No, god isn’t allowed in school and I am glad. I think god should be banned in many other places as well. In fact, I believe god should be banned everywhere except in your home and in your church. It’s for the simple fact that we are a civilization of many beliefs and gods. What makes the Christian God any better than the Muslim God, the Hindi God, or any other god?

This country was founded on religious freedom. Do we ever really think about the importance of this and what the implications will be if we allow it to be squashed? Do we really want to become a Christian nation? 

If you are Christian, do you want to pay for a Muslim church? What if the role were reversed? Should Muslims have to pay for a Christian church?

If you are Christian, should your children be forced to learn all the teachings of Allah? If we allow church into state matters, we must allow all religions in. No religion is better than another except in your personal belief.

These force fed beliefs happened before and scores of innocents were killed, maimed and lived in fear. Look up the history of Christianity. Look up the devices that were invented to force everyone to believe. The Rack, The Wheel, The Iron Maiden, burning of the flesh with branding irons and pokers. Here-say was taken at face value. Thousands upon thousands thrown in jails simply for not believing or not following another’s belief. 

Is it fair to have to build and fund thousands of new jails to house people simply because their belief is different from yours? Who will pay to police this policy? Is this what you really want?

Suppose this country turns into a Muslim only country. Do you want your child forced to believe in a god you don’t believe in? Would you like to be forced to wear a hijab? Do you want to be forced to refrain from alcohol and pray to a god you don’t believe in 5 times a day?

No, you have the right to wear what you want, pray when you want and drink if you so choose. Why force someone to do as your religion says even if it’s not what they believe?

It’s bullying. Plain and simple. An act of power tripping! God gave us free will (according to the Christian Bible). Jesus loved all and taught that everyone should love others as if they were their brother. I don’t think either one, Jesus or God, would force one of his flock to believe or force one to believe in His way or no way. In fact, I only hear this “allow God in schools” thing from one religious group and that is the Christians. The other religions don’t push their beliefs on others… So, why are the Christians wanting to bully the human rights from others? If I ever get a decent answer to this, I’ll be sure to blog about it!

On September 23 of 2011, the Mississippi Press ran a news story about an officer shooting a Pit Bull that “charged” an officer. This news story ran online at the following link: http://blog.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2011/09/officer_kills_one_of_three_pit.html as well as in the physical newspaper.

Sheriff Mike Byrd made the statement “These dogs, I’m telling you they will hurt you,” Byrd said. “All they want to do is bite.”
This is a statement of ignorance of the Pit Bull breed and does nothing but spread hurtful misrepresentation of Pit Bulls. It is a prejudiced statement and I and the undersigned invite Sheriff Mike Byrd and his deputies to learn about the breed before making such misrepresentations and spread even more hate, fear and discrimination of the breed.

Sheriff Mike Byrd, his deputies and the media need an education on the Pit Bull and be educated on spotting the difference between “bad dog vs. bad owner”, “bad deed vs. bad breed”.

To kill a dog that has obviously not been trained properly, cause panic to the public by alerting such statements of ”All they want to do is bite” andnot recognize a mistreated animal and criminally charge or fine the owner is not only a public disservice, but it is a disservice of Pit Bulls and other dogs wrongfully deemed “vicious” and or “dangerous”.

We the undersigned ask for Sheriff Mike Byrd to learn about the Pit Bull breed, it’s history in this country and around the world and retract his statement.

***PLEASE CLICK THIS LINK AND SIGN THE PETITION

SO THESE OFFICERS KNOW I’M SERIOUS AND THEY NEED SOME LEARNIN’S!!***

It was after I hit my late 30′s when he finally came around. I had already given up for years as far as he was concerned. Only my closest confidant knew the battles that raged in me and the child that needed a father that loomed within my depths. It was never going to happen. I would never be loved by the man that was my father. It hurt. It screwed my mind up. It really messed my heart up. It’s hard to learn love when you’ve never had love. It’s hard to be a parent when you never had a “real” parent.

Dad has been gone a month now. I still haven’t gotten used to not receiving his stupid political emails. He was a die hard republican, I am a die hard democrat. I still have his number in my phone. When should I delete it? I don’t know. Rarely did we talk, but one day maybe he will… no he won’t. He’s gone. There will be no more emails, when do I delete his email address? I just don’t have the answer.

I walk through the house and see his picture, my mother’s picture, my grandmother’s picture and things left to me. I think of my baby I lost and the death of all four of them just surround and consume me. My rose bush blooms in a set of four. Have I lost my mind? Do I just need to grab myself up by the bootstraps and get over it? I never really grieved any of them until now and it seems it won’t end. Tears, memories, what if’s, and why’s flood my mind and heart. When does it end? When does one come to grips with life and life being over? I guess the main thing is knowing I am alone.

I was alone anyway not having a good relationship with him but knowing he’s gone and there really is no one to fall back on is the scary part. Who does one turn to when there is no one? Having always felt alone was one thing, but knowing I really am, that’s totally different. Perhaps that is why I keep the email address and phone number. Maybe as long as I have those, I do have someone on my side.

Let me tell you the experience my family member had when they rushed down there to get their new addition…. They arrive at the shelter and are not greeted by anyone but a roaming cat that acknowledges their presence. Upon asking where the kittens are, they are simply told down the hall. So, off down the hall they go to feel their way around the pound and try to find the kittens.

Upon finding the small room where kittens are housed, these potential adopters have already gotten a bad taste in their mouth because of the rudeness of the staff but wanting to do the work of greater good by saving a life, they pick out a kitten they have fallen in love with. They walk back to the front desk to let the staff know they have found one they want to adopt. Does the staff ask questions about their pet parenting skills? Do they go with these potential adopters to help them? NO! The shelter staff, with no expression or care, simply tell them to go get it from the cage.

They again walk back to the room and release the kitten from it’s cage and bring it up front, are asked for fifty dollars, handed a piece of paper and treated with no kindness, concern or respect. The kitten had gotten shots and gets fixed for free, but upon taking the kitten to the vet, the shot the kitten was given did NOT include rabies nor the Feline Leukemia! On top of that, their website states all animals have been wormed which the kitten was infested with worms. So much for that! Hmmmmmm….. Are the staff doing their jobs down there at the shelter? Do they CARE about the animals they are there to work with?

Well obviously they don’t care much. The cat that roams the building I spoke about earlier, the ONLY greeting my family members received, well, a woman in the shelter kept threatening to “get rid” of the cat the whole time my family members were there. What kind of place has such unfriendly hours, rude staff and threatens to “get rid” of animals. They certainly have not an ounce of care for anything but a paycheck from the county.

Never have I seen a fundraising event take place or anything that would promote funding or donations or care for the animals that are there. If I ran that place, there would be some DEFINITE changes. Salaries would be cut so the building could be pen when the people of the county were available to adopt. If I had to print fliers from my personal computer promoting a fundraiser, well, it would be done! I’d be at all the community outings, such as parades or carnivals. Anywhere I could put up a table and let people know these animal lives need them!

First and foremost, I’d have to fire some unfriendly faces!

If you believe the JACKSON COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER should have more adoption friendly hours and a more helpful staff, feel free to give them a call! at 228.497.6350 today and everyday! Ms. Peggy Hoffman is the shelter manager. Let her know how poorly run her shelter is!

I always wondered how he got so many girlfriends and wives when he never opened up about anything but, it’s all beginning to make sense to me now that he has recently passed. He was just a silent and private person towards me. This always made me wonder why he didn’t like me. Was I just a pain in the ass that happened to be born? Even in his passing he never opened up to me, not more than a few words did I ever get and they were mainly regarding the birds at the bird feeder.

I reflect back through my childhood and teen years and even in my adult life and nothing was ever any different. He was quiet, reserved, private, secretive and distant from me. BUT, he was open, friendly and loving to his step-kids. I remember one day he actually called me. My phone rang but when I enthusiastically answered he admitted he had meant to call someone else and hung up. I was crushed. But, I should have expected it. He never called me. He never wrote except once. It was a typed letter saying I would “never be daddy’s little girl”… I never wanted to be, I just wanted to be a part of his life. Up til the end, there was nothing any different. I wonder why I expected things to change.

When I was told he had passed last week, I was very upset. I cried. For days I went through a plethora of emotions and thoughts and memories. As the days have gone by, I find myself missing other family members that have passed more and more. I find myself mourning more for the mother I never knew or had. I mourn for my grandmother who did show much love for me. Though, even we were distant, she filled the bits of my childhood with just enough to keep me hanging on to an ounce of worth.

I think last night’s dream was a big turning point for me. It was an older gentleman that came to me and he said it was all “weather or work.” That’s the only thing they would open up about… weather and work. How true! That is the only time dad would open his mouth and talk to me! Oh the things he missed out on by not talking to me.

I guess a lifetime of not knowing this man who was called my father though he was in my life off and on, I learned a wonderful lesson. I learned how to be a parent. I learned to talk to my son about any and everything. I involve him in every aspect of my life. I tell him daily how much I love him. I hug him. I do everything opposite of my father.

Because dad was never there for me, because he never expressed himself to me and caused me much hurt he taught me a wonderful lesson. Unfortunately it screwed me up mentally, but my son reaps the benefits and so will my grandchildren because I’m moving on… I’m moving on and letting my family know I love them and how important they are to me.

FIGHT THE FIGHTING!!!

But, let’s take a look at this study. Dr. Stephen Cohn, professor of surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center, states “I think this is a public health hazard, this particular dog.”… now, which dog would that be? The dog that was responsible for the attack or the entire group of dog breeds that are defined as “Pit Bulls”? It just might be the dog (or monster) at the other end of the leash, or should I say, the one that WASN’T at the end of the leash! I am referring to the owner.

Where are these responsible owners when these dog attacks happen? Have they been responsible enough to have their dog taken to obedience class or have they just let them run wild in the street or worse, in the fighting ring? Now don’t get me wrong, I am in no way saying that there aren’t any unprovoked attacks, but they can happen with ANY breed at ANY time. We all have relatives, friends, and coworkers who are the same way, should we ban them? The Toyota Camry is the lead vehicle for auto accident claims, should we ban Toyota?

Fifteen years of records for the hospital produced 228 attacks leading to admissions and/or deaths according to this study. Of those 228 attacks, only 82 reported the breed of dog responsible for the attack. Of those reported, only 29 were reported as “Pit Bull” related. That’s 35%. So what breed(s) have the rest of the tabulation? No one knows because there are no studies that I have found on this.

The American Kennel Club has states that the Labrador Retriever is the most popular dog breed on it’s records, I am more than sure that there are quite a few bites by them, they just don’t gain the spotlight like the Pit Bull breeds. Also, isn’t it quite logical to assume that the size of the dogs mouth is also going to be a factor in this? A Chihuahua can not possibly do the same damage during a bite as a Pit Bull or even a Great Dane. Their mouths are much smaller. That doesn’t mean that damage isn’t going to be done, but no one is going to waste the gas running out to do a report on a Chihuahua bite like they will on such a highly volatile subject like the “Pit Bull”.

The Pit Bull breeds have gotten such a bad rap because face it, it’s the fad right now. All dogs go trough their fazes of popularity. In the 80′s, it was the Doberman and Chow Chow. There was the Chihuahua explosion and the Pug and the SharPei. It’s just so unfortunate that these gangs and bad, bad owners have used and abused the Pit Bull in fighting rings and media has grabbed a hold of them and turned all the Pit Bull breeds into monsters, which they are far, far from being.

If you look through history, Pit Bulls have been a favorite and even the face of this country. Sgt. Stubby and Jack Brutus were two war hero Pit Bulls. There are several working right now to protect our borders from drug runners and dealers that are killing our kids at an alarming rate. There are countless service Pitties working right now from helping someone cross a busy intersection to bringing a smile to someone’s face in a nursing home. Let’s not forget about RCA, the certified hearing service dog. There are just so many to mention, but perhaps the media needs to jump on THAT bandwagon and stop reporting bad news and start having a few feel good stories.

Sometimes it takes a half hour or forty five minutes to get turned over and into a sitting position knowing I have to get the day going. With my husband next to me sleeping, all I can do is grunt and scream in my head. Sometimes the screams come out into “OW, OW, OW’s secretly wishing there was someone there to help me move, but what could they do but cause me to hurt more.

So, I make it to the kitchen. Luckily, my husband has pre-made coffee so all I have to do is push a button, then it is to a chair to sit from the walk and pain getting out of bed. On mornings that the coffee is not waiting for me, I just wait until I get the strength to hold and fill the pot with water. Sometimes I am so pissed off by this point that I wish I were dead than have to continue a life like this.

My hips hurt so bad I feel like they are breaking. My elbows, wrists, shoulders and knees are still so stiff after all this time but I have to push through the pain. I make small movements slowly working the joints loose, but someday’s they just don’t give in to the demands my head orders them. I do small stretches and get to where I feel half way stable enough to get the coffee pot filled… An hour or hour and a half has passed. If I didn’t love my coffee so much, I would have just given up by now.

Sometimes a hot, hot shower helps, sometimes the stretches and bending exercises help, mostly my anger and frustration and determination helps. Unfortunately a few hours later, I find myself right back in the same shape yet, exhaustion – perhaps from my mental determination has left me drained.

Often it takes a full day to accomplish the day’s chores. Trips to town leave me in agony. If you see me buying groceries, you’ll know I’ve doubled up on my medication or I have an extremely fake smile on my face. The pain NEVER leaves. ALL day and NIGHT long.

I’m sure by now you’ve asked “What’s wrong with her?”

Fibromyalgia. That is what’s wrong with me. You look at me and I look fine. Nice hair, pretty eyes, a glorious sense of humor, but what you don’t see is what makes me want to bitchslap everyone within distance and rip my hair out in a screaming, raging fit.

I have been to doctors, physical therapy, chiropractors, had people pray over me, etc. Everything but a witch doctor or voodoo, I have tried. From OTC medications, prescription medications, herbal creams, patches and potions, I’ve tried. The pain is REAL. FIBROMYALGIA IS REAL. But, believe it or not, there is a debate in the medical field as to whether this is real or not. Trust me, if it’s not real, then my body is fucked with something really bad!

Sufferers go to a plethora of doctors from neurologists to rhumatologists to immunologists.  No one has a definite cure or even treatment that works worth a damn. We go through every day stiff and sore to down right painful hurting throbbing pain. Sometimes it’s like needles being shoved in our nerves to just achy muscles… from one minute to the next, we really don’t know what our bodies are going to do or how they will feel.

But, one thing is for sure, now you know why I am often (quite often) a bitch. Now you know why I don’t run and jump and go places at the drop of a hat and why I NEVER feel good… even though I lie and tell you I’m fine!

Here are a few links to check out:

www.fmaware.org

www.fmpartnership.org

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibromyalgia

I have seen post after post and article after article with all sorts of different views, opinions and questions. I must put my two cents in. The republicans and tea partiers have been so dead set on this stupid birth certificate thing that they forget one thing, the president of the United States has other things to worry about, such as finding and ordering the death of Osama.

Ever since the last election where the republicans won their position in the house, their views have changed from the economy to absolute focus on abolishing planned parenthood, Obama’s birth Certificate and yes, cutting the military budget. Who gets the blame for the military budget proposal? Obama. Many people in America need to relearn (or learn) the process of law and the Constitution. Obama can not just decide to cut a budget and sign it. It has to go before the house first and get their approval. Think about who is in the house and think about who you voted into the house. They represent YOU. If you don’t like the idea, YOU can do something about it with letters and phone calls. So, get off your asses!

Now what chaps my ass is all the “Birther Bill” and cuts to education, not to mention planning out Planned Parenthod and other STUPID ideas that are being thrown around. Think about this, mr. and Ms. Republican…. Cut Planned Parenthood, make it impossible for people to get affordable low cost prenatal care, STD treatment and birth control. You will find an explosion in  pregnancy rates. These women will not be able to afford decent low cost prenatal care, so they will “wing it” during pregnancy, leading to higher infant death rates, sicknesses, and disabilities. Who will pay for this? YOU WILL.

Cut education, you will find stupid kids “graduating” from school if they even graduate at all and then what will happen? Higher crime rates and face it, it’s a fact of life, these uneducated kids will be parents with no prenatal care and no life skills leading to dead babies, higher welfare, etc.

Please people start thinking!!

Now, about the killing of Bin Laden. This is a victory to everyone in the United States and everywhere else in the world that has been affected by terrorism. President Obama didn’t give a crap about his birth certificate, he was making plans and ordering the death of the head of terrorism across the world. How selfish and stupid do republicans and tea partiers have to be to be so focused on something so stupid as a birth certificate? Yet, they backed John McCain who wasn’t born in America, though Obama was. To me, it boils down to racism, it really does.

Let President Obama do his job and do it right, get out of his way. Due to the healthcare overhaul, I have had cheaper prescriptions and my choice of doctors at a decent price, regardless of my preexisting conditions. I think it has been a great thing. Getting Bin Laden, another great thing, helping the economy, well, get the republicans out of the way and I’m sure a solution will come there as well. Let him do his job. With such a short time in office and he’s done more than Bush did in all his years in there.

President Obama has repeatedly asked the republicans to work with him yet they refuse, just think… this country could go way, way FORWARD if we all worked together. Only the republicans/tea party wants their country “back”… “Back” from what? A one half black/white man in office doing one hell of a job? Come on, open your minds and get the hatred out of your hearts.

My doctor was so caring and concerned during the pregnancy but tried everything under the sun to disregard my daughter as a human life after the loss. I remember being in the hospital days after giving birth to her and I asked him “Why?” He pretty much just shrugged it off as Shit happens, just in other terms. His concern for me and my daughter was over but still, twenty years later, I still question “Why?”

As I have searched the internet through the years and spoken to people about my loss there is something I have come to realize. Miscarriage and Infant loss is such a taboo subject. It’s such a hush hush, pretend it didn’t happen and don’t think about it mentality out there in the world. I also question “Why?”

It’s one of the most painful experiences a woman can have. It also screws up a woman’s body. Trust me, my body, my insides were never the same. (I’ll save you from detail.) It is one of the most traumatic emotional experiences a woman can have. Can you imagine going through pregnancy, preparing for the birth of a child and you wake up early one morning to find yourself in labor… and in labor for an entire day and a half. Being on monitors listening to the heartbeat get weaker and slower, going through contractions, in full labor just to carry home a vase of flowers?

This topic should be one of the most forefront topics of our time. Without talking about it, a cure, a cause, a reason will never be found. It shouldn’t just be a “shit happens” type of thing. in our advanced medical knowledge and technology based society, we should know why every child dies. We should have support systems set up in place for grieving mothers who no one wants to deal with. This experience, this loss of my daughter forever changed me. Some may say it’s the reason I’m “crazy”… who knows maybe it permanently altered my brain chemistry and caused my depression I’ve dealt with for so long, (but there are many other factors that I believe come into play with that.)

Some women choose to not become mothers and welcome a loss such as I went through but for those whom were taken by complete surprise, such as me and feel unrelenting pain from it, don’t let it become a taboo subject. It is a time of grief, no matter the child’s life experience.