GO WILD! LEARNING GONE WILD! KEEP IT WILD! SAVE THE RIVERS & LEAVE NO TRACE CAMPAIGNS: 50 YEAR CELEBRATION OF THE WILDERNESS ACT! I LOVE THE MOUNTAINS, LIKE I LOVE MY OWN SOUL--IN NATIVE AMERICAN SPEAK, MONTANA MEANS MOUNTAINS! A MONTANA DELEGATION, WAS ONE OF TWO STATES REPRESENTED, THAT PUSHED FOR THE WILDERNESS ACT . . . THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PRESERVING THE BEAUTY THAT KEEPS US ALL SANE, THAT MAY BE RELATIVELY SPEAKING IN MY CASE! LOL! LAST SATURDAY AT THE FAIR GROUNDS IN KALISPELL, MONTANA, THERE WAS AN EDUCATIONAL EVENT CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF WILDERNESS: PACK MULE PARADE, DEMONSTRATION, Q & A; KID DISPLAY WITH CUTE EDUCATIONAL DISTRICTS, TEACHING KIDS ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH LITTER, HOW TO HANDLE A BEAR IF YOU RUN INTO ONE, THE GOOD AND BAD OF FOREST FIRES, ETC., WITH EDUCATIONAL VENDORS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT FIGHT FOR THE PRESERVATION OF WILDERNESS AREAS . . . A GREAT EVENT, ALONG WITH A RABBIT EXHIBIT FOR 4-H, AND A SAFETY EXPOSE WITH COPS, FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE SEARCH & RESCUE . . . GREAT STUFF FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW! THANK YOU ALL FOR KEEPING US INFORMED AND UP TO SPEED ON CRITICAL ISSUES, THAT EFFECT US DAILY. THANK YOU, UNITED STATES, ATTORNEY GENERAL, ERIC HOLDER! I AM SAD TO SEE YOU GO, THANKS FOR CUTTING THE CRIME RATE AND THE INCARCERATION RATE . . . WOULD HAVE, COULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT MYSELF! GREAT JOB!

Daily Inter Lake Newspaper, Happy 125 Years & Thought for the Day . . .

A child educated only at school is an uneducated child.  George Santayana, American philosopher (born 1863, died this date in 1952).

Thank You, U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder for Your Dedicated Service!

First of all, I want to acknowledge the resignation of our U.S. Attorney General, Eric Holder, the fourth longest serving U.S.AG in American history, so don't think he is retiring for any reason, other than, and I am speculating, he is ready to just take a break and rest, enjoy his family.  The newspaper article, really didn't get into details, but given the relationship with President Obama, I am sure that it is not for issues between the two men.  Since I just recently moved from being a political centrist, as a constitutional law attorney, to left of center, as I am sure, someone reading this blog today on the celebration of 50 years of the Wilderness Act, will already have labeled me, a leftist pinko communist by now, but I will volunteer my services, as your next, U.S. attorney general, as long as I can work from Montana!

In all seriousness, I am grateful for Eric Holder, for his calm under pressure personality, especially for his "superb job" and credit for his, driving down both the nation's crime and incarceration rate--the first time they have declined together in more than 40 years!  Of all industrialized, civilized, and modern countries, of the some 191 or so, America has the highest rate of incarceration, jail and imprisonment.  With up to, last I heard, 34% of the adult population being incarcerated, myself included, falsely JAILED or not, that is some accomplishment, not through being soft on criminals, but through an endless administration effort of focusing on civil and constitutional rights, standing face to face, up against the Patriot Act, that seeks to destroy all personal and civil rights, in favor of the state!  I will write more on Holder tomorrow, but for today, I wanted to make a timely statement, of a huge thank you . . . with a more detailed look at your service in my blog of the next day or two, not knowing until this morning, that with sadness you are leaving public service, and what a service that has been!  THANK YOU!

In Honor of Wilderness

Just yesterday, my friend, John and I, headed for the hills, Polebridge, Kintla & Bowman Lakes, Glacier National Park, every time we have a spare minute or two.  He was raised by two mountain loving, tree hugging wilderness loving parents, who are in their 70's and still going on day hikes, inviting John to join them, and keeping us, up to date, and informed on great places to hike, view nature, or just get out of the rat race, which is so minimal compared to what the greater majority of the world deals with daily, in northwest Montana, and myself, being raised by parents who liked to take Sunday drives, for hours, with 6 to 8 kids in the car, watching the most amazingly beautiful places, mile after mile pass, with us begging my father, to stop and let us have our Kentucky Fried Chicken dinner, near a quiet stream, with lush green grass, only to being dumped in a weed patch for dinner, with all the cool places, exhausted, by a man, who never listened to my mother, or the kids . . . daddy knows best; however, I am grateful for those rides, the family hikes in the hills above my Bountiful, Utah home, church camp outs, and girl's camp once a year, during the summer, along with a yearly trip, each Easter, for a picnic and hike in Zion National Park!

Starting the Kids Early

At 5 months old, my first husband of four, the city planner of all things, and I, threw our first baby, in the back of our new, bright yellow, Ford Pinto, and headed south, to the South Side of Grand Canyon, with baby in tow, woke her up at the wee hours of the morning, with all of us, sleeping in the back of the station wagon, finding Greta, in a yellow and white, snuggly, hooded, zipper, fuzzy thing, half frozen to death, but so cold she didn't make a fuss, awaking to a few inches of snow, but in better condition, than my sister and her new husband, who slept out on the ground!  LOL!  But the spring sunshine down south, soon, warmed hearts and bodies, and with baby in the backpack, we headed down the south rim, that almost 20 years, later, Greta came to own, taking dad, in a payback drill, rim to rim, from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, where she worked, going the 27 miles, to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, like a little mountain goat, she not only carried her backpack, but her father's backpack also, while he struggled to stay alive!  Only to find, Chris, my oldest son, and the chauffer, asleep in the car, miles from where the designated pick up point was, due to a ton of visitors!  Needless to say, dad was not a happy camper!

I am happy, and proud to say, that Greta, currently works for the Forest Service in St. George, Utah, having also worked for the National Park Service in Zion National Park, and for the Utah Division of Natural Resource Management, so last Saturday, while I watched all the girls and guys in their Forest Service uniforms, I had a very soft spot in my heart.  Greta also has a master degree in natural resource management, and she has just been accepted to the University of Montana, School of Law, she will be a huge asset to either the management of Public Lands in Montana, or working for some NGO, non-government agencies, without any preconceived notions, of how her political views will fall out, or her legal opportunities, because, whatever they are, they will be well researched, well reasoned, and well defended, on either side; she has a brilliant, curious mind, and an uncanny ability to research and assimilate information, and spit out a great view, balanced, and ordered of any topic she is asked to deal with.  So, the statement, in the THOUGHT of the day, at the beginning of this blog, is totally true, she got her education, both in and out of the school room.  My other daughter, Nicole, and her husband, George, home school their children.  Free to chose in my family . . .

Grand Staircase, Escalante, Utah . . . Designated Wilderness, President Clinton

My first exposure, that I recall, with the Wilderness Act, came under the Clinton administration, when the more than controversial, designation of the Grand Staircase, in Utah, was selected and set aside for wilderness, so all the public could have access, and free rights to enjoy this pristine and dramatic landscape, protected by the federal government against the drill baby drill, mentality of the Utah Republican lead state!  If I am correct, going there sometime later, I believe that one of my favorite waterfall areas, Calves Creek Falls, and the historically cruel, but accurate as far as I know it, Dead Horse Point,  where 2,000 horses were either driven or chased, off the cliffs, falling to their deaths, and I don't remember the reason, but both are in the designated area, near Escalante, Utah.  With Utahans hating the President, for taking land . . . case in point, Governor Herbert, has set aside, $3 million of public school funds, to fight for 10th amendment, states rights, to take back the 60% of Utah, that is under contract with the federal government, in their Utah Constitution, Enabling Act, as part of the price of admittance into the Union, making up the Untied States of America . . . can't rewrite history boys, even if you fuck the public school funds! 

MONTANANS ARE WATCHING THE LEGAL BATTLE FROM AFAR

With the Cliven Bundy, ranch fiasco, and the BLM, many local and state, ranchers, watched as Bundy refused to acknowledge federal agencies, and would only pay his fees, for the last 20 years, to the local sheriff, Jim Gillespie, later reneging on that offer to, once the Calvary showed up, in force, and rightly so, given the method of fee enforcement the feds chose, but Bundy, who said he would pay, state lands fees, would have literally paid, almost $16 per head of cattle more under the state fee schedule, than under the $1.50 per head fees, that hadn't changed, almost since his father purchased the ranch, back in the 1940's, not the chain of title argument, that his pioneer ancestors bought the land, and started paying the leasing fees for ranging the cattle on the federal public lands, basically our lands!  

Montana ranchers, realized, that they would have to or do, pay, $10 per head, under state run lands for leasing the grazing rights, and remaining under the federal government control of lands, they actually made a better profit off their ranching efforts.  A little bit of research, via my daughter, and reading the local newspaper, tells the real story.  Hell, let Bundy, the welfare rancher, pay the state, 16X, what he is unwilling to pay the federal government, a constitutionally protected agency, and officials, that would make us all happy, and it is poetic justice!

10TH AMENDMENT RIGHTS OR STATE'S RIGHTS--ONLY FOR THOSE RIGHTS, NOT EXPRESSLY RESERVED FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BY THE STATES!

The 10th amendment argument, which I am going to take some credit for in Utah, seeing that it was little used, until, I recovered from the government poisoning, and was asked to do a constitutional analysis of the Affordable Health Care Act, or Obamacare, back in early 2009, 10 months before I reactivated my Utah State Bar license, after an 9 year, forced retirement, coming by way of request by the Washington County Republican Party, or Pachyderm Club, that I was not acquainted with at the time, but that was the argument, that, then Mark Shurtleff, the Utah Attorney General, and former friend, used as a basis for the attorneys general's challenge to the constitutionality of the Act, taking it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.  I also applied it to several requested analysis of the immigration laws, with Utah, following, Arizona, in their power grab, legislation, along with Oklahoma, using unconstitutional racial profiling to stop alleged illegal aliens on the streets, any time that citizens, wanted them checked!

I got a large bird shot in my back yard, in the night, by a sniper, using a infra-red night camera, and silencer, along with three death threats, for applying the U.S. Constitution, dealing with the rights, duties and powers, of Congress, as opposed to state rights, to deal with naturalization and immigration issues, no matter how tempting!  Uniform rules of naturalization are within Congressional powers, both under Article I, and the 14th amendment!  States, need to butt the fuck out, and stay out, not your job, not your tools! There is a separation of state powers from federal powers, and it is not random, arbitrary and capricious, in tis application, it is constitutional!  States have certain things they do, and do it better than the feds, and then there are the other areas, that the feds, do better, and have been for over 238 years, so, UTAH!

If Utah, Arizona or Oklahoma jumps of the shockingly, unconstitutional cliff, Montana, don't you jump too!  I tried to serve the state of Utah, while I was there, but, much like the Flathead Republicans, they only tolerate their position, not the constitutional position; therefore, they are beyond hope to me . . . these laws are not the laws, according to me, or to your Congressmen/women, or Senators, but according to that little, speed bump, called the FUCKING UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION!  WORKING WITH YOUR STATE CONSTITUTIONS, BECAUSE THEY SHOULD WORK TOGETHER!  sORRY, THAT IS ONE OF MY ISSUES!  The law is the law, is the law . . . know your rights!

A Summer Without Wilderness & Mountains--In Chicago!

I was fortunate enough, to get a summer internship with Americans United for Life, or better known as AUL, a prestigious, public, legal and information law firm, in Chicago, this crew, normally recruits from the best of the best, they just missed on year, and went dumpster diving, and ended up with a law student from Brigham Young University, the wanna be, Harvard of the West . . . ignore Stanford!  Shhhhh, like in Heaven, only the Mormons think they will be there!  LOL!  But, anyway, I got to be in the windy city, Chicago, in the summer between my second and third year of law school, in the summer of 1992, when the U.S. Supreme Court, revisited, the controversial, and hated, by Republicans, Roe v. Wade, the big abortion case, decided in the 70's, and entertained cert, in Casey v. Planned Parenthood, arguments, I believe, relying on states rights to control, limit or get rid of abortion rights, or reproductive rights for women . . . and they are still at it, but that is not my point.

While I was in Chicago, one of the attorneys I worked with, Paul, took a two week trip to Utah, I believe after the ruling on that case came out, and he went to Bryce Canyon State Park and Zion National Park, and other places in Utah, like Goblin Valley, as I recall.  And when he got back, he invited some of us from the office, over to his home, in Naperville, or somewhere outside the city limits, and cooked steaks, and narrated and showed slides from his trip to Utah, to all the places in red rock or color country that I love!  I remember, drifting off, looking at the fireflies, or the flying creatures, that have the lit butts, that are illuminated, back in that part of the country, and being so homesick, while I listened to this attorneys, drab narrative, not much different than his court decorum, and just wanting to get back in the mountains! Scream! I was worthless, the whole last two weeks of my internship, just wanting to get back to where I could see the mountains, not just the tops of trees, forever!  Luckily, the law firm, permanently rented a studio apartment, near, Grant Park, on Lake Michigan, or I would not have survived in the cement jungle of Chicago, as long as I did . . . although the City is amazing, architecture, and culture superb!  

The Bob Marshal Wilderness

The first time I was in Missoula, Montana, in their local entertainment newspaper, the Independence, I think, I have been all over Montana, following the state sticker, Get Lost in Montana. . . which I took to heart, the first year or so, I had my truck, then my car, that magically disappeared through cop, theft of pipe bombs, after I wrote a constitutional analysis of license plate scanning violating the 4th amendment . . . but I got to see a lot of the state first, just this morning on the bus, much safe means of travel now days, but a friend who was the first person I met in Kalispell, the day before the 2012 elections, said, you have seen more of the state of Montana, in the two short years you have been here, than I have in 10 years, . . . I found that state motto, very beneficial to me, constantly on the run, as do many rebels, renagades, and rabble rousers in Montana with a history of frontier justice, vigilantes and outlaws . . . gotta love it, fun folkor, cool stories, and great fun!  

But, some guy was advertising for a partner to go into the primitive Bob . . . but they had to be in good shape, counted me out, not afraid of bears, again, not me, and were not worried about being alone, most of the time, because he just wanted some companionship, but not much, like most Montanans!  And I am getting more and more, Montanized, if there are two trucks on the mountain, that is one too many, or if there is a single other person at my lake, then they or I will have to go, find another lake for the day, PERIOD!  I have always had my personal space issues, but, that is growing a whole lot larger, since being in Montana . . . I don't want to see another person, when I am in the wilderness!  But, I declined the invitation, first because I was not sure what the Bob was, and I didn't want to get myself into something I could not get out of, and second, after sitting on my ass for 20 years as an attorney, minus the 8 I sat on it, while I was waiting to die, plus being terrified, but fascinated by bears, freaking out, as I did yesterday at Bowman's Lake, every time a twig snapped, wishing I  had paid more attention to the brochure one bears I just got at the ranger's station to get into the Park, nicely tucked in the pocket near the passenger's seat, unread, or I should have paid more attention to the kids districts, at the 50 year Wilderness Celebration . . . that instructed kids what to do if they say a bear, shit, why did I think I was too mature to run into a bear!

Eventually, I caught on to the Bob Marshal Wilderness Area, by attending some Wilderness Society Meetings at lectures at the Flathead Valley Community College or the Summit Gym, or other places around town, wanting to volunteer to do wilderness clean-up, and go deep into the wilderness with experienced guides and a group of noisy people!  John said, he has never run into a bear in all his 41 years of hiking.  I however, first thought that bear spray was a funny Montana gag gift, until Wilma, a Walmart greeter, told me, that no, actually, they have had bears and mountain lions walking into the parking lot at the store . . . shit!  And after seeing two grizzly bears, the first few minutes, me and my buddy, who both had jobs at Swiftcurrent Lodge, I ended up having to leave, no matter how remote, my Utah law clients found me, when I went back to the East Glacier Lodge for training, once back in civilization, cell and Internet service . . . I never should have taken my messages!  Anyway, I now know what the Bob is, what grizzlies look like, and that the wilderness, nor grizzlies are anything to mess around with, unless you know, what the hell you are doing, and I still don't!

Thanks to the Bob Pioneers, Who Marshaled the Act Through Congress!

I got to hear some of the stories of those who actually went back to Congress to testify in favor of the Wilderness Act, they were inspiring, insightful, and full of American spirit for a better America . . . kudos to those who are currently trying to protect stream and river access, and stop private property owners, from putting barbwire fences across stream beds, literally killing river lovers, on tubes, enjoying access to fishing and rafting, according to water law, the federal government owns all river and stream beds, with private property owners, simply owning both side of the dry land, and any water that spills over onto t their property . . . they do not own the acres of water that flow through their land, nor the fish that swim in that water, in that portion of a river, nor the mud under the water, that is also, considered, PUBLIC LANDS . . . BELONGING TO ALL OF US!

WITHOUT A TRACE CAMPAIGN

Please, please, please, parents, don't let your babies grow up to be litter-bugs!  There is nothing more disconcerting than to go into a wilderness area, or a beautiful water feature, lake, stream, or whatever, even a freeway, and find a mess of garbage, to taint, destroy, make ugly, or denigrate the spectacular beauty of any part of this amazingly beautiful country!  I don't know who in the fuck, people think, follow them around in nature, down the freeways, or on our streets, over our rivers, streams and wetlands, and leave their filthy ugly, despicable garbage!  Your mother doesn't live here . . . she is not following you around, cleaning up after you, nor should she, do it yourself!

John and I, pulled up to a river near or in Two Medicine area in Glacier Park, the mountains were incredible, the water sparkling, and the trees efferveceint, and we drove to a campfire site near the river, and the party before us, who had just left, had trashed the place so bad, that John, who usually does his best, to clean up nature, from an occassional beer or pop can, couldn't even stand to stop the car there and we got back in and drove down the road.  It is not the Forest Service, the Tribes, or the next camper, fisher, or just sightseer's job to clean up after YOU!  YOU are to pick up after yourself!  Prisoners from the jail, or volunteers, should not have to follow your mess, and clean up for your ass!  

Leave No Trace . . . Carry Our Trash Out With YOU!

With That Said and Done . . . Get Out And See the Leaves!

FREAKING AMAZING!

DON'T PUT A MILLION-DOLLAR MISSILE, ON A FIVE-DOLLAR TENT! BUSH AT WAR: DEALING WITH ISIS, OBAMA IS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES, AS "THEY" HAVE, IN THE PAST . . . AND I AM GOING TO DO MY PART TO MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T, IF I CAN HELP IT . . . I CAN WITNESS AND TESTIFY THAT THE PRESIDENT IS WILLING TO ENTERTAIN ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU OR A GROUP OF CITIZENS MIGHT HAVE, SO IF YOU ARE NOT PART OF THE SOLUTIONS, YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM! YOU MIGHT HAVE A GREAT IDEA, SUBMIT IT TO THE WHITE HOUSE HOME PAGE, IN THE COMMENT BOX . . . P.S., I LEFT THE BOOK, "BUSH AT WAR" AT MCDONALD'S BY WALLY'S WORLD, IN KALISPELL, A CLOWN SITTING BY ME, WATCHING ME WRITE, QUOTING FROM THE BOOK, AND TYPING FOR HOURS, ACTUALLY QUESTIONED WHETHER I WAS THE BLOGGER--ONE BRAIN, MINE, TWO BLOGS . . . "ASS" IN THE GOVERNMENTS IMITATION BLOG WITH SAME NAME, STEALS MILLIONS TO ONE RESULTS, WITH THE SAME ARTICLES, SAME BIO, SAME PICTURE, MINE, THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN A YEAR AGO, SO MY HAIR WAS SHORTER, AND ALL, IS REALLY ME, NO DOUBLES, NO MULTIPLES, NOT DUPLICATES--THEY ARE MOST LIKELY ON THE BACK OF A MOTORCYCLE ENJOYING THE FALL WEATHER AND LEAVES, WHILE I WORK AND WRITE, PLEASE STOP BELIEVING THEIR LIES, AND BELIEVE YOUR OWN STUPID EYES, SICK OF IT . . . I JUST HAD THE BUS DROP ME OFF AT ROSEAUR'S FOOD STORE, AT THE OTHER END OF TOWN, BECAUSE A BLACK HEMI CHARGER, WITH A SKULL OR SOMETHING WITH FIRE, FLAMES, STICKER AND A GRILL, JUST CAME INTO THE PARKING LOT AS I PACKED UP TO LEAVE . . . GOVERNMENT IS VESTED IN SIS--COVER-UP FOR ABOUT 14 YEARS, DUMB AS SHE IS OR THEY ARE; THEY JUST DON'T LIKE ME, BUT THEY SURE AS HELL MAKE A SHIT LOAD OF MONEY OFF ME, MY WRITING, MY CASES, MY SON'S MUSIC, GOD'S REVOLVER & MARALOKA, AND WHATNOT! LOL! GOTTA LOVE IT, BEAT THEM EVERY TIME! YOU CAN TRUST ME, I DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY ON THIS BLOG, JUST LOVE AMERICA, TRYING TO SAVE LIVES! HAVE A GOOD ONE! GO SEE THE LEAVES, THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL UP GLACIER NATIONAL PARK, WHERE I AM GOING TOMORROW, HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF VISITORS THIS YEAR!

Bush at War--Learn it, Turn it!

Over the weekend, the Kalispell Library had its yearly book sale, and as I walked through looking for a book to read, one jumped out at me, Bush at War, written by, Washington D.C., Journalist, Bob Woodward, of All the President's Men, fame, due to the current situation with the terrorists, the newly created Islamic State, or the state without borders, lapping over Syria and Iraq, sending hundreds of thousands of refugees into Turkey, Libya, and other surrounding countries, so not just a act of terror contained in the countries ISIS to buying up property in, but flooding over into countries, taking in the victims of these terrorist acts.  While America, has suffered, relatively few casualties, with the beheading of two journalists, we are concerned with the escalation of violence, the protection of not only other Americans, but for the whole region, if not the world at large, trying to contain the cancerous evil, propagating hatred, violence, terror and war.  But, as I watch what is happening with the coalitions, the targets, the strategies, there are some elements that remind me of some of the Bush tactics.  And as I read about the four of five, Arab countries involved in the air strikes with America, there are some similarities that concern me, with patterns, predictions, and joint efforts, reminiscent of previous Iraq engagements during the Bush years, reading probably, the Associated Press source, providing the Intel and reporting for the article in the Daily Inter Lake, with the final sentence, stating that Obama will not make the same mistakes that previous administrations have . . . 

Just to put Woodward's book in perspective, it was published in 2002, the year after 9/11, and very apparent to me, Iraq was the target, with Bush and the other cowboys, Cheney and Rumsfeld, trying to connect the alleged terrorist attacks on the World Trade Towers, to Iraq, while Intel was putting Osama Bin Ladin, the alleged target hiding in the hills of Afghanistan . . . so, why in the hell, with 7 years of war, didn't the Bush administration get Osama?  Was Iraqi oil, Suddam, and competition with all the former oil people, the Bushes, Condi Rice, and Cheney, all with either jobs, or connections to the oil industry, driving the attacks on Iraq?  Over and over again, in the book, Bush keeps demanding connections to the terrorist attacks, trying to give America a reason to get the real target, Suddam, and his Iraq!  We need clearly defined objectives, goals, missions, targets, deploying only the troops necessary to control the situation over in the newly declared, Islamic State; however, I would have CIA, Special Forces, take out the motherfuckers, rather than any long term engagements, which have already been speculated . . . take out the leaders, cut off the head, behead the source, as Obama did with Osama!  Same war, different tactics!

Key Points of Similarities

Remember to consider the source, coming from Conspiracy Central here, blogging at the McDonald's Restaurant in Kalispell, the one across from Walmart, and know that I am totally suspicious of the ideas and concepts, that were so evident with the Bushes, and their wars, with daddy Bush, stating that we are going to have a new world order, and baby Bush, with daddy reaching over and holding son's hand, assuring him that what he is inflicting on America, is in deed, painful as it is, the right thing, when W, copies daddy's words, that he saw as his father's finest moment in office, stating, I believe when going into Kuwait, This will not stand, Bush said the same thing, about his era, alleged terrorist attacks, This will not stand . . . and referring to taking this opportunity to use this attack, stating, "This is a new world."  (see, page 62, Bush at War).  ISIS terrorists with British accents, our allies, who were totally behind Bush, playing God Bless America . . . over BBC airewaves, in 2001, headquarters of the world bankers, with the Yale graduate Bush boys, in Skull & Bones, British sympathizers, old world values, and loyal to the system of Kings and Queens, with some alleging the Bushes are America's royal family, fuck that shit!

QUOTES FROM THE BOOK

• Bush at War reveals Bush's sweeping, almost grandiose, vision for remaking the world.  (inside book jacket)
• One of the most guarded secrets in the CIA was the existence of 30 recruited Afghan agents, operating under the codeword GE/SENIORS, who had been paid to track bin Laden around Afghanistan for the last three years.  The group, which was paid $10,00 a month, could move together or break into smaller tracking teams of five men.  (p. 6).
• The presidential ban on assassination, first signed by President Gerald Ford, had the force of law.  (p. 6, the excuse for not killing a family friend, who the Bushes had phone conversations with, at least 27 times the month before the bombing of the World Trade Center, with a Bush relative over building security?)
• The CIA director was a sort of father protector to the thousands who worked there.  In the popular culture and to many in Washington, the CIA was broken, even unnecessary institution; at best, it was an endangered species of sorts.  A director protected.  (p. 9, saving the agency created to further the new world order, H.W. was a member as early as 1961, and director, by 1973, I think?).
• "You're absolutely right," Tenet finally told Black.  The rules, maybe all of them, had changed that morning.  Thousands were already dead in New York City and at the Pentagon.  Black sensed an important shift.  People, including the director, were maturing before his eyes in a very short period of time, moving from bureaucratic mode to acceptance of risk, even death.  Black was not at all surprised by the attack, but even .he was shocked at the level of carnage.  Tenet ordered the building evacuated, except for those in the Global Response Center.  (p. 9).
• Bush remembers exactly what he was thinking:  "They had declared war on us, and I made up my mind at that moment that we were going to war."  (p. 15).
• "We are at war," Bush said, and told Cheney to give the congressional leadership a briefing.  When the president hung up, he turned to some of his staff on Air Force One who had heard his comment to Cheney.  "That's what we're paid for boys.  We're going to take care of this.  And when we find out who did this, they're not going to like me as president.  Somebody is going to pay."  (p. 17 . . . I thought it was Bin Laden?  Or the scapegoat for Bush's actions . . . referring to going to war . . . that is what we're paid for boys, that is certainly not what the American people are paying a president for . . . so who is paying them, to do what?).
• "But make no mistake," he said, "we will show the world that we will pass this test."  (p. 19).
• Bush senior was convinced that Rumsfeld was secretly pushing him out to the CIA to end his political career.  It seemed inconceivable at the time that the head of spying and dirty tricks abroad could ever become president.  (p. 21).
• It was pretty obvious there had been some kind of screwup, and it didn't sound to the president like the FBI and CIA were communicating. . . . FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III, who hd only been in the job for a week, said they didn't know how the hijackers had taken over the planes.  As a precaution, all air traffic over the U.S. had been grounded indefinitely. . . . It was reasonable suggestion, but it seemed to shift the problems to airport security and away from intelligence lapses that may have allowed the hijackers to enter and live in the U.S. for months before their missions.  (p. 27).
• The president, untested and untrained in national security, was about to start on the complicated and prolonged road to war without a road map.  (p. 33).
• A CIA covert program of maintenance for the rebel forces of several million dollars a year was already in place.  (p. 35).
• He was not a wartime president.  (p. 37).
• "Let's get the big picture," Bush said, interrupting her.  "A nameless enemy has declared war on the United States of America.  So we are at war."  They needed a plan, a strategy, even a vision, he said, to educate the American people to be prepared for another attack.  Americans needed to know that combating terrorism would be the main focus of the administration--and the government--from this moment forward. . . . "No kind of enemy that we are used to--but America will adapt.  (p. 41 . . . so, what the hell, no wonder Bush, CIA, and others never took out Bin Laden, tracking him for three years . . . the scapegoat!).
• "Look," he said, "I'm the toxic Texan, right?"  In these people's minds, I'm the new guy.  They don't know who I am.  The imagery must be just unbelievable." . . .  "This is not an isolated incidents," he said, The public might lose focus.  A month from now Americans will be watching football and the World Series.  But the government would have to carry on the war indefinitely."  (p. 45 . . . remember Prescott Bush, funding Hitler, fund both sides of the war, and continue it forever!).
• Now it is time for contact diplomacy.  The president had declared the sweeping Bush Doctrine without formal input from the State.  The Pentagon was still burning; there was no time to coordinate with the other departments.  (p. 47).  Rumfeld insisted on a point he had made before.  "Are we going against terrorism more broadly than just al Qaeda?  Do we want to seek a broader basis for support?  Bush again said his instinct was to start with bin Laden.  If they could strike a blow against al Qaeda, everything that followed would be made easier.  But Rumsfeld worried that a coalition built around the goal of taking out al Qaeda would fall apart once they succeeded in that mission, making it more difficult to continue the war on terrorism elsewhere.  (p. 48).
• Rumsfeld raised the question of Iraq.  Why shouldn't we go against Irap, not just al Qaeda"  he asked.  Rumsfeld was speaking not only for himself when he raised the question.  His deputy, Paul D. Wolfowitz, was committed to a policy that would make Iraq a principle target of the first round in the war on terrorism.  Before the attacks, the Pentagon had been working for months on developing a military option for Iraq.  Everyone at the table believed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was a menace, a leader bent on acquiring and perhaps using weapons of mass destruction.  Any serious, full-scale war against terrorism would have to make Irap a target--eventually.  Rumsfeld was raising the possibility that they could take advantage of the opportunity offered by the terrorist attacks to go after Saddam immediately. . . . "The American people want a big bang," he said.  "I have to convince them that this is a war that will be fought with many steps."  (p. 49 . . . I will do anything to save one life, just as I did with a group of people from St. George, Utah, called the St. George, Think Team, who sent President Obama, a plan for Afghanistan . . . he actually implemented much of it, 2009 . . . when Congress was asking why to more money and troops).
• These were men who believed that there was no greater menace in the world than Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, they argued that if the president was serious about going after those who harbor terrorists, he had to put Hussein at the top of the list. . . . It was another effort to prod the president to include Iraq in his first round of targets.  Army General Hugh Shelton, who would be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for another two weeks before Myers took over, firmly opposed bringing Iraq into the military equation at this early stage.  In his analysis, the only justification for going after Iraq would be clear evidence linking the Iraqis to the September 11 attacks. Short of that, targeting Iraq was not worth the risk of angering moderate Arab states whose support was crucial not only to any campaign in Afghanistan, but to reviving the MIDDLE EAST peace process.  (p. 61 . . . do you find it a little ironic that we just pull troops out of Iraq in 2011, and we are going back into Iraq, with ISIS . . . there is something fishy going on!).

I don't want to put a million-dollar missile on a five-dollar tent.  (p. 63)

• Powell described the diplomatic offensive.  Like the president, Powell saw the attacks as an opportunity to reshape relationships throughout the world.  But, he told the cabinet, this was coalition building with clear definitions of what was expected from the partners, including sharing intelligence, freezing the terrorists' finances and assistance in the military campaign.  By that morning, Powell had made 35 calls to world leaders, with another 12 ahead of him that day.  (p. 66).
• Bush concluded with a reminder that while the focus of the administration was the war on terrorism, they should not ignore domestic priorities such as an education bill, a patients' bill of rights and legislation giving him greater authority to negotiate trade agreements.  (p. 66).
• "This conflict was begun on the timing and terms of others," he said.  "It will end in a way, and at an hour, of our choosing."  A war speech in a cathedral was jarring, even risky, but it delivered the message Bush wanted.  When he returned to his seat in the front row, his father reached across Laura Bush and squeezed his son's hand.  (p. 67).
• This is my mission, my purpose, this is the nation's purpose.  "This is what my presidency is about."  (p. 102).
• SOME DEMOCRATS AND important Republicans wanted a public debate about what to do about Saddam and Iraq.  A few offered strong public criticism of the apparent rush to war, most prominently former Vice President Al Gore and Senator Ted Kennedy. . . . But it was not clear what might happen in the end with Iraq, whether Bush was headed for triumph or disaster or something in between.  Whatever his course, he will have available a CIA and military that are both more capable and more hungry for action than is generally recognized.  (p. 351).

It is good that Congress refuses to vote until after the November, midterm elections, with the President, holding off too . . . we need clear objectives, a clear plan, with specific outcomes, not only outlined for now, but for when the engagement of troops will end!

If we refuse to learn from history, then we forever remain a CHILD!  Grow up, America!

RIGHT SPORT, WRONG TEAM: HELTER, SKELTER, TURN IT, LEARN IT, UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE . . . THE ABUSED REPUBLICAN CHILD, FINALLY CAME OUT OF THE CLOSET, AND JOINED THE FLATHEAD COUNTY DEMOCRAT WOMEN, AND FOUND ACCEPTANCE, WELCOME AND ENTHUSIASM! FOUR DAYS OF INTERESTING POLITICS IN THE COUNTY--REPUBLICANS, SILENCING ME FOR COMPLIMENTING A JUDGE ON BEING TRUE TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION; DEMOCRATS REFUSING TO LET THE REPUBLICANS CLAIM CONSTITUTION DAY, AND OLD NEMESES FROM UTAH, JOEL SKOUSEN, TELLING THE MONTANA PATRIOT AMMUNITION & GRIZZLY TOWN ALLSTATE MEETING, WE NEED TO REWRITE THE U.S. CONSTITUTION--BULL SHIT, WE NEED TO RESURRECT IT . . . I HAVE READ HIS CITIZENS' COMPACT, OH, HELL NO! WE HAVE 238 YEARS OF CONSTITUTIONAL PRECEDENCE, AND ZERO PRECEDENCE FOR THE COMPACT, DON'T BE LED ASTRAY! AND THIS GUY VOTED FOR RON PAUL, HE IS MITT'S BOY THROUGH AND THROUGH! SPECIALIZING IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF LAW AND CONSTITUTIONAL THEORY, IS NOT AN ATTORNEY, JOEL IS UP TO HIS OLD GAMES, PASSING HIMSELF OFF AS AN ATTORNEY, THAT IS THE MORMON THING, ASK MY SISTERS! LOL! CIA, FBI, NSA, CHEAP SHIT LAW DEGREE, THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, JUST BE A SHEEP IN WOLVES CLOTHING! FAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT, DRESS FOR SUCCESS! DOES NOT AN ATTORNEY MAKE YOU! SIMPLY BUZZ WORDS. DEMOCRATS THE PARTY OF INCLUSION, REPUBLICANS, THE PARTY OF EXCLUSION! GIVE US YOUR TIRED, YOUR POOR, YOUR HUNGRY . . . DOES THAT SOUND FAMILIAR? IT SHOULD!

Right Sport, Wrong Team!

I love the Daily Inter Lake, newspaper, the local paper for Kalispell, Montana, for more than one reason, their headlines, at times seem to be messages from the universe, signs, symbolic representations of the truth, plus, I love their posting of events, days in advance, on the inside cover of the front page; I would recommend that to all newspapers, if you want great attendance at community activities and events.  I can always hook in the second I get back into town, to the chagrin of some people, but to the joy of others.  But I stole that headline, so telling in its brevity, I have been playing in the right sport, politics, but I have been playing on the wrong team!  

I believe that it was Shakespeare, who said, the unexamined life, is a life, not worth living . . . I have been resisting the obvious, not without great examination, thought, and consternation, I just simply was born in the wrong family, I almost wrote the wrong state, but I was born in California, not Utah, that would be the case if I was actually born in Utah, like the rest of my family and extended family, in the wrong religion, culminating in the wrong political party, thinking I was more closely aligned with Republicans, while getting the shit beat out of  me, every time I do something for them, regardless of how much it helps their cause, benefits the state of Montana or Utah for that matter, getting trashed, kicked around, chased, pushed around, locked up, and almost killed, arising to the the level of attempted homicide, for sure . . . call me a slow learner, or that I have Republican DNA, stamped on my ass; however, yesterday, in almost an act of treason, wanting to for a long time, at least check out the Democrats in the Valley, I decided to attend the women's luncheon at the Blue Canyon Restaurant, next to the Hilton Gardens, where I have until recently been meeting with the Republican Pachyderm Club, of Flathead County, now meeting at the Red Lion, joining them on Friday. 

Welcome to the Sisterhood!  What a Difference, Indicative of the Whole Party

FOOTBALL ANALOGY . . . CON LAW ATTORNEY, LIKE THE REF

In this game of politics, I guess you could say, I suffer from the same disease as another constitutional law attorney, President Obama, which I will call, Obamaitis . . . you can see both sides of the field or isle, even willing to use either teams ideas into play, refing for the good of the country, not necessarily for either team, but the good of the game or the whole sport!  From Hatch's Dream Act, to Mitt's Affordable Care Act model, in Massachusetts, to Bush's tax plan . . . and just because he happens to have the Democrat label on him, or he is black, well, not really, very symbolic, he is both black and white, in reality, but with blacks typically voting for Democrats, a bit confusing in and of itself, while it was President Lincoln, a Republican, who pushed the 13th amendment, for black suffrage or vote, appearing more like modern day Democrats, like Kennedy and Johnson, champion the 1964 Civil Rights Act, with old fashioned Republicans, like Senator, Bob Dole, the champion of the food stamp bill, working for the good of the sport, taking the best of both sides and promoting the good of the people with a little bit of a slant to one side or the other.

I have been straddling the 50 yard line for almost 60 years, without locking into either one party or other, not necessarily on purpose, most likely from over-examination, nature, insight, study, exposure, evaluation, observation, allegiance, seeing myself, more as a dreamcatcher . . . kind of like the Indian tribe, I don't recall the name of the tribe, who literally, without, ego involved, watched all the other tribes, and simply took the best of all of them and implemented their great ideas, and for doing so, lived a longer more prosperous and happy life.  My parents were staunch Republicans, only one aunt was a Democrat, but she was my favorite aunt, and I related the best with her, her attitudes of acceptance, tolerance, objectivity, and sensitivities, and the only person in the large, extended Mormon family, to secretly rejoice in President Obama putting Mitt Romney to shame!  Kindred spirits, sisters in thought, but I still never really saw myself as a Democrat.

Yesterday, I got visions of the celebrations after President Obama beat Senator McCain, remembering, Oprah Winfrey and others of color, race, age, nationality, hugging each other, crying, laughing, celebrating, and rejoicing that America had come of age, a a representative, formerly of a slave class, who came unwilingly to this country, a minority, had through skill, intellect, talent, eloquence, style, charisma, fulfilled the American dream of being elected President of the United State.  I also, remember, seeing McCain and Palin's, after election wake . . . in the sea of the crowd, of suits, and dresses, resembling more of a Mormon stake conference that Mitt would have presided over, I saw one black man, and that was about it!  I thought to myself, the Democrats are the party of inclusion and the Republicans are the party of exclusion! And that makes all the difference!

Flashback of 2009:  Republicans, Democrats & Independents

Right after the 2008 election trouncing of the Republicans, I thought, expanding the base, might be an option, and they might just consider a divorced woman now, and I saw that the 4th Congressional seat, new, as of the recent census was now a reality, the seat, I had purchased a home in St. George, Utah, knowing that was likely to be in the new 4th Congressional District; however, I bought the home in 1996, if I remember, about 15 years too early, in anticipation of setting up residency, to run for that office . . . in fact, that is the reason, I told Mark Shurtleff, one of the former attorney generals, now under indictment for corrupt practices, along with John Swallow, both Republicans, that I wasn't running for attorney general in 2000, even though the party had taken me to dinner with the thought of recruiting me to run, which at the time both Shurtleff and his Republican primary challenger, Frank Mylar, both knew I would win, easily, with huge statewide exposure through my positions at the attorney generals office, or my other statewide jobs, exposing me to all segments of the population, over the last 6 or 7 years, purposefully on my part, in anticipation of the 2000 elections, just about the time I got poisoned, go figure, but after a 9 year fight with the alleged brain disease, nice, get rid of a smart female attorney, mimic a terminal brain disease, taint her for life, for political office, at least, I contacted the Republican women's organization in Washington County, the reddest county, in the reddest state, in the Union, about possibly filing that position . . . oh, come to our luncheon, several men had been selected for that position, but it was the year of the woman, and they were seeking potential candidates for other leadership positions.

The meeting resembled a Mormon Relief Society Homemaking meeting, and from the comments made by Republican County Chairman, I was not election material, without a husband, even though all the great stuff I had done for the state, I did while I was SINGLE!  And I became convinced that my baby sister, Tiffany, the other of 6 and a housewife, much like Sarah Palin, would be selected over me, and attorney, professor, and author of several award winning manuals.  They informed me that Shurleff, contemplating a run for governor, might appoint me to a cabinet position, but if I ran, I would have to pay my dues, and start at the city council, or a lower office . . . really, I basically ran the state under attorney general, Jan Graham, a Democrat!  I stated that I was not sure, that Republicans were the party for me, and the guy responded, JoAnn, you have to pick a horse and ride it!  That statement entered my mind yesterday, and nearly 5 years later, I did just exactly that, I picked a horse, and I am going to ride it! 

I'M A SWAN, AN EAGLE! 

Nothing like kicking against the pricks for almost 60 years, I thought of the stories I learned in primary, or in books, like the Ugly Duckling, who discovered she was really a Swan, or the Eagle, who was kicking around with the Chickens on the ground, rather than soaring in the skies, the Blue Skies of Montana . . . I had been associating with the wrong party my whole life!  And as I sat with these Democrats, my entire life came into focus, they were from all over the country, professionals, art teachers, real estate brokers and agents from Washington, DC, or older mothers, who had careers, prior to having children, Catholics, laughing with me about her son, who was living in Utah, married to a Mormon, with both of us, laughing about the similarities of the two very structured churches, rather than focusing on what separated us, with these Democrats, coming to the defense of Mormons, finding themselves drawn to them as a group, due to their clean living styles, etc, regardless of political persuasion.  What a refreshing group of women!  

At least for today, I am a conservative, Democrat, and at times that is relative . . . my daughter and her husband, were devout Republicans, in Georgia, until they moved to St. George, Utah, and now they are the voice of reason in southern Utah, much more liberal than the rest of the residents, and I told her that when she moves to Missoula, to attend the University of Montana, school of law, following in her mother's footsteps, she may find that she is more conservative, than her friends from Utah or Montana think.  Politics are a fluid sport, to me, standing on the 50 yard line, with the Republicans, moving more and more extreme, and Democrats holding rank, about where they always have been, I feel much more comfortable with the Donkeys!  Just this morning, in sign and symbol, I grabbed a friends blow dryer, a blue one, and on the side of it, was the word, SALVATION, and I thought, if that is not the truth!  The Republicans have lied, cheated, stolen my credentials, taken credit for my work on medical marijuana, the water compact, intelligence on female reproduction, and the smart course, with abortion on the decline for the first time in forever . . . work on the wild burros and horses, and other legislative issues in other states, roads, constitutional analysis, etc., and blah, blah, blah . . . I fucking am, who I am!

No multiples, duplicates, doubles, sisters, friends, ex-friends, sheep in wolves clothing!  Sheeple are people who follow, like sheep, without thinking, being eaten, enslaved, led astray by wolves, pretending to be sheep, know what they are doing, and oh, they do know what they are doing, but they are really, up to no good, or they have money motives, doomsday prophets, to sale their wares, of sophistry and end of days, and they will plant thoughts of world annihilation, devastation and destruction, they will eat Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel & Gretel!  Be careful . . . CIA are snakes, FBI infiltrates, NSA spies, and most of them are those misleading, clean living Mormons, by at least 70% of the agencies!

Speaking of Wolves--The Black Cat!

I saw Joel Skousen's name crop up somewhere, recently, and if you will go back a few blogs, you will see that I wrote about the deceptive, Citizens Compact, to be trusted even less than the U.S. Supreme Court's holding in Citizens United, allowing people like the Koch brothers and such, to disguise their money, though about 40 different groups, while claiming credit or association, with none, so who is minding the shop?  Karl Rove?  Montana has long been a state, who had battled corruption at the highest levels, don't let a weasel, like Joel Skousen, riding on his FBI uncle, and Mormon writer, Cleon Skousen, writing on the end of days, and also, presenting himself, as a constitutional scholar, philosopher, and legal theorist fool you . . . in fact, after not hearing from him since about 2008, I was shocked to see, that this man was still around, and more revered in Montana, than his clown ass show in Utah, at the Utah Liberty Conventions . . . where I, a true, and even more so than then, constitutional law attorney, is a threat to him, as witnessed by strongly disagreeing with him, that the Constitution is not dead, and I am actually seeing a comeback, rather than a death!  SILENCE!

Well, guess what Skousen, you have your arena, and I have mine!  And you are in my arena, now . . . you are a Mormon fraud.  I would admit, that much of what Joel said, with regard to world affairs, I would agree with; however, the rewriting of the U.S. Constitution . . . fuck NO!  And his suggested replacement, or as he put it, filling in the gaps, is shockingly UNCONSTITUTIONAL!  I have read his 24 page, if it is the same, bull shit that the Utah Liberty Convention entertained, to the point, I was, after one hour, sitting their writing on my note paper, these are not my people . . . turning a blind eye to the pocket sized copy of the inspired document of the U.S. Constitution, while silencing me, and entertaining Joel Skousen, who I believe at the time was a janitor . . . CIA, Make a Wish Foundation . . . even back then masquerading as a lawyer!  But, that is one thing about the Mormon Church and access to power, back in the halls of alphabet soup agencies, run by Mormons, fake degrees are cheap, and run off a paper mill, like the degrees you and certificates you can buy online, or a cost!  Buyer beware!

Same old, same old . . . I didn't like him then, and I don't like him now . . . not as a person, but as a guru!  He is promoting war, relocating, stockpiling, writing books for profit, feeding on fear, and while talking down the one world order, he is in reality, promoting it!  He is planting in your fertile minds, who will and will be anointed king or queen of the people, because, the Mormons, while being the people with scripture that warns them, not their ancestors, back in the writing of the Book of Mormon, who warned that God rejected a system of Kings and Queens on the American continent!  It warns of secret combinations, also, and who is most behind these secret combinations, along with the Bushes, Mormons, CIA, FBI and NSA . . . they know every move I make, do you seriously think that it is hard to steal from me, they just take credit, and block me from being exposed, silence me in public, making you think that it is I, not them, who is wrong, just like Skousen did last night!  Same as in the Republican Pachyderm meeting at the Red Lion, Friday, I am sure, that it has been recorded and noted, that it is my Republican sister, they have lied and given credit for all I do.  LOL!  A fucking flight attendant?

Republicans are going to seriously give a flight attendant, the credit for my training on the 2, 4, and 5th amendments, last year, at their, statewide, Federation of Republican Women, training, on September 27, 2014, under the then President, Shirley Herron, who asked me to speak, originally on September 17, 2014, Constitution Day, then changing that, Rachel will be the image the party wants, with the brains of Sarah Palin . . . but the real training will come, ten days later, but when I trained them on the law on abortion, according to the U.S. Supreme Court . . . blank stares turned into rage!  You are right, Rachel Sarah Palin Hickey-Mooseman, aka, JoAnn S. Secrist, is your girl!  I am sure her hair was couffed, and she was wearing red, white and blue, and she probably marched in your parade for domestic violence in heels . . . I am for actually doing something to fight domestic violence and sexual assault, kind of HEAD OVER HEELS!  I appreciate the gesture, but I don't know what you are actually doing to help the victims, if you actually acknowledge there are any victims, kind of like Reagan, stating there were no homeless people on the streets of America!

The Eagle . . . What Made Me A Democrat?

It has been a process, like none other, but very apparent, from my earliest days . . . and I think several statements about Republicans, will help emphasis my point; I read a bumper sticker on a car in Missoula, when I was there this summer for two months, living at 251 Hartman, that is also symbolic, I have a fucking heart . . . but, it said, Republicans love poor people, that is why they are trying to make so many more of them.  And, I believe this statement if I remember correctly, Republicans will defend the unborn, and then you are one your own, until you reach 18, and have to sign up for the draft, then they will use you for their wars . . . both of those statements are entirely accurate, while Democrats are accused of caring from cradle to grave, once you are born, the Republicans don't give a rat's ass, get a college loan from you parent, those 47% . . . 

Like I said, I was raised in a family of Republicans, being dropped off at the local country club, to entertain myself, with a day of golfing that took most of the day to get around 18 holes, then a nice swim in the club pool.  In fact, we belonged to two country clubs, one downtown for my father, and the other one out in Farmington, Utah, Oakridge Country Club for the family . . . with swanky parties for the teens, and me dating the golf pros, son, who actually, and thankfully taught me how to golf, I believe that Rick Mears is still the golf pro at the club, at least last I heard.  But for some reason, divine providence, or something, during that same time period, in junior high, I was both a class officer, and later, student body vice president.  

Actually, the first incident took place earlier, I used to babysit for a single mother, who had I believe 6 children, and who paid me 5 cents per hour, to get them to bed, fold the clothes, do the dishes, and clean the house, as my mother had taught me to do, regardless of pay.  But, I have this vivid memory of this poor woman, searching for loose change in her purse, to scrounge up nickles to pay me for my night's service.  I can still see that vision of poverty, hopelessness, and despair . . .  The second, such event, happened while I was delivering Sub for Santa, to what appeared to be an abandoned motel, on the west side of Bountiful, Utah, where I was raised.  There were no lights on in the old, mess of a motel, and I thought for sure, that this was a mistake, nobody could have lived here!  Nobody would live here!

Soon the door opened to a dark room, the winter snow, blowing flakes into the cold front room, without a Christmas tree, or any of the trappings that were awaiting me at home, a young mother, in a thin cotton summer dress, so thin that you could almost see through her and her dress, stood there with sunken eyes, and several small children, hanging onto her dress, with a baby in her arms.  Tears come to my eyes right now, as I remember the scene, so haunting, so terrible, so impressionable on my young mind, and so grateful, that the students in my upper middle class school, Millcreek Junior High, had been so generous, that we could bring presents, and a full turkey dinner . . . SOB!

I will be forever changed.  Actually, there is a third incident, that somewhat played into my life, my mother, for a continued education training as a teacher, had to get by on the streets of Salt Lake City, for one weekend on a dime . . . she exposed me to what that was like, and how she did it, staying in hospitals, going to the Odessy House, for drug rehab, and the food bank, giving me survival skills that I have used, as my life has been claimed by others, and I have been forced to be other than my skills, education, and even earned income would suggest, but even more sympathetic to the plight of the poor!  And maybe for a damn good reason, as I find out that there is no voice for the homeless at the legislature, that Montana doesn't have an expungement law, leaving those convicted of a crime, guilty or not, even just pleading to a crime, never able to clear a record to get a job or housing . . . did I go through this to be their voice?  I am willing . . .

Give Us Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Hungry . . . Sounds Much Like Pure Religion . . . Feed the Hungry, Cloth the Naked, Visit the Prisoner, Watch Out for the Fatherless & the Widow . . . that 47%

While I strongly believe in a separation of church and state, there are some concept, that blend and merge as guiding principles and concepts, that dovetail into a complete whole or circle in my life, with one party being the champion of those guiding principles, and the other, just simply not.  I was severely beaten as a child, just once, but I think there was some sort of fragmentation between my body and my soul, therefore, allowing me to be the abused child, the beaten attorney, the battered constitutional law attorney, seeking approval from the batterers, who have claimed my good works . . . and they tend to gravitate to one party, the Republican Party, the Mormon CIA, FBI, NSA, with all the tools to create a nationwide battering system . . . and they have used it, with the help of local law enforcement, and others to create, not only a toxic atmosphere, but a deadly one, as well!

I remember, returning to the fold, so to say, after being cast out, often, but after I got my undergraduate degree, from Weber State College, with, honors, scholarships, awards and publications, to run, square, into my materialistic family, whom I had barely had time to talk to, for a few years of raising kids, big time church callings and going to school . . . as we sat and caught up, my sisters, were talking about Rolex watches, Gucci purses, Loui Vuton stuff, and other things, and I recall having no idea, what the hell they were, nor shat the fuck they cared so much about them for?  I was truly a fish out of family water . . . the 80's material girls were my sisters, yuppies and guppies had replaced the women of substance of the 70's, the ERA, the women's movements, and I had been left behind, and gladly so . . . 

No, I Am Not a Republican . . . And Proud of It!  My Heart & Values My Whole Life, Dictate Otherwise!

P.S., New friends, I will do more on the individual candidates, after researching a bit more, on their issues, their pet projects, values, and positions.  I am sick of writing, but this lays the foundation . . . thanks for your welcome, look forward to more involvement.  I truly felt welcomed, accepted, and appreciated yesterday. The party of the PEOPLE!  One based on inclusion, rather than exclusion!  GREAT!

BLOOD DRIVE: CHRISTIAN SCIENCE READING ROOM; EVOLUTION V. CREATION WORTHY; SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST V. BIBLICAL LOVE OF GOD, LOVE FOR YOUR FELLOW MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN . . . NO TEST OATHS TO HOLD A PUBLIC OFFICE OR FOR QUALIFICATION FOR PUBLIC TRUST, JUST ADHERENCE TO THE CONSTITUTION. . . CRITICAL THINKERS MAKE GOOD CITIZENS, NON-THINKERS MAKE GOOD VICTIMS. WHAT CHARACTERISTICS SHOULD CONCERNED CITIZENS BASE THEIR VOTE ON? A CANDIDATE'S RELIGIOUS BELIEFS, THEIR POLITICAL BELIEFS, THEIR EXPERIENCE, THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE COUNTRY, TO THE WELFARE OF AMERICA? THE MID-TERM ELECTIONS, AND THE FIRST TUESDAY IN NOVEMBER ARE RAPIDLY APPROACHING, ARE YOU READY? ARE YOU INFORMED AS A VOTER . . . IN AFGHANISTAN, PEOPLE TRAVELED ON DONKEYS AND TOOK BALLOTS, ACROSS THE LARGE DESERT & COUNTRY, SO ALL TRIBES AND PROVIDENCES COULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE; RECENTLY VOTERS STOOD UP TO THE TALIBAN, WITH THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE TO VOTE! ARE YOU THAT COMMITTED TO THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS? THE FOUNDING FATHERS GAVE US A REPUBLIC AND A DEMOCRACY, IF WE COULD KEEP IT! DO YOUR PART, BE AN INFORMED CITIZEN, NOT A VICTIM!

Is Congressman Steve Daines, Running for U.S. Senate & a Creationist Qualified to Hold Office?

I was somewhat surprised to read in the editorial or opinion section, of the Kalispell, Daily Inter Lake, newspaper today, Sunday, September 20, 2014, a raging debate between the age old notion, of whether God created the world, or whether, scientists like Charles Darwin, with his theory of evolution, based on survival of the species through natural selection, the food chain, and survival of the fittest, for all science is, connotes the best and most logical theory, that has some scientific support and evidence to convince, a following in the science community, that the theory is plausible, or more believable than another scientific theory, to be going the rounds, years after the Scopes Monkey Trial, dealing with that same debate, claiming that former U.S. Congressman, for Montana, and current candidate for the U.S. Senate, in Montana, taking Senator Baucus, seat, who is serving as ambassador to China, and whether a Creationist is worthy to hold public office and represent the people of Montana?

Well, first of all, this is the same man, who has served the state of Montana for the last two years, as their representative in Congress, House of Representatives; therefore, obviously, from his past, he has been deemed worthy of the voters approval, and was elected to office, and is now being considered for one of the two senate seats, to represent the people of Montana . . . this is not a new face to the political scene in the state.  Second, is the fact that Congressman Daines, is a unabashed creationist, and proud of it, reason, alone to disqualify him for public office?  Apparently some people believe that to be the case.  This statement smacks of years gone by, when religious test oaths, were either required to run for office, or test oaths were required to disavow any connection with a particular sect, with beliefs that were contrary to the laws of the United States of America . . . such as laws, still on the books, or were at the time I was in law school, with a prohibition of any person, either involved with polygamy, or related to someone who had or is practicing polygamy.  There was a huge, anti-Mormon population in the state of Idaho.

No Religious Test or Lack Thereof, Shall Be Required as a Qualification to any Office or Public Trust under the United States

Obviously, at some point in America's history, there was a time, when, someone had to take prove by oath or affirmation, that they were qualified to hold an office or public trust, to be considered worthy.  That may have been the result of the fact that many pilgrims migrated to the United States, to exercise freedom of religion, due to the fact that the Church of England, or the Anglican Church, was also the state sanctioned church, and the church of the monarchy; therefore, to be considered a person of trust, to Britain, with America, as a colony, in order to be best suited to promote the interests and ideals of the mother land, so to say, you had to have the same belief system, while allowing others to practice their religion, they could not lead, hold office, nor be trusted by the crown . . . I am just guessing.

The rebellious founding fathers, who were all stripes and stars, made up of multiple religious backgrounds, affiliations, and sects, were willing to put those religious differences aside, to further the interest of the Union of states, thus declaring independence, from the religious yoke of England, and no longer found it necessary, to demand, loyalty, not only to the state, but to the state's religion, or the Anglican Church, freeing up all interested parties, to participate in the political process, unencumbered with the tyrannous shackles of the old world religions, King George, or the test oaths, that may have previously been required.  And as is the case with the basic tenants, foundational precepts, and principles, behind this independent thought, came allowances for those who didn't believe in a deity at all, to be also, able to hold public office, and trust in the United States, free of persecution, objections, and any ramification of their individual system of religious, or non-religious practices.

The Ideologies, Philosophies & Terminologies Might Matter

What drives the candidate?  What lays behind the basic tenants of their belief system?  Does the fact that Congressman Daines, believes in a God, and that he/she created the earth, and all that connotes, contains, and contributes to a personal philosophy make a difference, that may in fact, bare sway, in your choice of a candidate to represent you in Washington, voting on the issues that you find, most closely represent your own, feelings and beliefs.  Maybe.  One of the editorial letters, suggested that the Democrat, Amanda Curtis, being well familiar with science, evolution, and scientific theory, was much more qualified that Daines, to be Montana's newly selected senator.  And in this case, if that really does seem to make a difference to you, the voter, being a skeptic, a critical thinker, and a logical person, striving to put the best person in office, we may want to consider the thought, ideas, driving forces, and proposed principles behind each side of the issue, that of evolution and creationism.

Origin of the Species--God or Ape?

My second husband, was an evolutionist, and a Darwinist, and he proved that in the truest sense of the theory, literally, is was based on survival of the fittest, blood lust, those at the top of the food chain win, if you want it, take it . . . with absolutely no value system, no exceptions, no limits, just do whatever it takes, to take what you want . . . steal, kill, destroy of necessary.  This is very much like the Darwinian principles behind the Patriot Act, the collective, against the individual, the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people, as long as they are on the upper echelon of the financial food chain, or with your wealth, money, resume, talents, or that of your children, it was all fair game, is was a blood drive to the top, and murder was all part of the game, mere collateral damage, the cost of one's climb to the top!

Man was looked at in no different light, than the highest level of the food chain, and the fittest, the leanest, the smartest, the most cleaver, or the most brutal, is the victor, much like in the animal kingdom.  This, however, is totally contrary to the attitudes, platitudes, and concepts, of a free America, with the goal of a more perfect union, domestic tranquility, general welfare, common defense, justice for all, prosperity for me and my posterity, with a Constitution, and Bill of Rights, to create a set of laws and order, so that society, without feeding on the poor, the tired, the hungry, the minority, can promote the interests and provide benefits, regardless of the thoughts and ideas of the majority, for the more perfect union!  These concepts are much closer to Biblical notions, beliefs, which the U.S. Constitution, with Judeo-Christian laws, in addition to common law, with inalienable rights, than they are to Darwinism, evolution, and survival of the species, devouring each other.

I for one, prefer, chose, belief, and have faith, that man, woman and child, have a divine origin, and prefer being created by God, rather than descending from apes, who I guess just got left behind, as a species, because they are still running around looking much like, our alleged ancestors.  I know I have a tail bone, and that is supposedly the remnants of my ape ancestor's tail, but why did only a select group of us evolve, and the rest remained in their primitive state, looking exactly like they used to?  I tend to gravitate to the noble, the virtuous, the ethics, the pathos, logos, and higher intellectual skills, of a human, setting us apart from the animal kingdom, with the critical mass of brain, a collective conscience, in a parallel universe, functioning above the animals . . . he could not explain, the missing tail.  LOL!

Christian Science Reading Room . . . These Ideas Are Not Mutually Exclusive

I remember a very enlightened conference talk, Mormon Church Prophet, Gordon B. Hinkley, gave . . . in reference to the miracles of both Christ's birth, and his earthly ministry, performing his own miracles, he said, the more we know about science, the less mysterious the miracles of Christ are . . . I do believe that to be true, there is natural selection, species at the bottom of the sea, adapt, dinosaurs walked the earth, If you look at the evolutionary system, and progression, it may be just a definition of terms . . . scientists laugh when people believe the earth is only 7 to 10,000 years old, what about the Mesozoic, the Paleozoic, and other stages and eras of the earth, which through carbon dating put the earth much older than that, what about that, or could there be, that man as we know him, started at roughly the same time period, long after Lucy, cromagnum--who lived in a cave for 60 generations and the crew, walked on two feet, but were not man as we know him, they were not like Adam and Eve, who appeared on the earth timeline, roughly about the time that agriculture, industry and science, started to blossom.  

The Bible speaks of the sons of God, marrying the daughters of man . . . creating giants, like Goliath, that David the shepherd boy fought, who later became King David . . . have the scientists in all their knowledge, forgotten to acquire wisdom . . . the fight between the Israelis and the Palestinians, takes root in the Bible, as do other warring factions in the Mid-East, is that fiction, like the Garden of Eden, and the Flood, just symbolically or figuratively speaking . . . so, why in the hell are we fighting over their, with the re-occupation of the City of David, if David is a figment of our imagination, some mythical character created by those with a need to believe in a God.  Many of the conflicts in the Arab Countries, have Biblical roots, and only if and when we understand that ancient document, can we fully understand, and get to the bottom of things here and now.  Is Egypt a joke, Rome, the Ottoman Empire, the caliphate not real, tell ISIS!  Syria, the Coptic Pope!  There may be misunderstandings, different translations, and ideological persuasions, that make us see things different, but as in the Christian Science Reading room, I believe there is room for both to co-exist.

I Would Suggest, That More Important Than Whether a Senator Believes in Evolution or Creation, is Whether they Themselves Can Evolve?

Is one, whether from one camp or the other, willing, able, and capable of entertaining different view point, with the target goal in mind of a more perfect union, regardless of what that looks like, but as outlined by the Preamble of the U.S. Constitution . . . can they work with the other side, to reach across the isle, and do what it takes to make a better America, closer to the ideals of the Constitution, and the founding fathers, who were seeking a Utopia?  Or, are they going to do what we have been doing, siding off, into Republican v. Democrat, Creationists v. Evolutionists, White v. Black, Male v. Female, Young v. Old, Minority v. Majority, or wealthy v. poor?  All of these are destroyers of a more perfect union!  Does this candidate have the mental capacity to evolve, to create, to believe and achieve the goals of America, the ideal, following Constitutional principles and concepts of due process, equal protection, liberty, justice, freedom, the least intrusive government, minimal interferences with family, respect and deference for different opinions, open to being persuaded otherwise, or are they pig-headed, stupid, ignorant, and insane . . . the definition of insanity, is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result!  

Evolution of the human being, of the American, of the world citizen, of old dead ideas, of derelict religious beliefs, that are dated, limiting and prohibited, when new and better things can take their place, can this person see it, or are then a product of a perverse generation that refuses to see, hates peace, thrives on bloodshed, misery, woe, poverty, environmental degradation, and the annihilation of mankind?  There are many better ways to chose a candidate than to look at their, somewhat religious beliefs, finding them intellectually or socially ignorant, for believing different that one's self.  Vote for the best person for the job, of America, doing their business, for reaching and achieving greatness, honor, respect among nations, pride, glory for the world, working together with world leaders.

Just this week, a representative from Korea came and honored those veterans of the Korean War, who served to help the situation in that part of the world.  Montana's governor is working with China, and promoting business, tourism, and opportunities, that will be of benefit to the country and the state, creating jobs, sustainability, and also helping our Chinese neighbors, in creating good for their economy.  Montana was just found to be the best or most beneficial state, for tax issues, who can see that, and are willing to check out what Montana is doing right, or other states that shine in other areas!  That is a much better guide for selection of a candidate that will aide and help, the survival of the species!

Shalom, Peace Be With You . . . Have a Great Week!

MEAN PEOPLE SUCK--IT'S FOURTH DOWN, GO FOR IT--DISCOVER YOUR FAVORITE . . . JUSTICE RICE OF THE MONTANA STATE SUPREME COURT, CLEANING UP ACTIVIST JUDGES, MAKING THE SYSTEM WORK RIGHT: HOT CASES . . . DOMESTIC VIOLENCE--JAY RICE, NOT THE SAME AS JUSTICE RICE, BUT JUSTICE IS THE GOAL, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE; ADKINS (I THINK), CHILD ABUSE, CORPORAL PUNISHMENT OR CRIMINAL ABUSE OF A CHILD, RISKING LIFE & LIMB?; AND RACE CAR DRIVER, TONY STEWART, MANSLAUGHTER, MURDER, VEHICULAR HOMICIDE OR GOING TOO FAST TO TURN, WITH A MILLION SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS? WHAT DOES A PUBLIC TRIAL WITH A JURY OF YOUR PEERS, LOOK LIKE? ARE CELEBRITIES A SUSPECT CLASS OR DIFFERENT THAN US, THE AVERAGE JOE PLUMBER OR SHOULD WE HOLD THEM TO THE SAME STANDARDS? COMPLEX QUESTIONS, GIVEN THE NATURE OF THEIR SPORT, OUR ADMIRATION OR EVEN ADORATION, HUGE SALARIES, PRESSURE FROM SPONSORS, FANS . . . HOW DOES A PROSECUTOR, DEFENSE ATTORNEY AND JUDGE, HANDLE HIGH PROFILE CASES LIKE THESE? SUGGESTIONS TO THE PRESS, THE FANS, THE SPONSORS . . . BEFORE JUDGING, WITHDRAWING SPONSORS, LOSING FANS, DESTROYING FAMILIES AND LIVES, CAREERS, LET THE LAW WORK, THERE IS MAGIC IN THE SYSTEM, AND THE LAW IS THE LAW, IS THE LAW! CELEBRITIES HAVE RIGHTS TOO! THE GOAL IS JUSTICE, NOT A LYNCH MOB!

Only the Small are Cruel--But Have We Conditioned Them to be Cruel?

Sorry, I always use cop examples, but that is where my background lays; therefore, I am not picking on this particular class of persons in our society, but using them to make a point, about certain professions, and the nature of their jobs, that at times, makes it hard to separate their line of work from, their homes, their normal everyday interactions, and I am not making excuses for them, just laying the foundation for what a jury of a citizen, under investigation for a crime might be, has that notion morphed over time, since the founding fathers set it up, to now, and is it critical to cases like the three just mentioned to get the right resolution to the case, or apply the average man standard, which, while not gods by any means, we have put them on a pedestal and knocking them off is easier, and the bigger they are the harder they fall!  Our system, should be about justice, not making a public statement, or using it as a platform for social change, but really dealing with the issue at hand, and the laws that apply, not the ideal we want to happen, but dealing with the reality of sports, crimes, and setting a precedent that is predictable and rational.

But, I was once speaking to a group of cops, of all sizes, shapes, and color of uniform, about the evils of domestic violence, and told these alleged group of distinguished officers, that it was their duty to make it a point in their communities, that men, know it is not okay to beat their wives . . . there was not a second pause, and some officer, totally unabashed, piped up and said, we all beat our wives!  I was shocked by the truthfulness, boldness, and straightforward unscripted shockingly honest statement.  WHAT?  And at that point, I realized, that this was not going to be as easy, nor were these guys going to be as receptive to my message, nor were they raised, like I had, with a father who would not allow my younger brother, who had six sister, three flanking him on both sides, to hit us, due to the fact that he better get his temper under control now, because one day he was likely to stand 6'4" and tower over this wife, so get some practice in, and not only that, but you have to open the car door for your mother and all 6 sisters, each time we, as a family get in the car . . . in my humble opinion, he never was physically abusive to his wife, but he appeared to be, to me, psychologically, financially and emotionally abusive to his wife, just like my father had been to my mother.

Back in the Day . . . We Haven't Come A Long Way Baby

Now, you have to remember, this took place 20 years ago, but, after attending a meeting in Missoula, on domestic violence, it didn't sound as if we had progressed one bit, since I was involved as an assistant attorney general, and staff attorney for the Utah Prosecution Council, in the Criminal Enforcement Division for the Utah Attorney Generals Office, when I first became involved with the fight to stop domestic violence. I still remember, my boss, Attorney General, Jan Graham, who to her credit started to expose the public on a broad basis through community programs, the horrors of domestic violence, through video presentations and brochures.  But, once she asked me if she could take my place, on TV, due to her upcoming election, with one of the old time investigative reporters, Ted, can't even remember his name right now, but she did, I prepped her for the interview, and the reporter even accused her of creating domestic violence!  They were literally screaming at each other, behind the closed doors in the inner sanctums of the AGs office, thank God, and I really thought, standing listening through the door at the interview, she was going to start taking law books off her selves, and plastering this obnoxious reporter with the heavy books!  The interview, never aired.

It was definitely an emotionally charged hot topic, and I often was called to go to a particular part of the state, and protect victims, who had been abused, and were further abused by the cops who took the side of the abuser, so I came in to even the score and add some pressure to get the cops under control, even to the point of having the perp with an ankle bracelet on his ankle, drive up in his big red neck truck, and threaten me, with warnings immediately being supported by my boss, former prosecutor, chief deputy attorney general, later director of the sheriff's association, that I was stepping out of line, pushing cops and their buddy, the abuser around.  So, this is an issue, as is child abuse, if that is truly what it is, because parents are allowed to use corporal punishment to control their kids . . . it is their job to train them in the home, so they don't terrorize us on the streets, so there is a fine line, between abuse and discipline!

No Excuses, Zero Tolerance for Abuse, But Where is the Line?

Jay Rice, NFL Football Player, Lands a Left Hook to His Wife's Face--Knock Out!

No doubt about it, that is domestic violence at its ugliest, and that should never, never, ever, be okay.  From all accounts, from friends, this guy is a nice guy, and that was totally out of character for him.  If that is the case, then I would guess, from my experience, that alcohol was involved, in fact I believe that the first reports of what I heard, was that the couple, engaged at the time, were out partying, drinking and gambling, unless, I just made that up in my mind, but that is what I recall,  They got in an elevator at the hotel, or casino, there must have already been something, going on, because it seems that before the door even shuts, Rice's wife, pushes him back against the wall of the elevator, and with lightning speed, he responds, hitting her in the face, knocking her out cold . . . then a second video that the world saw first, shows him dragging her limp body out of the elevator, and into the hall, as caught on camera, which has become an American way of life, which, I in fact hate, with all kinds of issues, arising, from right to privacy to unreasonable searches and seizures, of my image on camera, when there is not probably cause to say, smile, you are on candid camera!  But, in this case, the camera did catch a crime, but I don't know if that justifies it in my mind.

The sad thing about this case, in my opinion, is we have an alleged cover-up, which always makes things worse, and just a slap on the wrist, making the player sit out two games.  Then, Rice is tried in the press, the judge of public opinion, that is quick, not trained in the crime nor the complexities of domestic violence, the cycle, the dynamics, and public outrage, as it should, for society at large, jumps in and makes a statement, and rightly so, the beauty of a made for TV story, that brings to light, a critical issues, that needs to be addressed, brought into the public light, for the ugly crime it is . . . but, then, due to the pressure of the fans, NFL management, jumps to the other extreme, and kicks Jay Rice out of the NFL; I don't think the punishment fits the crime . . . that starts to infringe on his 8th amendment rights to be free from, cruel and unusual punishment, going beyond the mark, and beyond the law, destroying his whole career, hurting his family, his wife, and the league, rather than just applying the law, the way it is written, and if he has to go to jail, as the law dictates, the natural consequences of the law, will take him out of the game, for the right amount of time!  Whatever the jury, the judge, and the system would do to any other person, regardless of status in society!

The Law Is About Definitions & Hair Splitting--It All Boils Down to What the Word "Is" Means

Yesterday, here in Kalispell, Montana, a current Justice on the Montana Supreme Court, visited the Flathead County Republican Pachyderm--that is an elephant, and symbolic of the party mascot, Club met, and invited Justice Rice to speak to the crowd, gathered at the Red Lion Hotel, to present a little of his background, not a partisan race, so he has to walk the tight rope, without showing bias, toward one party or the other, but also, be able to present who he is to the public, to garner the votes necessary to get re-elected. But I loved his very, down to earth, practical, back to the basics, approach to the law, leaving activism and law making by activist judges, behind and fighting for change in the system . . . you know me by now, the law, is the law, is the law . . . and that applies to super star athletes, movie stars, politicians, and police officers.  

Through an act of defiance, civil disobedience, if you will, I refused to practice law in the state of Utah, due to prostitution of the law, obliterating the U.S. Constitution, refusing to separate church and state, and the fact that they tried to kill me since before, trying to stop me from being sworn in to the high court bar, even before I got their, aiding and abetting in crimes, fraud on the court, and on we the people, with access, abuse of power, using criminal practices to further the crimes!  So to here this Judge, actually using the bench to interpret and defend the Constitution, relying on the legislative branch of the government to make the laws, rather than one man or woman on the bench, interpreting the law in such a way, as to turn the law in a totally different direction, departing from the acts of the law making body, he worked tirelessly, and I am sure not alone, but with the help of less passionate and calmer attorneys, helping return the law to its proper perspective, rightful law makers, and the bench to using well established interpretative measures, to determine, not only the meaning of the law, but the application of the law, as applied to this particular set of facts . . . thanks Justice Rice, you are healing some of the anger I  have toward, not only activist judges, but judges, who don 't even understand the law, tainted by their state of birth or origin of religion, departing so far from standard measures of effective jurispurdance, and court conduct, that their actions, rulings, and judgments are shockingly unconstitutional, in the only job they have, to interpret, analyse and apply the rule of law, as it stands, not what they think, through personal bias it either ought to be, or ought to be for this particular defendant, or with preferential treatment of this party!

In both of the football player's cases, regardless of status, public outrage, fan disappointment, or sponsor disapproval, the courts should take the rule of law, as presented, codified, and preserved on the record, from the law making body of the state they are residing in, and look at the plain language of the laws on domestic violence, child abuse, allowing the prosecutor to do his job, either declining or proceeding with prosecution, depending on what the state legislature, with elected representatives of the people, who vote to preserve the politics, values, mores, morals, and standards of that community or state, then with regards to the facts of the case, proceed to charge as the law, not the press, dictates!

The Adkins Whoop Ass on His Child . . . What Defines Child Abuse in his State?

State legislatures, with cultural, religious, political differences, will write and create laws that differ state to state . . . so what does the law, actually say, regardless of a modern, helicopter parent press, society, or football league say, child abuse constitutes, or is he, legally within his right to discipline his child, being, none other than his parent, who knows the kid, exercising his right as a parent to discipline, the way he sees the child needs!  In Utah, which is the only law I am familiar with, the parent, is first in being the deciding agent on how to discipline a child, with the right to use corporal punishment, as he/she sees fit.  Back in the day, neighbors could spank a child, and perfectly within the norm of not only what was expected, but understanding that children with short memory spans, especially in the Sesame Street generations, last less than a few seconds, need immediate consequences of their actions, and waiting until a person could contact a parent, would take away the corrective measures that might benefit a child.

Spare the rod, spoil the child . . . have we created a society of BRATS?  Little girls play with Bratz dolls, so there is something in our culture, that promotes the notion, that it is okay to be a brat, a mean girl, or an entitled boy, putting others in society sexually at risk, with little consequences for actions, either in the home, in the schools, in neighborhoods, being raised by parents who hover, cover, and ignore aberrant behavior in their children, sending them into a penal, or legal world that is cruel at best, on wonder over 34% of the adult population in America has been in jail . . . in Plato's essay, the Republic, he says if parents fail to train their children, the society, through the law will, so are we being derilect as parents, failing in our duties, not only to the child, but to society, in not, within reason, allowing parents, who know their children, with not magical formula, to do the best they can, as long as they don't, as in the Utah statutes, put the child in harm of life or limb, will exercising the right as a parent to discipline a child.  In ancient Rome, which our founding fathers, looked to the Greek and Roman city states, to pattern some of their ideas after, under Roman law, a parent could kill a child up to the age of 21 . . . bet they had obedient children . . . honor your father and mother!

I only needed to spank my daughters once, after they cut each other's hair, the second time, risking loss of an eye, or something . . . crying about my bald beautiful little girls, who looked like babies out of a concentration camp, didn't help, so calmly after the second time, got a book on How to Make Your Child a Winner, which recommended that parents get a point across to a child, so they get it, so I remembered a neighbor who used a spoon or paddle to spank her six, very good kids, and I chose a brush as my tool of discipline, and put both of them over my knees, and spanked them so they got the point.  They walked like little tin soldiers for a day or two, and asked me what the red marks on their little butts were . . . a reminder, that you could have lost an eye, cutting each other's hair, eyelashes, and playing beauty parlor!  That got me through their entire young lives . . . all I had to say, was, do you want the brush?  Well, no . . . my son's who were young, never even tested that one, and I never once spanked them.  All are good children!

THERE IS NOT MAGIC FORMULA FOR RAISING A GREAT KID!

My father had a idea, due to the Mormon Church, seeing kids of age of accountability, at 8, when they are responsible for their own sins, and in some states, crimes, when a child was old enough to understand the consequences of their actions, when they are baptized in the Church, as a new member, understanding the ramification of that act, so he would spank a child, when needed, up to that age, then after that he would talk to them, and sometimes that was more cutting, getting straight to the point, and making his message real, raw and relevant, no matter how the child would take it . . . he was, over all a very effective parent, and had a good rule of law established, he may or may not agree that he raised, me well, but, that is beside the point, he in no longer responsible for my actions of rebellion against my family, the church, nor society.  I will take it from 18 on . . .

I had a doctor and his wife, who lived in my neighborhood, who had trouble with all of their three children. And they were lamenting the fact, that they thought they would have done better are parents, of kids with legal and criminal problems, drugs, teen pregnancy, and bad marriages, that they had done everything right, according to Dr. Spock, who later said he recommended all the wrong ideas, as the children of his era, turned out badly, with modern pop psychology, and the Mormon Church, doing scripture reading, family home evening, a loving atmosphere, etc., and said, I should have gotten drunk, kicked my kids and wife around, like my dad did every Friday night, my kids may have turned out better!  So there you have it, straight from the horse's mouth.  There are kids from great homes that turn out terrible, and from terrible homes that turn out great, so it is a crap shoot anyway, like Russian roulette, we have no way of knowing, and some kids are just difficult kids, I happened to get great kids, God knew I was a tough customer as a mother, and he sent me the best . . . I was firm, but fair!  

Oh, the doc in the above story, also had a brother who was a doctor, and both were in leadership in the Mormon Church, with great careers, so, his literally abusive father, manged to have the right amount of anger to have raised to very good men, but the good men, may not have had enough anger, to in turn, maybe in not wanting to be like their father, spared the rod and spoiled the child, doing for them all that his, military father did to both him and his brother!  I would recommend, following advice that has stood the test of time, proven to be sound, and discipline a child, when they get out of line, with a few guidelines: (1) never discipline in the heat of anger . . . cool down; (2) be firm but fair, in your discipline, carrying through with limits, family rules, and accepted behaviors . . . better a fence at the top of the hill, than an ambulance at the bottom; and (3) don't be afraid to take corrective measures with your kids, don't be afraid to allow them to hate you; you are their parent, not their best friend!  And I still have that philosophy, and apply it to their spouses . . . they may not like me, and I would rather be respected, than loved!  They at least know where they stand with me, the same, yesterday, today and forever, in guiding principles, standards of behavior, and stance on things like honesty, loyalty, family values, and being consistent, regardless of either their changing views, or standards, I am who I am!  They can rely on that, and they have to live with a spouse, I don't; therefore, I don't have to like them, and they don't have to like me, and undercover cops, don't like me, and work their poison when they can!

Once I saw, Silence of the Lamb, based on a true story, and with a mother who was ridged, to the point of cruelty, and very religious, as I remember, I decided that I didn't want my sons, growing up to be serial killers, killing victims for their skin, to make butterfly outfits, and wearing make-up, and having studied, family and human development at a master degree level, before going to law school, and realizing that children's personalities are formed by the age of 5, I had done either all the damage or good, that I could to this point, and decided, that I had done the day to day training, eat your vegetables, clean your room, brush your teeth, with a focus on intelligent parenting, but frankly, this movie scared the hell out of me, with my boys starting to buck religion and church attendance, and I decided, I would not force them to do Boy Scouts, they might get molested, I didn't care about missions, they might turn out gay, having to suppress the natural feelings for girls, and spend 24/7 with guys, at the height of their sexual drive . . . I studied and read books, and found that a father's influence grows, while the mother's diminishes with age; therefore, it is dad's turn, and I am going to law school!  I think it was the right decision.

The Tony Stewart Case is Going to Have to be Very Fact Specific

You have a death, taking place, within the abnormal and dangerous world of race car driving . . . the death was neither premeditated, planned, nor expected.  Now, if Stewart, was in total disregard for human life, and the goal to win, took place of sacrifice for life, then, I would charge him with negligent homicide, or manslaughter . . . most good defense attorneys, will not put the defendant on the stand, nor allow them to testify, and none of the witnesses, can know the mindset of the driver, in a race, with egos, money, pressure, sponsors, and split seconds to make a decision, going at speeds that place both drivers, and fans at risk, if there is an accident, on the narrow track, that leaves little room for error, and may have had a driver, who was disoriented, walking straight in harms way, leaving Stewart, watching not only himself, other drivers, the possibility of choosing the lesser of two evils . . . one man, as opposed to killing or possibly killing himself and other drivers on the course, which is the nature of the game, at these speeds, with sponsors and others driving the race.

It is a sad and tragic case, that might have had no other way of turning out, depending on the facts of the case . . . it is definitely not within the realm of normal, every day driving, nor risk.  So, is a jury of Stewart's peers, the average Joe, driving on a freeway, or should there be special consideration for the sport, itself? That will be the prosecutor, the defense attorney and the judge's call, once the results of the grand jury, come back, more will be known, well, these are held in secret, or in camera, in chambers, without the press, to determine, wisely, if their is merit in proceeding with the charges, if there, in deed should be.  There are a million things happening on a race track at the same time.  Stewart has a reputation that proceeds him, but it is part of his personal, and may have nothing to do with this case.  So, all previous records and thoughts of the bad boy of racing, need to be suspended, and the case needs, to start from A to Z of only that day!

Stewart seems totally cooperative, saddened, sorry, as anyone would have been, but that would be natural. That standard of review for this case, ought not be what the reasonable man or woman would have done, but what the reasonable race car driver, given the speeds, the totality of the circumstances, risking of a pile up, it, while unfortunate, may have been the best decision, to just continue to course, kind of like, facing a deer, with danger on all sides, and just hitting it . . . with survival in mind, where applying breaks, swerving, or changing directions, may in fact, do more damage!

Conclusion

The American legal system is amazing, if it is allowed to work the way it is intended to do, with the focus on following the law, applying that to the facts, and doing what it takes to reach a just result, with fairness, uniform operation of law, due process and equal protection.  When all the right stuff is followed, usually, I have found, that even if there are penalties, jail time, community service, or whatever, all sides are satisfied, that the defendant's story was properly presented, the right rule of law applied, the jury rightly instructed, the procedures, without prejudice or favors, applied, something really magical happens, justice happens!

The legal system is not to make a name for either prosecutors or defense attorneys, not for a power trip of a judge, in a high profile case, but a very serious situation, with the American public, if not the world, watching several very public figures, being brought into a court of law, and tried.  There should be no preconceived notions of the outcome, until all the facts are in, and the law is well known, then you  have witnesses to shed some light on the gaps in the knowledge, evidence to presented, either working for the players or racer, and then left to being controlled by the judge, and with both sides attorneys, well prepared, without grand standing, and presenting the side of the state, and the side of the defendant, and juries have been found to do a pretty good job, if all of that happens.

Some states, juries are to be both finders of facts, and to determine the law, in other states, the judge is the one who determines the law, or both, depending on what the law makers, elected by the people have decided in their state . . . the state constitutions, not local practice will dictate what roles those players in the system take, and that should be followed.  Costly appeals, are not necessary, if all this is done . . . appeals deal with the possible error of the court, or the judge, in the case . . . make sure there are not errors in due process and procedure, and proceed with the law on your side, with the rules of criminal procedure covered, and the trial court will be the final determiner of the outcome of the case, without years of litigation . . . all parties, know, while not liking the outcome, that the law was applied, and while angry at themselves or the circumstances that brought about the very public incident, was handled by all, and one well.

Let the Chips Fall Where They Will!