Ranting Rex

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

–Margaret Mead

For some reason I always get political on Sundays. I have no idea why, other than the fact that it seems every show on the TV has a talking head discussing how the world should be run, from their perspective. I think that’s why I often get frustrated at many of the ideas presented on these programs.

All of these talking heads spout that they are only looking after the average American and the well being of the world in general. Well…that might be the case, but I’m a little confused by your motives. If you were really looking out for everyone’s welfare, wouldn’t you be trying to come up with ideas that actually help?

I think one of the major problems with our society, is that we are all looking out for our own best interests. Believe me, I’m not excluding myself from this egocentric notion. I’m the king of looking out for numero uno. Just ask anyone who has ever dated me. However, I do believe that if I have something, and someone else doesn’t, that it is my duty as a human being to help out the one that doesn’t. I don’t understand this selfish notion that just because I’m endowed with opportunities which enable me to provide for myself, and family, that I shouldn’t then help others to achieve the same goals.

Whether it is healthcare, child care, economics, food, water, etc., everyone becomes so angry that they might have to help out their neighbor. It’s this idea that if someone is poor, they must have done something to cause that, and therefore deserve nothing. I have lost count of how many times I hear “Hey…I worked for this, so shouldn’t they have to?” As if they wouldn’t work for it if they had the chance. It’s this idea of punishing someone for not having the same opportunities. It’s also like the anecdotal stories of people driving Mercedes Benz’s and living off welfare. As if the $200.00 in food stamps for an adult would make the payment. I would think it is more likely they once worked, bought the car, lost their job, and now are hungry. I guess that means we shouldn’t help that person. After all…who cares that they paid into the system, and for some reason believe they should actually have access to it.

My all time favorite is the idea of having babies makes you rich. That’s classic. If you think this is true then I suggest you go visit someone on welfare who is trying to feed their children. What’s that mansion like that they live in?

Here’s the thought I was guilty of: If you got laid off, it’s most likely because you weren’t working hard enough. Boy was I stupid. I designed a system that saved my company millions of dollars in overhead costs. I worked 12 to 18 hour days for two years making it happen. My reward was for the company to implement that system and fire every U.S. employee. The way I see it, I should have worked less. Not everyone is the cause of their own fate. Sometimes there are external factors beyond their control. Do I think there is fraud in the world? Of course I do. I’m a cynic. However, looking at any situation on the surface just makes you look like an ignorant moron. You know why? Because you are being an ignorant moron.

I don’t think arguments against public services have anything to do with right and wrong. I think they have everything to do with being selfish. It’s an inability to help out your neighbor when they need it, and justifying your actions as somehow noble. It’s being stingy. You can try and cover it in any guise you like, but really…it’s just being stingy.

When a politician or individual goes on TV and yells into the camera and touts that the government is taking food out of their mouths, I want to reach into the camera and bitch slap them until they are unconscious. Either that, or at least wipe the ketchup off their tie. Especially when you see that they are neither hungry, ill cared for, or in any way downtrodden. The reality is that the individuals who are in need, rarely get on camera unless it is on a scale so large that it’s impossible to miss.

I am overwhelmed when I see what a small group of people can do once they put their minds to it. Just look at what happened in Haiti, New Orleans, and even Iowa when the floods came through. But you have to ask yourself. Why can’t we do something for people before the disasters happen? Aren’t there people in need now, who could use our help?

The answer: Yes there are. So why not get a small group together, and see if you can change the world?

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, and I’m reminded of the sacrifice made by the person who the tradition eventually recognizes. There’s no question I have a problem with many who espouse themselves Christian. While I see a lot of hero worship for the guy they follow, I don’t see any attempt at trying to adopt the values their leader was trying to teach. Rather than being focused on the betterment of others, they’re focused more on their own entitlement. The new Christianity has made a terrifying move from spiritual enrichment to personal advancement. The modern Christian no longer looks out for the interests of others, but their own self interests. And when someone doesn’t fit into their narrow view of civility, rather than learn from them, they chastise. They pervert Christ’s values to justify their own personal prejudice, and rather than work to help their fellow man, they work to deny anyone who doesn’t share their views the same simple freedoms they claim to hold so dear.

Today I saw a man on a corner with a sign, asking for money. A passer by threw him his trash, and shouted obscenities. He was too busy to stop his Lexus, and help him out, but he was more than happy to chastise him for not being clean. If this is how he views the poor, then he should remove that fish symbol from the back of his car. This, by the way, was exactly what I told him at the next intersection.

I normally wouldn’t say anything, I’d just keep my mouth shut, and boil in silence. Maybe it’s because after reading posts on another man holding a sign recently, that my attempt to show the post’s ignorance through levity fell short. I should have just pointed outright that I thought it would have been better to actually help the man, rather than just post jokes about him. Even if you think he’s trying to take advantage of you, you have to ask yourself if a person that would do that is in a better situation, or a worse situation than you are? Either way, you would be better off helping. If he had your opportunities, most likely he wouldn’t be on that corner in the first place. So why not lend him some change? Is it really going to bother you in any way?

Last year I was driving to Crested Butte for the last ride of the season before the heavy snows came. I saw a young man hitch hiking along the highway as a rain, and lightening storm was coming in. This is Colorado, so when I say he was in the middle of nowhere, please realize that this is no exaggeration. I decided that I would pick him up. When he got into the car, he was coughing, and sneezing, and smelled like he spent the night in a dumpster. I drove him three hours out of my way to the town that would get him his next ride. I also gave him some cash so he could give gas to the next person. Did I totally believe any of the stories he told me for the three hours he was in my car? No. Did I totally think that my cash was going to go for gas, and food only? No. Did I care? No. That’s not what it was about. All I know is that he was walking, and I was driving a $40,000 car. It was my responsibility to help him.

Lent is about giving something up for the next 40 days until Easter. It signifies Christ’s withdrawal into the wilderness. So while everyone is giving up ridiculous things like chocolate, or caffeine, or late night snacks, why not try giving up something noteworthy? Give up hate, give up ignorance, give up judgment, give up your preconceived notions about the world, and make a valid attempt to see the other perspective. Try to stop thinking about what you can do for you, and think about what you can do for them. I’m betting if you do that, you will become more like your hero, than you are right now.

The following is from a post I put on Facebook…

I thought I would take a moment to explain my doppleganger selection. It’s actually a funny story. Along around 1967, I decided to dig a hole out of the fence in the back yard where the family often penned me up to keep me from burning down the neighborhood. I figured since they named me after two dogs and a jackass (Rex Francis Nipper), that digging under the fence was a good plan. I love irony..don’t you? Anyway…that’s not the point to the story. When I got out, I walked about a mile down to Guthrie, and E.12th streets where evidently, a large group of older children had gathered and were out riding their bicycles looking for a wayword two year old. Evidently, to my amazement at the time, that was me. I have no doubt I didn’t think I was lost. I was just trying to get away. Even at such a young age I knew I had to get out of Iowa.

Anyway, this group of individuals decided that it would be a good idea to call the police, since the entire neighborhood was out looking for me. When the cops got there, even at two, I knew it was best to lie low. So in my nieve state, figuring that other two year olds would be trying to break loose as well, I gave them a different name. And the name I chose was the only one I could think of at the time. Imagine my amazement, when ten minutes later, I was back in my fenced in yard, and in the arms of the people from whom I was trying to escape in the first place. I learned then, that I must be more stealthy.

The name I had chosen: Charlie Brown.

At the time I would have no idea how prophetic that name would be. In the past 42 years my life has mirrored that of a cartoon character in ways no one could have imagined. I mean I have a big round head with no hair. I was once in love with the little red headed girl. I looked for the great pumkin, and I think Christmas is far too commercial. Let’s face it, the only thing missing is the beagle! Still, I keep trying to kick the ball, even though Lucy is a bitch, because I know, in my heart, that one day I will knock it through the posts!

In the end it finally took me 26 years to escape Iowa. I’ve since learned how to use my talents in an effort to continue staying out of reach. For example, I have, in the past, made some money supplying my talents to Halmark. Something I share with Charlie indeed.

So, while others out there have found that person they physically resemble, I have truly found the one I mirror. Too bad that mirror was supplied by the Riverview fun house.

Rex

I must be late for retro week. I keep finding these articles online that I wrote long ago. This was for the Iowa State Daily from 1997 I think. I was shocked to still see it on the web. It was in response to a conversation I had with some bone head outside of a class. His frat house was very well known for their racist and sexist attitudes. However, the article says a lot about some of the things I see today. Colorado Springs is having problems getting businesses to move here. A lot of that has to do with many industries’ perspective of the social attitudes. They want a diverse working population, and Colorado Springs just doesn’t offer it. Anyway…happy reading:

A few weeks ago, after one of my classes, fellow students and I entered into a conversation about biology; namely, research that is done to find cures for the many diseases which vex our world.

The conversation went quite well until an issue arose about the 50 physicians wishing to inject themselves with the HIV virus.

During the conversation, one of the young men — sporting a fraternity tattoo — informed the group that he thinks people with AIDS and HIV should be “taken out and shot.” I informed him that I didn’t think his idea would work, but his reply disturbed me even more. “You’re right, some of them would try to hide.”

I want to make it clear that this person was not intending to make a joke. I asked him why he felt this way and in his opinion, this is the best way to deal with the disease and to keep it from getting into the population of “normal people.”

I asked him to explain what his idea of “normal” was, but he was unable to provide a clear answer. It is my assumption that since we were in such a diverse group of students during this discussion, he was unwilling to give his concrete opinion.

I mention the tattoo because of another recent conversation I had. I have an acquaintance who graduated from Iowa State and is very involved with his fraternity house. He feels minorities, especially gays, caused their own problems — whether it be illness or any other issue — and for the rest of the “real world” to worry about it is a waste of time and money.

Being a fiscal conservative, I will admit that wasting money on certain programs to benefit minorities is a waste of money. In fact, it can even be argued that government-sponsored programs geared at enhancing the lives of only a few people in society does more to hurt them as a group than help them.

In no way am I talking about welfare here. There are far more white people who have absolutely no minority ties on the welfare roles than any other group in our country. In my opinion any assistance should be based on need, not social grouping.

But let’s get back to the conversation at hand. What upsets me most about my two examples is that if these people are supposed to represent the greek system it will be thought of as nothing more than a place that fosters hate, narrow mindedness and bigotry.

I am not saying all members of the greek system are as shallow as the two examples I have given. That would make me just as guilty as they are. However, these are the only examples I have.

Fraternities and sororities have the opportunity to shape themselves and their members into productive citizens. Ideas based on hate and lack of knowledge do nothing to increase productivity. The greek system can do, and has done, a great deal of good for the community. A recent walk for Alzheimer’s Disease in which students raised money and awareness for the charity comes to mind.

From a completely economic perspective, the current work force will not support people with these types of attitudes. Major corporations cannot afford to put their companies in a negative light. One of the largest employers in Des Moines, The Principal Financial Group, spends a great deal of time and money trying to eliminate such narrow attitudes.

I can assure you they are not alone. If a person were to come into The Principal with such attitudes, their employment most likely would end.

I wonder, though, if the greek system spends any time trying to make students aware of different ideas and different backgrounds. I hope my two examples just happened to slip through the cracks.

Usually the cause of such beliefs is a lack of education. With the hostility over Catt Hall and how Dr. Jischke handled (or didn’t handle) the issue, I am not surprised to see these types of attitudes on campus.

But I hope members of fraternities and sororities will try to do more to raise awareness. There is more at stake than just your education.

I actually wrote this ten years ago in response to a group of fundamentalist organizations lobbying to cut funding for education:

Fundamentalism: Power over the uneducated.

The problem with this affliction is that by it’s own meaning it is limiting. Fundamentals are what you teach children. This is not something that adults should strive to acheive. If all you want is the fundamentals, then you short change yourself. Fundamentalist leaders want the child mind. They want people that have yet to obtain the ability to think critically. They want the moron. That way they can get them to buy into their agenda, and let’s face it, to buy their books. Lazy people want things to be simple. They don’t want anything that requires critical thought and analysis. They don’t want to be challenged. Therefore, Fundamentalists will always look good to the mentally inferior. I live near many of the intellectually challenged. That’s why the Fundamentalists do so well here. The only way to combat this disease is to educate. That’s why many Fundamentalist groups want to cut eductation. Educated people remove their power.