I am a long-time resident of Arizona and a combat veteran of Vietnam. I volunteered to serve our country during the 1970s when the convenient and popular sentiment was to protest all things American, especially the war.

I am conservative. I derive my values from our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and my morals from my belief in a higher power. What is right for our state and our country should not be influenced by political party leanings or affiliations. And it certainly must not be controlled by an oligarchy. Continue reading →

It’s another remarkably unremarkable desert morning, but I wish it were raining. There’s a light blue sky, and as usual, the temperature is moderate for this time of year, as usual. Like always, it’s genuinely unremarkable. Another day in paradise, as we say in the valley of the blistering summer sun: But it’s winter. I wish it were raining because deep in my being, I feel the dark overcast of embitterment, and I’m unnerved about my future, our future. Recent events are a concern for any sane American, let alone the political zealots rampaging across the country. Even my ultraconservative neighbor is worried. He sees this as a sign of the apocalypse. He believes he has a future in Heaven after Armageddon. I believed in our Consitution, so I understand his point, but I’ve lost faith in my country. Continue reading →

What’s happened to our moral compass? When did we lose our sense of direction? The assertion that this country as not based on Judeo-Christian values is simply not true.

Consider the phrase “In God We Trust.” It clearly indicates that this country trusts and bases our very existence on a Higher Power: that was the intent, anyway. Try as we might to deny it, we cannot survive without something, a code, to guide us

It seems apparent that the founders of this country knew that without a solid foundation we would be like a rudderless ship in the ocean at the mercy of the prevailing winds. Something tells me that these foresighted people envisioned our modern age and somehow knew what we would face. They didn’t necessarily know the date or time, but they knew that we would face this crisis of direction and division and that our only hope would be a strong moral compass: that being our trust in that Higher Power. I believe that the founders were well schooled in world history. They understood it. They learned from it. They applied it as they created this country. It’s truly amazing how immutable the truth really is. Continue reading →

Aren’t we all slaves?

I suppose I am an old-school individual. I believe that face to face conversations and interaction are certainly the most enlightening and edifying. I enjoy the company of several people at the table for meals and even for drinks. I learn and grow from our conversations, which is after the point. In fact, one of my favorite partner’s and companions is my wife. She provides a different perspective and refreshing view of the topic with her feminine and ethnic views. Continue reading →