Will the Average American Be A Threat To Society???

   Today has been a day for uneasiness, a day that has been creeping up on the American people for the past few years.  When Obama was originally voted in office Congress split into angry, petty children and refused to work together for the remainder of his term. People were exasperated, frustrated.  The next election was incredibly close, but the majority of the people believed in being positive, and worried about health care coverage and equality for women many voted for Obama again, figuring that the government movers and shakers would give up their petty disagreements and once again move and shake for the good of the country.
   The American People have been fooled, bamboozled. The government officials that were elected for the good of the people still wage petty wars against each other, each pointing the finger of blame and no one listening to the concerns of the people.
   However, the government hasn't completely ignored the cries of the people!  Gun violence has become rampant, and the only way to solve it is to make sure that people cannot legally buy assault weaponry, or the ammunition for the weapons they already own.  Currently a hot topic President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are aggressively pushing for massive gun control.  The American People would be protected when  certain guns are removed from their grasp. Citizens must give up all the "scary" guns owned by those who obey the law and the government will offer protection.  Americans won't buy bullets, simply get out a "Louisville Slugger" or an aluminum baseball bat.  Such an approach works on possums, why not violent home invasion criminals?  But violent criminals will not play dead, or back into a corner snarling.  Gun toting criminals (they use guns because they don't follow the rules--hence the word criminals) are more like angry and belligerent skunks.  And when clubbing a skunk, someone is bound to get sprayed.  What is going to prevent a criminal from illegally buying assault weapons that could be used against the average American and their family? Or robbing a law-abiding citizen who owns weapons?  And not just the good old assault weapons, maybe a shotgun, a deer rifle, or a handgun!  What is a victim to do when someone breaks down the door and threatens to kill their family for a few earthly possessions that mean nothing when held against the value of  life? Call the police...if they were able to instantly transport to the situation that might work, but not realistically possible at this time.  So taking away guns, the victim is left to "swing away" and maybe connect a few hits before meeting the business end of a gun obtained by criminals who don't respect gun laws.  And if a United States citizen does not obey a total gun ban are they a threat to society?
   The case made for gun rights may be over dramatized, and the outrage may be misplaced. Obama and Biden are merely attempting to institute some gun control laws that will protect the American people.  According to Obama and Biden, if the nation had stricter gun laws than innocent people would not have lost their lives in places that should be safe and untouchable.  An eloquent and emotional supposition which remains in the land of fairy tales. The British have banned guns, and gun violence is incredibly low. Yet knife violence is alive and well. What does this tell Americans who worry about the position of guns in these United States?  If we give the government the peoples' last line of defense, citizens will still have to find a way to defend themselves against people that wish to commit bodily harm to the innocent.  And if the government decides to enact unconstitutional laws and unfair treatment the members of a great nation will be powerless to stand against tyranny. No one person wishes to feel the absolute helplessness that comes with being at the mercy of any ruling that is independent of the American peoples' input.
   Andrew Jackson was the seventh president of the United States, and was voted by the popular vote of the people.  He was the first president to be elected based on his popularity rather than his views, creating a popularity contest instead of the position and views of the candidate.  Despite his popularity with the common people, the National Republican Party was split in two--on one side the Republicans who wanted John Quincy Adams, and on the other side the Democrats who supported Jackson.  Jackson ran with his overwhelming popularity.  He used his presidency powers to veto more than the previous presidents before him lending him the nickname, "King Andrew I."  He replaced his cabinet with his own loyal supporters in the name of supporting the good of the common people. He was a war hero, and it was a strong element in his election to the presidency.  If Jackson thought that it benefited the country, he put it into play, whether he was met with opposition or not.  He was popular with most of the people, but did he protect and serve all of the people as a president should?
  Why the history lesson? There is also one other thing "Old Hickory" President Jackson was responsible for in American history.   In 1832 the Supreme Court ruled in Worcester v. Georgia that the government could not force the Cherokee Indians to move off of the lands that they had tilled and lived in peaceful harmony for years.  However, Jackson pushed the Indian Removal Act from 1838-39 regardless of the ruling and forced 15,000 Cherokees onto what was later referred to as "The Trail of Tears."  Thousands of innocent lives were lost on that trail, and it was what President Jackson decided was best for his country.  When looking back on that part of in history Americans are shamed by the supposed superiority of the settlers, and are not proud of the treatment of the Native American people.  The United States of America should protect their children, and the lives of others who do not deserve to lose life at the whim of criminals and their illegal activities.  Yet can America submit to full and absolute control of such an action that in the future might lead to another sorrowful and shameful chapter in American history?  Absolute power corrupts absolutely.  As American citizens, it is by the rights of The People to be a part of future decisions, and be aware of what to support. If Americans stand together and make informed decisions they will not be a threat to society but rather the quintessential American.

It's A Crazy New Year

   Well, here we are in 2013, and I hadn't made any definite plans.  I mean, according to the Mayans, the Hopi, and the Republicans, the world was supposed to end before Christmas. So, intending to free up my calendar and just enjoy living in the moment, I got a little sidetracked and fell to the wayside a bit.  I was miserably ill before Christmas, felt like I was dying, and it took a couple of weeks before I came out of that rough period.  So since the world continued on as I secretly suspected it would, I am slowly coming back to my reality.
   My amazing cousin, more like a sister, is training for a marathon in April.  I am so inspired by this chick--she is crazy determined! Boot camp three times a week at the gym, 6 miles running on a couple of days, and that long run on the other day. What do I do? I try to help Gary, my husband, keep up with the wood cutting to fuel our wood stove in our utility building, and run as much as possible, and of course, the old dialysis chair. I feel like a straight wimp at times. So this Wednesday when sweet Chelle invited me to the gym to either join her class for the night or hit the treadmills, I was excited to join her. Now I did dialysis that day and drove up to Wichita, but I didn't have the nurses pull off too much fluid, so I felt pretty confident I would be fine. And no, I did NOT participate in the boot camp class. It focused on lifting weights, and my fistula arm is not supposed to be involved in too much weight lifting. So I introduced myself to a very sexy treadmill, and we hit it off immediately while Chelle went off to fine tune those guns she's developing.
   Sounds splendid, right? Well, it didn't stay that way.  Usually I run at speed 5, and go clean up to 6 or 7, depending on my "spunkiness" level, and this time I dragged it down to 4 1/2 to start off. I couldn't push myself too much, and ended up doing a little over 2 miles in 30 minutes. What a bummer! Usually I pull 3 miles out of 30 minutes! So I pushed the next 30 minutes into walking up high inclines and power walking on the lower levels. I'm used to my treadmill going for as long as I want at home, and this hot little number I was working with decided at 60 minutes it was quitting time. (Which is what I planned, but still--I like to be the one to call the shots!)
   That was not what let me know what pathetic shape I let myself get into recently. What got me into the realm of reality was my super sweet and kick ass cousin inviting me to the last of her session, the boot camp abs workout.  (I sit here at this moment trying not to use my abs at any point to move or pull myself off of this couch.)  Good Golly Miss Molly! We did 4 ab exercises--lying leg raise, heel high toe touch, bicycles, and the 15 second left, middle, and right planks.  Oh, and we repeated those 3 times! I did okay the first round, and by the second round my middle felt as though it had burned out to paralyzed numbness. My mind was willing to command my abs to function, but my stomach was bewildered, and my legs flopped crazily in chaotic patterns as I urged the command onward.  And my sweet, adorable cousin sprouted horns and a devilish grin as she cooed, "You're doing awesome! You can do it, just a few more, just a few more seconds!" Oh, how I love that girl, but how much more I loved the mat and the floor as I flopped after the sets. And now my abs are pissed. I could barely move off the bed this morning and rolled over my husband in an awkward effort to get up. My sides are sore to the touch and I can say only one thing....
   I LOVE IT!!!!  How awesome is it when you look in the mirror and you start to see everything that's wrong with you--lumpy thighs, pudgy tummy, and then after pushing yourself to achieve some goal in a workout your view suddenly shifts!!! I began to see thighs that could go for an hour on the treadmill, even after dialysis, and my stomach beginning to develop muscular tone.  I don't feel like such a slug anymore, I feel empowered! And that's what I love about the pain of beginning a new year of fitness--I feel that I have the power to do so many positive things, beginning with me and my health. I can only hope that others may find such a joy and peace within themselves.
   Oh, and sis, I will be working on those ab workouts at home, and the Jillian Michaels DVDs I got earlier this week. And when I come back, I will be better,  and WE WILL ROCK! Keep the flame of inspiration coming, you are amazing!