DKelSmith Weblog Aficionado Average Debonair Man vs. the Vicissitudes of Life

It's HIS day, not ours...... Well, it is Christmas morning, and believe it or not my kids are still in bed. I suppose it is not so inconceivable that my 4 month old daughter is still in bed, but sons Devon and Robbie, (9 and 5 respectively), are still snoozing. We are at my parents house presently, and we will be opening presents, eating breakfast and hitting the road to Lexington in just a little while. Christmas and the holidays are a special time of year, because that is when most people like to gather their families and spend quality time with one another. Some people actually dislike the holidays because of painful memories, or the fact that they have nobody to share them with. I suppose that those of us with large extended families who have to hustle and bustle to see everyone probably think that we have it rough. Or perhaps we say we hate Christmas or dread the holiday's approach because of all of the stress that it brings. I think that perhaps we don't kn

Be careful there is a Lott at stake I have watched the events concerning Trent Lott's statements about Strom Thurmond's 1948 presidential race with a burgeoning interest. I thought that when the events were first reported that there would be backlash, and I considered the requests for him to be censured and resign as Senate Majority leader were toothless, yet obligatory. I see now that things are coming to a head and I am not quite sure where I stand on this issue. A lot of people that I have talked to are apalled that he would make statements about Strom Thurmond in general because he has been coined "A racist". True indeed, he may have been, or still may be. But I don't have ill feelings toward Strom Thurmond because he was born in another world. Yes, he is still "Senator No" in regard to a lot of issues but he has made changes. I am not posting this to show any particular support for Thurmond, but I am not sure I am going to allow myself to

Colin Powell is one of my heroes....back off! Here is a cut and paste of a response I made in Rachel's Weblog about Colin Powell. A guy called him a coward, can you believe that? This comment is for Emperor Misha, in response to your statement that, "Colon Powell is an unmitigated, worthless, useless, good-for-nothing, double-speaking, waffling, cowardly, nadless, limp pecker of a jerk and those are his GOOD qualities." I respect your right to your opinion about this man's abilities as Secretary of State, or diplomat, or U.N. consult. Most politicians are waffling and double-speaking, but to classify him as cowardly, or nadless is a complete misstatement. I am not sure if you have ever served or not, or if you know what the markings on Powell's Dress green's symbolized, but a patch on the right shoulder coupled with a Combat Infantryman's badge, Vietnam Campaign Ribbon, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart would automatically negate the idea t

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I was just thinking that it is very unfortunate that Republicans have been typecast as racists. Unfortunately most Americans, blacks especially, have short memories. We don't seem to remember who the party of Emancipation was, nor do we remember whose part'y's majority voted for the Civil Rights Act 0f 1964 as compared by NONE of the Southern Democrats doing so. Al Gore's dad voted against the act, yet Gore had the audacity to speak at an NAACP function and claim that his dad lost his seat because of his support of civil rights legislation. Not only did he vote against the Act of 64, he even attempted to send the Act to the Senate Judiciar Committee with and amendme to say, "in defiance of a court desegregation order, federal funds could not be held from any school districts." In other words he wanted there to be no penalties levied if people told the government to mind its own business in regard to desegregation rulings. Black people in the Deep So