The Constitution Packs a ONE TWO Punch!

There is a reason the First Amendment of the Constitution is followed by the Second Amendment of the Constitution; brilliance! Our founders knew that human behavior was predictable based on past history, and that is why they developed a document to limit the behavior of well-intentioned but often mis-guided individuals to control American’s lives. And if they refused to live by the constitution the, people had the capacity to enforce or at least defend themselves against the most aggressive of them. The one two punch of the constitution!

The Middle East is in chaos and there is a pre-text that it is because we here in the west have this thing called a first amendment right to criticize people, things, and government without retribution. It works real well when your pursuit is freedom! Well freedom in the Islamic world is secondary to their religious beliefs. They cut off people’s heads for insulting their religious figures. So to say they have a propensity toward freedom is a lie. To say they have a propensity to chop people’s heads off is the truth.

There is a culture clash between Islam and America that cannot be overcome. You see Islam is not simply a religion, it is Muslim’s culture, religion, laws, and political system all rolled into one. There is no separation of religious beliefs and civil law in Islam. You have to respect and abide by Islam or you die. Simple fact but not easy to implement in a country like America. Why? Because of the Second Amendment!

The terrorist radicals of the Middle East can rant and rave about our disrespect of their religion but you see we don’t have to listen to them. We have a constitution that allows us to say and believe what we want to. So if someone wants to believe in Islam they can but don’t expect to be able to implement the laws of Islam here. And if you try, I suspect the millions and millions of gun owners in this country will protect their right to not believe with their other right to bear the necessary arms to protect the First Amendment right; Brilliant! Can you say ONE – TWO punch!

This country is under assault from every angle including inside the current White House. Apologizing for our right to free speech is despicable. You don’t have to support every word or video that is spoken or created but you do have to support the right to do it here in America if you are a sworn defender of the constitution which every federal elected official is. The apologists of our constitutional rights have no place in our government.

So while the Middle East burns we shine in our defense of the greatest document ever created: our US Constitution! No apology necessary only thanks please!

Constitution Day…

It will receive very little fanfare and my guess it will not even be mentioned in most public schools across this nation but the US Constitution is still a miraculous document. It is a pity to see how little time we spend on the founding of this great nation. Today is the two hundred and twenty fifth anniversary of the signing of the US Constitution.

Why is the Constitution still important? First, it is the rule of law that limits the role of the federal government to 18 enumerated powers. It is also the only Constitution that puts complete control of government in the people’s hands and not the other way around.

Prior to our constitution, it was assumed that the government controlled people’s lives. Many countries at the time (and even today) accepted the notion of nobility, cast systems, and family blood lines were the determining factors of what people could accomplish in their lives. That changed at the signing ceremony of the US Constitution.

The US Constitution was not perfect but it was the start of a movement to form a more perfect union. It is the reason slavery was abolished. It was forward thinking and set up a platform for future Americans to reference the constitution and make the changes needed to make all Americans equal. The US is often criticized for slavery but slavery was a common practice throughout the world and without our constitution there is no telling how much longer it would have lasted. It is still common practice in many parts of the world today.

The US Constitution is always under attack. The only way it survives is by Americans that are willing to defend it. After all, it simply is a document with the principles of this nation and it does not have a voice, we are the voice. I have argued that American students should study the Constitution all four years of High School. Anyone that believes that the current history curriculum in this country serves to protect our future as a nation and constitutional republic is kidding themselves.

The politicians that take the oath of office and swear to uphold the constitution often have limited understanding of the document. They ignore the context and use tortured arguments to justify federal expansion of power that has no authority in the constitution. Most politicians ignore it when it doesn’t support their programs, and tout its brilliance when it does.

We need to reaffirm our commitment to the document that changed the world for the better. It deserves a better placement in our education system, political system, and our lives. If we were abiding by the US Constitution today we would be much better off than we stand right now.

Make it your commitment to read and understand the context in which it was created. Start referencing it when you hear federal politicians promoting programs. Teach your kids about it. It was a miracle in 1787 and it is a miracle in 2012. We just need to treat it as such…

Never Forget 9/11

We need to remember that what is happening today in the Middle East is still a threat. There are so many radical Muslim America haters that we must pray every day for our troops, national security, border patrol, and all of law enforcement to have the wisdom and courage to do what is right.

We pray for their safety and their family's safety...

God Bless all of the victim's and the people that mourn and love them.

Teacher/Education Reform Can’t Wait

I wrote about education reform and in particular the way we hire teachers in my book, “The Teenager’s Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness…” The education “industry” monopolizes the way teachers are hired in the major public school systems. The education industry uses certificate programs to weed out the most qualified individuals willing to share their talent in the pursuit of educating our kids. I am not against certificate or higher education but when the results are what we see in Chicago, NY, LA, Detroit, and other major cities, we need another approach.

There are tens of thousands of experienced and qualified “teachers” in industry today willing to teach. The roadblock? Is the certification process to become eligible to teach our kids in public schools. Many smart and talented people that have a passion to help our kids get a head start in the real world don’t have the time to go back and get credentialed. They may be at the twilight of their careers and have time to dedicate to teaching part time or full time, and the passion to pass on that experience. At one time in history this was the education system; elders teaching children.

Here is my question to parents of kids locked into failing public schools: what have you got to lose? If we focused on results in the education industry as we do in the private sector, we would have to conclude the system is failing. There are a lot of things that account for that but one of them is the way we hire teachers. We hire kids out of college with no life experience. Many have spent their entire lives in a system that does not reflect the real world in any imagination of the term, and now they are the “leaders” that are given the awesome opportunity to get our kids ready for the real world. And how do they pass on an experience they have little if any knowledge of? Certification should focus on three areas, knowledge of the subject (discipline study needs review as well), experience in the private sector, and a passionate communications skill that energizes a love for learning.

I believe many, many teachers are doing a great job! I have had the pleasure of meeting many in my kids classrooms. But too many do not understand the importance of their role and don’t connect what they learn with applications in the real world. Much of the problem is curriculum that is driven by politics, unions, and people with specific agendas like special interest groups. Schools should produce a product for parents to consume. Curriculum is part of that product, methods for teaching and teachers are the other elements. Parents must be able to choose and schools need to have the ability to be flexible.

We watch as Chicago teachers strike and the kids wonder the streets in gangs killing each other. We need to reject the adage that all kids are worth educating. If kids are disruptive they are expelled. Once the message is clear behavior will change. You chuckle but you’re wrong.

On average Chicago pays its teachers $76,000 a year then add benefits including pensions that are bankrupting taxpayers. All the while not educating kids but providing an example of selfish greed and criticizing accountability measures designed to improve performance.

As a parent and American I am done with paying lavish pensions when I get squat!! Teachers, firefighters, policemen, and municipal employees need to pay their own damn pensions. I respect what they do when they do it well. I don’t begrudge these service employees a fair wage. But I am done scrounging for my family while these people cry when they have to contribute a small percentage toward their retirement or benefits and I have to fund my retirement 100%!

We can do better by firing every Chicago teacher that doesn’t go back to work and replacing them with experienced people that have a passion for their craft, and are willing to be held accountable for test results. Just as we hire engineers, sales people, technical workers in the private sector and hold them accountable, we need to break the unions and the education “industry” from holding us and our kids hostage to failure.

It is time to end this madness and see how many more kids we can educate by hiring passionate, skilled teachers, with real world experience to educate our kids. God knows it can only get better!