Edgar Guest's "Life's Slacker"

I decided it would be a good idea to post this. Guest is a guy I wished I was exposed to earlier that I was. He's a VERY cleaver writer. This story is no exception (taken from http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/life-s-slacker/)


Life's Slacker

by Edgar Guest

The saddest sort of death to die


Would be to quit the game called life


And know, beneath the gentle sky,


You'd lived a slacker in the strife.


That nothing men on earth would find


To mark the spot that you had filled;


That you must go and leave behind


No patch of soil your hands had tilled.






I know no greater shame than this:


To feel that yours were empty years;


That after death no man would miss


Your presence in this vale of tears;


That you had breathed the fragrant air


And sat by kindly fires that burn,


And in earth's riches had a share


But gave no labor in return.






Yet some men die this way, nor care:


They enter and they leave life's door


And at the end, their record's bare—


The world's no better than before.


A few false tears are shed, and then,


In busy service, they're forgot.


We have no time to mourn for men


Who lived on earth but served it not.






A man in perfect peace to die


Must leave some mark of toil behind,


Some building towering to the sky,


Some symbol that his heart was kind,


Some roadway where strange feet may tread


That out of gratitude he made;


He cannot bravely look ahead


Unless his debt to life is paid.

A Fine... Un-Qualified..........

Before your read this, play the video about Barack Omama below. In this youtube video (taken from the RNC's YouTube page), you will notice that even DEMOCRATS understood what was about to happen. His own party saw what could happen if this man became President.




If we think about the oil spill alone, I think that underscores the incompetence in Washington. In fact, I can recall a preacher talking about a fine leader (and that’s up for debate). But then the preacher goes further. He erupts in to mentioning “but now we have a fine…..qualified…..African American…..named Barack Obama”, with a more than enthusiastic congregation joining in. Canada, Denmark and several other countries have offered help with this oil spill, yet this President won’t accept it. As this saga goes on, I think back to the quote I just mentioned. This preacher (recently retired at 87 years old and over 60 years in ministry), had an indirect connection to Saul Alinsky through the Woodlawn Organization. Alinsky was a consultant through his Industrial Areas Foundation (1).


Over the last few months, I looked back at past Presidents and compared their resumes with our current President. In fact, I went a bit further and compared some key players in the Democratic primary race. What I found was that there were 5 Senators with at least 8 years (Hillary Clinton was the least experienced but the rest had been Senators 13 years or more).  I noticed until this President, something was different. Sure, his academic background (which to this day still hasn’t been verified) is equal to past President (if we take it at face value alone). I noticed that each President of modern times had a lengthy background in at least one of the follow areas:

a. Military- lengthy career achieving officer status.
b. Government experience- elected or appointed to a major office in the federal or state level.
c. Business- this would include owning or running a business at the executive level.

You think I’m wrong. Let’s go back to the start of the 20th century. Again, I will do this by list only. Thess are the things they did BEFORE they took office and the years of related experience:
-Teddy Roosevelt - former Lt Colonel, Congressional Medal of Honor winner, Governor, Vice President, President- 13 years (2).
- William Taft - extensive international experience and served as Secretary of War, served as an Appellate Judge, Superior Court Judge, and Governor General of the Philippines and Cuba- 17 years (3).
- Woodrow Wilson- former President of Princeton University, Governor of New Jersey ( also showed “Birth of a Nation” at the White House, typical Democratic form of that time; ole Woody was a swell guy)- 13 years; LENGHTY academic career (sound familiar) (4)
- Warren Harding- owned the Marion Day Star newspaper (which was broke when he bought it), Ohio State Senator, Ohio Lt Governor, US Senator- 15 plus years (5).
- Calvin Coolidge- State legislator, Governor of Massachusetts, Vice President- 20 plus years (6).
- Herbert Hoover- Mining engineer and manager, US Secretary of Commerce- 30 plus years (7).
- FDR- State Senator of New York, Asst Sec of the Navy- 13 years (8).
- Truman- National Guard, Judge, US Senator – over 30 years (9)
- Eisenhower- I shouldn’t need to do this but I will- the radio edit. 5 Star General, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Educated at West Point, President of Columbia University-38 years (10).
- JFK- Naval Officer, Massachusetts House of Representatives, US Senator – 17 years (11).
- Johnson (LBJ): Naval Officer, House of Representatives, US Senate (served as Minority & Majority Whip), Vice President- 20 plus years (12).
- Nixon: Naval Officer, US House of Representatives, Vice President- 20 plus years (13).
- Ford: Military, House of Representatives Member, Vice President- 31 years (14).
- Carter: US Navy Officer/ US Naval Academy, Farm Owner, Governor- 29 years (15).
- Reagan: Governor- 8 years (16).
- GHW Bush (41): Military Officer, Business Owner, US House of Representatives, US Ambassador to the UN, CIA Director, US Liaison Office (China), Vice President, Director of Council of Foreign Relations, Vice President- 30-plus years (17).
- Clinton: Rhodes Scholar, Attorney General, Governor- 13 years (18).
- GW Bush: National Guard, Energy and Oil Sales, Business Owner (Texas Rangers), Governor- 13 years.
- Obama- Illinois (State and US) Senator 13 years total (barely full time US Senator for just over a year).

Now I'm not trying to sway opinion one way or another about the men listed above (those are issues onto themselves). These are the men who served as President going back to Theodore Roosevelt. If you take a look at this list, you may notice an interesting pattern. I counted 3 former Governors, 4 former Vice Presidents, several with extensive military experience, and a few business owners. Obama was a US Senator for barely 1 term. One year private sector business experience and no foreign policy experience. No experience with the military (not even at an ROTC level). There is nothing on this President resume that says he should be President. I can think about the Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan when he said these words- "Who selected a Jr Senator who handn't even got his feet wet in the US Senate & made him believe that he from that position could become President of the United States (20)." While I'm no fan, for him to say what he did should turn a head or two at the very least.
 
I have no problem with a man who wants to make his community better. The world would be a better if people cared more about the people and helping those in need. So you ran a community, and organized local organizations. No public sector experience. First Lady Obama at least worked for the University of Chicago hospital and has some private and public sector business (she was a member of the Treehouse Foods Board of Directors as well as the Chicago Board of Global Affairs). For the record, he wasn't even a tenure track Professor at the University of Chicago but a part time lecturer, as the video below will prove (22):
 

 
Every day, I wake up and HOPE I am wrong about everything that's happened in the last 18 months. This last campaign was ugly enough. What worries me is the future. My concern is that a qualified African American (and for that matter any minority) with a strong, documented track record may not get the chance because of what this man has done. In my entire life, I haven't seen the level of brute force (in passing bills and spending among other things) to the level this current administration and Congress is going now. If you're a person of prayer as I am and haven't been doing so, now may not be a bad time to start.
 
Works Cited:
1. Woodlawn Organization Internet Site: http://www.areachicago.org/p/issues/6808/woodlawn-organization/

2. Theo. Roosevelt Bio: http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org/life/biotr.htm

3. Taft Bio: http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/lib_hist/courts/supreme/judges/taft/wht-bio.html

4. Wilson Bio: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/woodrowwilson/

5. Harding bio: http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/harding/essays/biography/1

6. Collidge bio: http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/coolidge/essays/biography/1

7. Hoover Bio: http://www.historycentral.com/Bio/presidents/hoover.html

8. FDR Bio: http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1578.html

9. Truman Bio: http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hst-bio.htm

10. Eisenhower Bio: http://www.dwightdeisenhower.com/biodde.html

11. JFK Bio: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnfkennedy

12. FDR Bio: http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=J000160

13. Nixon Bio: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/richardnixon

14. Ford: http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=F000260

15. Carter: http://www.cartercenter.org/news/experts/jimmy_carter.html

16. Reagan: http://reagan2020.us/biography/ronald_reagan.asp

17. Bush (41): http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B001166

18. Clinton: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/williamjclinton/

19. Bush (43): http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/georgewbush

20. Obama: http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=o000167

21. Farrakhan: Obama was Selected Before Elected: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UthglMvQQyA

22.  Professor John Lott interviewed on Mark Levin show.

Political Slogans from 2008-2012

2008- Hope and Change. Yes. Utopia. Euphoria. The promise for something new. The "redistribution of wealth" and various other pipe dreams.  Typical politician making promises and the American public that believed. Think about this. From 1988-2008, the United States was run by two families- the Bushs and Clintons. Each had their mistakes some more costly than others. People felt that was enough. The last Bush that ran couldn't run again (2 terms). In my opinion, the Clinton's slit their own throats in 2008. She had a lead (pretty clear one) and one mistake. The Jerimiah Wright Tape, which had been done a few years back, released just as the primary was tied. John McCain, a retired miliary officer and Senator fom Arizona, could have won this thing but pretty much gave little or nothing to sink his teeth in. Sarah Palin gave him some credibility. The rest as we know is history.

2009-Hoaxed And Changed. So many promises, so little delivered. What was delivered, the American public didn't want. Promises? How about the promise of allowing 15% or up to $15,000 from retirement accounts to help stimulate the economy (normal taxes would apply). Nope- that got lost in the shuffle. We'll put a man back on the moon by 2020. Nope, scratched that plan this spring. Now shuttle launches will end as of the end of 2010. Open and honest debates along with a 5 day review of all bills posted on the Internet for all to read. Open debates and discussions on C-SPAN. Right. Lets see. They take a bill that had 600 plus pages that grew to over 2700 pages almost overnight. They expect us to read 2700 pages in 5 days. Where's Evelyn Wood when you need her? Open and honest? If you're being open and honest, why is it that the powers that be expect a document of this magnitude to be read that quickly? Well how about they're trying to hide something from the people (such as those who passed this monster are EXEMPT from this). This is the bad news. The level of the US government's control is a a level I thought would never see. The intention is to nationalize as much as humanly possible. And I'll stop here because I could go on. But there is hope. The tea party!!

2010-Change it Back. Here is the good news. The Tea Party, various conservatives media and those once called middle of the road understand what is at stake here. This government has gone totally out of control. This is the year that the estate tax, which was ended years back, will return with a vengence to the tune of 45% as of 2011. Think about this- 45% of what YOU own and already paid taxes and will need to give more. People are starting to wake up and see what's about to happen. The proposal of a nationalize health care system- which those countries that have it see that it's not cost-effective (not to metion that the leaders of these places come to the USA for major treatments). In other words, we're not having this redistribution of wealth talk at all.

Conservatives have spoken. We no longer want big government imposing its will on us as citizens. Conservative candidates has generally done well in elections but now isn't the time to stop. Two years ago, I had NO IDEA who Michele Bachmann was. Now, I like her and would back her if I lived in her district. Better yet, she is the liberal public enemy #1 as dubbed by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (just another reason to support Bachmann). In fact, I hope she runs for Senate down the road. JD Hayworth, Sharron Angle, Mark Rubio among many have had enough and have set out to change this mess the current so called "leaders" have gotten this country in to. Now, with revived conservative leadership running for office, we can do one thing- change it back (or at least get the ball in motion).

2012- Change No More. This President is a 1-term President. If we, the people, can get those who support what has happened over the last 18 months or so, our lives will be better for it. Wealth returns to it rightful owners (those who earned it)!! Good bye, Stalin.

Black Patriots Have Always Existed

Until recently, I was not a big Glenn Beck fan. I felt he was a bright man but acted like a class clown at times. When he gets an issue right, he knocks it out of the park. This is a perfect example. Glenn Beck's Founding Fathers: African American Edition does a very good job in addressing this. He addressed the subject of African American's and the founding of this country. On the panel were two men. One was Daniel Burton, founder of Wallbuilders (http://www.wallbuilders.com/) and the other was Professor Lucas Morel from Washington and Lee University. Each are also authors. Burton wrote "Setting the Record Straight: American History in Black and Right" and Morel wrote "Lincoln's Sacred Effort."




I would challenge anyone to watch this series of 4 videos (teachers especially). As a kid, my parents taught me many of the names mentioned here. After seeing this show, I think those of you who are reading this will see why Black History Month exists. Why? It's names like those mentioned here have been left out (intentionally) by those who control the schools. I see a slow change but still some VERY important people are not being mentioned in schools.



As I think back to the mid-to-late 1980's, the world of Rap took a turn towards learning about history and more of a militant turn (some much more so than others). I can recall Boogie Down Productions "You Must Learn", released in 1989. He mentioned some of the names that this special mentioned and one of the lyrics given here really stood out then as it does now. The verse is somewhat haunting and as I look back that this was not taken seriously. I think THIS was the intention of multi-culturalism at first but somewhere along the way, someone forgot what I feel it was intended to be- show our differences yet understand that our contributions are equal.

 The verse that haunts me is below:
"I believe that if you're teaching history Filled with straight up facts no mystery
Teach the student what needs to be taught 'Cause Black and White kids both take shorts
When one doesn't know about the other ones' culture, Ignorance swoops down like a vulture'
Cause you don't know that you ain't just a janitor. No one told you about Benjamin Banneker.
A brilliant Black man that invented the almanac. Can't you see where KRS is coming at?
With Eli Whitney, Haile Selassie, Granville Woods made the walkie-talkie
Lewis Latimer improved on Edison, Charles Drew did a lot for medicine
Garrett Morgan made the traffic lights, Harriet Tubman freed the slaves at night
Madame CJ Walker made a straightenin comb, But you won't know this is you weren't shown.
The point I'm gettin' at it it might be harsh 'Cause we're just walkin' around brainwashed"

I'll stop now so you can enjoy the videos. My only intention was to get some other frustration off my chest. This series in in 4 parts- the first three are the show itself and the last video was the after-show session (shown only Online). Any thoughts or comments are welcome and appreciated.


Part 1: The ground work. He begins with mentioning Prince Whipple and James Armistead, America's first double-agent/spy among others. I like the groundwork he used to set the table here.



Part 2. Here names such as Wentworth Chessell and Fredrick Douglass are mentioned in great depth. The 3/5th human rule is also featured here, mentioned how it came to be and how the south got suckered!!



Part 3: More on Douglass, Peter Salem, the hero to Bunker Hill, and Bejamin Banneker are among those featured here.



The extras/ post show session with the Beck, Burton and Morel. There is some fantastic dialogue between this panel and a very balanced audience (by race). This was about as productive of a dialogue I have seen on topics like this.