"National Stupid Day" ~ November 12

I saw this headline, "Garfield" creator apologizes for Veterans Day strip, and began racking my brain as to why. The strip was part of a story line about Garfield whacking spiders, which he does quite often. It had been running for several days. If the strip from November 11 had run today or on the 10th, nothing would have been made of it. However, it ran on the 11th.

The spider about to be whacked tells Garfield if he goes through with it he'll (the spider) will have a day of remembrance to honor him. The last frame shows a classroom of spiders with the teacher asking why they celebrate "National Stupid Day".

Somewhere, someone decided it was making fun of the day on which we honor our military. Enough someones, apparently, that Garfield creator Jim Davis apologized.

Please. Why do I not think Davis decided to write a strip to offend veterans? How would that scenario go?

Let's see. The 11th is Veterans Day. What can I do to offend them? Garfield offends everybody! I've got it. I'll do one of my spider story lines and on the 11th I'll have one of them declare a National Stupid Day! That oughta do it!

I've got to tell you, I read Garfield yesterday and never gave it a thought. I guess that makes me insensitive to veterans. It almost makes me apologize for flying our flag because of the mixed message it sends about my sensitivity.

I'll tell you what. To get Davis off the hook, the man who has a brother who served in Vietnam and son in Afghanistan and Iraq, I'll take responsibility for "National Stupid Day" and date it November 12. No apologies needed.

Is The TSA A Breeding Ground For Sexual Predators?

I've wondered if all the scans and pat downs are really necessary and have for years. Over stepping the bounds of propriety is nothing new. Before the scanners came along to bare you to strangers, the pat downs have often been invasive. Ask some really attractive young woman. Incidents of sexually implicit touching, groping, are on the increase. What a playground for those so inclined!

Now, with the scanners, even pilots and flight attendants are saying enough is enough. The question is and I've yet to see a definitive answer, have they ever actually caught anyone? If they have why has it not been headline news? And why, if they have with lesser measures, are they going to these draconian means?

I would like to know if Secretary Napolitano has every experienced an enhanced pat down or gone through the scanner. How did she feel? How would Michelle Obama feel. Not only about herself but her girls? What parent wants their child handled by strangers? How do members of Congress who still fly commercial really feel about it? Why don't they say enough is enough! Are they waiting for the public to get beyond the "I don't like it but if it's keeping us safe" mind set? To that ask is it keeping us safe or merely providing great entertainment for those who would do us harm?

Consider this. Bombs in printer cartridges. Sure they still want to kill us, but planting bombs on nit wits didn't work too well. Could they have moved on to more sophisticated means?

It's Time For The Republicans To Get Serious

Not long before the elections Rush Limbaugh declared that no one but he would decide whether or not Christine O'Donnell was electable. He then touted her conservative tenor. Guess what. He was wrong. So was Sarah Palin using the same criteria. This is where the pundits do a disservice to the voters. They treat it like a game. It isn't. The welfare of the country depends on who we put in office.

Fortunately there are those among the ranks of the Republicans who recognize the game for what it is and speak out. Of course they get royally trounced. Like Carl Rove. Never known to soft pedal anything, he did back off his criticism of O'Donnell, though not completely. He's now back to trying to dispel the myth of Sarah Palin as Superwoman. He's still getting trounced. I hope it emboldens rather than dissuades him.

Kathleen Parker hit the nail on the head when she labeled Ms. Palin as dangerous. She of little substance and a surplus of words. None of which, I'd be willing to bet, are actually hers. The worry is she is already running a campaign on Facebook and Twitter.

Two things need to happen soon. The Tea Party has to define itself by deciding if they want to be folded into the Republican party or stand on their own merit. Otherwise they will continue to send mixed messages which will lead to their being inconsequential. They also need to get real about who they support.

This is the coy season that always precedes presidential primaries. Potential candidates have to be careful what they say so as to not lose their lucrative gigs too soon. It's a good time to look at them and eliminate those we know cannot win - like Sarah Palin and Newt Gingrich, among others. It's really, really important because there isn't much to choose from at this point and the traits that make many of them dubious are traits not easily overcome.

We elected one rock star who was short on experience going in. We overlooked everything important, instead focusing on a pleasing personality and wishful thinking. Can we afford to do it again? You know what I think.

A Politician I Can Identify With ~ Maybe

Remember in the Obama/Clinton campaign when Hillary was sitting and chatting with a group of supporters, mostly women, and her voice cracked and her eyes teared? Her polls surged. She had, even though unintentionally, shown the human side of herself. Had she done it more often I think she may have won.

Remember too how the boomers wanted men to be more like women? Softer. Sensitive. More open with their feelings? Now it appears we may have one about to become the new Speaker of the House, John Boehner . I rather like seeing that in a man. One who can tear up over the Star Spangled Banner or even just from watching a sentimental movie. Of all things that can make a politician 'one of us' I think a genuine display of sentimentality just might be it. Forget the beer and bowling shtick.

Think about Ronald Reagan, whether you liked him or not. He knew how to feel the pulse of the people and show empathy. Bill Clinton did much the same with his "feeling your pain". We haven't seen much lately. It seems more of a chilly detachment in the President. Harry Reid seems detached too, or maybe just not in the present. That appearance can come with aging. Nancy Pelosi. Does she take over the 'Queen of Mean' title from the late Leona Helmsley?

I have a theory. When Mr. Boehner tears up over a subject I'll bet I'll be inclined to agree with his thinking. I know heartfelt when I see it. I'm an expert. All you have to do is see my Kleenex bill.

We Have Come To Fear "Fear Itself"

Juan Williams, news analyst for oh so politically correct National Public Radio, lost his job for saying on the Bill O'Reilly show that when he's in an airport and sees people dressed in Muslim garb he's uncomfortable. By firing him, NPR was not only being politically correct, they were placating the very ones Mr. Williams, and a good many of the rest of us, fears. Fear.

When our President travels with what could be a small town, mostly security, is it not out of fear? Especially when they go to such lengths as to build a portable, air conditioned tunnel for his armored limousine to travel through? That coconuts have to be stripped from the trees? Fear.

If we want to fly we're subjected to the equivalent of being strip searched or suffer over the top groping if you opt out. Out of fear. Of what? Certainly not me nor most of my fellow travellers. Fear.

The ultimate, however, is a state Oklahoma passing a constitutional amendment to prohibit state courts from considering international or Islamic law when deciding a case! It was approved by 70% of the voters.

Oklahoma is hardly a bastion of Muslim activity and the consideration of Islamic law has never been an issue. It was a preemptive act. Fear. Real fear.

I should think it shouldn't even be on any one's radar. I should like to think we are a nation of laws. Our laws. Those laws and those alone are upon which judgements are made. Do we really have to fear that is not the case?

That the lawsuit to halt it was brought by a Muslim does not surprise me. That his reasoning is that is stigmatises his religion makes no sense other then that his religion and his law are one and the same. His law, however, is not our law nor will it ever be. We don't sever limbs for stealing nor lash women for talking to an unrelated man nor stone women to death for shaky accusations of adultery. If we did Hollywood would cease to exist!

Snide remarks aside, this epidemic of fear needs to be cured and fast. We don't need our leaders telling us how afraid we are or should be of one another what's more the rest of the world.

Fear. Running rampant in the once proud, eminently strong United States of America. Fear. Don't let it become our self-fulfilling prophecy!