Sunday, March 21, 2010

I'm still in shock

My heart hurts for our country. I stayed home from church with a stomach ache... and for the first time today, I actually feel like I'm going to throw up.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

We hold these truths

"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 among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson

Free education is not a right. Free health care is not a right. Both items could technically fall under the 10th Amendment:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

But they are not a Creator-given right (or if you don't believe in one/any, it's not a basic human necessity as pointed out by countless philosophers). Therefore, they have no place in our Federal government.

There. I said it.

One may try to argue that they fall under the "pursuit of happiness" clause. And yes, I agree, getting an education and having health care falls under that. BUT, that line is only saying that we have the right to go after those things. Not that we HAVE TO be GIVEN them. See the distinction?

The only thing this country is obligated to give me is life, liberty and the freedom to chase my dreams. Because THAT is the true American dream.

I'm not guaranteed to actually BE happy. I'm not guaranteed a car, house, job, marriage, education, white picket fence, food, money or anything else. I'm guaranteed the freedom it takes to go out and get a job, work for those things, pay for those things and try to enjoy the new advantages that those things I've worked for now give me.

That being said, another great American said something that needs to be repeated over and over these days. We've become a greedy nation. A nation with it's hand out, demanding a job, demanding money for food, for education, for doctors (for free!). Franklin and Jefferson didn't have those things given to them, why should I? They've done more for my life and everyone else in this country than any of us have ever, could ever, do for them. So to you out there, demanding that the government gives us these things I repeat back to you:

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country. President John F. Kennedy

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Post Secret this week


That's okay. Feel superior all you want. I'm secure with being Right. Oh, and I can spell Democrat AND Republican.

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Alice in Wonderland

It was everything I could have hoped for. I melted into the world that Tim created. Sucked into the music by Danny and just melted at the latest outcast that Johnny portrayed. Of all the previous Burdelfman movies I've seen, this may be my favorite.

Recap:
Edward Scissorhands (1990): May have been arguably my favorite previously, since it was the first. A modern-day fractured fairytale. A Frankenstein for an 80s world. *sigh*

Sleepy Hollow (1999): Another beloved movie of mine. I love Tim's spin on "period piece" and let's be honest, Christopher Walken? What isn't there to love?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005): I don't care what anyone says, THIS is the Willie Wonka I wanted when I first saw Gene Wilder's version. GW does a great job, but Johnny is king. This version also put back in the squirrels that I loved so much... the geese were just sad.

Corpse Bride (2005): Venturing back into stop-motion animation after 12 years for Tim and Danny. They added in Johnny and came up with a cute movie. While I liked it a lot, it was easily the weakest of the (now) five.

Alice in Wonderland (2010): Wow. I saw it last night and I'm still floating from the afterglow. It's my favorite children's story (followed VERY closely by Harry Potter... like millimeters). I did a full report on it for my children's literature class based off the top of my head. I'm obsessed with that poor, confused little girl. This movie just sucked me into it's story and I basked in the score, the art design, the characters, the vision.

I cannot say it enough: Thank you Tim, Johnny & Danny. Your wonderful streak continues. The wait was well worth it.