SILENT NIGHT

MY CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR MY READERS

A POEM I WROTE AND PUBLISHED IN

MY BOOK 'COWBOYS, PLOWBOYS, AND

COUNTRY FOLK

                          Roger Ringer

This opens with the song Silent Night and is the background through the reading.  Then finished up with the 2nd & 3rd verses.

SILENT NIGHT

       It was a silent night....

       clear and cold like long ago.

       The moon and stars shining bright

       as old Charlie worked on his goal.

       Slippin' the old high back to the ground

       Tying a ribbon to the horn...

      With a tag to Jimmy Brown.

       Setting it gently by the door.

       As he walked limpin' down the road,

       Leadin' that old bay,

       Wishin' it weren't so durn cold

       As he tied him to the gate...at Tommy Ray's

      As he trudged back to his line shack

      He took inventory of his Christmas rounds.

      Left his spurs for young Zack,

      His Mexican riata...at Jennie Towns.

      A rag doll from an old shirt stuffed with grass

      He left for June at the Crossroads Ranch.

      She's such a fiery young lass...

      She'll break more than one cowboys heart with a glance.

      Charlie gave away all of his belongins'

       And other things that he had made

       That every child in the valley

       Had a present for Christmas Day.

     He made many winters riding line camps and such

      living life as a drifting saddle tramp.

     Since a family wasn't in the cards

      Now he was making his final lonely camp.

      Banking up the old stove...to warm his old frame,

      the chill finally driven from his bones.

      He dozed in an old work rocker,

      snoring in peaceful low tones.

      He opened his eyes to a young rider

      standing inside the door.

      "Charlie...its time to go, he said"

     Charlie nodded and said, "I'm ready for dern sure".

      A group of people gathered outside that old shack

      grateful for the simple gifts he brought.

      They found him cold...by his empty pack,

      Gone home...to the final camp he sought.

     For years they talked of that terrible drought

     when all the grass withered like blight.

     How hard times had stolen their holiday cheer,

     and how one cowboy...named Charlie...

     Saved Christmas...on that cold Silent Night.

GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS

" 'A CHRISTMAS CAROL' HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS

THE MOST PERFECT OF DICKENS'S

WORKS AND AS A QUINTESSENTIAL

HEART WARMING STORY, AND

IT IS CERTAINLY THE MOST POPULAR.

                                             Clair Tomlin 

       Christmas is a very unsettling time of year for me.  And it is true of many people.  Purely as a miracle it is the most joyous time because of the birth of Jesus who would go on to save mankind.  But the realities of life sometimes obscure the meaning to many people and it is a bittersweet time for many.
      Our family had a custom of going to Grandma and Grandpa Becker's house on Christmas Eve.  Since our family never was scattered across the country like many others all the cousins were more like brothers and sisters.  We saw a lot of each other.  I spent as much time on the home place with Grampa and my Uncle Charles as I could.
      I was complimented once on how straight I drove a tractor and my reply was you did not leave any crooked rows in Carl Becker's field.  My first job was shoveling the catching pen clean and spreading the manure on the pasture every Saturday morning.  I learned about what today they would call 'sustainable' farming from there.  Seems things go full circle since a lot of agriculture is seeing the benefits of diversification again rather than one crop.
      Until they moved to town after 'retiring' grandma had this terrible aluminum tree with the revolving colored light lamp on it.  In a house that had a lot of allergies a real Christmas tree was not an option.  Whether there or in town the families came for Christmas Eve and we thought it would always be that way.
       My first time to miss Christmas Eve was when my shift at the Fire Dept. fell on that day.  I was a probie at County Station 3.  But the family did not forget about me or the guys that night.  They took a pair of nylon panty hose and fill them with popcorn and brought it in for us.
      Even though the tradition is gone with Grandma and Grampa we do our own gift exchange on Christmas Eve.  The cousins had families and created their own traditions.  Since I never married the day is very quiet.
      I love the old classic Christmas movies and can't help feeling the message of a Christmas Carol personally.  I love 'It's a Wonderful Life' because it was such a failure in Hollywood and yet is a classic with real people.  And no Christmas season is complete without 'White Christmas' and Bing Crosby.
      Those busy with family are not aware many times of the loneliness of the season and the depression and spike in suicide that goes with it.  There is always someone who needs your prayer or maybe just a smile.
      There are so many blessings at this time of year but whenever there is blessing the devil makes a double attack.  You can fight the ghosts of Christmas with a little gesture sometimes or let them haunt those who feel the loss of something Christmas Past, Present, and Future.

THE GREATEST LOST GENERATION

"THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUPIDITY

            AND GENIUS IS THAT GENIUS

                                  HAS IT'S LIMITS."
                                                     Albert Einstein

     This subject is one that is so polarizing that very seldom can you get those on both sides to talk about without huge amounts of emotion and conflict.  I ask that you who will take the time to read this to it's finish will reflect on it's intent before the storms erupt.

      Just consider, the United States has allowed legal Abortions since the Roe vs. Wade case and the number of children destroyed is now over 50,000,000.  It is a wonder, in many of the law profession, that the original case has not been overturned.  Many agree that it was a terrible case to use as the basis of legalizing abortion.  Many think that there were better cases to base the Supreme Courts attention on.  Even the original subject of the suit has changed sides and now advocates for Pro Life.

      Those who support legalization are happy with the fact that there has not been a solid challenge to come along so far.  Those in support are so happy that the case has stood up that there is an ingrained legitimacy for a large number of people to accept the existence of it as an unassailable right.

      Medical ethicists at the major medical university in Australia have made suggestions that post birth abortion would be acceptable.  This giving 6 months to kill the child for medical cause.  This not bringing an huge outcry and has led to a major Northeastern University to have a 'medical ethics class' start to advocate that up to the age of 5 would be acceptable.

     Lets stop and consider what 50 million lives have cost us as a nation.  We can consider 50 million souls as pretty much a lost generation.  Many Earth Firsters, radical feminists, radical green groups, and many more consider a loss of 50 million lives as a slowing of the overpopulation of the world.  These groups look at the human population as cochroaches destroying the world as it should be.

      If you hold with the belief that God is in charge and that each life has purpose and a vocation, what have we done as a major affront to the way that things are supposed to be?
       A mathematician can compute into a law of averages the number of advanced people that consistently are a part of each generation.  Taking the progress that mankind has made over time and the happenings in history it would be pretty hard to dispute that when 50 million lives are taken a percentage of exceptional lives are lost.
       If you are of the belief that as scripture says that God has counted the numbers on your head long before you were conceived.  Then you have to believe that there is a destiny for each life and man is a pretty poor judge of what is good for itself.
      I have known the lab assistant of Dr. Salk who cracked the code and brought the plague of polio to the end for the generations who lived in fear of it.  Have we lost the doctor or technician that will finally cure cancer, MS, or Muscular Dystrophy?  Did we lose a future president, the first American Pope, the person who frees us from dependence on fossil fuel?
      Or the researcher that advances agriculture past today's amazing capacity and feeds these billions of people that are so feared that the population control argument could be laid to rest?
       I am a simple mind and I read into the rather short pages of the founding of our republic and the Constitution and Bill of Rights and fail to see how the millions of decisions made about things like Abortion and many other things not specifically mentioned are considered a part of the legacy of our justice system.
       I am no lawyer, thank God, and prefer to speak in relative common terms and apply the basics of civil conduct and not the legalese that everything seems to be turned into.  Can you look me in the eye and believe that it is in any one's best interest that this Greatest Lost Generation is to our benefit?
       As another point of view what was the original point of advocating for birth control were when Margret Sanger began the crusade of the Planned Parenthood began?  What were the targets of the movement?  What was the results of the movement?  Evolving from this also came the Eugenics movement.  How did the Eugenics from the US influence Hitler's ultimate solution in Europe?
       At the risk of being cliche', are you not glad that your parents did not choose to abort you?
      The predictions are that the next industrial revolution will happen in the next ten years.  The last one took one hundred years.  It seems that it is going to take some getting use to the changes coming.  We may wish for a few of those lost lives for what is ahead.

DO THEY THINK WE ARE STUPID?

"THE TRUTH IS NOT FOR ALL MEN,

BUT ONLY THOSE WHO SEEK IT".

                Ayn Rand

      It always hits me to ask if they think that we all are stupid?  The actions of the entire incident in Ferguson Missouri makes me stop to think if the people in Government and the Civil Rights world thinks that they can say anything and expect us to believe it?

      I know that if anyone charges a police officer and tries to take his gun, or makes any threatening actions against them, you will be shot.  You, I, and law enforcement have the right to use deadly force when there is a credible threat to life and safety.

      Anyone who has been through school, or the system, knows that a Grand Jury is presented all the evidence to determine if charges should be brought.  Where a regular jury is only presented evidence as allowed.

      Where do you know any courthouse that works past 5 PM?  Do they think we are stupid that the cameras were in place, the National Guard pulled back, and the verdict come out at 9 PM?

       Where do all the 'rioters' sleep, eat, go to the bathroom, and where are they from?  There are always local idiots that will loot but these riots are organized.  What good did it do the locals to burn down their stores, jobs, and churches?

      I have not had a bad experience with a person of color in recent memory.  Is that because I live on a hill?   I read now that I am racist because of 'white privilege'.  I think that there are a lot of people that need to get a life and quit tell others who they are.

       I have known many law enforcement people and know that most are good people doing a hard job.  There are bad ones I am sure, but I never knew one to go gunning for anyone.

       When I see the leader of a country who tolerates riots, and attorney general that does the same, and leaders who advise them also are the biggest tax cheats, this does not instill confidence in our future.

      We now have Isis members threatening our military here at home and they have been advised to stop using social media that gives away where they are, I am worried.  We have advisers and members of our intelligence and security forces that belong to groups that gave rise to terrorism and yet we turn a blind eye to them.

      Sorry, we are not stupid.  History will someday look back and go 'that the country was at it's highest threat and the eye of authority was turned to its own endeavors'.  Wonder if the regular news media will recognize any of this?  Now there is stupid!

A HOLIDAY THAT ANYONE CAN AGREE ON

"AN OPTIMIST IS A PERSON WHO

STARTS A NEW DIET ON

THANKSGIVING DAY".

                                       Irv Kupcinet

     If there is a holiday that as a whole this country can get along with it is Thanksgiving.  Since it is primarily a US holiday the people who object to holidays, that are primarily church related, can't get too worked up. Because it is about a bunch of illegal immigrants showing up where they were not wanted, and almost died because they did not know what they were doing.

      The hard core can just put it off as being thankful for the Indians (native residents) as much as for there faith that kept them in trouble back in England.  This is the same group that would later burn witches and put people in stocks.
       It also is the group that inspired such a great work of literature THE SCARLET LETTER as a great warning about the honor of the unwed mother and the secret dishonor of the father, that could not bring the fact that leaders are just people also.
      Thanksgiving is that point where people can gripe about the Christmas sales and promotions starting after Halloween, that great holiday where monsters, demons, devils, and curvatious females are honored.  Haunted houses and beer are very much in style.
       So much are the undead in style that Budweiser is dropping the Clydesdales for Zombies this year to try and win back that coveted 20 - 27 age crowd.  Let me tell you what, you can have Elvira back for those horses and a little dignity.
      Thanksgiving is a great little holiday because you can have a nice time to thank what ever you are thankful to without some group from Wisconsin trying to change your public displays.  You do not have to spend money and can be with people you like.  We like our folks that come out.
      On the next day I can marvel at the stupidity of those who fight for bargains that were cheaper last month.  Where you can set back with that Bud, sleep to the favorite game of the day, eat some good food, and get ready for the next 5 weeks of insanity.
      Really, can anyone get real worked up about guys that wear knee stockings, shoot blunderbusses, and wear belt buckles on their hats?

THE STATE OF OUR BEING

"IN THE OLD WEST ONE LAWYER IN TOWN

STARVED.  TWO GOT RICH".

       What is it about the collective soul of a nation that allows meanness and bullying to be considered an art form.  There is no man ever lived, but one, that did not have faults and even have done bad things in his life.  Whether the individual has redeemed themselves or not it is not our affair.

       What has started this national fascination of bringing down iconic people?  It is even worse when there is no proof of the occurrence of crimes and misdemeanor's, just accusations.  Seems that the longer time has gone by and there is no legal proceedings it is worse that if it happened yesterday.

       There is no appeal from public opinion and if enough time goes by there is not even defense in the system to defend ones name.  Yet the news media finds this type of story to be so important that they can destroy a person with no fear, to the point of even voiding the volume of lifetime accomplishments.

       Finding someone will accuse 30, 40, and 50 years later seems to be a journalistic principle.  If so Journalism is dead.  Along with it is history.  For both have to be judged with the backdrop of their times and applying todays values to a story is revisionist.

       How is your soul?  Well lets run some names.  Martha Stewart, Clarence Thomas, Paula Dean, Bill Cosby.  Were you delighted at the amounts of money and the reputation that each is left to deal with after their lives and reputations were made the subject of public ridicule?

      What of the human failing of greed that will claim membership in a victim group because there is a pool of money that is at stake.  I imagine after 40, 50, & 60 years, a lot of the claimants of being violated by clergy were even eligible to be there let alone make money from it.  It is just fashionable to create hate and see how much a person can make out of being a victim, whether they were or not.

      My opinion of the ethos of Public Radio dropped sharply when a reporter finds it so compelling that he had to bring up Bill Cosby's allegations.  Not because there was legal merit but that there is no way for Mr. Cosby to answer without putting in question his innocence.

      For many years now I have had the opinion, that the opinions of Mr. Cosby will be setting him up for the attack against his character because he advises in no uncertain terms what is wrong with society and that the only cures for the wrongs is to take responsibility. 

       I am so sad that this is true.  And the others who share the position in his community are now involved in creating a race war.  If you take personal delight in any of this I fear for your soul.

OPENNING PANDORA'S BOX

"JUDGES ARE THE WEAKEST LINK

IN OUR SYSTEM OF JUSTICE,

AND THEY ARE THE MOST PROTECTED".

                                                 Alan Dershowitz

     In the census, the numbers of homosexual citizens is in the neighborhood of 3%.  I am not wanting to tell anyone how to live their lives and I am sure that there are some very sincere people that I know in that group.  But I am not asking.  And the ones whose outrageous activities in the parades and protests do nothing to endear their cause to me.  I take no delight in pointing out anyone whose lifestyle is an affront to God and his laws, but I am charged as a believer to point out the wrong.  I am held accountable for what I do and don't do.

      I am constantly bombarded by the news media and the politically correct crowd that if I do not agree and give my blessing of their behavior then I am a racist.  Well then I guess I am a racist.

       I do not understand why I have scenes and stories constantly thrown in my face as to how 'normal' the lifestyle is.  State after state has voted that gay marriage is not legal only to have a judge turn that on it's ear.  Even in California the voters outlawed it only to have a judge overturn the will of the people.

      We have a form of government called a Representative Republic that gives the ability of the citizenry to decide issues and elect those who represent their opinions in government.  But it also gives the safety to minorities not to be bullied and lorded over by the majority.

      The sweeping over of the will of the people by judges and a small minority will have results that are unintended.  Even if being against the practice of approving gay marriage is against the rules of the church and the stories that most accept as the word of God, there is more.

       Only one of the problems has been discussed so far about opening up marriage from a man and woman so far.  That is the possibility of the state ordering churches and the clergy to perform marriage even though there is no belief of it in their doctrine.  But there are others.

      What will be the next push for 'rights'?  Polygamy?  Can the government ban marriage between one man and more than one woman.  There are radical sects that practice it still alive even though the Mormon Church gave it up to prevent a war with the US Government.
     What of recognizing Shiria Law and the multiple marriage and age lowered to age eight?

     What about group marriage?  Or marriage to animals?  Where does it stop once you open the door?  Are there sincere couples that feel they should have a right to marry there significant other.  I am sure.  Are their civil rights in jeopardy?  Seems most of that is covered.
     Once the lid of Pandora's box is removed it is impossible to put back on.

There is only one class of person left that it is legal to discriminate against in jobs and even simple features in public for comfort and safety and that is overweight.  Gee there just has to be at least one group that people can look down their nose at and publicly insult.