Comments by Gene Scarborough | Eastern North Carolina Now

Comedy Central has Bevais and Butthead ~~~ what should our 5 be named???

I'm serious . . . chime in with your suggestions and carefully note I did not designate who my 2 seem to most clearly match . . .

Commented: Friday, January 9th, 2015 @ 8:11 pm By: Gene Scarborough

You appear to be confused over whether Tine is an Independent or a Republican. That convinces me that, like most Conservatives, you either are lock step in conformity or you can't be one of us. . .

Let me remind you of something important ~~~ any dissenting side on any divisive issue has solid points you need to consider. When NC was considered a Progressive State, we had just such ~~~ compromise in legislation to the wise balance from both side and the the ultimate benefit of the majority of taxpayers in this state.

I fail to see much of anything Conservatives have "conserved" since coming to power. We now have a budget that is underfunded thanks to a new tax code favoring the rich and corps. We have lost major industries without replacing them under Republican rule.

Indeed, the loss of Southeastern Seminary to Conservatives is, as Dr. Bill Friday posited, the most far-reaching change in NC in a century. We are a religious state by and large. If the largest number of citizens are Baptist. If the pastors are telling them naively that Conservatives are angels and Democrats are of the devil, then the separation of church and state has gone away.

That was a prime principle of Baptists in this state for several hundred years and we did far better than when the lock step conformity now brings indoctrinated pastors from my Seminary at Wake Forest into pulpits all over this state and those surrounding it.

There is a great difference between a wise conservative and one with an agenda of following the sheep in front to the slaughter. Our Governor is a bought politician of the Duke Energy / powerful corp folks. He is not wise nor caring to think for himself. Fracking is the prime example of what will destroy this state's beauty over pure greed for profits no matter how our water is destroyed . . .

Commented: Friday, January 9th, 2015 @ 2:14 pm By: Gene Scarborough

It sounds good ~~~~~ is the opposite of what he did in NC ~~~~ maybe he will change?

Commented: Wednesday, January 7th, 2015 @ 4:07 am By: Gene Scarborough

You should have argued the case before the Supreme Court, Stan!!! They rule on the Constitutionality of religious practices. They ruled as they ruled.

I totally agree that forced prayer of the Christian type is unwise / no prayer or religion is stupid / in my wife's Rocky Mount school a Jewish boy was told he did not have to read the Christmas story. He said, "It didn't matter. His family owned and ran a store that enjoyed the profits of Christmas!"

My mother, a teacher in metro Atlanta, did as she pleased in her classroom. After the court ruled she simply told her students that anyone offended by the Bible reading and prayer could step in the hallway for a bit . . .

Nobody dictates to any American that we cannot pray. Your Conservatives contend such, BUT IT IS BS good buddy . . .

Commented: Sunday, January 4th, 2015 @ 4:06 pm By: Gene Scarborough

Some good PR trying to convince us Conservatives are "conserving anything."

It fails to cite the Felony law for any disclosing the chemicals used in Fracking . . .

It also fails to mention how our Budget is now UNDER FUNDED with the new concessions to the rich and corps in NC. Since this same Reagan VooDoo went into practice, America is a failed country with a Recession that fails to end . . .

Commented: Friday, January 2nd, 2015 @ 9:17 am By: Gene Scarborough

Frankly, Stan, I fail to see much of anything Conservatives have "conserved."

I watched my beloved Southern Baptist Convention taken over by them. Their mantra was "the end justifies the means to it." Their hate and scheming have ended the NC Baptist State Convention. My beloved Seminary at Wake Forest is nothing but a clone of Jerry Falwell's hate factor in Lynchburg, VA.

Dr. Bill Friday said when SEBTS was taken, "This is the most significant thing to happen in NC during the 20th Century." It is influencing politics as people are now told who they should vote for = ONLY CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES OF REPUBLICAN PARTY. The Separation of Church and State in NC is now ended . . .

Commented: Wednesday, December 31st, 2014 @ 6:33 am By: Gene Scarborough

Is this not exactly what this state is doing with tax favoritism of wealth and corps?

Give us a fair and balanced Tax Code and then we have a real solution . . . There is no real "Trickle Down" right now and this is simply another proof of such.

Commented: Monday, December 29th, 2014 @ 6:57 am By: Gene Scarborough

I hope you gave UGA (the bulldog mascot) plenty of doggie treats as you went by him, buddy, he might bite a guy who tells this much truth about college ~~~ most colleges these days, actually.

I grew up in GA and my brother is a UGA grad living in Alabama. The family funny is his kids pull for Auburn when daddy isn't all over them!

Georgia Tech is another GA school with a healthy love of drinking. "I'm a ramblin' wreck from Georgia Tech and I drink my whiskey clear . . ." states their position on alcohol pretty well. I graduated Emory University, famous for its medical school and research, but Fraternity Row was the weekend destination and the SAE lion got a new coat of paint applied by drunken Emory Eagles. The KA southern gentlemen were resplendent in their Mint Julep service! We could care less about football, but our drinking was equal to anything the GT boys could offer . . .

I told my new love from Rocky Mount that I was president of Beta Sigma Upsilon and she melted in my arms. She was a freshman at East Carolina University impressed with frat activities and social life, but not obsessing over it. My honest streak had to tell her in about 20 minutes that my fraternity presidency was really the Baptist Student Union, of which I was president when Dr. Thomas J.J. Altizer did his "God Is Dead" stuff my 1967 senior year. Those Methodists were not amused!

It concerns me when what are supposed to be the brightest minds filled with dreams of an educated future lose so many brain cells to alcohol during the experience. After all, now they are "of age" and their parents set a pretty good example with their little booze parties all over the social South.

The best liberation at Emory was when the co-eds burned their bras. Lucky me, I had graduated a year before Women's Lib brought about such freedom. I must confess that Emory coeds tended to more brains than beauty with few exceptions, but darned if nice endowment does not go along with brains at Emory. I almost returned for graduate work in Theology! At the time I was matriculated to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. Now, talk about homely women and our 20 could make up for 200 at a school famous for homely coeds. . . We used to say that they were there because only God loved homely women (please forgive us naughty men studying to be preachers). We were just trying to practice honesty, though.

I worked on the Alcoholic Ward at Dorothea Dix State Hospital. Some 70 men were rotating through. The worst admissions were on Friday or Saturday. It seemed that a man smelling to high heaven with filth between 2 burly law enforcement officers always got brought in on the weekends.

One I particularly remember: His clothes were so filthy that the patients who cleaned him up had to burn them. For the entire week afterward his skin was peeling off because of the layers of filth that covered him. The other I remember was strapped down to the bed in the room across from the Nursing Station. He was raging and seeing things, as did most men suffering their DT's of withdrawal. I went in to check on him and assured him he was in the hospital and I was there to make sure he was OK. He was raging over getting his car filled with gas so he could get to SC and escape the cops chasing him. . .

The third time I went in he continued to rave over getting away. To I assure him, I filled him up with gas and wished him a safe journey to SC and that the cops didn't catch him before he got there! Believe it of not, he quit his raging at that point . . . If you can't rid them of their horrors, give them some comfort at the level and delusion they are in. He was happy to have his gas tank full!

Perhaps, the best course at any college nowadays would be one on Alcohol Abuse. It was fun for the college parties. It is a horror if you get addicted to alcohol.

The worst days were when weekend visits took place. Women with children in tow came in looking at least 10-20 years older than their actual age. Those kids all looked embarrassed and down trodden. Living with an alcoholic is a form of Hell. All the money was spent on booze. Daddy would sometimes be an abusive beater of his wife and children. Those who did not abuse were an embarrassment. Everyone in that town knew he was a stinking drunk.

Most colleges recognize their Valedictorian and other extra honors over language or science or high grades. They wear a special ornament of some kind in the line of grads.

Perhaps, colleges today should recognize excess drinking and the ability to hold your liquor with such an award. It could be a necklace of beer cans held together with a gold cord. The fifth of Jim Beam could be held in their hand for an extra touch. As they receive their diploma a drunk Dean of Students could shake their hand extra long with a big smile on his ruddy face. All the proud parents could rise and give a standing ovation. After all, they trained their student in proper drinking mixes and ribald partying.

Like the guy who was bragging on Monday about the weekend party at the frat house, he would likely say, "Man did I ever have a great time. I don't remember what I did, but I woke up in the SAE yard and it hadn't rained on me! Man what a weekend!

Commented: Wednesday, December 24th, 2014 @ 6:13 am By: Gene Scarborough

OK ~~~ so what do you say about Torture and why hasn't my article related to it run yet????

Commented: Tuesday, December 23rd, 2014 @ 7:12 am By: Gene Scarborough

This is a wise decision in my view. At the turn of the century ALL SC whites viewed African-Americans as sub-human. Even though he was of the same mind, his heart for the state was good and noble.

In fact, much of the stuff said was the same as my Granddaddy, a SC Democrat farmer in Pickens County which is upstate and near Clemson. Despite all the ugly and disrespectful words, he was the first to be there for his tenant who shot down his wife on a Saturday night in a drunken stupor.

Talk WAS cheap / actions were more noble / why change the name over 1 issue which has changed --- and Mr. Aycock could well the in the lead for honoring all NC citizens despite their race, creed, or color? Being PC is not always being honorable to an honorable public servant. . .

Commented: Monday, December 22nd, 2014 @ 2:16 pm By: Gene Scarborough

As H.L. Menken said, "Conservatives are my contemporary ancestors . . ." Take it as you please since I didn't say it, buddy . . .

Commented: Friday, December 19th, 2014 @ 6:42 pm By: Gene Scarborough

The only place more interesting is at Ashboro, NC --- in front of the monkey cages!

Here is a picture of the real problem with spending our taxpayer money on stuff that gives us nothing but hate and trouble in this world:

costsofwar.org

If it is not linked for you, just copy and paste it to your website engine. Every time I look, I want to cry and rage!

Giving TERM LIMITS is the only solution I see for Congressional stupidity = Old Will Rogers said, "Politicians, like diapers on a baby, need changing often---and for the same reason!"

Commented: Friday, December 19th, 2014 @ 10:43 am By: Gene Scarborough

WOW ~~~ the Conservative drive-bys spread the crap on Hagan for her family getting a government federal grant during the election ~~~ now the kettle is calling the pot black????

Let me make you aware of banking rules for NC vs. insurance rules. While any insurance company wanting to do business in NC MUST have prior approval from the NC Insurance Commissioner, Financial Institutions are another matter = NO CONTROL!

Some years ago our Attorney General, Roy Cooper, won a lawsuit against Countrywide for over-charging their customers for loans. As just ONE of those doing business with them I got a $7,000 check refund! That's quite a bit. It extended all across NC!

In the process I contacted the AG's office and was told Countrywide (out of California and now owned by Bank of America) did business in NC since 1986. Their guidelines --- by NC legislation --- allows banks to function UNTIL COMPLAINTS ARE SUBMITTED FOR AG REVIEW! My question was, "Who the heck knows what normal bank fees should be?????"

I contacted all the members of the NC Banking Committee which is composed of Legislators. I wrote each one concerning how I felt UNPROTECTED AS AN NC CITIZEN. Only one of the numerous legislators bothered to get back to me. In essence, the control over financial dealings is minimal while insurance is appropriate for proper citizen protection.

NOTHING HAS BEEN DO TO CHANGE A DARNED THING EITHER!!!

An WELL ~~~ I guess banks and financial services have wined and dined legislators more than insurance companies!

Here is the real picture: THEY of finance can overcharge US until caught---using our extorted money to fund the party. The same is true in Washington multiplied by a big factor!

Are we screwed over the LOVE OF MONEY or not????

Commented: Friday, December 19th, 2014 @ 10:24 am By: Gene Scarborough

I agree with Eric on Entitlements. As a matter of fact I was on the first Title XX Funds Committee in the Santee-Wateree District of SC. It covered the Florence / Sumpter / Bishopville / Camden area. WE had some millions of dollars allocated to us and this committee decided which proposals to fund.

I started the discussion by stating: "We are a blessed country and we care about helping people who really need help, HOWEVER, if we fund a program which makes someone want to take welfare for a minute more than necessary, we are making a bad mistake. That was 5 generations ago and we still have those insisting they deserve a free ride. Workfare is the term now used to describe a program requiring proof that jobs are being sought or some kind of education to be productive.

Personally, I fail to see why one red cent should be given unless the recipient works the same 40 hours I do to produce my income and pay my bills. Oops ~~~ I forgot we now have corporate and rich WEALTHFARE and a busted economy since Trickle Down theory is a bunch of bunk.

Stan ~~~ we both lived in the Vietnam War era. You came out a raving Conservative while I maintain the center of the spectrum on Liberal/Conservative. The media I observed at the time was neutral UNTIL the war raged on and on with no will to win and Nixon lying about his plans for peace to get elected. He had no better plan than LBJ who got us into it after JFK was about to get us out.

AND ~~~ what was it happened to Nixon? What will happen to Bush/Cheney as more on torture comes to us every day? We MUST either pardon or prosecute those who promoted this awful way to treat prisoners of war. Don't excuse it by calling those being tortured "terrorists." We have become the promoters of terror in prison camps. . .

See yesterday's news on Torture: www.dailykos.com

Commented: Wednesday, December 17th, 2014 @ 6:11 am By: Gene Scarborough

Is there an award for County Commissioners who KNOW our assessed property tax value is 30% higher than actual sales in the last 4 years ~~~ and don't give a rip????

Commented: Tuesday, December 16th, 2014 @ 10:07 am By: Gene Scarborough

A sheltered mind, Stan, only wants to maintain his sheltered view for fear someone on his team rats on those who lie, cheat, and steal.

John Dean was at the core of Watergate and did prison time for such. Afterward, he made a vow to tell it like it is during the first George Bush Administration.

Sadly, I am not impressed by one who refuses to give a read to anything which might bust his bubble of conservatism.

Commented: Saturday, December 13th, 2014 @ 5:08 pm By: Gene Scarborough

I think we 'fessed up to the Japanese disaster and it was a similar reaction to 9/11. It DID NOT involve torture inside our borders.

The torture took place in Japan and Germany~~~and was tried and punished clearly as we walked away from WWII without denying the justice given those who tortured.

This time around, it is US and we deserve to lose face in the world or deal with it on the same moral ground as that of WWII. Listen carefully to the way Senator McCain is not side tracked with the drone defense of total BS. He clearly cited the drone as similar to carpet bombing to let the German populace know they bombed London and other places and they get the same in return.

If the world gives our citizens and soldiers "the same" we are in the deepest do-do of our nation's history. It needs both exposure and charges against those who turned torture lose = CIA / Bush / Cheney / etc. NEVER turn your head on immorality of the slippery slope sucks you down to HELL.

Commented: Friday, December 12th, 2014 @ 8:50 pm By: Gene Scarborough