Video Blog to Senator Obama

Well boy oh boy, do we have a controversy in the primary, and this one is a big one. After hearing the comments and cuts from sermons by Pastor Jeremiah Wright I could not keep quiet. This is my first video blog and I did it in one take. I actually tried 3 times to improve on it and none of those were as good as the original. So here it is my video blog to the senator, please let me know what you think.


Untitled from Brandon J. Vance on Vimeo.

Visit with my family

Oh man, so I went back home to Louisiana recently to visit with my family. I went to Lafayette to see my niece Requila (Dez) and her mom Tammy, and Sean, and Zach, and Bryan. And of course to see little Morgan Elizabeth. It was such a great trip and I was just amazed to see how much they have all grown and changed. The last time I layed eyes on Dez she was little and Sean was just a little younger than her, and Zach was a toddler. They have all grown up into fine young adults and Tammy is to thank for that. She has been a great mother to her kids and they all love her without question, as kids should love their parents. Bryan is a great guy and though a tad bit quite he was really cool while I visited.

Thats the thing that to me was most awesome. I was a little worried it would be awkward visiting, but it wasn’t, I felt right at home and welcome. Zach and Bryan had me laughing the whole weekend and me and Tammy caught up on so many things. Dez and I talked and hugged and I was just blown away that my little niece is now a full grown woman. And she is in college and doing well. As a matter of fact right after she had Morgan she was right back in school, she didn’t want to miss to many days.

To Morgan Elizabeth, wow, wow, that little girl is amazing. So beautiful and so sweet and so precious. I just don’t really know how to express what it meant to me to be there to see her and hold her. Yep, I’m in love with her already, she is just the most precious thing ever.

If you haven’t yet, check out below and you will see some of the pics from the trip. Sean was off doing his own thing most of the weekend so I didn’t get any pics of him.

Love you guys,
Brandon

The Primary Aftermath

Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap, wow yesterday was amazing, I mean utterly amazing. So here is the recap, so I left work early to go vote in the primary. I am in district 3004 and had to vote at Health Careers High School. While I was in line waiting to vote , I would say there were about 20-25 democrats to the 3-5 republicans I saw the whole time. I was surprised but I guess that is in line with what has been happening across the nation.

So I did my voting, I also voted on the local and state issues on the ballot. They gave me a little ticket to come back at 7:15 pm to participate in the caucus, it was like a coupon saying you voted earlier. It was about 5:30 pm when I finished there. So then I found out that Senator Obama was in San Antonio and would be holding a rally downtown at about 9 pm. After speaking to G'nita, who is also a big time Obama fan and supporter she was able to get me a ticket.

So, 7:15 pm I am back for the caucus and to say it was disorderly would be appropriate, they did do a good job of separating us into the right groups, but we were just waiting and waiting and waiting because people were still in line to vote. So I asked one of the leaders about the process, trying to see if I could just sign and leave. Why did he have to tell me that we would be voting people for district delegates to head to Austin later in March to select delegates to the DNC convention. So I had to stay now, and low and behold I was selected as a delegate. As a matter of fact I almost won the delegate chair person after being nominated by another delegate out of the blue. But alas I lost to a Hillary supporter who gave a good speech.

So it is now like 10 pm and I am flying downtown to get to the rally. Since the results were slow to come in Senator Obama waited to take the stage. Once I get to the pavilion where they are wanding people, I can here him speaking. My anticipation level was through the roof. Still waiting in line, he finished his speech, and they stopped letting people through. I was pretty disheartened at that moment. I just figured I would wait for G'nita and Toni to come out.

So I'm just standing around and this late asks if I mind being interviewed, I said of course not, but who are you, was my response. She said she was with Radio France, now I think I lit up like a Christmas tree and I gave the best radio interview I could and signed off in French. Having my blood pumping after that, I was then approached by Japan TV for an interview on camera. I again spoke with great calm and said what I had to say about the loss and about Senator Obama.

So all in all it was a rather good night in the end, I got to vote, I got to caucus, I was selected a district delegate, and was interviewed by Radio France, and Japan TV. Man I love this primary season.

Texas Primary Day

So the day has come for Texas to have its say in this great primary season. Just to go on record, I am absolutely in love with this primary season. It is so refreshing to see every state have a say and make a difference, not just a handful of early states. I have been waiting to vote and my visit home this past weekend only makes it that much more exciting. I will be telling all about that visit in an upcoming blog.

So today I will be participating in the Texas two step. I can't really tell you why TX has both a primary and a caucus, I think just to be different, but I will be participating in both. Yep that means missing some work, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island also vote today so we shall see what happens.

Yes We Can

If you haven't yet seen the video produced by Will.I.Am of the Black Eyed Peas here is the video. I know I am a little late in posting this but here you go. Just a reminder this is based on his concession speech from New Hampshire. This speech was by far the best of the primary season and dwarfed Senator Clinton's acceptance speech.

Barack wins Iowa

Barack Obama has won the Iowa Democratic caucus which is the first major test on the road to the Democratic parties’ nomination. This is seen as a blow to the campaign of Senator Hillary Clinton, but it is only one states race. The next big test comes on Tuesday January 8, 2008 when New Hampshire holds the first in the nation primary. Sen. Clinton came in third place so it is considered crucial that she have a good showing in New Hampshire, but as of today she and Sen. Obama are tied in the polls. He has made up ground in several key elements including whether people think he is elect able.

On the other side of the political spectrum former Governor Mike Huckabee won the Republican caucuses with a rather strong showing. I actually like Huckabee and rooted for him. One thing that I am fascinated by is how much the media is playing up that evangelical Christians came out in droves to support Huckabee and capture this win. Why I am fascinated by it though is that it seems the media thinks that evangelicals only support republicans. From what I have read and seen of Sen. Obama he is a deeply religious man as well, it’s just not played up as much. I am not going to go on my usual rant about evangelicals; I don’t want to make the few people who do read my blog mad. I guess we will all wait to see what happens on next Tuesday.

Here is the victory speech, very, very inspirational.

(13 min long)

Family Christmas

This Christmas turned out to be an extra special one. I got to go home and visit with my family. I haven’t gone home in a while. My brother and his family; Arleen my sister-in-law and nephew CJ, are all moving to Washington D.C. within the next month. I really wanted to see them and spend some time with them before they head to the east coast. My nephew is so big now, he is 6 years old and he is so freaking smart. They are doing a great job of raising him. I love that my nephew and I are close. Even though I am not back home in Louisiana he still knows who his uncle is and that I love him.

This brings me to my favorite part of my trip home. So as I stated in an earlier blog, I have a niece that I have not seen in many, many years. I love my niece and have wanted to find her, but of course life gets in the way of our wants many times. Well go figure that I found her mom, Tammy Charles on Myspace. I wasn’t sure if it was her, but I worked up the courage to send her a message and make contact and sure enough it was Tammy. I was beaming from ear to ear to have found them. So I sent Tammy my number via Myspace and she called. We talked for a good while that night and she brought me up to speed on the family. Both Tammy and Requila (Dez) are doing well, as are her brothers, Sean and Zack, they are all still in Lafayette. I wanted to try to drive out there to visit while I was home, but I didn’t drive to LA, so I couldn’t. I am going to go back out there in a couple weeks if they are cool with that to visit and bring gifts.

You can not imagine how much this means to me to be with in a phone calls distance of my niece, who is now a 19 year old woman. I can not believe that she is 19 already. There is no way to make up for time that has been lost, all we can do is try to go forward. There is a whole future out there waiting for all of us, so having more people who care about you to lend you strength and wish you well is crucial. I look forward to trying to be as good an uncle to my niece as I have tried to be to my nephew.

Until next time, keep smiling.

Trust part 1

If someone says to you that they want your heart, that they want you to trust them and love them. Isn’t it only fair and right of you to put that to the test? Now I don’t mean go out of your way to screw with them or mess them up. But, in ways both subtle and demonstrative shouldn’t you test the commitment they say they are ready for, especially if that person has broken down that trust by their own actions in the past.

I know I have a tendency to ask crazy questions but most times I ask questions to gain insight or to gain knowledge. Many other times I ask questions to try to get the other persons mind to open up or to wander outside of a comfort zone.

At Disney we have a philosophy called “Being on Stage”. We believe that you are always on stage, thus always representing Disney, when someone can see that you are a part of Disney. To me this correlates with always being tested. Life is about tests and you are always being tested. Sometimes it’s easy to pass, just say what someone wants to hear or just saying the truth. Other times though, it is not so easy, many times you can’t even tell you are being tested.

This all is coming from the fact that I recently asked someone a rather subtle question. Now yeah it may have come off as nosey, but I stated I was just curious. I got no answer and the question was just evaded. Before I asked this question I thought to myself ‘if I ask this question will this person tell me the truth’, it turned out to be a test. I didn’t intend for it to be that but that is what happened. If you want to build trust you have to be willing to answer tough and easy questions even if it is not what the person wants to hear. I truly would have been fine with either a yes or a no answer but to be evaded lets me know that I should not put all my trust back into this person.

Everyone who knows me knows I am an easy going person. They know that though I may not like what someone says, I will let them say it and evaluate it after. I don’t fly off the handle or get mad and pout. That is why I am perturbed by the fact that I could not get a straight answer to my question.

I guess if someone wants to earn your trust again you have to be very careful.

Harry Turtledove Colonization Series

So the next series by Harry Turtledove is called Colonization. It is twenty years later and most of our favorite characters are still alive and causing trouble still. The world is in essence at peace but things can only get crazy when the colonization fleet starts to approach.

In the twenty years since the initial invasion, humans have branched out to space and increased the knowledge of nuclear weapons. They are no longer huge 10 ton bombs that are impossible to move around. Now they are smaller and fit on the end of rockets that sit unmanned in space just waiting to be used. The aliens are still much stronger than the 3 independent nations and their allies in Britain, Japan, and Canada.

As the colonization fleet makes orbit an unthinkable act is committed. An orbiting platform that has been hidden from observation opens up and launches and attack on one of the defenseless ships and in a nuclear blast kills 12 million aliens who were still in frozen sleep. The aliens are beside themselves and declare there will be all out war once they find out who committed this heinous act. Knowing that only 3 nations posses the know how to do something they each are quick to say it was not them. But there must be retribution, so the aliens are allowed to attack some place in each country for symbolisms sake.

As the colonization fleet settles in new difficulties arise especially as it relates to ginger. To us humans it is just a spice, but to the aliens it is like PCP or LCD would be to a human for the first time. Except they get this high, this rush every time they take a taste of ginger. After one taste they are hooked. But no one, not even the aliens were prepared for what would happen when the females of the colonization fleet tasted ginger. Being that the aliens are like lizards, they mate for a season and any other time don’t engage in mating. In the conquest fleet there were no females so there was not a way to study what it would do to females. Once a female alien tastes ginger she instantly went into season and started producing pheromones that sent males into a mating rage. Thus males who were supposed to be on patrol would forget themselves and fight amongst each other over a female.

A lot of this second series focuses on the ginger trade and how humans use it to confound the aliens and make their lives difficult. But we would not be humans if we did not think of fighting and that is exactly what the Germans are doing. Himmler is now Fuhrer and he is power mad, he intends on fighting the aliens again. After his sudden death the world has hope that the war will not come, but Ernst Kaltenbrunner replaced him and decided to take on the aliens. As Germany launches an offensive war against the aliens the rest of the world braces. The aliens pound them flat and nearly destroy all of Germany. At the behest of Russia and the U.S. they pull back from utter and total destruction and occupy the rest of Germany, leaving a flimsy independence.

We finally find out who committed the attack on the colonization fleet. It was the United States by direct order of the president. The aliens want blood and give and ultimatum of vaporizing a U.S. city or the U.S. giving up its positions in space and return its spaceship to Earth. And face continued inspections by the race to reduce its arms. Left with no good options the president makes two monumental decisions, that leave a reader shocked to his/her core. Knowing that we one day want to visit their home planet you can guess one decision he made.

Thus we have the opportunity to be Homeward Bound.

Gnita

There are a few women in my life who mean the world to me. They have taught me great values and showed me love and honesty. There are women in the world who standout to me and make me proud as a human being and as American for what they have accomplished and stood for.

Most of you have never met my mother, she is a great lady. My mom is Charlene Robinson, and she is one tough cookie, but while being tough she is also my rock. When I have needed to cry, she was there for me. When I needed to laugh, she found a way. She can tell from the first two or three words on the phone whether I have a smile on my face or am sad. She knows me through and through and has taught me about love and about kindness and about determination

My grandmother, my soul mate, the rock of rocks, was a formidable woman. This takes nothing from my mother, but my grandmother was my love and my heart. I am tearing up right now thinking about her, remembering her. She taught me about trusting people and giving people the benefit of the doubt. She taught me not to judge people. I love my grandmother so much and miss her so deeply.

(((Gnita)))

My San Antonio mom, my Chacho’s mom, and the mom to many of us here who don’t have our moms close. Let me tell you about Gnita, she is stern and loving at the same time. She will make us laugh and she will share a tear when we need it. She will snap at us when we are wrong, and congratulate us when we succeed. Gnita has 3 children, we call them the biologicals, but she has many kids. The thing I love most about her is that she doesn’t judge, and she loves all people. We recently got together at her house for her birthday, it was a surprise dinner, there were about 15-20 of us there. Before we ate we all stood holding hands to thank God for bringing her into our lives. I looked around and saw the most eclectic group of people. We had black and white, Hispanic and mixed folk. We had fat people, skinny people, gay people, straight people as well as young and old, and we were all there to celebrate this woman, this woman who could bring all these different people together. Tolerance, tolerance is the word. Love you mama.

Though I never got the opportunity to meet her, I have an abiding since of awe and wonder as it relates to Mother Theresa. I am not catholic and don’t know many of the practices or the saints, but I do know that she is a woman who should be canonized as soon as possible. Mother Theresa traveled the world in the name of God to minister to the poorest of the poor and the weakest of the weak. Even as she got older and unable to walk as easily, she did not stop. She loved all people and she gave of herself wholly to the human race. I hope I can match a tenth of her love of people.

Oprah Winfrey is just amazing, she is a force and the world knows it. She is a woman who started out with nothing and worked hard, hard, HARD, to accomplish goals she set for herself. She gives back continuously to all people, not just African Americans, but to everyone. What can you say about a woman that everyone knows and knows about her life? She is one of the women I give enormous respect and admiration to.

These are women who I use as guide and compass for my life and for my interactions with other people I meet. They all offer something special to me as a human being and as a man. That is why I am so glad to be able to add Gnita to the list of women who mean the world to me.

I give much love to all the women in the world how are standing tall and trying to find a way, keep hope alive, and keep trying hard.

Harry Turtledove World War Series

Let me tell you about Harry Turtledove and the World War series. Mr. Turtledove is a really good author. The series that I just recently finished reading left my mind spinning and left my creative juices flowing. HT, as I shall call him, is a master of history and at writing alternate history. That is he takes a specific event or time frame and changes a few facts and continues it along the same path.

To the eight books I have just finished reading. The first series is called the World War series and it takes place in 1942 during World War II. At the height of the German Empire spreading and the Allies not truly coming together, aliens invade. Now your first reaction is probably to laugh or scoff but don’t. HT tells a very intricate story, and you get the points of view of nearly every party fighting. You get the point of view of the Americans, Russians, Germans, English, Chinese, Jews and lastly of the aliens themselves.

Their invasion is based upon faulty surveillance though, not faulty but outdated information. The probe they sent to earth arrived in about the 11th century and showed images of humans riding horse back and carrying spears. On their own planet and the other two worlds they conquered life moved extremely slowly so they expected that to be the case for humans. The aliens were rather shocked and horrified to discover in just about 900 years we had advanced so far having; tanks, rotor planes, submarines and fighting a global war. Having expected an inferior technology less race of beings the conquest fleet left with only so much weaponry. Yet even with their lack of quantity of weapons their tanks are far superior, their planes have jet engines, and ultimately they have nuclear weapons.

Once the aliens revealed themselves and entered the fighting we humans had to learn to put our fights aside and join forces or face enslavement of all of humanity. So we see many unions of groups we would not have seen in real history to fight the aliens. One of the most intriguing aspects is how when the aliens arrive they are so repulsed by what the Nazi’s are doing to Jews that the Jews actually aid the aliens. Many of them saw this as their way to survive and as a way to get back at the Germans who the aliens also now loathed. But later the Jews realizing that they intended to enslave all of humanity turned on the aliens as well.

As we humans are good at doing we fight back and eventually steal, borrow, and barter for the alien technology and use what we adapt to fight back. There is fighting literally on almost every continent of the planet. The aliens could nuke the whole planet and solve a lot of problems but there is a colonization fleet that is 20 years behind and they want to find planet Tosev 3 (earth) intact, habitable, and the people subjugated. But to show their power they do unleash nukes on some cities; Berlin and Washington D.C. to be exact. But once we discover this technology we stand toe to toe and fight with nukes as well. Eventually the U.S., Germany, and Russia win their independence but the aliens get over half the planet and uneasily a peace is reached.

But the colonization fleet is still on its way and bringing millions more aliens to colonize earth.

Genarlow Wilson Update

I am so happy that Genarlow Wilson has finally been freed. Some people will say that it shows the justice system works if given a chance, I say that is bull. This boy who is now a man was used and abused by our legal system. This case showed that there are many flaws and problems in our court system. We so blindly let legislatures set mandatory minimums, as far as sentences go, and they tie judges’ hands when good common since should prevail. It is sad that Genarlow had to sit in jail and had to have is case heard by the Georgia Supreme Court to win his freedom. And though he is free, he is still guilty of the charges against him; his conviction was not over thrown. No, he was released because it was deemed his punishment was cruel and unusual.

This is one of those times where I truly believe a presidential pardon, would have been and still could be appropriate. Again here is a young man who now has to try to rebuild his life and move and hope that others will move on as well. It would tremendous for him to be able to apply to colleges and they know that he has the weight of the president to keep him from failing.

What I mean by that is that if George Bush pardoned him that would be a cause to action. This was not a dumb kid or a thug he was a star athlete and he was a very good student. He would understand that presidential pardons carry responsibility; that you had better succeed. And I believe that Genarlow would be up to that challenge.

Of course that is one mans humble opinion. We have seen repeatedly that that man serving in the White House is not prone to doing what is right, but what looks politically right.

As I said at the beginning, I am truly happy that he is free and hope he will find success and true happiness in the future.

Happy Birthday Requila

I have a beautiful niece, named Requila Shavonne Dezmonique Robinson. I miss my niece very much, and today is her birthday, she is 19 now. About a year ago or more I got in touch with her and her mom, but lost touch with them after my email was highjacked. My stupid fault, I didn't write down all the information Tammy, her mom, gave me.

My niece is tall and beautiful, her family lives in the area of Lafayette, Louisiana. I want to just drive out there and head to the last place she worked and start searching for her, but that would be wrong. I don't want to intrude on her life but I just want to know her and let her know she is loved and missed.

Here she is:

Dez or Tammy if you read this blog please send me an email at my new email bjvance35@hotmail.com or message me here. Know that I love you both and miss you both very dearly.

Family always gets my unconditional love.

Michael Freakin Vick

So now Michael Vick has pleaded guilty, to dog-fighting charges. He has lost his endorsement deals, he has been suspended by the NFL, and he is going to be sentenced to some jail time very soon.

I have been so sick and tired of hearing people call in to radio shows and writing articles trying to justify or stick up for Michael Vick.

Look, I am from the south, the dirty south to be exact. I know there are somethings that go on back home and all over the south that people want to sweep under the rug and pretend don't exist. This is one that has crept out and was leaked out because of the celebrity of the criminal.

Plain and simple people dog fighting is a FEDERAL CRIME. Please, please stop trying to hold onto that argument that we kill deer, and cows, and other wild animals. There is an enormous difference between taking a dog (a domestic animal), training it up to kill or be killed, training it to attack on command, and killing wild animals we use for food and clothing. Stop trying to justify what Michael Vick has done, it was and is wrong.

And as if that wasn't enough then we find out that he personally assisted in the killing of many dogs. Again, how vile do you have to be to hang a dog, and then once you realize it isn't dead, to drown it in a 5 gallon bucket of water. That is beyond in-human, that is sadistic. It makes me worry that if he could do that so easily and go on with his day, what else is he capable of.

No, Michael Vick doesn't need more people trying to apologize for him, he needs to man up and take his punishment. He needs to understand that there are many of us out here who will never ever look at him the same.

And part of his punishment, should be doing whatever the lowest level job is at the Atlanta Humane Society. Maybe then he will learn to show some compassion to animals.

What's Up

Well just to let you know what is going on in my life. I have been reading a lot, I have been totally engrossed in my Turtledove books. Each is about 400-550 pages, it is a tedious read, but this World War series has so many story lines, you can't put it down. After I finished the 3rd book, I thought I would wait a week to get the last one. Nope, I lasted one day, and not really that. I went to Barnes & Nobles and started reading the 4th one. Yes as I have said I know I am a dork.

I have also been writing a fair amount also. I have an idea for a TV show and I think it is a really good one. I of course love the fact that it is scripted and have already started working out the plot details and the writing the first draft for a pilot. This may be easier to get me out into the public eye as a writer or script writer than my screenplay.

I am working for Disney Mobile, it is phone and I like it. It is a great cell phone service for families with kids that want to get them cell phones. Not going to go into the whole sales call thing, but just let folks know what's up with me.

Lastly I have decided to leave my wonderful San Antonio. There are many factors playing into this decision, some more than others, but I have made the call. No I just have to decide where to go. I have looked at a couple of cities and am narrowing down my list. Once I have made a decision I will let everyone know. Man I am going to miss my city, but I know new adventures await.

Until next time. From now on, if it is just an update, I will label it update, so they are easier to access, by searching for the label update on my page.

Roots

I was recently watching one the Tyler Perry plays, I am not sure which one. It may have been “Madea Goes to Jail” or “Class Reunion”, but in it Madea gives some advice to one of her family members about people in you life. I am going to paraphrase it a little here to make a point.

She said think of yourself as a tree and the people you know, as the branches and leaves that make up your tree. She said some people come into your life for just a season. That they are like leaves, one minute they are there and the next they are gone. Which ever way the wind blows is the way the go. Good people in general, but they are not there to support you and strengthen you, just people you are meant to encounter. Maybe they teach you something, maybe they take from you something they need.

Then there are the branches; some give you strength and are strong, while some are weak and flimsy. Some will break if you apply to much pressure or pressure in just the wrong place. You may feel like they will support you and you may go out on a limb, but be careful for branches can let you down.

But your roots, she said your roots are there to hold you up, to build you up. Your roots are what gives you life and keeps you going. Madea said when you get yourself a good set of roots that you will always be alright.

Well I am here to tell you that roots can wither and die and let you down also. And when it happens it can be extremely shocking and upsetting. When roots wither and die it is like losing a piece of you and it is not easy to recover from.

I recently lost some of my roots, friends I knew I could count on, that I would do anything for. I considered them family and a part of me. These were not just friends or associates, but roots that stretched back over 10 years. Never in a million years could I imagine a future without us being a part of each others life, but yet here we are, and here I am.

I have gone through some tough times lately and have had to rely on my loved one to be there to be my strength. Do I feel weaker without these friends, yes I do. It is two less voices of reason for me to turn to, it is two less shoulders to cry on, and it is two less smiles to brighten my day.

My tree is weak and I can no longer let withered roots suck life from me, so I must put it to a stop. Like a lot of plants or trees with some bad roots you may have to repot them. Well that is what I have decided to do. I am cutting off those withered roots and holding fast to my true loved ones and repotting myself. I don’t know where yet and I don’t know when, but I do know I will be stronger for it. I have got to lift my head up again and see the sun shine on my face again.

Love You Guys – A&G

Brandon

What am I

I like to listen to radio talk shows and NPR and of course sports talk radio. I hear the opinions of others and reflect on things they say and how it affects me. I hear people like Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh berate and lam bast democrats and liberals, while speaking of nothing but the good of republicans and conservatives. I also hear regular Americans just repeating things that people like those two say, it shocks me that they don't have their own opinion. If you can't listen to a political radio show and use what they say to form your own opinion then you are a drone. A drone waiting to be filled with information to go back around the country and spill forth. I will never be a drone, not a political drone, not a religious drone, and not an activist drone.

So this made me wonder, what exactly am I? I am not going to answer because I don't know, but I will tell you what I believe in and stand for. I AM AN AMERICAN, I love this country and have served this country proudly. I stand by the principles and values of the Constitution of the United States of America, and will fight to protect them.

-I believe in small government. Yet I think the government should protect us and do everything possible to improve the lives of it citizens.

-I believe the separation of church and state must be upheld.

-I don't think we should pass laws based on christian values and beliefs, as I don't think we should pass laws based on Muslim, or Buddhist, or Protestant, or Wiccan values and beliefs.

-I believe the government of the United States has no reason not to recognize gay marriage, if churches or synagogues chose not to perform a ceremony they don't have to, but the government should recognize these unions.

-I BELIEVE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS MY BUSINESS, thus if I am gay or straight or whatever, I can live my life how I want.

-I believe that social programs can help people if they want to help themselves.

-I believe no one has the right to tell a woman what to do with her body, but I also don't think abortion should be used as birth control. Its a double edged sword.

-I believe the Attorney General should serve the will of the people and not the will of the President.

-I believe that there should be degrees of sex offenders from A-E and that should determine who has to register for the rest of their lives and who gets a second chance for something stupid like streaking at a football game.

-I believe the President should live by and be guided by and enforce the constitution, not make signing statements stating which laws he/she won't follow.

-I believe politicians should vote based upon whats best for their constituents and not based on back room deals with other politicians.

-I believe we as a people can not and will not kick 10-12 million people who are in this country, many of whom have never committed a crime, out of this country.

-I believe that global warming is taking place and that human beings are a major cause of that. I don't have a solution, but I can plainly see that objectively.

-I believe we should respect the sovereignty of other nations. Our leaders and we Americans must accept that the people of IRAN democratically chose their president.

-I believe the right to vote should be a protected right in the constitution.

So my question is what type of American am I?

If we are all Americans or are striving to be Americans and to reach the American dream, shouldn't we try to bring as many people as we can along with us.

I've been gone for a little bit

Sorry to you who read my blog, I kind of stepped away for a little bit. Life has been challenging me very harshly lately, and I needed some Brandon time. I am back though. Sometimes you really need to leave everything else alone and focus inward on fixing what is broken. Having someone to lean on really helps, someone who shares your concern and you heartache and your joy. I am lucky that I found someone who wants me for me and wants to make me happy.

As Simon Webbe says 'the good times are coming around again', and I am ready to face them head on.

Now I am pissed

I really and truly think the George W. Bush, who I no longer refer to as the President, is an ass. Believe it or not most times I don't have a problem with this mans actions it what he says to justify his actions that I have a problem with. As I have said in the past if he had given me a true valid excuse to invade Iraq I would have been all for it. But he never did he changed it 3 times, the reason for going to Iraq, and one of those was after we were in there.

So now George has commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby. Fine, I have no problem with that. I expected it, I actually expected him to pardon him full out. But his reason, at least the reason he said, is the "Holy Grail" of hypocrisy. He felt the sentence was excessive, excessive. Excuse my stupid, idiotic, uninformed, and simple minded nature for not realizing that 30 months for Obstruction of Justice and 2 counts of Perjury was excessive. I was all smiles and fine with the commutation until I heard that part. It freakin stinks, it turns my stomach, and it smacks the legal system in the face to say that 2 1/2 years would have been to much. Mr. Libby likely would not have even served all of that time, but no that was just to much.

Now had he manned up and said I commuted him because I wanted to and becuase I am the president, I would have been fine with that. But he didn't, he actually gave a reason why and the reason if a bunch of bull crap. The sentence was excessive, get the hell out of here. George there are people in jail for the same crimes who were and are less guilty than Scooter who aren't getting a break or a commutation. George you swore you would bring integrity and honesty back to Washington, but you have done nothing of the sort.

If you have read my older posts especially the one on Genarlow Wilson you know where this is coming from.

Well, the naked truth

So, that appointment was the greatest thing to happen to me in my life. It really hit me hard the possibility that I could have cancer. Just one of those things that blows you away. I look at it two ways, my doctor gave me a couple weeks to get my mind around either possibility. You know me, I am an optomist so I expect the best and will prepare for the best. To clarify for those that don't know, I have in the last 6 months discovered a couple of lumps on the back of my skull and on and around my neck. Altogether it is a total of 4 lumps of varying size. One of them has been there for about 2 years now. But the other three kind of came about at the same time. So I had to go to general surgery to get them looked at and biopsied, now just a matter of waiting to see what will be. I freaked out yesterday and I was very very emotional, but I am better. I am in New Orleans with my family, I just needed to come home for a bit to get myself recharged and get a little family support.

I will be back in San Antonio soon, once I am ready to steam ahead. I won't be stopped and I am still reaching for my goals.

Talk to you later, love you all,

Brandon J. Vance

Make life what you want it to be!
http://brandonjvance.blogspot.com/