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About this Blog:

This blog will have points-of-view on politics, philosophy and humor. It comes direct from Montana's Rocky Mountain Front. The header image is Sawtooth Ridge, which is right outside my office window.

Two views that speak to me are:

One, anyone with a brain (and uses it) and a voter registration card is an expert. Algebraic notation would be: [B(used) + Vrc = E]. Too much of what is said or assumed in the world comes from politicians and pundits who get paid (by whom) to spread their "stuff." I will spread some "stuff" here.

Two, the philosophy of William Graham Sumner. One of his points is, "On the value, as a sociological principle, of the rule to mind one's own business." That is the title of Chapter VIII, What Social Classes Owe To Each Other, William Graham Sumner (ISBN 142861561X).

A shortened version is that each person's only duty is to improve him/herself and his/her family. Since that is an infinite pursuit, and no person has infinite abilities, then a person should refrain from everything except improving one's person or family. Some take this to mean living in a cave and not venturing out, but I believe a person needs to improve in their job and their interaction with society--friends and friends to be--in order to improve overall. Sumner goes on to use his point to prove why "minding one's own business is important."

He says that if persons A and B decide that person C is doing something that is not good, then persons A and B will enact legislation to force person C to comply with what is good for A and B and supposedly for person C. Sumner points out that while all this is happening, everyone forgets about person D. Person D is the person (or most probably, many people) who have to live within the rules established by A and B to make person C conform. Person/people D are the "forgotten man." In today's context, the forgotten men/women are those that have to foot the bill for the bank and auto industry bailouts. Most of these people have lived within their means, paid their taxes and not tried to defraud anyone of anything. The laws that have been passed to help homeowners, bankers and auto corporations, who are actually the minority, are affecting, or neglecting those forgotten men and women.

Those two views have prompted me to enter the blogosphere to share my two cents.

FYI: I have been a wilderness hunting guide, paratrooper, wilderness outfitter and a horseshoer. I have a wonderful wife, Wende, who has been my partner for over 22 years. The photo is us and our late blue heeler, "Tippy," at a temporary hunting camp in 2001.

Philosophy in Many Forms

There is a mantra (and an acronym) used in the Army when field operations are being planned.  It is "KISS."  It means, "Keep It Simple, Stupid."

In keeping with that mantra, I recall some philosophy my grandpa Charlie Carter gave me.  He said that when he was about 62-63 years old he went to the doctor and said that he was getting "stiff in the joints."

The doctor smiled and said, "Well, stay out of those joints."

Simple philosophy. 

Two Terrorisms

In the course of conducting research on terrorism, I came across some similarities between two very different books. One is, The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956, by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn; the other is, Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill, by Jessica Stern. My copy of Archipelago is an abridged version that incorporates all three volumes and seven parts into one volume (ISBN 0-06-000776-1). Stern's book is ISBN 0-06-050532-X.

In today's world we may not see Solzhenitsyn's work describing terrorism. His brand of terrorism came from the state--USSR. 21st Century terrorism is usually referring to groups or individuals that attack non-combatants, such as the September 11th hijackers. Solzhenitsyn is describing state orchestrated terrorism.

This is what he has to say about how evildoers (in his case the Soviet government) justified their actions:

The imagination and the spiritual strength of Shakespeare's evildoers stopped short at a dozen corpses. Because they had no ideology.
Ideology--gives the evildoer the necessary steadfastness and determination. That is the social theory which helps to make his acts seem good instead of bad in his own and others' eyes, so that he won't hear reproaches and curses but will receive praise and honors. That was how the agents of the Inquisition fortified their wills: by invoking Christianity; the conquerors of foreign lands, by extolling the grandeur of their Motherland; the colonizers, by civilization; the Nazis by race; and the Jacobins (early and late), by equality, brotherhood, and the happiness of future generations.
Thanks to ideology, the twentieth century was fated to experience evildoing on a scale calculated in the millions. This cannot be denied, nor passed over, nor suppressed. (77-78)

Compare Stern's words from her introduction:

Although we see them as evil, religious terrorist know themselves to be perfectly good. To be crystal clear about one's indentiy, to know that one's group is superior to all others, to make purity one's motto, and purification of the world one's life work--this is a kind of bliss. This is the bliss offered to those who join religious terrorist groups (41). Participants in the Crusades, the Inquisition, and the kamikaze suicide-bombing raids all understood the appeal of purifying the world through murder. It is a bliss I have seen among terrorists described in this book. This powerful yearning for bliss cannot be denied if we are to fight terror in the name of God, the gravest danger we face today. (xxviii-xxix)

Different books. Different themes. Different time frames, and yet, such similarity in content and tone. Solzhenitsyn didn't use religion, but used ideology. Stern used religion, but didn't use ideology. (possibly an unspittable hair) Solzhenitsyn wasn't just talking about the organs of Soviet government, but the Soviet populous as a whole. A population of people who allowed terrorism to be conducted on their friends, relatives and neighbors. A population that knew what was happening, but never attempted to stop the deportations and murders by their government.

Stern addresses religious terrorism by Christians, Jews and Muslims. Stern gives an overview, with amazing depth, to show similarities between terrorist of the three religions, and then goes on to tie everything together. (Yes, Christians, Jews and Muslims are all people.)

How far are each of us from being ideologues? Does a country only know when it has become an ideologue or a terrorist after the Nuremberg trials, . . . after The Gulag Archipelago, . . . after ??? Something to think about.

"The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates (469-399 BC)

What is perception and what is reality?

Perception of things is sometimes false.

The two photos above (both author photos) are an example of this.

This blog's header photo is of Sawtooth Ridge, a recognizable feature along Montana's Rocky Mountain Front.  If you have driven from Glacier Park to Yellowstone Park, or the reverse, along the east slope of the Rockies, then you have seen this chunk of limestone overthrust.  The photo directly above is Granite Peak, the highest point in Montana.

Perspective makes Sawtooth Ridge's 8175 feet seem much more impressive than Granite Peak's 12,799.  The two main differences are:  one, the photo of Sawtooth Ridge is taken from an elevation of less than 4300 feet and Granite Peak's is from about 11,500 feet, and two, Sawtooth Ridge can be seen from a U.S. highway, while Granite Peak can only be seen after hiking 12 miles at elevations above 10,000 feet.

Perception not only affects how we view physical features, it also distorts things that are not as concrete, such as, politics and relations in our government.

Article I of the United States Constitution established the Legislature.

Article I consists of nine long sections.

Article II established the Executive Branch.

Article II consists of four rather short sections.

There is a reason for that.  The power of the people and the people's representatives comes first.  The executive was established to check the legislature and give a single face to the new republic.  Most actions of the president must be approved by the legislature--notably the Senate.

People have lost track of those relations.  Hoopla and fanfare of presidential politics have drawn attention from what is important--the legislature, to what is secondary--the president.  This is good for politics and bad for the United States.

Today, the perception is that our new president will take our guns--or worse.

A result of that is people flocking to gun stores for arms and ammunition since Barack Obama won the presidency.  See article from Chicago Tribune.  

There is a belief that Obama has the power to register and confiscate people's guns.  He has no such power.  While voters were concerned with the presidential race, the incumbent senators and congressmen slipped back into their former posts with little notice.  In Montana, incumbent Senator Max Baucus, who was rated "A+" by the National Rifle Association, reclaimed his seat.  Montanans had forgotten both high school civics lessons and recent history.  Civics lessons and reading the Constitution would have told us that the people's representative, like Baucus, are the only ones who can pass laws--such as gun bans.  Recent history tells us that Baucus voted for the Brady Bill during the last Democratic presidential term--Bill Clinton.  (How did Baucus get an "A+" from the NRA with that stain on his shirt?_

Baucus isn't the only remaining Senator or Congressman who voted for the Brady Bill.

If voting against gun rights is bad, then why are the anti-gun politicians still there?

My final question is,  "Are all those people who are buying guns and ammunition sending letters and emails to their senators and congressmen who may vote for or against gun rights?"  It is a given that the anti-gun groups and individuals are.

The perception is that guns are necessary and letters to Congress are worthless.

The reality is that the right to free speech is the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and the right to bear arms is the Second Amendment.

Lets put things back in their proper order.

Racism in Big Sky Country Part 2

This is the rebuttal I returned to my co-workers who had sent me "Bubba on Obama:"

Dennis on "Bubba on Obama"

During this lengthy presidential election season I have received many emails detailing candidates shortcomings.  They all lacked facts.  Most are actually thinly velied hate mail disguised as informative journalism.  I normally overlook them since they are sent by well-intentioned friends and relatives.  However, a free society cannot function on lies, half-truth and innuendo.

The lastest, and one fothe most hateful, biased and false items is "Bubba on Obama."  (It can be found at the end of my email)  I have adddressed most of Bubba's shortcomings.

Two hundred and thirty one years after our Declaration of Independence stated the ". . . all men are created equal," and 143 years after the American Civil War, and its subsequent results--the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, Bubba makes some great distinction between white and black, and white and African.  Our great "melting pot" really is racially biased.  Bubba demonstrates it in his writing.  This point is mentioned only because it it the only real fact in Bubba's piece.

Bubba sems to think that Obama has some character flaw because his black father got his white mother pregnant.  Biologically, most people have very little control over who their parents are, and in the United States it is very common vfor white men to father children of white women (or even black women) long  before "I do " is thought of.  On the other hand, if interracial sex is sickening to Bubba, then that horrible man Thomas Jefferson must have been one nasty scum bag!

Bubba goes on to implythat an upside-down, ripped-up dysfunctional family is grounds for banishment.  It seems to me that step-parents, half-brothers and sisters, and people moving about the country while engaged in extramarital sex, are quite common in the United States.

Bubba makes a further point of questioning how Obama got to where he is today.  Instead of making accusations, Bubba should "read a few books."  Obama is living the American Dream, where anyone can dream, work and become President of the United States.  Obama's college career isn't much different from anyone else's.  He started at Occidental College in Los Angeles and then transferred to Columbia University.  Seven years later he attended Harvard Law School.  A combination of good grades and winning a writing competition got him a spot as editor of the Harvard Law Review.  He was later elected president of the Harvard Law Review.  (Why does Bubba ask, "Have you looked at tuition expenses to attend undergraduate Yale lately?"  Obama never attended Yale.)

Since Bubba is an "old farm boy," he must be familiar with a few people of modest means who became president.  What about that old farm boy from Missouri who had no college degree, was partner in a haberdashery, went bankrupt in 1921, became President in 1945, and ordered the only use of atomic weapons in war.  Yeah, god 'ole Harry Truman.  (How much foreign relations experience does a haberdasher have?)  Or, what about that other farm boy--born in a log cabin, worked splitting rails and manuevering flat boats, read by candle light and kept the country together through our only civil war.  Yeah, good 'ole "Honest Abe."

Bubba also questioned where Obama got the backing for a $1.4 million dollar house, etc.  Obama isn't splitting fence rails or navigating a flatboat on the Ohio River.  Obama's work on the Harvard Law Review and his graduating magna cum laude got him a publishing contract and an advance on that book, as well as, an offer of a fellowship at the University of Chicago Law School.  The book is, "Dreams of My Father."  Most of his $4.2 million income in 2007 came from the sale of his book.  Seems that Obama deserves to spend his money as he likes.   A rational person could only applaud Obama for reaching for the stars and achieving what many others could only dream of.  It is possible that that is one reason for racism against Obama.

Bubba slams Obama for being a Civil Rights Activist.  Probably like that nasty John F. Kennedy, or his brother, Robert, or maybe like that dirt bag who issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

It also seems that Bubba should return to Sunday School.  He answers his own question, 

"How long is the beast to have authority in Revelations?"  In some Bibles his answer of 42 months is correct.  But that can only be found by doing some wild arithmetic.  (Maybe Bubba is mathematically challenged)  In the oldest extent Greek Bibles Revelations says, "three and a half days."  Only by going to Numbers 14:34, and then extrapolating, can one change it to 42 months.  Numbers 14:34 says, ". . . After the number of days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise."  I could be wrong, but I think the U.S. presidency lasts longer than three and a half days.

Bubba also says that The Book of Revelations says the antichrist is "a man, in his 40s, of Muslim descent who will deceive the nations with persuasive language, and have a massive Christ-like appeal . . ."

Bubba contradicts himself here.  Earlier he asked about the beast in Revelations.  Now he asks about the antichrist.  There is no antichrist in Revelations.  There is a beast in Revelations, but the antichrist is found in John 1 and John 2.

More importantly it is hard to believe that the author(s) of Revelations living in the first century (some schlars believe Revelations was written in 68-69 AD or 95-96 AD) would have a way of referring to a religion that had not been founded yet.  Muhammad wasn't born until 570 and he didn't have his revalations until 610.  There doesn't appear to be any mention of a Muslim being the antichrist in Daniel, John or Revelations.  It would be interesting to wonder how someone would actually name an unnamed people five centuries five centuries before they were born.

Footnote 1:  There are groups of Lutherns in the world that believe the antichrist to be that little old man who wears a funny white hat on the back of his head and drives around in the "Pope Mobile."  Yeah Bubba, the Pope.  Some believe it today.

Footnote 2:  Even if the only research a person does in on the Discovery Channel you will know that some scholars believe Revelations was written about events that happened in the 1st century AD.

Footnote 3:  Bubba contradicts himself again.  All this stuff about the beast being a Muslim is rather pointless.  Obama is a Christian.  Bubba stated that Obama belongs to "an 'afrocentric' church in Chicago that hates white, hates jews, and blames America for all the world's faults."  Sound like a hate sermon to me.

A free society needs facts.  It needs to be open.  If a person--say, Bubba--doesn't like another person--say, Obama--then Bubba should say so.  If he wants people to listen, he should gibe reasons.  It is too bad that a lot of people have read "Bubba on Obama" and have made judgements based on it.  If a person hated John McCain, he/she could write a similar piece with the theme of John McCain being a real-life Manchurian Candidate since he had been a prisoner of war in a communist controlled country.  (Funny that people may laugh at that suggestion, but believe what Bubba had to say.)

Too much emphasis is placed on the presidency and not enough on the true power of the United States--The House of Representatives.  As we focus on silly name calling at the presidential level, representatives are quietly remaining incumbent with no effort and little expense.  Want to keep your guns?  Want local control of your schools?  Want the United States to remain strong and financially solvent?  It's the representatives in Congress that could do that.  If we don't make them, they won't do what is philosophically good for mankind--only what is good for their pocketbooks.

This was written and edited by Dennis A. Carroll, and I approve this message.

That was my email.  Any well thought out comments would be appreciated. 

Racism in Big Sky Country Part 1

I got the following email just before our presidential election.  It was one that was circulated around work.  I didn't think much of it.  The next post will have my rebuttal.

Here is the email:

I GOT THIS THE TODAY.  WHO KNOWS IF IT IS TRUE.  BUT IT DOES MAKE YOU THINK AND MAKES FOR GOOD READING.  I THINK I AM GOING TO DO A LITTLE RESEARCH.

Bubba on Obama...

Please read all the way to the bottom.

MAYBE I'VE GOTT'N THIS ALL WRONG-ME BE'N AN OLD FARM BOY WITHOUT MUCH EDUCATION...BUT NOW, Y'ALL CHECK THIS OUT:

HIS FATHER WAS A KENYAN, A MUSLIM, AND A BLACK.  WE SAW ALL THOSE PICTURES OF HIS NICE AFRICAN FAMILY.

HIS MOTHER IS KANSAN, ATHEIST, AND WHITE.  SO - WHERE ARE ALL THOSE PICTURES OF HIS NICE WHITE MOTHER AND HIS NICE WHITE GRANDPARENTS'-THE ONES WHO RAISED HIM ALL THOSE EARLY YEARS?

HIS FATHER DESERTED HIS MOTHER AND HIM WHEN HE WAS VERY YOJNG AND MOVED BACK TO LIVE WITH HIS FAMILY IN KENYA (THAT'S THE ONES IN THE PICTURES).

HIS WHITE MOTHER THEN MARRIED AN INDONESIAN MUSLIM AND TOOK HIM TO THE CITY OF JAKARTA WHERE HE WAS FIRST SCHOOLED IN A MUSLIM SHCOOL

HIS MOTHER THEN MOVED TO HAWAII AND HE WAS RAISED BY HIS WHITE MIDDLE-AMERICAN GRANDPARENTS THERE.

UMMM...NOW HERE'S THE HARD PART FOR ME (HELP ME OUT HERE, IF YOU CAN):

SOMEHOW, SUDDENLY -  HE WENT TO THE BEST HIGH DOLLAR PREP SCHOOLS IN AMERICA, AND LATER, HE OT INTO A TOP IVY LEAGUE COLLEGE AND LATER, INTO HARVARD LAW SCHOOL - HOW? WHO SPONSORED HIM?  WHO PAID FOR ALL THAT SCHOOLING?  (HAVE YOU LOOKED AT TUITION EXPENSES TO ATTEND UNDERGRADUATE YALE LATELY? HOW ABOUT HARVARD LAW SCHOOL?  SOMEBODY PAID A LOT OF BUCKS FOR THIS KID'S IVY LEAGUE EDUCATION.....) WHO?

A SENATOR'S SALARY IS NOT THAT GREAT, BUT THIS YOUNG MAN AND HIS YOUNG WIFE PRESENTLY LIVE IN A $1.4 MILLION DOLLAR HOUSE THAT HE ACQUIRED THROUGH A 'DEAL' WITH A WEALTHY FUND RAISER.

WHAT SORT OF 'DEAL'?  RIGHT OUT OF HARVARD LAW, HE 'WORKED' AS A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST IN CHICAGO.

HE THEN ENTERED POLLITICS AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THEN MOVED TO THE NATIONAL LEVEL - WHERE HE SCRAMBLES TODAY WITH VERY MINIMAL EXPERIENCE IN ANYTHING-WHILE OTHER PEOPLE WRITE HIS SPEECHES FOR HIM.

IN ALL HIS TIME IN THE STATE AND NATIONAL LEGISLATURES - HE'S NEVER LAUNCHED ANY IMPORTANT LEGISLATION WHATSOEVER MOSTLY, HE'S OUT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

HE CLAIMS TO BE 'PROUD OF HIS AFRICAN HERITAGE' BUT IT SEEMS THAT HIS ONLY CONNECTION WITH AFRICA WAS THAT HIS AFRICAN FATHER GOT A WHITE GIRL PREGNANT AND THEN DESERTED HER.

UMMM... WHERE IS THE PRIDE IN HIS WHITE HERITAGE?  AFTER ALL - IT WAS WHITE GRANDPARENTS THAT RAISED HIM!

HE IS PRESENTLY A MEMBER (FOR OVER 20 YEARS!) OF AN 'AFROCENTRIC' CHURCH IN CHICAGO THAT HATES WHITES, HATES JEWS, AND BLAMES AMERICA FOR LL THE WORLD'S FAULTS.

HE REPEATEDLY COVERED UP FOR THAT PASTOR AND THAT CHURCH - SAYING THAT HE CAN SSEPARATE THE RELIGION FROM THE POLLITICS, WHEN HE HEARS A HATE-WHITEY SERMON.

HE CLAIMED THAT HE WAS SIMPLY UNABLE TO CONFRONT HIS PASTOR OF 20+ YEARS ABOUT THE PASTOR'S DEMONSTRATED UN-AMERICAN BIAS, BUT HE WANTS US TO BELIEVE THAT HE CAN CONFRONT NORTH KOREA AND IRAN, WHEN THE TIME ARISES TO TAKE AMERICA'S SIDE.

YEAH -  WITH THIS BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE, HE 'HOPES' THAT HE COULD BE A UNITER AND BRING US ALL TOGETHER.

BUT - WE THINK THAT THE REAL 'HOPE' IS, THAT HE REALLY HOPES, THAT NO ONE WILL PUT ALL THESE PIECES TOGETHER, UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION.....!and he wants to be our commander and chief of our armed forces and he was never served in the service.  Hmmm.....we cant' let this happen.

What do you think of this?

The Book of Revelations

This will make you re-think"

A Trivia question in Sunday School"

How long is the beast allowed to have authority in Revelations?

Guess the Answer?

Revelations Chapter 13 tells us it is 42 months, and you know what that is.  Almost a four-year term to a Presidency.  All I can say is Lord Have Mercy on us.!

According to The Book of Revelations the anti-Christ is:

The anti-Christ will be a man, in his 40's, of MUSLIM descent, who will deceive the nations with persuasive language, and have a MASSIVE Christ-like appeal....the prophecy says that people will flock to him and he will promise false hope and world peace, and when he is in power, will destroy everything ...

Is it OBAMA??  I STRONGLY URGE each one of you to repost this as many times as you can!

Each opportunity that you have to send it to a friend or media outlet...do it!  I refuse to take a chance on this unknown candidate who came out of nowhere.

So, there it is the grandest email I have ever received.  My next post will be the rebuttal that I emailed back to my broad-minded co-workers.