The Chair-A New Chapter

If you haven't followed my Facebook page over the last 24 hours then I will quickly update you. I have a brown recliner that imploded recently. The frame broke, the springs sprung; it was broken beyond repair. I was disappointed but thought that I could have fun with the "death" of my chair via the social media. So I posted a "Death Notice", followed up by a softly blurred picture of the recliner. Then I created a short video, a memorial, with George Strait's "The Chair" as the soundtrack. If you would like to see the story line you can check out my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/jim.hirtle.

I had planned one more entry; I was going to post a picture of myself, sitting on the floor, looking heart broke, holding a sign that would read "I can buy a new chair if I get One Million Likes". As it turns out there is no need for this final post. More about that in a minute.

But first I want to tell you a little bit about the Chair and why I decided to have some fun with it's demise.

Today, February 12, 2013, would have been a day to celebrate 26 years of marriage. It would have been but my wife decided to leave almost two years ago. I suppose that technically it is still an anniversary, no divorce has happened, but no celebration will happen either. I spent part of the day remembering and trying to discover where things went so wrong. No answers magically appeared. This is my new annual habit. So you ask, what does the "Chair" have to do with this? Well this brown chair was the last gift my wife ever gave me. After she left I couldn't bring myself to sleep in the bed we had shared, so I slept in the brown recliner. When she returned one day to claim her belongings she claimed the bedroom furniture without  resistance from me. I have never replaced it, making the brown recliner my nightly resting place, until last night when the Chair proved to unstable to provide the support I needed. There seems to be some symbolic irony, but I can't put my finger on it.

Well back to the fun part. As I said I was going to spoof the Facebook trend to beg for "Likes" in order to gain something. As it turns out I only needed one "Like". It came from my Mom, Katie Hirtle, and she doesn't even own a computer much less have her own Facebook page.

She heard rumor of my Chair's untimely death, and being the great woman she is decided to do something about it. When I got home today sitting where my old brown recliner sat was a brand new recliner! Compliments of Mom.

My Mom is the greatest. I am more than half a century old and she still believes that she needs to be there when I am down, even when the "down" was for entertainment purposes only. I hope you all have a Mom like mine, life can only be better when we do.

I love you Mom....you are the greatest!

A Time to Stand

The leader of our country suffers from malapropism. This was my Word of the Day earlier this year and I have been anxiously waiting for the opportunity to use it.  It simply means unsuitable. Obama is unsuitable for the position he has been elected to...twice. How does someone who is so inept mange to get elected (twice) to the most powerful and sought after position in the world? As soon as we discover the answer to that question we will be better, better in knowing that we will not make the same mistake again.

A man of above average intelligence, yet he seems incapable of understanding the fundamental truth of our Bill of Rights. Obama treats this treasured document as if it were a set of rules that can be massaged or altered at his whim. He treats the citizens of this great nation like little children, playing a game in his back yard. His back yard—his rules. You don’t like it, well then too bad; it’s his backyard, his ball, his rules! HIS POWER! The irony can be realized when one reads the preamble to the Bill of Rights-

              

                  “THE Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.”

Our founder’s desire was to prevent misconstruction and abuse of power. Obama clings to power. The amendments were added to insure public confidence; Obama’s rules erode the very fabric of confidence that cloaks this nation.

The blatant disregard for the 2^nd Amendment that we are witnessing is only the beginning. The nauseating infringement on the right of the people to keep and bear arms was born out of a few bad guys killing the good guys, the children. For thousands of years the bad guys have killed the good guys, including the innocent. It is for this very reason that the good come together to form a better nation. The sad truth that there will always be bad guys cannot be allowed to determine the extent of our freedoms.

How long will it be before our other freedoms are under assault by this incongruous leader? What happens when our churches, our synagogues or temples are considered a bad influence? Will we lose the right to exercise our religions? (1^st Amendment)  When will our words become such a threat to the masses that we no longer have the freedom of speech? (1^st Amendment)

When will probable cause be established by a dictator alone? Unreasonable searches will become reasonable because it is his back yard, his rules. (4^th Amendment)

When will we be forced to be a witness against ourselves,  be denied a fair trial, our land seized without process , all because some low life bad guys break the rules? (5^th Amendment)

When will impartial juries be replaced by the guy that owns the ball? (6^th Amendment)

When will the borders that define each of these 50 states be rendered unrecognizable along with the powers each state holds? (10^th Amendment)

You think this is impossible, absurd?  On December 15^th, 1791 the Bill of Rights was ratified because our fore-fathers knew what was possible. They had lived under the tyranny of a repressive government, and they had fled! They knew what it was like not to have rights. They knew what it meant not to be able to pray to the God of their choice, to protect their property from the bad guys, to be silenced by the king, to have their family land seized by greed. They knew all this and they knew it was wrong! So they fought for the right to be called free! They fought with guns and they killed the bad guys.

They began with a declaration-

                “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights...”

                “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

 President Obama, we do not give you our consent to tread upon our rights.

I believe in God, I believe in the greatness of these United States and I believe in family. I believe in protecting our families. And I believe that with the Grace of God our United States will stand strong as long as one person stands up and claims these Rights.

Today I am standing up.