Author Archives: fgeefay
Capital Punishment
Capital Punishment is a topic that I have personally struggled with most of my life. If a person were to deliberately take the life of one of my loved ones would I want vengeance? One of my core values is … Continue reading
Posted in Crime & Justice, Morality Values, Social Issues
Tagged an eye for an eye, capital crime, closure, compassion, execution, forgive, killer, love, murder, New Testement, Old Testement, victim's loved ones
3 Comments
Imposing Human Rights and Moral Values on Others
I am a very strong proponent of human rights and social justice, but I am at odds in my own mind as to what extent we in the U.S. or the community of nations (UN) have a right to insist … Continue reading
Christianity of Exclusions
I grew up in a very strong Christian family and went to a Christian high school. One of the primary reasons I eventually abandoned Christianity was due to the lack of a connection with God. But another factor was a … Continue reading
Posted in Religion, Social Issues
Tagged Christ, Christian, Christianity, exclusion, God, Golden Rule, inclusion, Jesus, love, Old Testament
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Blaming Others
During these days of political and social conflicts we seem to be in the habit of putting blame for our failures and the failures of others on everyone except ourselves. It is so easy to blame someone else because it … Continue reading
Posted in Personal Perspective, Social Issues, Society
Tagged Blame, congress, failure, mistake, Moral responsibility, taking responsibility
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Unintended Consequences of Sudden Economic Change
My wife was driving on the freeway and decided to switch to the fast lane to get around traffic. As she did so she thought she saw something on the road and suddenly swerved to avoid it. Her car swerved … Continue reading
Posted in Economy, Government
Tagged budget, controled budget, economy, national debt, recession, sudden change, sustainable, unintended consequences
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Putting Garbage to Good Use
America produces millions of tons of garbage daily that goes into landfills. This is becoming a major problem because landfills are filling up faster than we can develop new ones. New York City for example sends most of its 10,000 … Continue reading
Posted in Global Warming, Science & Technology
Tagged digestor, garbage, Global Warming, Greenhouse gas, landfill, methane gas, organic waste
1 Comment
‘The Pursuit of Happiness’
I have written on my Home page and on a number of posts in this blog that ‘the pursuit of happiness’ is one of my core values. In fact I consider it my most important value. Without it this would … Continue reading
Posted in Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective
Tagged aspirations, better future, crime, dreams, hope, poverty
1 Comment
Which Economic ‘…ism’ I Think is Best?
I have frequently been mistaken for a socialist because of my preferences for socialized healthcare, Medicare, Social Security, social justice, and the government helping our poor and underserved citizens. This perception of me is uniquely American (U.S.). For those living … Continue reading
Posted in Economy, Government, Social Issues, Society
Tagged capitalism, comunism, creative, creative development, economic systems, money and wealth, regulation, socialism
2 Comments
Playing Life Safe – Missed Opportunities
For most of my adult life I have lived life rather on the safe side taking few chances that would endanger my physical and financial well being. I did few activities that could be considered risky and did not gamble … Continue reading
Posted in Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective
Tagged cancer, enjoy life, health, life is too short, take risks
1 Comment
An Eye for an Eye
It seems to me that despite many of our American traditions stemming from a strong Christian Protestant backgrounds our culture has gradually reverted back towards the attitudes of Old Testament ‘an eye for an eye’ morality. When we feel a … Continue reading
Posted in Morality Values, Social Issues
Tagged Christ, Christian, crime, Eye for an eye, Good and evil, Jews, Old Testament, punishment, revenge
5 Comments
The Price of Poverty and Ignoance – What are our Alternatives?
The food stamp program has recently ended a temporary increase due to the downturn in the economy a few years ago and is under attack by Republican lawmakers. They want to reduce it by $40 billion over the next 10 … Continue reading
Posted in Inequality, Social Issues
Tagged $40 billion, congress, crime, poverty, Prevention, smaller military, Victims
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Crime and Punishment – is it Working?
The way we in America deal with people that are consider socially unacceptable is to make up laws against then turning offenders into criminals. A system exists to deal with criminals consisting of law enforcement arresting these individuals, trying them … Continue reading
Posted in Crime & Justice, Government
Tagged crime, Illegal drug trade, Incarceration, law, law enforcement, Prison, recidivism
2 Comments
Term Limits? Extend Term Lengths Instead!
In today’s complex wold of government two and four year terms simply doesn’t give our elected officials enough time to learn their jobs before they need to prepare for the next election. When these terms in office were originally established … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Issues, Government
Tagged four years, government, House, Political campaign, political office, president, Senate, term in office, Term limit
4 Comments
Health Care in the U.S.
Most countries throughout the developed world have government run health care systems for good reason: It is far easier than having to deal with many different private insurance companies and shopping for insurance and comparing best benefits and rates. A … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Issues, Government
Tagged health care, Health system, medical insurance, Medicare, Obamacare, overhead, United States
1 Comment
Friends
One of my pastimes has been reacquainting myself with friends I have lost contact with for one reason or another through the decades. Some of these friends I once knew in high school or college. Some I considered very close … Continue reading
Posted in Personal Perspective
Tagged accessible, best friend, caring, empathy, enduring friendship, friend, Friendship, nurturing, Relationship, share
1 Comment
Thankfulness
With the world in a bit of turmoil and our daily lives often one crisis after another we often forget that there is a lot to be thankful for. Negative events and thoughts seem to poke their heads above the … Continue reading
Posted in Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective
Tagged autism, grateful, opportunity, thankful
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Apathy in America
On a good national election about 60% of registered voters vote. About 35% of American citizens aren’t even registered to vote. Thus in reality on a good national election only about 45% of all American citizens vote and on a … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Issues, Government
Tagged American voters, Apathy, dysfunctional government, elections, government, involved citizens, legislator
1 Comment
Na-sayers and the Apathetic on Global Warming
The vast majority of na-sayers of global warming are political conservatives, typically Republicans, who don’t want to believe that global warming is a fact and/or that it is primarily caused by greenhouse gases produced from man. Most do not have … Continue reading
Posted in Climate Change, Environment
Tagged Climate, Climate Change, climate scientist, conservatives, Global Warming
3 Comments
Overcoming Adversity – Opportunity
I have mentioned on a number of postings my learning disabilities and socialization problems (autism). Growing up in the early 1950’s when I went to elementary school was not a very rewarding experience. As a very slow learner with poor … Continue reading
Posted in Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective
Tagged creative, dyslexia, handicap, learning disabilities, overcoming adversity, persistence
4 Comments
What America Means to Me
In spite of much criticism of our government and social issues, I feel that this has been a rather amazing country to have been born and lived in for me personally. I have truly lived the American dream and achieved far more than I ever thought possible. This country is far from perfect but it has much going for it to compensate for all its inadequacies. Continue reading
Posted in Life's Lessons, Personal Perspective
Tagged American dream, Children, compassion, criticism, education, handicap, learning disabilities, love, poverty, retire, social injustice, sucessful career
1 Comment
Is Education in the US Ripe for an Overhaul?
I was fortunate to have receiving my elementary and middle school education as well as one year of high school in the US and all my high school abroad under the British System in the 1950’s. This gave me a … Continue reading
Posted in Education, Social Issues
Tagged education, litteracy, math and science, public education, US rank
2 Comments
Hopelessly Poor in the Land of Milk & Honey
For a kid living in an environment of abject poverty I can imagine the difficulties they would face in trying to excel in school or going to college to escape their world of oppressive poverty. Such environments do not provide the nurturing and social expectations to become successful. The only feasible way to make significant money is through criminal means. The only way to get nurturing as a youth is to join a gang since parents were usually not at home due to work or otherwise occupied. Continue reading
Posted in Inequality, Social Issues
Tagged aid, Black, crime, dispair, education, expectation, gangs, Hispanic, hopless, nurturing, poverty, Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, Wealth
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What Distinguishes Conservatives from Liberals?
Since I frequently allude to Conservative Republicans and Liberal Democrats I thought I’d define these terms as I see them. Republicans have not always been Conservative and Democrats Liberal. The Republican party was formed under Abraham Lincoln, quite a liberal … Continue reading
President Obama vs a Republican Congress
I have been critical of President Obama’s foreign policies and his failure to be transparent regarding whistle blowers as he had promised during his 2008 campaign. I am also critical of his polities on oil and gas drilling. So I … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Issues, Government
Tagged congress, depression, economic recovery, food stamps, national debt, Obamacare, poor, president, Republican House, Republicans, resession
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ouR Social Conscience 