As I wish you all a happy and safe Independence Day once again, I can't help but look back on the past year with a certain amount of astonishment in how fast we all became a year older. No matter how many times I reflect on the phenomenon, the number of references I've made in my articles or the different ways I have chosen to describe the feeling, it never ceases to amaze me how quickly time passes. As I confront and begrudgingly accept the fact that there are more days behind me than there are ahead, the clock seems to move even faster now than it did when I was in my late teens to early twenties. Strange.... Well....I was probably just too stupid to realize it then, as I am now painfully aware that youth is indeed wasted on the young.
Whatever the reason for the experience, the ticking of the second hand has brought us to the middle of 2016 in the blink of an eye. Seems like just yesterday we counted down those seconds and celebrated the New Year. Now we are breaking out the fireworks, going to Fourth of July parades, carnivals and barbeques. For as fast as it has passed us by, it's interesting to note that a lot has happened these past six months and due to the popularity of last year's Halftime Report, I have decided to continue the tradition as I take a look back with you, my loyal reader, on some of what we have Observed since we rung in the new 365 days with our toasts, kisses and resolutions we never intended to keep.
* We had one state raise the smoking age to 21. Another allowed it citizens to carry a sidearm openly... as in "Old West" openly and yet another implement a registry of known animal abusers. No word yet on if you can smoke while shooting a registered horse beater.
* Then there was the militia that occupied a bird sanctuary in a standoff with the government to protest the arrest of two fellow farmers, who wanted nothing to do with them, who were then abandoned by their church, a nationally known militia that had supported them in the past, the agricultural organizations they claimed they were doing this for and finally gave up on their lost cause when one of their numbers was shot and killed by the FBI and local law enforcement when they took a federal vehicle to town. They should have stuck with bird watching, cleaning their guns and driving their own car.
* Powerball reached a 1 billion dollar jackpot for the first time. This would have probably meant more to me if I had won. You too?..... thought so.
* We watched a diversity filled Golden Globes, a "Lily White" Oscars and had to suffer a not so diversified protest by privileged entitled crybabies over the latter. I'm sure you remember.... Chris Rock was there.
* As if West Nile wasn't bad enough, now the little vampire flying darts are killing us with Zika. It's a good thing our government doesn't seem to think it's enough of a epidemic to release funds to the CDC in order to create a vaccine.... so we should all be just fine.
* In February there was a mass shooting in a nightclub called the Glitz Ultra Lounge, and another at the Tip Top grocery store. Both were in Orlando Florida.
* Supreme court justice Antonin Scalia, who stated that "you don't see demonic possessions anymore" died and I'm sure had some pointed questions for St. Peter.
* Merrick Garland was nominated to take Scalia's place, but since it's an election year, congress decide to play "Wait and See" leaving us with an even numbered supreme court. So, as with all other government entities, nothing will get done. At least it won't get done fast. Let's see.... four vote "yes"... four vote "no".... It's a tie!.... again....
* In April two gunmen drove by an apartment complex in Orlando, Florida and opened fire on the people outside of their homes killing one and injuring five.
* American Idol said goodbye after 15 seasons. As only two of the winners went on to do anything, most people didn't know it was still on the air. Oh well, I guess it won't be missed then. Quick! Name a winner besides Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood..... See!.... No one can do it!
* The elevator brought Prince down.
* Last month the automobile company Tesla drew a moving violation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration when one of their cars with a self driving program called "Autopilot". (that CEO Elon Musk is so proud of) failed to recognize a tractor trailer that was crossing it's path on a highway in Florida and drove itself and it's passenger under the trailer section, then crossed traffic, struck two separate fences until finally colliding with a utility pole, killing it's human. I guess Hal isn't ready to take on the afternoon rush. Rumors that the car was heading to Orlando have not been confirmed.
* A Stanford University student was sentenced to a whole 6 months for raping an unconscious woman behind a dumpster showing us all, once again, that enough money can buy happiness and a get out of jail card.
* YouTube sensation Christina Grimmie was shot while signing autographs out side a concert venue in Orlando, Florida.
* The deadliest mass shooting in America takes place in Orlando, Florida (I'm never going to Orlando.... ever) as Omar Mateen killed fifty people at a nightclub called The Pulse.
* Monica Lewinsky's boyfriend's wife and Ivanna Zelnickova's ex-reality show husband are now our presidential candidates. He's trying to understand why people are attempting to kill him with police officer's weapons, she's still trying to figure out which e-mail account is alright to use for her meatloaf recipe and the rest of us are waiting for the punchline.
* We were told we would have a "Green" moon in April, then again in May.... but "they" lied. We did, however, have a "Strawberry" moon in June even though it wasn't red. Who comes up with these names anyway? It's very disheartening.
* The United Kingdom voted on whether or not to leave the European Union and then wanted a do-over when they actually did.
* Despite a 15 hour senate filibuster in response to gun law reform, democratic representatives tore a page out of the sixties protest handbook and had a good old fashioned, flower power to the people, hell no we won't go "sit in" on the House floor for two days until speaker Ryan allowed votes on gun safety legislation. Rumor has it they ordered in.
* And University of Connecticut's Mac & Cheese kid is once again in trouble with the law in Boca Raton, Florida (Florida?.... Again?) when he entered The Wellness Resource Center, coming from a detox facility, left barefoot when denied drugs, returned and screamed at the staff to return his property and then assaulted a responding police officer while resisting arrest "with violence". Maybe someone should have just given this nut job some jalapeño bacon mac and cheese. It's a good thing he left without his shoes. He just might have made it to Orlando.
And those are just the highlights my fellow Observers. If I had taken the time to list everything that had raised my eyebrows over the past six months I would have had to start writing this piece over three weeks ago. I apologize to anyone who feels I left out some incidents that they felt worthy to be a part of the highlight spiel, but as I stated, I had to choose specifics or trash the idea altogether due to length. Having been critiqued by my mother as being wordy and long winded in my articles, I have to be cautious for fear that she may actually read another. After all, she's my mom. Whether she enjoys my writing or not.
What concerns me is when I look at the above list I realize that as we are about to celebrate our country's independence, how much that very same country has failed us. From an election that no one cares about, to the disregard for a disease that is killing our children, to a justice system that is defunct by our congress's own doing, one that also administers sentences by stature, all the way to a government that seems fixated so much on gun issues that it doesn't seem to matter what party is in charge, we, the people, are at their mercy. Even though we, the people, are the ones who put them in the position to repress us. We the people and our children deserve better.
Even though I hate rehashing subjects that I've already addressed, I can't stress enough that both sides of the gun debate have it wrong. For as much as I hate to align myself with either argument, I have to admit that the extremists that are demanding our lawmakers to hand down stricter gun laws are wasting more valuable time and money than the ones who keep pushing the second amendment down our throats. Whatever side some people choose to support, it clearly makes no difference. Despite all the new gun laws and restrictions that have been leveled upon us since Sandy Hook, the useless filibusters and ridiculous sit ins, according to The Gun Violence Archive 2016 has seen, up to the time of this writing, 157 mass shooting resulting in 232 deaths in just 182 days. More laws put on the books will not erase those numbers or change these facts. On the other hand neither will state representatives in Tennessee and gun shops in Chicago raffling off AR-15's as door prizes and citing the practice as fundraisers for the victims of gun violence. It's no wonder both sides hate each other the way they do. The few of us that are rooted in a more sensible plain when it comes to "gun control" mongers and the "right to bear arms" brigade should probably stay out of the way as someone is bound to get shot. For those who may have missed my past thoughts on this subject you can find them at www.44valentine.blogspot.com. Laws may have changed.... my views have not.
Whether we measure time week by week, month by month or year by year, it seems the majority of us are being held hostage by idiotic premises from both extremes on issues that affect us all but offer no solution for any problem at hand. The trouble with extremist views is that no matter what side your on, the position that's taken is not open to compromise and neither one will concede anything in order to achieve progress. Be it party politics, lawmaking, budgets, the justice system, sentences, school curriculum or just what color to paint the rocks at the local park, when middle of the road thinking is railroaded and pushed aside while the left and the right argue incessantly and rational discussion is abandoned, nothing gets resolved, therefor decisions are not made, no one is satisfied and everyone loses. In the end, the only thing this pointless bickering benefits are the arguments themselves. Strictly an Observation. If you'll excuse me, my car is going to drive me to an open carry sit in showing American Idol reruns that is serving mac & cheese.
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