Guest Commentary | Seasonal change and golden window of freedom

"Life begins when the last child leaves home and the dog dies."

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by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

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Glenn Mollette

There aren’t that many seasons of freedom in life. If you are in one, enjoy the season.

When you are a child, you do as your parents say and go where they allow you to go. You are also tied to many, many years of school. You are free, free to go to school, study most of the time and do as your parents say. This season passes quicker than a person can imagine at the time. I remember being a freshman in high school and thinking that four years would take forever. I felt the same way about college, but the years rolled by quickly.

When we graduate from high school or college we breathe a sigh of relief momentarily and think, “Thank God we are free.” Yes, we are free. Free to go to work. Free to marry. Free to have children. But wait, how much freedom is there when we are working and providing for a family and taking care of babies? We are free, but with many responsibilities

A man once asked a Rabbi, a Priest and a Baptist minister this question, “When does life begin?” The Rabbi, said he believed life began at conception, the Priest said he believed life began at birth. The Baptist minister said, “Life begins when the last child leaves home and the dog dies.”

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A friend of mine said the great thing about retirement was that he could do whatever he wanted to do. The problem was that he couldn’t afford to do much.

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Maybe you felt more freedom after your children were raised and were on their own. Unfortunately, some people never ever see their children totally raised as many stay dependent on the parent until the parent dies.

Let’s say that your adult children are doing well and taking care of their kids. This is hopeful as too many grandparents end up raising their grandchildren.

Your retirement years are now staring you in the face. You may be 45 to 55 years old. Th word retirement is a bit scary because you are thinking, “How is this financially possible?” It’s taking a fortune to retire. Thus, between the ages of 45 and 65 you are working hard to try to invest in a 401k, pay into Social Security and any other savings plan that you can.

Try to start doing this in your very early twenties and it will alleviate a lot of pressure in your late fifties. Back again to your freedom. How much freedom do you have in this stage of life? You may take a vacation or two. Play some golf on the weekend, fish or pursue other hobbies but your life is very regimented.

The day comes when you decide to retire. You retire. Now what?. A friend of mine said the great thing about retirement was that he could do whatever he wanted to do. The problem was that he couldn’t afford to do much. Another friend once said when he retired, “I have all the money I need for the rest of my life, unless I buy something.”

Retirement is not necessarily the golden window of freedom. Maybe for a while, but things happen.

Your spouse may become sick and even debilitated. This changes the scenario. You may become a caregiver to your mother or father. They have no one else but you, so what are you going to do? Just dump them? An elderly parent may become like your child. You may be responsible for their total care. This could be the same for a spouse or even a child or other family members. In most cases this almost completely closes the window of doing much for yourself. Vacations and recreational outings of almost any kind become nearly impossible. Of course, any of us can become sick and debilitated at any moment.

The point of all this is not to make anyone feel bad. The point is, don’t take anything for granted. Enjoy everything. Enjoy your day trips, any outings and any vacations. Enjoy your day going to Walmart. Enjoy going to church. Enjoy it all, because seasons change. There is a time to weep and a time to dance. A time to mourn and a time to laugh. Enjoy it all, because seasons change.

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About the author ~

Glen Mollett is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.

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TAGS: Raising grandchildren, when you retire you can do whatever you want, as a freshman you think four years will take forever to pass, when does life begin?, enjoy your day shopping at Walmart.

Commentary |Are they paid protesters? So what?

by Cab Ivanovich

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An astonishing number of Trump supporters took the dangling video bait and swallowed it hook, line, and sinker.

After last weekend's Hands Off! protests across the country, TikTok creator @redsaidblue posted a satirical video, sprinkled with subtle digs at popular MAGA stereotypes, in which she claimed to be attending the protest as a paid participant. In the video, she described what she could and couldn’t wear, who her point of contact was, and that she would receive a bonus for bringing a sign.

"I got paid $100 for going to the protest, and I got an extra $10 for bringing the sign," she confesses to viewers in character as a Trump supporter going over to the other side to make a few bucks. "Overall, it was a pretty good experience. The people were pretty nice."

A MAGA supporter on X (formerly Twitter) with over 200,000 followers, "@TheEXECUTlONER_", posted the performance to his account and encouraged other Trump supporters to share it. The buffoonery sailed by unchecked by rational thought or rudimentary critical thinking.

There were 1,400 Hands Off! demonstrations across the country on Saturday. The majority drew well over 1,000 participants. Conservatively, someone or some entity would have spent around $140 million (before signs). The kicker: an estimated 3 million people took part in the nationwide protests. If all the marchers were punching the proverbial clock, someone would have spent $300 million—which might have been a boon to the economy after the stock market experienced its steepest plunge since COVID, during Trump’s first term.

While @redsaidblue wasn’t actually paid to protest—it's not clear if she even attended one—the blue-check MAGA user is making bank. As of this story, the video had been shared by 24,000 other accounts on the social media platform. While the young woman wasn’t actually paid for the protest, the account that posted her video is cleaning up, having collected 47,000 likes and over 3,000 comments so far.

Meanwhile, the creator began receiving negative backlash from liberals for posting the video, which she eventually took down. She is now attempting to remove copies from the internet. Supporters from the left were enraged, claiming her video added fuel to the political fire by implying extreme right conservatives aren’t smart enough to recognize when they’re being punked.

@redsaidblue

SATIRE - regrettable.

♬ original sound - Red Said

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It appears her critics were right. The video—or screenshots with text excerpts from it—is circulating on conservative social media channels as supposed proof that liberal protesters are social justice mercenaries, reinforcing the narrative that liberals only protest against the Trump administration because they are paid.

Redsaidblue posted a follow-up video to her TikTok account yesterday, apologizing to fellow liberals for harming their movement.

"I truly thought it was so obvious that it was a joke. I thought that if anyone did take it seriously, if they shared it with someone else, the next person would be like, "Bro, that's satire".

Do paid protesters actually exist? They don't, according to an article from USA Today.

"Time after time, claims of "paid protesters" have been debunked, sometimes by the very people who made them in the first place," according to an article by John R. Roby.

Leo Gertner wrote a piece for The Washington Post entitled, "So what if protesters are paid?"

Gertner wrote, "So the next time someone tries to discredit a movement by insinuating that some of the people on the ground are being compensated, ask the all-important question: So what?"

What's the old saying? Freedom isn't free.

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Commentary | Be careful walking after dark, the police may be scary

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

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Recently, I was taking a late night walk in Owenton, Kentucky. Owenton is a little town of maybe six hundred people in rural north central Kentucky. I had just finished watching the sad Biden-Trump debate and decided that a walk and some ice cream sounded good.

I walked to our local convenience store which is about a half mile from where I was staying in Owenton. It was a beautiful summer night and I only saw two cars on the road in route to the store. I bought an ice cream bar and had it eaten within twenty steps of the store when the only car I saw on the way home pulled up beside me and someone asked, “Sir, are you alright?”

It was the local city police. I responded, “Yes sir, I’m doing fine.”

He asked, “Would you like a ride home?” To which I replied, “No sir, I’m just out for a walk.”

He then asked, “Have you been drinking?”

I replied, “No sir, just been eating a Snicker’s Ice Cream Bar.”

He continued, “Are you sure?”

“Yes sir, I’m sure.”

He then asked, “Where are you going?” I told him the street which was only about five more minutes of walking time.

I thought all was well as he and another policeman drove off but they made a U-turn and pulled right back up in front of me. The cop got out of the car and told me he wanted to do a breathalyzer test.

I’ve never had one in my life. I agreed to it. He was right in the middle of the street. I walked out to meet him and he told me to blow into the straw. I complied. He shook his head because, of course, the test was negative.

The officer told me his name and I responded by telling him mine and we shook hands. He told me to be safe walking home. He then wanted to know exactly where I lived and I gave him the street name and house number.

As I walked up the street and neared home, I looked up. Once again, he and the other officer passed by. I suppose they were checking to see if I went where I said I was going.

This was really dramatic and over the top. I was simply taking a walk.

I wasn’t falling into the street or staggering from one side to the other. I was walking. He had no cause to stop and embarrass me but called me out into the middle of the street for a breathalyzer. Fortunately, not one car drove by while he was doing that. It’s a small town and no one was out at 11:10 at night.

Almost no one gets out and walks in this town. If anybody has to go to the local convenience store, they drive their car even it’s just a block or two. Thus, maybe the police thought if someone was out walking then surely the person had to be up to no good or intoxicated.

I’m, very supportive of the police. I’m appreciative of all who work to keep us safe. We need good police officers protecting us. However, this was ridiculous.

Don’t harass people just because you are bored and have nothing else to do.

I feel sorry for the many people in this nation who have been racially profiled for years. They are often pulled over because they are Black or a different nationality. Sometimes people are pulled over if they are driving a red sports car or if they are someone who is an “outsider.”

Often small towns can be very cliquish. If they don’t know who you are or if you are not “one” of the community residents then you are immediately profiled as an outsider and outsiders are often disliked, shunned or just treated badly.

Freedom to move about the country is a wonderful privilege. Let us be appreciative of our freedom this fourth of July week.

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He is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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How much are life and freedom worth?

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

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Most of us have wondered about life beyond the grave. Many today are in search of life before the grave. Given what many people traditionally believe about heaven, eternity and life beyond, it would certainly seem very valuable to think about a life beyond. However, what about life here?

The Ukrainian people wake up every day to fight, survive or hide another day. They fight for life and freedom. Why? Life and freedom are worth something.

How much are life and freedom worth? What does it mean to you to hug your spouse or loved one? How much do you enjoy laughing with family, friends or at a funny tv show? How good does it feel to do something you enjoy? Cooking a meal, music, reading, your faith assembly, grandkids or enjoying a sunny or rainy day. Life is living and enjoying our living.

God didn’t make us to be miserable. We make ourselves miserable. Sickness makes us miserable. Addictions destroy us and others. Death of the people we love zaps us and creates major voids in our lives. Yet, life can only be lived forward and often this is where we get stuck.

Too often we put our cars in park and start watching the world go by us. We look in the rear view mirror. Life is whizzing by and we can’t seem to get our foot back on the accelerator to start moving again. This becomes a very stagnate and unhappy way to live. Actually, it’s not a life at all.

Living before you die must have some routine. Go to work. Go someplace. Do something. It doesn’t have to be exotic or glorious. Often routine is the same thing every day. There is some peace in routine. When our routine and entire lives are shaken, like what is happening in Ukraine, then every minute is about surviving another day.

Survival mode for you may be doctor’s visits. Making a plan for the next five years or year of your life. Reconnecting to some family or a friend or two. Making peace with the past and embracing today.

The keyword for life is hope.

Peace is another keyword but peace doesn’t exist without hope. If we have hope we can look forward to life. We hope we have enough health. We hope we have enough money. The people of Ukraine have hope they can overcome Russia. This keeps many of them going. Many have fled the country in search of hope.

Find the hope you need to embrace the rest of your life. Hope in family, friends, hobbies and much more is good. Just be very aware, even they may disappoint you. Mainly, find hope in you.

God didn’t make junk. Too often, life, events, mistakes, and sometimes even people we are close to make it difficult for us to see our worth and it tarnishes our spirit.

Hope is an inside job that starts now.

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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of Grandpa's Store, American Issues, and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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To the editor: True Americans unite to vanquish the fourth reich or be forever enslaved!

To the editor,

Throughout history, hundreds of thousands of the greatest Americans ever have been willing to fight and die to secure and preserve the freedoms, rights, and privileges they bestowed upon our succeeding generations in this country.

Now, we are witnessing thousands of Fourth Reich disciples who are willing to kill hundreds of thousands of Americans to destroy that inheritance and our country in the worship of someone who emulates Adolph Hitler, Joseph Goebbels, and Jim Jones.

It has always been and will always be harder and take longer to create and build a civilized, unified society through a shared belief in mankind’s highest ideals and potential, than to internally subvert those goals through destruction and death through division, merely to usurp power from the good citizens who have failed to defeat those who employ propaganda, misinformation, and lies, the foundations of the traitors in their treason to destroy any power great enough to oppose the subjugation of everyone to their evil plot.

Through the masterful use of the power of projection, the Fourth Reich misleads their followers by accusing their opponents of what they themselves are actually doing to magically distract their followers from realizing the truth. ABTT! (Anything But The Truth!) is the gospel to which they must adhere religiously to prevent the end of their masquerade and reign of terror.

Failure to recognize the Fourth Reich masquerading behind the once proud and honorable Republican Party name will soon lead to our country’s inevitable end as is their ultimate goal.

~ John Kenneth Young
St. Joseph

ViewPoint | Masks and inconvenient freedom

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

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Like most everyone else, I’m tired of wearing a mask.

Every time I go to the grocery, a restaurant, church, or work I have to put on a mask. Not long ago, if we wore a mask into a bank or convenience store, the attendants would be alarmed and call 911. Today, if we don’t wear one, we are in trouble and not welcomed.

A lot of people have died from Covid-19 and thus I understand masks are important in this pandemic era. I don’t want a disease. I have had two Pfizer shots and I wear a mask most every place I go.

Is it our American, God given right to take off our masks?

While we are free to take off our masks, others are free to ask us to put them on. The business owner has the freedom to require a mask. The airlines have the freedom to require masks. The religious assembly has the freedom to require you to wear a mask. People with whom you socialize may ask that you wear a mask. Of course, you are free to not patronize those businesses, forsake religious assembly and not hang out with certain people.

You are free to go maskless if you want to. However, you aren’t free to be in someone else’s face without a mask if they don’t want you there without one.

There are many places where you aren’t allowed to smoke. There are some businesses that will not allow your pet. They have the freedom to refuse you service and you have the freedom to go somewhere else. This is America.

We’ve all been to the funeral home around sick people. A dear friend of mine eulogized a funeral in late November. Two people were in attendance who had Covid-19. He caught the virus and was dead by mid-December.

He spent his last two weeks of life isolated in intensive care. He meant well in trying to help out a family in their time of grief. It cost him his life. He had been very active and healthy.

I’ve spoken in churches and to groups where people would come up and shake my hand and then say, "Well, I’ve been sick, but I came anyway". They acted like they should have received a trophy for coming and contaminating everyone. In reality, their actions were inconsiderate of everyone else’s health.

State governments may remove mask mandates. However, keep in mind that business owners still have the right to require masks. Churches still have the right to require masks. You don’t have to let anyone in your home without a mask if you choose.

We have freedom in America to make choices - all of us.

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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of American Issues, Every American Has An Opinion and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of The Sentinel. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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The heart will take you places

By Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

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Typically, the heart leads us and keeps us in various places throughout life.

Most of the time people marry because at that moment that's where their hearts have led them to be. For better or worse many people stay in marriages most of their lives because they have given their heart to their spouse.

We sometimes pursue careers because we have a heart for the vocation. There is something about the vocation that inspires and motivates us. Because our heart is in the work, we stay with the occupation. Success is more likely to occur where the heart is centered.

We become very competent with our hobbies because we love them so much. We enjoy musical instruments, baking, sewing, wood work, painting, fishing, sports and whatever your hobby might be. People are often ready to retire from their jobs because they have hobbies, they love more.

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We love our freedom in America. Freedom to try. Freedom to fail. Freedom to try again.

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The major emphasis of the greatest commandment is to love God with our hearts. Jesus knew no one would have any commitment to God without the full commitment of the heart.

The heart will take you places and keep you places where the mind would never consider. Too often what the mind will not consider the heart will not give up or waver from.

We often forget about the mind. Jesus told us to love God with our minds. Reason, commonsense, inquiry, thinking and education are all important. Sometimes the heart may cause us to be blind. We may love blindly. Stay with negative relationships that are destructive. Hang on to a job or career pursuit that ends up being negative, a dead end and a waste of time.

We have to involve our minds in our lives. Life cannot be lived merely by the heart. Heart will keep you someplace a long time. However, your mind will help you to decipher whether it's the right thing to do.

Americans are at the polls voting. Love for the country, ideas, political parties and candidates have Americans voting in masses.

While you may love the Democratic party or the Republican party or either candidate hopefully you are considering all the reasons why you are voting.

What do you want for America? Good paying jobs? More Government involvement in your life? The removal of guns from society? The freedom to have guns? Less police security? More police security?

More taxes? Less taxes? More jobs coming back to America? More jobs going back to China? Health care that pays for nothing? A better health care for every American? What about our freedom? Freedom of speech?

We love our freedom in America. Freedom to try. Freedom to fail. Freedom to try again. Freedom to succeed. Freedom to pursue owning a house, car and living an independent life. Maybe, you feel that every American should have the same, be the same and that the Government should take care of all us equally?

This election, think about it. Think about what you want for you and your grandchildren. Let your heart drive you to vote but put your mind into your voting.

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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of American Issues, Every American Has An Opinion and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of PhotoNews Media. We welcome comments and views from our readers.

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