For those of you paying close attention, you'll recall that I predicted on another blog back at the first of the year that the DJIA would fall under the 11,000 mark sometime before the end of 2008. Well, we're almost there as of yesterday's close of 11,346.
As always, you absolutely must consult with your own financial advisor before making any investment decisions or changing your investment strategy. My opinions are for fun only and are not to be construed in any way to be a recommendation or to be anything other than one person's humble opinion.
Well, Nicole and I returned returned from Catalina Island yesterday on the Catalina Flyer, which departs and returns daily from Dana Point, California just a few miles from our place in Aliso Viejo. We had the best time and we want to thank Nicole's mom, Cathy Thieneman, for hooking us up with the most incredible suite on the Island at the Aurora Hotel. We had a full ocean view, private deck and every amenity/luxury you could imagine. Our favorite things were the shower, the reclining glider chairs and the coffee/tea maker which makes 1 perfect cup at a time!
We are so appreciative of all the wonderful gifts we've received and all the heart-felt sentiments that have been sent our way during this special time in our lives!
Now, may I introduce to tBlog Mr. Kurt Maddox & Mrs. Nicole Thieneman Maddox pictured below leaving Dana Point for Catalina Island on the Cataline Flyer:
Niki & Kurt Aboard the Catalina Flyer Headed for Catalina Island
If you've been thinking about finding a single tool to bring all the ways you work together into a single and simple way to get things done, then you need to Get Xergized today! Xergy - "ex-er-gee" - is the synergy created by combining proven methodology with cutting edge technology in a way that gives you ubiquitous access and complete mobility.
Do you want your Blackberry, I-Phone or other Smartphone to play well with your Microsoft Outlook and your web-based CRM? Then you need to get Xergized with FranklinCovey's PlanPlus Online from COMPLETExRM!
Here's your Custom Xercise Plan from your Personal Xercise Trainer:
1. Download the PlanPlusOnline Brochure by clicking here!
3. Call your Personal Trainer, Kurt Maddox, at 502-759-6042 for help getting started or to answer any questions!
4. Email your Personal Trainer at kurt@planplusonline.com to let me know you've registered for your free trial and that your ready to put FranklinCovey's proven methodology for increasing your personal effectiveness to work for you with the power of PlanPlus Online!
FranklinCovey's PlanPlus Online combines FranklinCovey's proven methodology for personal effectiveness with COMPLETExRM's powerful Enterprise 2.0 CRM to produce all the Xergy you'll need to achieve your own great purposes or to enable greatness in your organization!
Our wedding was the most beautiful and perfect day ever! I only have a few minutes, so here's a couple of quick pics from my sister's camera she posted online last night. Nicole and I simply have incredibly wonderful, loving and generous families who came together yesterday to help create a very special day. We honored Nicole's father by including a poem he'd written for Nicole's mother years ago and we remembered my friend Penrod Eades who passed earlier in the week by playing U2's "40" as part of the processional and having my son, Warren, read Psalm 40 from the Bible in Penrod's honor. Penrod wore the #40 jersey for Central City High School's basketball team.
I'll post a full report with the official pictures later this week. Here's the pics:
Mr. & Ms. Maddox
Gracie & Warren
The Mr. & Ms. Maddoxes
L-R: Richard (Dad), Charlene (Mom), Kurt, Nicole, Cathy (Mom), Ken (Uncle)
My Mom's Sisters with Me & My Groomsman Cousin, Greg
My Sister, Melody Maddox
My daughter, Ayna Grace & her "Aunt Sissy"
The Scene of the Crime (Bette Thieneman's Home in Cox's Creek, KY)
More Crime Scene Photos (The Other Side of the Aisle)
The Lonely Knight Awaits His Maiden Across the Bridge of Destiny
The Flower Girl (Niki's Lil Sis Adrianna) & Ring Bearer (Niki's Lil Cuz Daniel)
Daniel: This is pretty cool up here! Adrianna: Yeah, let's just hang out up here for awhile. Daniel: Why are these people looking at us? Adrianna: I don't know, but, if we just stay put they can't get to us!
(Edited & Updated after returning home from Penrod's funeral. You will want to make sure to read the growing list of comments and tributes from Penrod's many friends that have discovered this post and have added their own poignant sentiments about their love for Penrod.)
Penrod (1965 - 2008)
At the doorstep of joyful anticipation, life sometimes delivers the unexpected, the tragic and the horrifically painful. My mother just called with the news that my best friend from my Junior and Senior year at Central City High School, John Penrod Eades, age 42, had passed from this life and his funeral will be tomorrow at Tucker Funeral in Central City, Kentucky. I'm literally overcome with sorrow and grief from the loss of my friend. I'm certainly not alone in my loss and my loss is far from as great as those whose lives were more intwined with Penrod's than mine. Still, if I made a list of all the people from life who've had an impact on my life, Penrod's name would feature prominently on that list.
At the doorstep of joyful anticipation, life sometimes delivers the unexpected, the tragic and the horrifically painful. My mother just called with the news that my best friend from my Junior and Senior year at Central City High School, John Penrod Eades, age 42, had passed from this life and his funeral will be tomorrow at Tucker Funeral in Central City, Kentucky. I'm literally overcome with sorrow and grief from the loss of my friend. I'm certainly not alone in my loss and my loss is far from as great as those whose lives were more intwined with Penrod's than mine. Still, if I made a list of all the people from life who've had an impact on my life, Penrod's name would feature prominently on that list.
Rainbow in Sky in Louisville After Penrod's Funeral
Of course, I didn't get to say "Goodbye" to my friend in person. So, I'm choosing say a sort of farewell here as a public memorial to a human being that I've loved literally since the day he and I met at the Kentucky State High School Boys Basketball Tournament in Lexington, Kentucky. At the time, we were both the star players of our respective teams at our respective schools which were separated by only a few miles and a county line. Penrod was part of the better team and was the better player with the most recognition in our region. I was unhappy with my coach and eager to play for a better team. Penrod and I hit it off immediately and set about concocting a plan whereby I'd transfer to Central City from Ohio County and the two of us would lead Central City High School back to the State Tournament. Penrod's lifelong friends John Shaver, Paul Gilles and Ben Lutz provided plenty of encouragement!
Two weeks later the transfer was complete and with several other great players, we daggone almost took little Central City, one of the last independent city high schools in Kentucky to the State Tournament. We lost by 2 points to perennial regional power Owensboro Senior in the regional tournament after beating them on their home floor by 2 points earlier in the year. We started the season with a 15-0 record and a 10th ranking in the state polls before our center, Ben Lutz, went down with a knee injury. Still, we finished with a 30-8 record and a boat load of trophies, championship nets and accolades. As was appropriate, he remained the more highly regarded player, but, he shared the limelight so graciously and easily with me that my own ranking soared from almost unknown to being nearly as highly regarded as Penrod, even if not nearly as beloved.
This is the Penrod I know, love and will remember! The gracious, fun-loving and kind-hearted young man with a smile that was so contagious that you always felt happier and more care-free when he was around. Penrod went on to play college basketball and then on to dental school, a small practice in his hometown and marriage to a hometown girl. Life was good and I visited Penrod as often as possible and loved every second I was able to spend with him. We would, of course, endlessly reminisce about our days playing together and all our fun and crazy shared experiences off the court. Penrod was just one of those people who was always so full of life that my heart and mind simply refuse to accept that I won't see him again.
Accept this reality, however, I must.
Life can be complicated, as we all know. Penrod's life was no exception as he faced his own unique set of challenges. He lost his father, with whom he was closer than any father-son I'd ever known, right after high school in a tragic accident and then lost his mother, with whom he was equally close, just a few years later in another unexpected health related tragedy. Much like my own life, Penrod made mistakes which exacted a toll on his life and caused hurt and pain to those closest to him. A failed marriage, career implosion and damaged personal relationships were penalties Pen and I both experienced as either a direct or indirect consequence of our decision making. Why his path came to such a tragic end and I remain here to write about it is a question without a good answer. I can only say that whatever level of humility and gratitude I had before Penrod's death for the grace I've experienced in my life has been raised by a significant magnitude because I certainly don't deserve anything from life that Penrod didn't at least doubly deserve.
Good people sometimes make poor decisions and poor decisions have consequences. Naively, I never considered either one of us not eventually beating any opponent we faced. We'd just get into the gym earlier and stay later until we had the upper-hand. Then, we'd cut down the nets together and move on to life's next challenge. Some people might give up or succumb to their demons... not Penrod! For goodness sakes, definitely NOT Penrod! Upon on tearful reflection, I can see how my own inability to believe this sort of tragedy could ever befall Penrod might be exactly the dynamic that Penrod was experiencing on the perverse other side of the coin of infallibility. I sense now that maybe Penrod had difficulty just being one of us struggling Joe's who live a life of ups and downs hoping to ride it out for the next up.
Despite Penrod's battles on the court of life, I'd heard that he'd put his life on good footing, and was rebuilding his life one brick at a time. Even though I had been unsuccessful in reaching out to him despite a few attempts to do so, I hoped that the lack of communication meant he was focused on re-building his life and that we'd spend a weekend attending some sports event soon and we'd once again tell all the stories that we loved so much to tell. I saw his brothers a couple of times over the past three years and always tried to pass along my love and encouragement to Penrod through them. They always gave positive, hopeful and appreciative responses. As I hear more of the story post mortem, I know that their public face of hopefulness was a courageous and faithful front to long-suffering battle for their brother they were fighting behind the public lines.
I really don't know how to process yet that Penrod and I won't be cutting down those nets together after all. One thing I do know is that Penrod's tragic death will change me and that I'm going to start immediately with getting into the gym a little earlier and staying a little later now that the other half of the "dynamic duo" has retired to the Afterlife League. I'll join him there one day, but, I'm not ready to go just yet because, God willing, there a few more things I'd like to do here in this life. That's really all any of us who love Penrod can do, isn't it? Our best path to honoring Penrod's life is to somehow find in this experience the inspiration to live a better lives ourselves and to be a better friend to all those with whom our actions might not be too little too late.
So, Penrod -- thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life and part of the story of your life. I love you as much or more than any friend I've ever had in my life. Your death saddens me beyond description and I will face the countless regrets for not having spoken with you in so long with as much courage and dignity as I can. But, I will never, never, ever forget you and I will remind everyone at every opportunity what a true friend you always were to me and what an enormous heart you had for your friends.
My prayers are with your brothers, your sister, your daughter and all your many friends who loved you as much and more than me. When I transferred to Central City, I felt like I had to live up to your faith in me and I did my very best to live up to your expectations. Now and for the rest of my life, I'll endeavor to do just that -- to live up to what I know you'd want for me, my life and for my family.
No better friend has any man ever had than John Penrod Eades! Goodbye, my friend, and may you forever experience whatever joy, peace and happiness that was missing for you here in this life! I want to say so much more about you and one day I will... until then, please know how much I genuinely loved you and how much I will miss you!
I'm watching the authors of "The View From the Center of the Universe" being interviewed by John McLaughlin of McLaughin Group fame. The authors are scientists. They are demure and drenched with sweet geekiness. They are clearly non-ideological and devoid of any sign of a political/social agenda. Their descriptions of the best science we have about the so-called Big Bang and the origins of our universe were absolutely fascinating. I don't really have time to allow my mind to go very far down the rabbit-hole listening to them opens in my thoughts as I have a lot of work to get done tonight, but, I'll allow myself one little moment of awe as I consider the estimate the scientists give for the age of our universe:
13.7 BILLION YEARS
I've witnessed only 41 of these 13.7 Billion years and human history only records about 5,000 years. I'm completely comfortable with the thought process that whatever the Ultimate Truths of Existence happen to be, that these truths are bigger than our 5,000 years of observation and dialog can comprehend. I'm also very comfortable with the place for personal "faith" as a way for human beings to relate to the abstract concept of "existence". As one of the co-author's of "The View..." shared during the interview, human consciousness appears to be unique among Earth's creatures and our consciousness uses metaphor as a way of explaining existence to ourselves.
Of course, this leads to the inevitable conundrum of asking oneself, "What's a metaphor?"
We all have our fingers and toes crossed for Gracie as she waits to hear if the Director goes with the Casting Director's recommendation to cast her in a supporting role for a movie that will start filming in late June or early July. Gracie's manager informed us that she is the Casting Director's "first choice" the role. Now, the decision goes to picture's Director who will review the casting tapes and either go with the Casting Director's pick or will pick another actor from tape. If selected, this would be Gracie's first major motion picture and first dramatic role. Of course, just being the Casting Director's first choice is a major accomplishment and we could not be more proud of her!
Summer’s surely upon us. I know the calendar won’t agree that summer has officially begun for a few more weeks, but, the fact that my son, Warren, has been released from his institutional responsibilities until a date far in the future means that summer vacation is now in full swing for my little buddy.
I know all kids love summer, but, our "Country" loves summer so much more than most. Lazy sunny days interspersed with skateboarding, wakeboarding, motorcycles, four-wheelers, cook-outs, swimming and boating are always just the cure for whatever a full nine months of educational conscription takes out of a 14 year-young soul whom already looks like a man, but, still has the pure heart of a boy.
UPDATE: Warren took 1st and 2nd over 2 days of wakeboarding competition in Monticello, Kentucky despite not having been in the water for even a single practice since last season! Way to go, Country!
Warren finished his freshman year at Ohio County High School in Hartford, Kentucky this past week. I am very proud of him, to say the least. Despite more change, logistical challenges and emotional disruptions than any teenager should face, Warren grew enormously in maturity and moral fortitude. I wish I could take more credit for the young man that Warren has become or for the man emerging in front of my very eyes. I can’t. Not because I haven’t done my best for him despite my own challenges and failings, but, because I don’t believe a child is ever something that any parent owns and therefore is not something that a parent can rightfully take credit. A young man is a product of his own choices and of his own ability to ingest the influences which inform his world and then to make of them what he will using his own judgment, will and vision for the living of his life.
Warren was recently the lead in his school play, Death by Chocolate, having been thrust into the lead role when the original lead quit the production with less than two weeks until opening night. Like Warren has done with every challenge he’s faced, he bravely took on the challenge and saved the production with many consecutive days of non-stop practicing lines and rehearsals with the school drama troupe. He seemed surprised that he pulled off this act of last minute loyalty to his drama peeps, but, I wasn’t surprised in the least. I’ve been humbly observing the emergence of a man of simple integrity, gritty determination and abundant compassion even as his young teeth continue to be straightened by the braces he continues to sport behind his contagious smile.
As any reader of this blog already knows, I’ve never been short on praise for the people that I love and I love Warren singularly in a way that I love few others. So, I’m often long on glowing recounts of this or that achievement by my children, Nicole, my family and my friends. I have much for which to be proud and even more for which to be thankful for I’ve lived an amazingly blessed life of mostly undeserved good fortune. I'll just say with the Apostle Paul that "there but for the grace of God go I."
Just a few weeks ago, however, Warren provided me my proudest moment yet as a parent and a moment that has humbled me as a human being like few other experiences have been able to do when he courageously stood beside his loyal friends and classmates to form a teen chapter of a civic organization called the “Gay-Straight Alliance” or “GSA”. The foundational principle of GSA is that there is absolutely no reason for any person who considers themselves “straight” to have anything to fear from association with friends and classmates who consider themselves “gay” or “lesbian”. GSA’s charter is simply to provide opportunities for people to get to know each other and to figure out for themselves what kind of cross-orientation relationships, alliances and friendships might be formed for the betterment of their school and community between persons of different sexual orientations. As a kid who has grown up in the arts community, Warren long ago developed an immense respect for the obvious humanity and values those gays and lesbians contribute to society. So, for him, the controversy that eventually developed was both stunning and tragic.
I have consistently taught my kids the value of inclusiveness and tried to explain to them about the ignorance and fear that lie at the base of racism, prejudice, intolerance and “in-group / out-group” thinking of all kinds. I’ve encouraged them at each step of their young lives to find small ways and opportunities to reach out to those whom others ridicule or maliciously deride for little other reason than that they are “different” in some way: a different race, a different interest, a different set of challenges, a different economic circumstance, a different set of physical challenges, a different culture, a different belief system or religion, a different appearance, or even just a different general attitude about things. For me, this respect for differences extends absolutely and without qualification to those with a different sexual orientation. Namely, to our human brothers and sisters who consider themselves to be homosexuals and who have come to describe themselves as members of the “gay community”.
I’ve enjoyed several friendships and even more acquaintances with wonderful human beings who work hard, play by the rules, love their families are kind to their neighbors and who also are members of the gay and lesbian community in this personal freedom affirming country of rational laws and minority rights. My anecdotal experience as a citizen has proven what I once heard a comedian proclaim about his homosexual friends – that they are simply “better people” than the rest of us.
The comedian had a list to prove his claim and the list was long and almost no social scientist would disagree with the comedian’s list:
“They are better neighbors.” “They are better educated.” “They give better gifts.” “They are more creative.” “They earn more money.”
The clincher was this inconvenient truth: “They recycle!”
The comedian got a big laugh because those of us who have lived and worked with members of the gay community immediately recognize the underlying truth that made the bit so funny. Social scientists wouldn’t disagree with the comedians sentiments. They might argue about the exact statistics, but, researchers all agree that regardless of race, religion, culture or legal environment somewhere between 1% and 10% of the human population are born with a sexual attraction to the same sex. History and literature confirm the science. Obviously, people with a same-sex orientation are our neighbors, our co-workers (most likely in senior positions to ours), our friends, our politicians, our civic leaders, our teachers and our clergy. Most poignantly, as Republican Vice President Dick Cheney can attest, they are our family members.
Warren is living and going to school in the exact same place where I grew up. In fact, he lives his life in the same two houses where I spent these exact same years of my life. I know the culture well. I love my hometown and I love the people there with all that I am. Almost to a person, they are God-fearing, descent, loving, fair and compassionate human beings. I will do well ever become half the person most of my mentors from home prove themselves to be every day of their lives. Social and moral progress, however, never evolve perfectly or without great pain. No country or culture understands this more than the United States of America, a country that fought a protracted and bloody Civil War to decide that this country would be inhabited by a people and ruled by a set of laws that would not allow human beings of one race to enslave the people of another race for any reason whatsoever and that each otherwise law-abiding citizen had an absolute right to personal freedom and as such was the same as a sovereign entity. The United States of America, more so than any political system to ever exist on the face of the earth stands as a beacon proclaiming the innate moral imperative that those who are “different” have the same right to the legal protection of their sovereignty that is given to citizens who adhere to the mores of the majority culture.
Before I go further in support of my son and of the GSA, let me be clear that I have nothing but respect for those interpret their faith, their moral obligations and their civic duty differently than me. I would stand and have stood in defense of their own right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I would and have stood in defense of the protections of their right to assemble and to freely associate with like-minded associates for the purpose of bringing about the redress of perceived grievances without fear of intimidation, harrassment or physical harm. I would continue and have continued to love and respect those with whom I break bread, raise my children, seek my economic sustenance and worship, but, with whom I disagree on this or that issue. This treatise is about the very protections that I would fight to protect for those with whom I might disagree being extended to the caring students of Ohio County High School who courageously made a stand on principle for something they believe to be of great value to themselves and to the society in which they live, work and play.
Of course, we accept limitations on our absolute freedom based upon the principle that one person’s sovereignty ends at the exact point where another person’s sovereignty begins. Again, the great philosophical principle that informs government infringement on individual behavior is that one ought to be free to pursue their own happiness so far as that pursuit does not violate the right of others to do the same. Our past and current laws that disregard this bedrock principle, in my opinion, serve only to weaken respect for the rule of law in a civil society. Even when they have no apparent macro-impact on our society, such rules to pacify the sensibilities of the majority unreasonably violate the very principle which allows the rest of us so much latitude about precisely to go about achieving our life’s own great purpose.
As a case in point, we only have to go back to the 1950's and the battle to extend legal marriage to inter-racial couples to see how the unreasonable sentiments of a majority culture can oppress a minority desire that seems benign to almost everyone in retrospect. When the California Supreme Court ruled that prohibiting inter-racial marriage was unconstitutional -- which it clearly was -- the evidence available from that period would have put popular opinion against making inter-racial marriage legal at about 80% or more against extending their own Consitutional protections of liberty to loving couples whose ancestors happened to evolve in another region of the world. My own saintly grandmothers had a very difficult time accepting inter-racial relationships even though they freely admitted they weren't proud that they struggled so much with the concept. I remember vividly how the discussions were always centered around how awful it is for the children of inter-racial marriage in our society because the children would certainly be ridiculed and become outcasts in our society.
Interestingly, the first mixed race child I personally knew was when my own cousin gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl by an African American father. My mixed race cousin went on to be one of the most popular girls in school and a gifted student who went on to win the Miss Ohio County contest. She eventually graduated from Western Kentucky University and is a model citizen who never misses an opportunity to make a positive contribution to society.
I believe it is important to remember that even with all of our accumulated wisdom, sometimes we all need to pay attention to the innocent hearts and minds of children when it comes to seeing injustice and working to correct injustice -- particularly when the injustice is being suffered by persons who are "different" than us. Even my very wise, very moral and unquestionably loving mentors still struggled when it came to dispensing completely with the prejudicial attitudes of their culture.
The clash between the rights of an otherwise law-abiding minority and a majority who have historically believed that they have not only the right, but, also the moral imperative to repress the rights of the disaffected minority once again has taken a highly visible place in our headlines, our editorial pages, our pulpits and our courts. The clash I’m highlighting, as you’ve likely guessed, is the clash between American’s who believe that homosexual American’s should not be extended the same rights and privileges that the rest of us enjoy. Specifically, the right to live openly as the person they believe themselves to be in an adult relationship with the person of their choosing. By extension, then, is the right to assemble, the right to advocate for their political interests and their right to form a legal marriage union recognized by the same state the recognizes the legally equivalent contract of marriage between a woman and a man.
These same principles, ironically, underpin the protections of Americans to practice their religious beliefs or lack of belief as their conscience so guides them. Again, the protections of religious liberty in the United States stop at the same place that all other rights cease to be protected by law – at the place where another individual’s rights begin.
In most metropolitan areas of America, there really isn’t that much controversy regarding gay and lesbian rights. Sure, the so-called “gay marriage” debate resonated in metro areas just as it does in the more rural areas of Middle-America, but, with decidedly less fervor. Warren’s “OC” (Ohio County), however, is very away from our new “OC” (Orange County) when it comes to the shock and awe of having an active group of civil libertarians organizing to support greater understanding between the gay and straight community in their little section of America.
Soon after forming and starting meetings, the GSA was met with considerable opposition, ridicule and, sadly, with very real threats to physically and psychologically harm anyone who continued to be a member of the GSA at Ohio County High School. My son was subjected a good bit of verbal harassment himself which fortunately didn’t seem bother him escalate further than words. Warren’s one of those kids who embraces everyone and who has the friendship and respect of kids across the scope of high school culture. If there an organization formed at his school tomorrow to enable greater understanding between Catholics and Baptists or between Christians and Buddhists or between Jocks and Band Geeks (I was both a "jock"&n bsp;and a "band geek") – Warren would be the first person to sign-up and become a group officer in an effort to create the type communication and mutual respect between people which might help them see how much they are actually alike instead of focusing on their differences.
Other kids weren’t as lucky as Warren observed first hand some of the meanest and nastiest acts that human beings ever commit against one another. Kids were constantly harassed and physically tripped while walking down the hallway to their classes. Kids were verbally accosted, threatened and ridiculed in such a public way that any school official that would have cared to prevent these acts could have easily shut it down, but, for whatever reason, chose to make themselves scarce from the areas where the most offensive activities were taking place.
Then, at the height of the antagonism, a self-described “skin-head” chapter of the Ku Klux Klan from another state showed up to protest at the school on the same day that a local church group decided to execute a well-organized public protest in front of the high school. The demonstrations weren’t coordinated and I’m sure the local church group did not want to be connected with their protesting colleagues, but, there they were nevertheless.
My umbrage is certainly not that any other group disagree with any political position a group such as the GSA may or may not advocate or with any group's absolute right to form their own organizations in support of a competing or opposite position. My indignation springs from the blatant hypocrisy of flaunting their own 1st Amendment rights in an unapologetic attempt to limit the rights of a group with whom they might disagree. Moreover, the actual intent of the protests appeared to be part of a broader attempt to intimidate the students whom they had somehow cast as deserving of being ridiculed, intimidated, harrassed and met with official school opposition every step of the way as they formed an organization based on the concepts of seeking understanding between people with differences in place of the lack of understanding&nbs p;that enables prejudice and hatred.
Painfully for me, the church group was from a church where I’ve stood in their pulpit and led their Bible Study as a young pastor serving in various churches in my home county. Several members of our family attend and literally hundreds of my friends attend that church. When I hear the stories from the Civil War era about border state families in Kentucky ripped apart by the issue of slavery, I can’t help be feel a kinship with that emotional pain. In a very real way, I feel a similar split allegiance because as much as I love my family, my former church families and my friends with whom I so vehemently and sincerely disagree with on the issue of protecting the rights of persons with a homosexual orientation and supporting their full rights as citizens – I simply can’t absolve myself of what I believe to be my moral obligation to stand with those whom I believe are being heinously mistreated, systematically repressed and unconstitutionally denied their civil rights in the Constitutional Republic of the United States of America.
There’s a poetic passage from Christian scripture that includes phrase “a child shall lead them”. In my case, MY CHILD has led me to take stand along-side him in a show of solidarity for a fight in which I did not wish to become involved. I will admit that even posting these words to my personal blog is an action that for me carries with it the fear that I’ll suffer an adult version of what Warren and his friends suffered in the halls and courtyards of their school. I fear that a current or potential client will read this post and decide not to do business with me on the basis of my show of solidarity with Ohio County’s GSA and my unapologetic stance that my son’s own stand is a greater act of moral courage than I’ve likely ever made in my considerably longer lifetime. I fear that a colleague or a superior will might stumble upon here and take offense if they see these issues differently than I see them. I understand that these fears may, in fact, are likely completely unfounded and based on my own cowardice because as a whole I have encountered nothing but the very best of humanity from all races, creeds and cultures in my professional life. Still, making waves about sensitive political issues or religious controversies is always a great way to offend at least half of your friends and colleagues!
My son’s courage, fortitude and compassion toward his fellow man demands, however, that I not sit silently by while bravely takes a stand for the very principles that I have long advocated and spent considerable energy communicating them to him and his sister to the best of my ability.
I learned these principles from my two my grandmothers, both whom are respected as near Saints in their respective church families. I learned these principles and attitudes from my mother, herself a staunch defender of the principle of fairness and a dedicated Sunday school teacher for much of her adult life.
I believe that I learned these principles from the writings of Jefferson, Hume, Locke and Franklin.
I believe these principles are embodied in the teachings of Jesus and a thousand other religious teachers throughout history. I believe the principles that inform the GSA are precisely the principles advocated in the very documents that form the foundations of our liberty: The Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, The Constitution of the United States of America, The United States Bill of Rights, the Constitution of the United States: Amendments XI – XXVII and in the great Kentuckian Abraham Lincoln’s “Emancipation Proclamation”.
I believe that principles that support the GSA are outlined in America’s greatest speeches, including Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death”, Washington’s “First Inaugural Address”, Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” and JFK’s “Inaugural Address”.
I believe the spirit of the GSA and its membership is similarly manifested in the “Star-Spangled Banner” as well as in “The Pledge of Allegiance”.
In support of my position affirming the innate American-ness of the purposes and intentions of the GSA, I need go no further than the very 1st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States called our “Bill of Rights”:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
I’ll close this Treatise in Praise of Warren Maddox, already a great American and absolutely the best son for which a father could ever hope, by sharing once again my favorite quote for my favorite Methodist Minister, the Reverend Wallace Wattles, who wrote:
“And it is further true among all those who claim leadership by virtue of divine authority we may apply this test with authority – that the man who stands for humanity, first, last and all the time, against all vested interests, religious and economic, is the man who stands as Jesus stood!”
Thank you, Warren, for showing your ol’ Pops what the courage to stand for your convictions really looks like in the world!
If you've been thinking about finding a single tool to bring all the ways you work together into a single and simple way to get things done, then you need to Get Xergized today! Xergy - "ex-er-gee" - is the synergy created by combining proven methodology with cutting edge technology in a way that gives you ubiquitous access and complete mobility.
Summer’s surely upon us. I know the calendar won’t agree that summer has officially begun for a few more weeks, but, the fact that my son, Warren, has been released from his institutional responsibilities until a date far in the future means that summer vacation is now in full swing for my little buddy.