Category: Government

Abuse comes in many forms, Crime/Punishment, Criminal Justice, Government, Immigrants, Not the Popular Opinion, Religious Beliefs, The World We Live In

A Cornucopia of WTFs

reinbeckstudio

Welcome back blog readers,

I know that I haven’t been posting in a few weeks. Life gets busy, I’m not always inspired, and not everything is worthy of sharing.

Those of you that follow me on Facebook know that I am doing my best not to comment or share anything about #45. Which is difficult as he attributes to many WTF moments and thoughts. I don’t like contributing to making stupid people famous, or in this case, more famous as I find that sharing only does more harm than good.

WTF topic #1: WTF is really going on at the southern border?

The only news that seems to be shared is that the large migrant caravan has made it to the U.S border, families have been separated/detained. Several immigrants have died, including infants/toddlers and those humanitarians that want to help are being arrested for trying to bring water and necessities.

We are shown many pictures of detained people sleeping on the concrete with aluminum foil blankets, and they are being denied basic hygienic products like soap and toothpaste. There are many claims of children being abused, it’s just choas. Nobody is allowed to go in to verify the wellbeing of those detainees, and they are being treated worse than convicted felons in prison.

Do we know if any of the families are actually being processed to allow them safe/legal entry?

If the U.S knew (which I have to assume they did know) that they would not treat these families with humanity, why didn’t they simply turn them away or give them the option to turn around leave? Let them know what life would be like for them, let them know they would be separated from their kids/spouse, sleep on concrete for months, possibly indefinitely. Let those people decide which personal hell is worse.

WTF is Mexico doing to help their citizens? Is the government offering to help keep them safe should they want to go back/leave the detention area? The news coverage on that seems a bit sparse.

 

WTF topic #2: Why are rapists and pedophiles not SERVING the TIME they DESERVE?!?!?!

You know this topic gets my blood boiling. Time after time, no matter how many of us come forward with the truth, share our most profound shame, these assholes rarely serve two years in prison.

It seems like every week, there is a new headline of an accused sexual predator that has abused multiple people or one person over several years under the noses of their peers.  They are offered a plea deal, a slap on the wrist, community service because an actual GUILTY plea would ruin their life, their career, their chance at a scholarship. Well BOO fucking HOO!

The life of their victim(s) are ruined forever, life for them will never be the same. These sexual predators shouldn’t be allowed to be back in public, not ever.

What’s worse is that now we have Judges, Lawyers, Prisons, and Religious nut jobs that protect these sexual predators. I’ve said this before, and I’ll keep saying it, Once in prison, rapists are housed together away from Gen Pop, for their protection. Let that sink in!

I’ve also read many headlines that suggest that getting raped is “God’s Will.” Seriously WT actual F! If your god/religion teaches this, get a new religion.

Which is a good segway into the WTF topic #3: Child Brides/ Claiming religion makes it okay to not have morals.

I don’t care if the parent’s consent, the legal age of marriage should be universal worldwide at a minimum of 18. If you are not old enough to buy alcohol, sign a lease or other legal binding contract on your own, VOTE, open a bank account then in my eyes and in the eyes of many you are too young to consent to the marriage.

Men that seek child brides are pedophiles. PERIOD. Sex with a child is still rape, you will never change my mind on that. You can claim that they are your spouse all that you want, that doesn’t change the fact that they are too young to consent, and I don’t care that the parents agreed, they too are part of the problem and should be ashamed.

Religion should not violate human rights.

 

That is all of the time I have today. This post is one that I will update anytime I have a WFT topic to vent about. Chances are, you’ll see this post pop up as I update it.

Government, Immigrants, Immigration Process, Politics, Speaking from Experience, The World We Live In

Immigrants: Fact vs Fiction

reinbeckstudio

Due to the vast amount of misinformation that continues to be regurgitated for as long as I can remember; I thought sharing the FACTS might help put this topic to rest. Not only will I share the FACTS, but I will also supply the source(s) so that you can see for yourself, not just take my word for it.

The first point that should be clarified is that there is a difference between illegal/undocumented immigrants and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR). For far too long, many people have been assuming and making snap judgments that these two groups are the same. They are not.

Illegal/Undocumented Immigrants aka (Illegal Aliens): is a person born in another country (for example Mexico) an enters another country ( for example the U.S.A ) with the intent to live, work, raise a family without going through the proper immigration process. In most cases, they have fled their country due to war, violence, fear for their safety and just want a better life. Their choice to enter illegally may be due to not having the funds to pay for the proper paperwork or perhaps their circumstances are so dire that they have to flee and can’t wait several months to be processed properly. They take that chance.

Any person that does not go through the proper immigration process will not have a social security number. These people will work under the table, seek jobs that pay only in cash, not on an official payroll. Bank accounts can’t be opened in their name, they can’t pay into social security.

If you don’t believe me, check out this link:

https://www.politifact.com/facebook-fact-checks/statements/2019/feb/27/facebook-posts/no-undocumented-immigrants-dont-get-medicare-free/

It’s not to say that some illegal immigrants haven’t tried or were not successful in gaining benefits they were not entitled too. The point is, the federal government isn’t handing out a FREE Welcome package to all non-residents as they cross the border. The government isn’t doing their best Oprah impression giving away cars, drivers licenses, housing, medical/dental insurance plans to all that enter. Not to say that errors have not been made, mistakes fall through the cracks for years before they are detected.

There are programs that undocumented immigrants are eligible for.

Which federal public benefits are available to undocumented immigrants?

In general, undocumented immigrants, meaning people from other countries who do not have a legal right to be in the United States, are not eligible for any federal public benefits.

However, there are instances where undocumented immigrants, including those under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, may be eligible for some benefits that are considered necessary to protect life or guarantee safety in extreme circumstances.

Those include:

  • Emergency medical treatment under Medicaid if the individual meets the other eligibility requirements and the medical condition is not related to an organ transplant procedure.
  • Immunizations for immunizable diseases and testing for and treatment of symptoms of communicable diseases.
  • Free public education for grades K-12.
  • Federally subsidized school lunch and school breakfast programs for those eligible for free public education under state or local law.

Undocumented immigrants in some cases may also be allowed services or assistance that were laid out in a 2001 U.S. Attorney General order.

That order included child and adult protective services; programs addressing weather emergencies and homelessness; shelters, soup kitchens and meals delivered to individuals; medical, public health and mental health services; disability or substance abuse services necessary to protect life or safety; and programs to protect workers and other community members.

Here’s the link to the site that I copy/pasted that last bit from.

https://www.boston25news.com/news/trending-now/immigration-can-undocumented-immigrants-get-federal-public-benefits/936951998

For the most part, an undocumented immigrant is going to do their best to maintain a low profile, stay under the radar to avoid being deported. I know that there is also a misconception as to how illegal immigrants are “criminals.” Looks to me that 80% of the prison population is made up of Americans.

Here’s the most up to date data to confirm my statement:

https://www.bop.gov/about/statistics/statistics_inmate_citizenship.jsp

Who’s to say that the entire 20% are all illegal immigrants? I’m betting it’s not many since illegal immigrants tend to be deported and sent back to their country of origin. If they are not being deported, that is on the government to straighten out, not the inmate.

 

Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR):

Lawful permanent resident (LPR) is a classification for people who are not citizens of the United States but who are authorized to live and work in the country.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, people classified as LPRs “may accept an offer of employment without special restrictions, own property, receive financial assistance at public colleges and universities and join the armed forces.”

They are also eligible for certain federal benefits after they have lived in the United States for more than five years. They do not have access to all federal or state benefits and are subject to some limitations on other benefits.

After five years of living in the United States, those who have maintained their LPR status are eligible to apply for the following federal benefits: (These benefits are means-tested, meaning the government determines whether the person applying has the financial means to do without the benefit)

  • Medicaid
  • Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
  • Medicare
  • Public housing

For LPRs to become eligible for Social Security benefits for both retirement and disability, they are required to have completed 40 quarters of work (10 years) in addition to having maintained LPR status for at least five years.

Here’s that link again:

https://www.boston25news.com/news/trending-now/immigration-can-undocumented-immigrants-get-federal-public-benefits/936951998

Here is what I suspect is happening. Many Americans are very quick to judge without taking the time to ask/confirm or even really care to find out if a person with darker skin, bilingual, speaks with an accent, wears non-traditional clothes is an American citizen, or a Lawful Permanent Resident and assumes they are all illegal immigrants.

There are too many videos of this exact type of harassment, these snap judgments being made purely based on hate and racism. This type of behavior is disgusting! Stop feeling threatened by people that look different; chances are, they DO have the right to live, work, raise a family, seek an education, own property, and they are paying taxes just like the rest of us. Here’s a tip, if you do happen to inquire and ask a person about their status and you find out that they are in fact a legit citizen, let it go. There is no need to call immigration to confirm, no need to get in their face and scream racial slurs or insist that they “go home” as if to suggest that they do not belong. Just get over yourself and mind your business.

Please stop sharing those memes and posts that suggest that all illegal immigrants are getting better benefits than the rest of us. These posts only show how racist and uneducated that YOU are. You continue to share such misinformation because you think it makes you more “Patriotic” and feel like a “real American.” Newsflash!!!! The only true Americans are the Native Americans, if you are not 100% Native American, then you too come from a line of illegal immigrants. You know the Europeans (White Men) with their slaves that claimed the land as theirs.

You are no different than the children that are born in the USA (legal American by birth) whose parents are illegal immigrants, just a different generation. Think about that.

Anyway, I hope that you learned something useful as that was the whole point of putting this together.

It costs nothing to be kind, the world needs more of that right now.

 

 

 

 

Crime/Punishment, Criminal Justice, Government, Immigrants, Politics, Venting

The Great Wall of Trump

reinbeckstudio

 

 

Welcome back blog readers,

Let me start off by saying, that if you are FOR/PRO the wall, then you may as well stop reading.

I’m so tired of hearing about this stupid and unnecessary “Wall” of hate. There is no way that Mexico is paying for it, nor should they be expected to fund it. The American people (the majority of us) aren’t going to pay for it (willingly). Trump himself and all of his millions don’t seem eager to fund his own project. So that leaves us exactly where we are now, no funding, no plans, no blueprints = NO WALL.

 

Finally, somebody is finally saying what we have all been thinking.

Trump’s decision to force the government to shutdown is the equivalent to a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. He’s just holding the American people hostage until he gets his way. Meanwhile, while many government-supported services like TSA, Air Traffic Control, NASA and Homeland Security are working with a skeleton crew, those that are showing up to work are not getting paid until AFTER the shutdown. According to Trump, this shutdown could last months, even years until he gets what he wants.

https://globalnews.ca/video/4814144/irony-of-shutdown-over-border-funding-it-affects-the-department-of-homeland-security-too

The irony over this shutdown is over security, meanwhile, there is a complete lack of security throughout the nation. Trump is so concerned over the idea that Mexicans and Central Americans will cross the border illegally that he’s willing to jeopardize the entire country, force government workers to continue working without pay, families are in danger of losing their homes, single moms on welfare can’t get food stamps.

Does it occur to Trump that getting over a Wall is not the only means of entering the United States. People are allowed to drive across the border to shop, to visit, to spend the weekend. People can book a flight across the border, they can travel by train or greyhound, let’s not forget that people can also travel by boat or other watercraft. Having the biggest Wall at the southern border would be useless. As Trump as stated himself in 2004… About 12:30 in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQqjSPsvA0E#action=share

People that are trying to cross the southern border aren’t doing so because they want to harm anyone. They are not all killers, rapist, terrorist, in fact, many are families and children hoping to make a better life for themselves. Yes, there is a right way to do that. Instead of building a WALL to keep people out (Americans in); why not build several immigration centers to HELP families that want to start over, want to work, want to feel safe as they are escaping worse conditions in Central America. Let’s not assume all of those migrating are Mexican, they are not.

Not only should we set up immigration centers to assist those families that are refugees, but rather than detaining children and separating them from their parents, we should consider building temporary housing near the border because that would be the HUMANE way to treat people and help keep families TOGETHER. Not keep them in cages, fire tear gas at them or assault them when they are unarmed with child in tow.

Let’s be honest… America is housing hundreds of thousands of CRIMINALS that are US citizens. Criminals of all shapes, sizes, colors and ethnicity. They are not all black, African American, Hispanic, Latino, Mexican or other minority because there are plenty of white males and females that also deserve to be in there.

https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2018.html

Yes, of course, protect the borders and ensure that those coming in and going out have the proper documentation, I’m not arguing that point. My point is, what good is a giant wall that spans the entire length of the southern border if we don’t have enough border agents to patrol every inch of it 24 hours each day 365 days each year. I’d imagine that they too would require housing close to the border. Why not spend more money on creating jobs that protect the southern border, than a wall that will only be damaged, covered in graffiti and need to be maintained. To me it just seems like a huge waste of resources when that kind of money (if it gets raised) could be put to better use.

There are US citizens in need of financial assistance, housing assistance, homeless, sick, and an entire city that still needs clean water (FLINT, MICHIGAN). Spending billions on a wall because the President “wants” one and for the notion of “feeling safe” doesn’t justify shutting down the government and making the USA more vulnerable to attacks or forcing government employees to work without pay (to be paid eventually) isn’t what the majority of Americans want. Kind of like when Trump was elected, it wasn’t what the MAJORITY of Americans wanted. Again, just being honest.

Clearly, I’m not for the wall, was never for the wall, nor would I feel safe if a wall was built as there are plenty of evil doers north of the southern border, I include Trump as an evil doer. I can’t help but feel that all of the focus on the wall is another means of distracting us from another sneaky bill that will be passed while we’re too busy looking the other way.

We’ve heard from the government a few times that they will not negotiate with terrorists, so why is this any different. Trump is playing the part perfectly, making outrageous demands that he knows can’t be met. The government doesn’t get paid by the president, they get paid by us, the people, the taxpayers. I say they should continue working as they normally would. Ignore the tantrum and Trump will have to find another way to soothe himself and his oversized ego.

My rant is over, carry on…..

Government, Immigrants, Military, Not the Popular Opinion, Politics, Venting

Trump Dump: Veterans before members of Congress!

reinbeckstudio

Welcome back blog readers,

Over the last few days, I’ve been seeing/reading the thoughts/opinions of my friends/family on social media regarding Trump, his views, what he would like to put into action as well as the treatment/rights of veterans compared to the treatment/rights of immigrants.

What occurs to me is that much of the anger/frustration that is being displayed from us (the general public) is misdirected and we are comparing two things that aren’t related, in the sense that one has nothing to do with the other. Yet so many of us keep jumping on that bandwagon because we’re mad about one issue and taking that anger out on something not related.

Allow me to clarify…

First, let’s get the topic of Trump off of the table. It should not come as a surprise that I do not support Trump, I didn’t vote for Trump and frankly, I’m shocked he’s still in power. I know there are the loyal Trump supporters that will always stay loyal, and that’s fine. There are Trump supporters that voted for him and are trying to turn a negative into a positive by reminding us all that Trump WILL make America great again because they are in denial about Trump’s real agenda and they can’t swallow their pride to say, I was wrong to vote for him. Then you have antiTrump supporters who see that he’s trying to take away human rights along with many other despicable things.

Here’s the real issue… You have a man that has had 20+ women accuse him of sexual misconduct, this same man is conspiring with Russia/Russian mob for over 30 years, this same man that has been married three times to three IMMIGRANT women and he has a huge hatred for immigrants (even though his grandparents were immigrants). This same man that intentionally tore hundreds of families apart to deport illegal immigrants (parents) and threw their kids (US Citizens) in holding facility then made toddlers who can’t speak English defend themselves in court. Trump is hoping to open many wildlife reservations, risk the extinction of many species (which up until this point were protected) just so he can drill, cut down trees and destroy the planet. The same Donald Trump has been threatening to take away a woman’s right to choose (because he doesn’t agree as if to suggest that he’ll have to worry about an unwanted pregnancy). Just this week this same man is pushing really hard to take away the human rights of the transgender community (again because he doesn’t believe people can be transgender).

With all of that said, please remind me of how Trump is making America great again. Why are so many supporters unwilling to see that Trump is not a modern-day hero, he is not looking out for the people, he is looking out for his businesses, his assets, his family, and his business partners. Trump supporters can keep on supporting a monster, it is your right to do so. Although your choice makes me concerned about where you stand on my rights as a woman. As one of my high school teacher’s used to say, “You can polish a turd, but it’s still a turd, now it’s just a shiny turd”. That is how I see Trump, a shiny turd.

Politics and religion need to be separate, just as public school and religion need to be separate. We need to stop cramming our personal believes down each other’s throats and stop judging people because their beliefs are different than our own. What we believe is a private matter, but it doesn’t mean that you’re right and everyone else is wrong.

It’s one thing to be patriotic, to have pride in your country and be firm about what you believe. It’s another thing to force all students to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, because they may not pray to God. Just as you can’t expect all athletes to stand for the National Anthem because, in case you haven’t noticed many athletes are not AMERICAN (take NHL Hockey for an example). Don’t get your panties all in a bunch because some players take a knee, that is their right it’s not like they are burning the flag.

Perhaps we should consider the fact that all country national anthems should be played/sang to honor all of the players and their respective home countries, but that would be time-consuming and Americans are impatient and just want to watch the game, right. Chances are that if the national anthem for Sweden, Norway, Canada, Russia, Czech Republic all had to be played to honor the hockey players, what are the chances that Americans would stay standing for all of them? I think that falls under “practice what you preach” and if you can’t then shut the hell up.

As for the comparison of veterans to (illegal) immigrants, here are my thoughts on this matter. Veterans and Immigrants are two separate issues and the slogan of “Veterans before Immigrants” would make more sense if the slogan read “Veterans before Members of Congress”.  I’m all for veterans, my grandfather went to Korea, my father went to Vietnam and my brother was in the Coast Guard in Alaska and my sister volunteers at a VFW in California. Veterans serve their country, they put their life on the line and sacrifice so much to do what they do. They deserve to be taken care of while they are serving and after they get home.

Immigrants, on the other hand, you can’t compare them to veterans. Immigrants may not have fought for the USA (or wherever they immigrated to) but they might have served in their country. It’s possible, we just never ask them do we? We’ve been brainwashed to think immigrants are job stealing, disease-carrying parasites from a foreign land. In reality, most immigrants leave their country because there is a war taking place in their backyard (good chance that our beloved veterans are over there fighting on their home turf).

Again we don’t consider that as being a possibility. Immigrants flee across the ocean or across the border for a better life. They come over with not much more than the clothes on their backs. Most people don’t realize just how long the legal immigration process takes (again, because we don’t ask). The legal process takes a minimum of 3 months once the paperwork arrives at the processing center, nevermind the time it takes for FBI clearance, the medical exams for each person in the family and the time to fill out the multi-page application and gather all of the documents/proof that is required and the fee varies from $500-$1200 per person.

So think about that for a moment… You have a war taking place in your hometown, you can’t work, your house is gone and the only thing running through your mind is that you need to get yourself and your family to safety. You don’t have time to wait 3-9 months to go through the proper channels. Any important documents/proof may have already been destroyed. What are your options? Where do you go?

You do your best to start over in a country that boasts about being the best, the richest, a place where dreams come true. The only things veterans and immigrants have in common is war. One group is sent to maintain order while the other group flees for their safety. To suggest that illegal immigrants have more advantages, or are better cared for than veterans is absurd!

Members of Congress on the other hand…. If anyone deserves a cushy pension after their years of service, it’s veterans, not the members of Congress that have never served a single day in their life. From what I’ve noticed most members of Congress (including the POTUS himself) have successfully dodged/avoided that particular civic duty and encourage their kids to do the same. That’s not very patriotic at all now, is it?

I suspect that I’ve rambled on long enough. Folks we are on the same team no matter where we live, where we call home or who our parents are. Yes, there will always be a bad group, an extreme group, but you have the choice to be better than that.

Choose to be part of the solution, instead of continuing to be part of the problem.

 

 

 

Government, Politics, Pull your head from your ass, Venting

Random Jibber Jabber

reinbeckstudio

Welcome back blog readers,

Besides the fact that my part-time job has been keeping me busy, there isn’t anything new to report. I feel compelled to get a few things off of my chest, maybe I should say give a voice to my inner monologue.

With the recent headlines and my time (countless hours, more than I care to admit) on social media reading comments/views from both sides; I find myself mentally exhausted. I know what you’re thinking, just stay off social media and stop torturing yourself… Easier said than done.

There is a part of me that wishes that I could yell “WAKE UP PEOPLE, TAKE YOUR BLINDERS OFF!” and that would be enough for people to see what the hell is going on. Sadly we are far beyond that point. The people are no longer united, in fact it’s been so long that I don’t recall a time (any period of time) that we as humans lived harmoniously, in peace, not competing against each other or divided.

There is too much corruption in the White House/government/Senate…. FACT

Most government officials/senators have been swayed by large payouts or promises by big companies…. FACT

This means that most of our government isn’t looking out for the people (US taxpayers that pay their salary and elect them into office) but rather they are looking out for themselves and the big companies they are tethered to.

Are these companies making YOUR life better? Are these companies helping to boost the economy in your area? Are the contributions from these companies making you feel safe? Are the contributions from these companies providing you and your family the health care/medications at an affordable cost? Are these companies helping to ensure that you will be able to receive your social security benefits when you’re eligible to claim it?

I bet the answer is NO to all of the above. We don’t elect businesses into office, we elect representatives that should be looking out for the people. Businesses only look out for themselves and the upper senior managers, not the little guys or their families.

Having two parties was a means of maintaining balance, one side should not overrun the other. Now we have a president that fires anyone that doesn’t agree with him and he promotes someone that does to fill that spot. The members of his staff that feel it’s morally wrong to follow the president have resigned and are often replaced with another blind follower.

This president is very active on social media, which is fine except that he’s been allowed to get away with saying vile things about his citizens without consequence. Those that speak against him or bring up something from his past that he has shared willingly is now “Fake News”. Trump speaks against immigrants when his father (his source of wealth) and all three wives are IMMIGRANTS.

History was not my best subject, but I do know that if you claim to be an American and your bloodline is less than 100% native american, then you come from a line if immigrants. That is not an insult, just a fact. I’m all for immigrants escaping their country to start over where they feel safe. Let’s be honest, most of us would do the same if there was a war taking place on US soil, in our back yard.

What I am against is forcefully removing children from their parents and treating them like prisoners and making then defend themselves in court without representation. That is despicable! I don’t want to hear that there isn’t a law that states that we can’t separate children from their (illegal) immigrant parents. I want to hear that the laws are being amended/fixed/changed to help reunite these kids, that we are doing something to expedite the paperwork to bring those families back to their homes because that is the RIGHT thing to do.

I’ve said this before and it’s worth repeating, Just because we’ve done something a certain way FOREVER, doesn’t mean it’s the best way or there isn’t a better solution. Laws can be changed, certain laws need to be changed because we have evolved and honestly it’s long over due. Do we really want to revisit the horrible time in history when Hitler was in power, families were seperated, millions were killed because they disagreed or because of their race (something they had no control over)? If we keep going and not speaking up, not voting, not standing up for what’s right then we might find ourselves right back in that time period but under the ruling of Trump and his Russian mob allies.

It’s bad enough that there is a racist, anti-women, anti-immigrant, rapist accomplice, ego maniac running the show. Is he really the BEST candidate to run the country, can we not find a better more suitable person to represent us? While the MeToo survivor in me feels defeated with the recent events, I will not stay silent, I will keep talking and voicing my opinions because I know that I am not alone in this. I am not the only one that wants change.

Can’t we all agree that both parties have done wrong, that neither is 100% right? Can’t we get passed the idea of being loyal to one party, especially if that party is helping to protect sexual predators and giving them all the green light to keep doing what they have been doing? Can we not agree that rape cases/sexual misconduct/sexual assault cases need to be handled differently? Just because the evidence doesn’t meet the criteria in the courtroom, doesn’t mean that a crime was not committed.

No your sons, husbands, nephews don’t have to wear body cameras or take notes (how absurd) for fear of being falsely accused. SHOW SOME FUCKING RESPECT AND LEARN THAT NO MEANS NO and DON’T BE A RAPIST, and you won’t have a problem.

Just me venting, hoping that some of this sticks.

Wishful thinking~ Hannah