The definition of a slippery slope is an idea or course of action, that will lead to something unacceptable wrong, or disastrous. Politically, we have many possible examples of fads that have backfired. A fad is an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that is short-lived and without basis in the object’s qualities; a craze.  For example, here are a few fads that have not turned out well, that have caused individuals, families, organizations, and our nation to tumble down slopes as we attempt to navigate our way on the difficult terrain of slippery ice. 

1. Transgender fad:

2. Ending the construction of the border wall. The open, porous border has allowed sex trafficking, floods of drugs (killing thousands of Americans), cartel activity, terrorist presence, and gangs.

3. Sanctuary cities: The idea sounded so noble, but living with the reality of providing sanctuary to the hordes who have invaded our land illegally has shown that the idea is unsustainable.

4. No cash bail, release of recidivist criminals. Defunding police.

5. Not prosecuting minor crimes, forbidding the pursuit of criminals.

6. Not dealing with mob violence, riots, and destruction of property, Black Lives Matter and Antifa were given a pass.

7. War on fossil fuel in America. That cost us energy independence.

8. Electric car fad: These cars are too expensive,  unreliable, and there is a power supply problem.

9. Hatred and persecution of President Trump. Blind support of Biden. There’s lots of buyer’s remorse for voting for Biden. Why was there so much hatred for Trump? I know why the rich, liberal elite hated and feared him: he exposed their corruption and threatened their power. The average Trump hater’s reasons?

10. Believing more or free money is the answer to all ills.

11. The hysterical fad of climate change.

12. The anti-Israel fad. I never thought I’d see Holocaust deniers in academia.

These fads have consequences. There is a cause and effect. It is obvious that many of our major cities–due to fleeing businesses, out-of-control crime, fleeing residents, massive homeless populations, and declining tourist trade–are becoming slum dystopias. While the idea of a slippery slope can be used as a fallacy, slippery slopes do exist and our nation is on one. Get ready for a rocky, roller coaster ride.

A year or two ago, I was bell ringing for Rotary for the Salvation Army, which has done such a fine work for so many years. In my two-hour bell ringing shift, this song came to me. I finished editing it last week. I hope you like it.

For many years, I have made presentations at the Union Parish Library and to the schools in Union Parish that the library works with. Stephanie Antley Herrmann is one of the hardest working librarians I’ve ever known. When I shared with her a little about the western novel I’m working on, she shared Billy  Barham’s exceptional program  she has sponsored about the Kiowa Indians (who play a part in my novel).

Billy Barham’s mother is full-blooded Kiowa and still spoke the language up until her death. Her photo is on a traveling display with her story from the State Dept. of Archaeology/Culture. Billy is her son and he does educational programs with a WEALTH of information. We usually book him annually somewhere. He has a museum worth of Kiowa beadwork and other materials. He and his children and grand children participate in Pow-Wows and do programs in full headdress regalia, etc.

Here are some awesome photos from his presentation:’

Songs & Stories Presentations for Home School Organizations

I would like to offer your organization an author visit and presentation at one of your future meeting, titled Songs & Stories of Louisiana. I am the author of these children’s picture books: Cajun ABC, Louisiana Animals ABC, and Louisiana Night Before Christmas. For older students I have the Book of Facts About the Scots, Irish, & Other Celts. All three children’s books have been featured books in the Louisiana Book Festival in Baton Rouge. The presentation is fun, uses audience participation, and has many photo moments. There is a show-and-tell table, I use students for a Cajun band to play along with me, I have family friendly songs, and I talk about my books and the craft of writing. If you book a presentation, I will design a flier for you to send out before I visit.

A little more about me: I am a college instructor for the University of Louisiana at Monroe and Delta Community College. I have found through the years that homeschooled students are typically my best students.  Here is a chance for you to have an award-winning author of fifteen published books, an experienced and well-known Scottish and Irish Storyteller, songwriter, and folk singer with five CDs and several single releases. I have worked with many schools, libraries, and festivals. You can see that list of venues on this blog, dated August 15. I would be honored if I could work with your homeschool organization as well.  A stipend to cover travel and lodging (if necessary) would be appreciated.

I hope to hear from you! My contact information is below.

Rickey Pittman
The Bard of the South
1105 N. 8th Street
Monroe LA 71201
(318)547-2906
rickeyp@bayou.com

Fall is typically the busiest time of the year for me. Here is a list of what I have booked so far with music and book signings and author events:

I made this for the alumni of the David G. Burnet Elementary School I attended. I discovered there’s much more I could have added. (He was quite a colorful man!) This study was good for me as I learned some things I did not know!  I hope you like it. Feel free to share!

An Imperfect Beauty: A Prose Poem by Liza Thomason

I do try to help new poets. I usually begin by encouraging them to read the biographies of many poets, read much poetry,  and by experimenting by writing every type of poetry. (See https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-poetry/list-of-50-poetic-forms-for-poets for a list of types of poems). Here is a former student of mine who wrote a sweet prose poem, I hope you like it.  A prose poem is lyrical poetry written without line breaks (almost like flash fiction).

She found a needle in the hay stack, without looking for it. A plain leaf among a sea of verdance. At first glance, a victim of garden nemesis, but not this little one. Upon needless fixation that so often leads her on hours long tangents, she found a tiny adventure. An epiphany. This spectacular little leaf dared to just wave on the breeze with audacious freedom. There, brazenly presenting its little veins quite asymmetrical and sprawling like a cool summer creek bed she played in as a child. An imperfect beauty.

The Devil and the President by Damon Légion

The Devil is Biden his time,
He’s found the man he needs,
To destroy and create disaster,
By abuse of power and greed.

His new boy-toy has hubris,
Seen from the very first day,
When like an angry spoiled child,
Reversing progress previously made.

Listen to Lucifer’s plan,
He has so much to say,
Horrific threats and promises,
The price that we all will pay.

“I’ll crush you by invasion,
With drugs like fentanyl,
I’ll enslave young kids and women,
And joyfully traffic them all.

“I will open up the border,
And stop your border wall,
Blinding clueless leaders,
To the threat of a nation’s fall.

“You must welcome the invaders,
And the diseases that they bring,
The drugs and increased crime,
That make demons and cartels sing.

“I know how to spin a story,
To make a lie sound correct,
Many may try to stop me,
But they haven’t done so yet!

“Don’t worry, I can change your laws,
And even your Constitution,
Ignore your Supreme Court Judges,
And corrupt College institutions.

Don’t worry about China,
Or India’s pollution,
I’ll handle climate change,
With crippling, harsh solutions!