And awaaaaay we go

I'd like to let loose my voice in a more public forum--one that is simply my opinion and not necessarily those of the U.S. Navy (I am a Sailor in the Navy Reserve) where I have proudly served as a photojournalist for nearly fifteen years now (and counting).

What would you, the reader, expect to see here on this site? Lots.

So where to begin? First off, I see myself as an outspoken social commentator. Unlike the majority of servicemembers serving in our Armed Forces, I consider myself a liberal-minded democrat whose opinions, at times, rival the liberalism of Senator Edward Kennedy. You see, I don't see 'liberalism' being the dirty word for which so many would like to paint it to be. I see liberalism, especially socially, as a means of rectifying the social ills that I see plaguing our nation... and yeah, our world.

I suppose on a more personal level I am rather conservative in how I lead my life. Gee, a social liberal and a fiscal conservative mix. What will they think of next?

I pay my bills. I like to treat others as I wish to be treated. I volunteer when and where I can; I laugh; I put my pants on one leg at a time; and believe that people, for the most part, want the best for everybody else--and especially want to leave things better for our children.

So in one aspect, as I write these logs, I expect to foster discussion; I hope to provoke thought; and I will share my thoughts on so many wide-ranging topics...You might see me discussing foreign policy in one breath and how great the new "Star Trek" movie is in the next (really, it is!).

You can expect to read about politics, religion, how I feel media is leading people through manipulation (some ways good, some not so much)...You can expect reading about commercialism, gun ownership rights, literature, the arts, crime (and punishment), capitalism, people's lib (do they still call it that?), animal rights, consumer rights, children's rights, environmentalism, global warming, parental rights, space exploration, education, gay rights, music (yeah!!!), hypocrisy... and countless other topics.

One thing I hope not to do is to demonize those with whom I vehemently disagree--and believe me, there are plenty. I see that as a major problem today. Instead of talking, working to bridge differences, I see people lining up, taking sides and refusing to work rather than moving towards a common goal--that of making for a better life for everyone.

So, one thing I hope we can all agree upon from the onset is that sometimes we will not agree, BUT we will be civil... and we will be respectful of all opinions.

I will post ground rules for discussion later on... hey! this is my first posting and I will learn more about this as I go along.

So might you ask if I am an expert on all of the topics I listed above?

Oh hell no, but like you I do have opinions. This blog will be a journey for me to travel upon-- and I invite you to come along for the ride. Who knows where it will lead, but I hope to have some thought-provoking conversations down the pike.

As the Dave Matthews song says... "so much to say, so much to say..."