Elmo, Say it Isn't So

One of the saddest things I recently heard was the scandal involving Elmo's puppeteer, Kevin Clash.  All the characters in Sesame Street are pretty special but Elmo captured my daughter's heart and mine twenty five years ago when she was five years old and I began to watch the show for her sake.  His sweet, distinctive and innocent voice was an immediate hit with my special child, and although I heard he taped episodes till the year 2014, Sesame Street will never be the same without Kevin Clash.  The show may go on with another puppeteer as Elmo but there was only one original and I'm afraid our beloved Elmo will eventually have to fade out into the sunset, same as his now beleaguered owner.  Are the allegations true?  Is Kevin Clash a victim of fame?  Why are these people coming out of the woodwork now?  Whatever he did or didn't do, Kevin Clash created a legend, an unforgettable character and for that we should be grateful.  This was a man who obviously loved his work and this has to be devastating to him.  Human beings are complex and maybe he had a dark side, a shameful secret, it's sad but that doesn't take away his contribution.  He made millions of children happy throughout the world, he brought us magic, that part can't not be tarnished, so let's not judge him too harshly.

The Tragic Aftermath of Sandy

Monster storm Sandy decided to hit New York with a vengeance.  Not since 9/11 did we feel the same sense of tragedy, vulnerability and despair.  Even if you were lucky enough not to lose power or get flooded, you didn't escape unscathed.  Images of others suffering and mourning great losses was enough to tug at your heartstrings, to say nothing of witnessing the nightmarish lines for gas that still seem to go on forever.  I lost power for eight days and walked around feeling sorry for myself, but my discomfort and misery was nothing compared to that of those who lost everything.  Yet I discovered something about myself.  Misery does not love company.  When you're suffering, you don't want to hear that someone else has it worse.  You want validation for your feelings at the moment.  Later on, when the immediate misery ends and you have more perspective, you feel a sense of gratitude that it wasn't worse for you.  You feel ashamed that you were such a baby, and guilty for saying "Thank God it wasn't me."  But the fact remains that nature proved once more that it could turn anywhere, anytime and shatter our lives temporarily or permanently.  It could kill us mercilessly and take all the comforts we fill our lives with with one swift stroke.  When I first heard the wind, I was laying in bed with the covers over my head and felt afraid the windows would shatter with the impact of the devastating winds, but what struck me most of all was that the wind sounded like a lament, a long, mournful lament, as if already regretting the destruction it would leave in its wake.  This almost grotesque singsong seemed to go on forever filling me with fright and at the same time with a morbid fascination.  It was the cry of death and destruction approaching its victims.  It was our 9/11 of natural disasters and it will scar us forever because there are tragic events in life that you simply never get over.

The Real Loss on Tuesday

Mitt Romney lost the election on Tuesday and all his supporters are hurting but the country lost more, a lot more.  The country lost the opportunity of having a real leader in the White House.  A leader who loves America and wanted to restore it to its rightful place in the world.  A leader who allowed himself to be put through the meat grinder from the beginning because he knew he could make a difference, because he saw the way the country was heading and wanted to stop it before it was too late.  He was denied that opportunity and America is the real loser.  Mitt Romney ran a courageous, magnificent campaign, and he would have made a great president, a president who would honor the White House and not use it to create class warfare, a leader who would restore the respect we have lost throughout the world because of Mr. Obama and his misguided policies.  He showed a lot of class and dignity from beginning to end and he will be sorely missed.  So with a heavy heart, it's time to say farewell to you gallant warrier, we shall miss you.  We caught a glimpse of your soul during the campaign and this makes this loss all the more painful and devastating to us.

The Last Debate

I thought Mitt Romney won on the last debate.  He was serene, presidential and respectuful; in sharp contrast to Mr. Obama who exuded desperation with senseless attacks that I don't think will make much difference over the final result.  I don't think Americans will choose a disrespectful, sardonic attack dog over a seasoned, experienced candidate who can really make a difference in their lives, because with Mr. Obama's dismal record, there is no debating that Mr. Romney is the right man at the right time.  I don't think this is a game of who can attack more or demolish his challenger more effectively, but who has more to offer the country at this crucial time in our history, and Mr. Romney's vast experience has proven that he is the man for the job.  Mr. Obama tried to defend his record vigorously, but it is frankly indefensible, and any intelligent viewer will see right through the great demagoguery, which Mr. Obama seems to be quite the expert at.  It worked for you once Mr. Obama, but it won't work today.  We gave you a chance, elected you with so much warmth and even joy, and as the cliche says, "you blew it."  You chose other countries over America, you wasted no opportunities to downgrade and criticize your own land.  I could go on and on with lots of examples, but suffice to say that you hurt the country who elected you with so much goodwill and affection. 

I thought Mr. Romney missed a great opportunity to go after Mr. Obama's disastrous handling of Libya, which was frankly the elephant in the room, but he may have decided to take the high road and I only hope and pray it works for him and for our country.  Mr. Romney is the true patriot here, and he has demonstrated that by the way he's lived his life, but unfortunately Mr. Obama isn't.  Let's look at his deeds, not his words, and let's choose our country first.  It's time to let him go.

A Political Star is Born

Mitt Romney was simply electrifying on the first presidential debate.  He showed passion, convinction and a great wealth of knowledge.  In my opinion, he was magnificent.  In one single, great performance he managed to destroy all the outrageous myths, lies and innuendos that have marred his campaign.  What we saw out there wasn't the cold-hearted, rich, out of touch entrepreneur who only cares about the rich, but a man with a purpose.  A man committed to restoring America to its rightful place in the world.  A man committed to saving America from sliding headlong into socialism. A patriotic man who wants to take on the hardest job in the world, not out of vanity, but because he knows he can make a difference, and out of a sense of duty.  If anybody doubted that he's got what it takes, should have no more doubts after that brilliant debate.  Mr. Romney is uniquely qualified to lead the country in this hour of need.  This is his time and I hope his destiny, but will the country do the right thing and elect him?  I passionately hope so because if we don't, America will be the loser.

Goodbye Sweet Andy

I was a very young girl when I first heard his signature song "Moon River" and fell in love with his soft, melodious voice, same as the rest of America and the world.  He was so easy to like, the soothing, romantic and marvelous voice and the handsome, charming appearance that went with it.  He was also a man of character and integrity as we all found out when he courageously stood by his ex wife, Claudine Longet, during the famous murder trial in Colorado.  He seemed to be a happy man who was having an affair with life most of the time, but I'm sure he endured his share of grief and disappointments.  Still, he knew he was given a gift with that marvelous voice of his and was grateful for it.  He was a gentle soul and I'm very sad his last year on earth was so sad.  But unfortunately we don't get to choose the date or manner of our demise.  He's in the embrace of his Maker now and his romantic music lives on in the hearts of all of us who grew up with his music and are thinking of him today.

The Haunting Death and double victimization of Chris Stevens

The details are so horrific, I wonder how his family can stand knowing about them without being torn apart inside.  This wonderful man was tortured and violated in the vilest way but what's even more devastating is our reaction to this horrendous crime.  Where is the outrage?  Where is grief over losing an American representative in this atrocious manner?  The whole country should have been talking about this instead of Romney's so called gaffes, but I guess that was more important to the shameless, biased, and frankly grotesque media who only have one agenda and that is to re-elect Mr. Obama come hell or high water.  Mr. Stevens and the other American heroes endured martyrdoom for nothing.  They were abandoned to their fates and left without protection whatsoever in one of the most dangerous and volatile countries in the world despite voicing their fears that the terrorists had been sending them threats for over a week.  And they were victimized again by us with our mute reactions to the killings.  It was easier to blame it on a video, to apologize to the terrorists repeatedly, and to go on with business as usual.  Where is the justice for our citizens?  Where is the punishment for their killers?  Are they laughing at us in their den of snakes and planning other spectacular killings?  You bet they are and who could blame them when they have us cowered and apologizing for our existence?  Has Libya even been told that all monies will be stopped till the killers are brought to justice?  Has Egypt, who has all but declared itself an enemy of ours, paid any price whatsoever?  Has the President addressed the nation in this hour of grief?  Or was he simply too busy to bother?  Insulting the sovereignty of the nation is an act of war yet we were the ones apologizing for a video that had nothing to do with their murderous rage.  Mr. Stevens and the other American heroes will continue to haunt this nation for a very long time to come because we failed them miserably, but most of all we failed ourselves, and that's our shame and punishment.