Manns Medium

Maybe it’s just me but to hear people talk about ISIS or ISIL makes me wish to ask why they invest so much into a group of cowardly people who hide in the shadows and pick on people who they have a pretty good idea won’t fight back. I mean, the media makes ISIS or ISIL seem like an army of real soldiers and highly intelligent generals who can give any minimal trained army a real run for it’s money, while I personally see them simple as nothing more than cowards and bullies. I say this not to disrespect anyone but to make a few points very clear to those seeking to categorizes ISIS or ISIL as a force to be feared.  “ Surveillance footage, cab driver offer clues in investigation in Brussels attack ” for CNN News by Catherine E. Shoichet, Frederik Pleitgen and Greg Botelho.  The article reports “ a break in the investigation may have come from a taxi driver who took the suspects to the airport.  The driver contacted authorities after seeing surveillance footage and gave...

My wife sent me this article titled “ US grants Illinois $89 million to fight homelessness ” written by The Associated Press and posted today, Mar 09, 2016 on WREX.com.  The article reports that “ nearly $89 million in federal money has been awarded to Illinois to battle homelessness.  The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Tuesday the money will support more than 360 programs to provide housing and service programs to homeless people.  Officials say the grants under the "Continuum of Care" program are the most competitive to date. To compete, communities had to decide, for example, to shift money from existing programs to create new ones to have a longer-lasting effect.  The government estimates there were 565,000 people who were homeless on a given night in 2015. They say that's down 72,000 -- or 11 percent -- from 2010.  They add that homelessness among veterans has declined 36 percent”. For some this may sound like great news and if C...

It all started January 19, 2008 after Barack Obama won his first term as President of the United States.  The stars had already aligned for many who just could not believe that a man, unlike any of those that have gone before him was actually voted into an office many felt very name denies them entry.  Those who just could not believe were told to believe and as sheep to the slaughter, they followed their masters without questions.  Today they still follow their masters without questions except now it has culminated into one form, one being, one chance and that chance is Donald J. Trump. People say that Donald J. Trump is a brilliant businessman but I don’t agree with it.  I do say that Donald J. Trump is an outstanding opportunist however because he saw a very clear and wide berth opening up toward the Republican nomination for President and when he finally decided to take the plunge, he dove in head first and now refuses to admit that there he now stands among...

In a nation which claims to be a Christian Nation, one would expect the primary text which guided that nation and act as the number one source for the actions and behaviors of that nation would be the Bible.  For a nation that claims to be a union of co-existing and cooperating souls with each pursuing his own goal of life, liberty, property and the pursuit of happiness while maintaining respect and dignity of the other, one would think that the one main source for the actions and behaviors of that nation would be the U.S. Constitution.  For a nation that seems to be claiming both attempting to serve two masters at the same time, it can get kind of confusing which primary guide to follow for each situation we find ourselves in and that is what may explain why this nation appears to be quickly becoming the less desirable and ignored nation on the planet. Now it is quite clear that the Bible is being greatly ignored when you have Christians pushing hatred for another group ...

Far be it for me to deny anyone their right to speak their minds, that was one of the many freedoms that I and others like me were willing to lay down our lives to protect but even I cannot continue to try and ignore ignorance to such a degree that it makes anyone with any reasonable perception have to read it twice. This was my immediate reaction to something I read titled “ Ann Coulter Blasts Michelle Obama on Race: ‘I Think She’s Just Letting Out Her Reverend Wright Now ’ taken from The Blaze.  Apparently Ms. Coulter was disappointed and dissatisfied with a comment made by the first lady and I know that many of you out there are asking the question of when is she happy about anything this person, this family, these people do or say.  Valid point but can we all just assume that Ms. Coulter is not this full of venom all the time just when she is pushing her radio show or getting paid to come on Fox News and say whatever she wishes.  Okay well maybe not but I would l...

All across the television we saw peaceful protests being combined with rioting and looting, many of us thinking that all that violence was a part of it.  We watched as those facing the cameras had all types of descriptions to justify the actions taken and excuses of why it happened.  We heard from people who say that they were angry about the violence being perpetrated upon their community and how they lack closure because nothing seems to ever be done about it.  They say that if only we would have accountability and hold those responsible clearly responsible then this type of violence would not befall a city.  They say that it is because the schools fail to provide all children with a way out and a way up, that what is learned in school is not sufficient to give a child the dream of being all that they can be.  They say all this, yet as we watch the video of the rioting and looting, none of this appears true and it is time for the truth. Who ever said that...

Stumbled upon this article titled “Commentary: Walker’s budget calls for schools to stop reporting sexual assaults” written by Shane Nicholson, Managing Editor of The Rock River Times.  It was so unbelievable that I had to read it several times to make sure that what I thought I read was really what I read.  If you haven’t read it, pick up the March 4-10, 2015 Volume 22 Issue and find it on page 12 in the Commentary Section.  I am sure you are not going to believe your eyes. The commentary reports that “ Buried in Scott Walker’s proposed budget for the state of Wisconsin, which calls for over $300 million in cuts to higher education, is a small note of massive consequence.  The Republican governor would like schools to cease the reporting sexual assaults on college campuses.  Here’s the passage in its entirety: 25. DELETE LANGUAGE RELATED TO SEXUAL ASSAULT INFORMATION AND REPORTING Delete the requirement that the Board direct each institution and colleg...

Media going crazy over this new attack in France and some of the experts that they are listening too seems to truly have the cart before the horse.  I say that because the word is being quickly spread that this is some kind of Al-Quada or ISIL planned attack because of the somewhat cool and calm way it was perpetrated.  No one truly knows the real reason for it but to think this is from those previous mentioned forces makes me wish that those who agree to come on would at least take a few more minutes to consider all that they have in front of them right now. You have at least three shooters who exited a vehicle, killed several people then escaped.  This is not what is expected from either of those previously mentioned groups.  What it is one person who met several other like-minded people and decided to strike back at something that they knew.  Only one had to know anything about the target and the others went along to provide support and watch the other’s...

While cruising the internet, I ran upon a post from the Lou Dobbs Show featuring Sheriff David Clarke, the black Milwaukee County Sheriff saying “Al Sharpton is a race hustler; he is a vulgar human being. He's divisive and he spews hatred. No prominent office holder in the United States and that includes the President, the Attorney General, and the Mayor of the city of New York should hold council, be associated with, or be in the company of Al Sharpton”.  He further mentioned that if New York Mayor wanted to resolve the tension between him and the police union he would have to distance himself from Al Sharpton”.  Now after hearing these two thoughts came to mind, the first being where were all of the voices calling him a racist.  Had this sheriff been white and said something like that, would not we see billions of calls for his head on a platter?  Or maybe because this guy is black, those who would be calling for his head wishes not to tainted with that label ...

You may believe that it is not your fault if a police officer, regardless of color, shoots and kills another person, regardless of color but then you would be wrong.  Every decision we make will affect others either directly or indirectly and those decisions that we make are ours be responsible for.  Organizers of protests stand responsible for not making sure that those joining their ranks are peaceful or just looking to blend into the crowd and create trouble.  They are responsible for making sure that a peaceful protest be just that and those involved remain peaceful.  You cannot claim to be representing anyone if you fail to properly represent them.  The biggest division between Martin Luther King and  Malcolm  X was that King wished for and demanded non-violence while  Malcolm  was tired of being pushed around and wanted to push back.   Anyone with any sense of history can clearly tell which movement actually achieved...

To say that this president does not get the credit he deserves is a gross understatement and many in the media and the public blames it on his refusal to truly toot his own horn.  He doesn’t have a mass amount of people waving a flag and announcing how much has changed since he took office and to be honest many in the public don’t really care to hear about it anyway.  Not when it is better to hate and despise this president when makes many think raises page views or viewership numbers.  Controversy sells like sex which is why you see so many barely clothed women in advertising for men.  Sad to say but to be completely honest with you, none of this works in today’s world anymore.  As a matter of fact, it often backfires but you would also never hear that coming from ad executives who find it easier to stay with yesterday’s trends instead of being creative.  Barely clothed women in today’s society only make men disregard them more and search for those wearin...

Has anyone else noticed that journalist’s deaths follow closely after news reports about that individual and posted interviews with that journalist’s family.  I thought at first it was just another one of my senior moments but think about it.  For over a year, Luke Somers were held as a captive in Yemen but no one knew anything about it in the public domain because no one was reporting on it.  Only after news agencies began to paste this man’s photo and story all over the news did he lose his life.  Makes me wonder if those who held him were privy to the information media had accumulated. Another tact that the media has taken is to consider this a failed rescue attempt implying that the rescue attempt caused Mr. Somers’ death.  I’ve got to wonder what makes this rescue attempt a failure.  Was it because they did not bring him back alive or was it because someone knew they were coming before they got there?  There must be something because many new...

You hear so often others say that the rioters and looters in Ferguson Missouri are proof of all blacks in America.  Only looking for something free and the chance to destroy and never to build.  Well this article about these 4 black Ferguson residents just shattered that concept. The article is titled “ Black Ferguson Residents Arm Themselves and Descend Upon White-Owned Business — The Reason Why Is Front-Page Worthy ” written by Jason Howerton.  It reports that “A group of four black Ferguson residents reportedly armed themselves and descended upon a white-owned business following a grand jury’s decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. But unlike many of the Ferguson demonstrators, the armed men were there to protect the business, not destroy it in protest.  The men told the Las Vegas Review Journal that they feel indebted to the white store owner, Doug Morello, who has given them employment over the years....

American made history with the nominations and confirmation of the first enlisted man given the highest job in our military.  The nomination and eventually confirmation of Chuck Hagel did more for moral within the enlisted ranks than ever but this was never noted or reported on because media seeks confrontation instead of collaboration. Now this media is all up in arms about Mr. Hagel’s resignation.  In an effort to find some point of confrontation, top media elites like Mark Murray of NBC wishes America to know that his resignation is all about the White House having no confidence in his leadership.  They speak of having this resignation coming at the wrong time and how it will be seen as disruptive to the many functions that our military is involved in right now.  Even after Chris Jansing, White House Correspondence for NBC news attempted to clear that line of thinking by reminding all that this post for Hagel was within the agreed upon 2 year hitch.  Med...

Heard a story about this new bill working its way through Congress called “The Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for America Veterans Act” on the Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC.  This bill calls for independent evaluations of all mental health-care and suicide-prevention programs in VA and the Defense Department, a student loan repayment program that would offer up to $120,000 per year to recruit psychiatrists who commit to working for VA, and a program that would take back unneeded prescription drugs from patients at VA facilities.  Now while all this may sound good and is needed much of it is actually worthless in solving the problem of veteran suicide.  Clay Hunt’s mother said that after he finally got in to see a  psychiatric , he called her and said that he was not going back, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)  and other veterans groups believe to solve this problem VA needs more psychiatrist.  Both completely ignoring the fact that mor...

Not much happens in this country that goes on in this nation without someone finding out and many times the news either thrills you or bums you out depending on how it is disseminated.  How it is disseminated is called the slant, meaning that whoever is writing the article can make it sound like it is something you should be worried about, upset about or happy about.  Personally I don’t think this is what real journalism is supposed to be about but even certain cable news channels are slanted one way or another.  Many conservative leaning and liberal leaning entities may report many of the things that are right with an article but soon afterwards add in a little bit of sting for the other side making those of like minds enjoy more the reading.  The only problem with that is you have just short-changed your readers by not letting them form their own opinion which may be fine for those who are afraid to think for themselves but can prove quite deadly to those who don’...

Don’t know whom her opponent in that race had working for him but plain to see, they were not doing as good of a job as they could have.  Ms. Ernst is okay with these things because it is what she knows and since she was allowed to say these things but never held to account for them makes her even more embolden.  In an article titled “Republican Joni Ernst Admits Why Republicans Really Hate Obamacare” written by Jonathan Chait for The Daily Intelligencer/The National Interest, the audacity of those most fortunate to worry less about making ends meet or never truly had to live from pay check to pay check floors me with their advice on what those that do need to do.  It never ceases to amaze me how those who have never struggled will stand and tell anyone how the life they have is not a struggle.  It’s like a man telling a woman how it feels to get raped when only she is the one who was. The article reported that Ms. Ernst said “We’re looking at Obamacare right no...

Depending on which channel you are watching will often determine which side of the issue of inaction in Washington you take but to me, the best position to sit in order to see the entire forest is right smack dab in the middle. Sitting here, I can see the wonderful things this President has accomplished while in office as well as a few things I still have a hard time figuring out why he made the choice he did.  There are a tremendous amount of things he has done that I can honestly agree with and will defend to no end but there are also things that he has done which I do not agree with and would need much more convincing to defend.  This is the advantage I have by keeping myself in the middle. Being in the middle has also made certain actions in and around Washington clear for me which do not involve the president.  Take the Supreme Court for an example.  The rules that they have instituted, and I say instituted because once you step into the role of legisla...

There are stories like this happening all over this nation but why it is not breaking news or any television stations lead in is quite evident.  We call ourselves a nation of Christians but we act as though we are a slave to Satan and cannot resist him.  Breaking news is always news that shows us as callous, selfish, arrogant and righteous but we are all but one of those and that is righteous.  Our local and national news are often about the bad things happening in this country so no wonder people think that is all we do, so who wishes to step up and take responsibility for their actions, simply put no one.  Those in charge will say that if they do not have viewership then the ratings will drop off and they will have to close their business.  What they forget is the amount of true love and righteousness that exist within our society and would propel any business to the top if these were the stories that gets the attention.  Business and mostly everyone has...

Recently I found myself getting more and more annoyed with African-Americans whose only take on the recent rash of police shootings is that race is what was behind it.  I don’t disagree with that but those with the opportunity to get in front of a camera must also realize that it is not the only reason.   In an effort to try and fix the entire problem instead of the issue that only blacks feel, we need to look at one more blatantly obvious sign that many are blinded to. It’s not as much about race as it is about the perception of wealth. Take for example the thought pattern that runs through the head of any officer who is about to pull over an influential person.  The first thought is not about whether they are guilty of the reason why the officer is pulling him over but that what the results may be after he does so.  You can bet that he/she knows that if they were to even think about pulling them over, they had better have all their ducks in a row.  T...