I'll admit I have recently taken to BleacherReport again, but I would love everyone's help on this subject that I recently wrote an article about which you can check out here.

Let me know your comments.

Roll Tide,
Cameon

As many of you know, I write for several sports sites when I am not writing on here. And if you didn't know, well you do now.

I have posted links to many of my articles in an effort to get my writing noticed, but more for the fact that I tend to write inspirational things dealing with sports.

This one, is even a little more different.

When I first joined BleacherReport.com I was a little skeptical. I was one of very few females, I was very young, and the only things I had ever written were things for school and recreational pieces.

But there was one guy in particular by the name of GrayGhost that encouraged me to keep writing. He told me I had great talent, I could touch the hearts of many, and get people to thinking. I was 17 years old, female, and getting compliments on a sports site.

Words could not explain how thrilled I was.

Gray even wrote an article talking about the young writers, and had no order except girls first (the only girl I might add). He promoted our work with nothing asked in return except to keep writing.

For that, I thought I should do something in return.

Gray's 4 year old grandson was diagnoed with a malignant brain tumor. I wrote an article on BleacherReport which I would love for everyone to read here.

I hope that you will help with the message shared in that article.

Thanks,
Cameon

Recently, I joined an online community called "Grace In Small Things." I stumbled upon this community from a friend's blog and was curious when I saw all these lists that had things like "the sunset, hearing my dad laugh, and some various other things." When I asked her about it, she said she had joined a community that strives on bringing out the positive things in life instead of the negative, which seems to be the more popular choice in these times.

Wednesday night, my Dad and I decided to attend the "Tea Party" at Valleydale. Excited that I would get a chance to meet other people that realized what is wrong in this great nation I posted a facebook status. It was fairly simple and to the point. It just said, "Cameon bought her new Portuguese Water Dog with the Stimulus Package. Going to the rally."

OK, so I did take a stab at the new Portuguese Water Dog that was bought by the President, but I thought it was pretty clever. (Please contact me if you would like a bumper sticker)

At any rate, before even 5 minutes had passed there was a "facebook war" taking place on my facebook. Insults were being thrown back and forth, words were being exchanged, parents were telling their kids to hide in the closet, and Obama was sicking his precious Water Dog on the infidels.

Finally, my Godfather stepped in and said, "This is some kinda cat fight you have going on here. I am curious though as to what GW Bush did that was so wrong in the eyes of your generation. Don't get me wrong, I don't agree with everything he did, but on the whole, he did most of what we elected him to do. Hell I think Ronaldus Magnus was the greatest president this nation has ever seen, but I did not think he did everything right.What did Bush do or not do?"

This, is my response to that question.

It wasn't a cat fight first of all. That would require that the other side said things that were intelligent and that wasn't happening. At all. Which brings me to my next point.

I have a feeling that if you ask most of the people in my generation why they think George W. Bush was such a bad President, they would either spout off "I dunno," or all the crap that the media has filled their parent's brain with, which went directly to them.

So, the usual reasons for people in my generation to hate Bush?

1. Operation Iraqi Freedom

• "They kill babies while they are in Iraq." HELLO???!!! The media has convinced people in my generation that our troops go over their and shoot up everyone with no regard to anything but themselves. If only these people took the time to do some research they would find that the people in Iraq use kids as mortars. That's right. They strap bombs to their kids and send them out to play because they know that American soldiers won't shoot a child at first, giving them just enough time to set off the bomb and destroy an American life and their own child's. But it won't just be one American life, it will also be that soldier's potential family. His wife, kids, parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters...all of those American lives that will be changed forever. To these people, one life that can be replaced is worth destroying American lives.
• "We are destroying their country." The media has also convinced people in my generation that the American soldiers are destroying this fine country. I mean obviously, because it was so splendid before. But that's beside the point. What the media doesn't let on is that the terrorists in this country use their schools, mosques, and other buildings to place bombs in. They place bombs in playgrounds knowing that the American soldier will then have to make the choice of destroying a school or the bomb that will potentially kill more people. When they go in, they are obviously accused of running into a school full of Iraqi children...or a religious center even if the bomb was centered right under Ala.
• "We are losing American lives for nothing." If you believe that they are fighting for nothing, that is your problem. However, the guys fighting over there have to believe they are fighting for something or they would be dead pretty quickly. The minute you give up what you are fighting for, is the minute you lose a reason to keep fighting. And that is when all of a sudden you just stop.

2. World Trade Centers

• "He didn't respond fast enough." The media has it implanted in our generation that George W. Bush had all of this intelligence that would have stopped the World Trade Centers from being hit. People in my generation say that it's his fault for letting that happen. But, at the same time, when there are reports that Iraq has nuclear warheads they are planning to use on the U.S. we are supposed to not go over there and stop them. WHAT KIND OF SENSE DOES THAT MAKE??!!

3. He destroyed the economy

• "It's his fault that we are in this huge mess. He's a Republican." Once again, the media and no research on their part. Little do these people know that even before Bush came into office the Congress was Democratic and he could not get anything passed except what they believed would be "the right thing to do." Granted, the bail outs weren't such a great idea, but in other circumstances and with other action taken, they could have been.

Charlie,

To tell you the truth, the reason that people in my generation think former President George W. Bush was so horrible is because the media has told them so and because they haven't taken the time to research anything that might be different.

People in my generation are too concerned about Facebook, American Idol, and the latest fashions to be worried about death rates or anything else. They are too worried about those things and not worried enough about the principles that this country was founded on.

People in my generation don't have principles or morals for the most part. The idea is that everything goes and that you can do anything because parent's can't discipline their kids the way they used to in fear of being sent to DHR for abusing their kids. Everything is given, and nothing is earned.

People in my generation lack the ability and the passion that the people in say my grandfather's generation possessed. People in my generation haven't had to face hard times or difficulties because everything is just handed out.

People in my generation don't care.

Except for the very few.

Well, David posted a reply to my blog that I wrote in response to his original blog. I'm aware this was several weeks ago but I wanted to take some time and cool down before I wrote an article about it so that I can attack every point logically without anger.

Unfortunately, I have a short temper with people that like to repeat things in hope that they make themselves sound correct, when in reality it just makes my job easier. And I like challenging things.

With that being said.

David thought it would be cute to attack my knowledge of the subject with a vocabulary lesson. And, apparently, retard means to cause to move or proceed slowly; delay or impede. Which, evidently I was unaware of, even though he got that information from my website and his extensive musical knowledge.

And David was right, (nice copy and pasting there). Retard does mean to slow, delay or impede something. However, I still stand by in saying that you calling the people in Texas retarded is offensive to those that actually have relatives that are mentally retarded.

He brings up the point about how if I think of mentally challenged people when I hear the word retarded, that's my problem. And he's right, although I don't consider it a problem. I consider it a privilege to fight for these kids and what they represent.

These kids represent something that you will never be able to David. And that is the love for everything. That is the ability to love unconditionally, no matter their opinion. That is their ability to take what life has given them, and still believe that they can do absolutely anything. It is their ability to be thankful for truly smallest things in life, that we all overlook everyday.

**A quote from David's blog: "I stand by calling Texas retarded. And they are acting retarded still."**

You say retarded as if it's a bad thing, but does it sound like these kids are so bad off to you? Most definitely not. So yes David, I do get offended when you say that these people in Texas are retarded. Not because of the people in Texas, but because of the negative connotation you gave the word. Because of your lack of understanding to the word.

If, you had said for instance, that Texas imposing these ideals would retard the children of the school systems, that would have been something entirely different. But you didn't. You wrote the first thing that came to mind. Just calling the people retarded. After all, being "politically correct," doesn't mean anything. In fact, I don't care about political correctness. I do care about the fact that you don't know how to use a verb correctly.

David keeps going on with making himself like an illiterate human being that doesn't seem to understand the concept of letting everyone have their own views towards things.

I could argue about the fact that it seems as if you would only like your idea of evolution taught in schools because that is what you believe. (David is an atheist) Well, David, why not teaching the children all of the things that could have happened and then let them choose on their own? Why don't you stop trying to take God out of discussions, and start putting things like him and evolution into discussions more instead of being so focused on your one way that it could have happened.

Why don't we allow the future generations to believe in whatever they choose to believe? Why don't we allow them to choose for themselves after being given all of the information? "BUT THAT WOULD BE LOGICAL CAMEON! WHY WOULD WE DO THAT?!"

Here's why.

When you squash things that have been taught for years to come, you squash a lot more than what you have been promoting. When you take things out because you think it's right, you are squashing the ability for future generations to think on their own and make their own decisions. We are making a class of "Stepford Wives" that think just like the kid next to them because they are taught that is the only way.

I'm all up for evolution and God. Some people believe that the things that happen are too complex to just have fallen into place. Some people believe that every single little tiny detail and things that have to go right for a baby to grow inside a mother's stomach, are too complex to just have fallen into place. That is their belief system.

You believe yours. Let them have a chance to form their own. Maybe one day, they will get on here and school you on how you will be wrong.

Your response? "But little girl, you are basing this off of a repulsive book that was written my some mad guy over several years."

I, for one, hope she can slaughter you with information to prove you wrong about every single one of your arguments. And, if she uses that "repulsive" piece of literature correctly and doesn't give up, she will be able to.

For anyone that keeps up with my blog, you've probably noticed that Zero and I blog against each other quite a lot. We are both very opinionated people with very different views...which makes for interesting debates. Not to mention, we are both intelligent people...or so I thought, which makes for debates where the light bulb actually turns on every now and then. However, I think it's time that Zero get a dictionary because it seems he has taken a specific word and turned it into something that it is definitely not.

I encourage you to first read his blog here. OK, now that you've read that, let's begin.

Dear Zero,

Maybe somewhere along the line someone dropped you on your head or did something else to make you think that the word retarded has the connotation of being a bad thing. I would hope something like that happened because otherwise, you just look stupid by using it in the wrong way.

I'm also guessing you don't know anyone that is mentally challenged, retarded, slow, or any other synonym because if you did, you would also know that the word retarded does not mean what you think it means apparently.

By definition, retarded means: To cause to move or proceed slowly; delay or impede. Hum...that doesn't sound like the people you are referring to at all. Your welcome to think that those people making the decision are stupid, dumb, inconsiderate, and the list could go on. However, you are not welcome to call them retarded because they are not.

Retarded people have a mental illness that prohibits them from doing things that you and I take for granted everyday such as talking, walking, being in line with our emotions, growing up physically and mentally at the same rate, controlling our bodily functions, being able to form a sentence, being able to understand when someone is doing something they shouldn't be doing and many more.

Stupid people have the capability to make good decisions. The problem is that they just don't. Stupid people have the capability to do anything, but they are too lazy, don't care, or think they've made a right decision when they really haven't. They are more worried about American Idol than the real issues. They are more worried about their basketball bracket than the economy issues. They just don't care period.

You, Zero, have made a terrible error in your vocabulary. Anyone that has a relative or friend that is, in fact, retarded takes offense when you use that word in a derogatory way because it's not a bad thing. It just means they are different than regular people. And, even though they are different, they are some of the nicest, most loving people you will ever meet in your life. Different is OK contrary to popular belief.

And speaking of being different, what makes Texas stupid for wanting to eliminate evolution from the textbooks? Isn't it the same as banning teachers from talking about God or not having "One Nation Under God" in the Pledge Of Allegiance? You seem to be perfectly fine with people doing those things because it comforts your little belief system. But when someone attacks what you think is true, you get your drawers in a wad. There's something wrong with that isn't there?

In my opinions, neither one of them should be eliminated. Students should learn about both of them and then have the opportunity to choose which one they think really happened. That way, you are giving kids the opportunity to think for themselves. Which is something that is highly lacking in today's society.

Just because someone doesn't think they same way you do or believe in the same things you do, doesn't mean they are stupid. And it definitely doesn't mean they are retarded. Debate with that person. Make it known that you disagree. But what makes you right and them wrong? What makes you intelligent and them stupid? What gives you the right to say that someone else is completely wrong and must be retarded for thinking that?

I'll give you a hint...your answer should not be, "Because I Said So."

So David posted a blog in response to my blog and it was very nicely done. Except for the fact that I wasn't trying to argue with him or debate any of his points. I was only showing my side of things. Or, rather, most Christian's side of the religion thing.

But David, you forget, I'm not a Christian...I don't think. I guess you could say I am...maybe. I'm not going to say he just doesn't exist...btu I'm not going to say he does either. I'm not sure. Out of the many things in life that I am sure about, God is not one of those things. I wish it were. Most people wish He were because they say He will show me the way through life.

In my opinion though, I don't need God to show me the way through life. I can show myself my path. Besides, my path is what I make it. I determine where I go in life. Which fork I take if that provides a better illustration. But too many things have made me question God. Having 4 friends killed in a horrible car accident make me wonder about God. Having two amazing uncles killed from cancer in horrible ways make me wonder about God. Have a grandfather die from cancer makes me wonder about God. Life makes me wonder about God.

But then there are things like being saved that make me think God might be real. Things like my Aunt being "cured" while having 4 types of fatal cancer make me think maybe God is real. Seeing people in happy families with amazing love and happiness make me think God might be real.

But I don't want to be one of those people that believes in God through the good and not through the bad. That would be like a "closet" God fan. That's not the kind of person I want to be. Churches are filled with hypocricy but then again, so is everything else. It's when Church becomes more about what people are wearing and who's with who that worries me. It's like when football becomes more about who wins because of someone's fantasy football team. It's just not right. It's not what it's meant for.

So, David, if I had been argueing your point, you would have done an amazing job both times. But maybe this will help you to understand that I actually think along the same lines you do. I'm just not sure which side of the fence I want to be on.