We need to take a stand!

Posted by Phil Ryker on June 24th, 2009 at 7:00am



I need to vent a bit! I try not to share my political views on our family site but I feel compelled to speak out about what I feel is happening to our great country! Many of you know how absolutely patriotic and loyal I am to the good ‘ole red, white and blue. I know it is sappy but God knows I love it so! I get all broken up when I hear that Lee Greenwood song “Proud to be an American". If I would have been born with the gift of better vision I would have been in the military and served our country with pride and honor, however, that was not my fate. I wish I could say I have made a lot of wise decisions and have always lived my life as a role model to others but that would also be a falsehood. I guess it took me a bit longer to mature than others. I found Christ in 2002 and since then I can say that I have tried to live me life according to his will. I falter now and then but so does everyone. I say all of this because I do not want anyone to think I am an elitist or so arrogant to believe that my opinion is the only right one. With that said I am very deeply concerned about the direction the country is headed.

As I grow older and wiser I see things differently. I find that I am able to slow down and really apply independent thought and common sense to what I see going on around me. I no longer allow the news and talking heads to help form my opinions for me. I can reason for myself in a more profound way and feel I can get a better understanding of the big picture. As I do look around me I become more and more frightened.

This is not a Democrat or Republican thing although I admit that as I grow older I have becoming increasingly more conservative in my views. It is my lifetime of experiences that have led me in this direction. During the last presidential election I voted for John McCain. Not because I felt he was a good choice but because I felt he was a better choice than Barack Obama. I am now shocked at how far we have tilted to the left in this country. I know a lot of people voted for Barack because he was a symbol of a new direction for the US. For the life of me I just cannot understand why people believe that having a **new direction** is more important than what that new direction is. Has everyone fell into the trap of believing the media? Do we have a general populous that is truly a group of straw men? Has straw really replaced brain matter? I say that tongue-in-cheek but I really do wonder sometimes.

If someone would have told me in 2000 that in nine years GM and the major banks would be run by the government and we would be on the brink of socialism I would have called you crazy! I would have told you that there would be no way that Americans would allow that to happen to this great country! Well, here we are, and the saddest part about it is that I really believe now it has only just begun. We are now going into summer with the POTUS promising that we will have a healthcare reform bill passed by the end of the year, no matter what! Again, it seems like we are pressing forward with change simply for change sake, not for the good of the country. Come on already! Stop the madness! We need to get a handle on the ramifications of the changes that have already been made first. We are spending money we do not have and dooming our kids to have to pay the high price for frivolous change.

I do want change in this country. I want the government out of our choices and decisions; I want government to shrink in size and as a result reduced taxes. I want the ideas of our founding fathers to be breathed back into this country! We, the people, should demand our country back from the clutches of the media, the liberal elite and the environmental wacko’s. The Republican Party is a mess and I do not see any real leadership present at this time. There are some shining stars but there light is being drowned out by the rest of the dark matter that exists in the Republican Party today. If there was ever a time for a third party to take a foot hold in this country the time is now! It needs to be a grass roots effort. It needs to come from us the people and it needs genuine leadership; men with strength of character, men with loyalty and a love for country stronger than the almighty dollar. The need has never been greater! I have never really been a third party kind of guy and have been votingd republican as most of the people I would want in office have been Republican. But something has to give!

I have a good friend who believes in the pendulum theory. He believes that the country swings back and fourth between democratic control and republican control. He believes the length of the swing has a lot to do with what the party before them did. I tend to agree to this theory but the swing to the left seems so severe this time that I believe terrible damage is being done that will be difficult to undo without serious action. Is that what it is going to take? Whatever is required I am willing to fight the good fight. I will not give up. I love this country entirely way too much to let it falter. I will vote in all local and national elections. I will make my voice heard as much as I can. I will try to mobilize my friends, co-workers and family. Whatever it takes, we must make a stand.



I will get down off of my soapbox now. I will leave everyone with a video by Thomas Paine. This guy is very good at communicating how I feel. Please listen to what he has to say. It really does matter.

- Phil

Mariano, Adrian & Lucia Visit!

Posted by Phil Ryker on June 14th, 2009 at 6:35pm

What a great weekend we had with Mariano and the kids. They arrived late wednesday night. Mariano took them to Hershey Park on both Thursday and Friday! They had a great time. They both brought home Hershey factory badges and some Hershey's kisses that they made in the factory.

We celebrated Adrian's Birthday on Friday evening. Natalia, Juan and Sy'ees came over to enjoy the party as well. We were so suprised how quickly Juan and Sy'ees have grown! We had cake and ice cream. It was very good! Check out the pictures by clicking here.

We had an enjoyable weekend Saturday and Sunday. We cooked on the grill and watched some movies. We even played some trivia on TV that was a lot of fun. We really did miss Rachael a lot and wish she could of come along. Hopefully we will see all of them together very soon!

-Phil

Chris Graduates High School! WoooHooo!!

Posted by Phil Ryker on June 2nd, 2009 at 7:50pm

Drum roll please... Yes, Chris has made it! Despite all of my nagging and what he calls "bothering" him Chris has completed his high school life and now moves on to become a man. I am so very proud of him. More so than anyone can understand. He has become a strong, intelligent, thoughtful man. He now moves on to the next segment of his life. Chris, your Mom and I love you very much and are very proud of your accomplishment. I would also like to simply say thank you. It really does not need any further explanation other than that. Thank you.

Chris will now focus on training for the Marines. We still have challenges ahead but I am sure we can get through anything. Congratulations Chris! You can check out pictures of Chris's graduation on our gallery.

-Phil