Making Sense Of America's Latest School Tragedy

The Media and the Average Person is trying to make some sense of the most recent school tragedy in America which took place a few days ago in Marysville, Washington--a place where these kinds of things just never used to happen in the U.S.

Of course, that was before the media and culture of big city America through cable TV, movies, radio, video games and the Internet influenced the entire nation--to now where it is all the same wherever you go.

There used to be areas of America that had older-time traditions, values, behavior and a different culture. Now it is all the same in every village, hamlet, backwoods, town, city and metropolis in America.

Wanting to try and get some understanding of why a very popular 14-year-old boy decided to kill his closest friends and relatives,
I figured I might be able to get some insight by looking at a Facebook page. 

By random and using keywords, I wound up on the page of a female close friend of the boy--Jaylen Ray Fryberg. Without me mentioning the name of the girl who posted this, this is what I read:

"My heart aches knowing I lost two of my closest friends last night. I wish I could've done something to help you. Or to even see or talk to both of you one last time. This is still unbelievable, You left us to early.. God has gained 2 wonderful, beautiful angels. Zoe, who's gonna go to NYC with me for Christmas when we turn 18 now?. JayRay, You were a brother to me! We always had each other's backs.. Both of you, This is not goodbye. This is see you later. I love both of you guys more then life itself. And will miss you guys allot."

And she has posted a picture of her with the dead girl and the boy who took his own life when they were younger.

I'm afraid that it just has made me more confused.


 

PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE FOR TEACHING--NOT FOR PREACHING

The Madison County School Board in Georgia unanimously voted this week to remove two Christian Bible verses from a monument donated to its high school football team. The "Red Raiders" would touch the monument on their way out to play football games.

Two religious freedom watchdog organizations threatened to sue the county if the verses were not removed. To the dismay of hundreds of protestors, who believe their religion should be the official religion of the public school, the board acted upon the advice of their own legal counsel.

This is a public high school. It is not a private religious school.
It is supported by taxpayers who are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Atheists, Agnostic, Wiccan, Various Other Religions, and those who have No Interest In Religion at all.

A public school cannot endorse one religion over another.
A public school cannot make students believe in God or not.
That's what takes place in homes and religious houses of worship.

Public Schools are for Teaching -- Not For Preaching.

What if a monument was donated to the school which called for the endorsement of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the worship of the Pastafarian religion?

Would that be okay? 

The United States Constitution makes it clear.

There is Freedom Of Religion and Freedom From Religion
in America.
The Government cannot endorse, sponsor or promote any one religion.
Nor can it criticize or condemn any one religion.

Almost 1 million Americans have given their lives so
everybody can have these freedoms.


 

BBC Kicks Off Its New Music Service With A Fantastic New Visual/Audio Rendition of "God Only Knows"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2R3PxWX7hzMb8lNZs3Ngz5L/god-only-knows

Americans Over 30 Sick Of Hip Hop Crap - Tony Bennett, Barbara Streisand and Leonard Cohen Top Charts

Americans Over 30 Sick Of Hip Hop Crap - 
Tony Bennett, Barbara Streisand and Leonard Cohen Top Charts

88-year-old Tony Bennett's duets with Lady Gaga,
"Cheek To Cheek" is the Number 1 album in America.
Included is "But Beautiful," a song I talked about
a few months ago as not having the exposure it deserves
to modern audiences.



72-year-old Barbra Streisand's duets with various
singers, "Partners," is the Number 3 album in America.
You just can't keep a nice Jewish girl out of the spotlight.


80-year-old poet and writer Leonard Cohen's "Popular Problems," is the Number 15 album in America.


Americans over 30 have voted with their dollars that they are tired of this Hip-Hop crap and want to hear songs performed in the conventional style that existed for hundreds of years.

A Great Song From A Group That Never Made It During A Crazy Year

The Sugar Shoppe. A group that was a "sunshine pop" Canadian group from
1968. The kind of music made fun of throughout the film "Austin Powers."

A Sergio Mendes/Brazil 66-style light pop with 2 female and 2 male voices
which Capitol Records gave the big push to but for some reason couldn't
get any radio air play despite appearances on "The Tonight Show"
and "Ed Sullivan."

Hollywood's top session players were even brought together to do the music backgrounds.

Music that crossed over into blues and jazz with a little bit of psychedelia.

A great song from their one album is "Baby Baby"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUgtlrdfYjc

You have to listen to the vocal work on the entire moody song.

They also did a great version of Donovan's "Skip-A-Long Sam."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNj88rGxIuM

Now this gets weird.

After failing in this venture and trying other musical efforts,
the man in green above turned to acting instead.

That is Victor Garber who played Thomas Andrews, the man who built the
Titanic, in the legendary motion picture "Titanic."