"We The People"

Recent events surrounding the mass killings in Newtown, Connecticut have people responding to the tragedy in many ways.

On one side, you have politicians (mostly on the left) and the hysterical media calling for more gun controls laws.  The National Rifle Association (NRA), which represents conservatives on this issue, believes more attention to mental illness and better protection of the innocent will make a difference.

The reaction of both sides has brought to my attention something I didn't even know existed:  a site on the White House website called "We The People," where people can petition the government to take action on a whole range of issues.  If a specific petition gets enough signatures (25,000 within 30 days), the White House staff must review it, ensure it's sent to the appropriate policy experts, and issue an official response.

The right to petition our government is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, so it's nothing new.  What is new is access to this website that makes writing petitions easier than ever.  And as you might expect, you get some crazy petitions -- which brings me back to the recent discussions on gun control.

Two recent petitions have garnered my interest:  1) a petition that says "Deport British Citizen Piers Morgan for Attacking 2nd Amendment," and 2) a related petition that reads "Eliminate Armed Guards for the President, Vice-President and Their Families and Establish Gun Free Zones Around Them."  (A third petition has been written where someone is actually petitioning that we keep Piers Morgan because Britain doesn't want him back.)  How crazy are we getting here?

What's interesting in the first petition to deport Piers Morgan is the number of people who have signed it.  As of today's date, there are over 84,000 signatures -- well over the required number for a White House response, and by far the most signed petition on "We The People."  So his comments really stirred the Patriot pot.  In case you aren't one of the 84,000 plus who signed it, here's what it's all about.

Piers Morgan is a British citizen and CNN talking head (host) who has engaged in what some view as a hostile attack against the U. S. Constitution by targeting the Second Amendment.  To be blunt, Piers Morgan is a hack, a nobody on cable television who is looking for an audience.  Morgan used his position as a television host to attack the rights of American citizens to have guns.  In particular, he slammed Larry Pratt, the executive director of Gun Owners of America, and John Lott, the author of More Guns, Less Crime over a two night period.

American citizens apparently don't appreciate a Brit telling us how to defend ourselves.  We didn't appreciate it more than 200 years ago, and we still don't.  The response has been swift and in this heated case, effective.

Maybe he can broadcast his cable show somewhere in Kostroma, Russia.  I hear they might support his point of view.

The other petition (featuring the Gun Free Zone) is spot on, and in response to the left's ludicrous attempt to make schools safe by declaring them "Gun Free Zones."  You'd think the left was talking about a place where terrorists check their bomb vests, anarchists put aside their Guy Fawkes masks, and  dictators re-consider using Sarin gas on their own people.

It's the same mentality that leads the left to think they can reason with Islamic terrorists and convince them that we're not bad people.  I hear stuff like this and I think I'm watching the latest "Scary Movie."  Only the results aren't make believe.  They're as real as 9/11 and now Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Many have said that Gun Free Zones are simply announcing to would-be murderers that you will have no armed resistance to your horrific plans.

Anyway, so the touchy-feely left wants to use more gun free zones to keep our children safe.  So what was someone's response?  Start a petition on "We the People" website that states "Eliminate Armed Guards for the President, VP and their Families, and Establish Gun Free Zones Around Them."

I love it!  Anyone on the left who pushes for more gun free zones should have to practice what they preach.  Politicians who wish to strip us of our gun rights should feel sufficiently protected throughout Washington D.C. if we make it a gun free zone.  If it's good enough for our children, then it should be good enough for politicians and their ilk.

In addition, I think all the media elites and political pundits who send their children to private schools with armed security on staff, should shut up.  Haven't we had enough of these people who tell us what to do, but exempt themselves and their families from the laws they pass?  I do.  There's still time to join the bandwagon and sign that petition.

Finally, I've been thinking about some petitions that I'd like to submit to "We the People."   How do the following sound?

"All Members of Congress Must Participate in Social Security."  Congress has created their own retirement plan which allows them to continue receiving the same salary (after retirement) for the rest of their lives.  Isn't it time they join the rest of America -- who will be left without reduced Social Security benefits because Washington can't balance their budget?

"Congress Shall Not Get a Pay Increase Until our Country's Budget is Balanced."  Better yet, they will not get paid until they have put some kind of balance into effect.  For every dollar spent, they have to cut two times as much in spending.  Whatever the combination of performance tied to benefit, Congress and their performance doesn't warrant a pay increase.  They don't even deserve to keep their jobs.

I say throw the bums out, unless they do their job.

"All Members of Congress Must Have the Same Health Benefits that Taxpayers Have."  If you're a member of Congress, you have access to the Office of the Attending Physician, which is an onsite doctor's office primarily for lawmakers.  All for the low, low price of $503 per year.

Add unions to the list of people who can't exempt themselves from Obama Care   Earlier this year there were a total of 733 exemptions -- a total of 2,189,636 workers -- that had asked for, and been granted an exemption from the punitive effects of Obama Care.

UPDATE:  Strike this one from the list.  President Barack Obama just issued an executive order to end the pay freeze on federal employees, in effect giving some federal workers -- including the Senate, House of Representatives and Vice President -- a raise.  

"Congress Cannot Sell General Motors Shares Until They Break Even.."  As much as I hate the fact that Obama bailed out GM and Chrysler  it burns my butt even more to know that he wants to sell 200 million shares at a cost of $27.50 each.  To break even, our government would have to sell the remaining 300 shares it owns at a cost of $70 per share.  And that's just to break even.  But they're not worried, it's not their money!

Finally, "Hollywood Must Stop Making Violent Movies Until Mass Killings Stop."  A recent video by big-time movie stars claiming we need gun control borders on the ultimate hypocrisy.  This is excellent example of the left's pseudo-idealism that comes from a group of people who makes a living by filming Django Unchained, Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, then tells everyone else that they need to "draw a line" on gun violence.  What chutzpah!

Too bad drafting a petition doesn't result in REAL change.  If it did, then I'd feel like "we the people" would benefit from our country's Constitution, which allows us to petition Washington for change.  Until that time comes, however, the inmates will continue to the asylum (and rule our lives).

UPDATE #2:  The Drudge Report on January 16th announced that President Barack Obama's deputies have quadrupled the number of signatures that petitioners on the administration's "We The People" website must collect to get an official response from the White House following a series of popular, provocative signature drives by his critics.

A Christmas Visit

The clock to my left read 9:48 p.m.

Liz had gone up to bed, leaving me on my own.  This was my time of night, when I could take a moment to think about the end of another busy day.  No television, no internet, no radio, no distractions -- just me and my thoughts.  Time to relax, maybe read awhile and enjoy the quiet.  In a week our two sons would be home from school to enjoy another Christmas.

I was sitting in the living room, enjoying the sweet, amber taste of a rum and ginger ale, when Bailey stirred in my lap.  I gently scratched behind her ears and adjusted the afghan, telling her to relax.  Instead of laying her head on my legs, however, she sat up and started to whine.

"Quiet, Bailey," I said, thinking she had heard someone walking past the house.  "There's nobody's there."

I glanced out the window, past the glimmering lights of our Christmas tree, to confirm that there was no one outside.  My eyes found nothing -- just the gentle drop of snow flakes drifting through the chilly night air.

After a moment of silence, Bailey lowered her head, then dropped to the floor.  She had just left the room in search of some water, when a voice I hadn't heard in over 11 years spoke from the corner of the living room.

"Hello son," said the voice.

                                                     *                        *                      *

 

My father was born on May 19, 1923, one of five boys from rural West Salem.  He died seventy-eight years later on September 21, 2001 after suffering for years from Parkinson's disease and dementia.  During those 78 years, he endured The Great Depression and fought in World War II as a radio operator for the Navy.  His service would take him to foreign lands, including the Philippines, Shanghai and Ireland.

A few years later, he married a woman from La Crosse and together raised a family of two boys and two girls.  Despite wanting to find work in radio, he worked much of his early life  as a bookkeeper until poor health forced him into commercial painting.  When he wasn't crafting furniture in his workshop, he was hunting or fishing.

I don't have many memories of my dad as a child.  Vague images of riding in a fishing boat, bouncing on an aluminum bench seat as we raced through cold September winds.  We would go fishing at night for catfish in the backwaters of the Mississippi River, listening to the hiss of a gas lantern as fireflies and mosquitoes whizzed around our heads.  And I can still smell the odor of cut wood and feel the crunch of sawdust beneath my feet while watching him plane a board in the basement workshop.

As a teenager, I remember telling him "no thanks" when he asked if I wanted to go deer hunting.  My answer was in stark contrast to the interest I showed while waiting patiently at the kitchen window to see if there was anything tied to the top of his car.  He was a hit in the neighborhood as the dad who would trap snapping turtles.  I contributed to the novelty by inviting my friends over so they could watch him chop the head off with a quick strike of an ax.

As I got older, my interests turned to sports, which eventually took us in different directions.

I have a vivid memory of sitting in a darkened hospital room waiting for him to recover from surgery on a torn retina.  His body looked damaged somehow, laying on that hospital bed.  It was an image that would hold true when the news came later that he would not regain the sight in his damaged eye.  And it would appear once again, a few years later, when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Despite these setbacks, I don't remember any complaints coming from him.  I remember him as a quiet, religious man, comfortable in his own skin -- simply satisfied to provide a house and food for his growing family.  Perhaps those conversations and concerns took place with my mom (away from my ears), while they lay in bed at night thinking of what lay ahead.

Years later -- too many considering his illness -- he closed his eyes to the world he knew.  And left his son, now a grown man with a family of his own, to ponder what the future held.


                                                *                            *                          *

"Hello son," said my father.

The shadows from the corner of the room, like gentle arms holding him in their embrace, opened slightly and I had the glimpse of a young man no more than 25 years old.

"Dad?"  I asked, disbelief causing my hands to tremble slightly as I put down my drink.  "Is that you?"

The shifting shadows revealed a man of above average height, with a strong face, peaceful eyes and thinning hair with a curl slightly off-center.  "It is.  It's good to see you again."  His voice sounded different from the last time I had seen him, laying in his hospital bed, weak and in pain.  It was strong, confident and wise.

"Why are you here?" I asked.  "Am I dreaming?"

His young face continued to reflect the warm glow of the Christmas lights as he answered, "No, I'm here because I'm worried about you."

"Me?  Why are you worried about me?" I asked.

"Because you are my son, and I want you to know that things are never as bad as they seem."

His words were spoken by someone who had found strength as a boy in his own self-reliance during the early years of The Great Depression.   And fought through the fear of Japanese kamikaze pilots and endless days at sea to come home again.  "I've been watching, and you have me wondering if you're going to be alright."

"I'm doing... ok."  I willed my own voice to match the confident tone of my father's, but failed.  "The election has me pretty worried about my sons and our future.  But I'm... sure I'll get over it."

I paused as I tried to put into words what I meant.  "I'm just having trouble feeling positive about the direction our country has taken.   I see too many people looking toward Washington for help.  It's almost like people can't do anything for themselves anymore.  And even worse, they're tearing down many of the things that made America great -- like success, religion and freedom.  You, of all people, should be understand my concern."

As I looked up, my father's image had lost some of its youthfulness, but none of its concern.  "Well, you know I was always a Democrat -- your mother and I voted for FDR and Kennedy, because we always felt like they could take care of people in need.  And during the 30's, 40's and 50's there were a lot of people in need."

"But wasn't it President Kennedy who said, 'Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country?' "   I paused for a moment as his head nodded in agreement.  "I don't hear the government asking people to help out.  Instead all I hear about is raising taxes on the rich so others can get their fair share."

"Well, the world today is definitely a different place than when I was growing up.  Not only the politicians, but also the people they serve.  I'd hate to think that Democracy has failed."

Dad hesitated as his eyes looked around the small room.  They focused on the picture ornaments hanging from the Christmas tree, showing my sons, Matt and Sean when they were in school.  Perhaps he was thinking back to an earlier time when he and his brothers would spend all day down at the river fishing and swimming on a warm summer day.  His hand reached for the ornament showing Sean. His thoughtful eyes looked at the young boy wearing a baseball cap, glove in hand.  Then he let is swing freely back and forth.

"Family has a way of making things different,"  he continued after a moment.  "You have to worry about your children, your wife, your job -- and if you're lucky enough, you can find some time for yourself.  I used to get away from it all by going fishing or hunting.  When I had the time, I would work in the basement on something for the house."

"Let me suggest that you turn things around," Dad said.  "Take care of your own business, and you will find that you will be taking care of others that you love."

Dad's mouth hardened as he continued, "America has always faced challenges that none of us thought she'd survive. But we did.  When it was darkest during the 20's and 30's we found a way back.  And there will will always be wars -- during my lifetime, we lost a lot of good people in the Pacific, Korea, Vietnam and even Kuwait.  Sometimes you just have to have faith.  As bad as it looks, this country has always found its way home.  Now is no different, trust me."

My hand relaxed its grip on the chair's arm rest, and I said, "So, don't worry about others who are moving in another direction?  Take care of my own, put on my public face and hang on to what's important to me and my family, knowing that there are STILL others like me?"

"That's the spirit!" he said with a smile.  "Don't quit the fight -- keep working inside out, not outside in."

Inside out, not outside in.  Focus on my own success, rather than letting others dictate what my success will be.  Don't abandon my faith, my core beliefs and love of this great country.

The room became quiet, except for the muffled sound of a car engine idling outside on the street.   Suddenly I said, "I've missed you dad."   Taking a deep breath, I felt my throat tighten in anticipation of something held back for many years.  "I wish we could have had more time to talk about things like this."

The chair creaked as Dad leaned back into the shadows.  "We will, son.  We will.  Merry Christmas to you and Liz.  Remember, I'm always here, all you have to do is ask."

As his image sank into the fabric of the chair and faded from my sight, I notice Bailey had somehow found her way back onto my lap, with her head nestled among the blanket, sleeping soundly.  "Her, girl -- how did you... ?"  My hand still held the half full glass of rum and ginger ale as time moved forward once again.

Outside, the snow was falling gently as the clock clicked to 9:49 p.m..

Bert, We Hardly Knew Ya

Decades from now, parents will page through baby books in search of the perfect name for their soon-to-arrive baby boy.  They will stumble upon the name Breton, with its origin English, also spelled Brett.  In the year 1986, it was the 69th most popular boy's name in America, before sliding down the ranks.

The name's popularity took a major hit in 2008 -- at least in Wisconsin --  when someone named Brett Favre decided to cry his way out of retirement and remain the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

Don't cry for me, Brett

When that failed, he tried the Jets, then headed to the hated Minnesota Vikings, before fading to insignificance on a cold December night (while lying on his back staring into the face of Bear's defensive back, Cory Wooton), in TCF Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota.

Since that time, it's been hard to notice people named Brett.  About the only ones I can name on the spot is Brett Hume (Fox News), Brett Ratner (X-Men) and Brett Michaels (Poison).  Perhaps there are others but I can't think of any.

Ok, maybe there is one other that comes to mind.

That would be Brett Bielema.  The former head football coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, who abruptly left the team this week to coach the Arkansas Razorbacks from the SEC.  It was surprising news, considering his team had just walloped the Nebraska Cornhuskers 70-31 in the Big Ten Championship game.

Less than 72 hours after being doused by Gatorade and celebrating with Athletic Administrator Barry Alvarez on the confetti-strewn turf of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Brett was catching a plane to Arkansas to be introduced as their new head coach for 2013.

Strange behavior from someone who confessed to Alvarez after winning the game, "We're going out there (the Rose Bowl) to win.  That's the mission, and I appreciate all the fans coming out ..."

Perhaps the combination of the name Brett and the state of Wisconsin is just not meant to be.

In fairness to Brett Bielema, he was a successful coach while at Wisconsin.  I had the distinct honor of sitting in the stands of Camp Randal during the Dave McClain era (1978-1985) when we barely broke even with wins/loses.  He was followed by Don Morton who went 6-27, who was remembered not for winning any football games, but his sports television show (when he rose from a coffin to declare, "We're not dead yet!")

It took Barry Alvarez to truly resurrect the program, winning 118 games over 16 seasons, going 8-3 in bowl games -- and most importantly--  3-0 in three Rose Bowl appearances.

It was Barry who hand-selected Brett Bielema to continue the winning tradition he started -- selecting under-rated football players from in-state, developing them into quality players and beating football powerhouses (like Michigan and Ohio State) through the run and behemoth offensive lines.

To his credit, Brett Bielema stuck to this winning tradition, recruiting talented players like quarterback Rob Wilson (all right, so he got lucky on that one), running back Montee Ball, tight end Travis Beckum, and defensive stars like J.J. Watts, Chris Borland and Mike Taylor.

In his first year of coaching, he led the Badgers to an 12-1 record.  As a result, he became the first head coach in Big Ten history to win ten games in his first season.  And the third coach in NCAA history to win twelve games in his rookie season.  And under his coaching, Wisconsin joined Michigan as the only Big Ten team to go to three consecutive Rose Bowls.

His teams were always competitive, but you got the feeling that whenever the game was close, it was up to the players, not the coach, to win the game.  And while there was no one bigger on promoting Wisconsin football, he made as many enemies as friends with his style of play.

For example, he relished the border-battle between Minnesota and Wisconsin, so much so that he attempted a two-point conversion while leading by 25 in the fourth quarter during a 2010 game.  Minnesota coach Tim Brewster never forgave him for that, and made sure the rest of the Big Ten understood Bielema's "bush league" bravado.

Not one of Brett's better days.

There was the criticism Bielema took for running up the score in 2010:  a 70-3 win against Austin Peay, a 83-20 embarrassment against Indiana and a 70-23 whipping of Northwestern.  I have a friend who repeated thinks running up the score is one of Bielema's worse traits, yet I read similar scores by Texas, Oregon, Florida and Oklahoma and no one complains.  So why do the do it when it's Bielema?  Maybe if the team won a national championship his critics would remain silent -- I don't know.  My philosophy has always been, if you can't stop them, then you should be complaining about the score.

Many of his enemies were in-state.  Wisconsin fans were some of his biggest critics.  They loved him for promoting Wisconsin football ("On Wisconsin," after every interview), for running a clean program (no Ohio State or Penn State controversies), and having well- disciplined teams (among the least penalized teams in the nation).  But fans were much quicker to criticize him for his game management, special team's play and winning percentage in big games (11-16 against Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State -- not to mention 0-2 in the Rose Bowl).

So if Bielema had Wisconsin on a winning path, with a strong recruiting class in place, and the distinction of being the highest paid public employee in the state, why would he leave?

According to players, he wanted to coach a team that had a chance to win the national championship.  Seriously?  After assembling one of the most prolific scoring Badger teams in history, he failed to stop two "Hail Mary" throws by Michigan State and Ohio State, and badly mismanaged his timeouts against Oregon leading to a mediocre 10-3 record.  So given all the tools to win a national championship, he still failed.

Perhaps if he was more honest, he would have told his players that he left for a bigger paycheck.  Or that he felt like he couldn't beat Ohio State and Michigan State, so he was packing his bags for greener pastures.

I don't know, but good luck winning in the SEC where you trade Ohio State and Michigan State for LSU and Alabama every year.  If he thinks SEC talent and a fatter paycheck will get him to the promised land, I think he'll need longer than 40 years to get there.  With or without Moses to guide him.

Which finally leads me to ask --what happens to Wisconsin next.   My hope is for Wisconsin to win the Rose Bowl (under the Hall of Fame coaching of Barry Alvarez), and 1) vindicating the critic's belief that Bielema couldn't coach in the big games and 2) demonstrating that leadership comes during the game, not when you're in front of recruits or television cameras.

There are lots of talented coaches that are waiting for their first chance at being a head coach.  Or who' are already successful coaches but want to move up to the "big time" in the Big Ten.  Whoever we get as our next coach, he will have to learn the lessons that Brett Bielema failed to learn.  Leadership through honesty, discipline, recruiting -- and of course, winning.

In a few weeks we'll know who's the next "chosen one" in Wisconsin football.  Let's hope it's not someone named Brett.  We can't take it anymore.