Remembering People We Knew. (and some we don't want to know)

Yesterday my wife and I remembered a guy we once knew who worked for a laundry/dry cleaners in Kansas City. He came to our house once a week to pick up laundry or cleaning and drop off the finished work he had picked up before. When we moved to a residence on the other side of town, he continued the delivery service to our office, which was closer to his business. Later we moved our office to a more distant location, but he continued the pickup and delivery service. What a nice man he was.

I noted that we had known a goodly number of nice people in our past. There was George, the waiter, who always knew what we liked to eat and how we wanted it prepared. Meals were so much more pleasant because of George.

I could name several more, but I hesitate because I know I would forget some.

These thoughts brought me back to my sincere belief that the world is absolutely full of good people. Recently I have formed the habit of hitting the "Next Blog" button after I visit my own or someone else's blog. Sure, there is some porn, and some kooky stuff, but as you randomly view blogs from around the world, you quickly discover that many blogs are just about families. Mothers bragging on their kids, kids talking about their friends. Good people all, from all around the world.

Sadly, however, there is a small per cent of the world's population that are not good people. Taught from early childhood that certain beliefs are not to be tolerated, these people place no value on human life - even their own. They will kill you just because you do not believe as they do.

Recently a reader wrote a letter to our local newspaper editor, stressing that we should face the insurgents in Iraq with love, education, jobs, etc. My immediate reaction was - sure go to Iraq and give them love, give them books, money, jobs, whatever you have to offer. They will take your valuables, behead you and throw your body into a ditch. That writer, like so many liberals, truly believe that the insurgents are people who have been deprived and want only to catch up.

No, those people have been taught little more than to hate you and to destroy you and your way of life. Their goal in life is to die and go to the promised paradise, while killing as many non-believers as possible in the process.

Does anyone believe we can reverse that? Not me!

Still, I continue to believe that the majority of the world's population are good people who love their families. They don't care if you subscribe to a different religion, or no religion. All they really want is to have a safer, healthier, happier life for their families.

So, what do we do about that small population of ideological radicals. Time to get tough folks. Time to get messy. Time to destroy them before they acquire the ability to destroy even more innocents.

What happened to the boots?

This past July 4, I watched the parade in Lubbock, Texas. Sitting on the sidewalk, I was able to watch the floats, the bands, lots of flags and people's feet. It was alarming to notice that, aside from flip-flops, almost 100% of the people wore sneakers. There must have been every brand and style of plastic footwear in attendance. Probably all were imported. The only boots I saw among spectators were on my own feet.

C'mon! We're in Texas... home of Justin, Tony Lama, Nokona and numerous other brands of western footwear.

You do not have to be a cowboy to like cowboy boots. When I first moved to the southwest in 1949, I quickly found that I was having to stop frequently and dump sand from my shoes. And to occasionally pull a goathead (a little sand burr sticker that actually looks like a tiny goat's head) from my socks. That's when I switched to cowboy boots. Problem solved! I've been wearing them ever since. I currently have six pair, including two brand new pair... all purchased in Texas!

During the 2004 presidential election campaign, President Bush visited our city. He said it was good to be in a place where there were "more boots than suits". Actually, not all that many people in that audience were wearing boots, either, and I thought to myself, "the president thinks he is still in Texas." I mean... aren't cowboy boots the preferred footwear of Texans?

At the Fourth of July parade I witnessed in Lubbock, Texas, I just expected to see more boots. I saw sneakers.

Has PETA driven leather out of the footwear market?

In addition to keeping sand out of your shoes and goatheads out of your socks, cowboy boots are very comfortable. Plus, with all leather construction, they are actually cooler than footwear with rubber, plastic or composition soles.

While in Texas for the Fourth, I heard a song called "My New Tony Lamas" on a country music radio station. That song described a whole new reason for wearing cowboy boots. Check it out. Then buy yourself a pair of boots and ditch those ugly sneakers!