Sunday, January 20, 2008

BLOGARHYTHMS

On this date, three years ago, I first typed the words "It Occurred To Me." Not coincidentally, that was not only the name I gave this blog, but it was also the title of my very first post. To celebrate the occasion I am reprinting post no.1 here, replete with any grammatical and spelling errors.
It Occurred To Me

...that being Politically Correct is no longer correct. When the sensitivity of a single person or the cries of a special interest group, tread more heavily upon the rights of the majority, just whose Constitutional rights are being violated?
This country was born on the fiery embers of freedoms, so wisely and carefully composed by our founding fathers.
When they penned in the words freedom of religion, that is exactly what they meant. When they also provided for separation of church and state, it was with keen foresight that they did so. Almost certainly these men have rolled over several times in their places of rest in recent years.
When I read the Constitution of the United States of America, I am not unaware that times have changed, that our population has exploded, that our nation welcomes immigrants with open arms, and that sometimes there are needs to make changes, ergo ammendments. Nowhere, however, in that great document, do I see anything that can be subjected to interpretation.
It occurred to me that being "politically correct" is in dire need of interpretation. Therefore, freedom of religion is just that - freedom of religion !
I have, you have, we all have the freedom of religion. Nowhere does it allow you or me to dictate our religious beliefs, or impose our tenets upon others. While I am on that line of thought, nowhere does it allow others to dictate or impose upon us their beliefs.
Are you with me, so far? Do you see where I am going with this? Of course you do, unless you are either one of the aforementioned single persons or belong to a special interest group, undermining my freedoms under the guise of your constitutional rights.
When you try to remove "God" from our legal tender, you are messing with my legal tender, and God knows you certainly have nothing against having, earning, and spending that same legal tender. When you remove prayer from our schools, you are messing with my schools. When you remove the Nativity scene from our public grounds, you are messing with my public grounds.
My God welcomes you, as does our country, we welcome your God. This town is big enough for more than one God. I will fight for your right to worship your God! But if you persist in trying to suppress my God, please step outside, because now you have picked a fight with me, and by GOD, I will not back down!!
Three years later I still echo the sentiments expressed in that post. The subject of Political Correctness has appeared several times during the life of this Blog, and I'm certain it will appear often in future posts.

I would have baked you a cake ... but it seems there was a "foul" up in the kitchen.

I said SHEET cake!

In those three years (1095 days) I have been somewhat (sic) prolific in putting up 1235 postings. My posts, although mostly humor, have also included some original poetry, satires, parodies and fictional short stories. Many of the jokes and images may have been "borrowed" from many sites across the web, but a lot of my humor is original.

Painting, The Birthday Cake - by Beryl Cook

The girls who were hired to get into the cake,
must have misunderstood their instructions!

I have found blogging to be an adventure that has been at the same time most satisfying and therapeutic. This blog has provided me with a vehicle to purge my mind of thoughts, thoughts that used to evaporate into oblivion. It has been an avenue for this wannabe writer to express himself.

The blog has also produced an unexpected dividend. I found that being a blogger is to be a part of a larger community. To read and to be read by countless other talented bloggers, many far more skilled than myself, has been a pleasant and rewarding benefit.

Veiled in the anonymity of screen names bloggers are free to, and often do, openly express even their innermost intimate feelings and secrets. There is enough of the real person revealed in the body of their posts, that one cannot help but know that if you were to meet that person in real life - you'd be fast friends.

To all who have read my feeble attempts as a writer, and to all those whose own words have inspired me in both their posts and their comments, thank you for three years filled with laughs, tears, and humble accolades. My words are designed to please myself, and if perchance others enjoy them, then I have accomplished more than I could have ever imagined when I began this endeavor three years ago today.

I'll let you in on a little secret, your posts have had the same results.

No.1235

4 comments:

Peter said...

Well said Mike, you echo the feelings of the vast majority of us with your comments on blogging.
Thanks for some of blogdoms most hilarious and poignant moments.

Duke_of_Earle said...

Congrats, Mike, on three great years. Good posts, and great entertainment.

John

Merle said...

Hi Mike ~~ Congrats on your 3 years of blogging. Well done and right from the first post you are on the right track. Things are the same in Australia, minority groups trying to take over our freedom of speech and
all the rest. Blogging is sure a great adventure isn't it? We get to read and learn about other folks, and other places. Take care, Regards, Merle.

Jack K. said...

Sorry I didn't get to this post sooner. I worked this weekend and it has taken me this long to do some serious blog reading.

Congratulations on three years of adding something worthwhile to the universe.

I would like to suggest one other view on the concept of political correctness. While I wholeheartedly agree with the idea of the Freedoms guaranteed in our magnificent Constitution, I do not believe it gives us the right to castigate others who are noticeably different than the majority. That is whatever -ism you care to put to it.

The problem we, the majority, face is the inability, or unwillingness to recognize that those who are different than we also should enjoy the same freedoms. Unfortunately, many of the folks who would tout political correctness have lost sight of why it was appropriate in the first place, i.e., to insure equal freedoms to all.

I don't think we are too far apart on this, because I, too, cringe when folks hide their own ignorance behind the term political correctness. Let us not throw the baby out with the bath water.

If I haven't said it before, let me congratulate you on your perspicacity, perseverance and ability to help us all to see the world in a better way.

Thanks for continuing to...

Serve others, care about those you serve and share the love in your heart.