Changing Horses in Midstream

         Changing horses is not the same as changing a diaper.  One might be more a matter of avoiding a mess while the other is a necessity to get rid of a mess.  And if one does change horses midstream they can always get back on that same horse later on.  Which brings me to the question:  Does anyone not use disposable diapers these days?

 example for camera tossing foto technique, done by Nadja (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

      Have you voted on my most recent Battle of the Bands?   I've gotten a number of votes so far but as always I could use more.   In my highly biased opinion it's an outstanding Battle related to an interesting topic.  So if you have not voted on this Battle I'd appreciate it if you'd do so now.  After all, Battle of the Bands is really my main focus on Tossing It Out despite of what things might have appeared in recent months.  I try to revolve all of my posts around those music battles and not politics.  Maybe hard to believe, but it's true.

       Back in November I started my series about Donald Trump in response to some encouragement of sorts from other bloggers.  Originally my intent was to blog about the negativity concerning President Trump and related issues until the Inauguration.  But the lies and hate spewing continued after that day and since I still had more to say I kept presenting what I felt were calm reasonable posts in response to the nasty mentally unhinged ranting from the liberal left and others who didn't like our new president.  The dishonest negativity continues in the mainstream media as well as social media.  My series could continue for months, maybe years.   Still there are other considerations for me to heed.

        Looks like it's time to end my President Trump Acclimation Series, not because I'm giving it up, but because I want to "sanitize" Tossing It Out from contentious politics as we head toward A to Z April.  For those who are not aware, there is this little blogging event coming next month and I have participated in this event for the past seven years.  This next one will be my eighth year of involvement.  If you want to know more you can visit the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge blog to get more details.

         My April theme will not be politics (unless I change horses again) so that's why I need to step back from my intelligent countering to anti-Trump absurdity.  On Monday March 20th I'll tell you what my theme will be as this will be A to Z Theme Reveal day--the day when many participants will jointly tell the world what they will be blogging about in April.

        As for the posts on President Trump and politics in general there will likely be more to come unless the world suddenly gains sanity and the United States has begun to progress in the direction of becoming greater.  And even if I don't blog politically, I will continue to Toss It Out with controversy now and then.  I might make some readers angry, annoyed, amused, or just contemplative.  It's what I've usually aimed for on this site in one way or another.

        So stay tuned.   My Wednesday post will be my announcement of the winner of my current Battle of the Bands match.   Will your favorite version be the winner?   My Friday post will likely upset a few readers--it's not meant to be political, but since so many celebrities insist on sharing their opinions then some might construe my post to be a revenge based on politics.

         Hope you'll stay with me in whatever I discuss in my posts.  And most of all, I hope you'll keep contributing to the comment section.   The comments are the best part of the blog.

          When do you have a tendency to "change horses in midstream"?   Do you think it's best for me to avoid politics during A to Z April?   Do you think the topic of President Trump is worth coming back to later?

So Many People Going Out of Their Heads! (#BOTB Results)

That is one of most vitriolic statements I've heard in a long time. You've just outed yourself for what you really are. You are an angry old white man. That can't stand either the liberal agenda, or anybody that can. You truly are not the man I thought you were, and I'm done with you.
--comment received on a recent post at TOSSING IT OUT.

Angry Penguin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     In recent months--certainly since shortly after Donald Trump announced his candidacy and I hinted my support for him as president-- a few followers have been trickling away from my blog while others have expressed a distaste for my support of Trump.  No problem there since disagreement, so long as it is respectful and healthy, is something I think we can and should all accept without getting whipped into a frenzy.

       However, after the election when Trump won and it was fairly known that I had voted for him, there has been some crazy reaction to me and to some of my blog posts, which I have tried to present with a sense of intentional calm and rationality.  It seems those on the opposition side to mine can say whatever they wish in any disrespectful way they wish while what I say or what others on my side of the fence might say is met with anger and vituperation.  It all seems a bit unhinged to me, but what's a blogger to do?

     Though I haven't unfollowed any blogs, there are a few that I no longer bother to read for one reason or another which probably works to my advantage from the standpoint of using my time wisely.  If a blogger does leave a comment on my site then I will visit their blog and usually leave a comment--that is, unless they've left a comment like the one that opened this post.  I don't want to rile anyone any more than they've already been riled.  If I do visit a blog and don't leave a comment then that would be highly unusual for me, but it would also mean that there was nothing for me to respond to--and this from a blogger who will typically even respond to a post about knitting or something that I don't do or know nothing about.

            And then there are those comments on my posts that seem genuine and intelligent to which I will leave thought out and often extensive replies which I don't know whether they have been seen or not because there is no further response from the blogger who left the original comment.   But more on that come Friday's post...



Battle of the Bands Results!

            My most recent Battle of the Bands contest featuring renditions of the classic Little Anthony and the Imperials song "Goin' Out of My Head" did not turn out quite like I expected.  I thought there was far more disco hate out there, but I guess when put up against an eccentric sounding La Lupe, disco rules. The Queen of Latin Soul in this match was no contest when put up against a queen of disco.

        It was kind of close deciding for me, but the disco string section wins me over more than percussive Latin horns, which I do have an affinity for though not enough to sway my vote in this match up.  And in agreement with most of you voting in this round, Gloria Gaynor's voice was more appealing than the--how do I put it?--the slightly kooky vocal styling of La Lupe.  I never really got on board with that "Disco Sucks" movement and I still enjoy hearing the danceable music that I don't normally dance to.  Sorry Lupe, you were kind of fun, but your version didn't have the appeal for me that Gloria did.

 Final Vote Tally

Gloria Gaynor     19

La Lupe               2

****************

Next Battle of the Bands on Wednesday March 1st

       My next Battle will be continuing on somewhat the same theme as this previous Battle with a bit of an international flair.   It's a well-known American artist's pop hit from the sixties that seemed to have caught the attention of the world with renditions coming from somewhat unexpected places.  It's another "crazy" tune that will tie in with my post that will appear on Monday February 27th.   Before that Monday post though, I'll try to push the envelope a bit more with an absurd post on Friday that might mostly bug some bloggers who might not see it.  But what the heck--I've started stirring the pot so I might as well finish the stew.

        Have any of my posts ticked you off a bit, but not enough to run you off yet?   Do you come back to a comment thread to see if a blogger has responded to a comment that you've left that has included questions?     I doubt whether you can do it, but would you like to venture a guess as to my next song choice for BOTB?

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Personal Encounters with Mental Disorder

“I think that we're all mentally ill. Those of us outside the asylums only hide it a little better - and maybe not all that much better after all.”

  --Stephen King

Drawn by early 20th-century commercial cat illustrator Louis Wain near the beginning of his mental illness (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Was There Something Wrong with Me? 

        When I was in high school I became concerned that I might have had or had been becoming afflicted with a mental disorder.  I felt out of place, unable to fit in well with the culture of my peers.   Most of the time when I wasn't at school I stayed home watching television, reading, writing--doing solitary activities.  Having few friends, I was certain that there was something not quite right with me.

        In my concern, I began doing research about "mental illness".  I read every book and article I could find on the subject.  When I enrolled in college, I started out with a major in psychology with my aim set on become a psychiatrist or a psychoanalyst or something related to these fields, partly in hopes of curing my own affliction.

       As I was completing my second year in my pursuit of my major in psychology, I began to rethink my original intentions.  This was partly due to my struggle with the required statistics classes which I could not understand why they were important to what I wanted to do.  In retrospect I wish I had focused better on those classes as statistics is now a topic that does interest me.  At the time it just seemed like another difficult degree requirement that I would have rather not had to contend with.

       That's when I changed my major to English and pursued a general liberal arts education that left me with a fairly well-rounded acquisition of appreciation of fine arts and general knowledge in a whole realm of different subjects.  This is the course I pursued for five years until dropping out of the University of Tennessee just a few credits shy of a degree.

         Soon after that I found myself with a career in show business traveling on the road and discovering that I wasn't any more mentally ill than most average people.  What I had earlier mistaken for "mental illness" was merely a state of mind called adolescence and then later it went on to become aimless meandering of young adulthood.

          Reflecting with old friends and acquaintances as years went by I discovered that not only many of them had the same self doubts and fears that I had, but some suffered to a greater degree.  Through the years I've seen people I know struggle with problems of dependency and depression.  A few even committed suicide.  Some came out of those years just fine while others fared far less well than I.

          I guess we've all had our moments of craziness and periods when life tried to batter us down. I can't think of anyone that I've known who hasn't at least considered therapy, counseling, or some kind of treatment whether it be from someone else or their own pursuits of self-help.  What we ourselves do with major or minor mental crises determines how our own stories turn out in the end.

My Brother's Story

         My youngest brother by eleven years difference began his own struggle with mental disorder after he entered high school.  By that time I was mostly away from home so I wasn't close to what was happening in his life or the lives of my parents.  I didn't understand the seriousness of his condition until after he was hospitalized with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.   And being away like I was, the situation didn't have that much of an impact on me.

         My brother's condition was a great burden of sorrow on my father until the time of his death at age 67.  My father kept my brother in the best hospitals until his insurance would no longer cover the cost.  Over time my father researched the disorder and sought out whatever treatment he thought might help and yet to no avail.  His youngest son seemed to be hopelessly ill with no cure that would even bring a semblance of normalcy to his life.  There came a resignation that his youngest son, my youngest brother whom I discovered that I had never really gotten to know very well, would probably be institutionalized for the remainder of his life.

        After my father died in 1990, my mother was left to shoulder that burden which was a burden that she carried mostly on her own (with the help of the mental health professionals) for the next 24 years.   Fortunately she did meet a kind devoted man who became her partner in 1997 who did help her tremendously until his death in 2012.  And though I spoke to my mother regularly--and after 2009 almost daily--on the phone and visited her as often as I could, she being in Tennessee and me in California, and she received some emotional support from my other siblings, this was still a relatively small solace in contending with a mother's baby who was in such a sad condition of mental health.

        Then my mother died in November of 2014.  Still institutionalized in Nashville, his closest family living three hours away, my brother was an orphan in his fifties.   The responsibility of attending to his affairs fell upon me.  Correspondence and reporting from the care facility is directed towards me and now it is I who is responsible for making important medical and life decisions for my brother.

         He calls me several times a week and sometimes several times a day mostly to talk about music CD's he wants me to order for him.  Most of that CD conversation is redundant if not a bit perplexing to me since he seems to be buying music that he has owned in the past that has been lost or stolen.  All of the music is from the seventies and eighties or newer releases that those same artists might have put out.  Sometimes he tells me about other things he needs like clothes.  The CD's, the clothes, and whatever else he wants or needs I order online and have drop shipped to him at the hospital where he lives.

          Occasionally, I'll try to get him to change the subject of what he wants me to order for him to something about him and his life.  In some rare instances he'll talk about the past or he'll talk about his life now.  Often I don't quite understand what he is referring to or the stories will seem so outlandish that I don't know if they're real or not.  He often tells me about his pain, mostly due to his legs and neck being broken. I tell him that he wouldn't be able to get around if his neck and legs were broken, but that doesn't convince him that they are not broken.

         Some readers of my previous posts of the past week might have thought that I take the topic of mental disorders lightly.  Believe me, I have first hand experience with the subject of mental disorders.  I understand the difficulties that those directly affected by mental afflictions go through as well as the pain and sadness that the families and others might face.  Mental affliction is a serious matter and yet like most serious matters you can laugh about them sometimes.  One almost has to laugh about them now and then.  Life can heap enough pain, sadness, and misery upon us that can wear us away and even destroy us if we allow the negatives to beat us down.  There are times to weep as well as times to laugh, so laugh I will when I feel like laughing and laugh I will in the face of defeat and adversity.  Laughter is, as the cliche goes, the best medicine and that is something I firmly believe.

        I have a great tendency towards being a patient person.  I also attempt to be one who will try to reason with those who are being unreasonable.  This is partly why I've taken on my President Trump Acclimation Series.  I've been hearing the craziness all around me for eighteen months now.

         Unlike trying to reason with my brother, I have hope that some of the vehement anti-Trumpers can be reasoned with.  There are also times I tip to the edge of humor with poking a bit of fun at what I see as lunacy on the left.  Even my brother has brief flashes of what seems like a brilliant clarity that makes me want to believe he's been scamming all of us all along.  However, I know that's not true but only my glimmer of hope that one day he'll suddenly say with lucidity that he wants to come back and be a part of the reasoning world.  When he explains concepts of wants versus needs or contemplates spiritual issues I have a hope that the man that my father dreamed of my brother becoming one day has finally emerged from a distant dim place of confused thinking.   When he comes up with an insightful bit of wit that brings laughter to the both of us, I feel like somehow he gets the humorous aspect of life's darker sides.

          I don't really expect that he will be better any time soon because he has been medicated for too many years and probably could not exist without being in some type of institutionalized setting where others have to make decisions for him.  It's doubtful that he can ever live normally like most of the society around me.

          Then I look at the insanity that is going around in this supposedly normal society.  In my post Is Extreme Anti-Trumpism a Mental Illness  I might have seemed to be making light of a serious situation, but I was indeed as serious as I could be about this current socio-political phenomena.  Consistently taking things to an extreme and fixating upon them can, in my opinion, start leading to some serious problems within an individual as well as within our society.

A Closing Thought with Example

            I realize this has been a long post, but I felt a need to clarify where I'm coming from about mental afflictions and fixations and such related things.  Before I close, I'd like to leave you with an exchange between myself and a blogger who has seemed to have developed what I think is a peculiar almost unhealthy fixation regarding President Trump, Trump supporters, and the beliefs those supporters have.  I've decided to no longer identify or link to this blogger, but as illustrated in an exchange which began prior to Donald Trump's announcement to run for president and continued to shortly before his inauguration.  The nature of the relationship as it progresses strikes me as weird, but I'll let you decide.

        To set up the comment thread, the original post was what I found to be a rather cynical, but entertaining review of the film Whiplash.  Take note that I was interested in the conversation with this blogger enough to remember the initial exchange and return to the conversation over a year after it began.  Here is the thread that ensued with dates of each comment and response:

Arlee BirdJanuary 28, 2015 at 12:20 PM

Very funny review.

I've been hearing so many good things about this film that it's had me curious to see it. Then your review reaffirms the bad things I've heard about this film. I might see this one eventually when it makes it to DVD, but I might forget to see it too. This sounds like one of those films that will end up on my Netflix queue toward the bottom and never make it toward the top because I keep putting other films above it.

Then again, based on your review, I might have to see it just to see what you've described. It sounds pretty crazy.\

anon blogger          January 28, 2015 at 1:09 PM
Lee: It is pretty crazy. But what I find more crazy than the movie are all the things people who like it are saying about it. It's like, maybe, they are blinded by the music aspect of the movie. Or, maybe, they all had experiences with a band director who yelled at them for screwing up, so it's some kind of "experience" to see the movie. I don't know.

Arlee BirdFebruary 19, 2016 at 10:15 AM
Finally a year later my wife and I watched this film. We both liked it a great deal. Everything you've pointed out above is true, but I guess I'm often more than willing to suspend disbelief for a film like this. I'm not as forgiving these days to suspend my disbelief for a lot of the sci-fi that I watch (which I find myself watching less as time goes by).

Whiplash was entertaining for me aside from the parts that annoyed me. I can be pretty forgiving about a lot of movies while others (e.g. Prometheus) I find my assessment to be rather harsh.
              January 7, 2017 at 12:51 AM
               I guess that just serves to demonstrate that you have a fucked up, distorted view of actual reality.
(Yes, I am only just now seeing that you left this comment.)


       Have you ever felt like you were experiencing some sort of mental affliction or breakdown?    What have been your direct encounters with people who have been diagnosed with a mental disorder?   Does the example of the comment exchange I've provided seem odd to you or do you find it totally acceptable?
             

Is Extreme Anti-Trumpism a Mental Illness?

Mental Illness: 
Any of various disorders characterized by impairment of an individual's thoughts,emotions, or social functioning
The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary

Introduction:  Keep Your Cool If You Can

       More than a few reading this article will undoubtedly be offended by its premise.  In no way do I intend to make light of the serious issue of mental illness.  My post of next Monday February 20th will elaborate on my own background on the broader topic of mental illness, but for today I will start with that which will offend some while others will understand the gist of my argument.  I might as well add to the outrage some have felt over my previous posts in my President Trump Acclimation Series.

       Keep in mind that my intent is to present my side of a story with the hope of starting an intelligent discussion.  Some might call it stirring the pot or some such term, but I think of my aim here as merely Tossing It Out--presenting ideas for you to consider.  It's something I've done since the outset of my blogging, except in recent months my subject matter has had a tendency to rile more than a few readers and followers.   And I don't always expect that what I write here will make everyone feel good or agree with.

An Illness Takes Root

       By no means am I the first to suggest that liberalism and leftist thinking are mental disorders.  The idea has been around for many years, but the extremism displayed by the anti-Trump crowd seems to have taken the notion to levels of absurdity.

       Now, be assured that I am not assigning the "mental illness" label to those who merely don't like President Trump or disagree with him.  That's as normal as those who didn't like President Obama or any other politician, person, idea, or whatever.  What I'm talking about is the ceaseless ranting, sometimes to almost foaming at the mouth proportions, about the President, his administration, his supporters, and anything else related to Trump or his family.

       Prior to June of 2015 there were probably few people who thought much about Donald Trump.  Most of us knew the name, some of us might have seen him on television, but for the majority of us Donald Trump had little to no affect on our thinking.

       At first Donald Trump was dismissed as a joke, a passing fad perhaps.  But then a strange thing began to happen.  Trump's words began to be taken more seriously by those who understood what he was talking about.   His rallies drew crowds,  He began to amass a large number of followers.

        The media seemed perplexed, but recognized the value of a ratings generating story.  The political world began to feel annoyed and then intimidated.  With every seeming misstep taken by Trump that pundits predicted would cause him to collapse, the novice candidate would only grow more popular and gain more credible standing in the presidential race.

        Trump's presence in the race was maddening to the mainstream media and absolutely frustrating to most of the Republican party. In the meantime, Democrats smugly cast derision upon the Donald and prepared for the coronation of Queen Hillary.  Those on the left who weren't rioting or protesting Donald Trump, campaigned with full expectation of another win for the Democrats.

         When the outcome of the November election didn't turn out as planned, Democrats and other liberals were confused and shaken.  At first reduced to stunned disbelief and weeping, soon many began to express rage as they tried to figure out what had happened.  Thankfully, most who had been against Trump in the election are essentially still against him, but have dropped the issue to move on with their lives. Oh, sure, they'll express their displeasure when pressed, but for the most part they have moved on with their lives and dropped the issue.  A steadfast number, however, cling to their outrage and are unwilling to shut up about the whole thing, repeating the same tired complaints and arguments about President Trump and anyone who supports his administration.  They take their negativity to a level of irrationality.

Who's to Blame and When Will It End?

        Media in all its forms planted the seeds of insanity regarding the anti-Trump movement while television media takes it to a level of utter absurdity.  If one accepts the cliched definition of insanity being the repetition of certain actions then watch television to confirm it.

       Unable to watch CNN and MSNBC for any extended periods of time I tend to watch Fox News more than any other network. At times, I have suspected the casting agents at Fox of placing wild eyed wackos who spew nonsense and convey dubious logic as representatives of liberalism.  They are often like unrealistic caricatures of mentally disturbed agents of the left.  Then I switch over to the competing networks and there are the same types of spokespersons along with  fake news panels and show hosts who repeat the same nonsense ad nauseam that we've been hearing since Donald Trump began running and continuing after his unexpected win.

       And what about the demonstrators protesting Trump.  Or the rioters going bonkers with disruption, destruction, and as much chaos as they can create.  Is there any element of sanity to any of this behavior?  They carry "Love Trumps Hate" signs and decry violence while interfering with the normal people who just want to catch planes, get to work, or whatever it is that normal people are trying to do when their activities are screwed over by people who are angry because their side lost and now they no longer know how to behave in any sensible manner.

        I find it immensely ironic when certain representatives in Congress and other arms of government suggest that President Trump may be suffering from mental problems.  Excuse me--look at who are the ones delivering these messages:  Al Franken, Nancy Pelosi, Elizabeth Warren, and so on.  These are like the poster faces of emotionally unstable individuals so who are they to be casting aspersions.  Please!  You people are driving me nuts when I see and listen to you.

A Contagion Infecting Many

      A lot has settled since the immediate aftermath of the election and yet there are a persistent minority who won't let any of their post-election grief and anger subside.  There are still those folks on Facebook and Twitter who have a compulsion to continue with their loony tune posts and more often than not there are vitriol and insults directed toward others on those social mediums, often family and friends--or should I say ex-friends.  I ignore these things for the most part, but I wonder what these whiners are trying to accomplish to make the world a better place.   Their posts become repetitive empty railings to the other inmates in their imaginary asylum of life while they alienate the rest of us.

      I'm sure there are also a number of bloggers doing much the same thing, but since I've mostly only been visiting the blogs of those who have commented on my posts I'm missing those anti-Trump rantings.  There is one blogger, who I will no longer name or link to, who is bearded and conveys this arrogant attitude as though he were the supreme expert on all things including morality, who I occasionally check on only because his posts seem to be in response to mine.  It's sad because I've known this blogger for quite some time and have always made some attempt to be congenial with him even though he often retorted with his better and smarter than thou responses to my comments.  At least I tried to be nice.  The few comments he receives are mostly from a small stable of like thinkers who somehow seem gratified that this blogger's words have provided some validation to their own irrational thinking.

       Like thinkers seem to congregate and when those like thinkers are extreme left, anti-Christian, anti-Trumpsters there seems to not only be no room for any opinion from the other side, but they will also be rudely castigated for their opinion, ignored, or even have their comments deleted.  So much for free exchange of ideas.

 So What About You, Mr. Loony Bird?

       Some of you might be thinking, "Well, you've keep posting your pro-Trump garbage!  Doesn't that make you mentally ill too?"

         Okay, fair enough.  The difference, as I've pointed out from the beginning of my series, is that I'm taking the arguments and insults against Trump and his supporters and attempting to rationally explain each one, disprove the fallacies, and correct what I see as outright lies.  I've also been trying to analyze what I see as serious issues from my point of view arguing my case regarding each issue.

          I have tried throughout to be respectful of opposing views and attempted to avoid calling names or casting a net of generalized insults.  And if you're thinking of my earlier comment about certain politicians who I think look unstable then I'll just say I'm dishing a bit of slop back to them and I didn't intend to insult any of you directly.

            Then there is one final thing I want to point out.  There have been some excellent discussions on the posts in my series.   Some of you have gotten upset and some of those readers may no longer be reading Tossing It Out, but in each of those cases I think that I have responded in a responsible manner--maybe a little ticked in a couple of cases--but I've always tried to smooth things over when I've felt there has been a misunderstanding of some sort.  If I've failed then let me know and I'll be willing to engage as respectfully as I know how.

           In closing let me say that I have the best commenters anywhere.  Even the ones who have gotten upset with me.  You are always welcomed at my site and your comments will always be read and acknowledged when I can.  That is, unless they become vile and profanity laden.  Then they are deleted.  Fortunately, this hasn't happened yet if I remember correctly.   But like I said, I have the best commenters of any blog.  Of course, I'm a bit prejudiced about those who leave comments on my site.  Why wouldn't I think you're the best?   Thank you all.

           A bit more on this topic next Monday.  Be here this Wednesday for my next Battle of the Bands which will be featuring two versions of a song that relates to today's post.

         Have you been having a difficult time watching any of the television shows that are overly fixated on the outcome of the election?   What annoys you the most on television?    Do you have any idea about my song pick for my next Battle of the Bands match? 

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?

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?