Comments by Gene Scarborough | Eastern North Carolina Now

An interesting series on "The 70's" is running on CNN. The lookback from 50 years is giving me insights I could not have at the time it was happening. For me the 70's involved new work full time in large churches in SC---Easley, Hartsville, Bishopville. The new SEBTS grad with his Master of Divinity had much work to do with youth and Sunday School teachers while being the Associate Pastor getting to preach some. At Bishopville it was the first Senior Minister duty added to Youth and Education. Sermons seemed to come every other day for the new Preacher. . .

Jim and Tammy Faye Baker were new to the TBN Network which broadcast full time religious stuff. Dr. Charles Stanley was there, Pat Robertson, many evangelists like Jimmy Swaggart had their day. In 50 years, some have gone down in embarrassing immoral activities --- and some still are on our local channels each Sunday.

The most striking thing for me last night was the review of the Oil Embargo, Iran hostages taken after the Shah (whose corrupt regime we backed) was deposed when the Muslim fundamentalists wanted to kill him, we gave him shelter. Nixon ran the show, then Ford, finally Jimmy Carter. It was the time we started distrusting truth and were badly hurt over Watergate's sordid revelations. Our own NC Senator, Sam Ervin was a voice for truth during those hearings. He carried only a copy of the Constitution in his coat pocket to chair the Investigation Hearings of Congress vs. Nixon.

Since then, "get even" politics has been firmly in place. The mindset has been, "You got our Republican boy and now we get you back any way we can." The word, "Impeach" has come out with each administration since---except Reagan---whose Iran-Contra stuff got a pass from the Press and Congress.

I think that fell in the category of "Too much manure in the pasture of America shows too much of how smelly our politics has become." It is a shame that the smell won't seem to go away from the sad days of Watergate . . .

Commented: Sunday, August 9th, 2015 @ 7:50 am By: Gene Scarborough

WE have lost medical care in rural Belhaven and Hyde County --- yet this idiot brags about the "SURPLUS BUDGET?" Is money really more important than a woman who died on the way to Vidant in Greenville because they can't stand any red ink in their money-making corporate mindset????

Get real / get a heart / medicine is an art / the Hippocratic Oath is out the window in favor of big PROFITS ---- SHAME!!!!!

Commented: Saturday, August 8th, 2015 @ 8:20 am By: Gene Scarborough

Stan---I presume your thanks to Lynn deals with the deletion of the Obama hate-and now having the article deal with the debate and candidates. It takes a wise man to listen to a woman. I do it all the time for the better.

Maybe that is why women in politics is not a bad idea . . .

Commented: Saturday, August 8th, 2015 @ 5:23 am By: Gene Scarborough

STAN ~~~ stop the HATE / I stop reminding you of it before it gets you in trouble with the Devil . . . It's for your own good no matter how much you flinch, buddy.

Commented: Friday, August 7th, 2015 @ 9:15 pm By: Gene Scarborough

Stan---your brand of Conservatism was put into practice after WWI in Germany. They were considered the smartest and most advanced country in Europe---but their hate and obsession with white purity turned them into the Holocaust---killing Gypsies, homosesxuals, Jews, and running off those who saw through it . . .

Commented: Friday, August 7th, 2015 @ 7:55 pm By: Gene Scarborough

Here are my reasons for running as fast as possible from such a charlatan:

• Trump said "I've used the laws of this country to pare debt. ... We'll have the company. We'll throw it into a chapter. We'll negotiate with the banks. We'll make a fantastic deal. You know, it's like on 'The Apprentice'. It's not personal. It's just business."[152] He indicated that other "great entrepreneurs" do the same.[150]
• To put his philosophy of business in simple terms: No matter how many people I have to rip off, I will come out on top and walk sideways through raindrops of debt.
• He flies in a big commercial-size jet with his name emblazoned on its side---as did the Executives of GM / Ford / and Chrysler to ask for more government money to keep them from declaring bankruptcy --- a point of valid criticism as us taxpayers eventually owned 62% of GM with their cars not reduced a cent to the buying public.
• He is a perfect example of Deficit Finance and waste. If such prepares him to lead a country drowning in war debt, then he is the perfect Conservative Candidate!
• His ego requires obedience without compromise --- how does that suit a diplomat who daily must look for consensus of representatives in Congress?
• If we need a Dictator, then Donald Trump is the perfectly trained candidate to give it.

Commented: Friday, August 7th, 2015 @ 1:21 pm By: Gene Scarborough

Great post, Diane!!! I was able to go through the entire video and it makes good sense --- EXCEPT the proposition that Conservatism is the only way to go!

I matriculated to Emory University in 1963-67. That school had then --- and still does have --- the picture of a Renaissance Person being produced. They have opted out of a massive sports programs in favor of more pure education. Their model now is to have an International student body by 1/4 in number.

As the professor cites --- their method is Socratic = asking questions until the student has a sense of "what makes sense to me at this time." In my day, as well as now, they invite to their faculty world figures of basic experience to expose students to differing world views and concepts --- then the student is widely exposed to many things not thought nor seen prior to coming to Emory.

To get an "A" in my day required I examine any issue from, at least 2 dialectic sides --- then present at the end of the paper "What I have as "my view" and the reason for it~~~whatever that view might be. It is not based on making students into "liberals or conservatives."

The Renaissance was a period following the Dark Ages when science and rational investigation of all things began. You made a proposition and then began to study it and prove it for "correct or incorrect." The process never ended as the student/thinker pursued TRUTH. What I assumed to be TRUE from my small town conservative religious upbringing near Atlanta turned into a quest which I still pursue to evaluate all things in light of WHAT IS PROVEN TO BE TRUE AND WHAT WORKS.

Today we seem to have little automatons addicted to sports and games whose "win" is based on trying, failing, and keeping on trying --- to beat the computer program. The obsession with sports and winning is addictive and seems to eliminate a moral core in decision making. It is like the law which sets a basis for lawful society --- with too many shades of grey, in turn making Defense Attorneys and Juries prone to confusion. Instead of deciding Right from Wrong behaviour, you play the game of I MUST WIN AT ALL COSTS TO TRUTH.

Thanks for the challenging concepts you are sharing. Some of which are inspiring---others of which are troubling by setting Conservatism as the goal . . .

Commented: Friday, August 7th, 2015 @ 6:33 am By: Gene Scarborough

Thanks for the hard and long day yesterday, Stan --- yet getting my article in.

I shut down my comments and went to bed after the first hour. They asked The Donald the big question then over his Business dealings and bankruptcies.
His answer: "All Entrepreneurs do it!"
I thought Entrepreneur meant "daring businessman" rather than THIEF!!!

Commented: Friday, August 7th, 2015 @ 5:50 am By: Gene Scarborough

My momma once sent me a card: "It's hard to soar with eagles---when you walk with turkeys!" Does this cover it, TMcD???

Commented: Wednesday, August 5th, 2015 @ 7:20 pm By: Gene Scarborough

I would think the "Abraham is the father of both Jews and Muslims" would spark a discussion of why we hate Muslims so much and back Jews . . .

Commented: Wednesday, August 5th, 2015 @ 6:00 pm By: Gene Scarborough

It is God's way of giving you another chance to "see the light" BT---you old drinker and sinner in the 70's at the adult play place . . .

Commented: Wednesday, August 5th, 2015 @ 3:00 pm By: Gene Scarborough

I am the great-great-grandson of a SC Confederate Soldier from Easley, SC. My great-grandmother could tell of her father's return from the Civil War. For me, the war was honorable --- and more over the Industrialized North using and abusing the raw goods of the South which needed slave labor to produce.

Meanwhile they paid new immigrants from Ireland and other places next to nothing in their own factories --- a form of slavery worse than what was going on in the South.

They had no problem getting rich with their industries and paying next to nothing for the South's raw goods. I realize the misplaced angst of blacks who descended from slaves. That time is past and now the US is going overboard to give a free ride and boost to all people of color---even if their skills don't warrant it.

The HATE is flowing these days. Much of it is badly misplaced. The NC Hate and Conservatism is destroying the Progressive nature of this state and I have no qualms with our biggest newspapers calling a spade a spade . . .

Commented: Wednesday, August 5th, 2015 @ 6:20 am By: Gene Scarborough

Political Poll on the eve of the Republican Debate:
( ) They are more crazy than I thought and Donald Trump is in the lead
( ) They are less crazy than I thought, but they sure are entertaining
( ) They will get higher ratings than Laugh In year ago
( ) They will get Bill Cosby to open for them with his Conservative stance

Commented: Wednesday, August 5th, 2015 @ 5:00 am By: Gene Scarborough

I will help you --- the cost is $50 per hour consult fee . . .

Commented: Tuesday, August 4th, 2015 @ 7:26 pm By: Gene Scarborough

Give The Donald some research on "business dealings" ~~~ us.yhs4.search.yahoo.com

Commented: Tuesday, August 4th, 2015 @ 12:19 pm By: Gene Scarborough

Hence you are a Fool, Stan --- one can be moderate and be far more wise and good to deal with an any abject conservative I know---but I DO like you personally. . .

Commented: Tuesday, August 4th, 2015 @ 12:02 pm By: Gene Scarborough

That's OK, Stan --- it will be a cold day in hell when I advocate for your kind of Conservatism and I fail to see any positive results of it, old sport . . .

Commented: Tuesday, August 4th, 2015 @ 11:19 am By: Gene Scarborough