Hilda Carol Smith (Godell)

Richard Meek

If you read a little history all the way back to our founding fathers our Congressional representatives have been at each others throats. You might want to refer to Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. At least they don't resolve their differences with duels, swords or beating each other with canes. I tend to look at things as a moderate on social issues and a conservative on fiscal policy. When you have a Congress and administration that put the annual budget together from a $0 base your headed for trouble. So when Congress pats themselves on the back because they have reduced the deficit they're talking about the deficit they thought they were going to have on the current budget. Not a reduction from the previous year's deficit. If you'll also notice nobody in Congress on the Administration talks about the national debt for quite a few presidents now.So I have no problem helping people out if we have a way to pay for it without increasing the national debt. Do you know that we still send foreign aid to most of the countries in the world? I think there are something like 193 countries and we send money to something like 178 of them (numbers are just an approximation, I've forgotten the actual one). They include many countries like China who are not our allies and other countries that work actively to undermine us at evey opportunity. I'm not sure why we pursue that policy.

So Hilda, just so we don't have a misunderstanding here. I don't like President Obama. I think he will go down as one of the worst presidents in our history. Hmm, I don't see any innuendos in there do you? Now I also would like to say that none of my opinions are directed at you personally. Hope you have a nice evening!

Stay calm and carry on,

Rich

Roger Felton

Well, Richard, I think this is my cue to let you know you are one of them no good racists.  Shame on you. I learned how to recognize those rascals from my liberal friends.  But, sadly, I'm one, too.  Shame on me.

Our illustrious president guaranteed me (several times) that, "if I liked my doctor I could keep my doctor"...and "if I liked my health plan,I could keep it".  Flat out total lies that cost me my doctor of 30 years, bumped Beverly's health ins. 104% and almost tripled our deductibles.  When I called that lie for what it was, I was automatically enrolled in The Racist Club.  Now Hillary is making Obama look like Mother Teresa! 

But, I can't say that (so I won't) because I'm seriously thinking of becomming a liberal myself.  That way I can get my mitts on all that free stuff.  I can go back to college for free and get my PhD and get one of those freebie Obama phones so I can call my liberal friends to thank 'em. 

Richard Meek

Hilda, after reading about the murder of police officers in Baton Rouge in the morning paper it brought to mind a closing comment you made in one of your posts. "Surely there's another way". If you have any clues to the better way I would greatly appreciate it if you would let our leaders know. I think our leaders are trying to keep a lid on this current wave of violence. It is certainly a no win situation for all.

Stay calm, carry on.

Rich

Robert (Ben) Carbo

What follows is what Robert Kennedy actually said following the killing of Martin Luther King.  "What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black."  I didn't agree with Robert Kennedy all of the time, but I do agree with this statement.  What I don't agree with is paraphrasing comments made by others and twisting their words to fit their own political agenda.

I do not agree that the Dallas police officers should have been subjected to chants by the very people they were protecting yelling "What do we want?  Dead Pigs."  Peaceful demonstration, not.  Yet there was only one arrest of a single protester during that "peaceful demonstration", for possession of brass knuckles/knife combo which is a prohibitive weapon in the State of Texas and five police officers executed for the offense of being white in a blue uniform.

And yes, I have a problem with the highest office holder in the land condemning police use of deadly force by police officers before an investigation has been performed and giving an audience to the Black Panther Party, a terrorist organization who assassinated my partner in 1972.   

Black lives do matter, but this slogan does not identify the people behind this organization.  The two organizers behind the Dallas march were the Rev. Jeff Hood and Dominic Alexander.  Hood has been quoted as saying, "GD White America" and "FU White America".  This type of offensive language sounds to me like the "inflammatory rhetoric" and "rude interaction" referred to by our learned liberal friend but I don't think she was referencing these particular remarks.  Alexander who the president has had conferences with in the White House has an arrest record including severe bodily injury to a child (2 years old), check forgery, auto theft and fleeing from a police officer during a high speed chase.  The overwhelming number of police officers spend their entire careers never firing a shot much less killing anyone.  I do admit that while serving as a Houston Police Officer I did fire two rounds at an Afro-American man while I was a police officer and fortunately for him I missed him and he surrendered.  Last I checked he was still serving a life sentence for multiple Aggravated Robberies and complicity in the capital murder of a fellow Houston Police Officer.  By the way the officer killed was Johnny Bamsch, class of 65 who died a hero while attempting to stop an aggravated robbery at a 7/11 store on Yale Sreet on January 30, 1975. 

Yet, I do not hate all African Americans, no, not even one.  Although according to Black Lives Matter mentality I do.  Lying about our president?, I beg to disagree.  "Continuing the hatred that is ruining our country", I am not aware of any individuals or groups acting out hate except for Black Lives Matter and the New Black Panther Party.  I served for the love of my country in war while others protested and I served my city as a law enforcement officer in a effort to protect and defend the rights of all citizens black, white and brown so I do take offense to anyone telling me that there is no place on the forum for anything but recipes and remarks that respect the president.

As far a beneficial discourse, I say in the famous words of a World War II general, "Nuts".  The only discourse the president of the United States seems to have is with Black Lives Matters and the New Black Panthers who he meet with for "beneficial discourse".  After this beneficial discourse three more police officers were assassinated and four more wounded.  I don't know how much more beneficial discourse our country can stand.  Some say that the president is intentionally feeding the violence to promote his political agenda of gun control, martial law and the formation of a national police force.  Germany had a national police force known as the Gestapo.  The Soviet Union had a national police force known as the KGB.  I have become convinced that the American people can no longer trust the motives or actions of this president.

I can be as civil as the most liberal of liberals, but I am angry at what is happening to our country's values and the attack by the left on our constitution.  The liberals have gone so far left they don't even know the right restroom to use.  The liberals also don't understand the ground swell of support for a less than ideal candidate of the Republican party for president of the United States of America.  It's the other choice that has a lot of Americans gravitating  in that direction.  As far as "leaning on entrenched opinions",  I again had to go to the dictionary to untwist the rhetoric.  Definition of entrenched:  an adjective meaning fixed, set, firm, rooted, well-established, ingrained, deep-seated, deep-rooted, indelible, unshakable, ineradicable.  Entrenched yes, opinions no, - they are beliefs based on our Constitution and Bill of Rights and the Christian/Judeo principles to which I unashamedly ascribe.  Oh, but some would say the current constitution no longer fits in with the mores of today's society.  So the choice as I see it is to adopt a Marxist approach or continue to grow in peace and love by following the basic principles of our imperfect democracy, a democratic government that continues to move towards liberty and equal rights and opportunities for all Americans and protects our  citizens' national security which is the role of the federal government and it's only role as designed by our founders.

Thanks, I feel better now and I promise not to spout off again unless I am adequately provoked.

John (Fred) Williams

That was outstanding.

Ingrid Sears (Spiteri)

Well said Ben.  I applaud you.

Pat Wilcox (Prewit)

Thank you, Ben and Richard.  Roger, I love the way you get your point across with such humor. 

Roger Felton

Ben, that was so well-written and to the point I would like to see it on the editorial page in every newspaper in the country. 

I moved to Victoria, TX when Ken Armbrister was a police officer in the VPD.  In my wife's family tree, her grandfather was Chief of Police from the Great Depression to the 1950's.  Her cousin was Chief of Police in the 1980's.  Governor Mark White hired me to train police officers and sheriff's deputies as part of a state grant back in 1984 and 1985.  So, we have a close kinship and love of all police officers everywhere and the majority of Americans feel the same way.

The job our law enforcement officers have to do is unbelieveable.  How did our country get like this?  Think about it.  We have generations of fatherless kids and adults in the black community with little education and a total lack of respect for authority.  Not all, of course, but still many millions.  Most were raised on entitlements..  These were freely given to them by the liberal left in order to secure votes in future elections.  Brilliant!  Entitlements are given out like candy but are merely a ploy to get democratic votes.  When you're getting food stamps, phones and checks in the mail, who would even think of voting for the other party?  Now democrats want the illegal immigrants flooding the country to be able to vote!! 

So it doesn't affect just the black Americans, either.  By allowing the teacher's unions to dumb down our education system they've kept millions of people so ignorant they don't know George Washington from a can of fruit cocktail.  It's how they get an incompetent nincompoop candidate like Hillary elected.  Millions are forever enslaved and doomed to a life of poverty in the projects and ghettos just to milk them for the democratic votes they provide the left.  Conservative leadership just stood by and let it continue even though it spelled their eventual doom.  Idiots!

Their tragic scheme worked.  Votes born of ignorance and controlled by blackmail.  But turn on TV and see what those democratic votes actually cost America.

Like you Ben, I'm done.

Mary Holland

I grew up very pro-Law Enforcement although I can't give names of a string of relatives who were employed in that profession. I had just one uncle who was in Law Enforcement, Col. Homer Garrison. When I got my drivers' license his signature was on it!! I vowed to myself never to speed or to break any other traffic law, or any law for that matter, even if he wouldn't find out. I respected him that much. He was kind and smart and had a good sense of humor. When he'd wanted to become a Deputy Sheriff in Angelina County where his family lived, his dad, my grandfather, had to sign for him because otherwise he was too young, at 17. One of his favorite stories was to tell what his dad said to him on that occasion. It went something like this. "Son, I hate to see you doing this because there's no future in Law Enforcement. It's a low paying job that you can do until you're too old, then you'll end up just tending a bar somewhere." The Garrisons didn't make anything of it but they just never drank alcohol so this was supposed to show my uncle the folly of going into that profession. Of course my grandfather was wrong since Uncle Homer ended up as the Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, president of the International Asssociation of Chiefs of Police and a working member of INTERPOL, although if he knew James Bond, he never told us! :-) I've never knowingly broken a traffic law or any other law because he talked to us cousins about the reason for laws and that they keep us safe. One summer when I was in Junior High he took me and a couple of other cousins through the DPS Crime Lab on a Sunday afternoon when the Department Headquarters in Austin were closed. (Back then it didn't need to run 24-7, the way I'm sure it does now.) I was so impressed by all the stuff I'd seen in that crime lab that I decided right then and there that if I ever decided to be a criminal, it wouldn't be in Texas!! During those days the Texas State crime lab was better than the FBI's, I found out later, from a man in the FBI who was the husband of a woman who taught school where my mother taught......Postscript: During all those years when I was sedately driving the speed limit or under it, My cousin, Uncle Homer's son, was getting lots of speeding tickets! I guess I just missed out on the thrill of driving really fast across this vast state! Uncle Homer told stories, on rare occasions, about some of the work of the Texas Rangers who were under his command. They stood my hair on end!!!

Richard Meek

Ben,  very well said! I'm proud to call you friend!

Sandra Beshear (Denton)

I have to say I don't usually post on this forum, but often read the post. I had to make an exception today and give a BRAVO to Benny, Richard & Rodger - very well stated gentlemen!

Ron Redding

All this makes me proud to have attended Waltrip High School (as if I needed another reason). After 50 years since graduation, our political persuasions may be different, but we all still possess the love of country that was instilled at such an early age. Benny, Richard and Roger have expressed my feelings of the current political confusion in our country. I am glad we are able to discuss our situation and remain friends.

Eileen Elizabeth Waller (Sidlo)

It makes me SO thankful to read all these responses - especially to Benny's post.  When there are so many things in our country that seem to be dividing us - it's wonderful to know we're all on the same team.  I'm so proud of my class.

Robert (Ben) Carbo

Love your enemies, but hate evil.  I know in whom I believe and he is faithful to deliver us from evil if we stand united and turn from our wicked ways, He will heal our land.  Where there is faith, there is hope.  You all make me proud to be a member of the Class of '65.  God Bless you all and may God once again Bless America.

Richard Meek

Everyone needs to remember that it is important to get input from people that are willing to express their ideas. No one philosophy gets us where we need to be. Which is a free society where people can express their views without fear of reprisal from the government. You need to refresh your historical perspective. Lots of ideas were very radical in their time. With this group the prime example would be free public education. Where would most of us be if we hadn't had a public education? For those who went to college, most went to public colleges and universities. Just cogitate on that for a bit. Actually if you stop and think about it the wingnuts from both sides are kind of shouting the same philosophy, more government control. The right wants more police more military, not good. I really object to the NSA monitoring every phone call we make when they can't provide piece of solid evidence that that monitoring has foiled a terrorist plot. This extreme attitude will lead you right to fascism. On the other hand the left thinks government is the answer to everything. Particularly the bureaucrats who run our various levels of government, That leads you right to socialism. Either of these extremes has not proven to be viable.  So the key here is to keep talking to each other. While doing that remain respectful of other peoples opnions. Also don't go off and pout and sulk because someone didn't like your opnion. Mainly remain friends. You can do that without liking someone's political thoughts. Some people just aren't smart enough to realize how smart your ideas are! (lol)

On a totally different subject the Waltrip Alumni Assn. is trying to help the head football coach raise money for new uniforms. HISD hasn't had the money for this for several years so the players are wearing worn out uniforms that have been patched over and over. You can get all the details on the Alumni website or go to the class of '64 website. The coach has gotten a real deal worked out with a company to get two sets uniforms (red & gray) for $6500. Thaqt works out to $130 per uniform. So how about sponsoring a uniform. I think most of us can afford that. If you can't send what you can afford. It sure perks peoples spirits up if they look sharp. Do it now. They need to get these uniforms ordered to have them for the opening game.Make your check payable to the Waltrip Alumni Association and mail it to The Waltrip Alumni Association, P.O. Box 924212, Houston, TX 77292-4212. I'm mailoing my check today. Your contribution is tax deductible. Please contact any fellow alums you know and ask them to contribute!

"Those were special days, in special times, with great people. And we thought it was typical."

                                                                                                                   John Goyen,"64

Stay calm, Carry on,

Rich

Thomas William Wade

Benny,

You have just articulated so many of my thoughts on this subject. Like you, I don't see a racial issue. I see a, government engineered, society issue. People as a whole, don't like rules nor any form of behavioral restrictions. I did not,  willingly, bend to  authority as a child, as an adolescent, as a sailor nor in my civilian employment. I did however, come to realize my limitations and boundaries. I learned them from parents, teachers, clergymen, officers, and admired leaders. They reflected our constitution, our collective morality and values, the responsibility to our community and nation. Too many in our country have not been taught these lessons, are as wild as any feral animal, and just as difficult to control. Our federal answer has been to relax standards, reduce consequences, abandon morality, reward laziness and re-write the meaning of the constitution through the courts. I am saddened by the decay of our country and I detest the fact our generation has facilitated it. I won't editorialize further. Just the way I see it.

Hilda Carol Smith (Godell)

Talley Hudson

Change and growth only occur through healthy discourse.  The comments that have been posted recently are great examples.  Thank you all for sharing.

Mary Holland

We've seen a bunch of Presidents come and go and none of them managed to ruin this nation. We've see Congress being cantankerous, just as Congress ought to be. Neither side gets its own way every time, but some laws get passed on and sent to the President, either to make it become the Law of the Land or to veto it. When the outcome of that cantankerous Congress and our duly elected President isn't what I would have preferred I still know that We the People have spoken through our elected officials.  It isn't a perfect system of course but it's good enough to have other nations use it as a model. I'm proud of that.

Roger Felton

That's a pretty good assessment of how the system is supposed to work, Mary.  Checks and Balances.  The only difference between before and now is, when our president knows that Congress will not allow his socialist agenda to become the Law of the Land, Obama simply goes around Congress as if they didn't exist.  This is illegal, of course, but who's going to stop him?  Whoever tries is branded a racist.  If that makes you angry, you know it violates our Constitution, and you understand that our country cannot continue to function this way, then I'd bet you are probably not a liberal.

Robert (Ben) Carbo

Lindy Clarke (Hall)

Okay. I can't stand this.
Buncha good ol' boys acting all patriotic.
I'm sickened. Really.
I remember too much. Too much.
(I just deleted the rest of my post.... stifling myself.)
(Linda, you may want to kill political posts.... 
I cannot leave that crap unchallenged.)
Anyone want to PM me...  feel free.
 

Roger Felton

Gee willickers, I didn't know Linda had appointed someone as our official Topic Gestapo here.  American voters are on the verge of making the most important decision in our lifetime and if we get it wrong, our grandchildren may lose the right to make decisions in the future.  I think that's a topic well suited for any open forum. 

Sure, I like receipes and reminisces as much as anybody.  Horse stories, too.  But, the discussions in this forum are open to all sides and opinions as long as they remain civil.  We learned about government and the Constitution when we were at Waltrip.  Some got it and some didn't.  

Many of us post our opinions and ideas on all sorts of topics.  And I don't think any of us mind being challenged by others who's opinions differ or have additional ideas.  It's how we grow and learn.  But, I don't think anybody appreciates the thoughts they generously share with others being torn down and ripped up just because someone disagrees.  Let's leave that for the dictatorships in 3rd world countries.

I don't think anyone here is "acting patriotic".  What the heck does that mean, anyway?  Are any classmates here expressing their concern about our country crumbling in chaos in a world on fire spinning out of control while secretly plotting to expose our nation's most sensitive top secrets to our enemies?  No need anyway, somebody already beat ya to it.

This forum is open to all sides of any issue our classmates want to discuss and my bet is Linda isn't going to "wipe her server clean" of any posts here on any topic just because one person can't simply pass on reading them.  This issue exposes one of the most disturbing things going on in this country.  When the Left expresses their philosophy, it cannot be challenged or you are attacked viciously and personally.  When the Right expresses their philosophy, which they usually back up with proven facts, the Left demands that those be taken down. 

Did you see them trying to burn the American flag outside the Republican convention yesterday?  That's not the party of people I want telling me what I can post and what I can't.  Lindy, if you have an opposing viewpoint, I'd honestly love to hear it.  But please don't hide behind PM's to express yourself.  That's not the Lindy I remember.

Robert (Ben) Carbo