YourLocalSecurity.com

Switching over to fiction

When I started this blog I was going to do my complaining here. Eh, who wants to read complaints? That only prevents you looking at the bright side of things. So, I got to thinking that Patchwork and Petticoats is a great book title. I will explore a novel with that title. In fact, I think I'm going to write it here. Cathy (c) 2012 Cathy Thomas Brownfield

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Move over, Clint. There are some things we need to talk about.

Who really wants to waste time complaining? Where is it going to get us? I have this thing I say when someone grumbles that something happened and ruined the whole day. If someone ruined five minutes of your day, why would you want that to spoil the other 1,435 minutes in your day? That gives a different spin to attitude, huh?

But there are so many issues!

Iran is threatening the U.S. Navy? I have to believe the ayatollah doesn't want to blow up the world any more than we do. But what can power--the desire for power and authority--do to anyone?

There is a growing wealth gap between U.S. Congress and the constituency. (Constituency--that's you an me.) Congress was never supposed to be a career job. Perhaps it has gone on too long to fix. Limited terms were instituted for a reason. But power. Authority. Wealth...See the problem? No? Well, take a look: Congress and Constituency. But just to whet your appetite:

* 1984: Median net worth of House member, $280,000. (Adjusted for inflation.)

* 2009: Median net worth of House member, $725,000. (160 percent increase over 25 years.)

* 2009: Median income average American, $20,500. (Decreased over the same 25 years.)

* 2010: Annual base pay, Congressman, $176,000.

* 2010: Mean annual salary, employed, $44,410.

An economic boom in Ohio has been anticipated. The means? Marcellus Shale. However, last weekend (12/31/2011) an earthquake hit the Youngstown-Girard, Ohio area. The epicenter of the 4.0 quake was set at 1/10 of a mile from the site of a brine injection well. Published reports say the "Brine waste water from oil and gas drilling operations is often disposed of in...injection wells." 

Prior to drilling starting there were no earthquakes on record in the area. There have been 11 quakes since drilling began last spring. Another report advises that when this happened in Ashtabula County, Ohio, there were quakes for nine years after the drilling stopped, according to a news report.

Athena Anne KitchenFlint writes in West Virginia Highlands Voice: The blog of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, "...America's demand for natural gas is continually increasing. While American dependence has shifted toward foreign oil over the years, native oil companies continue to fight for market share...[T]o do this...around the turn of the millennium, the Marcellus Shale formation that is positioned under a good portion of the northeastern states...a sort of modern gold rush."

Which is most important...physical or economic health?

KitchenFlint describes the Marcellus Shale AND the process of fracking. She quotes John Manuel's article about fracking, "Some of these deposits, such as the Marcellus Shale running under the Appalachian Basin, lie beneath water tables supplying drinking water to millions of people."

"Things are in fact going wrong," KitchenFlint writes.

Bob Hagan, State Representative, D-65th, of Youngstown, supported Gov. Kasich's move to stop drilling until an investigation is completed. He said he wants to keep jobs in the area, but it's also about protecting Ohio's natural resources. (Do natural resources include people?)

With all the controversy near and far, there is a positive bit of news. In November, ABC New broadcast a story about stem cell research:

"There is promising news for people at risk for heart failure after U.S. researchers found stem cell therapy in humans has been surprisingly successful in replacing damaged muscle and getting the heart to pump better."

A friend of mine had a massive heart attack in June 2009. After too many middle-ofo-the-night ambulance runs to the ER, the doctors at Duke University stabilized Jay's medications enough to stop the middle of the night emergency runs, but he has been on the heart transplant list for about two years. He reads everything he can about stem cell research. He contacts programs for trials and would like to take part, receiving stem cells he believes can give him a second chance at living again. He has a Civil War novel he wants to writer. And he'd like to dance at his grandchildren's weddings with Camilla, his wife of 39 years (Jan. 5, 2012).

And the beat goes on...