Hijacking - what kind of passenger are you?

I just posted the following comment on a blog I came across,Right Wing Nut. The post expresses the concern about our nation being hijacked.


Ironically, I tweeted about how CPSIA is hijacking small biz only an hour ago - your post caught my attn. for that reason. The hijacking analogy is very a propos - well said and I'll add you to my blog roll.

As a nation, I believe there is no doubt that we WILL be called to decide - either by our own timing or by the timeline of those now in positions of authority we have given them, over our own fate.

As passengers, we know, deep in our GUT, that this is true - the moment will either be of our choosing or of theirs.

When will people realize they are being called to choose - to defend our Constitution and the principles of our founding fathers or to permit ourselves and our children to forcibly accept another fate based on a different set of principles / ideals, as determined by those seeking control over every aspect of our lives?

Time will certainly tell... but time does race into our children's future...all the while, their debt soars...unemployment grows...the GREAT DEAF EAR remains turned in our direction...and we WATCH, as our moments grow into one another so closely that, undeniably, our choices tighten in scope and dwindle by the day...

My father used to warn - desperate times call for desperate measures. Are we going to allow time for desperation to grow?

We are not slugs and plankton - we are HUMAN BEINGS with rich resources of mind, body and spirit.

We are the KEEPERS of tomorrow.

Every American (right, left, center) does well to remember that we have the right to choose NOT to be hapless victims on a progressive joy ride to our CHILDREN'S nation's demise.

We are CITIZENS, not subjects.

For now, it appears citizens continue to be mis-judged and underestimated by those who seek socialism for our future. At the same time, citizens also appear to be procrastinating in their response to the call to action - in effect, playing Russian roulette with their children's future...anxiously hanging onto hope...hoping that the chamber is empty...

Yet, hope is not a plan.

Hope is the only "tool" for children and victims to wield in their defense - for those who are apendages and subjects, not fully grown into their rights and responsibilities in life. A child cannot choose to be an adult - but an adult can choose whether or not to be a victim.

It will be interesting to see what unfolds as the future for our children and for America.

© 2009 Tristan Benz, all rights reserved.

Calling all Smart Girls, Smart Guys and Smart Americans - we're paying for our officials to work for us - have they heard from YOU?

Have you taken action on the Smart Girl Politics Halloween Healthcare Scare? Go now (do not pass "go" and do not collect $200...okay - if you have to have a quick laugh before you go, see Dana Loesch's blog post - if you're squeamish, don't look though!) - make your will known to those elected into office to serve YOUR INTERESTS! Here's what I sent today:

To My Public Servants,

Your priorities are shockingly out of line with the American people.

Your actions are causing our debt to unnecessarily sky-rocket, small business to be regulated out of existence and large business / special interests to be "served" at the expense of OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE.

Healthcare reform is very far down the list of priorities right now. It's time to work on restoring jobs in the PRIVATE SECTOR and to get America's unfunded liabilities / debt under control.

STOP PRINTING MONEY. This is absolutely insane - you simply cannot keep printing money, cutting small business off at the knees and destroying the private sector during economic hard times! You simply cannot have a "jobless recovery" and no amount of repetition by media lap dogs is going to blind us to that truth.

WHEN the time is more appropriate to address reform of our healthcare system, it must be addressed with TORT REFORM and the FREE MARKET as our most central priorities. I see nothing of this focus "transparent" in what our "public servants" have so far come up [with] (is it not possible for our elected officials to write a bill of less length than our great Constitution and one that offers us true transparency?!).

I shall repeat this until I'm red, white and blue in the face: NO FORM OF PUBLIC OPTION is acceptable. Regardless of what alternative name is given, to sugar coat the pill being government -run down the throats of hard-working American taxpayers, we 100% reject it.

Please, stop flogging us with regulation upon regulation. End the financial abuse - the string of abuses - being visited upon us and our children (and our children's children!). There's no time like the present, to follow in the footsteps of Pinnochio - to cut those puppet strings and demonstrate your words are not empty, to those whom you claim to serve, in the name of the oath you have all sworn, on their behalf.

© 2009 Tristan Benz, all rights reserved

Liberty's Army - These Boots Are Made For STANDING UP (and that's just what we'll do...)

I was impressed with the eloquence found at Liberty's Army - this post is particularly well said so I thought I'd share the link with you.

Beyond this, there are so many links I've meant to share but haven't had time. Let me preface the link below that I've got a few minutes to post right now by saying that I have met too many people who appear only to read things with which they agree (if they're reading at all!) - things that fit their "agenda" (left, right, green, whatever!) - things that make for "feel good" reading, if you know what I mean. I'm asking you - no, I'm BEGGING you - if you are one of these people, please, fight your nature right now - this moment, THIS right now! Because, right now, it's too important not to get a handle on what's happening and to stand up, on behalf of the principles upon which our nation was founded and the principles we aim to teach to our children (not by words but by deeds).

BTW, I don't know how many of you saw the shocking clip of Anita Dunn? SHOCKING. Nothing short of breath-taking. And to think, she's a close advisor to our President!

But, I digress... I meant to encourage those who are not reading or not reading enough variety to change tactics, asap.

Personally, I try to read as much as possible - things from far left to far right and everything I can, in between. Getting what makes common sense - drawing, from it all, what is most likely the truth / what makes sense - is the only agenda I have - because I am desperate to see that all of our children inherit, at the very LEAST, the liberties we've been given. To speak freely. To speak without fear. To chart their own destiny - to sink or swim by their own merit, not by regulation of Big Brother. And, above all else, to QUESTION, even if it goes against popular opinion. As you can see from previous posts, I'm a big fan of questioning and thinking!

We are at a critical time and every mind that we put to work challenging - questioning - what is happening, the better. I don't care if we disagree on any given issues - but let US debate and decide. Let we, the people, decide our children's fate and not leave it to politicians, special interests, unions, giant organizations / corporations or any corruption born of the military / industrial complex.

How many of you know that, tomorrow, our "representatives" vote on a critical concern for all of us - control of the internet by our government?

The future of OUR FREE SPEECH in America is at stake.

Please view Phil Kerpen's warnings (basically, what sounds pleasant has deep implications - like many other laws being pushed through in a blink of an eye, this has the real potential to regulate your ISP "choices" out of business, leaving the internet in the hands of the government as the sole provider - thus, when you want to post a blog, etc. and it doesn't fit a given rule / agenda, who will you turn to as an "alternative" - is this something you want in the hands of EITHER donkeys or elephants? Our ability to organize, via the many social networks, etc. on the web also hangs in that same balance - the implications are endless). Please, PARTICIPATE in the process of what will define the future for YOUR children. Here are the video clips featuring Phil Kerpen.

I've got more links to post but I am not a human doing...I am a human being. And I guess I need...actual...sleep...after all! So...I shall end this post with gratitude and faith - in my fellow Americans. Thanks for stopping by - oh, and I hope you'll become a regular reader of Liberty's Army, too (it's a great blog)!


© 2009 Tristan Benz, all rights reserved

Are our "Representatives" Getting OUR Priorities Straight?

I'm not alone in holding the view that our politicians are failing to a) speak from the standpoint of our will and b) demonstrate that they have OUR priorities straight.

Last week, I thought I was too tired to write a healthcare related post that would include a copy of my reply to Representative Norm Dicks (now pasted, below). Then, when I heard the announcement that the Obama administration is on course to DOUBLE the national debt and that we have reached a record high budget deficit of 1.4 TRILLION, I realized newfound energy (not much, but some!).

How can our "representatives" not see that something has GOT to give on their spending, or our children will have no hope of anything BUT change (and I mean...pennies!!).

Let's call a spade a spade - OUR CHILDREN'S DEBT is climbing at an alarming rate and still, it seems, our "representatives" want to continue adding to it. They say they're keen on tackling multiple and massive problems they've labelled as [our] "crisises" but, in reality, they show no concern about what we consider a crisis and leave a wake of scorched earth, behind them, as they make more messes for future generations to tackle, while failing to address the real problems, right in front of their proverbial noses.

Case in point:

I just learned, from the Institute for Legal Reform, that "a new report shows that medical liability reforms could provide up to $54 billion in federal deficit reductions over a decade..." while, "the CBO's findings underscore what two-thirds of American voters have said: Congress should include medical liability reform in the health care bill." WHY do our "representatives" fail to address such reform? Who's will is being served, in failing to do so?

The behavior of our "representatives" is parallel to that of out of control parents who somehow think they are fit to give advice to other parents so obviously doing 10x the better job in their own households. While we all save and deal with budget woes in our own homes - going without, making common sense choices, getting down to the brass tacks in life - these folks seem to be proponents of a solution that involves the seemingly endless printing of new money and the going on spending sprees "on our behalf" (surely, even Polly Anna is getting stressed at this point?!).

Rather than look outside of DC for problems to solve, WHY don't our "representatives" start by solving their own problems (created in DC), first? Address the budget deficit. Address the corruption. And stop pointing that Big Brother Finger in every direction but...Big Brother!

And on the subject of pointing the finger...

When is this administration going to stop playing the victim card, I wonder? Really, it's getting OLD. Our "representatives" keep pointing the finger of blame at Bush but, I'm sorry, this argument is wearing thin for those of us who watch this administration double down in this department, making Bush's build-up of debt look like child's play.

Our politicians simply cannot continue to blame Bush forever. Seriously, at SOME POINT, they're going to have to answer to our children re: what they are doing TODAY.

So...when is that? At what point, as we watch the numbers rising on our national debt clock, do we say, "it's time for THIS administration to take responsibility for the 'government gone wild' activity that is taking place NOW?" Is it a budget deficit of 1.4 trillion? 2 trillion? How many trillions will it take to mark our line in the sand?

This blame game behavior has much in common with the behavior of children who grow up as victims (i.e. raised in bad situations, not of their making...) but who, rather than eventually getting their heads straight and taking responsibility for their own behaviors, as adults (no longer living under the control of others), continue blaming everything on their parents.

Well, that's how I see it. That's what watching a debt clock rise at this rate does to me - rant # 812 is now officially over. Except for the addition of one more link - a little video worth watching. Oh, and the copy of my reply to Mr. Dicks re: healthcare...for whatever it's worth...not that they actually READ these things...


Mr. Dicks,

First, let me commend you on the correct spelling of my name. Apparently, Patty Murray has no decent help and cannot manage the accuracy.

Let me also commend you for doing the townhall in Bremerton without stacking the audience in the same way Mr. Inslee so obviously did (or his staff or whomever is to blame - it was offensive to the constituents who came there of their own legitimate concern / independent will).

Aside from that, I'm still not impressed nor pleased with the fact that you continue to fail to separate yourself from so many other "representatives" that continue to perform a sales job on constituents, rather than demonstrate they actually HEAR the true will of their constituents. I was at the event in Bremerton, Mr. Dicks. Your constituents' message was loud and clear. So, this kind of reply (better than none?!) does little other than add to the feeling that we the people are being force-fed at one great, big, Mad Hatter's Tea Party...where nothing gets read...and nothing that's said seems to go anywhere...while everyone is confused and distracted and things march along at rapid pace. To be plain, Mr. Dicks, it's...a disgrace.

I've inserted my comments and concerns below, in the body of your email.

Kind Regards,
Tristan Benz

Dear Ms. Benz:

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for your comments following the Town Hall Meetings in August, largely focused on the health care reform legislation that is currently on the congressional agenda. I appreciated hearing from you and I would like to take this opportunity to respond.

In recent months, I have had the opportunity to listen to the sincere concerns of my constituents at these large meetings and at many other public events in the Sixth District. There was a great mix of ideas and ideologies in attendance at the Town Hall Meetings. While the discussion became contentious at times, I was extremely grateful for the input and ideas of such a broad range of people, many of whom expressed concerns similar to your own. I know there is a great difference of opinions over how to best address the health care crisis facing this country, but I believe there is clear agreement on the need to improve quality, expand coverage, and contain the rising costs of health insurance.

As you know, health insurance costs have placed an increasing strain on American families and businesses, with premiums rising much faster than wages in recent years. In addition, there are more than 46 million Americans who have no health insurance coverage at all, and many more who are losing coverage every day during the current economic crisis. The other discouraging aspect of this problem is the enormous amount of money that is spent on health care in our country - almost twice as much per capita than any other industrialized nation. For all of these reasons, I believe that Congress has both a moral and fiscal obligation to seek ways to reduce costs, eliminate wasteful spending, encourage preventative care and broaden access to health care in the United States. To do nothing would be to ignore our responsibility to future generations.

To date, legislative proposals have been developed by key House and Senate Committees yet no complete version has been presented to the full membership of either house for a vote. While the legislative process continues, I wanted to take this opportunity to re-state my priorities in this important legislative effort.

First, as I stated previously, I believe it is important to preserve what people like about the current insurance system that provides health care benefits to a broad cross-section of Americans: specifically the ability to keep their health plans and their doctors if they choose to do so.

Sadly, from all I've read so far, none of the proposed legislation allows people to keep their health plans - if they change their plan or any various details of their plan, they're up that proverbial creek (I do recall that a lovely woman at the townhall I went to in Bremerton spoke up very well to this point).

Second, I have been a proponent of health reform that has some type of public option as a way to offer a more comprehensive and competitive plan in the health care marketplace.

As one of many lively members of your constituent base who stand in absolute opposition to the socialist measure of a public option, I am stunned that this is what you retained, after "hearing" our will, at your townhall meeting. Our local papers had little trouble hearing our will... seems odd that what you took away with you was so wildy different to their reports, especially since we were all in the same room. Mr. Dicks, how is it possible to represent me and the huge number of folks in our region who are NOT proponents of a public option, if you refuse to hear our will?

I see votes, like sardines, turning on a dime - on this single, hot issue - and going to ANYONE but you and other representatives who are not listening. Perhaps, if you were to really look, you'd see that, too.

Third, I believe we need to resolve the inequities that exist in the current system, including the glaring geographic variation in Medicare reimbursement rates that have disproportionately hurt Washington and a few other states while they have unfairly benefitted a few key larger states. In late July, I worked with a small group of Members of Congress from affected states to develop language that we believe will be included in the final version of the reform bill in the House, stipulating a process for making these reimbursement rates more equitable.

A great majority of Americans openly agree that we need fixes to our system. But only a few extreme "progressives" agree that the radical measures contained in legislation being debated at this juncture in our nation's history is what is best for America's children. With unemployoment continuing to rise and many nations now looking to dump the dollar in favor of a "basket of currencies" (yen, euro, etc.) and our national debt / unfunded liabilities sky-rocketing out of control (as we print endless dollars without restraint and while the government cannot actually TRACK the monies being spent with and without your consent...), let me just say this clearly:

Our "representatives" are barking up the wrong trees and are WAY OFF in their priorities.

FIRST, fix the CORRUPTION and the OUT OF CONTROL SPENDING / DEBT and the UNEMPLOYMENT and the RUINATION of the U.S. dollar. All of these are top priorities, coming WAY ahead of healthcare fixes. This is absolutely disgraceful - seriously, how can our "representatives" sleep at night, knowing what financial abuse they are committing against America's children?

AFTER THESE FIXES, then we can get to healthcare - and, when we do, we need to first identify where the TORT REFORM is, as a measure, in such a "fix" to our system? I'm not seeing that addressed with any "teeth" - are you, Mr. Dicks?

Then, of course, we need to see to the elimination of mandates that prevent the free market from doing it's job and allowing competition and shopping across state lines. Our government has created the costly mess we're in by mandating ridiculous laws that prevent competition and now wants to add to the nighmare by adding to our deficit and taxing / spending us and our CHILDREN into oblivian?! This is ridiculous, embarrassing and undermining to the interests of our entire country, what is going on here.

In addition, I cannot imagine that the House would adopt a plan that fails to provide for coverage of the millions of currently uninsured people in this country - including kids-who represent a huge cost to society when they show up in hospital emergency rooms for urgent care that is ultimately much more costly.

At the same time I fully expect that the legislation we ultimately adopt would achieve substantial savings by reducing duplication of efforts, eliminating wasteful expenditures and simplifying paperwork burdens to achieve savings that can be re-directed to productive uses.

As I stated before, this is a serious debate that we are having in our country this year, and it's important that we adopt the right solutions, however long it may take. As the process continues in Congress, I will try to update you on the progress of the reform effort. Once again, I appreciate the helpful comments and suggestions that you and so many others from the 6th District have relayed to me.

I will say it until I'm red, white and blue in the face, Mr. Dicks, "It is time to cut the political correctness. It's time to cut the "sales job" on WE the PEOPLE."

Mr. Dicks, I am a MOM.

I'm one of those people with children who does not want our government turning them into slaves to the debt our "public servants" are creating at lightening speed here. I also do not want our government dictating to America's doctors when it comes to their care and their children's children's care. I'm stunned at the arrogance, really. How can so many of our "servants" in DC so arrogantly display such little respect for doctors? It's as though they have as much respect for doctors as they do for the will of the people! Do you even know how many doctors are prepared to leave their profession if any version of this nightmare of a bill goes through (I believe it's now at 45%!)?

And what have you been reading as far as who REALLY benefits from this "overhaul" of our pocket books - oops, surely I must have meant system? I'm sure big pharma and the folks over at AARP, the unions and others are going to have a field day, just as I'm sure we'll attract a lot of "quality" doctors at the devalued "going government dictated rate," based on taxpayer's dimes and nickels being shoved through a government-run "business" of healthcare management. Good heavens - we have a postal system that is failing Mr. Dicks - I ask you - what could possibly be more complicated than MAILING LETTERS successfully???

Again, I'm deeply chagrinned. Your email only echoes what we already know now, without a doubt - our "representatives" are out of touch. Our "representatives" are clearly NOT listening. While you should be focussed on ending the CORRUPTION and the problems our representatives and their lobbyists have already caused and allowed to continue at our expense, it appears you're still on that one-track-mind of an approach - i.e. how to SELL us on YOUR vision "on our behalf."

I'm sorry - I'm not buying.

This is NOT how AMERICA was designed to work.

Mr. Dicks, we are watching the corruption unfold.

We are watching our debt clock and the unfunded liablities go wild.

We are watching other countries of the world DUMP OUR DOLLAR.

We are watching our "representatives" apparently unwittingly fund criminal activities / entities (note: the American Dream is not synonymous with the Lobbyists' Dream!)

We are watching our "representatives" talk down to us, "selling" and dictating to us, instead of listening to us.

We are watching our "representatives" shove their agendas down our throats, at our [children's] expense.

Mr. Dicks, I'm *hoping* that it will come as no surprise to you when I say...we average American Citizens are not as thick as what your administrative filters in DC would apparently like you to believe. Those of us who care about our children and our country will not rest until we replace those who so obviously fail to understand the meaning of "servant" to our will. It will be our pleasure to vote in candidates who will listen and serve the will of the people, not the will of special interests.

Please, do keep continue to keep me apprised of your work in office. And I'll be sure to make you aware of the work I'm doing in my office, as Citizen - in speaking up, in solidarity, with a great and growing number of Americans who do not want socialism, corruption and moral / financial "Hiroshimic Rewards" for America's children.

Kind Regards,
Tristan Benz

© 2009 Tristan Benz, all rights reserved.

What We Feed is What Grows!

This is such a great article about what our children SHOULD be learning in school that I have to post a link to it. It echoes the statement under the "about me" section, to the right of my blog here - and then some. Which puts me in a mood to follow my own advice now - if you're damned if you do and damned if you don't, I say...by all means...DO!!! Time to put it as I see it: I agree with Thomas Sowell!!

When parents finally decide to gather and stand together in SOLIDARITY, instead of leaving one or two parents to stand up against what truly is a tidal force of "tail wagging dog" activity going on in our school system these days, THEN our children will have a fair chance of getting the kind of education they need, in order to think for themselves - NOT to be indoctrinated by those who do not proactively consult we, the parents; who do not always appear to reflect our values.

In the same breath in which I say this, I must also add that we would be 100% UNJUSTIFIED in putting all blame on the "system" - the administrators, teachers, etc. Nope - that would be dishonest. To be fair and accurate, we parents have to look straight down at our own two feet, because we are the ones who drop our children off at those schoolhouse doors and run each day; we are the ones who make it a regular practice to "get along" rather than "make waves;" we are the ones who don't have the time (or any of a number of other excuses, including being too afraid to "stick out" or "stand alone," in order to do what we know, deep inside, is right for our children and the system, alike).

Actually, in addition to saying this, I now realize there is no way I can leave out another controversial article I read the other night - wow, a very interesting piece to contemplate. Now, personally, I don't agree with Selwyn Duke's use of the word "evil" but I think this article is very well put and it's worth it to step over that one and read to the finish.

As with the first article, this one makes points and asks the kinds of questions that are likely to cause those who are hell bent on being politically correct, to... protest "too much." But, to me, this kind of charged discussion - these kinds of questions - while causing discomfort, also have the strange impact of offering quite the contrary feeling, eventually. Relief. Indeed, there is no greater relief than to shine a light on the ugly truth; to free your mind from the guilt and / or other wasted, toxic content that eats away a body and mind from within; to start getting creative and finding solutions, instead of relying on someone else's notion of good band-aid measures to what ails us.

Fellow moms and dads, isn't it time we finally wrapped ourselves up, with great self esteem and our rightful authority, in solidarity; for all of us, together, to once again take 100% responsibility for what our children are learning in school? For what WE are teaching them - by showing up or not?

It used to be that schools answered to we, the parents. It used to be that our schools totally reflected OUR values and taught in accordance to OUR expectations. In fact, on this note, here's yet one more feature (by Lloyd Marcus, a GREAT AMERICAN!) that makes several great points worth our valuable parental consideration.

If we want our schools to again reflect our values and expectations, on behalf of OUR children, one thing is clear - hope is not a plan.

How grateful I am to see more people voicing things I've held bitten, on my tongue, as best I could. I applaud these authors, just as I applaud every parent who drops the guilt, rolls up sleeves, walks the coals and stretches the comfort zones. And I think Ghandi put it perfectly beautifully, more than once, when he said, "be the change you want to see in the world" and "my life is my message."


© 2009 Tristan Benz, all rights reserved

How do local news organizations define "local interest" - an interesting debate in Kitsap!

There's an interesting little debate going on over at another local blog.Here's the comment I just left:


"I guess it all depends on what local papers decide is the real meaning of serving the needs of their local readers (i.e. what constitutes "local interest").

When I was in school, we were instructed that journalists always have a choice - just take a slant on a national story and, BOOM, it's... (surprise!)...LOCAL!

I actually think this is a great opportunity for local papers to shine like they've never shined before - to scoop and upstage the MSM! I urge all local papers to chew on this idea :-).

I can only speak for myself, as a reader, when I say, what happens in our town (Port Orchard) is not the ONLY thing I find "critical" to my interests and that I would be MOST proud of any local paper defining stories based on a poll of actual readership interests, like (or unlike) mine.

Let's face it, while it's been fun, reading about bickering over paint colors isn't half as important to me as knowing where my tax dollars are going and [about] what impacts local, small businesses. Just one example - to my knowledge, no one has yet done a top-notch, in-depth feature on the damage the federal CPSIA legislation is having on small, local businesses like mine. This is a law that impacts every parent (if you believe in parental authority, it should get you steaming mad), every garage-sale-host, every library, you name it - the list goes on...but, where is the real local story being told? The MSM is burying this and other stories (you can find links on my blog about CPSIA- there are many of us doing all we can to shed light on this nightmare).

Again, I think [that] what is now happening in America presents nothing but the PERFECT OPPORTUNITY for local newspapers to elevate themselves to the status of oh-so-incredibly-superior-to-the-MSM in actually SERVING the REAL interests of its (yes, local) readers.

Let's face it - people are leaving MSM sources in droves, now that all the corruption and bias is being revealed as...utterly blatant. Could there be a more perfect time to consider a re-definition of what constitutes a "local interest" story?"


If you think this is a debate worth having in our community, I urge you to chime in and get your voice heard. Just because things have "traditionally" been defined one way by the newspaper industry, does this mean it must be set in stone, forever and always?

If it's not a perfect opportunity for local papers to re-define the meaning of serving the interest of locals, perhaps it's a golden opportunity for a new, local media entity to emerge, to go ahead and serve the interests expressed by those who don't agree with the traditional definition?

A most interesting debate, at the very least.


© 2009 Tristan Benz, all rights reserved

Love and Hate - by Janice Pisciotta

My mother has been writing a series of what she's referring to as her "war poems." We have been discussing how interesting it is that the anti-war outcry has died down under Obama while there is no less war going on in the Middle East, etc. (aren't we actually ADDING forces in Afghanistan?).

Isn't it ironic that the poster-woman for anti-war sentiment appears to have been thrown into the proverbial ditch while the anti-war noisemakers have grown...eerily silent? By all accounts I've read, Cindy Sheehan has maintained her integrity and continues to protest war under Obama, just as she did under Bush.

So - before I share any pieces from her series on war, I want to post a poem she wrote called Love and Hate. I just spoke with her and, in reference to this piece, she said, "yes - I love this poem... really, what's it all for? When all is said and done, what's it all for? ...Who are you going to teach to hate today?"

Love and Hate

Father I love you - I hate what you hated.
Father I love you - I hate who you hated.
Father I love you - I miss what you said,
So I use all the words as if you weren't dead.

Up here, My Son - There are no eyes for color.
Up here, My Son - every man is a brother.
Up here, my son, can be found all the fathers,
Crying cloud tears for the sons of all others.

- J. Pisciotta copyright 1989, all rights reserved - no reproduction without written permission from the author.

© 2009 Tristan Benz, all rights reserved

Is Everything Perfectly Sheep Shape in Your Life?

"Man keeps searching for a truth to fit his reality... given his reality, the truth doesn't fit." - Anonymous.

Have you tried on the sheep’s clothing, only to find that it didn’t fit? Have you become a good liar? Telling yourself that, if you only suck your gut in where it’s too tight, it really DOES fit? Have you been walking funny or standing in a better light, to make up for the awkwardness of what is too short or too long or just plain, too wrong for you? Have you been mixing with other sheep – learning all the “right moves” in order to pass yourself off as something…less genuine? Less glorified…by…SHEEP?!

At the end of the day, it must wear you down. If nothing else, it has got to wear down your contribution to the world (as only YOU can make), as the time spent in all of these activities is time you might better have used to do great, individual things.

Sad, but, even those who, deep down, know that they are NOT sheep at heart, have somehow learned to harbor just enough fear to keep them trying and avoiding the truth of who they are.

It’s not easy to walk the world bare and truthful – but it sure as heck beats sweating it out in any pointless parade - in that great masquerade, in the Kingdom of Sheep.

© 2009 Tristan Benz, all rights reserved.

Campaign for Small Business - Equal Representation under CPSIA?

Henry Waxman & Co. are having yet another CPSIA hearing on Thursday. Again, we, the great unwashed, have not been invited to give our testimony.

In order to make our voice known, many small business owners (including yours truly) are joining a letter-writing campaign spear-headed by Rick Woldenberg of Learning Resources Inc.

Question: Does CPSIA impact YOU?

If you have a small business...

If you are a parent

• If you support your local library and love children's books printed before 1985

If you believe in fairness under the law.

• If you ever have a yard sale, support a church fundraiser or visit a thrift store (also see this article)...

Then YOU may have good reason to join us in our effort to get our voices heard and interests represented, under CPSIA legislation.

Below is the letter I have sent along, to be included with so many others. My sincere hope is that it might inspire additional moms / dads / small business owners (those who may be waiting in the wings to see how it all "plays out," while the amazing efforts of those who have not been silent with their concerns have continued marching ahead - in addition to Rick Woldenberg's blog, may I recommend you visit Amend The CPSIA , the CPSIA Chronicles and What is The CPSIA, for a good set of resources) might now consider speaking up, on behalf of our unquestionably diminished parental authority and our important rights to be heard / represented as citizens AND small business owners, etc.

September 7, 2009

The Honorable Henry Waxman
Chairman

The Honorable Bobby Rush
Subcommittee Chairman

House Energy and Commerce Committee
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Joe Barton
Ranking Member

The Honorable George Radanovich
Subcommittee Ranking Member

House Energy and Commerce Committee
2322A Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairmen and Ranking Members:

I am deeply chagrinned to learn that not even one of the thousands of small businesses being discriminated against by CPSIA legislation have been invited to testify at the Committee hearing set for September 10, 2009 in which the Hon. Inez Tenenbaum, Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is scheduled to testify on the implementation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

Your decision not to include the voice of small business at your hearing supports the idea that CPSIA is a holocaust against small business in that, apparently and as far as I can see, the small business victim – the most disadvantaged under this new law – is being eliminated from both the dialogue at your hearings and from competing fairly in the marketplace. I have deep concerns about this practice being permitted by public servants charged with listening to our will and performing their duties to us in a manner that supports our expressed concerns, true will and best interests.

As a small business owner devastated by CPSIA, I have come to the harsh understanding that “intent” of a law does not mean the same as “letter” of the law. After reading a feature about the First Lady’s “organic” garden (attached) and another (also attached), more recent feature about Mattel being given a “pass” while the rest of the peons in our industry continue to suffer in playing by the rules set down by the CPSIA (confusing as they are!), I’m officially exhausted by the entire nightmare, for which I now hold you and your Committee 100% responsible.

Mr. Chairman, you and your associates have not only gotten my attention as a business woman, you have also gotten my dander up, as a citizen and parent. This law has officially replaced “Mother Approved” with “Big Brother Approved,” effectively undermining parental authority across this great nation. From a small business perspective, your committee has established CPSIA “at our expense,” not “on our behalf.” The discrimination, hypocrisy, lack of representation and apparent disregard for getting this law “right” on behalf of OUR children and the small, family-owned business victims that serve / support them (one and the same interest) is as obvious as the nose on your face.

What ever happened to equal representation? Small business is the backbone of the American economy. Unless the intent is to foster a new kind of backbone that serves another type of economic model, I can see no reason why this committee would, in all good conscience, fail to include our voice at your hearings? I strongly urge you to invite small business to testify at this and every future hearing you may hold regarding a law that so deeply impacts the “little guy.”

Sincerely,
Tristan Benz
Mom, Citizen, Registered Voter, Small Business Owner

© 2009 Tristan Benz, all rights reserved. No part of this feature may be reproduced without written permission.

Did you vote for this change? "I pledge to be of service to Barack Obama?"

Since when do we pledge to be of service to A SINGLE MAN in America? Even JFK didn't have that kind of audacity! He, if I recall correctly, asked us to ask what WE could do for our COUNTRY.

If you don't know about the September 8th speech intended for all American children in OUR schools, you may want to google it (apparently, in one district in Florida, parents may NOT OPT OUT - just who runs our schools again?).

If you're just learning about this, let me leave you with a few links - one, to a feature on two of the books about Barack Obama that your children are expected to read... and another to a feature titled, "Obama and DOE Violate Federal Law Enlisting Kids in Schools to Push Agenda ."

Oh - and here's something for those of you who have teens (do they have cell phones?). A very disturbing look at the tactics being used by our military, to recruit our youngsters.

And a look at where "food safety" is headed - if your church feeds people or stores food for emergencies, get ready to register with Big Brother, as there is a communist takeover of all food production that's one step nearer to complete. This PASSED in the House - please get involved - contact your Senators NOW!

Last but not least... my FAVORITE NEW VIDEO - this guy is just SMART, SMART, SMART! I hope you'll join with me and countless others in a movement to BRING THE POLITICIANS HOME! I just can't say enough about how great this idea is!!!

© 2009 Tristan Benz, all rights reserved. May not be reproduced without written permission.