United We Stand...
...Divided we fall, or so goes the phrase.
And if you think you know to whom this is attributed, it may surprise you.
The first mention of this phrase comes from AESOP (the fable guy).
John Dickinson, in 1768 wrote this in his "Liberty Song".
George Washington used it, as did Patrick Henry (guess they read Greek fables a lot).
But, no matter WHO says it...it still applies to every American today.
More about this in a bit, but first, an update to a post from last week:
*** (( Bludgeoned victim dies of head trauma - Holly Abrams The Journal Gazette
The man found with multiple skull fractures inside a south-side home last week has died, and his beating death has been ruled a homicide.
Hospitalized since the attack, Misael Araiza-Chavez, 26, of Fort Wayne, died Saturday due to blunt-force head trauma, according to autopsy results released Monday by the Allen County coroner.
His death has been ruled a homicide, the 20th in Allen County this year. All but two homicides have occurred in the city limits.
Araiza-Chavez was found injured Wednesday in a home at 3511 Barr St. The landlord had arrived just before 9 p.m. to check on Araiza-Chavez, having not heard from him recently, police said.
Blood was found around Araiza-Chavez, who sometimes spelled his first name "Mizael," according to officials.
He was taken to a hospital in critical condition. He remained in critical care until his death.Officer Raquel Foster, police spokeswoman, said Monday an object was used as a weapon in the slaying, but she declined to identify the object, citing the ongoing investigation.
Foster said police have no suspects and few other details on the slaying.
"He’s the only witness to the incident and he’s died," she said.
Police investigators originally thought Araiza-Chavez had fallen down the stairs in the home but said evidence later found at the home indicated his injuries were not accidental.
Neighbor Louis Jones said he was working outside his home about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday using a halogen light when the landlord of the Barr Street home approached him, asking to borrow the light.
The home where Araiza-Chavez was found had no electricity, Jones said.
Jones helped the man light the way into the basement, where the landlord said he thought he saw a body. Upon entering the basement the pair saw Araiza-Chavez’s body about 6 feet from the base of the steps. Some of the blood pooled next to Araiza-Chavez’s body had not yet dried, he said.
Jones said Araiza-Chavez and another man had been working the day Araiza-Chavez was found injured and part of the previous day, but he never spoke to either of the men.
Police said Araiza-Chavez lived alone and had been temporarily staying at the home.
No one answered the door at the home Monday afternoon. Discarded crime-scene tape remained in the yard. ))
*** Now...back to the main course for today.
One need only to look about to see the whole "United We Stand" gig at work.
Every community around this nation has it's share of people banding together in some form of unity.
And even in the ghettohood, you see evidence of this.
In a good neighborhood, citizens form neighborhood groups, watch each others' kids, and basically look out for one another.
A similar thing is done in the bad neighborhoods, but for a different reason.
In the good neighborhoods, the "uniting" is done to foster a sense of security from harm from criminal activity, whether it's by burglaries, vandalism, rapists, or any other sicko that wants to practice his or her "talents".
In the bad neighborhoods, similar forms of uniting is done for security, but of a slightly different kind.
Those people want to be "secure" to be able to conduct their (criminal) activities without the nasty intervention from local law-enforcement.
Many times, it works...and works well, thanks to some of the technologies the rest of us take for granted.
Cell phones make looking out for the "po-po" a lot easier, but there is even one step better.
Having an "APP" for that phone or device that will basically turn it into a police scanner.
Knowing WHERE the police are going to be by following radio traffic makes one helluva adjunct to those (thug) lookouts hanging about in the streets for hours on end, right?
And in such neighborhoods, whenever some crime DOES go down and IS (even) reported (a lot of this does fly under the police radar), these people WILL unite to COVER UP THE TRUTH.
They will lie to your face, dime on someone else to divert suspicion, or make up something to cause the police to be diverted from getting to "the bottom" of the situation. Just watch ANY police "reality" show or better yet...take a ride-along to see what I mean.
If they have a gun on them..."I foun it lyin on de ground."
If they have drugs on them..."Ain't mine...I be done holdin dis fo a fren."
If they were 20 eye-witnesses to a crime ..."nobody din see nuthin."
If they are pulled over and have no license, registration OR insurance..."Well, dis ain't MY car."
Yeah, that makes police work SO much easier, as well as makes that community ITSELF a lot safer...
(rolls eyes)
Like I say...UNITED THEY WILL STAND (as long as the gub'ment check be comin' while dey do nuffin fo it).
But, in good neighborhoods, you will find people who truly watch each other's back, and will work WITH law-enforcement to make their neighborhood BETTER for everyone living there. They are also UNITED.
Now, people also unite when it comes to UNIONS (the words share similar etymology).
Unions USED to be a good thing, especially when moguls provided the worst working conditions imaginable.
They UNITED the workers (often in protest) to demand FAIR wages (not outlandish paychecks and pensions that could never be paid for in the long run), and SAFE working environments (fewer hazards means the workers get to go home and come back to work tomorrow).
Today, they've lost their way, and become behemoths unable to see past that almighty dollar sign.
(and the bosses "say" it's ALL FOR THE WORKER).
My nephew, a fire fighter in D.C. called yesterday and we chatted about that rally this past weekend. He had some questions regarding HIS union (the IAFF) "hanging out" with KNOWN socialist and communist organizations.
He sent an email asking (boldly) about this, and received nothing short of a personal "attack" in response.
I told him that's what uninformed people DO when backed into a corner...rather than seek out answers TO your question, they will ATTACK to divert attention from their own ineptitude and lack of knowledge.
We see this happen time and again in Washington D.C., as well as in other governments at other levels HERE.
Even the politicians are UNITED, most times in DENIAL, which still isn't just a river in Egypt, according to Mark Twain.
My wife (the teacher) was made aware (by yours truly) that the NEA was ALSO at this rally in D.C. (with those many communist organizations).
Hmm...seeing a pattern here, are we?
Well, this month's NEA TODAY magazine cover kind of says it all, don'cha think?
Activist...that word always reminds me of those BAD people wanting change for change sake, and not those who want true REFORM because something broke, busted or very badly bent in our society.
They often label Dr. Martin Luther King as an "activist", when he really was more of a REFORMER.
Malcolm X was an activist.
If one peruses history and examines ALL sides to the issue, one would find that ACTIVISM denotes violence on SOME level, either physically, or (usually) verbally...and sometimes BOTH.
You want to get someones attention...set a car on fire.
That seems to be the M.O. for such people.
You protest loudly and with a bellicose demeanor (instead of peacefully), with DEMANDS (not suggestions or debate), and woe to ANY those might oppose you, or even question you, because they're just WRONG (and you're not).
Well, that WILL garner attention, but it won''t make your case more palatable to those you wish to reach.
But at least, you're all UNITED...in a perverted way.
And that is perhaps the most bothersome aspect to all of this...
Many of those activist and protesters ARE, if nothing else...UNITED.
The Tea-Party movement in this nation ALSO represents UNITY, but they don't have the union "label" or blessing and definitely not the seemingly endless monetary resources to be heard AS vociferously as those "agitators" on the socialistic side of the fence.
But, by God...they ARE trying.
And they ARE determined to invoke a more Constitutionally-endowed government back into the forefront of political reasoning.
Seems like a plan...
And if WE, as a people are "entitled" to ANYTHING in this nation, besides those God-Given rights laid down by our founding documents, we are indeed entitled to a nation that is free from the fetters of government control of it's law-abiding citizenry, by divisive means and divisive people.
THAT is what Americans are entitled to...no more, no less.
And somehow, I have a sneaking suspicion that in about a month, we will in fact see the beginnings of such a time of reformation in this country...
A time when the people become UNITED once again to reclaim their heritage...and their nation.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.