We Are Amerians

We are Americans. We are tough. We are resilient. We don’t back down. We may squabble amongst ourselves, but when confronted by the enemy, we unite. We back each other up.

We came on the Mayflower and her sister ships and now we reach out to the outer edges of our universe. We walked across the plains, tamed rivers, and traversed the mountains. We settled in those mountain valleys, along the rivers, drained the swamps, and built homes in the plains. We established shipping ports on the coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. We built homes, villages, towns, and cities where there was once nothing but waste land.

We survived the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Mexican American War. We jumped into World War I and World War II when the chips were down and we pulled ourselves up by the bootstraps and rushed to the aid of our friends. We survived the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, and Nine-Eleven. Not only did we survive, but we thrived. We held our own against the Red Menace and demanded that the Wall in Berlin be taken down. We turned back Russian ships carrying missiles to Cuba.

We have thorns in our history. We took native lands and lives. We let slavery step on soil meant to be free. We continue to pay for being on the wrong side of history for those and other transgressions. In the process of this Great American Experiment we continue to understand the full meaning of liberty. There are costs, but all along the way we struggle to reach the top, to reach the summit of freedom for everyone.

We lost some of the valiant and noble, like one who told us to not ask what our country can do for us but what we can do for our country, or the one who told us we should judge a person by the content of his character and not the color of his skin. Kennedy and King were not perfect. They were riddled with flaws, but they inspired us to greater heights.

We weren’t the first into space, but we were the first (and only) to put a man on the moon. We lost space shuttles, but we went back.

The dynamo of the American Spirit is American Ingenuity. Our conquering force is our winning desire. We do what it takes to overcome the odds.

We have fought the wars. We have dealt with terrorism. We have experienced economic disaster. And we will have wars and terrorism and economic disasters in the future. But we have the drive to survive.

Yes, we come here from the four corners of the earth looking for a new and better life. Many come with nothing but hope. Some dreams are dashed, but many are fulfilled, sometimes after generations, but they are fulfilled.

Now, we are faced with a new enemy, a new territory to cross, a swamp to drain: a pandemic. We have faced global disease before, but this time is different. Regardless, we will gather our strength and we will overcome the disease with determination. We will defeat fear with faith. We shall prevail with calmness and courage. We must not, we cannot panic.

We are Americans. We are tough. We are resilient. We don’t back down. We don’t retreat; we reposition. We will be better than we were.

Body Parts of Speech

Have you ever noticed all the sayings, expressions, that we use that use a body part or a function of a body part as part of the expression? Try these for example. These are just examples. A person could have a nose for something else instead of trouble.

• He’s got a head on his shoulders.
• Heads Up!
• That beer has a head on it.
• Keep your eye on the prize.
• She has an eye for quality.
• She’s giving him the hairy eyeball.
• She sees trouble.
• He’s got his nose stuck up in the air.
• He has a nose for trouble.
• She’s sniffing out the culprit.
• Keep your nose to your own business.
• Keep your nose to the grindstone.
• Keep your ear out for me.
• I said it tongue-in-cheek.
• Turn the other cheek.
• It’s on the tip of my tongue.
• She gave him a tongue-lashing.
• Take a bite out of crime.
• He’s a little mouthy.
• Chin Up!
• You’re a pain in the neck (or other locations).
• Put your shoulder to the wheel.
• Can you give/lend me a hand?
• Isn’t she great? Let’s give her a hand!
• I just can’t put my finger on it.
• He wears hand-me-downs.
• Use a little elbow grease.
• Just twist his arm a little.
• She broke his heart.
• Her heart just isn’t in it.
• His heart aches for the day.
• This isn’t for the faint of heart.
• He’s a real thorn in her side.
• His back is up against the wall.
• He doesn’t have the stomach for it.
• He doesn’t have the guts to do it.
• He just spilled his guts.
• She has a leg up on the competition.
• That kid is always under foot.
• He walks the line.
• She gave him the boot (assuming the foot is inside the boot).
• She kicked him out.

NEW ADDITIONS

• Head over heels - Carol Easterbrook Wolf
• Shake a leg – Scott Talley
• Break a leg – Scott Talley
• It’s a no-brainer – Jen Adair
• Toe the line – Scott Patrick
• That was a rib-tickler – Scott Patrick
• Intestinal fortitude – Scott Patrick
• Vent one’s spleen – Scott Patrick
• It'll cost an arm and a leg. John Pack
• A knee-jerk reaction – John Pack
• Get the Chip Off Your Shoulder – Megan Talley Tilton
• Apple of My Eye – Megan Talley Tilton
• Rule of Thumb – Carol Easterbrook Wolf
• Green Thumb – Megan Talley Tilton
• Stiff Upper Lip – Carol Easterbrook Wolf
• Win by a Nose – Carol Easterbrook Wolf
• By the Skin of Your Teeth – Carol Easterbrook Wolf
• Keep Your Lips Zipped – Carol Easterbrook Wolf
• Put Your Best Foot Forward – Joshua Tilton
• Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil – Mike Rudolph
• No Skin off My Nose (New from me)
•The shoe's on the other foot now – Daniel Blumentritt
•One foot in the grave – Megan Talley Tilton
•Eyes in the Back of My Head – Megan Talley Tilton
•Get Your Head on Straight – Megan Talley Tilton
Hot Under the Collar
Red Neck

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Isn’t our language great!

Add some of your own, if you wish. Keep it clean! Just because you hear it on TV doesn’t mean it’s appropriate.

You don’t have to burn a book to burn free speech.

On May 10, 1933, about 40,000 “banned books” were burned on university campuses all across Germany. The event was just another step in the cleansing taking place under Nazi rule deleting speech, thoughts, and opinions that were considered offensive to the Third Reich. Books, magazines, plays, and papers written by Jews or even had the word Jew, Israel, or Jerusalem in them were included in the roundup. Anything that contained material contrary to the new moral code or contrary to the new social order was deemed offensive and was included in the burning. Books by Sigmund Freud and Albert Einstein were burned because both men were Jewish. Books by Ernest Hemmingway, Nobel Prize winner Thomas Mann, H. G. Wells, and Hellen Keller were also on the banned book list, all for various reasons.

The burning of these books was just another cleansing step brought about by the German Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. It was the National Socialist Party’s effort to erase anything to do with the previous failed government. A person would not dare say anything contrary to the new order for fear of long prison sentences or banishment to concentration camps. Political Correctness was the watchword of the time. As Hitler and the National Socialist Party grew in strength, one small cunning and deceptive step after another, the Third Reich eclipsed every aspect of life. The cherished right of free speech that had been guaranteed by the German constitution had been eliminated. It was as if their history had vanquished, led by garbage-fed students and enforced by their Brown Shirt Stormtroopers.

Over a thousand years of history was wiped out at the intersection of free speech and political correctness at the rise of the Third Reich. A culture was erased. New, radical ideas raced across university campuses. The new German government marshalled the ranks of the youth to push the agenda and old virtues were replaced with a new morality. Manufactured fears fueled the fire of the torch of decadence that would surely lead to one of the darkest periods in the history of humanity.

Today, instead of burning books on university campuses we feed the flames of intolerance by a new political correctness. Now, a sideways glance will label a person as xenophobic or racist. Referring to a person who has crossed the border in violation of our laws as an illegal alien will net a hefty fine if you happen to live in New York City. Monuments reminding us of our past are unapologetically torn down. Constant beratement and even assault on those who would remind us of enduring values is not only tolerated but almost encouraged. Meanwhile, those who have been charged with maintaining even-handed law and order are pummeled with obscenities, rocks, and bottles and even assassinated. Fewer and fewer men and women are opting for jobs as first responders. There are major staffing shortages across the country in our police departments.

It is important to remember history so that the disasters of the past are not repeated. It is important to remember that not every revolution begins with a gun. Just as the rise of the Third Reich was done one deception, lie, and cunning maneuver at a time, the same can happen in our own country and in our own time. Pressure to suppress free speech does not have to begin with the government to be effective. In our day, pressure ON government to limit our culture, our history, our First Amendment Rights is equally effective.

You don’t have to burn a book to burn free speech.

Why Are You Active?

Introduction

I recently posed two questions to 45 active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  These two questions came to me one Saturday morning as I was mowing our lawn.  I was paying more attention to my thoughts at the time than I was to the chore of lawn-mowing.  I was pondering why it was that many of our active young people in the Church were choosing to not serve missions or remain active in the Church, and in some cases simply drifted away.  Watching them drift was very much like a video clip I had seen of a salesman extoling the virtues of “living in a van down by the river.”  Unfortunately, I know some young men who are doing exactly that.

So, I posed two questions to these 45 active members of the Church.  Their answers were as varied as the 38 people who responded (84.4% response rate).  While some provided what amounted to bullet lists, others wrote lengthy paragraphs for their responses.  Some of those responses were difficult to read as they recounted their experiences earlier in life.  Tears easily flowed as I felt the pain that some had experienced in their faith development.

These were the two questions I asked.

   

1. Other than parental influences, what has helped to strengthen your testimony of the gospel?

2. Again, other than parental influences, what has helped encourage you to be obedient to the commandments.

Survey Results

As the answers came in, the more I thought about the two questions the more I concluded that they were essentially the same question.  Therefore, rather than separate the answers by question, I lumped all the responses together.  And while there were responses that were unique, for the most part responses fell into seven major categories of answers.  Unique answers included such things as the effects of the hymns of the Church on the individual, temple attendance, the feeling of safety, a patriarchal blessing, feeling the Spirit while listening to a speaker, the Young Women’s Theme, the unspoken expectations of others, and so forth.

The seven most common categories of answers included (1) Scripture Study, Personal Prayer, and Church Attendance; (2) Special Events such as Camps, Treks, EFY, and Youth Conferences; (3) Strong Friendships; (4) Blessings of Obedience and Passing Through Trials; (5) Strong Leaders and Teachers; (6) Service, Including Missionary Service; and (7) Goal-setting.

Respondents came from four primary sources: young adults I’ve known from New Mexico, returned missionaries who served in New York and New Mexico (largely from Utah), young adults from New York, and other adults from New York and New Mexico.  Included in the mix were a couple of grandchildren, former seminary students of mine, two university professors, a former stake president/mission president/Area Seventy, college roommate, and a current Texan.  The table below shows the responses by category.

Table 1.

Responses by Category

Scripture Study, Prayer, Church Attendance	Camps, Youth Conferences EFY	Strong Friend- ships	Trials and Blessings of Obedience	Strong Leaders and Teachers	Service, Including Missionary Service	Goal-setting	Other
26%	6%	4%	30%	9%	4%	3%	18%

N=141

Questions

It should be no surprise that scripture study, prayer, and church attendance are such great contributors to strengthened testimony and obedience to the commandments.  And after some thought, experiencing the blessings that come through obedience to the commandments and passing through trials also seem like reasonable explanations for strengthened testimonies, though I was initially surprised by those responses.  But both beg certain questions.  For example, why did faithful members study the scriptures, pray, and attend church?  Were they faithful to begin with and therefore engage in those activities or did engaging in those activities lead them to be faithful?  If engaging in those activities lead members to activity, why has it not done so for those who have strayed?  The same could be asked for those who have passed through trials and have been blessed because of those trials.  Why do some stray when they successfully pass through trials while others are strengthened?

Several other questions could or perhaps should be asked.  For example, is it the trek experience, EFY, Youth Conference, or Girls Camp in and of themselves that build testimonies or is it a friendship that is made or a five-minute interaction with a leader that led a desire to strengthen a testimony?  Were there not strong friendships that were developed in youth among those who are no longer active in the Church?  What constitutes a strong teacher or leader among the youth and how do they contribute to strengthening faith among them?  Is rendering service that important to the future activity of youth?  And then there is the other 18-percent.  What of the recitation of the Young Women’s Theme on a weekly basis or singing the hymns of the Church or unspoken expectations?  For several respondents, these seemingly outside-the-norm responses were significant in their testimony development.  Why aren’t they for everyone?  I could go on with the questions.

Conclusion

I should note that the responses were not exactly what I expected.  Yes, I anticipated prayer, scripture study, and church attendance, but I also expected more responses that reflected activities that youth participate in such as youth conferences and treks.  Could there be a cumulative effect of camps, conferences, and treks that lead to church activity?  I also anticipated more responses that pointed to the influence of friends, teachers and leaders.  What caught me totally off guard was the overwhelming number who pointed to the blessings of obedience and overcoming trials.  In the end, I found that I had more questions than answers when I reviewed the responses from those who participated in this little survey.

Finally, nothing should be construed from this little survey to suggest that it was a scientifically conducted research.  Still, the responses should cause one to stop and ponder upon why each of these seven categories as well as all the unique experiences contributed so much to the building of testimonies and a desire to be obedient to the commandments.

Thank you to those who responded to my questions.

Return to Civility

Return to Civility

In this era of political grandstanding, finger-pointing, and name-calling it is well past time to stop, step back, and take a deep breath.  It is time to work together.  It is time, regardless of where we are and what we are doing, to return to civility and respectful dialogue.  I suggest the following steps we can all take to that end.

Examine your own motives.

As you engage in a discussion with a person with whom you have a disagreement, ask yourself which is more important: Do you want to win or do you want to discover truth and workable solutions to vexing problems?  If you simply want to win, disregard the following and have at it.  If by chance truth and solutions are your motivations, be gracious. 

Examine your behaviors.

Body language speaks as loudly as your voice and maybe even louder.  If you are not listening to the other person in the exchange of ideas, it will become obvious.  Be attentive.  Listen carefully.  Listen to learn, not to respond.  Be thoughtful and considerate.  Relax.  Don’t get your knickers in a twist.  Keep your speech even and calm.  Do not use profanity. 

Seek first to understand.

You already understand your position.  At least you think you do.  Listen to everything the other person has to say, paying attention also to that person’s body language.  Attempt to see the problem through the other person’s eyes and life’s experiences.  When the other person has finished speaking, repeat back in your own words the content of that person’s position and its contextual emotion.  It is important to understand the emotional impact that decisions have on others.  Make sure you understand those impacts.  Listen carefully for feedback from the other person to make sure that you have identified all the key points in that person’s position.  Welcome correction and feedback.  Listen for the underlying reasons and emotions for the other person’s position.

Respect the person.

Because you disagree with a person’s position does not mean you have to be disagreeable with the person.  Don’t interrupt the person.  Don’t sneer or make snide remarks.  Avoid gestures of disgust and contempt.  Don’t roll your eyes and don’t exhale in exasperation.  Wait to speak a few seconds after the other person has finished to speak or ask questions.  Be sure to take a few breaths to clear your thoughts before you speak.

Rely on facts.

When presenting your position rely upon facts and not opinions and emotions.  Make sure that your facts are relevant to your discussion.  Don’t fabricate data.  By the same token, ask the other person to also rely on fact and not conjecture, opinion, or hearsay. 

Present your position before you point out differences.

Make sure that as you present you position that your focus is on your position and not the other person’s position.  Save discussion on differences until after both positions have been presented.

Look for other options.

As you engaged in your discussion, ask the other person if there might be a third or other alternative positions and solutions.  Seek to work together rather than working against each other.

Find common ground.

It will be helpful in your discussions to search for common ground in identifying the problem and solutions.  Write them down so both of you can see them.  Ask yourselves if there is much difference between positions as you initially thought (or as your emotions allowed you to believe).

Ask for evidence.

If the other person makes a claim that seems unreasonable to you, respectfully ask for supporting evidence or documentation.  It is entirely appropriate to challenge sources that appear questionable and to provide opposing evidence - in a respectful manner. 

Ask for reciprocal respect.

Just because you choose to be respectful does not mean that the other person will return that respect.  If interrupted, allow the interruption to continue then politely state that you allowed that person to present a position without interruption and ask for the same courtesy.  If that person refuses to grant this courtesy you may choose to state that it is your opinion that the person is not interested in discovering the truth or solving the problem but only in winning and therefore you are not going to proceed.  You deserve the same respect that you’ve shown to the other person.

If the person lobs personal attacks at you and not at your position, ignore the attacks and proceed with facts.  If the personal attacks continue ask the person if there is more interest in attacking you or the facts.  If personal attacks persist, it is time to excuse yourself from the discussion.  “I’m sorry, but I do not have to listen to personal attacks.  I am here to problem-solve.  I see that you have many valid points and I believe I also have valid points to consider.  I believe together that we can work this out.  So, when you are ready to return the respect to me that I gave to you I’ll be happy to continue our discussion at another time.”

This all requires you to be respectful of the other person.

Rail Trails

(The above are from the KATY Trail in Missouri.)

One of those memory things popped up on my Facebook news feed.  You know the kind of thing I’m talking about.  Facebook periodically reminds you of something you posted a few years ago.  This one was from four years ago.  I tried to make a comment about it and repost it, but something happened that my comments didn’t make it.  But it got me to thinking, which is bad news for you.

The memory and pictures were from my bike ride on the Erie Canal Towpath four years ago.  It was a solo ride, though I had lots of support from friends who kept in touch with me on the ride.  I had someone looking after my health and someone else watching the weather for me.  I was met partway through the ride by friends who brought me much needed nourishment and refreshment.  And I had friends who kept in touch with me as I rode.  My biggest support came from Susan who not only dropped me off at the beginning of each day’s ride and picked up the pieces at the end of each day, but encouraged and supported me each step (pedal) of the way.

(Erie Canal Towpath)

KATY Trail

That experience inspired me to continue riding.  Since the Erie Canal Towpath, I’ve ridden on the KATY Trail in Missouri and the Confederation Trail on Prince Edward Island.  Our oldest son and our youngest daughter accompanied me on the last two rail trail rides.  They said they wanted to accompany me on the rides to spend time with me, but I think they just wanted to make sure I didn’t die of a heart attack on the trail.

Between the three major rides that I’ve done, I’ve ridden the equivalent of riding from Washington, D.C. to Kansas City.  When you include the training miles for those rides, the distance would extend to Salt Lake City.  For a lot of cyclists, that distance is no big deal.  Some would cover that and more in a single summer.  I’m old and slow and I’m determined and I will eventually make it to my destination.

Confederation Trail, Prince Edward Island

I have been richly blessed as I have ridden these trails.  Not only have I seen beautiful country that a person would not normally see otherwise, but I’ve become acquainted with people from around the country and around the world.  I’ve been surrounded by the love and companionship of family and friends.

The rides are not over.  There may even be one more long ride this fall.  I’m sure there will be more next year and you will be inundated with more pictures, hopefully from Idaho, Nebraska, Indiana, and Louisiana.  And maybe my health will be as such that I can continue annual bicycle rail trail rides.  Until then, Happy Trails!

Erie Canal Towpath

Firearms Deaths

The good folks in the news media would have you believe that every murder committed is with a firearm.  Indeed, firearms account for more than half of the murders committed in the United States, but that doesn’t mean that all murders are done with a firearm.

From a criminological point of view, murder is a complicated and (technically) messy act.  We always want to know why a person would take another person’s life, which goes to motive.  We sometimes look to motive to show a person’s intent to murder.  Motive is not a factor in our judicial system.  Intent, however, is. 

There are relationships, things people do, and places people go that expose them to violence.  The majority of murder victims are either related to their assailant or are acquainted with their assailant.  It should be no surprise that a person's home can be a dangerous place.  The presence and use of alcoholic beverages also expose a person to violence.  Being with someone who is intoxicated or being in and around bars or lounges also puts a person in harms way, especially at night.  Gang activity is responsible for about 2,000 homicides annually.  There were 2,363 gang homicides in 2012 (https://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Survey-Analysis/Measuring-the-Extent-of-Gang-Problems).

To be clear, I am a Second Amendment supporter.  I also believe there are actions we can take to reduce the number of firearm murders.  But I think it is also important to keep things in proper perspective.  For that reason, I’ve compiled a list of weapons used to commit murder in 2012 along with Drug Overdose Deaths, and Traffic Deaths, including DUI/DWI deaths.  Source data are included.  I’ve only listed some of the instruments used for murders.

Cause of Death	Number & Year of Statistics
All Firearms	9.032 (2012)
Drug Overdose	70,237 (2017)
All Traffic Deaths	37,461 (2018)
DWI/DUI	10,874 (2017)

Murder Instrument	Number
Handguns	6,562
Rifles	248
Shotguns	262
Other Firearm	1,959
Knives	1,567
Blunt Object	435
Hands/Feet	660
Fire	71
Narcotics	62
Strangulation	89
Asphyxiation	96
Other	830
Total	11,961

(https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/expanded-homicide-data/expanded_homicide_data_table_8_murder_victims_by_weapon_2010-2014.xls)

“70,237 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in 2017.” (https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/statedeaths.html)

Highway traffic deaths: 37,461 (2018)

(https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812451)

DWI/DUI Deaths 2017: 10,874

(https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving)

If we want to reduce preventable death and carnage in our country, it would only make sense that we would express more outrage about drug-related deaths and traffic accidents.  And while we should not downplay the role of firearms in murders and suicides in the United States, I would suggest that we have a behavioral problem in our country and not a gun problem.

Note: Sources used were based on the first reliable sets of data that were found on the internet.