Bloodbuzz - Ohio

The blog title is from a relatively new popular song by the alternative band The National. The significance stems from the recent visit I made to Ohio. You see, while in Ohio, I stayed with my brother and sister in-law who I used to refer to as my half-brother and his wife. All that is different now.

The reason for my trip was what I'd been anticipating for several weeks. Last Friday, my father was institutionalized. He is in the throws of Alzheimer's as I stated several blogs ago. Hence, the reference to "several weeks." Get it?

A couple (less than "several") of weeks ago I received another early morning phone call from my father's wife Charlene. That would make her my step-mother, which is how I referred to her in past blogs. Now, when conversing with someone, I use the term "mother," the "step" part has been dropped. This whole new vernacular is very new to me, but it really isn't taking any getting used to at all.

I have referred to my step-mother by name for as long as I can remember, which would be the first day -night really- I met her. That would be forty-two years ago. For forty of those years Craig had always been my "half-brother." Since 2004, I called Tara, my half-brother's wife. Today she is my sister-in-law. These changes are permanent, and the transition has been effortless. How this transpired deserves an explanation.

When Charlene informed me of her decision, my initial reaction was I need to go to Ohio to be there when this happened; though I was unable to pinpoint the motivation for this sudden urge. I just knew I needed to be there. However, I thought I should run my intentions by Charlene first, lest she not want me there, so insecure of my familial status. I thought maybe I'd be imposing. I'd be in the way. My father would find my presence unsettling. Charlene would have enough on her mind, she didn't need me staying in her home. To allay these insecurities, I felt diplomacy was the proper way to proceed.I put the ball in Charlene's court. I would leave the decision for me to go up to her. She promptly hit the ball back.

I asked , "Do you want me to come out there?" That was harmless I thought. All she had to do was say yes and I'd be there. But she said, "Oh, I don't want you guys to have to spend the money." That's Charlene, selfless as always. She has never thought of herself first in any situation I'd been privy to. Disarmed, I responded with, "Do you think I should come, or do I just go with my heart?" "Go with your heart" she replied. Game, set and match Charlene Berstler. I then decided that I'd be going to Ohio to do whatever I was supposed to do, unclear about what that was.

Arrangements were made, one of them being where I was to be housed since staying at my father's was out under the circumstances. Craig and Tara stepped to the plate. Charlene told me they'd be glad to have me. I thought she was just being kind. I just couldn't picture two people who barely knew me thrilled to have me as a house guest for four days. This situation required me to contact my brother to firm things up.

Understand, my brother and I had not spoken in nearly two years, and prior to that exchange, another three years. Close is not the term that comes to mind when describing our relationship. However, every time we've seen each other no matter the lapses in time, it always struck me that it seemed as though I lived around the corner and we conversed on a regular basis. If I was feeling a little uneasy about interacting with my brother, Christ! the prospect of interacting with his wife brought to mind The Bounty mutineers landing at Pitcairn's Island.

Tara and I have exchanged Christmas cards for years. We spent about three hours together one Christmas six years ago. That's the entire foundation of which we have built our relationship. And now the poor woman is expected to make me feel comfortable and entertain me for an extended period. I thought, "Oh, this is going to be classic." And classic it was, but not in the context I just proposed.

Under the circumstances and in the frazzled state I had worked myself into, I left my cellphone in the car. I didn't realize it until I went through security at the airport. Ten years ago no one would have given a shit, after about ten minutes of discomfort neither did I. Everything would work out just the way it was supposed to.

Craig picked me up at Columbus airport. I was a little nervous, but I don't think it showed. Any remnant of being uncomfortable was left there on the curb as we drove away. The only palpable angst concerned the task surrounding our Dad. We chatted about what an ass I'd been for leaving behind my phone. As a matter of fact, it was one of our handful of standing jokes that lasted through my stay.

That night Craig, Tara, Drew -one of their two boys- and I went to see a minor league baseball game. After dinner, which Craig forbade me from paying for, we headed off to Huntington Park, home of the Columbus Clippers, the Triple A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The evening was a delight. Drew, who is eight, made a valiant effort for a home run ball, coming away with the stitch marks and bruise on his chest to prove it. In addition, he eventually got the ball itself, which, with the kindness of an usher, we got signed by the player who hit it.

There is much more to the story than that, but that would take a whole other blog. But I will say, what will be forever known as the "Home Run Ball Incident," dominated the early portion of our "porch time" conversation once we returned home.

Said "porch time" lasted until 2:30 in the morning. Most times I stayed up until that hour involved vomiting, this was quite the contrary. We spoke of many things that first night, our Dad being the centerpiece. We speculated on what all awaited us the following day. I found it odd that my time with Craig and Tara seemed like it was something we did regularly each week.

We shared shed tears, and more importantly shared much laughter. I shared my insecurities and they made me feel comfortable. I knew how much I cared for them that night after so many years' of nights without them.

I am not going to make this blog a downer. If you had, or know someone who has had to institutionalize a parent; well then, I don't need to go into the depressing details here. All I can say is that I knew without knowing, what my role was and why I was there. We leaned on each other while holding each other up with Charlene serving as the fulcrum. Her strength made each of us stronger. She is quite a woman.

Once our task was done, we tried to find an understanding of what transpired and how we all got there from here. I'm not going to say any of us were happy with the answers we found, but I will say just to discuss what was on our collective minds eased the burden of the different weights that were on each one. Charlene and I were to return the following day.

Friday morning Tara and I had bonded, as well as Drew and I. We spoke of our love of Tom Petty, going so far as to point out when one of his songs came on the radio. They play a lot of Tom Petty on Ohio radio, so much so, it took its place among our standing jokes. This one was a little special because it was Tara's and mine.

Each night there was good food, hearty laughter and a few tears. Craig's strange affinity for his private game of chicken with the fuel level of each vehicle he drives provided me with enough material for another blog as well. I could gush on and on about how every moment in their company was wonderful, but then I'd sound like a big pussy. So let me gush about the kids for a moment.

Drew and Gabe, ages eight and four respectively, were a delight. I'm not very fond of small children. As a matter of fact, the only other kids I liked this much at this age were my friend Gregg's two girls Carly and Jaime. To say Drew and Gabe are good kids does not do them justice in this world filled with horrible, obnoxious little shits. I was thrilled to be around them.

I know I've been a bit effusive here, but I can't help myself. I have family I always had but never had if you know what I mean. We got through this trial together and we'll face more of them together I'm sure of it. There's strength in numbers you know.

Besides the song title that's doubling as the blog title; a line from the song no longer fits..."And Ohio don't remember me." Maybe one time that was true, but not now. Those that reside there certainly will, I'm sure of it, and I won't forget them. That's why this blog is about them, 'cause I'm thinking of them right now.

In My Opinion

The content of recent blogs has been rather heavy and this week I fully intended to lighten things up a bit. But with all the play the “Mosque at Ground Zero” is mustering, I’m compelled to offer my view of the whole sordid mess. And don’t think for a moment this issue is cut and dried regardless of what side of the fence you’re on. What makes me such a goddamn authority concerning this sensitive issue? It’s not so much that I’m an authority; rather, I have some academic background in Foreign Relations as well as Middle Eastern History. This allows me to opine with a slightly different perspective to this very emotional issue.

To set the record straight, the Taliban are fucking assholes, not everyone who practices the Muslim religion is. There seems to be a misconception here. For analogical purposes, let’s say the population of the United States represents the total population of everyone in the Muslim global community. The population of Montana would represent the Islamic extremist portion or Taliban if you will.

The U.S. Government is partially responsible for making the Taliban what it is today. Way back in 1979, the U.S., under the direction of Jimmy Carter, thought it was a good idea to arm the Mujahideen, the radical Muslim guerrilla fighters, in an effort to ward off the advances of the Soviet Union when they invaded Afghanistan. Today, we call this fighting group of radical Muslims the Taliban. How do I know this? I was the first person in the United States to examine documents from the Jimmy Carter Library pertaining to the 1980 U.S. Olympic boycott due to the invasion of Afghanistan.

The Muslim religion is not a violent one. That’s like saying Catholicism is a violent religion based on the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades. As a matter of fact, Muslims don’t care what you call your God as long as you believe in God. The dreaded “infidel” is the godless person to whom the Koran refers, not one who follows capitalism. The members of radical Islam believe the people of the United States have substituted capitalism for God. This is what has their panties all in a bunch. This is why they call us a godless society because they believe we worship wealth above all else. We won’t get into what a bunch of hypocrites the members of the Taliban are, that’s a given for any religious nut cases.Christ! If those bastards only knew an atheist was writing this, they’d do a live televised webcast of my beheading.

I had friends whose father’s helped build the World Trade Center. I’ve eaten at Windows of the World. At the highest point on Shunpike Road, Gary Eckert and I used to sit atop his garage, get stoned, and at night gaze at the lit Twin Towers off in the distance. My former brother in-law was fortunate to get out before the Towers crumbled. Each year I fly my flag on 9/11, never forgetting, unlike many of my neighbors. My emotional response to having a mosque within several blocks of Ground Zero is that I find it appalling. But I like to think I’m a rational human being not to be included in the seventy percenters. And then there’s the government…

They seem to be able to fuck up anything they collectively stick their noses in. I hear this claim of religious freedom. I hear references that that’s what this country was founded on. I say bullshit. While religious outcasts found a home here; settling the U.S. was without a doubt a money seeking venture. Our society grants religious freedom, yes; but we shouldn’t at the expense of others.

The Taliban are not rational people. They would claim a victory for Allah if that mosque is allowed to be housed so near what they perceive to be the site of their greatest triumph against the infidels. The Taliban would perceive it as a sign of American weakness. So let’s throw out all that constitutional bullshit for this one.

While the irrational people claim allowing the mosque “on” Ground Zero, -which it isn’t - is like putting a monument to Hitler at Auschwitz, or a memorial to the Japanese at Pearl Harbor (both asinine statements), all they’re doing is showing the rest of the world that their brain waves are as short circuited as members of radical Islam. What it would be is a slap in the face to those that died in the tragedy, and to those who survive them. Let’s show the Taliban we can all come together on this issue just like we did when the catastrophe occurred. That’s to whom we have to make a point. We don’t have to make a point to peaceful Muslims in this country. They already know what America stands for, that’s why they’re here.

I have Muslim friends. They are not members of the Taliban as far as I can tell. Their children are as American as they come because they were born here. They exhibit love toward me every day. They thank Allah for the opportunity to live in this great country. They are embarrassed by the actions of a demented group who give Islam a bad name. Yet, they are derided just because of their religion. Hell, it’s not like they’re Mormons or anything.

So let’s do the right thing by everyone involved. Let’s make the building an historical landmark. Move the mosque to another part of Manhattan. Let the Muslims who are complaining use the magnificent mass transit system New York offers to get to the alternate site. If the few whining Muslims don’t like it, tough shit, the rest of us will. But that’s just my opinion.

Losing Our Religion

On my Facebook information page there is a heading for religious views. Rather than put in an organized sect, I offered “Whatever gets you through your day, just don’t tell me I’ve got to believe it.” Am I a card carrying atheist in the strictest sense? I think not, but others beg to differ. Do I call myself a Christian? Absolutely not. Do I have faith? Why but of course. I am not alone. Though ninety-six percent of Americans say they believe in God, I dare to have belonged to that four percent group for over twenty years, much to the consternation of friends and acquaintances.

I do not flaunt my beliefs, nor do I press them on others, unlike so many who find the need to chastise me, in addition to telling me how wrong I am. In the current religious environment, when I’m walking down the street, I have expect someone to point me out and bellow, “Blaspheme!”

I did my time. I was baptised in the First Presbyterian Church of Springfield, New Jersey, site of a Revolutionary War battle. After moving to Chester, New Jersey, my family belonged to the Presbyterian Church there, where I taught Sunday School as a teenager. It was while teaching Sunday School my views about organized religion took a turn. I questioned the inconsistencies found in the Bible. When the answers I was given were found wanting, I decided I’d had enough of the hypocrisy.

The only time thereafter I set foot in a church, was at Christmas to appease my girlfriend, or accommodate a friend; or for a wedding or funeral. For many years I kept my feelings about religion to myself; a closet atheist if you will. I guess I was afraid of being “cast out” from/to somewhere.

I grew tired of hearing people preach religion to me and then go cheat on their taxes, or worse yet their spouses. I witnessed pious folk while leaving the church parking lot give me the finger because I blew my horn when they cut me off. I had my fill of the Jim Bakers, Jerry Falwells, Jimmy Swaggerts, and Pat Robertsons telling everybody how to live when they made shambles of their own personal lives. And now Anne Rice has had it too.

The author of the Interview with a Vampire series recently declared on her Facebook page that “Today, I quit being a Christian.” She is not the first celebrity to disavow organized religion. Julia Sweeney of Saturday Night Live fame, did a one woman show titled Letting Go of God. After many years of devout Catholicism, she decided as an adult that what she was taught was a load of shit. She too couldn’t marry the inconsistencies in the teachings that had been rammed down her throat.

Bill Maher takes it one step further in Religulous, a comedy/drama where he looks at the world’s religions and some of the aspects that makes you take a step back and go “Hmmmmm?”

While Rice “…remains committed to Christ as always, but not being ‘Christian’ or to being part of Christianity. It’s simply impossible for me to ‘belong’ to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I’ve tried. I’ve failed. I’m an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.”

Several years ago Rice made a ballyhooed return to the Catholicism of her younger days after years of calling herself an atheist. But now she’s had it. “In the name of Christ,” she said, “I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life.” So there.

However, it is not just me and a couple of celebrities who feel this way. A 2008 study by Trinity College showed that religiosity is in a downward trend. The study concluded that those who call themselves Christian has fallen by more than ten percent since 1990 while the percentage of those who claim no religious affiliation has nearly doubled during the same period. This is not to say these folks are not spiritual, which is different. Spirituality is on the upswing. More and more people every day are trying to find a better way to live, getting in touch with the Spirit of the Universe as Buddha once claimed to have done. By the way, the argument as to whether Buddhism is a religion or a philosophy continues to this day.

Spiritual people do not blame the Sept. 11 attacks on the ACLU, as Jerry Falwell did. Spiritual people do not claim that the earthquake in Haiti was due to an ancient curse, as Pat Robertson did. Spiritual people do not kick out congregants because they voted Democrat, as a church in North Carolina did after nine members cast their votes for John Kerry in the 2004 election. Spiritual people do not bomb each others houses of worship (too many incidents over the years to list here). When was the last time you heard someone who was pro-life getting murdered, but abortion clinics are attacked sometimes resulting in fatalities, all in the name of religion.

Albert Einstein was often cited for his lack of belief in God. However, he clarified he did have faith. What other reason could there be he said, for trying all the experiments he did. He had to have the faith they’d work.

Columnist Leonard Pitts recently stated that “Somehow, hostility to science, gays, Muslims, and immigrants became the very meaning of faith.” A far cry from what Einstein envisioned. Pitts continued, “And somehow Christianity became –or at least, came to seem – a wholly owned subsidiary of the Republican Party.” Now I don’t know if I’d go that far, or even if I care for that matter. But it does give you something to think about with Joel Osteen sounding like he’s preaching the Word of Money and all. It kind of substantiates Pitts claim that “Low taxes for the wealthy and deregulation of industry became the very message of Christ.” I don’t think that’s what the Egyptians had in mind when they compiled their Book of the Dead.

You see, the Egyptians couldn’t rationalize death. They feared it so, that if you had the wealth (maybe that is where all of this began) you were buried with all your belongings so they’d be there when you “returned.” That fear is also the driving force behind mummification (you needed a lot of dough for that process as well). Since death was unexplainable, they came up with the first “God” theory to explain away the unexplainable. So to the Egyptians, “God” was a superstition. And boy did the human race pick up that ball and run with it.

So while Anne Rice and others are redefining their own spirituality, others will continue hold onto their dogma, and wave their pious fingers at those who don’t see things their way. I for one prefer to adhere to the gospel according to George Carlin who whittled the Ten Commandments down to two:
1. Don’t steal shit.
2. Be nice to each other.

If there is more that I need to know to be a person of good standing, I think I’ll use my own resources to find out. I don’t need to be told.

Fedupabuster

For quite some time now I’ve used this forum as an opportunity to air my displeasure with our democratic system. The “haves” (the ten-percenters) continue to control things, while the “have-nots” (the tax base) continue to finance the brilliant revelations from on high. The system is broken and no one wants to fix it. You notice I didn’t say “knows how to fix it.”

Democracy in theory can’t be beat. But the way the concept was put into practice in this country some two-hundred and thirty years ago was flawed from the beginning. The “haves” set up the ground rules, while the have-nots, placated with the notion their interests were well represented, entrusted their ideals with a very select group of men.

“All men are created equal.” What a great declaration don’t you think? Just reading it makes me all goosebumpy. Nevertheless, we all know that it’s a well intentioned, huge crock of shit. I don’t have to spell it out for anybody the incongruity of that statement. Don’t get me wrong, there is no other place on the planet I’d rather live. But that too is an asinine statement since I’ve never lived anywhere else for a true comparison.

Thomas Jefferson, the author of that famous quote, knew our version of democracy had some kinks that needed to be worked out. Before he was elected President he was quick to point out what needed tweeking. That is until he became President himself, and realized under the restrictions set forth, how tough it is to tweek. Not much has changed. Opposing party members point out what’s wrong, offer what they deem to be a viable solution, only to find out armchair politicking is easy compared to getting something put into action.

So here we are many years later, mired in the same bullshit. Our elected leaders are beholden to a small group of powerful individuals, while the rhetoric they spew forth is as empty as Sarah Palin’s head.

Many learned individuals have opinions as to how our democratic system can be fixed, but, sad to say, those who control the purse strings –corporate and political- can’t and won’t. Why should they, democracy as it currently is, suits them just fine. And the wheels on the bus go round and round.

In a major election, roughly fifty percent of the registered voters cast ballots. The other fifty percent take to heart the adage “If god had intended us to vote, he’d have given us candidates.” The middle class (In our democratic classless society) is diminishing. Meaning the chasm of the distribution of wealth has grown larger. What’s going to bridge that ever growing gap between the political elite and the common man? Who will better represent our interests in public office? Why wealthy business people that’s who.

Election season is here, and has been for quite some time if you watch network television. We’re inundated with campaign ads. Here in Florida, the primary election campaigns are filled with such vitriol you’d think the candidates represented opposing parties. In keeping with the insatiable appetite for anything “tabloid,” these all talk no substance airbags whose faces have been plastered over my TV screen, think they hold the keys to all of society’s financial and collective ills while taking every opportunity to debase their opponent. I guess they work on the premise everybody loves a good catfight.

What they’re really doing is exploiting how stupid they think we are. Sorry, not “stupid” but “ignorant and uninformed.” My son and I decided calling seventy percent of the nation’s adult population “stupid” doesn’t sound very nice. That’s why we’re switching to “ignorant and uninformed.” But still, seventy percent is a lot of stupid people.

How else do you explain South Carolina voters selecting a miscreant like “Al Green.” When some voters were interviewed, they said they cast their ballot on name recognition alone, knowing nothing about the candidate. Look this wastoid “Al Green” up on the Internet. No, he’s not the singer.

How else do you explain Florida gubernatorial Republican Party primary candidate Rick Scott’s recent ad? Scott is a former healthcare bigwig who defrauded the government out of millions in Medicare and Medicaid payments. Hey, but as he’s been telling the viewing public for so long now, “I’m not a career politician,” it’s as if that’s supposed to make feel you so much better about him being unethical.

Scott’s ad opens with a few disparaging remarks about what’s happened in Florida “under Barack Obama.” Mind you, Scott is a gubernatorial candidate. What the fuck he’s doing comparing what he plans to accomplish versus Obama’s failures as he sees them is anybody’s guess. But it gets better.

Florida unemployment statistics flash across the screen. Florida now has 1.2 million people out of work. Florida has 12% unemployment just in case you’re part of that seventy percent that doesn’t understand what the numbers mean. In the next segment, a brochure touts “Rick Scott’s Seven Year Plan” for fixing Florida. Scott plans to employ 700,000 people …in seven years.

Ok, help me out here. Obama, who is President and not the governor of Florida (whew, I’m glad that’s been cleared up for me), has been in office for eighteen months and there are 1.2 million unemployed in a state. Rick Scott has a plan to cut that number to 500,000 within seven years when a term as governor is less than that? But at least he’s going to do away with the state plane. Now there’s something to hang your hat on.

In another ad Rick Scott lets the public know he’s in agreement with the Arizona immigration law. I find his lack of geographical knowledge unsettling. Besides, a form of the Arizona immigration law has been on the books for some time now. The law is not the issue the public should concern itself with. We should be more concerned about the corporations and industries who profit by employing these individuals, and the dearth of tax dollars being paid into the system. But hey, that kind of thinking wouldn’t divide the nation. Keep us preoccupied with the smaller issue to deflect the attention away from one much larger.

The Democratic primary race for Senate is no better. As far as I can tell Jeff Greene another successful businessman, is running against second generation career politician Kendrick Meek. Greene’s campaign platform consists of calling Meek corrupt, and Meek says Greene benefits financially from the suffering of others via shady business dealings. So?

As far as we all know, all politicians are corrupt to varying degrees. Successful businessmen are successful because not all their practices are above board. My question is what do either of these men stand for, and what are their positions on crucial political issues that face Floridians. I guess stuff like that a seventy percenter doesn’t need to bother themselves with.

Greene’s big claim is that he has a track record of creating jobs. That would fall into the “no shit” category. I was always under the impression that when you owned a business, you needed people to work there to help the business run. I’m having a hard time deciding if these candidates are acting like they’re members of the seventy percent group to gain favor, or are they really this fucking stupid? Sorry, I mean “ignorant and uninformed.”

Two incredibly wealthy businessmen cast aspersions toward their politician opponents claiming that what’s wrong with the system lie its being run by career politicians though both have benefited greatly by the system they are quick to condemn. All I see is substituting one evil for another, the abilities being honed in one arena as opposed to the other.

Idealistically democracy is a wonderful concept when put into practice falls woefully short of its original intent. So if you are born into the elitist snobbery or have accumulated boatloads of cash, you too can decide who is to hold public office, or run for that office yourself one day,unless you really are stupid.

Who in their right mind would want to clean up the mess that exists?