Since they graduated in 1978, the QCA Class of 78 have gone to several places and fields of work. The members of Batch 78 are now mature individuals and have grown not only in size but also in experience and wisdom. If you can only hear their conversations, you can readily notice how “deep” their thoughts are.
We hope this page will encourage the Batch to shout to the world our views on various important issues that have been cropping up recently. Let’s start by sharing our comments on the video clip below:
…..
I already stated my support for John McCain and Sarah Palin in our QCA Yahoo group. They are already experienced and tested to lead the United States of America in the next four years which will probably be the worst economic times ever for the country since the 1930′s depression. Barack Obama may be eloquent and smart, but I don’t believe he has the capabilities to lead this country and the world during the critical times. Even his running mate, Joe Biden has sounded this off last week, when he said that Obama’s mettle will be tested during the first six months of his term if ever he gets elected. Why gamble with Barack when you have a reliable and tested leaders like John McCain and Sarah Palin?
One more thing, John McCain, George Bush and the Republicans should not be blamed for this economic mess because the Democrats were also part of the mess when they dominated the House and Senate and they did not do anything about it? The two wars that the US are currently engaged in are just retaliation to the terrorist acts during 9-11 and US was not expected to just keep quiet and accept this heinous act of terrorism against the Americans in their own land. Barack Obama has been flip-flopping on his stand on the war, but not John McCain and Sarah Palin whose sons are in Iraq helping the troops win this war. Vote McCain and Palin!
It’s December 24th, 2008…
It will take some time for me to accept the fact that “Barry” is indeed the U.S. President, but I hope he makes measures to win the hearts and minds of those who did not vote for him. I had a wonderful exchange of opinions with my nephew=in=love, (who is also an atty and a detective), agreeing to disagree on salient points, on why he voted for Barry.
Barak BTW says that he hates that moniker…maybe it reminds him of his college days- have you seen some of his pic’s during the late 70′s and early 80′s at Occidental College? Kinda nice. I am still wondering why no one can find out anything about him during his college years? Not even a transcript(s) from the universities he attended…Is there something that he is trying to hide? All his information are sealed.
When I asked my nephew what he thinks when Ahmadenijad (sp)congratulated Barry the following day after winning the US election, he says that it was great!? This congratulatory remark is from someone who wants to wipe out an entire civilization/people off the face of the world! It is sad but it is also true: when a group of people uses their own beliefs in such a radical, literal fundamentalist way, they lose their respect for other individuals. We all know what happened to the giant Buddha in Afghanistan…granted that we are not idol worshipers or Buddhists then Ahmadenijad or other radical Muslims should not have destroyed living, concrete proofs of his very own Persian culture as well. There were hundreds of historical and ancient artifacts that were villified, destroyed, obliterated or left to tiny smithereens since the Muslim fundamentalists began their reign in Iran.
Anyway, I for one, on another note still support Pro Life members…I don’t think I can dissect a live, breathing baby~(there are partial and full term abortions here in the U.S., mind you)… and then proceed to vacuum its parts out of a woman’s womb…(this is one of the platforms of my girl, Sarah Palin…)
I know for a fact that as a member of a greater body of people, that being a Christian, (whether Roman Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Pentecostal) we have the moral responsibility to be on our knees and ask the Lord and His Holy Spirit to guide and protect us during these troubling, anxiety-laden, vexing times. I don’t want to be anxious about anything, but our political-social, economic climate here in the U.S. and abroad prompts me to pray. It’s amazing but true, whatever the Holy Word is claiming to happen is actually happening. Case in point: China will be the next industrial, super power…
Thank you Batch ’78 for your time…thank you for stopping by!
For your consideration, the following is a letter of opinion I send in to a local newspaper, expressing my thoughts in regards to this year’s election.
- – - – - – - – - – - –
Sept 29, 2008 CAMPAIGN 2008
What we’re witnessing may prove to be a watershed moment in political history, as dramatic as the 1986 People’s Revolution in the Philippines that overthrew a 20 yr dictatorship or the fall of the Berlin Wall. Barack Obama’s campaign for the presidency is a realization of Dr. King’s, “I have a dream…” speech – but it is more than just appointing him to the highest office in the land, I have a sense that it goes beyond that. I feel a deep malaise in Americans, a tidal wave, a tsunami, if you will, of discontent among the people. It is the collective voice of a people oppressed and weary of this administration’s misdeeds and mistakes, incompetence and underhandedness.
The opponents to Obama try to appeal to my senses by saying that he’s not experienced enough to lead and that we should vote on the issues, not emotion. Excuse me, I say? The last election of 2004 was rife with bombast and rhetoric: the Republican party gave us Swiftboat falsehoods and Orange alerts as fake as a Gucci handbag sold out of a car trunk. Many of us metamorphosed into Chicken Little, cowering in the voting booth as our hand, shaky with fear, pulled the lever to give us four more years of Bush. And now they’re trying to employ logic? Ha, you’re a day late and 740 billion dollars short. Perhaps I am not alone in somehow finding that somewhat disrespectful, if that is how they view Americans, as a flock sheep to be herded one way or the other.
Perhaps Steinbeck stated it best: “In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage.”
Manuel Zagala
American Canyon, CA
sapient5@yahoo.com
Thanks Manuel for sharing your view about the recent US elections. Too bad, you have joined our yahoo group a little bit late. The discussion was dominated by Republicans like me
. I guess by the tone of your comment, you are a Democrat. Not surprising because California, like Michigan, overwhelming voted for Obama during the last presidential elections.
I have already shared my comments about the election and lots of it. I am disappointed about the results but we have to abide by the decision of the majority. My only consolation, and I believe the rest of the those who voted for McCain and Palin, the Republicans gave Obama a good fight, inspite of the overwhelming campaign resources of the Democrats, the media bias heavily favoring Obama and the bad economy. The sad part of it is that the election result showed a country divided (55% vs 48%), but looking at the history of the United States of America, its citizens always uphold the democratic rule and will end up united and stronger each time.
We just hope that Obama and Biden will be strong and rational enough to handle these seemingly unsurmountable problems with the help of their newly appointed Cabinet members. My only comment about his Cabinet members is they don’t seem to represent the change that Obama, Biden and the Democrats promised during the campaign because they are mostly the same old politicians that Clintons had during his administration. I still remember Obama bashing Hillary about Clinton’s administration during the Democratic primaries. So where is the change??? Also, Obama appointed current Defense Secretary Robert Gates under the Bush administration, and this is same person handling the Iraq war which Obama heavily criticized during the campaign.
Anyway, it’s too early to judge how the Obama administration will perform, but I am already worried about how he is going to handle the Israel attack in Gaza, not to mention the current controversy involving Ilinois Governor Blago which has not been resolved until now. Hopefully, everything will be cleared before he takes the oath of office later this month. I still wish him and his administration the best, because we will still be part of this mess, whether we like it not, right?
Cheers to Batch 78!!!!
These my friends, comrades and colleagues are my personal take on this matter; please excuse the random thoughts…inadequate sleep has a way of affecting my circadian rhythm:
I am enthused by your comments and insights Manuel. The U.S. as a whole is not really a democracy, it is a republic. Because of the establishment of the electoral college, Bush is the rightful winner. Should the constitution be changed to reflect the current challenges, issues, problems and needs of our times? What would have transpired if Gore or the other Flip-flopper became the president and 9-11 happened?
Do we need another Pearl Harbor attack on our shores, to mobilize our citizenry and our nation? If the U.S. can be attacked, any country in this world can be attacked from within and without. With Obama as President, maybe we should be terrorized/attacked and maybe he can use his “dialogue”…Do you want another attack as our grandchildren are in school or day care? Or should we say, “As long as it is far from us, we won’t care and let the attack proceed?” Let’s think about what we think and say. The good book says: “The power of life and death is in the tongue.”
Unfortunately we don’t have a crystal ball. It’s human nature not to look at the history of its peoples because most of us deem it is boring and inconsequential.
California as a whole is rife and filled to the brim with not just liberal, left wing citizens but from what I have experienced in my almost 30 years of residence here, they are a bunch of complaining, whiny, ungrateful individuals-(I am not asking you to wear the shoe where it may fit…no, not at all…)I personally ache for those of us, who have personal stakes here. My best friend is there right now making sure Israel does not get nuked and he is expecting to come home to this “grateful” nation being branded as a baby killer, etc…Many complain but few are willing to count up the cost and serve the U.S., which I believe to be the best country in the world!
Obama Bin Biden (pun) definitely does not have experience especially when it comes to foreign affairs.
Can anyone look at his college records in the late seventies, early 80′s? are they sealed for some reason? May I use Madam Clinton’s rhetoric here? Is there a left-wing conspiracy to hide facts about his past?
I expect Obama to have a sterling almost impeccable character. I hope and pray he does better than Clinton (the liar should have been fired!)The economy during Clinton was great, but he made a mess in Rwanda and made a quagmire out of Bosnia; among other things, Clinton was tipped about Bin Laden when he was in power, but he didn’t do anything…And, well, er, isn’t there something to be said about fidelity, virtue and the pursuit of excellence in one’s reputation? Let’s overlook one’s character, as long as the economy is great…hmnnn, what do you think?
BTW, Obama says “we need to have dialogues”…One can never employ dialogue with evil people~for those of us who have seen evil, tasted it and felt it, evil does exist…You are aware that President Ahmadenijad was one of the very first people to congratulate Obama after his election right? Is the old adage, “Birds of a feather, flock together?” “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are” applicable here? Yet he says he is a Christian…with Jeremiah Wright as his pastor?
Well, wait a minute, I thought he is going to preserve the sovereignty of Israel in the Middle East (Yup, a majority of American Jews are Democrats, too…now on which side is he on? Another case of flip-floppin’-hot-on-the-pan- scenario?) You can’t have two masters and please everyone.
With Obama at the helm, expect all our service women to engage in full combat…this has been expressed by Obama himself.
Bush is not to blame for everything…I would read more and logically employ my observations, and say, probably, “Cheney is.”
I don’t even think that the Democrats or the Republicans should be blamed here with unrelenting, dogged pursuit …I believe we should all band together, united as a country, (will it ever happen in our lifetime? will it ever happen again?) because we are now being infiltrated inside and out by radical, Muslim fundamentalists~there are sleeper cells here in my own little town, we even have two mosques within walking distance!
When a grieving nation needs to heal, we need to stop blaming people. I even use this in psychotherapeutic processes with clients in the past and it’s very effective (less alcoholism, less addictions…blah, blah.)
In this great land of checks and balances, I thank God that we can comment on our politicians, congressmen, senators, criticize them to the hilt and not be bothered with jail or torture time in comparison to places like China and other intolerant, theocratic regimes like Iran, Indonesia etc.
One more “Democratic” scenario: We are inundated with irresponsible people who can not take care of their own offspring and it makes excellent rhetoric for abortion…I can logically accept that. At the same time, will you be willing to dissect a 6 month old fetus in utero (full-term abortion) and vacuum out its parts? What answers do you have on that?
One of the many flagships of the Democratic party is the right to have homosexual marriages. This clearly reminds me of the demise of the Roman Empire and other civilizations in the past. When the family, the nucleus of a society is undermined, it paves way for other perverse unions…If it is passed, I won’t be surprised when anyone can marry anything for that matter in the future.
I used to think that there is too much freedom in America. NOw, I feel that I know better. We have failed as a nation of free-thinking individuals to employ proper boundaries.
Oh,my, by the way, is it ok to poke fun at Obama? Or our mouths now muzzled because Obama is now the president? Am I going to be branded and sealed as a “racist?”
I am determined to serve veterans, whom I call Patriots, at the Vet hospital, especially those who are now suffering from PTSD; it would be an honor to help them overcome it. I would be able to use some of the training I acquired in Graduate School~instead of me bitching at a bunch of rags and throwing them in the fiery furnace of life, I opt to fashion a colorful quilt out of it. We live in a land of options and choices… Will you choose to do your part, Manuel?
I am HONORED, thankful and proud, actually, to have you and Patricia on board..who would have thought that after 30 years we would be engaging in one of the most zesty, fired-up, passionate rhetoric, mental volley and political jousting this great high school can ever concoct? QCA 1978 ROCKS!!!
Hey Manuel, we haven’t forgotten what Rosario, “TemmY” and I have done for you…we allowed you to copy from our Pilipino final exams…(that was a feat!)hey, show us a smile and take a swig from your Corona! Cheers!
Hey Grace, in response to your latest post… Wow, that plate sure is full.
Given the proper amount of time, I’d love to counterpoint all the issues on the table, but time remains, as it does for all of us, the most precious commodity of all, so I’ll try to be brief.
Republicans fought for my right to own a gun and Democrats fought for my right to burn a flag, neither of which I’d felt the necessity to execute, but I warms my heart that both rights are protected by the constitution. I find it baneful to pigeonhole or generalize people into this category or that category, but if I must, I’d label myself as a middle-of-the-road Democrat.
Our oldest son worked a tour in the USAF and my youngest brother is currently serving with the US Army in Afghanistan. I find it difficult to understand why the VA finds it necessary to close nearby VA hospitals, but the DoD can award an $800 million contract to Blackwater Security, where mercenaries can earn $10k a month, while the standard monthly salary for a Marine Corporal stands at $14 a year (equivalent to the annual salary of the your local theater usher).
My bone of contention is not with the Republican party , but with the “faux” Republican, those Neo Cons who, in my opinion, got us into this whole mess. I believe in the two party system, in checks and balances, and I believe that Dems need as much house cleaning as anybody else.
More to come…
and many thanks for the answers in Pilipino!
go, go, codigo!
Manuel Zagala