Arpaio's Joke

THURSDAY, MARCH 1, 2012

Arpaio's Joke

As most of Arizona and the country know, Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Sheriff is in trouble. The feds are investigating him for numerous civil rights violations. He has squandered millions of tax dollars and pursued a number of bogus cases while neglecting child abuse cases. In the sheriff's latest ploy he has claimed that after an extensive investigation, President Obama's birth certificate is a forgery. In extensive video "proof," the sheriff points out that when enlarged, there is "noise" or rough edges on the typed letters of an authentic birth certificate. On the copy of Obama's birth certificate, there is no noise, hence, according to the sheriff, who must have nothing better to do, Obama's birth certificate is a forgery. Arpaio's joke is that he enlarged the first or authentic certificate many times. The alleged phony certificate was enlarged one or two times, not enough to show any noise that may or may not have been there. So much time, energy and effort has been expended trying to prove that Obama is not a citizen that might have been used for a better purpose. We have more important things to do than to try to disprove something that has already been verified. Obama IS the president. If there is anything phony in the State of Arizona, it is Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

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Apostles and iPads

Prof. Daniel Peterson's blog "Sic et Non" is one of my favorites. Without his permission, I pass along one of his posts. Dan, if you'd answer my emails I'd have asked permission!

I have to say, though, that I was in the office of a very senior member of the Twelve(L.Tom Perry, the only one who turns 90 this summer) about a month ago -- he'll be ninety in August, I believe -- and he was extremely adept with his iPad, and very vocal about how much he loves it.  Though he did chuckle that some of the "old timers" in the Church Administration Building are a bit behind with regard to the latest technology.

"Worthless Worship"

I came across a comment in the Washington Post today that made reference to "worthless worship." I could not resist making the following reply.

I will comment upon the term "worthless worship." I do not believe worship is worthless. I have found solutions to my own problems in temple worship, church meetings and the Catholic Mass, although I am a Latter-day Saint, not a Catholic. I have, through worship, been motivated to do better, to be more patient and to be more kind. Through worship I have received the inspiration to do things which would help my wife, children and co-workers. I have been motivated to do more for the poor and needy around me. This process of worship, though I do it imperfectly, is not worthless. It helps me and those around me including some I don't know.

I believe...

Years ago, there was a popular song, "I Believe." I believed as I heard that song as a boy and I believe now. On this Easter Sunday, I believe that Jesus Christ lived and died for my sins and for the sins of all the world, believer and non-believer. I believe that as I turn my heart to him, he will turn to me and bless me. As I pray in his name, I recall he prayed, not to himself, but to his Father who is the Father of us all. When he prayed, '...if possible, take this cup from me," he was not asking himself to take the cup away, he was asking his Father in Heaven.

I believe that he was born of an earthly mother and a Heavenly Father through a  conception we do not understand. As he lived, he was a perfect man. He wanted us to follow his example. Mercifully, he gave us the process of repentance which we can apply when we fall short. That process gives us the privilege of learning from our own mistakes as well as the mistakes of others.

I believe that Christ atoned for each person who lives, will live or has lived on this earth. He loves each of us so much that he was willing to suffer for each one as we try to become more like him. He did not make any exceptions. He cares for us no matter who we are or our station in life. He wants each of us to come and live with him in his many mansions.

I believe that through trying to follow his example, I can become a better man, husband, father and neighbor. I believe as I try, he will make up the difference between what I am and what I could be. I believe that the process of following his example will help me to be more patient, tolerant and kind, making the world a better place for me and those with whom I come in contact.

My belief brings me joy. It give me perspective and enables me to be patient with my mistakes and short comings as well as those of others. It helps me realize that when I suffer or a loved one suffers, I have the perspective to understand that this life is temporary and that there are lessons to be learned along the way.

I am grateful for what I believe and know to be true. I worship him who gave so much. I know that the day will come when I will bow at his feet and be with those I love and hold dear. I am thankful for this Easter Sunday which reminds me of him.

What's in a Name?

One of the things I hate most in this world is name calling. It is a propaganda technique that doesn't define anything. All it indicates is a dim witted (aaaauuuugggghhhh! I did it!) individual trying to demean someone with whom they disagree or dislike. Any way you look at it, it's dissen'.

Name calling is most often used on playground and class rooms across the country. Bill Cosby satirized it when during a routine he said, "You... you... you... gunky!" I like that because "gunky" is meaningless like most name calling.

I think we can credit George W. Bush as labeling his opponents as being from the "Democrat" party. While his grammar for once may have been correct, it would have been more appropriate to refer to those folks as the "Democratic Party."

When I taught school, it was always a challenge to to learn students' names. If a student was named George, I called him George. Sometimes George would protest and say, "Call me Georgie." At first I resist this, but I came to the point of belief that a student could be called whatever he or she wanted, within reason. Once a student was named Jaime. The class went into an uproar. All Jaime's friends shouted, "No, we call him Loco". Jaime beamed and Loco it was. There was a slight problem when Loco's Mom came in for parent teacher conference and I had to remember to call Loco "Jaime." I hesitated to call him Loco because I thought it was demeaning, but he was a great student.

One young man was dubbed "Molester," by girls in the class. They complained frequently about his roving hands . I tried to catch him, but never could. One day he made me mad and I blurted out, "Listen, Molester..." Before I left that day, Molester's dad was in the principal's office which a hangman's noose, bailing wire and several machetes. I was so shocked by being called in that I couldn't say a thing to the dad. I just told him I would not use that name again in reference to his son or anyone else. The next day, however, having recovered my wits, I came up behind "Molester" and said, "If I have one more complaint from a young woman in this class, I will call your dad and he will know why you have the Molester nick-name. Problem solved.

Of course there are endearing names. The boss of an organization is often called "the old man." That comes from the military and is usually a compliment. Women who lead usually have different, less complimentary names.

My grandson, Jackson, about ten years ago, adapted the name "Bapa" for me. Of all the names I have been called, and there have been quite a few, Bapa is the most endearing and pleasing to me. It is the ultimate compliment! Thanks Jackson.

Casablanca

"Casablanca" was released in 1942 and starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, as well as a host of other great character actors. Some have called it the most perfect movie ever made. I would call it the most romantic.

"Casablanca" played a major role in my greatest romance. Just after Christmas in 1969, I arranged to meet my girlfriend, Brenda Mangum, in southern California and take her to meet my parents in Modesto. All did not go well. My parents, who did not want me to marry a Mormon girl (I was attending BYU at the time. I was never sure what they expected me to bring home.), gave Brenda the cold shoulder. During a now famous dinner, my Dad let go with every profanity he had at his disposal. Fortunately, he did not believe in using four letter profanities unless they were of the mild type beginning with "H" or "D." Dad, after all, had some scruples! However, numerous deities were invoked, some of which I'd never heard of even though I had taken a World Religions class the previous summer.

On our way back to BYU, Brenda expressed the opinion that she wasn't sure she could tolerate my parents as in-laws and that our relationship might come to an end. Things were up in the air for several days.

Finally, she visited my apartment one late afternoon. At the time, I was not feeling well, I was stretched out on the couch watching "Casablanca" on TV. We solemnly watched the movie together. I will insert here that Brenda bore an uncanny resemblance to Ingrid Bergman, a beauty who never looked better than in "Casablanca." As the movie came to its heartbreaking conclusion, we were both very quiet. Brenda turned to me with a smile and said that she was mine and I was hers. We were officially engaged within the month. I always felt though, that we were really engaged at the end of "Casablanca." Brenda and I were married in June, 1970.

Brenda and I have watched "Casablanca" many times and have always remembered the afternoon in my apartment. That was over 42 years ago. Three children, two wonderful children-in-law and eight grandchildren later, as the movie's theme song says, "A kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is still a sigh, the fundamental things apply as time goes by..."

Stormy Weather

Recuperating from a bout of pneumonia, has given time for reflection and listening to things I might not have otherwise done. Brenda was playing some old standards on her iPod and a song came on that took me back 50 years. In 1961, my parents and some friends got together at a remote cabin in the Sierra foothills. Although I was 17 at the time, I was sent upstairs to a bedroom so they could party on. My parents were good at that.

As the rest of the kids (I was the oldest) fell asleep quickly, I had only my small transistor radio for entertainment. As I searched the stations, not being much of a rock and roll fan (more so now than then), I found a station out of Stockton that was playing the entire album of Judy Garland at Carnegie Hall. I was blown away and couldn't sleep until the album had finished. Some have called that night the greatest night in show business history. The enthusiasm of that night's audience was palpable and Garland was at her late life height. In over 50 years, the album has never been out of print through records, tapes, CDs and iTunes.

Judy Garland, for all of her problems with alcohol and drugs, had the ability to bring sincerity, emotion and energy to a song like no one else. Some of the songs are on You Tube. My favorite song from the album is "Stormy Weather." Garland convinces you that she is just at the end of her rope and that she may not make it through the song. Less so, but not much less is "The Man Who Got Away," a Garland signature song. Of course, "Over the Rainbow" is in the mix and her version of "San Francisco" is fun, especially if one if familiar with the old chestnut of a movie by the same name.

There are some great singers today, but Garland was like no one else. Her life was tragic, but she left us a great legacy of fantastic music. Take a listen to "Stormy Weather" and let me know what you think!