Saturday, April 18, 2009

Tea Party - Lake Jackson, Texas

Most of my online scrapbooking friends know I have two homes. We hope by the end of the year it will just be the one in Groesbeck, TX. I had to go home Monday evening to Angleton for a dental appointment on Tuesday. I'm such a wimp when it comes to the dentist it wears my nerves to a frazzle. I always stay an extra night. My bags packed and ready for me to go. I'm about to call Larry and let him know I'm leaving. He calls when I'm within minutes of calling him. Would I go to the Lake Jackson Tea Party with him. I hate to tell Larry no when he asks so nicely. Plus I'm curious about what these are really all about since I don't get news that isn't skewed at least a little to the liberal side. Larry arrives home, and James wants to go. His two best friends are going. He is waiting for a call on when he can go for a job interview. He can't leave until 5:00pm. We decide to wait.

While we wait we all sit in front of TV watching Glen Beck in San Antonio in front of the Alamo at the Tea Party. As Texans we can so relate to the things Glen Beck and his guests relate about Texas History and what the Alamo means to Texans. Larry had told me at least seven days before the Tea Parties he really wish we could have been at the San Antonio Tea Party. We finally get to leave. I would estimate a minimum of 500 people. We saw so many friends and enjoyed saying hello. A past owner-operator who leased his truck with our terminal came up to say hi. And as I look back and I think what Nancy Pelosi said, made me realize this individual who worked under a lease agreement was just disgusted. He'd been unable to find work, as he had sold his truck and lost his job since he left working for us. He was 30 days to being homeless because of foreclosure. I think what Nancy Pelosi said about the Tea Parties being about the wealthy rich paying individuals to attend and I think about the individuals I've seen walking along Texas Highways with backpacks in the last 72 hours. These aren't individuals that look like alcoholics or drug addicts. These are people who have had their world turn upside down by the Recession. It is just horrible the far left wants to put a spin on what occurred on April 15th.



James did the above video of the Lake Jackson Tea Party. I'm proud of him for becoming active in his freedoms! Keep it up James!

Larry had gone to bed and I began to think about all of the posts I'd written about attacks on Agriculture and the hidden agenda of HSUS and PETA.

Here's what I think the Tea Parties were about. As I said we saw many friends there. Some are like me a economic conservative and just left of the middle on social issues. Friends who were die-hard Democrats, friends who were Republicans and those who consider themselves Independents. Why can't the far left can't respect our wishes to make our voices heard. Everything in me from my economics training tells me the way our government has chosen to handle this recession is going to send us into a place none of us wants to go. I can't fathom what will happen if they don't stop spending. It isn't just Bush and Obama. Most of the blame needs to be blamed on Congress. Barney Frank needs a good stiff kick in the back side. Why is he blaming the Republicans when he and the Democrats had control of the House? He was in charge of over site on the Finance Committee. Why didn't he pursue it? Why does he blame everyone else when the buck stops with him? Who knows.

As I dived more deeply into why I went I found it really had to do with my love of Agriculture. As I saw three individuals in the last 72 hours on Texas State Highways. A couple walking south on State Hwy 35. A man not ten years older then me on State Hwy 6 this afternoon. It hurt to the bone. It made me think of the tent cities I've seen in California on the news. It made me think about hunger in this country. Here we are the most blessed nation in the world with not only the land, climate, and soils to grow enough food to feed our nation and a huge portion of the rest of the world we have hunger and homeless due to the recession. We have had both without the recession, but now it is getting worse by the day.

I so believe in the humane treatment of animals. My mother and my brother-in-law are animal control officers. My mom is a member of Second Chance Pets, a rescue organization for dogs and cats. I look at our own cattle. They all have names. Some given names, others their brand numbers but none the less we all know who each individual is. I can tell you from a distance which animal is which. There are just over 80 on the ranch. Calves born receive a herd number, they have to have one so they can be registered with the respected registry. Some are double registered so the numbers have to match the requirements of both registries. They go buy their herd numbers until they receive given names. Some never get a given name, but their name is their number. In our eyes it is a name. I think the one cow who we purchased as a 21 month old heifer has the registered name of Corporran Acres 590. We call her 590. When she had a problem with foot rot, she was up in the pasture with the show cattle so I could care for her. I've grown very fond of her. She loves being a Mom and is a good Mom.

So why does HSUS and PETA keep their agendas hidden? Why won't those who support them listen to the argument I have about the ability to feed our population at an inexpensive cost? Why won't they listen that we don't have the land to grow enough plant food products to replace meat if we did away with it? Why won't they acknowledge we are loosing quality farm land to urban development that could be used for growing plant food products to feed our nation and the rest of the world? Why will they not see that forcing their so called humane ideas on animal housing or what agriculture calls confinement systems is dangerous not only to the animals health but the health of humans? Why most people in this country can be tolerant to those who choose a diet based on partial or total vegetarian diets but in return not respect those who desire to enjoy meat? I'm not saying all of those who enjoy a vegetarian diet are like this.

Next time, you want to blast me for being a "factory farm" remember I'm willing to let your post stand, but you don't let mine stand. Who is the tolerant one.

I just leave you with one thought....do you consider humans more important or our friends the animals?

My answer is my fellow citizens of this great country of ours first, then my fellow citizens of the planet we call home, Earth.

Please, think of the hunger in this world....remember a huge portion of the land not suitable to growing crops, vegetables and fruits is used for the production of meat. Please speak to a farmer, attend a livestock or crop symposium, and learn about the intricacies of producing food in the quantity we do in this country. When you do you just might change your mind about how you look at Agriculture.

I enjoy the quality of life in my home state of Texas, part of the greatest country in the World simply due to others like me who raise the grain crops, vegetables, fruits, and meat. Thank you to the Farmers and Ranchers of this country!

The Tea Parties were about our freedoms we enjoy under the Constitution of the United States of America. It's not about right or left, it's about a voice of a people who feel isn't being listened to. I'M PROUD TO SAY I'M ONE OF THOSE! I'm not a right wing terrorist!

Kim

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