I'm sure that most of the world knows by now, that America is about to take the big vote. Should we be bothered or should we take note? Does it really matter who is in power, after all, whatever these polititians say now does not always have any affect after they have taken up office, so why is it so important that we should waste our time voting anway?
For many years I have heard many critisms about voting. Some are justified and many are not.
How can you really just sit back and do nothing, then without shame start to verbally abuse the person in power because of what they are now doing?
Should we not be happy that we live in societies where we can vote with our feet so to speak without fear of reprisals? Many countries don't have the freedoms we do and voting can be a matter of life or death.
Just one example, to put my point across, let's look at black people in the US. Digging back into a time AFTER slavery, blacks were discouraged from voting in many states when it should have been a right. They were not given details of how and when to vote, a poll tax was used, knowing they could not afford to pay it, and even if they could afford it many were not able to read or write. I read today that black slaves were counted as 'three fiths' of a white or freed black person in regards to voting. With that in mind, why wouldn't a black American person do all they can now to exercise that right now?
Conversely, if voting was so insignificant, why did blacks, the common people and women have to fight so hard to win it?
Shouldn't we be overjoyed that the person we voted for will run our country the way we want? Why is it that so many people still feel that it's ok not to vote?
Do we ever think about the harsh struggles that won many of us the vote? But now, years later, after all they suffered we sit back with our legs up, beer or tea in hand, and can't even be bothered to put a tick next to someone who may possibly change our future for the better?
I know, it's difficult at times. Politicians are notorious for saying one thing, and as soon as they get into power they have a change of stance. But could it be because once in power they were shown what was really going on behind the scenes and their dreams were never going to make reality anyway?
What if you were not able to vote right now? How would you feel?
What reason do you have for not voting? and can you justify it?
Do you feel that everyone is society should have a vote regardless to their disposition?
(ie: the over 65's, under 18's, the mentally ill, those in prison etc.)
What do you think about all of this?
I'd love to hear your opinions and comment on this.
Wouldn't we all like to retire at a young age with enough money for us to do anything we wanted to do, without considering where the next penny was coming from?
Well one man just has. He is 41 years old, retiring from banking and has an estimated £450 million in his pocket. Yes, £450 million. He wants to spend time with his family. Don't we all? But some of us have to continue working our guts out to make ends meet and pay the bills.
So everyone envies him right? I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this one.
I feel like laughing because he made his money and probably worked damn hard in the process, so good on him. But would you really want to be in his shoes?
Let's say as a banker he contributed towards this financial crisis that has led to people being thrown on the scrap-heap, families having their houses repossessed, businesses failing, police and protesters getting hurt whilst clashing in riots, and the potential collapse of entire economies. The list could go on. Experts all agree that it was the banking industry that caused this.
So, if the success of this one man has come at the cost of so much pain for so many others, should he really be envied?
What price would you set on having a clean conscience?
Should he be allowed to retire with all this money?
How far would you go for money?
Be honest with me now, is their anyone out there whose morals might become a little bit more flexible, the larger the cash incentive involved?
All comments, opinions and views most welcome.
Well, I have a serious dilemma which I would love you to help me with.
All of my life I have believed you are born either male or female, and those that I called 'trans-gender' would dress as the opposite sex because they simply wanted to, and it was no big thing to them. You wear trousers today and a skirt tomorrow, if you know what I mean.
Years ago, it started to bug me when certain people would say that although they were born male, all their natural tendencies from childhood were to be a woman. They played with dolls, they loved wearing girl's clothes, high heels, loved women's jewelry etc. and this behavior continued into their adulthood, a lot of the times in secret. A similar scenario happened with my gay friend, she said from a child she had always had a natural tendency towards women and that's all she knows. She went through therapy and everything but she is convinced that's how she was made. I then started to think, with all the abuse gays, trans-gender or similar groups get from society, why would they continue to hold fast to this, and be it in public. Were they really born this way?
Then I discovered there was something called 'intersex'. A person having both the genitalia of a man and woman at the same time (Pseudohermaphroditism) and that there are varying groups within it.
So, as an example, you could actually look like a man on the outside, with male genitals, yet have ovaries like a woman on the inside or vice-versa.
I am quite gob-smacked and shocked and my brain went into fast overdrive. Firstly because it raises the argument that there is a possibility that although you are born male, you didn't just choose to become a woman, but your brain (or whatever the medical term is) actually is that of a woman (I don't know how else to word this). So all the things that these men did from childhood up was actually the same as what little girls do, then women do etc etc. Some of these men (who are women) actually go on to have relationships with other men but don't believe they are gay. Would you call it a heterosexual relationship then?
Now, if all of this is true, then why aren't these people being treated the same as everyone else? Why is it so shocking to see a big burly man dressed up as a woman on a Saturday afternoon whilst shopping?
Dilemma - If all that I have said so far is true, is it fair to now say that it is perfectly natural for him to behave this way?
As a society we accept that people can be born with many physical and mental disabilities, so could it be that at times, and not at anyone's fault, that someone we see as a man could actually be born a woman or visa-versa?
So, we are born male, female and at times intersex!
So another dilemma - Who decides what we are? Is it the doctor, is it us, or is it society?
I would really appreciate your honest views and opinions on this (Help!)
It's that time of the year again when I become completely baffled as to why more and more people are partaking in something called Halloween. Nowadays, people are saying that it's harmless fun but from the little I know, how do you reconcile the past with Halloween today?
I'm no historian, but can tell you what I know, and I hope you take the time to fill in any gaps or misinformation on my part. I have never celebrated Halloween. Why?
Wasn't Halloween supposed to be a New Year Celebration of everything that was bad, wicked and evil? If that's true then why are we celebrating it?
Bonfire
How about the massive bonfire? On the most important day in the satanic year pagans, witches, druids etc. would gather around a big 'bone fire' (sic) which consisted of the bones of sacrificed humans and/or animals mixed with timber, and set it alight. This is where we get the name 'bonfire'. Some people even sacrificed themselves! Then when human sacrifices were stopped, effigies were burned instead. That's no joke.
Trick or Treat
Didn't homeowners use to leave food offerings on their door-steps to appease evil spirits? And if the spirits were not happy they would curse the homeowner.
Didn't pagans, druids etc go door to door singing and praying for the dead? They would be given small cakes for this, and each eaten cake represented the soul of the dead being freed from purgatory. If you didn't provide them with a cake or not enough of it, weren't you and/or your family cursed? Isn't this too similar to what you do when you go trick or treat? If this is true, then what are you teaching your children? to curse your neighbours? Just a thought.
Maybe I'm being a bit heavy here, but, at the very least, even if you as an adult find this OK, do you really believe it is suitable for children?
Masks
Didn't they wear masks or disguises to hide their identity from the roaming spirits to scare them away and that's why people now wear demonic looking masks on Halloween night? How about the famous pumkin lanterns which represent the souls of the dead? Thanks to a man named Jack who was a damned soul, this lantern was used to frighten away evil spirits, hence the carved out face when lit. The same thing is being done today.
Have you ever thought that you could be unknowingly partaking in a ritual with a darker but real side to it? If you have ever experienced the real power behind satanism or witchcraft (for want of a better word, to make my point) and I'm not talking about wishy-washy magicians who do slight of hand tricks, or those that pretend to do 'natural' magic - then you'll know what I mean, otherwise ignore this sentence.
You see, I'm just wondering if, by the same token, could it be that many years from now, when enough time has elapsed, we will all be celebrating the holocaust dancing around an oven? It might sound like a wild example, but isn't this what has happened with halloween?
Do you believe that these are the real origins of Halloween?
Is it really harmless fun, or is there a more sinister side to this?
I would love to hear your thoughts, comments and opinions on this.
