cyrusmartin's Blog

I know how much fun it is to use the internet as sort of a anonymous shield to hide behind... throwing out any and every chilish insult you can think of or irresponsible juvenile rant that comes to mind...

but we all need to put on our grown up faces and learn to behave like adults.
You have freedom of speech. True.
...but we all should really consider that just because we CAN say or do something that does not mean we SHOULD do that.

If we are ever going to learn to play nice together on this playground we call "reality" then we need to learn that not every impulsive quip should be put into words and then broadcast to everyone. Some times we need to try to be patient with one another and tolerant of the views of those we disagree with. We also need to learn to not openly insult someone else as we do this just because it momentarilly makes us feel better.

God looks down on us for a reason.
We are simple and annoying creatures.

He doesnt ask a lot of us... and yet we constantly struggle to behave as we would like to be treated.

Please stop spreading hatred and lies.
Please stop mocking one another for no other reason than you find it amusing.
Please stop provoking attacks and demeaning others.
Please stop with the kindergarten playground name calling.

These behaviors are not justified nor are they Godly.
When you disrespect others, you lower everyone's view of yourself and of forums like this.

Why cant we talk about our differences without insulting one another?
Why cant we argue policies instead of spreading lies?
Why cant we accept our own role in this instead of replying with indignation and "Nuh uh! You started it!" kiddy yelling matches?

Is it so hard to believe that you can be civil and intelligent?
Is it so difficult to listen and exchange opinions without lashing out?


As I have often said... I am not perfect.
I have made mistakes here and I will probably continue to.
When I do, please point them out to me so that we can discuss them.
I am willing to accept responsibility for what I say.

Are you?


Thank you.
-Cy

Where are the riots? We were told there would be riots if Obama won. Where are they?

Are you moving to Canada? We were told that you would be.

Where are the terrorists that are celebrating Obama's victory? We were told they would.

Where are the Black people that are treating White people badly now? We were told they would.


Barack Hussein Obama is the name of our next President.
He has been elected by a large majority of our popular vote and a landslide of electoral votes.
He is going to be all of our President.

He is going to be your President.

Do you still think that he is a terrorist?
Do you still think we wants to destroy America?
...or that he is The Anti-Christ?

Will you still call his wife unpatriotic when she is in The White House?...
...a house that (despite what you have heard) will indeed remain white.

Will you call his children Muslims?

Will you demean the death of his Grandmother?

Will you point out that he is only half black when others refer to him as the first black President?

Will you call him a Marxist or a Communist when he addresses us from the oval office about a plan to fix out economy?

Will you scoff at everything he does or says and call him childish names when he extends his hand to Republican strategists and independent thinkers for the good of us all?

Will you ever believe that he can be YOUR President?



I hope so.
I hope that not every response I get to this message will be a diatribe of hate and rage. I hope that you will not choose to respond with attacks and bitterness.  I hope that you can finally join us in believeing that America is a place of hope and that President Obama can be a symbol of that belief to all of us... that the change we need will come not from him... but from all of us believing and then reshaping our world.

We all have a long way to go and now we have a better idea of who will lead us there.
I thank God every day for this election and for all it has brought into my life.
You are all great people and even if we disagree... I know we can be united... even if it comes with growing pains.

God bless all of us.

-Cy

I just wanted to share the news story about this.
I was very very close to my Granmother too so I guess I feel a real sense of connection to this. If you would like to, please comment but please please please be respetful otherwise I will delete your post. I never do that but I will for this.

Thank you.
-Cy

(CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died following a bout with cancer, Obama and his sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, said Monday.

This photo provided by the Obama campaign shows Obama in 1979 with his grandmother Madelyn Lee Payne Dunham.

She was 86.

"She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility," their statement said.

"She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure."

Obama and Soetoro-Ng asked that donations be made for the search for a cure for cancer in lieu of flowers. A small private ceremony will be held "at a later date."

Dunham passed away peacefully at her home shortly before midnight Sunday night (5 a.m. ET), campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki told CNN. She said Obama learned of her death around 8 a.m.

The Democratic presidential candidate left the campaign trail on October 23 and flew to Honolulu, Hawaii, to spend the day with Dunham, whose health deteriorated after she suffered a broken hip.

His wife, Michelle Obama, filled in for him at events in Columbus and Akron, Ohio, on October 24.

Obama said in an interview taped for that day's "Good Morning America" that Dunham had been "inundated" with flowers and messages from strangers who read about her in Obama's 1995 book, "Dreams From My Father."

"Maybe she is getting a sense of long-deserved recognition toward the end of her life," he said.

The candidate resumed his campaign on October 25.

Obama has spoken about his grandmother often on the stump, talking about what an integral figure she was in his youth and how she struggled against the glass ceiling in her career. He and his family traveled to Hawaii in August to visit her.

"She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life," he said in his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. "She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well."

I wanted to share a story from Halloween night with everyone. I'm not doing this to try to convince anyone of anything or to make anyone look bad. We are all responsible for our own conduct and the people in this story do not represent all of any one particular group. This is just a story about something that happened on Friday night and I wanted to share.

A friend of mine went out with her sister and her 8 year old niece to trick or treat this past Friday night. They had a good time and Sasha got a lot of candy... more than she could possibly eat though... but I'm betting she is gonna try anyway. Kids do indeed like the candy.
haha

Anyhoo...

Around 8:00 they stopped by one of their neighbor's houses. The house was decorated with lots of Halloween stuff and it was brightly lit. Other groups of kids were also running to the front door there and then quickly making off like bandits with bags full of goodies.

So the group of 3 walked up to the front door and Sasha reached up on her tippie toes and pushed the door bell. She was greeted by a very friendly looking ghost that was only a little taller than she. Behind the ghost, an older woman stood with a huge jack-o-lantern bucket full of candy. Sasha was pretty excited as she yelled proudly, "Trick or treat!"

...but the ghost didnt reply.

Instead the woman walked to the door and stared at the two women with the little girl and frowned.

"We dont have any candy for you." she said abruptly.

My friend and her sister were puzzled by this for a moment. They didnt want to assume anything so the little girl's mother asked as politely as she could.
"Oh, If you dont have any more left then that's ok."

They were ready to leave then but the older woman continued.
"We dont have candy for any Obama people."

Yes indeed...
This truly did happen.

Were they wearing Obama T-shirts?
No.

Did they have Obama signs in their yard?
No.

They were all 3 black though.

Did they ever bring up any of this?
No.

Instead...

The litle girl's mother smiled and knelt down to her daughter. She turned her so that they were looking into each other's eyes. Sasha was confused but not upset yet so her mother took this opportunity to do something before that could happen.

"Sasha. It's ok. We have lots of candy. Lets go home and count it. I bet you got even more than you did last year."

Sasha was so eager to count her bounty of treasure that she forgot completely about what had just happened and she took her mother's hand as they stepped away gleefully into the night.

My friend stayed behind for a moment.
She looked deeply into the older woman's eyes and the two stared at each other for a few seconds. Nothing else was said. Nothing else needed to be.


When we use children and the days made for children as tools to engrain hatred into them, we rob them of the opportunity to consider. We take their opportunity to learn about the feelings and value of those that are different. We take from them the chance they have to develiop a sense of fairness and compassion. When the example we set for our children diminishes those around us then it ultimately diminishes ourselves.

I only hope that in the years to come... with change on the horizon... and more days likle this with cruel ignorance at every turn... that there will be more women like Sasha's mother that have the courage to set aside their personal rage in favor of a better hope for the next generation... but we must also never be afraid to stare hatred in the eye in silent certaintly of the evil that is staring back.

God be with all of us this year.
Be blessed, joyful and brave.

Thank you.
-Cy

King James Bible
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

This has been a ridiculously long walk for all of us. The primary season was brutal and the general election has dragged on and on. Everyone's nerves are frazzled and tensions remain high. Opinions are fixed on either side and everyone is digging in their heels for a knock down drag out Tuesday that will probably wane on into the early morning hours.

It's been an exhausting election.

I think that the election is was brought me here and after the election I will probably not be back very often. I may be wrong about that but I just dont see myself being as into politics after Tuesday no matter the outcome.

I will care and I will pay attention to what is going on but that is probably as far as that will go other than the occasional conversation. Having said that, I just wanted to make sure I told everyone here how much I have appreciated all of the discussions we have had. It has been very stimulating to hear so many different views and the reasoning for them.

It hasnt all been nice though and we all know that. Sometimes Obama supporters have really become beligerant and even sarcastic with McCain people. By the same token, McCain people have spent a lot of time smearing anything and everything they disagree with. Look... we are all guilty of getting a little too personal with how we have given and recieved during this cycle. We all have to acknowledge that... but I hope that when all is said and done that we can start to put this all behind us and treat one another better for having gone through this.

I have a lot of respect for most of the people that frequent these blogs. I do. I also realize that there are some here that have no respect for me. That is fine. We are all entitled to our opinions and to behave how we choose. I dont expect us all to get along or to agree with the other's views... but I do want you all to know that I sincerely appreciate this time with all of you.

Thank you.
I am very glad to have had this experience.
God bless you all.

-Cy

Lets be honest with each other...

You have your mind made up about what you believe and I have my mind up about what I believe. We have all picked our candidates... or chosen not to participate.

Nobody is gonna convince anyone else to go to the other side.
Everything has been fought over... discussed... smeared... lied about... and then regurjitated all over again for every one of us to mull over and consider.

There is nothing to be gained from embarrassing yourself by attacking me or anyone else for our philosphies or choice of candidate. There is no reason to throw away your own personal integirty by lashing out at one another and making stupid comments and insults.

We all have debated and debated here for months.

Can we not end this campaign season respectfully?
Can we not agree to disagree about our chaoices and then respect the opposition?
Can we not be big enough to forgive what others have done or said against us?
We can and we need to.

There is too much hate, bitterness and anger out there already.
We need to set aside our egos... set down our pride... turn loose of our malice...
and recognize that neither democrat or republican...
not libertarian or independednt... have all the answers... or all the blame.

We need to learn to play together because we have to work together if we are gonna make any of this work for us.

I'm sorry if I have offended anyone here with my opinions.
I'm sorry if I have gona too far in my expressions.
I'm sorry for my sarcasm and for my unwillingess to submit.
I'm sorry that I havent done a better job of getting along.
...and I'm sorry I didnt say so sooner.

I hope that we can all listen to each other, agree when we can and disagree when we must.


...but with respect.

...without name calling.
...without scary labels.
...without the ugliness we all deplore.

Thanks yall.

-Cy

Hey everyone.
Well, we have 1 week left until the election. Early voting ends on Friday. Is there anyone left here that has not already made up their mind one way or the other? I think most of us have already voted or decided not to vote at all.

It's beena  long season. We have seen and talked about a lot of things.
Let's a take a moment to reflect and consider the entire experience.
Please share your thoughts, opinions and concerns here if you would like to.
It might do us all some good.

Here are a few questions that I have...

1. Are you an undecided voter?

2. Do the posts you see here impact your view of the candidates?
If so, which ones specifically would you say have caused you to lean one way or the other?

3. Have any of the negative posts here turned you away from a candidate you were previously leaning towards? Have any of those backfired?

4. Do you consider blog posts like these to be a valid source of information or do you think of this more as entertainment?

5. Are you more or less enthusiastic about politics after this election season?

6. Have you changed your mind about a party or a candidate during the course of this election period?

7. Have you personally seen or witnessed an act of anger or malice directed towards anyone because of their political views?

8. Have you done or said anything politically motivated that you regret?

9. (If you are decided) Are you voting for a candidate or against a candidate?

10. If you were to list the reasons for your choice would they be mostly negative or mostly positive?

11. What is your biggest fear regarding this election?

12. What is your greatest hope?

13. If the candidate that you do not endorse wins, will you support him as our president?

14. Will you vote in future elections?

15. Will you hold a grudge about anything that has happened politcally?

16. Will you try to repair any friendships that may have been hurt over politics?

17. What is the biggest lesson you have learned from all of this?




If you do not feel comfortbale answering any of these then please dont. Also, please dont debate one another about the answers we list here. This is just a place to get some things off your chest... if you want to that is.

Thanks everyone!
-Cy

As was my last blog post... this one is also intended to be non-partisan. Please refrain from getting into attacks, smears and stuff like that if you intend to respond.
-------------------

I know that our country is going through a lot right now and tensions are very high for a lot of reasons. I would just like to ask any of you that are willing to join me in prayer for a civil and peaceful election night. There are concerns among many that some will not be able to behave in a dignified manner... and I am not singling out a side here... if the outcome does not please them.

Please take a moment in silence when you can to ask God to watch over our nation and help us to trust in his plan. Help us all to be humble servants of his will and open minded enough to embrace the leader we will soon have. Whether it is John McCain or Barack Obama, I pray that all Americans will support our new president and set aside the harsh feelings of this long and tumultuous campaign season.

If you choose to respond to this please be respectful.
Thank you and God Bless.

-Cy

Hi everyone.
I have had enough with the partisan stuff so I am just trying to discuss politics now without getting into left or right issues or attacks. This post is just a simple question. Please do not respond with WHO you will vote for. I just want to know if you are voting. Cool? Thanks!

So here are the questions. Remember, no partisan stuff.

1. Are you voting?
2. will you vote early?
3. Have you decided how you are voting yet?
4. Do you feel good about your choice?
5. What single issue in the national campaign was most important to you?

Thanks everyone!
-Cy

This just broke...

 

Troopergate Report: Palin Abused Power

Unanimous but Contentious Vote to Release the Report to the Public

By JUSTIN ROOD
Oct. 10, 2008 the Investigative Homepage.

An Alaskan state investigation concluded today that Gov. Sarah Palin had abused her power when she fired her Public Safety Commissioner in July. (AP Graphic)

Sarah Palin abused her power when she fired her Public Safety Commissioner this July, a state investigation has concluded.

The Alaska legislature voted to release the several hundred page report on the "Troopergate" scandal, a state kerfuffle which has come to haunt Gov. Sarah Palin's vice presidential bid. The scandal centered around her firing of Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan. Monegan and others believed Palin fired him because he refused to take action against Mike Wooten, a state trooper under him who had been involved in a messy divorce with Palin's sister, Molly.

The investigator, Stephen Branchflower, found that Monegan's refusal to fire Wooten "was not the sole reason" but was "likely a contributing factor" to his firing.

Branchflower also said Palin's attorney general failed to provide him with emails of Palin's that he had requested as part of the probe.

Palin violated the state Ethics Act, Branchflower found.

"The evidence supports the conclusion that Governor Palin, at the least, engaged in 'official action' by her inaction if not her active participation or assistance to her husband in attempting to get Trooper Wooten fired [and there is evidence of her active participation]," he concluded.

"Keep The N****r Out Of Office"
Cops: Man threatened voter officials over tardy registration card

OCTOBER 8--Angered by a delay in the receipt of his voter registration card, a Louisiana man today threatened election officials, claiming that he urgently needed to cast a ballot to "keep the BLEEP out of office," according to police. Wade Williams, 75, was arrested this morning on a felony terrorizing charge after allegedly calling the Registrar of Voters and warning that he would come to the state office and empty his shotgun unless he got his registration card. Using profanity and racial slurs, Williams told a state official "about needing to vote to 'keep the BLEEP out of office," according to an Ouachita Parish Sheriff's Office affidavit, a copy of which you'll find here. Though the document does not name the candidate to which Williams is so violently opposed, it seems likely he was referring to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. After being arrested at his Monroe home, Williams was booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center, where the below mug shot was snapped. En route to the jail, he "continued his 'tirade' about BLEEP and also stated that he had a shotgun, but had it hidden at his residence," reported Lt. Michael Judd. (2 pages)

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It is unfortunate that John McCain seems to be losing so badly in the polls right now. Why do I say this? Well apparently this situation has created a real sense of anxiety and fear among him and his supporters. The attacks have become extremely personal... the language has dovetailed into all sorts of nasty things... and the mood is shifting to one of panic and anger.

What is worse is that john McCain has not only NOT discouraged his supporters from saying or doing erratic things... hateful things... but he seems to be encouraging this behavior. This is not my observation. This is the observation of multiple media sources including some Republicans.

My question to you is...
How is this Presidential?

What has McCain done in the past 2 weeks that would fit the office of The Preseidency? What has he done to prove that he has the patience or demeanor to be a leader to us? If you can provide some examples I would be open to hearing them. Below are some concerning articles.

I pray that this growing divide in America is resolved without anything terrible happening.
Thank you.

-Cy

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14445.htmla>

http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/10/whats-new
-5.html


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eric-schmeltzer/mccains-
new-strategy-inci_b_132513.html


http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/09/cindy-
mccain-goes-on-the-attack-2/

The problem with using the "guilt by association" technique...
Hmmm....

Man shot three times in street by racist gunman - for wearing Barack Obama T-shirt

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 6:01 PM on 07th October 2008

A man told today how he was shot three times in a London street for wearing a Barack Obama T-shirt.

Dube Egwuatu was buying a mobile telephone top-up card in an off-licence when the gunman confronted him and glared at the top, which carries an image of the Democrat US presidential candidate underneath the legend 'Believe'.

The man then launched into a tirade of racist slurs, shouting 'I BLEEP hate n*****s' and urging 36-year-old Mr Egwuatu to leave the shop with him.

Respect: Dube Egwuatu wearing the Obama T-shirt that provoked a racist attack

The man then left the shop but when Mr Egwuatu re-emerged, the attacker was waiting for him in broad daylight with a threatening-looking dog and holding a gun behind his back.

Realising what had sparked the increasingly violent assault, the terrified Mr Egwuatu zipped up his jacket to cover the image of Mr Obama and walked to his car.

But the shaven-headed man, who was white,  followed Mr Egwuatu and after pulling open the passenger door pointed the gun at him.

After pleading with the man to leave him alone, the married former street warden put the keys in the ignition and turned the engine on.

The attacker then fired the gas-powered ball-bearing pistol three times, hitting the civil servant in the face, hand and shoulder.

Fearing for his life and bleeding heavily, Mr Egwuatu raced away in his car and found somewhere safe to call for help.

He was taken to hospital and later sent to have a piece of metal removed from his jaw.

Mr Egwuatu, a data analyst with Croydon Council, said: 'The venom in his voice was frightening.

'He was telling me that he was going to kill me.

'I couldn't believe it was happening - and just because I was wearing an Obama T-shirt. He was trying to make me walk somewhere quieter, saying: 'I've got something for you,' and 'I'm going to kill you.'

He added: 'Obama inspires me, his educational track record alone is quite unbelievable - that is why I was wearing the T-shirt.

'I did not think for one minute it could stir up such powerful feelings of hatred and I never said a word to him.'

Mr Egwuatu's wife, Angela, 35, said neither of them had experienced anything like it during their childhood in Nigeria.

Mrs Egwuatu, an immigration officer, said: 'At first my feelings were pure horror and now it is pure anger.

'If he had been carrying a real gun I would have been a widow. It is just ridiculous.

'I don't know how a person's mentality works. Why would a T-shirt get you to the point where you want to shoot someone.'

To the untrained eye, ball-bearing guns like the one used in the attack look every bit like a real firearm.

The potentially lethal weapons are often converted by criminals to fire real bullets, and can be bought easily in high-street shops and on websites.

The Met said it was investigating the incident, which took place in South Norwood, and that police searched a nearby house which the attacker was seen going into.

No one has been arrested.

We have 2 very unique candidates for President this year and I just wanted to take a moment to achknowledge how fascinating they both are and how amazing it is that we all live in a country of such diversity and possibility. I know that there are things about both candidates that we can disagree about and they have ideas that about half will support and the other half of us will oppose.

...but these are both extraordinary political figures and I am very blessed to live in a time where these two men can obtain the nomination of their parties and contend for the highest office in the land. Sarah Palin and Joe Biden are also very fascinating figures and have each brought a depth to this race that was never present in an election of this magnitude before.

Whether you are voting for McCain or Obama or neither... I would hope that you can recognize the weight of this moment in history and how privelidged we all are to see this campaign become reality. Regardless of the results, this has been an exciting roller coaster and I am glad to have had a chance to be here discussing it with all of you.

Thank you so much everyone for continuing to participate in our political process and for allowing yourself to be enthusiastic about it.

Things can get better in America if enough of us care and its great to see so many that do.
I aint leaving the blogs or anything... just wanted to take a moment to say this.

Thanks!!!!

-Cy