Wow... how the time passes by so quickly...

Well, it's been since April since I've posted anything. I was surprised to find that my account was still open and active.

I've been keeping busy with life and responsibilities. One of my highly prioritized responsibilities happens to be my position on borough council as a councilwoman. I'm a newbie. I've only been on council since Jan. of this year... and tonight's meeting was a true questioning between what the heck am I doing here/and am I going to be a positive force/influence here? I have been so upset about this since I came home from the meeting at 8:30 pm and it's now 12:56 am... and I cannot even allow myself to fall asleep. I tried to cry myself to sleep... and that didn't work either. How do moral/common sense beliefs combat "self-centered, I'm all-that, and if I can talk/yell louder than you, I win" beliefs? I'm so distraught right at the moment, I'm feeling the need to just say "fine, you guys deal with it, you don't give a hoot what I have to say anyway", and walk away. But, then I would just be a quitter.

There are times in these meetings that I actually start to talk and am trying to be a voice of reason or common sense and someone else in the council, or the audience has a difference of opinion and starts yelling/talking (mostly yelling) over me, (which I believe they are entitled to)... but at least let me FINISH what I'm trying to share and say. For this, I blame the "president" of council for not taking control and letting things get to the point where it becomes a shouting festival when NO ONE is heard or listened to. But I digress. Then, when I am done, I am more than willing to listen and keep MY mouth shut, while you voice your concerns and opinions. I have never encountered such a disrespectful group of people. Regardless of age and wisdom, and just common courtesy, I've never in all my life been so discouraged, dis-enlightened, and mostly, disappointed by my fellow equal. What say ye?

Ha... not really looking for an answer to that one. I think I should be looking for Divine Inspiration concerning that "What say ye" comment. The more I learn about some of the people I am in council with, the less comfortable I feel. One of the people on council constantly talks about their "being a single parent, working a job, and trying to fit it all into their schedule" and puffing themselves up and patting themselves on the back... and yet I hear more "gossip" about this "single parent" as to how they abuse their own teenager, which someone actually asked me what they could do about it, and I told them to call children and youth services and have it investigated. People that occupy apartments in the house of this person tell me that they hear this person beating and abusing their teenager. I encourage these people to call "children and youth" services, but they are afraid of this person that they might evict them. Is there something really messed up about that? Do we CARE... or do we NOT CARE! Where did our APATHY come from? I would be more willing to take a punch in the face than have this so-called "single parent" allowed to strike their own child/flesh and blood, and get away with it just because they portray themselves to be the "perfect" person in the public persona. Most everyone reads right through it anyhow, and knows what this person really is. If they are so perfect, well.. let them prove it. If I stick my neck out to help this teenager (and God knows they can be difficult, but don't deserve to be abused) and I get hit by the parent or "attacked" in some fashion, whether physical or "verbal" for trying to intervene, well... what do you think is REALLY happening in that house? What do you think is really happening to that child? Come on! Have or develop your own sense of "character" that is upstanding.

I remember the days when an agreement between two people was a handshake. Now it's two lawyers, a contract, and a signature! What the??? Are you as good as your word or not? Are men as worthy of trust as they used to be or not? Do they even want to be? Is it easier to be a sleaze-bag as opposed to being an honest forthright citizen? There is a point in our lives here in America AS American's that we say "enough is enough" and we want our freedoms and our RIGHTS BACK. Government keeps taking and taking... our money, our rights, our right to believe... and what are we doing about it???? But not only do we as American citizens need to stand up and say what we want, but we also need to have the moral character and fiber... the real stuff, that can stand up to whatever gale force might come our way... and just stand up for what is right and what we believe in. Can I just get one amen from someone out there? I'm feeling really discouraged... and I almost wish I didn't even live in America.

I would move in an instant if I thought I could live out the rest of my years in peace and contentment without the MAJOR intrusion of government in my life. Just read the headlines of your local and surrounding urban area newspapers... as to what the budgets look like for this year... let alone what the next year is going to bring. I live in PA. PA sucks almost as badly as NY... both governors stink.... and their reputations stink too. And what do they personally have to lose. While they take away from their "state citizens" the will no DOUBT give themselves a little "something" on the side called a raise or a pay increase... at whose expense? Just because they can.

WAKE UP AMERICANS???!!! If you read this and you give a hoot about anything I've shared here.... please cut and paste anything that you would like and re-post it to your friends (or enemies) whichever it fits.

OK, I'm done venting.... but I'm sincerely upset about all of this. When does enough become enough? When do "we the people" become "we the people"... instead of "we the people blindly obey the government" ... or instead of being the "robotics age" of mindless creatures the government wants us to be, when do we stand up and say we are American's and we are the essential part of the land of the FREE and the HOME of the brave... and THIS country was founded on BIBLICAL principals... and by God, we are HUMAN. We are not mindless machines. Ellis Island welcomed people from foreign lands to find safety and security and acceptance within our boundaries... but never did we promise them the opportunity to overtake our foundational cornerstone of the original premise that people should be free of religious persecution. Somehow, I feel that in this day in age, those founding "fathers" never had it in mind that "gay" priests, preachers, pastors should be accepted just because they demand equal rights. I really don't believe that is what Martin L. King had in mind when he preached against oppression of "equal rights" either. That doesn't mean that the gay community (unless GAY means some form of religion) gets to overturn our original foundational religious beliefs either. When did all of a sudden the "masses" of "open-arms welcomed people" get to take over? We welcome them peacefully, and unabashedly, yet now, they turn on us like a rabid dog. The minority has a louder voice than the majority because among the majority a form of apathy has overtaken us and we just think that nothing is going to change... America is America. Well, let me inform you... America is always going to be America.... we just might not be the most successful/powerful country in all the world. I have so many friends and such who truly believe that America is heading straight towards becoming a 3rd world country within a handful of years. Don't believe it....???? Watch the news. Listen to the news. Read the newspapers and articles that have to do with our economical status. Our physical status (as far as floods and weather disasters that have "never" occurred before in history. How about our financial status.... How many times does Wall Street have to "crash" before we actually understand what that really means? OK, so I wasn't done venting :)

Completely disheartened,
Penny Sue

PS - By tomorrow I will probably be in handcuffs or on the America's Most Wanted list just for speaking my mind! Isn't that really funny??? Scary!!!??? Did you know that you could be jailed for speaking your mind? If it offends someone else... well you've just put yourself in the shoes of someone who has committed "character assassination". Look it up on google... you'll be surprised.

Going to bed a frustrated and upset woman. Sorry. Sorry also because there are NO pictures available to portray what I am feeling and thinking right now. Goodnight.