November 19th 1863

Have you ever read this famous speech from November 19th 1863?

“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Abraham Lincoln
November 19, 1863

Now that you've read it, do you comprehend the weight and force of history that it was born from?

I hope everyone does. This country is amazing, we fight to reach our dreams and defend our rights! That is an amazing thing. An amazing freedom! Look at other countries, where else does this happen? Where else are you free to state publicly that you disagree with the government?

Yes, some freedoms can be taken too far, but they also serve a purpose to prevent other freedoms from being taken away by the same government we live under. Government tries hard, but sometimes it fails. When that happens, We The People must stand up and remind the government what this country is supposed to be!

The Electoral College

The Electoral College is there for a reason. Please at least know that reason before you attack it.

Without the Electoral College, massive city states like New York and California with their population could decide every presidency and leave the rest of the nation without a voice.

That I can promise you would start a true second civil war!

Do the research yourself. I know people don't like the "popular candidate" to lose. But just because they are liked in the heavily populated areas, does not mean they are liked in the more rural areas of the country. 25 states voted for trump by the majority. He was more popular. It's just that those states have fewer people. The states like New York and California have more people and they voted for Clinton. Just those two states alone can nearly equal the population of the rest of the damn country!

Do you really want only those two states deciding what is right for your state?!

I live in Colorado. At an Elevation those two states largely can't even fathom. Do you really think they'd be able to know fairly what we need here? How rough the winters can get? How we need hospital equipment that can function in a thinner atmosphere? How we can't farm year round without a lot of special planning and equipment?

Seriously! Every state needs to have it's own voice. Yes, someone always ends up screwed one way or another, but the Electoral College is there to try to minimize that!

In this election, you may not like that, but what about the next election? What if you repeal the Electoral College and in 4 years it allows Trump to be reelected just based on the popular vote, and then you learn he'd have lost the Electoral vote?

No system of government is perfect. There will always be situations where you feel like it fucked up! But! You have the power to change it the next time! In two short years there will be more elections for the House and Senate. If you vote, you could start the process to block the Republican control. In four years you can vote for someone else entirely on either side!

In the meantime, you can work with groups and foundations to help those you fear for (including yourself). This is The United States of America! Not everything is controlled by who the president is!

For Pete's sake, Marijuana is Federally Illegal in this country, but Colorado and other states have legalized it! Why do you think that just because Trump is president your state looses? Hell, Trump has even said himself that on many controversial topics he wants to send control Back To The State Level!

Start making a plan if you fear Trump. Plan on how to make your state what you need! Start working with other groups who share your needs/concerns. Take proper action. You have more than enough control if you choose to use it. Become a speaker for the concerns you have. Start a youtube channel on it. Start a Podcast. Start a Charity if you want to!!

This is the United States of America! You can do more than march up and down a street holding a cardboard sign while yelling that you hate Trump!

Stop acting like you lost and the world ended! This is your new starting point. Are you going to get up and walk? Or are you just going to lay on the ground until you die?

The choice is yours!

Why I chose to vote the way I did.

We had two candidates who nobody wanted to vote for. No sane person was excited to make this choice. For me, it came down to one thing. The Second Amendment.

Here is why:

Both candidates were hateful liars. Both candidates have broken laws. Both candidates wanted to improve our country the way they think is best.

One candidate was pushing restrictions on the 2^nd Amendment. The other was assuring us they’d throw open the doors and let us have our 2^nd Amendment Right as it was intended.

To me, that was the deciding factor.

Think about it my way for a moment. One person wants to rule the country and limit my rights for self-defense and my rights to fight tyranny if needed. The other person wants to rule the country, but promises me the right to self-defense and to fight tyranny if needed.

Of course I’m going to vote for the person who promises me the ability to keep an equal footing!

Why would I vote for someone who I don’t like and don’t trust who also requires me to fight with my hands tied? The choice sucked! It really, really, sucked! But at least I have the Right to rise up and fight this candidate, to protect myself, my loved ones, my friends, and that stranger on the street.

That other person… wouldn’t have left me with that right.

Yes, Bernie would have been a much better option. Sadly, that other person and their team ensured he didn’t have the chance.

So, I chose hateful liar number one, and if you need me to fight for you, you know I’ll be there. Just like I hope you would have been there for me if your hateful liar number two had won. 

Make The United States Fit Again!

• ·         Anti-Trump post = 10 push ups
• ·         Trumps a racist/misogynist/sexist/bigot = 30 sit ups
• ·         Scroll past a blacked out profile pic = 1 minute plank (add one minute for every day past election day)
• ·         #Imstillwithher = running in place with high knee raises for one minute (add one minute for every day past election day)
• ·         See a Riot or shooting post over the Election = 10 burpees (add 10 burpees for every day past election day)
• ·         “I feel sorry for (X) minority” = 20 jumping jacks
• ·         Anything along the lines of “RIP America” = Side Plank for 1 minute per and do both sides (add one minute for every day past election day)
• ·         Someone you know moves out of the United States after saying they would = No Coffee for 1 week
• ·         A celebrity you follow moves out of the United States after saying they would = No Sugar for 1 week
• ·         News Media says Bernie would have beaten Trump = No GMO food for 1 Month

Think you can survive this? 

Choices and Questions

We are all able to make choices. Do we wish to be the person made from easy choices? Or do we wish to be the person made from hard choices? What is the effect on our spirit from each type of choice? Should we only make hard choices? Easy choices? Or should we make both? If both, how do we know when to choose the hard decision over the easy one? How do we know what is Right? How do we know what is Wrong? Is the world only black and white or are there billions of colors seen and unseen that we need to acknowledge to be able to reach who we are supposed to be? What if you’re blind and are unable to see any colors? How will you make your choices then?

For me, I truly try to answer questions like this in the simplest way possible. Those answers come from additional questions thought.

Will this help me? Will this harm me? Will this help others? Will this harm others? Is the good greater than the harm? To me? To them? If I choose to help myself, will I have a chance later to help others who are harmed by my choice? If I choose to help others, will I later be able to recover from the harm to myself? If not, can I live with that harm I took on to help others? Will they help me now that I’m in need?

So many questions for every decision, so many answers too! It has been said: There are two spirits inside us all who fight for dominance. The one that will win, is the one we feed the most. Sometimes we may need to feed the evil spirit with in, but hopefully we can feed the good spirit on a regular basis so it will not be harmed when we must make bad choices for good reasons. Jumping in front of a speeding car is a bad idea, but if you save your child by pushing them to safety, it is worth the consequences.

Life is no easy thing. Every decision has a ripple effect and we won’t know until the end, if they added up to a tsunami or canceled each other out creating smooth waters.