I Have a Face. WE Have a Face.

by Crystal Laramore Lutz

Edited by Deborah K. Martin

Thursday night I was in my restaurant behind my bar, craving some hot tea. In the middle of mindlessly opening the refrigerator and pouring the half and half in my tea (the way our forefathers always did), an overwhelming sense of belonging and comfort passed over me.

Here I am, in my very own business with two of my staff members on a slow, cold, Texas winter night; satisfying my whim for English-style tea, decorating the restaurant for Christmas and preparing to make the Christmas holidays merry for all who bless us with their patronage. And by their patronage I mean their greenbacks; their dough; their hard earned money; their cash, their time.

How blessed I am to be able to provide a warm, safe, welcoming atmosphere along with great food and drinks and how blessed “they” are to have it being offered; but how long will the blessings last? Obama and Pelosi and the SEIU and organized labor unions and the IRS and the likes are doing everything they can do to destroy our blessings. Or at least that is how it feels.

Most of you know I was in Baghdad, Iraq for almost two years working with the Department of State and serving my military (that’s right, I said “my” military.) When I finally arrived back on U.S. soil and “settled in” (as if…) I was walking through the restaurant one night in the dark and alone yet felt like I was hanging out with an old friend; it was that safe comfortable feeling. It’s the deep in your heart passionate love feeling that only comes through strife, conflict, blood, sweat, tears, fighting, making up, leaving, coming back, sharing, caring, putting 110% of yourself into it kind of feeling.

When you own a small business or work for a small business this is how you feel and if you don’t you should quit. Every day you put your heart and soul into it and quite frequently you get to see the fruits of your labor instantly. It’s not like a big, cold, steel building in a big city where you work your life away and never see any rewards except for your paycheck; yet people drive to work everyday with little internal reward or peace. They drive to work, I drive my country.

Just in case you don’t know who’s driving your country it’s me, and I have a face. It’s Tabitha Marsden and she has a face. It’s Austin Piwko and he has a face. It’s Rosa Corzine and Laura Kretzchmar and they have a face.

And when Obama speaks I’d like him to look us in the face. I’d like the man driving my country (into the ground) to look at me when he’s talking to me. Instead it’s like watching a tennis match Paula said. Oh and she, Paula Harper, has a face. Maybe he doesn’t look directly into the camera for fear he might see our hearts…breaking. Maybe he knows that we know that he’s a sell-out.

I heard him say that small business owners have learned how to get more from their employees. Well, of course. Isn’t increased productivity a good thing? Isn’t finding better ways to do business a good thing? I guess not because he says they (the small business owners) only did it to wring more profits from their businesses at the expense of their employees. I’m confused and more than a little insulted by that remark.

There is little profit in this small restaurant. We have a LOT of love, a lot of great atmosphere and a load of hospitality. We have a great time here while we work really hard, but there’s not a lot of profit. No, most of that goes right back into the business, which consists of real-live people, to make it better. We make our contribution to the community in a few reliable jobs, a lot of donations and some really good food. We even hold fundraisers here on a regular basis because we actually care about our community. Will it add to our profits? Not likely. But it adds to our hearts.

I wonder what may happen as our country changes. Will I be able to stay in business if I’m forced to raise wages? No, that will only force me to cut jobs. Will I be more profitable when I am forced to buy all my employees insurance? Don’t get me wrong. If I could I would. But if faced with being jobless or insurance-less I bet my employees would rather have a regular paycheck than socialized insurance. Just ask them.

And I often wonder which one of my employees do I let go when the taxes are too much of a burden? Paula; with 4 children to support and no college education? Austin; a college student trying to live on his own? Tabathia; a foster child and college student trying to save enough money to let go of the “System”? Rosa; a foster child in high school trying to save money for a car so she is ready when the time comes to let go of the “System”? Renee; my cleaning woman? Laura; my bartender who is going back to college as an adult to get a teaching certificate and barely making ends meet? You tell me.

Our business is small. Our hearts are big. Our faith is strong. We are the face of small business. We are the ones keeping your community vibrant. I am the owner and they are my employees who always know your name; the ones who asks “How’s yer mama’en them doin’?” Because we care.

I have a face. WE have a face.

Got Change? When Pigs Fly-But Wait, Swine ‘Flew’!

By Crystal Laramore
Edited by Deborah Martin


Last week we talked about how race seems to be interjected into every situation these days and how Barack Obama seems to interject himself (AND race) into things which are none of his business.

He says it’s all about “change”. It was a common theme on the campaign trail and many, many people fell for it. They heard for months and years about how W was taking us down a baaaadddd road. I was never sure what they meant. They didn’t like the Patriot Act even though I’ve yet to hear of ANY innocent person losing their freedoms because of it. They didn’t like the War on Terror and now we don’t even call it that.

We’ve talked in this column before about the entitlement mentality and it seems to have settled on a target – healthcare. Man, people want EVERYthing taken care of for them. Nothing wrong with wanting care. We all need medical attention from time to time. But isn’t it out of hand when we expect every bump and scrape in addition to the big dogs like cancer, taken care of for free? Who do we think is going to pay for this??

Well, back to BHO. An ongoing none-of-the-government's-business issue is healthcare. Last week's speech by BHO was supposedly about healthcare until he deliberately sidetracked it and started talking about the police and race. Was that to sidetrack US into thinking about something other than the hugely invasive, highly expensive, totally unworkable healthcare bill he wants passed so fast that our Congressmen won't have time to read this one EITHER???

Healthcare IS an issue for some Americans these days but why, if health care, or lack thereof for the elderly, disabled, or incurably ill, is such a large issue is he using Gestapo tactics to try and push through a plan WE DON’T WANT and no one seems to have time to read? It took our President 6 months to decide what type of DOG to get for the family pet, surely rebuilding our health care system should have, at the very least, as much consideration right???

I do not have health care insurance, yet I have never been denied treatment. I’ve been to an emergency room several times over my lifetime and have been attended with professionalism and care. I have never been made to pay on the spot. I have been sent bills and have been given adequate time to pay them. They even have payment plans. Really.

But I see this one more as an overall treatise on BHO’s inability to continue to hide (I say that sarcastically) his true intentions 100% of the time. No matter what the issue, he carries a common theme – we are bad, everything we’ve done is bad, everything we have is bad, and only HE, THE ONE, can fix it. Many of us doubt his intentions when he speaks of “change”. We see the class of close friends, confidantes and associates he surrounds himself with. Even so, he was elected. He WON, as he likes to remind us.

He’s feeding the entitlement mentality with program after program which caters to those who can give him votes the next time around. All while he is lying to HIS voters; no new taxes on the middle/lower class. Really? Wait and see. Wait and see. I think he’s made a serious miscalculation. There may actually BE hope and change coming, but BHO and his ilk will be on the losing side this time. Just ask Arlen Specter and Kathlee Sebelius. It seems at least some of those blinded by the “light” have finally begun to regain their vision.

I am not rich but I do not want others to take care of me nor do I want to be forced to take care of others. I do, however, want the FREEDOM to take care of myself. And so does most of America. I also want a cortisone shot if I need one. And so do most hard working people. That is where I’m placing my hope right now – that the good, hardworking, moral people of this country are waking up to what is going on; deficits in the trillions; billion dollar programs which do little to actually alleviate problems; tax hikes on the horizon. Oh yes, mark my words. The changes are a coming -Nationalization of business, one small sector at a time.

BHO seemingly has an ax to grind with those who contribute to the GDP. You know, those of us who made it possible for him to be where he is today…in that big, white house. Maybe he doesn’t understand how much blood, sweat and tears it takes to make it possible for folks like him to have the lifestyle they have. Maybe it’s because he’s a taker and not giver that he doesn’t understand there’s only so much taking you can do.

He talks about making America great again but all his policies are aimed at making us just like most of the rest of the world – 2nd rate and 3rd world. He travels to lands far away to apologize for us, the greatest nation on earth. What kind of person is embarrassed by excellence? Isn’t that a little twisted?

I happen to be proud of the fact that we are a young country yet we are THE super power in the world! I happen to be proud that people from the lands he visits to do his Apology Act can’t wait to leave and come to the land he is apologizing for and have a better life; if they work hard. Maybe that’s it. Maybe he just never worked hard so he doesn’t get the point. Maybe he’s never had the satisfaction which comes from ACTUALLY pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. Maybe he should be president of a country he’s proud of instead of turning our country into one we are not proud of. Yeah, maybe that’s what he should do.

I want everyone to remember what profound words our president spewed forth into the universe with the help of his teleprompter, just days before the election. Mr. Obama said we are on the eve of fundamentally changing this country! Did anyone believe this was the type of change he had in mind? Is this the type of change YOU had in mind?

Tea anyone?

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It Don’t Matter if You’re Left or Right…

Random Thoughts on Paper

By Crystal Laramore

Heavy-handed editing/commentary by: Deborah Martin & Cheryl Laramore

It’s bad. It’s bad. Shamon. Hey, this is how my brain tied MJ into politics. Please. Hold your applause.

Is our PRESIDENT perpetuating racism? I’m reminded of the song lyrics “Don’t hand me no lines and keep your hands to yourself”. His hands do not need to be in a local matter regarding police officers and a private citizen. His opinions on racial profiling were off-base. And like everything, it seems he did not have adequate information to be making such a speech.

The 911 call which started this whole thing has now been released. The call wasn't racially motivated. She lady who called only mentioned a possible "Hispanic" connection AFTER she was asked about race. So race wasn't on HER mind. The officer who made the arrest is a racial profiling expert and from all accounts he's a straight up guy; not racially motivated and not power hungry, so race wasn’t on HIS mind either.

At some point we will hear everything about this arrest because the stupid officer's microphone was on the whole time. Snicker. THEN we can make a definitive judgment about this situation. Until that time, we can only go on what has been reported and it doesn't look good for our Harvard professor. For a well-educated, intelligent guy, he sure flew off the handle quickly. HE was the one who brought up race instead of trying to find out what legitimate reason the police had for being in his home.

We suppose if you are black and it looks like you are trying to break into someone’s house you shouldn’t be arrested. You know - cuz you’re black - and that might be considered racial profiling. Are you flipping kidding me???????? WHO’S racist? We’re all confused here; and, getting more and more confused as the months drag and drag on…to the next election.

So how do we handle these situations, which seemingly are started by the very people who feel discriminated against and looked down on? I've got to say that us white folks are between a Barack and a hard place. It seems nothing we do is good enough and when we do the right thing we MUST be doing it for the wrong reasons. My best friend, Jasmine, works for a company where the racial makeup goes like this - 45% black, 25% Hispanic, 20% white and the rest divided among people from the Far-East.

Jasmine doesn't hear much from most of the groups regarding racism but, the most vocal about racism is the black group. They complain about other blacks who make friends with the whites. "Oh, she's just tryin' to be white!" What???!! This is something which mystifies Jasmine, who is white and could care less about someone's skin color. Aren't people just people? Don't we all love our kids, work hard at our jobs, worry about our old age, like to have fun? She always thought so, but apparently there's some fundamental difference between the races.

At the same time Gates’ story was being sprayed on HD televisions across the nation another one was also being covered; three young boys arrested for stealing items from a neighbor’s yard. The boys were black and white. And the nation, black and white alike, seemed to be on the side of the children. Yes, even though there was a black child among them, Mr. President.

Like so many people out there I am sick of our so-called leaders playing the “race card”. Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and now it seems our President talk more about racism than I have ever heard any of my friends talk about it. Furthermore, I’ve never heard SO MUCH about racism since WE ALL elected a BLACK president. Does nothing work?

It doesn’t matter if you are left or right of the issue; right is right and wrong is wrong; be you black, white, brown, purple or fuchsia. No one sector of society should be given special or preferential or less than legal treatment, not even the New Haven firefighters. Remember when they were not given promotions b/c they were white? If it’s not right to discriminate against the color black or brown then it certainly isn’t right to discriminate against the color white. Period. Where the hell IS that “Easy” button?

Spewing on and on about racism will only cause it to be a sore spot among the people. It will only serve to perpetuate the great divide; not close the gap, Mr. President. What in the world is the motivation behind such speeches? Why the antics? Do they (the far-left, black leaders among us) want racism to continue to exist? Why would they? So they can keep getting votes from a particular sector of society? You tell me.

I always say “follow the money”. Many of my colleagues and friends (black and white and brown-let’s be clear-I’m not a racist and don’t care what color your skin is) believe some far-left, black leaders need racism like MJ needed Propofol. Without it they have no demonstrations or rallies to organize. And they are SUCH good organizers! Have you ever heard the term “poverty pimps”? Well, now you have.

Wasn’t Barack Hussein Obama supposed to be talking about his health care plan? Talk about “stupid”. So he insinuated a police officer was racist during his “Health Care” speech. What did racism have to do with health care (I shouldn’t have asked right? Is that next? You’re not getting treated b/c you’re black? Maybe that is his tie-in…). Where was I? Oh yeah, Nothing. Racism and health care have nothing to do with each other. It was obvious to any half-wit the question was staged so he could make a point. Why? Because clearly, he wants to continue the class struggle. He’s an instigator! Otherwise; he would have surely said I don’t know enough to comment. Surely.

What is the motivation of our President and other leaders to drum up hatred and impune reputations? Why does this man seem to hate our country so much? Barack Hussein Obama (BHO) has become the “bus chaser” of issues that Jackson and Sharpton are – never hesitating to glom onto an otherwise run of the mill occurrence if he sees an opportunity to tie it to race, thinking he’s making himself look the hero to “his people”! And we whiteys just don’t understand the plight of the black man!!

HELLO – I would be thanking the police and my neighbors for ensuring my property was safe. Why would Mr. Gates not do the same? Why would he make a stand refusing to show ID? BECAUSE, like BHO, Jackson, Sharpton and others – their FIRST thought goes to their own racism – against whites. And, as BHO’s bud, Rahm Emanuel, says - never waste a good crisis!! The bigger problem we see is that BHO saw this incident as something befitting a presidential response but the stealing of Iran ’s election by a thug who wants to destroy us and Israel from the face of the earth was not?? REALLY???!!!!

Racism will never go away as long as each group sees the other as a threat for whatever reason. Blacks will never feel safe and whites will never be able to do enough. And back to the original subject - our president is going straight back to his community organizer roots by agitating the situation. If he said in one breath that "he didn't have all the facts" then he should have STOPPED THERE. End of comments. But he didn't. So you tell me what his motivation was?

Tea anyone?

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