500 YEARS FROM NOW LOOKING BACK

We’ve all studied and read about human history on earth. We have been amused by early man’s attempt to understand his environment and his use of witch doctors to deal with pain and sickness. As our history moved forward, mankind moved forward too, or so it seemed. We learned to cook our food and to kill germs, but we also decided that some women were witches. What did we do? Well we burned them at the stake or we just drowned them in the nearest pond. We did what we had to do to rid ourselves of the scourge of witchcraft.

It’s fairly easy now for us, the enlightened ones, to look back and laugh at the ignorance of early man. After all, we have had the advantage of science and technology to give us clarity. Well, one would think it easy until we learn of an attempt by a school board in Delaware to allow students of any age to choose either or both their sexual identity or their race. Regulation 225 calls for official records on a student’s race or gender to be sealed from parents allowing them to be “transracial” and “gender fluid” at school without “interference” from their home life. Pretty cute, huh?

Basically this means that kids as young as five or six can decide they would rather be of a different race or gender than the gender or race of their birth. And this policy further allows the school district to allow this choice without the parents knowing anything about it. Their reasoning is that some parents are so stupid they just wouldn’t understand or support little Johnny’s wish to be little Joanie or that a youngster born to black parents would rather be Chinese or caucasian. It appears, according to this policy, that one’s gender or race is a matter of choice rather than a fact of birth. Where does stupidity like this come from?

California, not to be outdone by anyone on the “political correctness” front, has decided that only having two choices of gender is unfair. Henceforth they have declared one may choose any number of possible genders, I guess depending on the time of day or whatever. They opine that your gender at birth is irrelevant and that it is all a matter of choice. Also your choice of public restrooms should be left to you and no one else. I can see it now. High school boys and girls showering together and using the same bathrooms. What could possibly go wrong?

Let us now fast forward some five hundred years as future generations look back on their history which is our present. First of all I think it is presumptuous of me to believe there will be future generations the way we are going now. But, assuming somehow mankind survives our current stupidity, perhaps there will be people to look back and study their heritage. Wouldn’t you like to be a fly on the wall as they giggle and laugh at the ignorance of twenty-first century man? They will probably see us as we sometimes see our early ancestors. They will probably pause in amazement at “political correctness” and its destructive power. They may well ask, what could these morons possibly have been thinking? With all the technology available to them, they chose instead to be ignorant. They could have accomplished so much. They apparently decided instead to make everything political and throw natural science out of the window. One has to wonder how mankind survived such ignorance.

Well, back to the present. I am amazed. I am amazed that so-called intelligent people like those administering our schools can even lace up their shoes. I remember John Wayne’s immortal words, “Life’s tough. It’s even tougher if you’re stupid.”

Ron Scarbro

I AM TRULY THANKFUL TODAY

This begins my favorite time of the year. Starting with Thanksgiving, then Christmas, ending with a new year and all of the promises that holds.

When I was a youngster, my family always went to my Grandparents house for Thanksgiving. All of the cousins were there. All of the Aunts and Uncles came, but most importantly, they all brought food and especially desserts. My Aunts were all great cooks and Thanksgiving was a day when they brought their very best. In my Grandmother’s house was a long buffet table and it was covered with desserts of every kind one could imagine.

When I grew a bit older, I would go rabbit hunting since Thanksgiving Day was the opener of rabbit season. But we always wound up at my Grandma’s for a feast of feasts. I don’t go rabbit hunting anymore but those are great memories.

Now I am the Grandpa and we look forward to our daughter and her family joining us for our feast.

Then comes Christmas. In those bygone days there was a parade the day after Thanksgiving. We called it the Santa Claus parade. At the end of the parade, Santa himself would appear riding in the back of the latest convertible. It was all so very exciting. We never heard of “Black Friday” probably because it didn’t exist back then, but Christmas shopping began in earnest after Thanksgiving.

That was the time also when Christmas music would start playing on the radio. In those early days, there was no television, certainly not at my house. My family were regular churchgoers and Christmas was always a special time in the church. The choir would work on special music concerts and performances. The church and the music put an exclamation point on the holiday. I learned early the “reason for the season.” I continue to be thankful for my early Christian education.

We always had a Christmas tree. We would go out and cut a fresh cedar tree which grew everywhere. When it was in the house the fragrance was unbelievable. I still love that familiar smell. Our decorations were a combination of very old ornaments and a few new ones. Sometimes we would make ornaments. Decorating the tree was a family job and we all participated. My father usually played Christmas carols while we decorated the tree. I am so thankful for those memories.

Our tradition was to wait until Christmas morning to open our presents. As kids we were allowed to get our stockings down and go through them before anybody was up. There was fruit and nuts and a few little gifts from Santa. It all set the stage for the main event which was to come later.

Finally, my parents would get out of bed and the real fun began. We were a family of modest means but my mother always made sure our Christmas was special. They probably paid for it the entire next year, but we always had a great Christmas. After the tree, we usually went to church which was at the time a very difficult thing for the kids to do. There was so much fun waiting back home. Looking back on this time I am so thankful my parents loved us and worked to make our Christmas so special.

Of course New Years was next. I remember when we first got a television set and could watch the Rose Parade. We got to see the weather in Southern California. It seemed surreal at the time. Just seeing that was, I think, the impetus for our moving to California when I was a very young teenager. Eventually my parents moved back to their old home but I decided to live in California. For that decision I am most thankful because that is where I met the love of my life who still sits beside me fifty-five years later.

We wish you a merry season and we hope you are thankful for all the blessings you have. I am blessed and thankful to have you as my friends.

Happy Thanksgiving

Ron Scarbro

WHAT HAS THE LIBERAL'S PANTIES IN SUCH A WAD?

It’s been a year since Donald Trump was elected President. A lot has happened since that election so I thought it might be good to go over this past year and mark both the good and the bad.

I have made no secret that Trump was not my first choice as President. I wanted Huckabee. I appreciated his maturity and his humor. I also thought he best fit the mold of “world leader.” I still like Huckabee and hope that he stays relevant because we need his calming influence in these troubled times.

But, the voters decided differently and elected Trump and I am okay with that choice. Never, however, in my nearly eighty years on this earth, would I have believed what we have witnessed since Trump’s election. It has been pure disrespect, and just plain ugliness. Never have I seen the losing party in such an uproar over their loss. The so-called mainstream media is so far from the mainstream of America as to be unbelievable. They and the Democrat party live in a fantasy world of resistance, resistance to the choice of the voters of America. Some of the wealthiest liberals in this country are buying billboards and ads calling for the impeachment of Trump. They should probably read the Constitution and save their money. Impeachment can only happen if an individual commits high crimes or misdemeanors. That has not happened and it won’t. Sorry, liberals, especially you Tom Steyer, you are spinning your wheels.

So, what are they so upset about anyway? Is it the fact that the stock market has risen almost 39% since Trump took office and that consumer confidence has gone through the roof? Maybe it is because unemployment is at a seventeen year low of 4.1%. Is that it?

Is it that a true Constitutionalist, Neil Gorsuch has been chosen as Supreme Court Justice? And that over the next several years of Trump’s term/terms he will select even more jurists to that court who both read and understand the Constitution? Jurists who know that their job is to referee the law and not to write it. If being a loyal American upsets them so, I can understand why they would be offended by a Trump Presidency.

President Trump said he would make America great again. No doubt he is well on his way to fulfilling that promise. One of his objectives seems to be making the world respect America again as the preeminent world leader in both commerce and protectors of freedom. Making our so-called enemies who are incidentally enemies of freedom all over the world, understand we will defend ourselves and our allies if and when we or they are attacked or even threatened. We will defang the little tin horn wannabe dragons who talk big and just want to cause trouble, like North Korea and Iran among others.

Are the liberals upset that Trump intends to reserve America and her fruits for Americans? While he welcomes immigrants who come to our shores legally and with contributions to make, he will continue to arrest and deport illegal trespassers and send them back to their own countries.

When the Congress finally gets their act together and passes real tax reform, our economy will boom again, as it did after Reagan’s tax reductions. And that upsets liberals? This will doubtless happen with little or no assistance from the Democrats. Oh well.

Attention liberals, and Democrats in general. The election of 2016 is over. The American people made their choice and you lost. You had a terrible candidate who cheated and lied her way to the nomination and she lost. Get over it. Continuing to go through your life with your panties in a wad has got to be uncomfortable. Just think, you’ll probably get to go through this all over again in 2020.

Ron Scarbro

I CRIED, HAVE YOU?

“I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.” I don’t remember when I first heard that, but it was many years ago. I always believed it was one of the best statements I had ever heard to describe how you don’t have to look very far to find someone who is worse off than you. That really came home to me on a recent visit to a VA Medical facility.

I had gone to have a problem dealt with. To me it was a very serious issue, but as I traveled through the lobby of the facility, I was struck by the number of people I saw who really did have problems. The more I witnessed, the more I was left to question how I could call my issue a problem worthy of concern when compared with these veterans with real issues?

I am a veteran and I have a minor service-connected disability which is more an inconvenience than actually debilitating. I didn’t give my life or any of my limbs for my Country. What I did give was some of my time. I’d like to say right here what I have said many times before. I always believed I got more from my time in the service than I ever gave. I was a young hillbilly from Tennessee who went in as a kid and came out as a man. What I saw and learned was immeasurable. My status as an adult was directly impacted and enhanced by my time in the service of my country.

I am left now to compare my contribution with the contribution of these people I saw in various states of disability and disrepair. They were young and old. They were men and women. They were in wheelchairs, walkers, and gurneys, and in all manner of appliances. There were missing limbs. There was blindness. Some would visit but most just seemed to stare off into the distance. I did not hear a single complaint however.

As I watched I was struck with this thought, what they say is true, “Freedom is not free.” We have all heard this, but the way to bring it home is to visit a VA Hospital. I hear so many people complain of our war efforts across the Middle East. I’ve heard complaints about the monetary cost. Then they go about their day, going to work, school, or just anything that is a part of their lives. Do they take for granted their freedom? Do they feel any compassion for those who gave their lives or their bodies as a sacrifice for those freedoms? Do they understand the cost that is being borne by our military to ensure that those freedoms continue? And while we are talking about cost, how much would you charge for your legs? How about your vision? Would it probably be more than the meager pension these veterans are entitled to?

Today, in some quarters, we are witnessing total disrespect for our military, our veterans, and our flag. Our military was even disrespected by a military court who decided that traitor, deserter, Bowe Bergdahl though guilty as charged, should not serve any time in prison. A slap in the face of all of us.  It is also coming from some in the NFL who say they have grievances. Most of those millionaire football players couldn’t shine the boots of the military men and women they choose to disrespect. It is my hope that across this country, fans of the NFL will, on Sunday, November 12, let these players and their owners know without a doubt how we all feel by tuning out the NFL and staying home instead of going to the games. That will be a true celebration of Veterans Day, 2017.

Freedom indeed is not free. Be thankful and remember the people who give their all for freedom this day and every day.

Ron Scarbro

Veterans Day 2017

HISTORY IS OUR TEACHER

George Washington is the “Father of our Country.” He served as the first president and served for two terms. He was also a plantation owner where he raised crops and brewed whiskey. As was the custom in that era as a wealthy land owner and grower, Washington owned slaves.

It is said that he attended Christ Church in Alexandria, Virginia for some thirty years. The church even placed a commemorative plaque on their wall in Washington’s honor.

Well, apparently some, or who knows maybe one, of the parishioners took offense that a former slave owner was so honored, so they screamed to have it removed. Now mind you, this is the same George Washington who led troops to victory over the British that made America, the country, possible. The same George Washington who presided over the beginnings of this great country. The same Washington whose name is prominently on cities, counties, states, streets, avenues, buildings, schools, currency and all manner of American history.

Sometimes I just have to scratch my head in amazement. Not that someone would take offense at anything, but that a church would bow to such stupidity. There are people in this country who are perpetually offended. They look for ways to be offended. When we acknowledge their offense by acting on it, we are participating in their stupidity.

Shall we now rename Washington D. C. or Washington state? How about Madison, WI? Or Jefferson City, MO? Shall we destroy all currency bearing the likeness of former slave owners? Shall we remove all the statues of our Founding Fathers who may not quite measure up to some of today’s customs or morality? How about Mt. Rushmore? Should that monument now be  scheduled for destruction? Do you have any idea of how many places and streets are named for our founders? Schools, bridges, turnpikes. Beaches. Far too many to name.

We need to start a new movement. We need to identify stupidity and nonsense for what it is. We need to tell the “society of the perpetually offended” that their causes are ridiculous and that we will no longer give them any credence.

There was a civil war. Thousands died and were injured. Battle leaders on both sides of that war have been honored by statues and in all manner of recognition. In many parts of the country people proudly fly the Rebel flag. Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy, has highways named in his honor all across the south as well as schools and buildings.

The civil war is a part of our history. Slave ownership is a part of our history. Who among the early founders would be able to stand up to the type of inquiry today’s politicians face? There is probably a dossier on everybody from the credit bureaus to the FBI.

We have all heard the maxim, “If you choose to ignore history, you are bound to repeat it.” I believe that, don’t you? We cannot change our history by tearing down a few statues or changing the names of a few buildings or cities. Our history is our education. We either learn from our mistakes or we repeat them. We either learn from our victories, or we never see them again. Our history is our history and it won’t go away. Whether we acknowledge it or not changes nothing. It is still there.

I am proud to be an American. I have never owned a slave and wouldn’t. But wishing our past was different will not make it so. Our challenge going forward is to learn from our mistakes and be better. We are, and will continue to be, a beacon for the entire world and that is as it should be.

Ron Scarbro