Recently, I wrote the following letter to CBS:

“I cannot believe that the “powers” at CBS actually fired Imus!!!!!!!!!

I personally don’t care for any of the shock jocks, and I am a conservative – not a liberal, but I find this action by CBS to be utterly deplorable. Not because I support Imus inasmuch as I cannot believe that CBS caved into the likes of BLACK racists like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, and allowed a much more powerful network like CBS to become the victim of a shakedown! So what next?! Anything these idiots want, who by the way claim leadership among the black community that has NOT been sanctioned by that very community, and we’re all supposed to just accept that these “bastions” of society will henceforth dictate what the rest of us receive from our media. I think NOT! Unless CBS reverses its decision, I will personally begin a grass-roots campaign to ensure that your audiences across-the-board (TV, Radio, etc…) diminish as much as you’ve diminished the rest of us by the credibility you’ve given those two absconders of American truth.”

Now, I do not like Don Imus, nor do I particularly care for any form or brand of sensationalistic shock jocks, i.e.; Howard Stern. I do however, have to choose between the lesser of two evils, and in this case it is extraordinarily obvious that Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson’s shakedown of CBS and the potential credibility they now seem to have garnered is by far the greater of the evils in this situation.

I cannot reconcile the action by CBS with what I hold to be dear to me – we cannot allow a couple of two-bit, hypocritical, asinine, spotlight coveters determine what we in America can and cannot say over our airwaves. Jackson and Sharpton routinely shake down anyone that doesn’t conform to the way they believe things ought to be – they are not interested in doing anything that is right or proper. Case in point: when Imus went on the Sharpton show to apologize (stupidly, I might add – look where it got him) – Sharpton simply would not allow Imus to apologize. In my experience, typically, when someone has been truthfully offended, all the offended individual wants is a sincere apology. Who are Jesse Jackson and/or Al Sharpton (I REFUSE to refer to either of these black bigots as “Reverend”) to dictate if Imus was sincere or otherwise? If either Sharpton or Jackson were a true leader within the black community, the first thing that either of them would have asked of Imus is that he contact the basketball team members directly and make his apology to them.

Again, though, this was not about any apologies, was it? It was about a couple of black bigots who wanted to flex their political (and financial) muscle. The next thing that is going to happen is that everyone from CBS to the former sponsors of the Imus show – to even Imus himself – will receive demands from Jackson, Sharpton, or both, for “donations” to help establish some “awareness” program/seminar, etc…call it whatever you want. Essentially, it will come down to money – another well-orchestrated shakedown by Jackson and Sharpton.

Since our media fights so heatedly for our first amendment rights, I have difficulty with this issue. Constitutionally speaking, the first amendment protects us from government censorship. This is not an implicit definition – this is a literal one. However, when our mainstream media has gone on the offense in the past to protect “our” first amendment rights, it hasn’t really been against any form of government per se. The prowls have been waged against other purveyors of their own brand of truth that eschew rhetoric unacceptable to our mainstream “defenders.”

From what I can tell, and If I understand things correctly, the “defenders of our” constitutional first amendment rights are only empowered to do so when the Dynamic Duo of Donations (Jackson & Sharpton – the “DDD”) are NOT involved. If the DDD are involved, you can forget about any mainstream media protection for “our” rights.

The reality is that the first amendment does not apply to our modern day radio broadcasts. People who spit out whatever they want to talk about receive no more or no less protection. Don Imus should not have received any more protection than anyone else on the airwaves – but he also should not have received any less. What Mr. Imus thought was going to be a quick-witted funny racial joke backfired. I don’t know that it was deplorable in and of itself because so many “mainstream” Hip-Hop/Rap artists use far worse derogatory terms – and you can believe that not only did the young women from the Rutgers team hear those so-called lyrics, but also many young boys and girls whose parents apparently have no objection with their children’s choice of “music.” No, Imus’ sin – and only sin – was being white and saying something that is pretty exclusive to the “gangstas” and their environment. Who the hell does he think he is anyway, a black man?!

How long is the environment we live in where influential or well-connected black people can say and do pretty much whatever they want in the public forum, but similarly influential whites cannot. Bear in mind that for all their influence and good connections, Sharpton and Jackson have done ZERO – NADA – for their black “constituents” or for any poor black community that I know of. If you do, or if you have been positively influenced (I mean tangibly, not “spiritually”) by either or both of these men, then please post a comment. I would love to hear. Now, one last thought before I’m done: I want everyone to understand that I am NOT a white man – I am Hispanic, and a minority. I do not support any of the racist actions that have ever been taken against black people at the hand of white people. I also, however, will NOT support reverse discrimination as a form of payback, nor do I endorse in any way the racism that is evident in many parts of our country today – racism that emanates from blacks towards everyone else, including Whites, Hispanics, Asians, and even those blacks who aren’t “black enough” to be “real” blacks. For all the talk of tolerance that I have heard Sharpton and Jackson espouse over the years, the swift trial and execution of Imus’ career serves to clearly demonstrate their “tolerance” stand.

Thank you for reading!

Ed Martinez – Regular Guy

I often wonder who is behind the many religious and political statements that many in the entertainment world feel compelled to bestow upon the rest of us. Just what gives many of these individuals the right to proselytize us on their specific views?

For me, watching a TV show, or going to a movie that has no agenda is a rare pleasure. Once in a while you get one, but these are getting farther and fewer in between. My biggest pet peeve, though, is when aTV show starts out one way, then makes a detour toward another direction – not sharply, mind you, but very subtly.

One such show is Boston Legal, a very well written, witty albeit not entirely credible legal dramedy, with a very good ensemble cast. This show started out as a satirical legal comedy-drama, a spin-off from another legal series that also began one way and ended up in another direction. The most appealing aspect of Boston Legal was its ability to engage us in day-to-day human nuances, and the offbeat nature of some of its key protagonists.

With its sexual overtones slowly, but surely diminishing – although not completely gone – the show’s most overt directional change has been the addition of another high-dollar cast member known for her political stance, which I can only describe as apathetic to our current government’s administration. Needless to say, the increasing amount of entendres slung at our present government are nothing new, but I don’t usually expect to get these from a comedy-drama that I tune to in order to forget today’s current affairs. When I am ready for that, I will tune to the news, thank you very much.

Now, I’m not suggesting that in the spirit of realism, some political jabs – especially in a legal firm – aren’t in order. But let’s face it, the nature of Hollywood-produced entertainment almost dictates that some unwritten rule on bashing someone politically, is a prerequisite to getting your show off the ground. Take for example, that the only conservatives being portrayed on the show are one who is for all intents and purposes “Mad,” or journeying ever-so-slowly into the oblivion that is Alzheimer’s Disease. The other is an overblown boy scout who can’t seem to fit into the normal professional way of doing things – even though he is a war veteran, and a good-looking straight guy who for some reason can’t get a date. In both cases, these two characters have been shown to behave in radical manner and sometimes engage in extreme situations and behaviors to which most normal indivduals simply do not allow themselves to be drawn.
Again, I’m not opposed to creative license in any of the above areas, but it seems to me that whenever Hollywood is opposed to a specific genre or category of individuals, they are usually portrayed in a less than flattering manner on shows and movies. Let me qualify that by using the following example: Christians are often portrayed as lunatics or people who are so hypocritical, it has got to be impossible to follow their religious beliefs for fear that we may become just like them. I’ve yet to see a conservative or republican portrayed as a decent, hard-working man or woman, instead of a member of the far right-wing conspiracy.

Yes, we all form stereotypes as we go through life, but it seems to me that the present generation is getting way more help on this than is needed. When I was growing up, the only commentaries on TV were during the news hour or when a special commentator came on to address a specific issue of the day. When I went to the movies, the only agenda being promoted was that we needed to get the bad guys, and we had to end up with the girl.

Now, it’s a free-for-all, and I don’t know that this is necessarily the wisest use of the power that is the media.

Thanks for reading!

Ed Martinez – Regular Guy

When Judge Samuel Alito was nominated to the highest court of the land, the U.S. Supreme Court, he joined a unique and solitary list – Republican appointed or nominated judges/justices that never seem to “breeze” through a confirmation hearing. The closest we’ve come to breezing through a Senate confirmation hearing in recent memory was that of U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. Even so, the questions asked by the Senators generally amount to pre-rulings on their pet peeves by the nominees.

This all started back with Judge Robert Bork, and the travesty that was his confirmation hearing. It is noteworthy, though, that Democratic Presidential nominees, such as Ruth Bader Ginsberg, did not have to go through the amount or level of scrutiny of Republican Presidential nominees do. Is it just me who’s noticed this, or does everyone else simply ignore this fact?

My simple-minded question is, well, simply this: why do partisan politics have to invade every facet of not just our daily lives, but with Supreme Court nominees, our future and the future of our children and their children? When will the men and women – black, hispanic, or white – that are nominated to our highest court be treated with the respect and dignity to which their nomination ought to entitle them?

I think I know the answer to the questions above, but let’s be real here. There is a growing battle between two very distinct nations within one physical boundary of land known as the U.S.A. – the two factions are Right-Wing and Left-Wing. The Right-Wing has just about all of the conservatives, and the religious groups in their camp, while the Left-Wing has all of the secular humanists and a lot of media in theirs. Truth be told, this battle for the hearts and minds of our future generations (and the money they will be earning) has forgotten one very large but sleeping segment of our country: the centrists (otherwise known as libertarians).

I really think it would be wise for our politicians to wake up and stop trying to put people in positions of lifetime authority just because it suits the political agenda of the day. How about putting what is good for the MAJORITY of the country at the top of the list for a change? Besides, some nominees have turned out to be the opposite of what they were nominated for. I say, let an individual be confirmed or turned down on the basis of what they are as an individual and their legal understanding of how our Constitution ought to be interpreted – or, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said so eloquently, “by the content of their character.”

Thanks for reading!

Ed Martinez – Regular Guy

Some of you who are reading this know me – my name is Ed Martinez and I am just an average person – probably like most of you reading this, and some of you don’t know me. If, however, you agree with what I’ve written below, will you please pass this on? I think it is high time that we started using the power of email and/or BLOGS to “round up the troops” if you will, instead of just using it to promote garbage like pornography, celebrity gossip, or the latest Internet Folklore.

One example of what I am referring to is the unannounced yet very real war by the liberal elite (who happen to control the so-called mainstream media) being waged on Christmas and all values with a Judeo-Christian heritage. I am not just referring to here in the United States but world-wide.

Further examples are the growing trend to “mainstreamify” homosexuality, and the ongoing movement to remove God from every facet of life.

Here in America we have always prided ourselves with living and letting live – “keep quiet and mind your own business.” This seemingly harmless and unobtrusive behavior has led to some unexpected results:

1. Child molestations and the proliferation of child predators
2. Proliferation of aberrant behavior and the abrogation traditional family values
3. Legislation by the judiciary
4. De-sensitizing of our collective social moral compass

A generation ago, Christmas was not only acceptable, but eagerly awaited by all as a celebration of many things. The progressive seculars fought long and hard to commercialize Christmas, thus minimizing the true spiritual foundation of this beloved holiday. This, however, is insufficient – now Christmas is supposedly “offensive” to a segment of the population.

Let us bear in mind that none of these so-called political correctness watchdogs have cared to address the fact that many more people in this world are truly OFFENDED by the forced promulgation of homosexuality that those who claim to be offended by Christmas or by prayer in school – including the teaching of creationism/intelligent design.

Just take a look at any PG-13 movie or more than half of the so-called family TV shows – which all attempt to depict homosexuality as a normal part of life. I am not saying that homosexuals should not be acknowledged or paid attention to – of course they do – they need help. Years ago they were ridiculed and looked down upon, which I totally disagree with. Jesus Christ didn’t look down upon sinners – He embraced them; so should we all who believe in following Christ and living a godly life.

Even homosexuals unwittingly convicted themselves when they proclaimed some years back that they were “born this way” – a mantra that is loosely based on unproven scientific research. They went on to exclaim “why would I want to be this way instead of being normal?” Now, if that isn’t an indictment in their own words expressing what we’ve always known to be true – that homosexuality is NOT normal – then what is?

Speaking of unproven science taken as fact, then what is Darwin’s Theory of Evolution? Some school districts are court ordered to not use the words “Evolution is not fact” in their facilities – even though DARWIN’S RESEARCH IS STILL FORMALLY REFERRED TO IN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY AS A THEORY – NOT A FACT!!!

So, those of us who are offended by other so-called holidays can’t register our offense; nor can we complain about the bombardment of the homosexual assault on our senses and sense of right and wrong – and lastly, we cannot have a voice in teaching our children as a society, any alternative to the progressive-secular agenda, which is to say, teach about God, lest we incur the ire of those elitists in power.

I just want to point out that the elitists who are making all of the rules and shoving all of this down our collective throats do not even come close to reflecting the large-scale demographics they so abruptly affect with every decision in their favor. They have contempt for our President because he is not an elitist in their camp; they show disdain for him because he is supposedly circumventing the courts while eavesdropping on those who would kill innocent people without a second thought. I suppose their overuse of the courts for the furthering of their unscrupulous purposes have made them confident that whenever those of us who believe in righteousness (like our President) try to go through the courts, we will certainly meet with defeat – thus, they prefer that we don’t circumvent their most powerful venue.

Look, I’m not a scholar, nor am I a politician. I am an everyday working stiff who is just getting tired of having to work as hard as I do to pay taxes that all of these special interest groups keep snatching up to shove something I don’t believe in down my throat. As I recall it, we elected the President to his second term by the largest majority ever – this must obviously mean that we want what HE stands for and NOT what a liberal like John Kerry believes in.

When do we “little people” get to have what we voted for? I would just be happy for now to NOT have my grandchildren subjected to an onslaught of homosexuality, or the reneging of our right to have God as part of our daily lives enforced by the courts, and to just be able to celebrate a good old-fashioned Christmas – nativity scenes and all. They are taking as much of our money as they can get their hands on; I say that’s enough – they can’t have the next generation’s moral pulse too. Let’s get together and tell them that we’re not taking this anymore. Write back to me if you agree – and if you disagree with me I am also willing to listen to you – something the progressive-liberals would never dream of doing under any circumstance.

Thank you for reading !

Ed Martinez – Regular Guy