EVEN SAINT TERESA WOULD BE CRUCIFIED AS A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

EVEN SAINT TERESA WOULD BE CRUCIFIED AS A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

By Domenick J. Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist

Everyone is flawed. There is no one who is perfect. Everyone’s life can be dissected to find things that are inappropriate, pathetically stupid or even sinful. Any group or person who wants to besmirch the character of another only has to look long and hard enough or just make it up. Some events and behaviors by anyone can be uncovered that would disturb the sensibilities of the observer. Some will even fabricate stories for political advantage, others due to personal animosity

Every president in the United States has had certain weaknesses. President George Washington, considered by many to have great character and leadership ability was still criticized by many of his contemporaries. During the Revolutionary War his strategies and tactical skills were constantly second-guessed. He was too cautious and at other times too reckless as the first president of the USA. He was reproached for being more like a monarch, by others as too much a weak head of the executive branch of government.

The Thomas Jefferson and John Adams campaign for president was one of the most vicious in our history. They alleged horrible things about each other. Abraham Lincoln was attacked for his physical appearance that some said resembled an ape. Ronald Reagan was considered to be an ignoramus who would destroy the United States with his cowboy style foreign policy. These pundits raged that he was surely going to start a nuclear war.

The 2016 campaign for president between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton is mud slinging at a high and ferocious level. Everyday brings a vulgar personal assault on Trump, most being unsubstantiated accusations although he has made some obnoxious mistakes of judgment. His campaign has highlighted Bill Clinton’s sexual proclivities that are not pertinent to Hillary being elected. The only major difference between this and earlier presidential campaigns is the 24/7 coverage on cable news and the invasion into our homes by robo calls and taylor-made Internet messages by micro researching. The intensity and number of these attacks is leaving the public bewildered and frustrated that they are only able to vote for the lesser of two evils.

Probably the majority of the electorate would like a choice between a credible outstanding candidate and a weak and lying one in order to make the choice easier and clearer. They are in essence wishing for a saint and a sinner. The problem with this proposition is even if one appeared to be a saint soon after his life would be distorted by political hacks. 

Even a person of incredible character such as Saint Mother Teresa would be subject to vile oppositional research that would lead everyone to question her “so called” accomplishments. The campaign would have expertise to develop a propaganda campaign that she is a hypocrite or worse.

Saint Mother Teresa founded 517 “Missionaries of Charity” in 133 countries. She inspired 1440 sisters to join her in working with the poorest of the poor. She helped to assist the sick and poor who were disregarded and left to suffer. She herself lived and administered in these physically decrepit conditions in the worst of the worst communities. “There are no big things only little things done with love.” Saint Mother Teresa. Yet, she still had her adamant critics.

Some elites were horrified by the conditions of the less than modern soup kitchens, housing and people in their death stage of life. They voiced that these indigent people deserved better conditions then they leave to go back to their affluent lifestyles. These self-righteous people did not stay to help improve the lives of the abandoned people but were vociferous in their condemnation. 

Saint Mother Teresa went from a heroine to an enemy of women in the eyes of feminists worldwide.  She stated: “I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is 'Abortion', because it is a war against the child... A direct killing of the innocent child, 'Murder' by the mother herself... And if we can accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? This gave feminists the opportunity to attack her incredible character for stating the stark truth.

Anyone who has the courage to run for president, even a person of strong moral character should realize they would be viciously attacked since even those people with wonderful character have made errors in judgment and actions. This means that voters have the responsibility to research, listen and witness with their own eyes the candidates speaking. This will require effort by citizens to come to their own conclusions.

Voting is a privilege and a responsibility. Not voting is a dereliction of duty on the part of citizens that weakens our republic. There is not any viable substitute to doing one’s homework in the voting process. It takes effort from citizens to keep our republic.   “It is a republic, if you can keep it.” Benjamin Franklin

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio has a new book, just published, IN CHARGE PARENTING. You can visit Dr. Maglio at www.drmaglio.blogspot.com.

AMERICAN STUDENTS DON'T CARE ABOUT THEIR FUTURE

AMERICAN STUDENTS DON’T CARE ABOUT THEIR FUTURE

By Domenick J. Maglio PhD traditional Realist

Most children are not aware that their time on earth is relatively short. They often do not even know their family history and stories about their family’s recent past are also not shared with them. Many do not even know their ethnic lineage. The teaching of history, civics, cursive writing or grammar are being deemphasized or eliminated in public schools since educators no longer believe a student being taught about the past prepares the child for his future. These experts are concerned about events that could be a traumatic experience for them.

Modern children are seen as fragile people who have to be protected from criticism, which could hurt their self esteem. Most of today’s children live in an instant gratification world. When they want something they will get it without waiting or earning it. Parents think giving them things shows they are loved. They tend to believe the youngsters are too delicate to be turned down when they request something. There is no expectation to contribute to others only to demand things and get them.

Many parents think their children should not have to confront the nasty reality they had to deal with as a child.  Most believe the world’s condition will continue to improve with no setbacks. Too many people are unaware that the past repeats itself often in a slightly different form. Many parents today think they have the influence and money to shelter their children from negative events that might occur. Some parents actually use their power to protect their children even when they are wrong. Our “protected bubble children” are unfortunately overprotected. They are not learning the skills and insights to overcome future adversities. These youngsters are not being prepared for the realities of life and death that no one has control over even powerful and influential parents.

No matter how powerful or rich their parents, a child’s future is uncertain since no one can control or even predict the future. By parents not communicating the hardships and misfortunes they dealt with while growing up they are giving children a distorted and inaccurate picture of the challenges in life. They are attempting to create a utopian dream future for their children and themselves, which most likely will not be as uneventful and pleasant as they would wish it to be.

As they grow into young adults too many adolescents do not even want to take time to study to obtain a drivers license. It is easier and better from their shortsighted perspective to get their parents to drive them around. Young adults have little motivation to mature because they know someone will jump in to get their needs met. These adolescents feel there are too many responsibilities with too little pay off to want to accept adulthood. They want to continue to be dependent on their parents while receiving all the privileges of a self-reliant adult.

The depression and WWII forged the Greatest Generation. They learned how to survive, persist and conquer obstacles that are almost impossible to imagine. There were many super human feats that were performed, which elevated everyone’s understanding of the power of a person’s will. These same people wanted to shield their children from the hardships they had to overcome. These painful experiences were often defining moments that shaped their future. Since this difficult period in the United States we have lived in relative peace and prosperity.

This has led to an entitlement mentality that has weakened many of our youth’s motivation to be an independent person. This lack of personal drive to become productive, mature adults is bankrupting our treasury, weakening our citizenry and the social unity of the nation. We are becoming a “give me” rather than a “productive people.”

The government entitlement programs are similar to weak parents who make excuses for their child’s lack of effort and accomplishments. When citizens do not earn their privileges and material desires they expect more from government and expect to work less. They become hateful, not grateful, to the “big daddy” government. This is the reason structural unemployment is skyrocketing. Work is de-incentivized where many individuals are not seeking employment even when good opportunities are made available.  Many young adults with a college education expect to start at the top rather than have to prove their value to a business. They become disillusioned with tis capitalist reality. These people quickly become converted to being government dependent complainers without any strength of character to help them.

Young people should be encouraged to care about their future by authority figures especially their parents. The years of one’s life, as any adult knows, pass at warp speed when looking back. Most of us create the narrative of our life by our own choices. When a person waits for parents or government to manage their needs and wants they become dependent and bitter.

Loved ones have a responsibility to assist youngsters to understand that a wasted day of doing nothing or learning nothing cannot be replaced. They need to realize that their production at work is more important than their degree in college. We are given the next day to improve although the bad habits we acquire impede our ability to change direction. We become stuck in our procrastination and pathetic excuses.

There is little time to waste in establishing a great future for one and future loved ones. Preparing for a future should begin as soon as possible by completing each and every responsibility to the best of one’s ability. These habits and successes accumulate to create a great and wonderful opportunity for one’s future.

Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. You can visit Dr. Maglio at www.drmaglio.blogspot.com.

REVISIONIST HISTORY DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACTS OR REALITY

REVISIONIST HISTORY DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACTS OR REALITY

By Domenick J. Maglio Ph.d. Traditional Realist

Political polls and “fact checkers” can manipulate the data to get the results they prefer. The subjective questions, order and political leanings of the pollsters can influence the polls. This can explain the discrepancy often found in the actual results or the poll predictions. The “fact checkers” often arbitrarily decide what is true or not.

The same phenomenon happens in the rankings that are given, best to worst, of presidents. Some recent presidents that have left office rose or fell in the surveys depending on the unfolding of their record as compared to what took place during and after they left office. These impressions about a presidential tenure are affected by a changing media and the historian’s assessments. The longer the number of years that have passed usually the more stable is a person’s place in history.  The test of time brings reality into focus.

Currently the PC police are attempting to change many time-tested truths that were established concretely in the past. This is done by repeating statements that are not true, such as “torture does not work,” which is easily disproved by noting the practice has existed throughout the world and by specific examples of how it has worked.  “Spanking is abusive” is another ridiculous statement on its face. The majority of people and even animals have used moderate spanking to gain the attention of the young to make them listen.

Currently many progressive commentators are reciting that “stop and frisk” in the urban areas does not decrease crime. This is taking place when the evidence of Rudy Giuliani’s reign as mayor in NYC was overwhelmingly documented. It showed a drastic and undeniable drop in crime. Another silly attempt to revise history was the statement, “slaves built the White House” as if there were no other groups who contributed to this accomplishment. The stonemasons who were employed have been clearly described as from Scottish ancestry.  Other non-slaves were used throughout this project to complete it. Black slaves may have been involved but many other Americans were as well. 

President Obama’s apology tour started in Cairo, Egypt and continued around the world in order to acknowledge our past transgressions against humanity. He mentioned the brutality of the crusades that started in the 12^th Century against innocent Muslims as if there was not any terror rained on the Christians.  He bowed to the Saudi Arabian king as if the king were above the status of the president of the United States. There was no acknowledgment that America was contributing large sums in financial resources, equipment and troops to protect the Saudi people. Russia and Cuba were visited and the message was always slanted to demonstrate our shortcomings or attempt to make a moral equivalency of our behavior and our enemy’s. This was done even when the other nation instigated and initiated the aggression. The only benefit of his continuing “apology tour” is primarily for President Obama to appear as a potential, future head of an emerging one-world government.

President Obama’s said on May 27, 2016, on the eve of Memorial Day in Hiroshima, Japan, “the memory of August 6, 1945 must never fade… it fuels our moral imagination. It allows us to change.” …Yet in the image of a mushroom cloud that rose into the skies we are most starkly reminded of humanity’s core contradiction. How easily we learn to justify violence in the name of a higher cause.” In other words, America had no moral reason to drop the A-bomb on Japan.

Unbelievably when you Google President Obama’s speech in Hiroshima, Japan you find the top listed stories in complete harmony with the Obama administration’s assertion that he did not apologize for the US dropping the A-bomb. It is not an explicit apology but its implication is we should not have made this decision and we should not in the future.  In his view Pearl Harbor and the Hiroshima A-Bomb were morally relativistic acts.

As President Harry Truman prophetically stated, directly after the war, “the bomb caused the Japanese to surrender and it stopped the war. I don’t care what the crybabies say now (or in the future) because they did not have to make the decision.” All wars are horrific. The cost of war eventually forces one side or the other to surrender. Even after the first A bomb was dropped on Hiroshima they refused to surrender. It was only after the second bomb was dropped that they decided to surrender.

It was known that on August 22, 1945 the Japanese ordered that all POWs would be executed. Of the 132,000 allied POWs who were tortured, starved and put in labor camps, almost 40% died. Besides starting the war in a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese killed 6-10 million people. These fanatical soldiers chose to fight until the death rather than be taken as POWs.  Without the Japanese surrendering it was estimated that hundreds of thousands to millions more people would have been killed.

President Obama stated many times during his presidency that he wanted to end having troops in Iraq. He did not want to successfully negotiate a status of force agreement with Iraq. This led to the rapid withdrawing of our forces, which caused us to lose all the gains we had made and created a vacuum that ISIS quickly filled. The strategy did lower the promised troop level to almost nothing, which was his original goal but he had to increase the number of troops to 6000 to avoid a disaster on his watch. Yet he owns the present horrendous conditions of the Middle East.

His policy of “leading from behind,” apology tour and decision not to listen to his military advisers caused the instability of Iraq, Syria and Iran. Reality on the ground, not ideological propaganda matters in recorded history. An administration’s promises and repeated inaccurate statements do not change reality no matter how well done. Truth eventually rises for everyone to see what actually took place.