Opinion: America Should Not Concern Itself With The “Arab Spring”

    Last year, liberals around the world rejoiced that Arabic nations had been standing up to their oppressive regimes and demanding change. Heck, even Barack Obama got involved in congratulating countries such as Egypt in standing up for their rights. While it looked like these countries may have been coming into their own, it was only a matter of time before things started to change. Let’s look at the beacon location of the “Arab Spring”, Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt as an example to how the “Arab Spring” was nothing but a bust. 

 

(Image Via http://www.guardian.co.uk)

    Last year, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians took to Tahrir Square to protest Hosni Mubarak. They complained that their economy was faltering and that their rights were being trampled on under the Mubarak regime. They wanted a new leader, and this caused them to arrest Mubarak (he eventually got life in prison) and hold elections for a new president. When all was said and done, Mohammed Morsi, of The Muslim Brotherhood, was elected the new President of Egypt. 

   Fast forward to today, and things have changed a lot in Egypt. While people took to the streets to rejoice Morsi’s presidency on election night, they have now once again taken to Tahrir Square and had him overthrown. He now is imprisoned, like his predecessor, and Egypt is once again trying to figure out the direction that they want their country to take. The simple fact of the matter is though, they have no idea what they really want as a country, and this is exactly why America needs to not concern itself with the goings on of countries like Egypt. 

   When the United States decided it wanted to break away from the British crown, our founding fathers had a clear vision of what they wanted our country to be. They wanted freedom for all, and they wanted a chance for the citizens of their newly formed government to have a say in the way their country was run. Egypt, while having the support of Barack Obama and others around the world, knows that it wants change, but it doesn’t know what changes it wants to take place. There are too many factions fighting against one another, and this is going to make it next to impossible to ever achieve a true democratic state in Egypt since things are so divided. Until Egyptians can get a unified vision of what they want their country to be, they are never going to gain true independence as a nation. 

    That’s why I say that The U.S., along with other countries, needs to let Egyptians handle the problems they are facing themselves. There are way too many factors that show that Egypt has a long way to go into becoming a nation where its people know what they want. After all, they have arrested a man who they thought would provide them with what they wanted just one year ago, and overthrowing your government every time you disagree with them is not part of democracy. Once they realize what true democracy is and have a clear vision of what they want, I would not object to aiding them in their quest, but, until then,I think America should not concern itself with the “Arab Spring”. 

May God Bless America, 

The Generation X Conservative 

Not Guilty: Bradley Manning Cleared Of Aiding The Enemy

Today, a verdict was reached in the trial of Bradley Manning. The Private, who was tried for  a plethora of charges, was found not guilty of the biggest charge, aiding the enemy. While being found guilty on most other charges, this ruling cleared Bradley Manning of facing life in prison, but he still could get over 130 years from the charges he was convicted of. While the sentencing phase of the trial begins tomorrow, the verdict has people on both sides talking.

(Image via en.wikipedia.org)

One camp, those who support Manning are joyous over the verdict, but they still have hesitation that Manning was convicted of the other charges. Meanwhile, the other camp believes that Manning is a traitor who did not get his just desserts. No matter what, I think that this trial has had many Americans asking serious questions, and it has created an important dialogue.

One of those questions is how much power the government has in keeping confidential information versus how much the citizens of the United States have the right to know.  I, for one, believe there is a balancing act that has to be done, and it is important that U.S. citizens are factored into this balancing act. For instance, the fact that drones and phone taps are being used on U.S. citizens, as revealed by Edward Snowden, is something that we Americans have the right to know, but when it comes to information that could potentially aid our enemies, I believe that the government should be able to keep these confidential if necessary.

Another question that I have asked since I have heard the verdict is one that has not been covered in the media nearly enough. While imprisoned, Manning has been subjected to some treatment that is less than humane. This included being forced to strip naked every morning and being in solitary confinement for extreme amounts of time. To me, I believe that this was wrong, and this needs to be addressed in a serious matter so it does not happen again. After all, one never knows what the government can do if its citizens allow them to have unlimited power over the actions of their people.

Last but not least, I would just like to clarify that I do believe that Manning should face some type of punishment for his actions. He clearly knew that what he was doing was wrong, and, if he would have leaked more information than he did, he could have given troops fighting overseas serious troubles to deal with. At the same time, do I think that he, being as young as he is , face life in prison for his stupidity in putting other human beings’ lives at risk? Not really. That’s why I hope he is given a twenty or so year sentence when the judge makes her ruling. After all, there has to be some protection for people who want to stand up to things they find inappropriate in our government without fear of backlash.

May God Bless America,

The Generation X Conservative

Abortion Wars: With Stricter Laws Starting Across U.S., Abortion Activists Are Getting Desperate

   The fact is, abortion is becoming a lot harder to do in certain parts of the country. With states such as Texas and North Carolina passing tough laws that crack down on late term abortions, those who, like me, are in the pro-life camp have a lot to be glad about. Meanwhile, the men and women of this country who support abortion are becoming more and more desperate to preserve an institution that is slowly starting to become considered heinous by many. These individuals are doing everything within their power to save the abortion practice, and many are making themselves look bad in the process. 

(Image VIa http://www.politico.com)

   Take, for instance, the case of Salon.com. The liberal institution has been singing the praises of abortion advocates even when they say horrible things about Christianity and those who disagree with them in the process. This went way too far when they recently profiled a girl who held up a sign that read “Jesus isn’t  a d#@! so keep him out of my vagina”. This story of inappropriateness was picked up by several conservative sites, including newsbusters.org and others who stated that they found the comment obscene. Of course, Salon attacked these organizations and defended the foul mouthed teenager because, to them, anyone who says anything about abortion should not be taken seriously, and, in most all cases, ridiculed. 

   Salon isn’t the only one who is shaking in their boots over the pro-life laws that are getting passed around their country. Jezebel, a feminist blog, is at it too, but they took it a step further. In covering a heartwarming story of a Catholic priest who saved a child with Downes Syndrome from being aborted by convincing the parents to keep their baby if he found suitable adoptive parents, Jezebel decided they were going to turn the priest and parents of the child as villains. They would have rather had the child be aborted than to have a positive story about alternatives to abortion anywhere on there site because they would never want to say that they supported the right of a child to live. 

   And then there’s all the liberal media who demonize the lawmakers who pass the bills against abortion. They demonize the lawmakers who get the bills against abortion passed, and they call the women who vote to have stricter abortion laws traitors. They are the worst of the worst, and they should be called out on their bias. For them though, they are all in it together, so they will never criticize one another for being supportive of an agenda. 

   So where does that leave the conservative movement? We must express our support for the lawmakers getting stricter on abortion by voting for them at the ballot box. We must also use social media, blogs, and whatever means we have to have our voices heard. After all, the voices of the millions of people who do not support abortion will easily drown out the view voices in the liberal media who are desperately seeking to have their heinous movement legitimized. 

May God Bless America, 

The Generation X Conservative 

The Politics Of Sex: Anthony Weiner’s New Scandal Brings Cheating Back Into The Political Forefront

Anthony Weiner apparently has been caught again foolling around on his wife, and Hillary Clinton Aid, Huma Abedin. The disgraced Congressman and current mayoral candidate in New York City, was once again caught sexting a woman other than his wife. As soon as the media found out about this, a firestorm erupted that has many wondering if he will ever be able to gain the trust of those whom he wants to represent. This brings back to memories such political sex scandals as Mark Sanford, John Edwards, and Bill Clinton, and it got me thinking about why the American people really care about the sex lives of those who represent them.

(Image Via http://www.gq.com)

Let’s take, for instance, Mark Sanford. Sanford ran on a platform of family values and traditionalist thinking, but he gave just the opposite when he went missing for a few days and was found to have been away with his mistress. Those who voted for Sanford had a right to be mad because he tried to sell them a false image. He was the man with morals, but, when the truth came out, he was discovered to have been nothing but a fraud. He is one kind of cheating politician, and I understand why individuals who voted for him would be upset that he betrayed his wife.

The next instance of a cheating politician would be John Edwards.Edwards, who was a Presidential candidate in 2004, was found out to have been fooling around on his wife while she was battling cancer. The media completely lambasted him, and with good reason, because he was cheating on a woman who was battling for her life. Of course, people were going to be outraged in this situation, and I feel that this is why he will never make a comeback in the political arena.

Then there was Bill Clinton. If Clinton were the Governor of Arkansas when he was found out, he would have probably been given a pass, but he was the President of The United States. The President is suppose to be someone that their people can trust, but the fact that he cheated on his wife and lied about it made him untrustworthy. The only reason that he has the rock star status that he does is due to the fact that his economic policies worked, and that his wife stuck by him.

That leads us to the current situation with Anthony Weiner. Weiner had been caught cheating as a Congressman, and this led to him leaving office. When he announced his plans to run for mayor of New York City, the liberal media rejoiced in what a redemptive moment that would be. That’s why, when reports once again surfaced that he was still a sexting, cheating man, he lost all credibility to his public. He had been preaching the message of a changed man, and he was lying all the time. Politicians need to be trusted by their constituents, and the fact that he was boldly lying to the residents of New York City makes me feel that he will never reach his goal of becoming mayor. The media is going to continue to cover the incident, and this is going to lead to a lot of bad publicity for the Weiner campaign.

But why are Anthony Weiner and other American politicians looked down upon by Americans? Well, I think it has to do with the trust issue that I mentioned before. If a politician cannot be trusted to be monogamous with their partner, how can they be trusted to honestly run a city, state, or country? The answer is , they can’t. After all, Americans don’t separate politicians personal lives from their political lives just yet, and this will cause the politics of sex to be brought into campaigns to come. In the meantime, it will be interesting to see just how the politics of sex will affect Weiner’s mayoral race.

May God Bless America,

The Generation X Conservative

Birth Of William and Kate’s Baby Gives Americans Reminder Of What Our Country Could Look Like

The media, both political and celebrity camps, have pretty much gone insane the last few weeks covering Kate Middleton and William’s royal birth. This all culminated when the baby was born, and crowds gathered in London to see what the kid would look like. To me, this was all a bunch of insanity which really had no relevance to my life, but I then realized that it reminded me just what our country could be like if we had not declared war from the British over two hundred years ago. It may sound a little far fetched, but this is how I view the relationship between Americans and the British.

(Image Via http://www.123rf.com)

America fought so that we could have elected officials and would not have to live under a tyrannical monarchy like the British. Americans fought and shed blood so that we would not have to put up with giving people taxes who did nothing for the people of our nation in return. Two centuries later, while all Americans have disagreed with the President of The United States at one point or another, they realize that the President has to get up every day, make decisions, and work to earn their keep. Meanwhile, the British royal family works the red carpet and the social circuit while getting funds from their people to live a lavish lifestyle. They take advantage of their people with no remorse, and they show me why I am glad that I am an American.

The next big reminder that I got while watching the clip of the new royal baby is that the British and us Americans have different attitudes when it comes to the our freedoms. We Americans protest things that we do not like, but the British seem to have a different attitude about things. This is especially when it comes to how passionate we are over what our government should do. Most seem to value tradition over low taxes, and they rejoice in the fact that another individual was born that will cause them to spend their hard earned dollars to pay for the child’s cars, castles, and heaven knows what else he needs as he get older. This is very strange to me as many Americans would have protested an event like that occurring here, but it seems like the British have a different view on their royals. They love the frills and fanciness that having a monarchy brings them, and they don’t see why Americans would ever have a reason to question the way their government is run without considering them absolutely insane.

I would just like to say that we aren’t crazy though, and we aren’t trying to be mean. We are just saying that, if the U.K. was our country, we would not like to see our hard earned dollars spent on funding the lives of people who do little to nothing for our nation while expecting everything for return. After all, the United States wanted no taxation without representation and to escape the claws of the royals that some in the media our going gaga about today, and that is what our nation was founded on. We accomplished this, and we are proud of it.  We could be Britain, but we are glad that we are not. My fellow Americans, and the ones that think like I do, are not unsophisticated or uncultured though. We are just used to a way of life that sees those in our government work for a living, and that is part of what makes our country great.

May God Bless America,

The Generation X Conservative

P.S. I know that no all British think alike about the royal family, but I am writing this article based on recent reports saying that most Brits want to keep their royals.

Making A Star Out Of A Terrorist: What “Rolling Stone” Does Best

“Rolling Stone” has been one of the most controversial magazines over the last few years. While it once focused on music and pop culture, it has taken a turn into the political world, and these stories have been some of the most talked about in “Rolling Stone” history. From getting General Stanley McChrystal fired to having the reporter who wrote the story die in a bizarre accident a few weeks ago, it’s safe to say that “Rolling Stone” has officially entered the world of politics. They continued this practice again this month when they profiled the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in this month’s issue.

(Image Via http://www.kshb.com)

While it is perfectly legitimate for them to inform the American people of what may have caused this young man to take a turn for the worst, “Rolling Stone” went a step too far when they placed him on the cover of their magazine. Not only did he get the front cover, but the way in which the layout was done made him look, not like a terrorist, but instead like one of the celebrities that often grace the cover of the classic magazine. Basically, they turned Tsarnaev, who killed and maimed dozens of Americans, a rock star, and they simultaneously outraged a large percentage of Americans while they were at it.

Americans are so outraged that many stores have even stated that they would not be featuring the magazine in their stores. CVS, among with other companies, have stated this, and I applaud them for the work that they have done in hindering this terrorist from being turned into a rock star. We are, after all, a country who has freedom of the press, but we also allow companies to decide what they choose to put on their shelves. These companies are expressing their disapproval of such a cover, and, in doing so, exercising their Constitutional rights.

“Rolling Stone” has defended itself saying that they are putting something that is relevant on the cover of their publication. While I understand that they want to sell issues by being controversial and relevant, they must understand that those who were victims of the Boston bombing are going to look at the one living person who caused their trauma and injuries every time they walk past a news stand. The person who attacked them isn’t painted as the vitriolic and mean person he is though. Instead, he is made to look like a glamorous celebrity. This is just wrong, and “Rolling Stone” needs to issue an apology to the victims and their families for having to see the man who attacked them made out to be some kind of celebrity the whole time that the magazine is on news stands.

While some who read this may think that my opinion is harsh, I just feel very passionate about the issue. I would not have minded if they had used a cover that showed Tsarnaev in a different light, but the fact that those who have not seen or heard of him would think he is another celebrity or singer after viewing the cover is what I find troubling. The simple fact of the matter is that he is a terrorist, and he should be treated him like one. After all, there are some sick and twisted individuals who may take note and do something similar to what he did just to be on the cover of a magazine.

May God Bless America,

The Generation X Conservative

Why Those Who Are Against Abortion Should Stand Up For Gay, Lesbian, And Single Parent Adoption Rights

Abortion is one of the biggest hot button issues of the days. While studies suggest that more conservative youth are switching their minds on the issue of gay marriage, the newest conservatives are more likely to be against abortion. in fact, a recent study showed that it was the attitude of a conservative’s youths parents that led to their feelings towards abortion. I, personally, don’t believe in abortion due to religious reasons, but I think that it is absurd at the same time that those who are against abortion are not supportive of adoption rights of GLBT people and single parent households.

(Image Via http://www.bilerico.com)

After all, where will all those babies born to parents who do not want them go if abortion ever gets overturned? I don’t want to see them get peddled through the foster care system and given a life where they have to fight harder than those who were not placed up for adoption. Those who want to see babies who would be aborted live, like me, should also feel like they want to give them a fair shot at life, and those who don’t really has issues. Even thought I am a conservative, I must say, to some extent, I believe the old adage that conservatives care about you until your born and then they leave you to fend for yourself.

That’s what needs to change in our party. We need to realize that if we are to be a party that stands for life, we sure as heck need to stand for the right of kids to have a family in their lives once they are born.  This includes standing up for gay and lesbian adoption rights. After all, there have been no studies that have shown that gay couple raise any worse children than straight couples, and, in many instances,  studies have shown gays raise better children than their heterosexual counterparts. Just because some in the world don’t believe in gays and  lesbians doesn’t mean that we should reject these scientific studies and deprive children of loving families in the process.

The same goes for single parent households. Whether you want to believe it or not, adoption isn’t cheap, and any single person who adopts a child has to have sufficient financial resources in order to go through  the complex and expensive process of adoption. These individuals aren’t living paycheck to paycheck, and they, in most cases, have the means to raise a child. So there is one myth shattered about the “dangers of single parent adoption”. When it comes to the studies that have shown that children do better in two parent households, I believe them, but I also feel like a child is better with one parent than no parents at all. To deprive these children of love just to affirm our beliefs is just wrong, and it shows the problems with our party.

That’s why, my fellow conservatives, I feel like we need to open up our  minds. We need to stop railing against the rights of people to adopt when it would give children loving families and, maybe, prevent abortions at the same time. We need to bring our party into the future, and that means sprinkling in a little bit more love and acceptance into our politics. If we do this, we can preserve our party for generations to come and, at the same time, be more respected by others.

May God Bless America,

The Generation X Conservative

George Zimmerman Verdict And Rumors of DOJ Charges Bring Race Relations Into News Spotlight

   On Saturday, July 13th, George Zimmerman was found not guilty of all charges in the death of Trayvon Martin. Even though the judge stated that the jury could charge Zimmerman with a lesser count of manslaughter, when all was said and done, they felt that he had not been culpable in the crime (due to the fact he was acting in self defense) to be charged with any count. As news spread, protesters and supporters of George Zimmerman both took the streets to express their emotions on the attack. From outrage to joy, the verdict sure did spark a lot of emotion, and it led to the NAACP demanding Zimmerman be tried for violating Trayvon Martin’s rights by the Department of Justice. 

(Image Via http://www.wptv.com)

    As I sat reading the coverage online, I couldn’t help but think how divisive this trial has become. It is neither Zimmerman or Martin’s fault that this divide exists, its been there since slavery, but the case put a magnifying glass on the issue. Most of the comments that I read were divided along racial lines, with those who were not African American siding with Zimmerman and those who were siding with Martin’s family. As they fought on forums, blogs, and comment sections of news articles, one thing was clear. No matter how much we like to think we live in a post-racial society, we don’t. These people were continuing to use race as a divisive tool. I grant you there were some who really were just outraged or overjoyed by the verdict who were expressing their opinion, but these individuals were few and far between. 

    They weren’t the only ones though. The media immediately began to speculate whether or not the Department of Justice would press its own set of charges against Zimmerman for violating the rights of Trayvon Martin. One by one, articles emerged that said that this was highly probable, and many who wanted to see Zimmerman convicted seemed happy at the potential news. They said that they hoped he was tried again, and some even became mean and angry in their comments. 

   To me, I think that they should realize that, even if they think Zimmerman was wrongfully acquitted, the American justice system did what it does. It gave Zimmerman a trial in front of a jury of his peers who decided his fate. The jurors were in isolation, as to not be influenced by the media, and they, in their best efforts found Zimmerman not guilty. Just because the issue involved a crime between two individuals of different races doesn’t mean the federal government needs to get involved though. After all, where was the outcry that Casey Anthony violated Caylee Anthony’s rights when she was found not guilty in 2008? I didn’t even hear the media hint anything about a possible Department of Justice charge, and this was because the crime that committed happened between a mother and daughter who were of the same race. The only reason this possibility is being mentioned is due to the fact that the shooting occurred between two individuals of different races. 

   So where do we go from here? The D.O.J. is going to decide on whether Zimmerman will be tried or not, and no one knows what the outcome of their decision will be. In the meantime, we have learned, as a nation, that there is a lot of work to do to make us a country that is less racially divided. If we can find a way to do this, we may be able to learn more from this tragic incident than we could have ever imagined. 

May God Bless America, 

The Generation X Conservative 

Update On San Francisco Plane Crash

    I thought I’d give everybody a quick update on the plane crash that happened yesterday in San Francisco. When all was said and done, two girls, both from China, lost their lives in the crash. Their names were Ye Mangyuan and Wang Linjia. While the cause of the crash is still unknown (nothing is being ruled out according to CNN), many are speculating that the plane may have been flying too low, causing it to hit some rocks or other debris while landing. I will keep you updated as we learn more about this tragic incident, and my thoughts and prayers are with the families of the all who lost lives or were injured in the crash. 

May God Bless America, 

The Generation X Conservative

News: Plane Crash Lands At San Francisco Airport

 New reports are coming in that a plane crash landed at San Francisco airport today (Saturday, July 6th). Not much is known about what happened yet, but my thoughts are with all those who were on board the Asiana aircraft and their families. 

Fox News Has A Live Feed. Watch it at this link. 

http://video.foxnews.com/v/1155606219001/

May God Bless America, 

The Generation X Conservative