EARLY VOTING IS GREAT

God willing, today, my wife and I will vote. That is right. It is more than a week before November 7, Election Day. However, opening up public libraries and other government outlets for early voting allows us to avoid the crowds and the crunch on that important day.

It will be nice. I already told my wife we have a date. We are going to the West Kendall Library at 10201 Hammocks Boulevard in Miami to do our duty. Yesterday I called. They said the library would be open today between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for us early birds. So we will vote, and then we will go to Longhorn’s Steakhouse for lunch. Last time I went there, I signed up to receive special offers through my e-mail address. Since my birthday was earlier this month, they sent me two coupons, one for a free appetizer and one for a free dessert. I appreciate it. Listen, we eat there often enough. As regular customers, we have earned those coupons.
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Anyway, I have already done all my research for the election. The Miami-Dade County Elections Department mails all residents an official sample ballot. This is very helpful, because you become familiar with all the different races and the amendments or questions that will appear on the ballot. To make an educated decision, one has to read the newspaper, hear the radio, watch television, and listen to people’s opinions. Sometimes it is not easy to learn who is telling the truth. All the time, I find myself trying to separate fact from fiction.

Of all the media, I believe the local newspaper is one of the best sources of information, mainly because they have to publish each candidate’s platform, the result of debates, and everything else connected with the campaigns. When it comes to a newspaper’s editorials or their voting recommendations, I read what they have to say but make up my own mind. Why should I trust their advice? Most of the time, I make up my own mind based on all the information I gather. If I do not know the background of people running for office, as is the case with some judges, then I usually go along with the paper’s recommendation, unless I find better information from another source. When I vote following the paper’s suggestions, I do it because the media knows these people better than I do. When that is the case, I have no option but to trust their judgment.

Watch out for those amendments. I am voting NO on Amendment 3 in this election. Special interests must have come up with it. Instead of requiring just a majority of votes, it asks 60 percent of the voters must approve any amendment or revision to the State Constitution. In other words, they want to make it harder for the people to effect change when we are not satisfied.

Anyway, I hope we have a large turnout. People get frustrated with politicians to the extent some have stopped voting altogether. I know how you feel but do not give up. Inform yourself and make your choices. Punish those who did not represent you well, and reward those who did. Give newcomers a chance, if their background shows potential. That is it, not that I have divulged any secret voting formulas here. May we all choose wisely, and may the best candidates win! Good luck to all of us!

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part I, chapter 6 “The Art of Ethical Communication.”

PUBLIC DISSENT BY U.S. SOLDIERS IS WRONG

Ed Shearer of the Associated Press reports some U.S. service personnel are going public with their opposition to the war in Iraq. They want Congress to end the war and bring U.S. soldiers back home. From a human standpoint, I know things are rough in Iraq, and I understand why anyone would want to get out of that situation. However, I am opposed to soldiers using a public platform to pressure the government into acquiescing to their demands.

To criticize U.S. war policy privately (within proper channels) or to write letters to one’s congressperson is one thing. To protest in a way that embarrasses our Commander in Chief, our leaders, and those service personnel committed to fulfilling their obligations is another thing. In the enemy forces, you have suicide bombers and fighters sacrificing their lives unquestioningly. In our ranks, we have soldiers who want out. What does that do for morale? How does the world characterize such behavior?

One of those asking for redress is Jonathan Hutto, a Navy seaman. According to Shearer’s report, Hutto says he obeys orders because he took an oath to defend the country. However, he disagrees with some of those orders, and thinks U.S. forces should leave Iraq right away. Apparently, Mr. Hutto forgot some of his basic training. The most elemental direction a soldier must learn is to obey the orders issued by superior officers. Unless your leader wants you to massacre innocent people or somehow disregard proper and accepted rules of engagement, you have to follow orders and do your best.

There is even a website for service personnel who feel like Mr. Hutto. The address is http://www.appealforredress.org. In January 2007, on Martin Luther King Jr. day, the organizers plan to deliver the collected appeals to members of Congress. Some of the sponsoring organizations are Iraq Veterans against the War, Military Families Speak Out, and Veterans for Peace.

Here is how the website words the appeal: “As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.”

Whoever wrote the appeal expresses it as if the American people elected him or her to public office. There is no room for compromise or middle of the road solutions. Congress must support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq, not one quarter, one third, or one half, but all our forces. Close all bases too. Saying that “staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price” is a matter of judgment, and I do not think service personnel is in a position to make those kinds of policy decisions best. Certainly, we must leave those assessments to the people we elect to high office, and to the expert personnel advising them.

When joining our armed forces, our volunteer armed forces, service personnel sign a contract. They are to receive pay and benefits in return for the services they will render. In times of peace, nobody complains. In times of war, especially a difficult who-and-where-the-hell-is-the-enemy-and-what-are-they-doing kind of war, it is understandable for soldiers to want to get out. Let us get primitive here. Nobody wants to die or go home crippled, all patriotism aside. However, you cannot go back on your contract or your word. There is a conflict of interest in this situation. Does a soldier want the war to end because staying there is not good for our nation (a foreign policy decision) or because he or she does not want to die or go home crippled (a personal decision)?

Most our men and women have fought the enemy valiantly. A good number of them made the ultimate sacrifice. Many more must live the rest of their lives with serious handicaps. Among those who are still alive and well, all want to avoid becoming victims, I am sure. Some want to achieve that goal not by surviving combat duty, but by avoiding combat duty. I understand. It takes great courage and determination to witness and withstand the daily carnage in that country. Perhaps if I were there, I too would ask for the end of the war and the withdrawal of all troops.

I also feel empathy for the families of service personnel, the suffering and the uncertainty connected with having a loved one over there. However, let us remember we are fighting irrational and fanatical enemies. God forbid we ever find our nation in captivity to their kind. If that day ever comes, all is lost. That is the reason we must prevail. That is the reason we must front the enemy with strength. Any indecisiveness or show of weakness on our part only serves to fuel the ambition of our enemies. Therefore, U.S. soldier, if you must complain, please do so through private channels. Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, and members of Congress, you all please listen and act decisively.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part I, chapter 1 “Ground Zero.”

PUBLIC DISSENT BY U.S. SOLDIERS IS WRONG

Ed Shearer of the Associated Press reports some U.S. service personnel are going public with their opposition to the war in Iraq. They want Congress to end the war and bring U.S. soldiers back home. From a human standpoint, I know things are rough in Iraq, and I understand why anyone would want to get out of that situation. However, I am opposed to soldiers using a public platform to pressure the government into acquiescing to their demands.

To criticize U.S. war policy privately (within proper channels) or to write letters to one’s congressperson is one thing. To protest in a way that embarrasses our Commander in Chief, our leaders, and those service personnel committed to fulfilling their obligations is another thing. In the enemy forces, you have suicide bombers and fighters sacrificing their lives unquestioningly. In our ranks, we have soldiers who want out. What does that do for morale? How does the world characterize such behavior?

One of those asking for redress is Jonathan Hutto, a Navy seaman. According to Shearer’s report, Hutto says he obeys orders because he took an oath to defend the country. However, he disagrees with some of those orders, and thinks U.S. forces should leave Iraq right away. Apparently, Mr. Hutto forgot some of his basic training. The most elemental direction a soldier must learn is to obey the orders issued by superior officers. Unless your leader wants you to massacre innocent people or somehow disregard proper and accepted rules of engagement, you have to follow orders and do your best.

There is even a website for service personnel who feel like Mr. Hutto. The address is http://www.appealforredress.org. In January 2007, on Martin Luther King Jr. day, the organizers plan to deliver the collected appeals to members of Congress. Some of the sponsoring organizations are Iraq Veterans against the War, Military Families Speak Out, and Veterans for Peace.

Here is how the website words the appeal: “As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.”

Whoever wrote the appeal expresses it as if the American people elected him or her to public office. There is no room for compromise or middle of the road solutions. Congress must support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq, not one quarter, one third, or one half, but all our forces. Close all bases too. Saying that “staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price” is a matter of judgment, and I do not think service personnel is in a position to make those kinds of policy decisions best. Certainly, we must leave those assessments to the people we elect to high office, and to the expert personnel advising them.

When joining our armed forces, our volunteer armed forces, service personnel sign a contract. They are to receive pay and benefits in return for the services they will render. In times of peace, nobody complains. In times of war, especially a difficult who-and-where-the-hell-is-the-enemy-and-what-are-they-doing kind of war, it is understandable for soldiers to want to get out. Let us get primitive here. Nobody wants to die or go home crippled, all patriotism aside. However, you cannot go back on your contract or your word. There is a conflict of interest in this situation. Does a soldier want the war to end because staying there is not good for our nation (a foreign policy decision) or because he or she does not want to die or go home crippled (a personal decision)?

Most our men and women have valiantly fought the enemy. A good number of them made the ultimate sacrifice. Many more must live the rest of their lives with serious handicaps. Among those who are still alive and well, all want to avoid becoming victims, I am sure. Some want to achieve that goal not by surviving combat duty, but by avoiding combat duty. I understand. It takes great courage and determination to witness and withstand the daily carnage in that country. Perhaps if I were there, I too would ask for the end of the war and the withdrawal of all troops.

I also feel empathy for the families of service personnel, the suffering and the uncertainty connected with having a loved one over there. However, let us remember we are fighting irrational and fanatical enemies. God forbid we ever find our nation in captivity to their kind. If that day ever comes, all is lost. That is the reason we must prevail. That is the reason we must front the enemy with strength. Any indecisiveness or show of weakness on our part only serves to fuel the ambition of our enemies. Therefore, U.S. soldier, if you must complain, please do so through private channels. Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, and members of Congress, you all please listen and act decisively.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part I, chapter 1 “Ground Zero.”

PUBLIC DISSENT BY U.S. SOLDIERS IS WRONG

Ed Shearer of the Associated Press reports some U.S. service personnel are going public with their opposition to the war in Iraq. They want Congress to end the war and bring U.S. soldiers back home. From a human standpoint, I know things are rough in Iraq, and I understand why anyone would want to get out of that situation. However, I am opposed to soldiers using a public platform to pressure the government into acquiescing to their demands.

To criticize U.S. war policy privately (within proper channels) or to write letters to one’s congressperson is one thing. To protest in a way that embarrasses our Commander in Chief, our leaders, and those service personnel committed to fulfilling their obligations is another thing. In the enemy forces, you have suicide bombers and fighters sacrificing their lives unquestioningly. In our ranks, we have soldiers who want out. What does that do for morale? How does the world characterize such behavior?

One of those asking for redress is Jonathan Hutto, a Navy seaman. According to Shearer’s report, Hutto says he obeys orders because he took an oath to defend the country. However, he disagrees with some of those orders, and thinks U.S. forces should leave Iraq right away. Apparently, Mr. Hutto forgot some of his basic training. The most elemental direction a soldier must learn is to obey the orders issued by superior officers. Unless your leader wants you to massacre innocent people or somehow disregard proper and accepted rules of engagement, you have to follow orders and do your best.

There is even a website for service personnel who feel like Mr. Hutto. The address is http://www.appealforredress.org. In January 2007, on Martin Luther King Jr. day, the organizers plan to deliver the collected appeals to members of Congress. Some of the sponsoring organizations are Iraq Veterans against the War, Military Families Speak Out, and Veterans for Peace.

Here is how the website words the appeal: “As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.”

Whoever wrote the appeal expresses it as if the American people elected him or her to public office. There is no room for compromise or middle of the road solutions. Congress must support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq, not one quarter, one third, or one half, but all our forces. Close all bases too. Saying that “staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price” is a matter of judgment, and I do not think service personnel is in a position to make those kinds of policy decisions best. Certainly, we must leave those assessments to the people we elect to high office, and to the expert personnel advising them.

When joining our armed forces, our volunteer armed forces, service personnel sign a contract. They are to receive pay and benefits in return for the services they will render. In times of peace, nobody complains. In times of war, especially a difficult who-and-where-the-hell-is-the-enemy-and-what-are-they-doing kind of war, it is understandable for soldiers to want to get out. Let us get primitive here. Nobody wants to die or go home crippled, all patriotism aside. However, you cannot go back on your contract or your word. There is a conflict of interest in this situation. Does a soldier want the war to end because staying there is not good for our nation (a foreign policy decision) or because he or she does not want to die or go home crippled (a personal decision)?

Most our men and women have valiantly fought the enemy. A good number of them made the ultimate sacrifice. Many more must live the rest of their lives with serious handicaps. Among those who are still alive and well, all want to avoid becoming victims, I am sure. Some want to achieve that goal not by surviving combat duty, but by avoiding combat duty. I understand. It takes great courage and determination to witness and withstand the daily carnage in that country. Perhaps if I were there, I too would ask for the end of the war and the withdrawal of all troops.

I also feel empathy for the families of service personnel, the suffering and the uncertainty connected with having a loved one over there. However, let us remember we are fighting irrational and fanatical enemies. God forbid we ever find our nation in captivity to their kind. If that day ever comes, all is lost. That is the reason we must prevail. That is the reason we must front the enemy with strength. Any indecisiveness or show of weakness on our part only serves to fuel the ambition of our enemies. Therefore, U.S. soldier, if you must complain, please do so through private channels. Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, and members of Congress, you all please listen and act decisively.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part I, chapter 1 “Ground Zero.”

PUBLIC DISSENT BY U.S. SOLDIERS IS WRONG

Ed Shearer of the Associated Press reports some U.S. service personnel are going public with their opposition to the war in Iraq. They want Congress to end the war and bring U.S. soldiers back home. From a human standpoint, I know things are rough in Iraq, and I understand why anyone would want to get out of that situation. However, I am opposed to soldiers using a public platform to pressure the government into acquiescing to their demands.

To criticize U.S. war policy privately (within proper channels) or to write letters to one’s congressperson is one thing. To protest in a way that embarrasses our Commander in Chief, our leaders, and those service personnel committed to fulfilling their obligations is another thing. In the enemy forces, you have suicide bombers and fighters sacrificing their lives unquestioningly. In our ranks, we have soldiers who want out. What does that do for morale? How does the world characterize such behavior?

One of those asking for redress is Jonathan Hutto, a Navy seaman. According to Shearer’s report, Hutto says he obeys orders because he took an oath to defend the country. However, he disagrees with some of those orders, and thinks U.S. forces should leave Iraq right away. Apparently, Mr. Hutto forgot some of his basic training. The most elemental direction a soldier must learn is to obey the orders issued by superior officers. Unless your leader wants you to massacre innocent people or somehow disregard proper and accepted rules of engagement, you have to follow orders and do your best.

There is even a website for service personnel who feel like Mr. Hutto. The address is http://www.appealforredress.org. In January 2007, on Martin Luther King Jr. day, the organizers plan to deliver the collected appeals to members of Congress. Some of the sponsoring organizations are Iraq Veterans against the War, Military Families Speak Out, and Veterans for Peace.

Here is how the website words the appeal: “As a patriotic American proud to serve the nation in uniform, I respectfully urge my political leaders in Congress to support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq. Staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price. It is time for U.S. troops to come home.”

Whoever wrote the appeal expresses it as if the American people elected him or her to public office. There is no room for compromise or middle of the road solutions. Congress must support the prompt withdrawal of all American military forces and bases from Iraq, not one quarter, one third, or one half, but all our forces. Close all bases too. Saying that “staying in Iraq will not work and is not worth the price” is a matter of judgment, and I do not think service personnel is in a position to make those kinds of policy decisions best. Certainly, we must leave those assessments to the people we elect to high office, and to the expert personnel advising them.

When joining our armed forces, our volunteer armed forces, service personnel sign a contract. They are to receive pay and benefits in return for the services they will render. In times of peace, nobody complains. In times of war, especially a difficult who-and-where-the-hell-is-the-enemy-and-what-are-they-doing kind of war, it is understandable for soldiers to want to get out. Let us get primitive here. Nobody wants to die or go home crippled, all patriotism aside. However, you cannot go back on your contract or your word. There is a conflict of interest in this situation. Does a soldier want the war to end because staying there is not good for our nation (a foreign policy decision) or because he or she does not want to die or go home crippled (a personal decision)?

Most our men and women have valiantly fought the enemy. A good number of them made the ultimate sacrifice. Many more must live the rest of their lives with serious handicaps. Among those who are still alive and well, all want to avoid becoming victims, I am sure. Some want to achieve that goal not by surviving combat duty, but by avoiding combat duty. I understand. It takes great courage and determination to witness and withstand the daily carnage in that country. Perhaps if I were there, I too would ask for the end of the war and the withdrawal of all troops.

I also feel empathy for the families of service personnel, the suffering and the uncertainty connected with having a loved one over there. However, let us remember we are fighting irrational and fanatical enemies. God forbid we ever find our nation in captivity to their kind. If that day ever comes, all is lost. That is the reason we must prevail. That is the reason we must front the enemy with strength. Any indecisiveness or show of weakness on our part only serves to fuel the ambition of our enemies. Therefore, U.S. soldier, if you must complain, please do so through private channels. Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, and members of Congress, you all please listen and act decisively.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part I, chapter 1 “Ground Zero.”

JUSTICE SYSTEM TOO SOFT ON CRIMINALS

On Wednesday, October 25, the state of Florida executed Danny Rolling by lethal injection. Going to sleep is a very easy way to die for a serial killer that brutally butchered five college students in Gainesville. According to newspaper reports, the victims’ families felt he should have suffered much more before taking his lasts breaths. I agree.

Showing love and forgiveness to the likes of Danny Rolling is inconceivable to me. I do not understand people with those inclinations, those who protest against the death penalty. You have to be brainwashed, not to realize such behavior is a perversion or degeneration of human emotion. We are not cold-blooded reptiles. Hatred and punishment are the proper responses to the heinous acts of such monsters.

Vengeance, yes, vengeance is appropriate. Let us look at the definition of “vengeance.” It is “Infliction of punishment in return for a wrong committed; retribution.” What is wrong with that when dealing with hardened criminals, oppressive dictators, or all the other vermin that inhabit our planet? There is nothing wrong with it. The desire for vengeance is a proper human emotion, and do not let anybody tell you any different. Do not ever feel ashamed for hating or wanting to give these bastards some of their own medicine.

Many people say “not vengeance, but justice.” Okay, in a civilized society we cannot have people taking the law into their own hands, not that I would mind family members of victims “taking care” of fiends like Danny Rolling, but I understand that many innocent people would be wrongly injured or executed if we allowed it. We do need trials to make sure juries find the right suspects guilty while the wrong suspects go free. However, in the way it sentences and punishes, the justice system must become more just. Danny Rolling committed those crimes back in 1990. It took the justice system SIXTEEN YEARS to kill this namuh* with (of all possible forms of execution) A LOUSY INJECTION.

The justice system should reflect the hurt, the anger, and the outrage of the victims’ families, by issuing physical punishment to criminals in equal or greater proportion to the pain and trauma they inflicted. It is only fair. If society does not want people taking the law into their own hands, then society must channel the rightful feelings of vengeance by the families of victims through the justice system.

We must not ask aggrieved mourners to subdue their emotions. We must ask the laws, the judges, and the juries to deliver sentences and punishment that satisfy those emotions. It is the right thing to do and, again, do not let pacifists or people who like to turn-the-other-cheek tell you any different. God gave us a whole range of emotions to react to different situations. Therefore, when somebody hurts one of your loved ones for no good reason whatsoever, do not be ashamed to ask for blood in return.

*Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part III, chapter 25 “Heaven for Humans, Hell for the Namuh.”

CUBA IS A PRISON

Why call Cuba a country? Call it what it is, a prison. Living there is hell. According to a report from Wilfredo Cancio Isla published in el Nuevo Herald today, October 26, almost 6,000 Cubans risked their lives at sea trying to get to the United States so far this year. Only a little more than 3,000 were successful. The Coast Guard intercepted the rest. They are back in Cuba. What the report cannot tell us is how many more perished making the voyage.

The direct sea route from Cuba to Florida is not the only way Cubans are fleeing the island. They go by sea to the Dominican Republic and from there try to cross the dangerous Canal de la Mona to Puerto Rico. They try going by sea to Honduras and Mexico. If successful, they cross the Mexican border to come to the United States. Cancio reports the unofficial figure crossing the border as around 6,000 in 2006 and more than 7,600 in 2005. Again, we do not know how many more Cubans died using these routes to freedom.

Obviously, Cuba is not a paradise for Cubans. Tourists enjoy goods and services out of reach for the natives. From what I hear, a form of apartheid prohibits Cuban nationals from entering certain establishments reserved for tourists. There is no freedom of information. Citizens have access only to government owned media. The indoctrination never stops. I am hopeful transmissions from a new TV Marti plane can get through to some of the population there. In the past, Castro has had success interfering with those signals. The World Wide Web is not for Cubans either. There is no access to the Internet, unless you are one of the privileged few working in the high government ranks. In other words, you can browse the Internet if you are one of the oppressors, not one of the oppressed.

The Cuban government wants to keep citizens in the Dark Ages. Not an ounce of truth, not a ray of light must reach the minds and eyes of the millions of prisoners living on the island. Even the health status of the beast is a big dark secret, a state secret they say. Are they afraid the inmates will rejoice and revolt upon hearing of Fidel Castro’s death? Contrary to outside speculation, perhaps the tyrant is healing. They do not want us to know how well (no pictures, no film, and no interviews for a month) to dramatize his comeback to office. As always, they love to portray this image of Castro as the invincible leader. This time, with great fanfare they would publicize his return to power, describing him as godlike, escaping death, resurrecting from oblivion. I hope and pray he is already dead or on his way to joining Lucifer in Hell soon. Those who know my theology can hope like me. Castro should receive the punishment he deserves in the land of the lakes of fire.

Regardless what happens with Fidel Castro, however, Cuba remains a prison until the day we depose that communist government from power. To make that possible, support the U.S. embargo against Cuba. Isolate the regime. Do not trade with them. Do not conduct cultural exchange programs with Cuba. Break diplomatic ties with the island. How can one be diplomatic with liars and criminals? Instead, cut off their oxygen gradually, until they can no longer breathe.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part III, chapter 27, “Proligion Revisited.”

CUBAN DIPLOMAT TWISTS THE TRUTH

Dagoberto Rodríguez, a diplomat for the Cuban government in Washington, is the latest dramatist denouncing the U.S. embargo. According to him, this is “...the longest running and most ruthless blockade ever known to mankind...”

Looking up the word “blockade” in the dictionary yields the following: “The hostile isolation of a nation, city, or harbor so as to prevent traffic and commerce.” Does anybody see an armada of ships blockading the island of Cuba? No. Castro’s regime is free to do business with every other country in the world. At the same time, the U.S. has a right to do business only with those states that are compatible with our principles and our way of life. We did not trade with Hitler, and we do not trade with Castro. It is difficult for me to understand why there is opposition to the U. S. embargo against Cuba. Give Cubans back the freedom they lost 47 years ago, and the embargo will end. Simple enough, I think. The U.N. had no problem placing sanctions and fighting against the apartheid in South Africa. Why is the Cuban situation any different?

Cuba is free to engage in commerce with every other country except the United States. They do, although the inefficient communist economy earns them a very bad credit rating. Cuba owes billions to those states and businesses stupid and unethical enough to trade with Castro and his mercenaries. I personally hope those “merchants at the Temple” lose everything, starting with the ones coming from Spain. Castro is in debt to Spain for more than a billion dollars. Here she is, Cuba’s mother country prostituting itself for money. I guess it is probably resentment going back to the Cuban victory in the war of independence. Now, a good number of Spanish firms and tourists are helping Castro put the yoke back on the necks of those unfortunate enough to live on the island. The terms “marranos” and “puercos,” which mean “pigs,” fits them well, especially those who go to Cuba to have sex with underage teenagers.

Mr. Rodríguez likes to twist the truth, as do all those working for Castro. The U.S. has imposed an embargo on trade with Cuba, not a blockade. Here is the definition of the word "embargo": “A prohibition by a government on certain or all trade with a foreign nation.” Since certain kinds of food and medicine are exceptions, what we have is not even a full embargo. Therefore, Mr. Rodríguez and all the other propagandists in Castro’s payroll should cut out the whining and the misinformation. All of you get together, kiss Castro good night, and relinquish power. With or without your help, Cuba will be free and democratic once again. The day is near.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part III, chapter 27 “Proligion Revisited.”

I COULD NEVER BE AMISH

What is it like to live isolated from modern civilization? Ask the Amish. I imagine undergoing an operation. The surgeon lifts the top of my cranium, and covers my brain with two inches of fiberglass insulation. When it is finished, all I see is people who dress alike and talk alike. All I am able to hear is some kind of indoctrination affirming the values of the simple lifestyle. My avenues for entertainment are limited, and so is my education. I cannot enjoy the technological advances others outside my community take for granted. The newspaper in my community is strictly about what is happening in Amish country. No murders, scandals, or negative news allowed. Forget about world news. I am part of the human race and live on planet Earth, but that is about it. Do not expect me to mingle or contribute to the solution of the world’s problems. The best I can do is staying here in my own little world and not becoming a problem myself.

On my post of October 22, “Having inner peace is not always a good thing,” I explained how many people achieve that state by ignoring the outside world, as if somebody anesthetized them to the existence of evil, injustice, and human suffering. That is my perception of the Amish people. Perhaps I am being too harsh, not having lived among them and, therefore, not having in-depth knowledge of their lifestyle. However, just thinking about living there gives me the impression I would be in a kind of pleasant prison. After years of indoctrination, I guess most young people become accustomed to that way of living, but I wonder about the fate of those who want to explore other options in life.

On Monday October 23, page 27A, the Miami Herald published a column by Newsday columnist James P. Pinkerton. The piece is full of praise for the behavior of the Amish after the school tragedy in which Charles Roberts murdered five of their children and wounded others. According to Mr. Pinkerton, the Amish gave us a good example of carrying out in practice the message of forgiveness we find in the New Testament. He is referring in particular to the family of Marian Fisher, one of the Amish girls murdered, inviting the Roberts family to the girl’s funeral. They mourned together. The girl’s grandfather even told some boys as they were standing next to Marian’s body, “We must not think evil of this man.” Pinkerton says the quote comes from Rev. Robert Schenck who was a witness at the funeral services.

That kind of Amish complacency bothers me. Unless he was insane, how can we not think evil of Charles Roberts? He was the instrument. Evil was there somewhere. We should try to find the reason or reasons he did what he did.

Pinkerton likens the spirit of forgiveness shown by the Amish with the sacrifice and martyrdom of Christians in eras past. What nonsense that is. First, if these poor girls are martyrs, what is the cause for which they died? There is no cause. They died for no good reason whatsoever. A maniac ended their young beautiful and peaceful lives. Second, many Christian martyrs ended up that way because they believed in a false and irrational philosophy, that of loving their enemies and repaying evil with good. If they had put up a good fight, perhaps they would have avoided martyrdom.

The glorification of the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation in this and many other instances is abhorrent to me. Good people always end up mourning and losing. If somebody is insane, then let science fight the evil of insanity until we conquer it if that is possible. If not, let us find ways to detect and put away the crazies before they do mortal harm. If somebody is outright evil, then let us fight his or her kind with everything at our disposal, beginning with our religious philosophy. Repaying evil with good does not work.

Why did Charles Roberts choose a school in the Amish community as his target? Judging from their pacifist tradition, he probably knew he would not find much resistance there. True, similar tragedies have hit regular American public schools. Yet, because of better security at those schools, it is possible Roberts would not have dared carry out his plan in one of them.

Rethink your way of life, Amish people. Part of the reason you survive is because the laws and officers of the land protect you. If you were living in some lawless frontier, your kind would not stand a chance unless you decided to fight for your survival and those of your children. Vengeance is not the Lord’s, as you think. Vengeance is ours. That is why God gave us minds, so that we could learn right from wrong, so that we could fight evil every inch of the way.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part III, chapter 25 “Heaven for Humans, Hell for the Namuh.”

WHEN GANGS TAKE OVER

Yesterday, on page 15A, the Miami Herald published a report by Will Weissert of the Associated Press titled “Mexican drug gangs turn to beheadings.” Apparently, drug organizations are no longer content with eliminating the competition. Using more gruesome methods of execution instill greater fear in those who stand in their way. Beheading does the trick, especially when accompanied by notes explaining the reason why a particular body “lost his head.”

This is happening in the state of Michoacán in central Mexico, where the rocky terrain and light population are a plus for drug smuggling operations. That may be part of the reason these drug cartels are getting away with murder, but not the main reason. The direct intimidation of journalists, police officers, and anybody else interfering in their business is.

Reporters know their lives are at risk, if investigations dig too deep uncovering the workings of these drug gangs. One of the notes found with a head warns people to mind their own business. In addition to terrorizing the media, the gangs scare those whose job it is to uphold the law, police officers. More than half the police force quit in one town, after receiving death threats. It appears that the drug gangs are the more powerful group of the two. Either the police are too few in number, or they do not have the resources necessary to get rid of these criminals.

Here in the United States, gangs do not wield that kind of power or control over the media or the police. Nevertheless, they inflict harm on innocent citizens and bring too much pain to our communities. Drive-by shootings and stray bullets kill somebody’s child every so often. When gangs take over, we cease to live in a civilized society. We should not condone a state of lawlessness, and must do whatever is necessary to put hardened criminals where they belong, in jail or six feet below ground. Go for it Mexico!

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part III, chapter 25 “Heaven for Humans, Hell for the Namuh.”

HAVING INNER PEACE IS NOT ALWAYS A GOOD THING

When Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke at the United Nations last month, a columnist wrote a piece about his “serene” disposition, the calm look on his face, and his smile as he addressed world representatives. Sorry, I forgot who the columnist was or where I read the piece, but I remember him or her saying Ahmadinejad’s “composure” stemmed from having “inner peace,” the knowledge his position is in line with Islam and the dictates of Allah.

Ahmadinejad’s error is thinking knowledge backs up his stance. All that he has in his possession is false belief. If proposing the destruction of the State of Israel is in line with Islam and the dictates of Allah, then Islam and the Koran are wrong. Moral laws are not that complicated when it comes to genocide. If God exists, and if God is a good God, I believe Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and those who think like him are going to be unpleasantly surprised when they reach the other side. My bet is the doors of Hell will open up for them. No, the sentence is not for eternity. That is absurd. However, their stay in Hell should last long enough to teach these ignoramuses a good and enduring lesson.

Achieving inner peace through religious indoctrination is very dangerous. Faith or belief is the basis of religion. Knowledge has nothing or little to do with it. Therefore, people should be careful. A fictitious state of mind lasts only as long as reality lets people get away with it. There comes a time when what is real teaches us the error of our ways.

Having inner peace is also undesirable when achieved at the expense of ignoring evil and suffering in the world. Some people just care about their own little selves. They do not want to be bothered with reality. They want to live in a peaceful dreamlike world. They say, “Be positive. Act positive. Only mingle with positive people. Reject negative thoughts or news that could bring sadness or upheaval to the soul.” The only problem with that philosophy is that our world goes to Hell in the meantime—if people fail to act against the existing evils. Do not get me wrong. I favor optimism over pessimism. Positive thinking helps direct people’s lives and achieve goals, but it is counterproductive if one shuts out valuable information of a negative nature.

Take the cells of our bodies as good examples of altruism. They die doing a job, keeping our organs and our persons functioning properly. I am not asking you to die for the world. I know we are not cells. We are complex organisms with an instinct for self-preservation. Nevertheless, we are like cells in the sense that our collective is a body greater than we are. The name of that body is humanity. Thus, if you would like our race to survive and evolve, get involved. Fight evil and corruption. Eliminate those kinds of people or put them in jail, whichever they deserve. Do what you can to alleviate unwarranted human suffering. Then, after actively pursuing those goals, you can go ahead and enjoy a good dose of inner peace. There is nothing wrong with having inner peace, as long as we earn it.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part III, chapter 25 “Heaven for Humans, Hell for the Namuh.”

ESTABLISHING IMMIGRANT SANCTUARY CITIES IS WRONG

According to a report on the Metro & State section of the Miami Herald of October 19, a group called American Fraternity wants Miami-Dade County to become an official “immigrant sanctuary.” An immigrant sanctuary city or county prohibits local police from questioning the immigration status of suspects, or reporting them to Immigration and Customs enforcement officials.

A March 24, 2006 report by Hector Carreon, writing for La Voz de Aztlan, informs us of the addition of another city to the list of immigrant sanctuaries across the country. The city council of Coachella, a city 125 miles east of Los Angeles, passed a resolution protecting undocumented immigrants from harassment by local police. According to the report, Coachella Mayor Jesse Villareal told illegal immigrants the city’s police force is not to act as border patrol officers or turn them in to Immigration.

It sounds to me like “Don’t worry, be happy!” not the kind of message public officials should be sending to people who break our federal laws. I suspect the city council dared pass the resolution, because they did not fear a backlash from the area residents. Carreon puts Coachella’s Hispanic population at 97%, so Anglos and other groups only amount to 3%. Yet, I am surprised a good number of Hispanics who are American citizens did not raise hell. Where does their loyalty lie, in the United States of America or in Mexico?

Carreon cites the rapid expansion of the “Immigrant Sanctuary Movement.” According to him, the cities of Maywood, Los Angeles, Huntington Park, Pomona and San Francisco have already passed rulings that protect illegal immigrants from the reach of our federal laws. The Herald piece adds Cambridge, Massachusetts and Takoma Park, Maryland to the list. As far as I am concerned, one city on the list is one too many. What are they trying to do, secede from the Union? Who do they think they are these councilpersons, kings and queens of their own little kingdom?

An interesting piece of news in Carreon’s report is the support of the movement by some clergy in the Catholic Church. Los Angeles Cardinal Rogelio Mahony supposedly backs giving sanctuary to illegal immigrants100 percent. He is willing to have priests disobey parts of the law in order to help undocumented people in need. How do you like that? Okay, the Cardinal should do what his conscience and his religion tells him to do. The same goes for his crew, the priests under his direction. At the same time, since we have separation of church and state, the District Attorney and the judicial system should do what the law requires. If the Cardinal and his people break the law, prosecute them.

The Catholic Church should be as brave and vociferous in Cuba. Over there, they do not dare. On the contrary, they are very compliant with the communist government’s laws and regulations. They even say a mass and pray for the healthy recovery of the conscienceless tyrant ruling that country for the past 47 years. Maybe we should send Cardinal Rogelio Mahony and his crew down there.

Establishing immigrant sanctuary cities or counties is wrong. The United States has an incontrovertible right to protect its borders and control immigration. Those who come here should do so legally. I favor President Bush’s proposal for a guest worker program, as long as we can ensure those people leave the U.S. when their permits expire. Other than that, we cannot bow to the unreasonable demands of those who think illegal immigrants have some God-given right to trespass into and stay in our territory. U.S. citizens and residents have the duty to obey U.S. laws. Those who do not should suffer the consequences, whether it is profit or humanitarian reasons what motivates them to break our laws.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part III, chapter 26 “Matters of Concern.”

BRIBING POLITICIANS DESERVES HARSH PENALTIES

For fourteen years, Randy ‘Duke’ Cunningham was a member of the United States House of Representatives for California’s 50th Congressional District. During that time, he received over two million dollars in bribes, mainly from defense contractors. He resigned from his post last year. On March 2006, a judge sentenced him to over 8 years in prison. In addition, he has to pay close to two million dollars in restitution.

One defense contractor bought Cunningham’s house for close to two million dollars, and then sold it for about $700,000 less. Soon after the purchase, the man’s firm received tens of millions of dollars in government contracts. In addition to hard cash, Cunningham received jewelry, gifts, the use of a yacht and a Rolls Royce, and other assorted goodies.

Now federal investigators report Cunningham’s influence peddling and maneuverings helped other companies get contracts to the tune of more than 70 million dollars. The former Congressman should have received a harsher sentence. He will probably get out of jail in three or four years, if not sooner. Betraying the public’s trust calls for a longer sentence. However, now that Cunningham is where he belongs, I hope the government does a good job prosecuting the co-conspirators.

Go hard on them. Give nothing less than long jail terms to the individuals involved, and big fines to the companies that benefited from those deals. Imagine awarding defense and intelligence contracts not to the firms with the better products or the lowest bids, but to the ones that pay our politicians the most money. I know that “In God We Trust,” but knowing we can have faith in those who represent us would not hurt. Our lives, our safety, and our well-being are at stake.

Therefore, have a zero tolerance policy on corrupt persons inside and outside of government. It takes two to tango. Break up their chance to dance. If they get to dance in spite our efforts, then make them continue practicing those moves inside a jail cell. Give them all the time we feel necessary for them to put their act together.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part III, chapter 26 “Matters of Concern.”

GIVE THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI A BREAK

Last Saturday October 14, 2006, there was a football game, the University of Miami against Florida International University, my alma mater. By now, most people in the country know what happened. If you watch the news on television, you had to see it. There was a big brawl on the third quarter. Nobody knows for sure who started it. Apparently, one or more UM players did too much celebrating after a touchdown, and somebody on the FIU side took offense. Both benches cleared after a couple of players started slugging each other.

Yes, it was unfortunate. Yes, that kind of thing does not belong in sports, but no, the University of Miami does not have to shut down its program, fire coaches, dismiss a whole bunch of players or suspend them indefinitely. Those most responsible have already been disciplined.

Some people in the media around the country are not happy with that situation. They want blood. It has been almost twenty years since the “swagger days” of UM, culminating in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl incident where players wore fatigues. This is a different team. These are different individuals.

Sport commentators are not philosophers. There is the rub. Their overblown attacks against UM stem from a lack of analytical skills. First, a team does not have a soul or a body. It is a collective entity made up of human individuals. Those who made up the team twenty years ago are not there now. Second, one should not punish the whole organization or all the individuals belonging to the team for the actions of a few. It is not as if they are getting into a fight every other week, and the coaches are urging them on. Suggesting UM shuts down the football program is an imbecility.

The UM football program has been clean for almost 20 years. Besides, these ardent hateful critics forget how easy it is for young people to react to a situation. Coming to the aid of teammates when a fight ensues is a natural reaction. What happened was not a premeditated act. Nobody got into a huddle to plan and coordinate the melee. Moreover, let us not talk about young people. Let us talk about grown men. How often do fights break up in baseball games with both benches clearing? Not a year passes by without one or more of those incidents. True, those going on the field try to separate fighting players. We rarely see whole teams going at each other. Nevertheless, joining teammates in trouble is a natural reaction. Once a player is on the field, a hit or a shove can provoke him to retaliate even if he intended to act as a peacemaker.

There is no excuse for using a football helmet to hit somebody. Kicking people when they are down is also dirty thug like behavior unbecoming college athletes. Those players deserved suspensions. I am sure UM officials and coaches have warned all players of serious consequences if something similar happens in the future. That is sufficient. It is easy for people in the media—especially those with mediocre talent—to harp on a story and dramatize it, as if they were involved in the narration of an epic novel. We witnessed a fight in a game, not World War III. Give the University of Miami a break. Get off the bandwagon.

MANAGING POPULATION GROWTH IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY

We hit a milestone yesterday. According to the Census Bureau, the U.S. population reached 300 million. As our population increases, housing becomes a concern. In the past, cities like Miami have dealt with this problem by expanding its suburban areas. Now, it is allowing the building of high-rises in the city. Both approaches are causing tremendous traffic problems. The need for public officials to use good judgment in controlling growth has never been greater.

For many years now, the order of the day has been “Build to the West! Build to the West!” Lobbyists for developers have found ways to convince our public officials this is the way to go. Obtaining zoning changes and building permits has not been a problem. Unfortunately, none of those public officials had the foresight to plan for the transportation infrastructure necessary to support all those new developments. The result is tremendous traffic congestions. In Miami, we do not have a rush hour, we have rush hours (in plural), because that is how long it takes most people to get to work and to come home from work. It is like a part-time job, crawling slowly bumper to bumper. What a waste of time and gasoline, not to speak of the accompanying stress.

In cities like New York and London, the subway system can take you almost anywhere. Here in Miami, the Metro Rail lines cover only a small portion of the city. If you want to go anywhere else without a car, you have to use the bus service. When time is of the essence, taking a bus is not a viable option. You have to wait for the bus. Then, there are all those stops the bus has to make. Finally, the bus driver still has to deal with the traffic.

It is not up to the average citizen to come up with the solutions. That is the reason we elect people to office. The least we can expect is that our representatives stop pandering to developers and act with our interests at heart. Stop further urban sprawl and encroachment into the Everglades. Do not allow the building of high-rises in already congested city areas. Come up with innovative ways of improving our highway, parking and transportation systems.

Money should be no object. I estimate Miami-Dade County can save 30% from the 6.86 billion it collects. Just eliminate corruption, waste, mismanagement, unnecessary projects and positions, unproductive employees, and whatever other excesses those in charge detect. The number of employees working for the county is almost 30,000, wow! Sensible people know the county could easily shave a sizable chunk off that budget and eliminate a good number of positions, without cutting on services.

Excessively high salaries and benefits is one area of concern. Funny how salary surveys keep coming up with higher figures every time there is an inquiry. Is there ever a plateau where our nation reaches comparability in salaries for a position? NO! This is what I suspect happens. The county doing the survey picks the highest salary of another county in the country as “at least what we have to pay to be competitive.” They add a chunk of money to that figure “in order to attract the best candidates possible.” Now, that becomes the highest salary for that position in the whole country. The next county doing a salary survey follows the same formula. That is how I think the salaries and benefits of government workers keep going up to exorbitant levels.

Private industry should pay that well. The average worker does not come close. No wonder people have lost faith in government. Some do not even want to exercise their right to vote. What is the use, they figure? You elect them, but there is no change. The system keeps always asking for more and more. When is the scale going to shift the other way? Please surprise us.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part III, chapter 26 “Matters of Concern.”

U.N. SANCTIONS ON NORTH KOREA NOT ENOUGH

North Korea conducted a nuclear test on October 9 in defiance of the international community. On Saturday October 14, 2006, the United Nations Security Council voted to impose a package of sanctions on North Korea. It falls short of the actions necessary to stop Kim Jong Il and his despotic regime from becoming a dangerous and illegal nuclear power.

The first thing the U.N. should do is demand is a change in the country’s name. Calling North Korea, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is an outright lie and an offense of the sensibilities of truly democratic people around the world. Okay, do not change the name of the country. I am flexible. Oust Kim Jong Il and his robots from power. Have a true democratic government take over. That will work. North Korea’s neighbor, communist China, another so-called “People’s Democratic Republic,” should follow suit.

North Korea has disregarded all attempts by the U.N. to bring that nation in line with international agreements. Listen how resolution 1718 begins: “The Security Council, recalling its previous relevant resolutions, including resolution 825 (1993), resolution 1540 (2004) and, in particular, resolution 1695 (2006), as well as the statement of its President of 6 October 2006 (S/PRST/2006/41) ... condemns North Korea’s nuclear test of October 9, etc. etc.” In other words, for thirteen years now, the U.N. has tried to get North Korea to adhere by the Treaty of the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to no avail. What makes them think the current sanctions will have any effect unless accompanied by the threat of the use of force by the international community?

North Korea flatly rejects the Security Council’s demands. These include the demand to stop any further nuclear test or launch of a ballistic missile, the demand to retract its announcement of withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and the demand to return to the Treaty and comply with International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards as well as with their Treaty obligations. Furthermore, the council decided “... that the DPRK shall abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner...” and so on and so forth.

North Korean Ambassador Pak Gil Yon discarded the U.N.’s “gangster-like” resolution and threatened to take “physical countermeasures,” if the United States persisted in increasing pressure upon his country, considering such actions a declaration of war.

There you have it. Perhaps war is the only way to stop North Korea from becoming a greater danger to civilization. The present sanctions do not amount to much. One of the most important provisions of resolution 1718 aims to prevent the trafficking of ballistic missiles or unconventional weapons. It calls for the inspection of all cargo leaving and arriving in North Korea. China, the state bordering North Korea, does not like it. In so many words, their ambassador to the U.N. said they do not want any confrontations with their neighbor. They may inspect cargo, but do not want to have to seize illegal shipments. What good is that? Moreover, China feels the inspections the U.S. and other countries may conduct in international waters are illegal.

The U.N. has to put pressure on China to carry out its obligations under resolution 1718, monitor the enforcement of these sanctions, and be ready to take further action if North Korea fails to dismantle its nuclear program. President Bush said the U.S. and other nations would help North Korea recover economically, if their leader agrees to the U.N.'s demands. I disagree with that offer. The economic woes of North Korea are no different from those of Cuba. The hunger and suffering of their peoples is due to the antihuman totalitarian regimes in charge of those nations’ destinies. We should not contribute one penny to the perpetuation of those dictatorial governments. Instead, let us find a way to make them disappear.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part III, chapter 27 “Proligion Revisited.”

FORMULA FOR THE SUCCESS OF STUDENTS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Following yesterday’s post about my school medals in Cuba, it occurs to me to propose a formula for the success of students in our public schools. Such formula would be successful in private schools also, but most of these do not need my advice. Because private schools are expensive, they either find ways to teach children well or close after losing out to the competition.

This is the formula: GOOD CONDUCT + GOOD APPLICATION = ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.

If we (the School Board, school administrators, teachers, and parents) demand and enforce good conduct and good application from all students, the result will be academic excellence. Granted, not every student will be an Einstein, but our children will learn to read, think, and study well. Most will become productive members of society.

There can be no compromise to anything less than the demand and enforcement of good conduct and good application. Establish disciplinary measures to control (and suspend, if necessary) problem students. We cannot allow the many to suffer and fail due to the actions of the few. If parents cannot educate and discipline their children as required, both should suffer the consequences. A learning institution is not a place for spoiled or disrespectful children. It is a place for those who want to learn and behave accordingly.

The American Heritage dictionary defines “conduct” as “the way one acts; behavior.” Good conduct on the part of a student, therefore, requires that he or she acts and behaves well. I do not think expanding on that thought is necessary. We should all understand what good conduct means, even those who like to act stupid to get away with murder.

Regarding “application,” the word has different definitions in the dictionary. Two of those concern us here. The first one defines “application” as “the act of putting something to a special use.” The “something” in this context is the human brain of a student, and the “special use” is learning. One goes to school to learn. The duty of grownups is to work in order to earn a living. The duty of a student is to learn, so that someday he or she can go to work and earn a living, period.

The second definition of “application” is “close attention; diligence,” as in “shows application to his or her work.” The idea is quite simple. In the classroom, the teacher is the man or the woman (a godlike figure if you wish). The duty of a student is to pay attention, ask questions and follow instructions as commanded. If the teacher says, “Do this now,” the student does this now. If the teacher says, “You have the following homework...” the student makes a note of it, goes home, and does the assigned homework as required. It is almost a perfect system, if only teachers taught well (I am not letting them off the hook, by any means) and students showed good application.

To motivate students, have an end-of-year event at the school auditorium. Give out medals in the categories of “conduct,” “application,” and “academic excellence” to the top three or four students in each class. Ask parents to be present. Publish a list of the winners on a yearbook. If possible, ask the local newspaper to do the same. They could print and include an insert in one of their daily runs. I am sure other incentives are possible, like giving the winners free tickets to Disney World or other goodies corporate sponsors are willing to donate.

In my opinion and that of many other observers, discipline is sorely lacking in public schools. Without discipline, the learning environment suffers greatly. Teaching becomes an impossible task. That is the reason public schools need to adopt a formula for success. Demanding and enforcing good conduct and good application from students is that formula. If we apply it, there is no doubt in my mind academic excellence will follow.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part II, chapter 12 “Leaps of Knowledge.”

REMINISCING ABOUT MY SCHOOL MEDALS

Back in Cuba, in the district known as La Víbora, Havana, el Colegio Champagnat, also known as los Maristas (Marist Brothers) was my educational institution from kindergarten to high school. There, I learned to read, to think, and to learn valuable moral and civic lessons in addition to the usual academic subjects. By the time I finished high school, I had accumulated 48 medals, 47 gold and one silver, I believe was the distribution. My father made me a beautiful wood and glass case to keep them in display. It hung in one of the walls of my bedroom.

The school awarded me these medals in recognition for my work and dedication as a student. I would usually win in the categories of “conduct,” “application,” and “(academic) excellence,” ending up one of the top three or four in my class. My grades were usually A’s, with only a couple of B grades sprinkled here and there. Every year, at the end of the school year ceremony, the principal would call out the names of the winners in the different categories and give out the medals. My parents were always there, God bless them. I was happy to make them proud, year after year.

At the age of seventeen, I came to the United States and had to leave my medals behind. Otherwise, the big thief Castro or one of his franchisees at the airport would have confiscated (stolen) them. Four years later, my parents left for Spain where they stayed for ten months before coming to America. They left the medals with my aunt Rosa. Right now, she is about ninety years old, living with my cousin in Spain. He brought her there due to health problems. I do not think she is going back to Cuba. You probably know where I am heading.

I have not asked my aunt about the medals, first because she is old and I do not want her to get upset if she does not remember what happened to the medals. To ask would not serve any purpose. If the medals are still somewhere in her house in Cuba, I am not going back until Castro and his regime are gone anyway. If they are not there, then somebody stole them or traded them for food or some other goods. That is okay. Because of Castro’s revolution, the Cuban people have lost things that are much more valuable. Life and liberty are two of those things. My potential loss is small in comparison. Even if I never see those medals again, nobody can take away the knowledge that I earned them well. As long as I live, I will be proud of those accomplishments.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part I, chapter 2 “The Mind.”

MIAMI-DADE TEACHERS ASK FOR BETTER PAY

This past week, Miami-Dade teachers carried out numerous protests asking for better pay. Right now, the starting salary for a teacher is around $34,000 a year, not enough to support a family, especially in Miami. Here, among other things, the cost of housing, property taxes, and hurricane insurance have risen to such levels that many families opt to move to another part of Florida or to another state altogether. That is not a viable option for people with strong ties in the community. Many of those staying here cannot keep up with the expenses. Some of them survive on credit, until exhausted. Then, filing for bankruptcy is the only way to get out of the mess.

Teachers deserve a decent salary. Starting pay should be sufficient to attract the best minds available. Bright students with a vocation to teach may not choose Education as their major in college, if they could do better financially in another field. Furthermore, in addition to regular salary increases based on seniority, there should be merit increases as reward for excellent performance in the classroom. Objectivity must prevail. Sound assessment standards and measures would be necessary, and the absence of favoritism guaranteed.

Will all the monies slated for education from our property taxes, there should be enough money to pay teachers what they deserve. If it is not enough, it should be when one adds all the millions (or is it “billions” by now) from the Florida State lottery. Citing the lack of budget funds, for not paying teachers a decent salary, is a bad excuse.

Appropriating an ever-increasing amount of funds for education is not going to solve the problem. To find the money needed for teachers, look into waste and mismanagement. If my mind serves me well, I remember reading and hearing about the squandering of millions of dollars in the purchasing of land and construction of public schools. There is more.

Protesting teachers call our attention to what they consider misuse of public funds. First, there is the cost of remodeling the offices of members of the School Board. The figure is somewhere around $400,000 dollars. Second, there is the payment of one million dollars to a consulting firm to negotiate teachers’ benefits. Is that not the job of the School Board? Finally, there is the expenditure of millions of dollars on a program to teach students to read. Wow! Learning to read has become so complex, we need all these special programs. I remember when a book and a teacher were all that was necessary. It goes to show taxpayers how easy it is for public officials to spend money, when it is not coming out of their own pockets.

To top the teachers’ complaints, consider the large number of school administrators earning (getting) big bucks, many of them over $100,000. Such high salaries are unmerited, especially when so many students come out of public schools lacking the skills necessary to succeed in college, or in life itself. American students are way behind foreign students on education—in general knowledge as well as in science. How can our country be competitive in the future unless we reverse that statistic?

Fight that bloated bureaucracy. Streamline the system. Cut out the fat. Begin a fitness program for the institution itself .One hour daily on the treadmill would be a good start. Then, another hour of spinning would be wonderful. Finally, a period of meditation and lecture focused on the mission of the education system and the duties of those entrusted with its administration.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part II, chapter 12 “Leaps of Knowledge.”

TAKE CARE OF YOUR PARENTS

Today I did grocery shopping for Mom. I also took care of the bills and other correspondence that came in since I was there last. That was about two weeks ago, on a Thursday if my memory does not fail me. I picked her up the Saturday of that week and brought her to my home to spend the weekend with me and my wife. On Sunday afternoon, we headed back to her place.

Dad left us on December 13, 2005. He passed away after many years going in and out of hospitals. Heart attacks, strokes, and seizures kept him from enjoying life one hundred percent. Still, he always had a smile on his face and a great disposition. Everyone who knew him had something good to say about him; and I mean everyone without exception. He was an incredible human being.

Mom had a very hard time adjusting. After sixty-one years of marriage, it was not easy for her to accept reality. She told me she wanted to go with him. Eventually, it was mainly us, my brother my sister and I, and our families that gave her a reason to keep living and the strength to cope with her wounded heart.

Doing Mom’s grocery shopping is nothing new for me. After my Dad’s last car, when he could not drive any more, I took over. It has been about twenty-five years, since I started doing their groceries. For quite a few years, mom used to go with me, but the time came when she was afraid of leaving Dad alone in the house. Her state of health is not that great either. In 2002, she broke her hip from a fall. After the operation, she seemed okay, until osteoporosis crept in. One of the screws the doctor put in is loose. Now she has to use a walker or a wheelchair a good part of the time. At her age—she will be 87 years old next week—undergoing another operation is risky. Thus, I am on my own with the groceries. By now, I am an expert—sort of—at least in finding the things she regularly needs.

My brother and sister were great with Dad, and they are great with Mom. They spend time with her, take her out to eat, driver her around town, and do all kinds of things to make her happy. Mom tells everybody whenever my brother takes her out in a beautiful car he owns, a Pontiac Firebird (I forget the year), one of those collectible type automobiles. She says they were riding along Key Biscayne and everybody was looking at them and the car. My sister calls Mom every day, as I do, and likes taking her out to La Carreta, a popular Cuban-cuisine restaurant in Miami.

We have always been good with our parents. They earned it, never failing to love and care for us to the best of their abilities. Take care of your parents. Repay them for their love and all their sacrifices on your behalf. Make the last years of their lives worth living. Comfort them. Love them. Kiss them good night. Never leave them cold and lonely. Then, after they are gone, you can rest easy knowing you did your part.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part Three, chapter 24 “Ercian Values and Ideals.”

UNITED FRONT PRESENTS FIVE-POINT FREEDOM PLAN FOR CUBA

The Assembly to Promote Civil Society in Cuba, an organization headed by known dissident Marta Beatriz Roque, joined the Cuban Patriotic Forum, an organization composed of the oldest and most respected exile groups, to present a five-point freedom plan for Cuba. The document is evidence Cubans inside the country and the majority of Cuban exiles agree on the steps necessary to bring democracy to the island. I am an American citizen, and one of those exiles. Now that we have a united front, we ask for the support of the international community and all those who believe in a representative form of government, to bring about the end of the communist dictatorship in Cuba.

The first point of the resolution asks for the liberation of all political prisoners. Also, for an end to the tactics used by Castro’s government to intimidate the internal opposition. Dissidents suffer persecution, harassment and even beatings perpetrated by government sponsored mobs. You would expect officers of the law to protect citizens from assault and battery, and to bring charges against the perpetrators of these crimes, but not in Cuba. Say something against the government, and soon you will have a bunch of people spewing obscenities and calling you all kinds of names in front of your house. Such “acts of repudiation” are commonplace.

The second point asks for the creation of a transition government with the mission to bring democracy to Cuba. In other words, our united front rejects any transition government that includes top members of the present regime and perpetuates the existent form of government. Our transition government will respect human rights and the inalienable freedoms of all human beings. Such freedoms include freedom of thought and expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and economic freedom.

The third point rejects the current communist constitution imposed by the Castro regime. It seeks to form an assembly to arrive at a new constitution. Once completed, there will be a referendum, so that the people can approve or disapprove the new constitution. If rejected, the constituent assembly will make amendments until a particular interpretation is successful.

The fourth point eliminates the present communist party monopoly. It asks for the recognition of multiple political parties, and for elections that reflect such diversity. Implicitly stated here is the existence of those freedoms necessary for candidates to campaign and bring their messages to the people.

The fifth point aims to eliminate the unjust-capricious-arbitrary decisions characteristic of Castro’s Injustice System. It asks for the establishment of the rule of law, so that there is full protection for every Cuban citizen from subjective judgments that could lead to social dissatisfaction and upheaval.

Once again, I ask all freedom-loving people to support this plan and join our efforts to bring down Castro’s totalitarian system. The lone star that adorns the Cuban flag has five points. Our united front freedom plan has five points. May they merge under God’s blessing, so that the star of freedom can shine brightly over that beautiful land!

¡Viva Cuba Libre! ¡Que Viva la Estrella de la Libertad!
Long live a Free Cuba! Long live the Star of Freedom!

Joseph (José Luis) Marchante (Rey)

CUBA'S EMBARGO ON EDUCATION AND FREEDOM CONTINUES

It is nice to live in a free country like the United States of America. I should thank God every day for living here. Although not explicitly stated on my daily prayers, that part where I give thanks for all good things granted me and my family includes that sentiment. Tragically, the people in Cuba, the country where I was born, are not so lucky.

Here, the education a student receives in public and private schools is extensive. We embrace the free exchange of ideas. A citizen can go to any public library and take home any book he or she wants. The government does not impose restrictions on the kinds of subjects or books one can research and study. You can take home and enjoy the sort of material that suits your fancy.

In Cuba, the situation is different. The government does not want citizens reading any material critical of their repressive regime. They do not want citizens reading about the huge drop in the standard of living of Cubans since Castro took over in 1959. They do not want citizens reading about the executions and murders carried out by the revolution, or the stories of all those that have died in prison or trying to reach the shores of liberty in America. They do not want citizens reading about all the political prisoners that still suffer in Cuban prisons, people whose only crime is to demand a representative form of government in Cuba, one that respects the inalienable rights of human beings.

Because the Castro regime controls everything in Cuba, some time ago freedom fighter Marta Beatriz Roque founded La Asamblea para la Promoción de la Sociedad Civil (APSC), the Assembly for the Promotion of the Civil Society. Its goals are to challenge the government’s monopoly on power, demanding freedom and human rights, and working to bring a democratic form of government back to Cuba. As one would expect, Castro and his communist constitution consider it illegal to engage in such subversive activities. Imagine that, to complain about one’s lack of freedoms and rights, or to want a truly representative form of government is an illegal and subversive activity. Evidently, the only thing illegal in Cuba is the government itself.

Recently, Marta Beatriz announced an initiative to carry out a congress of independent libraries. It was to start yesterday, October 10 and last until February 24, 2007. In the central province of Santa Clara, a mob of government supporters disrupted the opening ceremonies. The few people inside the house could not get out because of the mob. Other members of the opposition were unable to enter the house, also because of the mob. Today, on Ninoska Pérez Castellón’s program on Miami’s Radio Mambí, Bárbara Jímenez, one of the participants in the congress of independent libraries, reported an attack on a married couple that took place after they left the premises. Some thugs forming part of the government mob gave them a beating. Orestes and Nancy González are the names of the victims. Orestes has multiple fractures, and Nancy bruises on her face.

Tell the world about it: there is no freedom of assembly in Cuba. Such acts of repudiation are operations planned, organized, and executed by government agents to discourage and eliminate the voices of dissent. With fear and intimidation tactics, the government hopes to silence those clamoring for freedom and human rights.

To summarize, Cuba’s embargo on education and freedom continues. The international community must support the U.S. embargo and whatever other measures and actions are necessary to oust Castro and his associates from power. Nothing less that complete change, we should accept. A free democratic republic of Cuba is what we want. After half a century of living in shackles, the people of Cuba deserve a breath of fresh air.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part Three, chapter 24 “Ercian Values and Ideals.”

KIM JONG IL PROVES DEMOCRACY MUST RULE ON EARTH

With its recent nuclear test, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il confirms the notion he is a danger to civilization. A ruthless despot whose great goal is to build weapons of mass destruction openly defies the global community. Apparently, world peace is not in his agenda. The fact the people of North Korea live in poverty does not seem to faze him either. He uses power to serve himself and please his bloated ego, to the detriment of the people under his rule.

Most governments censured North Korea. The United Nations is now planning a package of sanctions to try to get Kim Jong Il to reverse course. Will it be effective? Who knows? The problem with many dictators is they do not care about the welfare of their people. As long as Kim Jong Il can find a way to keep up his own lifestyle and remain in power, he does not care if his people lack the bare necessities of life and starve to death.

Will sanctions be enough? If this maniac is intent on provoking a war or a nuclear confrontation, it is best we confront him now before he has the chance to increase North Korea’s nuclear capabilities. Japan and North Korea are rightfully concerned. China has condemned the action, but I am not sure they will support strong measures that could threaten Kim Jong Il’s rule. China is a communist dictatorship ruled by the party. I believe they would rather keep Jong Il in power than have a democracy as a neighbor.

I say, we should not be concerned with what China wants. They are not in a position to act as moral arbiters in any situation. When they change their system of government to a democracy, and when they grant their citizens the inalienable rights and freedoms due all human beings, then we can view them as worthy partners in governing the destiny of our race. In the meantime, the important question for the bulk of the people that make up humankind is, what do we want?

I say, we want democracy to rule on Earth. Communist governments like the ones in China and Cuba are not acceptable. The power to govern for the good of all the people in a nation, and to make important global decisions affecting the human race in general, should not rest in the hands of a few. If that seems reasonable, it is even more reasonable concerning the different varieties of dictators, religious fanatics, and other irrational uncivilized ego-swollen holders of power.

The time has come to demand democracy for all the nations of our planet. The sovereignty of nations rests on the will of the people, not on the will of a few. Furthermore, we cannot allow leaders who rise to power through the vote of the people to change the system once they are in power. Hugo Chávez is trying to do that in Venezuela. Democratic governments must stay democratic, and those that are not, must join our group. It is the only way to ensure peace and prosperity for the human race.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part Three, chapter 27 “Proligion Revisited.”

U.S. HAS THE RIGHT TO STOP ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

Quite a few Latin American governments have expressed their displeasure concerning our government’s decision to build a wall on our border with Mexico. Mexican President Vicente Fox has compared our wall to the Berlin wall. The comparison is invalid. The East German communist government used the Berlin wall to keep citizens seeking freedom inside the country. Our wall, if built, intends to keep people outside our country from entering it illegally.

Last time I checked, every country has the right to control immigration. It is up to us to decide who comes into the United States of America. It is not the business of any Latin American government, including Mexico. Rubén Aguilar, a spokesperson for President Vicente Fox, says the decision to build the wall damages relations with Mexico and goes against the spirit of cooperation necessary to guarantee border security.

Why should building the wall damage relations with Mexico? They are trying to make an internal problem, their inability to improve the Mexican economy and create employment opportunities for their citizens, into our problem. Failure to eliminate corruption and govern effectively and efficiently is what keeps Mexico and other Latin American countries from meeting the needs of their citizens. Why not do the things necessary to attract foreign investments and build a healthy economy? Asian countries have done it. Why is Latin America unable to do it?

Instead of criticizing the United States, look in the mirror. You are your own worst enemy. Speaking about nurturing a spirit of cooperation, why do many of you fail to support the U.S. with your votes at the United Nations or at the Organization of American States? It is hypocritical to favor leftist populist governments with your votes, and then act as if we owe you some favor. Why do you not send your illegal immigrants to Cuba? There, before Castro took over, the country’s economy was second or third in the hemisphere. Check the U.N. figures, if you doubt my words. Now, after 47 years of totalitarian rule and mismanagement, the Cuban economy is in shambles. Following the example of Castro’s Cuba, Chavez’s Venezuela, or Morales’ Bolivia will lead to economic ruin, not to speak of the loss of human rights and freedoms.

Illegal immigrants are not morally in a position to demand anything from the government of the United States of America. Giving the chance to become citizens to illegal immigrants who have been here for many years would attest to the greatness of this country and its people. Unless accompanied by heavy fines and requirements to enforce some kind of restitution, I am not sure is a good idea. It would give others the impression we are pushovers. Break our laws by forcing your way into our country, and if you get away with it for a number of years, we will forgive you. It is like giving the keys to your house to someone guilty of home invasion some time ago.

Here, I am not discussing the merits of the proposed wall at our border with Mexico. Since that border is longer than the approved length the wall, I am not sure how effective that barrier will be. I also do not know how much it will cost to maintain it. What I do know is that the U.S. has the right to stop illegal immigration.

In the spirit of cooperation with Mexico and with other countries (Why should poor Mexicans be the only ones entitled to work in the U.S.?), I favor President’s Bush proposal to authorize the legal entrance of a limited number of temporary workers. For that proposal to be successful, however, we would have to set up the necessary measures to ensure those people go back to their country when their permits expire.

Temporary workers could be required to stay in touch with an Immigration official, the same way people on parole need to report to a parole officer. If some elude the authorities, we would deduct that number from the total number of approved work permits. For example, let us say we decide on a total figure of 500,000 temporary workers in any one year. If at the end of the first year 10,000 temporary workers failed to go back, staying in the U.S. illegally, then we would only issue 490,000 permits the following year. We could continue to follow that formula in subsequent years or disband the program altogether if it becomes obvious a sizable number of immigrants will not honor the agreement.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part Three, chapter 26 “Matters of Concern.”

THE DISCONNECTION OF SOME KILLERS FROM OUR REALITY

Is there anything we can do to prevent tragedies like the recent killings of children at two of our nation’s schools? Anyone who rapes or murders another human being is either evil or mentally sick. When the victims are children, the crimes belong in a different and much more gruesome category.

Protecting our innocent and vulnerable young should be a priority at the local and national levels. Parents have a job to do, and the government has a job to do. Parents should teach their children to stay avoid being alone and unsupervised, to stay away from strangers, and to yell for help and run away if a potential kidnapper approaches. However, there is little parents can do when children are inside school. Obviously, the school boards at public schools and the authorities at private schools must take necessary security measures to minimize the entrance of unauthorized persons on their premises.

Can we do more? Can we attack the root of the problem by finding the causes that drive people to commit heinous criminal acts? Perhaps we can. Psychiatry, Psychology, or Sociology is not one of my fields of knowledge. Whatever I say here, therefore, comes from the mind of a non-expert.

There is not much we can do about crazy people, except to hold them and treat them at a mental facility. Evil people are not crazy. Individuals with a long criminal history have made a commitment to a life of evil. They, we should treat harshly, by giving them long jail sentences for the lesser offenses. Those guilty of premeditated murder should get the death penalty. Shorten the appeal process, to ensure the state carries out the execution within a reasonable time. Anything beyond one year is too much in my view. Mind you, we are talking here about inmates who have a long criminal history. In other words, there is no doubt these individuals are consummate criminals. To decrease the likelihood of wrongfully sentencing an innocent person to jail or to death, the judicial system must set up proper standards and procedures.

In addition to insane and evil killers, I believe in the disconnection of some killers from our reality. They are not out of their minds. The disconnection is not with reality per se, but with our reality, that of normal people. Isolation is the problem, I believe. The lack of nurturing touch from family, friends and society causes these people to retreat into a world of their own, a mental environment created out of prejudice, fears, phobias, and misconceptions—fertile ground for the development of antisocial and aberrant desires.

Close-knit families rarely if ever breed monsters. Children thrive in environments where love and caring predominate. They usually grow up to become productive members of society. The communication channels are always open in these types of families. Answering questions, dispelling doubts, and clarifying complex issues is part of the job of a good parent. It is difficult to know the number of parents that fail in this respect, but I would bet is an alarming number judging from the general level of antisocial behavior we witness, especially in young people.

The isolation problem also exists at the societal level. Small towns have the reputation of being good for the healthy rearing of children. People know each other, and everyone looks out for everybody else. At least, that is the way it was years ago. I am not sure it is the case today. Perhaps there are too many transients due to an increase in economic activity, travel and tourism, not to mention illegal immigrants. In that respect, concerning safe environments for children, modern society has made things worse not better.

As regards our big cities, it is easy for someone to become isolated in one of them. Loners abound. For them to remain normal and connected to our reality, close contact with family, people at work, a church, a social club, a social worker, or some other reliable entity is necessary. If isolated people fail to initiate contact, how can society do it? How do we identify these individuals and try to offer them support? Living in a free country, we cannot and should not try to force people into entering relationships. However, we can educate the population as to the nature of the isolation problem, and we can promote the availability of the people and institutions willing to lend a hand.

Charles Carl Roberts, the man who committed suicide after murdering five girls and injuring others in an Amish community, was mad at God and perturbed over his molestation of two family members more than twenty years ago. Police found no evidence of sexual abuse after speaking to the women Roberts said he molested. The women denied any sort of sexual contact with Roberts. If so, how did this man come to believe that lie? If it is not a lie, and he did abuse the girls but they do not remember, then he should have sought therapy or talked to somebody to come to terms with that episode and with any deviant thoughts that were bothering him.

Talking to caring and qualified people could have also helped Roberts cope with the premature death of his daughter some years back. He blamed God for the tragedy, which leads me to believe Roberts thought everything that happens in this world is God’s will. An atheist would have told him God does not exist and, therefore, is not guilty of wrongdoing. A believer could have told him God sets the laws of the universe, but then remains impartial, letting whatever happens happen. Another person could have given a different valid and possible answer. The point is normal people could have come to his aid, if only he had asked, or if someone had spotted the isolation problem. It is something we should consider.

Recommended Reading: Ercian Testament - Part One, chapter 6 “The Art of Ethical Communication.”