If You've Got Something to Say, Should You Say It? (#IWSG)

Should I have said it?  (photo by Betty)

       If you really thought that I wouldn't be posting on my birthday then maybe you didn't get your wish when you blew out your last birthday cake candles.  For some of you, my blog posts might be like the proverbial bad nickel (it used to be a penny, but, you know, inflation and all).   Hard to keep a blowhard blogger quiet when there's always something to say even if it is my birthday.   And if you're wondering about my age then I'll just say it's a palindromic number that is one numeral shy of being the favorite number of those who don't particularly like the Christian ideology.

       And that is the lead-in for the topic of not only my next Battle of the Bands post coming on Wednesday, but also my topic for my February edition of...

The Insecure Writer's Support Group

         Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog. 

     

       This month I'll address the same question that others of you will be discussing along with some expanded thoughts:

How has being a writer changed your experience as a reader?

          About the same time I became a more serious reader back in the mid-sixties when I was in middle school, I also began to experiment more with writing.  As the years of schooling progressed, more writing was required in many of the classes I took and more reading was required as well.  The curriculum required the reading and study of certain classics and we were encouraged to read according to our interests.  Book reports, essay writing, and research for required projects entailed reading and more writing, none of which bothered me much since I enjoyed doing both.   For me, reading good writing makes me want to write, maybe something as good as what I've read, or maybe just write whatever fulfills me the most written in the best way I can manage writing it.

        Certainly, reading is a means of escape for me, however I want to read things that I would like to have written.  Fantasy as well as fantastical science fiction is not where my writing interests lie any longer so therefore I don't read much in those genres.  Most of my fiction writing throughout the years has been feet-on-the-ground types of stories to which I can relate.  More often than not, the reading that inspires me most is in non-fiction genres.  My reading experiences now will be escapes into the realities that others have experienced which in turn adds to my own life experience.   

         Good fiction can also do this for me, but I want to believe what I read while at the same time to not be distracted by such nonsense as explicitly written sex scenes or profuse profanity.  Sure, those things are part of real life experience, but rarely does elaborating on any of this actually enhance the value of a story being told.  This is not what I would write and likewise not something I care to read any more than I'd want to read intensely accurate descriptions of any bodily functions or extended passages of small talk that goes far beyond character development or whatever literary device is being attempted.

         Call me a prude or whatever, unnecessary description or dialog of a prurient nature is offensively distracting to me.  If I'm going to be offended then I want to be offended with ideas that rouse my mind to work in higher levels of reasoning and counterargument.  Light reading has its place for any of us, but profanity for me is not lighthearted fun or escapism.   The vilest and most frightening characters in literature scare us more with their intellect than their stupidity and their baseness.  Reading my favorite authors like Flannery O'Connor or Cormac McCarthy has introduced me to some of the creepiest folks around and they spoke nary a profane word.  

         Writing profanity or explicit sex scenes is not something with which I feel comfortable and this attitude goes hand in hand with my reading.  If I'm out to offend people--and this is not something that I necessarily strive to do--then I can write about topical political themes that upset readers or discuss religious and ideological concepts that can absolutely rile those who bitterly reject such things. Of late, I've apparently been doing this as I see certain of my posts with a decline in the number of comments. I do have a consolation in more thoughtful comments and some lengthier ongoing discussion so there is a trade off in that respect.    Should I ever consider writing fiction along these thematic lines?   I have, but then also nothing I have written has been published nor have I tried to get them published--at least not since the short stories that I submitted to publications in my college days many years ago which all got rejected.  Must have been at least partly something I said.

         Truth is that just like I don't particularly read content that offends or distracts me to no good purpose, certain readers may not want to read many of the things I want to say.  I know my writing does have an audience, but it also will have its detractors.  The question arises of how can I get a point across effectively if I'm only preaching to the choir while arguing with the rear ends of horses as they run away from me.

           Okay, so I posted this Insecure Writer's Support Group post a couple days early.  It's my birthday and it's my blog so I can kind of do what I want.  Besides, I didn't want my next post on Wednesday to be overly long because it probably will be so anyway.  I'll continue in a sense with this current post as I present a Battle of the Bands song that will be so offensive to some that I won't even name it in my post's title like I normally would.  After all, a lot of people these days are mighty touchy--irrationally touchy even.   

           If you want to hear more about what I'm talking about then be sure to come back for Wednesday's post.   And if not, I hope you at least come back to listen with an open mind to a song with a style that some of you probably won't like much and about a topic that might be a turn off to others.  After a lot of my recent posts the song was just something that came to my mind so I felt like maybe I should say it.

           Besides bad writing, what are some things that will make you less likely to finish a book that you've started reading?    Can you think of any superior quality up-lifting or mind enriching literature that relies heavily on profanity or explicit sex scenes?   How old do you think I am based on my clue provided in the opening statement?

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Why Do I Still Blog?

Evaluation is a part of the process of growth as well as abandonment.  It's a good idea to step back now and then to figure out why you're doing something and if the way you're currently doing it is still relevant.  Today I consider why I still blog.

 Relevant photograph. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

       No, I'm not considering stopping blogging--not yet.  I still have too many Battle of the Bands posts in the blog bank waiting to be played.  For now I'm going to put a hold on the Trump stuff or any other controversial opinion stuff.   I had a dilly scheduled for today that would have likely riled a few more folks, but maybe for now I best keep quiet.  Friday was going to be another topic that probably wouldn't have upset many folks, but maybe a few would have some disagreement.  I'll save that topic for later too if I do it at all.

       For now I just need to take a big breath and take it easy.  Do some chores around the house or watch TV.   Maybe even start reading a new book.  Anything but blogging.  Maybe read some of your blog posts, but not post any of my own.

        Oh yeah, big deal--I'll be back on Monday, or at least on Wednesday when I post for Battle of the Bands with maybe a word in for the Insecure Writer's Support Group.  And since Monday the 30th will be my birthday, maybe I just take the day off from blogging.

       Why do I still blog?   Because I can and because I can just do what I want.  There's not really any screwing up on my blog.  No one's going to fire me, though I guess in theory Blogger could shut down my blog or something, but I don't guess I ever do anything that would warrant that.

        One thing that I can see as I evaluate things is that the ways I approached blogging when I first started nearly eight years ago, as well as the motivations I've had over those years, have changed to a great extent.  How I blog will probably continue to change and same with what I blog.  Some things will stay the same sometimes and change at other times.

         But seriously, why do I still blog?

         Do you ever reevaluate your blogging?  Right now in your blogging life do you see blogging as a habit, a duty, a means of expression, a pleasant past time or what?    What has been inspiring you of late?

The Train Is On Schedule (#BOTB Results)

       The thing about gloomy days is that they eventually clear up.   Sunshine and blue skies return and happy days do come back again.  The train keeps a-rolling until it finally reaches its destination.  As for me, though the ride sometimes gets tedious, mostly I enjoy my journey and I'm not ready for it to end anytime soon.

The Lincoln Memorial is a national memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. dedicated to Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States. The memorial was designed by architect Henry Bacon and dedicated in 1923. The statue of Lincoln was carved of white marble by Daniel Chester French and completed in 1922. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For the Good Times

        Last week I was feeling kind of down in a stagnated sort of way.  The cool and rainy weather here in Los Angeles didn't help my mood much.   Likewise, writing my posts for my President Trump Acclimation Series contributed to a more somber contemplative mood.   I've had some serious topics and the readership drastically declined on my post Does Trump's Muslim Ban Make Sense?, which might have been due to nature of the topic (maybe too scary or sensitive to some?) or maybe it was an overall decline in readership across the blogosphere.        

     I do know that I had quite a number of hits, but not the normal ratio of actual comments. As is often said, never discuss politics or religion and this topic really broke those rules. The subject of Islam is very important, yet most people seem to want to avoid this discussion. I think that's why we have the problems about this in the world that we have. You're still free to go back to comment on that post, but today I want to move a little further on down the track.

       Thursday morning I was particularly feeling down, but then when afternoon came there was something that really lifted me up. I happened to tune into the Make America Great Inaugural Concert, an event that I had no idea was scheduled until I flipped on the television at lunchtime to see that this event would be starting soon. I kept the television on and I'm so glad I did.

        The assortment of military bands was rousing and stirred a sense of patriotism within me. When Sam Moore (he of the great soul duo Sam and Dave, now 82 years old) lit into his version of "America the Beautiful" with a choir backing him, my eyes watered and something inside of me swelled with pride for my country. Great acts followed including the Frontmen of Country, Lee Greenwood, 3 Doors Down, the Piano Guys, and a rocking performance by Toby Keith. After that concert any thoughts of gloom were behind me.

        Later that night I watched a documentary about the band Chicago who was one of my featured groups in the Battle of the Bands that I'll be announcing the winner of shortly. Somehow I thought that I'd stopped keeping track of Chicago after their second album and then watching the documentary I realized how much great music they'd put out over the years and that actually I do have some of their other albums on cassette tape. Seeing their story in this documentary shed new light on this great band which eventually found its earned place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

      Throughout Friday I was on a high with the Presidential Inauguration and all of the accompanying events. It was raining like crazy throughout the day where I live so it made it ideal for just sitting on the couch all day covered in blankets and watching television. Donald J Trump is now officially President of the United States and I and plenty of other people are happy about that. Others are not and I'll have a few more things to say about that in upcoming posts.

       Over the past weeks of posting I've lost 22 followers I guess and I would probably have lost more if more of those "following" the blog actually were reading my posts. And you know what--I don't particularly care. People who stop following you on a blog, or Facebook, or Twitter, or wherever are insincere intolerant people who are not worth having as followers. The people I like to call friends are those who accept me even if we don't agree and who are willing to have civil exchanges without being rude.

     Tell other people the truth about what you think and you can find out a lot about the integrity of those people in how they respond.
 .

Battle of the Bands Results

     My Battle featuring versions of "Take the A Train" by the Delta Rhythm Boys and Chicago was almost unfair in my view.  I'd have rather just called my vote a tie because I liked both of them equally. Actually I was hoping the final tally would have been such that I could have cast my vote to make the outcome a tie, but alas this did not happen.  But it came close, so I'll cast a vote for Chicago to make it closer to a tie.

Final Vote Tally

Delta Rhythm Boys        14

Chicago                           12

Next Battle on Wednesday February 1st

       I'll have some more posts before the next Battle--and there are going to be a few more posts concerning some issues about the election.  I have so much to discuss and I want to say it even if some folks don't want to hear it.   But I guess it's about as good as talking about anything else.  I suppose...

        My next Battle of the Bands is one that is partially shaded by elements of what I've been talking about in some recent posts and what has been on my mind not just recently, but for a long long time.   Hope you'll at least check out that Battle to come which is among many things that are or might be coming soon.   And that's my hint for the next song.

         Did you happen to see the Inauguration Concert on Thursday or any of the events on Friday?   Did anyone reading this participate in the protests on Saturday?   Were you among those who visited my previous post on Islam and did not comment and if so, why?

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Does Trump's Muslim Ban Make Sense?

Please vote on my current Battle of the Bands if you have not yet done so.  Then continue with today's post if you dare...

Wailing Wall, Jerusalem, by Gustav Bauernfeind (19th century). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Warning:  This Post Gets Extreme!

       The post that follows is a continuation of Is Donald Trump Islamophobic?--visit that post for the full set-up for my current post.  However to briefly summarize, I would maintain that nothing that Donald Trump said during his campaign would deem him to be Islamophobic in any way and that furthermore the term "Islamophobia" is an absurd derogatory label that the left and others assign to those who disagree with Islam.

        Also I would like to emphatically state that in no way do I condone any mistreatment of Muslims or their property for what they believe.  They are free to believe as they wish.  By the same token, I and others are free to have and state our opinions about Islam.

        As promised in my previous post of my President Trump Acclimation Series I am going to explain why I believe that one of the most brilliant things that I think Donald Trump said during his campaign for president was “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on,” 

Why Brilliant?

        Most Americans know little to nothing about Islam.  In fact it seems apparent that most of the non-Islam world knows much about this religion and they seem more than willing to accept great numbers of Muslim "refugees" into their countries with the expectation that they will all assimilate just fine into their cultures.  Many in fact do and tend to live side by side without too many problems--on the surface of things that is.

         Most Muslims living in the United States present little threat, but they are also very much a minority.  In areas where their numbers are higher the problems sometimes become greater.   The Council on Arab-Islamic Relations has become a somewhat radicalized advocate for Muslims making demands on communities, employers, schools, and other places to provide more accommodations for them rather than assimilating.  Okay, I can understand this to some extent, but that is a beginning of something that could have more ominous future repercussions.  

         Much on this is well documented and can be found quickly through internet searches. Since I want to keep this post as short as I can I won't offer specific examples here, but perhaps in some future posts I can delve more deeply into the issues.  However I will make reference to the numerous problems that have arisen in Europe with the rising numbers of Muslim immigrants.   You've undoubtedly heard accounts in France, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, and many other countries.  The clash of cultures has become an issue of great concern throughout the world.  Why?

There is a History

         The root of the problem is within the belief system.   After the appearance of the Muhammadan belief in the seventh century, the movement spread quickly and often by violent conquest and forced conversions.  A stated objective of the followers of Islam early on included a conquest and conversion of Europe.  Through the Moorish invasion they were successful to some extent until Europeans regained control.  The Crusades were a campaign to wrest control of the Holy Lands from the Islamic conquerors.   There has been an ugly history between Christian and Muslim nations for centuries.

        Many Americans are not aware that the first international conflict that confronted the newly founded United States was with Islamic terrorists in the Barbary Wars from 1801 to 1815.   You may know this not as a war, but as attacks by the Barbary pirates.   These were not pirates like we typically think of, but they were Islamist aggressors who attacked our merchant vessels, enslaving sailors, forcing them into conversion to Islam, or killing them.  The line in the "Marine Hymn" that references "to the shores of Tripoli" is in regard to that particular conflict.

         Our country has had various confrontations with Islamic aggressors over the the centuries, but it has reached the most serious proportions in recent decades.  The United States has spent trillions of dollars fighting in Islamic countries and I think the issue that Donald Trump's question raises is why are we doing this?   Oil?  Our national security?  Building democracies?   What the hell is going on and why do we insist on interfering?

          Islamic extremists have become a threat to the United States and other countries, but haven't we brought a lot of this on ourselves by our interventions?   The biggest threat from Islamic terrorist groups is probably to Muslims.   There is so much disagreement and infighting among them that it's probably very unwise to get involved.   Perhaps they need to sort this out among themselves and then the rest of the world needs to decide where things go after that. 

          Even certain reformers within Islam such as Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi have said that Islam has an internal problem.    The United States nor any other non-Muslim country has little business in deciding the affairs of the Islamic nations unless those nations are a direct threat to us.  Right now with Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and so many other hotbeds of contention we see Sunnis and Shiites fighting for control.  We shouldn't be arming any of them or taking sides if we are not Muslim.   Syria's Assad is an Alawite whose government has protected Christians and yet our government wants to oust him from the presidency even though there had been a relatively stable government there for years.

         Let's face it, the Middle East is a mess and much of the world where Islam is in control is of a questionable nature in context with the rest of the world.   With all of the Muslim nations that are available, why should Muslim refugees want to go to the non-Muslim nations?  Once again this becomes part of the "what the hell is going on" question.

        When you get down to the heart of it all, Islam and Christianity and probably any other belief system are incompatible.   Islam and Christianity are in direct opposition to each other when you delve into the beliefs of the two.  To a Muslim, any one who isn't a believer of Islam is an infidel, lesser than they and deserving of death if they will not convert or subject to special taxes or other punitive measures.  This may not be something that is necessarily made much of when they are in the minority, but nevertheless it is at the very core of the belief.

          If one is a follower of Jesus Christ and adheres to the words that Jesus spoke then there is, in the end, no tolerance for Islam since Jesus is the only way to the Father.  The Christian should love the Muslim with hopes to reach them with the truth of the Gospel, but can a true Christian accept the Koran and its teaching?  

           The common solution is to live and let live.  Don't talk about it or if we do talk about it then accept each other's beliefs in some way--whichever way works.   But in reality, if one is a true believer, does any way but One Way work?   That is a problem that cultures living together must confront and ultimately can they?

           If a Holy War such as what the groups like ISIS are striving to achieve actually came to pass, then would it be wise to have large numbers of non-western-conformed Muslims among us?   Even Muslims who have been raised in our country: What happens when they become radicalized?   Islam is planting a seed that can sprout with a vengeance when nurtured with extremist teaching.  We've seen it happen.

A Call to Figure It All Out

          Hatred is not a good solution.  But realistic thinking has to come into play.  We must become better informed and discuss these issues among those with whom we agree as well as those on the other side.  The governments of Muslim nations need to understand what divides them and what unites them as well as what divides and unites all of us.   One world government and one world religion is an ominous solution that might be proposed by some and we must beware.  This will likely be coming soon and what do you think that would entail?

          Donald Trump's simplistic call to figure out "what the hell is going on" is in reality very complex when taken in view of the world and all of its systems of beliefs.  Of course we may be seeing that "Holy War" coming sooner than many of us have hoped for if Trump's plan to move the United States embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.   From a historical perspective I agree with this move. Bibically speaking I think it's an outstanding move since I am 100% pro-Israel.  And right there I'm in dire opposition with many Muslims.   If we do have a Holy War then we should not be harboring great numbers of Muslim refugees in the United States, Canada, Europe, Russia, or any other non-Muslim country.

          Perhaps my thinking is going to an apocalyptic extreme, but as a Christian I believe what I believe.  It's there in the Bible (and not in the Koran or to my knowledge any other Islamic text).  You can read it for yourself.  Or you can dispute it as nonsense, fantasy, myth, or whatever.   However I will leave you with this to think about:   The situation with Israel and Jerusalem was foretold three thousand years ago.  A prophecy that old should hold some credence even for those who don't believe it.   I guess we'll see and the way things are shaping up we may be seeing soon.

          Do you think the prophecies about the Jews, Israel, and Jerusalem are more than coincidence?   Why do you think Muhammad based his belief system on the same story as recounted by the Judeo-Christian tradition?   Do you think it would make more sense for the Muslim refugees to relocate in other Muslim countries if safe zone cannot be established in the countries from where they are coming?

Take the A Train (BOTB)

        My fascination with trains goes back to my childhood in the Fifties.  My grandfather had worked for the railroad for a while and often talked to me about trains.   The electric train set that my parents got me for Christmas in 1957 became a yearly tradition as the layout was set up around the Christmas tree.   Each year my parents added new trains and accessories to that layout.  If there had been enough room in our house, I would have loved to have kept my trains in operation throughout the year.   I loved trains then and I remain transfixed by trains.

Postcard of the "New Olympian" passenger train. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

         When the metaphorical motto about "getting on the Trump train" came into use, it was something that I easily related to.   The campaign was a wild ride, but a well organized ride with more people getting on board at each station stop.  With the inauguration before us at the end of this week the real train ride begins.  There's still time for more of us to get on board.  I'm hoping for a pleasant ride over the next four years.  I'm sure the opposition will continue to try to obstruct the progress of the journey, but this is a powerful train that is not likely to be easily deterred.

         Still, many of you are not ready or at all interested on hoping aboard the Trump Train.   So let's forget about that train for a while and ride a different train to a different place.   Let's take the A Train down to Harlem...


Battle of the Bands

         Battle of the Bands is the blogging event started by Far Away Series and now hosted by StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands.   This event happens twice each month on the 1st and 15th.   The premise is simple:  Listen to the songs presented below and then in the comments vote for your favorite and tell us why you liked it.  Then visit the links listed near the bottom of this post for more Battle action.


Take the A Train

      This is one of the signature tunes of the Duke Ellington Orchestra.  "Take the A Train" was composed by Billy Strayhorn and Duke's son Mercer Ellington in order to circumvent high ASCAP broadcasting royalty fees.  The title is a reference to taking the new A train rather than the D train as the best way get to Harlem and Sugar Hill from Brooklyn. A popular account says that the title was inspired by instructions that Duke gave to Strayhorn in order to get to his house.

      Strayhorn claimed to have written lyrics for the song, but the first recorded vocal version had lyrics composed by (or for) The Delta Rhythm Boys, whose version I'm using as the first offering in my second Band Battle of 2017.   For reference purposes, I've offered for your listening pleasure a 1943 version of Duke Ellington and his Orchestra performing the song in the film Reveille with Beverly.

Don't Vote on this version, please!!!   For reference only...





Here are the versions to vote on...

The Delta Rhythm Boys  "Take the A Train"  (1942?)

        I love this video!  This version of "A Train" is a step back in time.  Great harmonies done with style, "The A Train" doesn't get much better than this.  Seeing as I can't hop on a time machine I'm happy to let this video take me back   These guys are the real deal.  What do you think?

       





Chicago  "Take the A Train" (1995)

      On Night and Day, their acclaimed album collection of big band standards, Chicago reached back into the past with updated recordings of classic jazz tunes. Chicago pays tribute to the big band sound while pushing into the realm of psychedelia as it goes into territory the "A Train" never went before.  See if you think this is as cool as I think it is.





Time To Vote!

        The song versions in this Battle were recorded over 50 years apart providing very different musical takes on the same song.  Which version do you like the best?   

        Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours.

Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:


 StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands

 ‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ 

  'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'

'Curious as a Cathy'

Sound of One Hand Typing

The Doglady's Den 

Angel's Bark  

Cherdo on the Flipside  

Jingle, Jangle, Jungle 
  
J. A. Scott  



Winner Announced on Monday January 23rd

      There will be another couple of posts in my President Trump Acclimation Series in the upcoming week. They will continue to be harsh as have been the preceding two entries, though those posts generated some excellent discussion. My wish is not to condemn anyone or any group, but to inform and raise what I think are some important points that are often ignored by most people. Then on January 23rd it will be back to my more important concern, Battle of the Bands. At that time we'll see what you readers have opined about the two song versions to be voted on in the above post. Please vote!

        Do you like trains?   Have you ever taken a train trip or do you commute via train?  Would you like to see a resurgence in affordable efficient passenger train travel?  

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Is Donald Trump Islamophobic?

       If someone doesn't agree with an agenda they might be tagged with the label of a "phobia" in order to discredit their mental health and portray them as a not very reliable loon.  This is a tactic typically used by the left and seems to easily take hold by a gullible society, a propagandist media, and the disingenuous agents of academia.  False labeling that sounds clinical on the surface is nothing more than a dishonest ruse to promote leftist thinking and destroy those who disagree.

Islamophobia and Xenophobia and Donald Trump

A number of terms with the suffix -phobia are used non-clinically...Such terms are not phobias. They are derogatory terms for negative attitudes towards certain categories of people or other things, used in an invalid analogy with the medical usage of the term. These terms were coined with the purpose of shedding a negative light on the people within these opposing groups, by suggesting that everyone within has an irrational fear towards the objects of the terms. Usually these kinds of "phobias" are described as fear, dislike, disapproval, prejudice, hatred, discrimination, or hostility towards the object of the "phobia".^{[47]    
Wikipedia}

      Now to continue with another installment of my  President Trump Acclimation Series.

      In this post we come to the final entries in what I've been referring to as "the litany of labels" that have continued to be assigned to Donald Trump and his supporters--xenophobic and Islamophobic.   The first of these is a legitimate term in psychology which has been misused by proponents of the Trump bashing movement.  In truth there is no actual phobia at play in anything that Trump has been saying.

       Building a wall and addressing the issues of illegal immigration are matters of law enforcement and have nothing to do with race or any fear of foreigners.  Even though some undocumented workers and others illegally in the U.S. might contribute to the tax coffers, there is no denying that the illegal immigrants and migrants of refugee status place a burden on the already overly encumbered American taxpayer. Beyond the financial aspects, which in some cases can be argued from a positive standpoint as much as a negative, there are still important issues of national security and stability of the nation.  I won't get into depth on this extensive subject other than to point out that this is not an issue of xenophobia.

        However the deceptive accusation of "Islamophobia" might be not well understood by many.  After all we have been repeatedly reminded that Islam is "the religion of peace" and terrorism has nothing to do with Islam.

        Now before I continue, as an aside and to reiterate the sentiments I expressed in my previous post, we should not harass or hurt those with whom we disagree.  What I am saying in my post does not in any way condone verbally or physically attacking Muslims or vandalizing their property. They are entitled to believe as they wish as long as it doesn't interfere with what you and I wish to believe.  Likewise I think that President-elect Trump would offer this same consideration.

        Most Muslims are just plain folks like you or I.  They want to work in their jobs, aspire for comfortable lives, and raise their families in peace without threat from their neighbors.  The typical Muslim has been raised in their faith and most are likely moderate believers just like a good many of people who think of themselves as Christians.  Probably the majority of Muslims in the United States have been westernized and do not isolate themselves from the rest of us with any religious garb or ostentatious prayer routines.  Of course this is my guess and I can not actually verify this statement, but I think I'm probably correct.  In all likelihood, if you had a Muslim neighbor you might never even know their religion unless they told you.

        I can't say that I've had many long ongoing close relationships with any Muslims.  A couple of them live in my neighborhood and though we are congenial when we encounter each other (which is rare), we don't have any close relations.  But that is true with all of my neighbors--I don't socialize with any of them and that's just the way my wife and I are.

      Once there was a beautiful young Muslim woman who was part of a study team I led at the University of Phoenix where I received my degree in 2007.  This team consisted of three men--a Mormon, a Roman Catholic, and an atheist--and this one Muslim lady. We all got along very well and worked together to produce an excellent presentation for our class project.   The lady was extremely nice, and though originally from Iran, she was very westernized and moderate in her practice of Islam.  We had some interesting uncontentious discussions about our different religions when we weren't focused on working on our project.

        I have nothing against Muslims on a one on one basis and would not desire to be in conflict with a Muslim any more than I want to be in conflict with anyone.  I've always tried to be a peacemaker as well as a peaceful person.  I like to listen to reason and take a rational approach to anything that I don't know much about in order to learn more.

         From the things Donald Trump said during the campaign I think he sounds like he takes a similar approach to other people.   More than once Trump stated that he had good relationships with many Muslims and admired many of their accomplishments.   His concern was always stated to be radical Islamic terrorism.  To me this is a totally rational statement and has nothing to do with so-called "Islamophobia".  

          Now, some will say that the phobia part comes from Trump's declaration of calling for a ban on Muslims coming to the U.S. from primarily Islamic countries.  The "Muslim Ban" is how this came to be called.    If you'll recall this ban was proposed immediately after the massacre in San Bernardino, California by two Muslims at a work-related Christmas party.  The ban was offered as a security measure to prevent potential terrorists from coming to this country.

        Not Islamophobia in my estimation, but wisdom.   One of the most brilliant things that I think Donald Trump said during his campaign for president was “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on,” 

         Why do I say "brilliant"?   I'll tell you in the next part of my  President Trump Acclimation Series.  This upcoming post just might be the most inflammatory of all of the posts in my series.  You can decide for yourselves. 

          That next part will come next week--Wednesday maybe, since Friday is Inauguration Day, and I'm aiming for another post on that day.   Of course this Sunday January 15th will be my special Battle of the Bands Inauguration Day post so I might be stepping on that post by having another so soon after, but I'll put a BOTB reminder on any subsequent posts I might do that week.

          Please do stop by on Sunday or shortly thereafter to vote on the BOTB post.   I've got one heck of a classic song in store and I don't want anyone to miss that train before it leaves the station.

          Does using "phobia" as a derogatory reference annoy you?   Do you think it's appropriate to use clinical terminology to describe things you might not like or agree with?   Have you ever disliked someone for what they were rather than who they were?

An Agenda to Gaily Slander Those Who Disagree

      If you aren't willing to stand up for what you believe in, you might lose your right to believe it.  A vocal opposition will drown out the voice crying in the wilderness if you allow that to happen.


      And so continues my series of posts that I've called the President Trump Acclimation Series where I clarify and try to correct some of the issues that have arisen in the minds of some who have questioned why I voted for Trump.    My reason for doing this series is that I'm annoyed with the continuous reciting of the litany of labels that come from the anti-Trump crowd--racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, and so on. 

A variant of the rainbow flag, symbolizing the gay rights movement in the United States. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is Donald Trump a Homophobe?

      At no time during the campaign did I hear any anti-gay comments from Donald Trump.  The continual outcries declaring that he displayed "homophobic" sentiments are false.   Some make the claim that Trump's selection of Mike Pence demonstrated an anti-LBGTQ attitude.   Throughout the campaign I heard Trump assure voters that he would stand against any persecution of the gay community and support the laws as they stand.  

       Say what you will, there was little discussion of LBGTQ issues in Trump's campaign in any one way or another.  It was not an issue so far as I am aware so the "homophobic" label is just another lie that was spewed by leftist media and the Trump opposition and the label continues to be falsely thrown at Donald Trump.

Now To Step Into Dangerous Territory...

       Let me begin by saying that I do not think that anyone should be bullied, persecuted, or ostracized for what they want to believe.  What I am about to say in this post actually puts me in this very position, but that's fine with me.  I've already set myself up for condemnation by declaring my support for Donald Trump so what else can happen?   Plenty I suppose, including having this blog deleted or at the very least losing more followers.   We live in a highly intolerant society and this intolerance seems to be more aimed at Christians and Conservatives more than any other group.  Say what you will about this, but I believe this to be true.

       The clear fact is that there are some, Christians as well as others, who believe that homosexuality and the other sexual inclinations are wrong.  This is true especially among those who strongly adhere to what they believe that the Bible clearly states.  In our time there are some more free thinking types who might consider themselves Christians who have reinterpreted what they read in the Bible or merely dismiss what the Bible says about homosexuality and other sexual sin.  In the context of our society we are all free (so far) to choose how we believe.  However in the end God will decide what to do about all of this.   As a Bible believing follower of Jesus Christ I accept the literal teaching of the Bible and do not accept interpretations that conform to what society desires or what individuals decide for themselves.

        I realize that this is not a popular perspective with many people and abhorrent to the left.  I will stand by my belief and defend anyone else who believes as I do.  But at the same time I will not discriminate toward those who believe otherwise.  Having spent many years in the entertainment industry, I was associated with many gays as co-workers and clientele.  Most of them were nice folks who were highly talented.  Since many of my cast members in the shows I managed were homosexual, I had lengthy associations and developed friendships with many of them.  We got along well together and accepted each other for who we were.  However, I never approved of their lifestyles and that aspect of their lives was something I avoided.

        Our society seems to insist that the gay or whatever lifestyle should not only be accepted by all of us, but it should also be promoted and celebrated.  Some of us feel that we have the right to disagree and often must suffer negative consequences for our beliefs.  Businesses that don't wish to participate in a gay agenda are often boycotted or worse.  Individuals who speak out against what they see as sinful behavior might be taunted for what they believe and in some cases ruined.

         The "phobia" label is often used to sully the reputations of good people who see things in a different way than what popular culture is trying to promote.  Is that right?   I don't believe it is anymore right than the persecution of anyone for how they see things.  And yet that seems to be the direction that much of our society is taking.   Hatred for anyone is wrong, but it is not the exclusive attitude of any one side.  Sure, we might abhor a behavior or despise a belief system, but if we start hating others then no lessons are learned and no true peace is gained.

          This is as far as I'll go with this topic for now as I've strayed from the issue of Trump and likely set myself up as a bad guy in some eyes.   I have no control over what some of you might think of me beyond my just keeping quiet about what I believe.   If you don't like what I've said here then you just dump me or you can feel free to state your case in the comments.  Remember though that I've been civil in this post and if you assault me with abuse then you are solidifying the case I've made here.

           Did you ever hear Donald Trump say anything that you would consider "homophobic"?    Should people be allowed to maintain unpopular beliefs without facing abusively negative reactions from others?    Do you feel the Bible is always right, is it a malleable document that can be interpreted to fit what we want, or is it of little relevance in our time?