I decided to share my take on the news of this past week. I suspect it may be different than what you are hearing at the water cooler.
I am amazed that the armed services will now allow women in combat roles. They will not allow them on the Joint Chiefs, but in combat. I am amazed because this is too long coming, in fact it never should have been there in the first place as it is a vestige of the old women must be protected because they are weaker and child bearer mentality. But now women can get shot and IED’d. Theory has always been if women went to war we would never have war. But that is a vestige of old thinking too. Gals, we are going to have to decide if we really want equality. I think so. But that means real equality: battlefront, open your own door, get cut off in lines, stand up on subways, and get punched in the nose by a man if you offend him. (I know some women right now who are at real risk of having their faces reconstructed by fists if we go totally equal. Guess we will have to man-up.) On the other hand, we can hardly argue for a fair shake in employment practices, leave, salary, etc., and argue against equality. This will be interesting.
Lance did performance enhancing drugs. So? In a world where competition means more than morality we should never be surprised at what some are willing to do to win.
Te’o faked his girlfriend and his heartbreak. So? In a world where gaining attention and support is paramount we should never be surprised at what some are willing to do to gain such attention.
Stock market hits 15,000 for first time since 2007. Hurray, but no big deal. The recovery continues despite those who say it is not. The very ones who say we are not recovering continue to insist on policies that caused the collapse in the first place. Grow up GOP and let Obama do what he has to do.
Sarah Palin leaves Fox News. So? If you watch this conservative op ed station calling itself “news” then maybe you care. Amazingly in the world of the right wing, if you do not totally agree with me you are wrong. Sounds like Islamic extremists to me.
Super Bowl hype has begun. There are commercials advertising Super Bowl commercials. Really? Again I am amazed. The most watched show in America is the ultimate clash of two sets of overpaid boys who will battle in a medieval game of conquering land, vestal virgins, trumpets announcing their arrival on the field, and serious and life-long injury. I admit I do not get it. I like football and will probably watch the game. But it is such a sad commentary on our culture that this is our main event. Why not Celtic Woman on PBS? Such a show will amaze you, inspire you, and warm the cockles of your heart. Super Bowl inspires blood lust, blood and lust. And once again it is a competition, structured so that someone loses. So sad.
Speaking of, Phil Mickelson who was paid $60 million last year (notice I did not say earned) is upset that his taxes may go up. So upset, he publically considered changing his citizenship to another country where he could retain more of his wealth. Prime example of some folks will do anything for a buck. All of you with sympathy for this left-handed millionaire golfer will vote Republican. All of you who think, however, will be teed off.
In Texas, school boards are passing policies to allow teachers and others to bring weapons on campus. So, our solution to violence and the proliferation of weapons is to bring them to school? Yeah, that makes sense. We have more guns per person than any civilized nation in the world, assuming you still count us as one of the civilized nations. We have more than ample evidence that we have more deaths by gun than any other nation. We have more than ample evidence that arming the public does not deter crime, it increases crime. We have more than ample evidence that civilians who attempt to defend themselves with weapons more often are shot than those who do not. Criminals are not discouraged by an armed citizenry, they are inspired by it and in fact armed by it. Geeze. Now it really will not be safe for a little ole grandma to go on campus.
And, our Legislature has convened and is already up to its typical stunts regarding schools. The prevailing philosophy is create competition for schools, increase accountability, and decrease spending. They do all this under the rubric of improving our schools. What a hoot. As soon as we are concerned about school safety they quickly consider throwing money at the problem. If they are concerned about school performance they cut spending. Go figure. The part of this that makes me most sad is that this philosophy is rubbing off on educators. I have witnessed educators who have shifted from the notion of public service to the notion of self-service and are willing to do anything to get a better title and more money. I have witnessed school boards who believe the most important program a district offers is athletics. I continue to read about educators who promote cheating on the high stakes tests, no different than the behavior of Lance or Phil or Te’o. So sad.
Do the right thing. Keep your chin up. Have a good week.
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Smokin' on the Back Porch
As if we did not have enough issues dividing us in this country, we now take up the gun control issue. And in the ongoing deterioration of our human relation skills, we are polarized on this issue like all the others. So sad. It all reminds me of my second husband. (Yes, Dearie, I have had more than one and less than 10 husbands.)
My second husband smoked. He loved a cigarette with his first cup of coffee. He loved a cigarette with a cold beer or after a meal or after a movie or after church, etc. He loved smoking. He was addicted and you could tell he was addicted every time I started telling him when and where he could smoke and encourage him to quit. (I have since learned you neither argue with an addict nor nag. Neither strategy works.) I think his long term fear was that cigarettes would be banned. Probably an irrational fear because too many people smoke, there is too much money in making cigarettes, and it evidently is eminently pleasant for the smoker. Non smokers probably wonder why they aren’t banned already and surely would have no problem if they were.
Things changed when our son was born and we were concerned that he always seemed to have a cold. His little eyes were red and would water, his nose would run, he seemed grumpy and ill-content. We did everything we could in terms of cleaning carpets and curtains, etc. to try to eliminate whatever was driving him crazy. Nothing worked. Finally we wondered if it might be my husband’s cigarette smoke. At that point he was smoking in the house. He started smoking on the back porch. Son’s respiratory issues immediately cleared up! My husband did not come inside to smoke from that day until his death, RIP. His smoking was hurting our son so he limited where he would smoke. He did so without resentment or anger. He did so because he did not want to hurt another because of his habit.
Since then I have been very sensitive to where others smoke and I know my husband would not have smoked anywhere around people who are bothered by it. He limited his behavior for the sake of others. I feel anger toward smokers who are not nearly so sensitive, who argue they have the right to smoke anywhere they durn well please and light-up possibly causing harm to others. Those smokers couch their argument in the individual freedom domain and personal rights and feel like they are being stripped by big brother of those rights if they cannot smoke anywhere, anytime. They are addicts and show their addiction via their irrational response.
Self limitation to increase the safety of others is a noble and honorable position. Much more so than taking the same position the tobacco companies took when they argued second-hand smoke did not hurt anyone. Some slogans could work just as well on this issue: Cigarettes do not cause death -- People smoking cigarettes cause death. If cigarettes become illegal, only criminals will smoke. I have a constitutional right to act in ways that could harm others.
A little self-limitation is not a bad thing. No matter how you read the 2nd Amendment it is not an absolute right. I think it is time for the NRA and gun owners to learn to smoke on the back porch.
My second husband smoked. He loved a cigarette with his first cup of coffee. He loved a cigarette with a cold beer or after a meal or after a movie or after church, etc. He loved smoking. He was addicted and you could tell he was addicted every time I started telling him when and where he could smoke and encourage him to quit. (I have since learned you neither argue with an addict nor nag. Neither strategy works.) I think his long term fear was that cigarettes would be banned. Probably an irrational fear because too many people smoke, there is too much money in making cigarettes, and it evidently is eminently pleasant for the smoker. Non smokers probably wonder why they aren’t banned already and surely would have no problem if they were.
Things changed when our son was born and we were concerned that he always seemed to have a cold. His little eyes were red and would water, his nose would run, he seemed grumpy and ill-content. We did everything we could in terms of cleaning carpets and curtains, etc. to try to eliminate whatever was driving him crazy. Nothing worked. Finally we wondered if it might be my husband’s cigarette smoke. At that point he was smoking in the house. He started smoking on the back porch. Son’s respiratory issues immediately cleared up! My husband did not come inside to smoke from that day until his death, RIP. His smoking was hurting our son so he limited where he would smoke. He did so without resentment or anger. He did so because he did not want to hurt another because of his habit.
Since then I have been very sensitive to where others smoke and I know my husband would not have smoked anywhere around people who are bothered by it. He limited his behavior for the sake of others. I feel anger toward smokers who are not nearly so sensitive, who argue they have the right to smoke anywhere they durn well please and light-up possibly causing harm to others. Those smokers couch their argument in the individual freedom domain and personal rights and feel like they are being stripped by big brother of those rights if they cannot smoke anywhere, anytime. They are addicts and show their addiction via their irrational response.
Self limitation to increase the safety of others is a noble and honorable position. Much more so than taking the same position the tobacco companies took when they argued second-hand smoke did not hurt anyone. Some slogans could work just as well on this issue: Cigarettes do not cause death -- People smoking cigarettes cause death. If cigarettes become illegal, only criminals will smoke. I have a constitutional right to act in ways that could harm others.
A little self-limitation is not a bad thing. No matter how you read the 2nd Amendment it is not an absolute right. I think it is time for the NRA and gun owners to learn to smoke on the back porch.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Criminal Minds
It is the first day of a new year and I should be busy making black eyed peas, ham and cornbread. I’m not. I’m bothered and therefore driven to write.
I ache for our world, our country, and a host of individuals. There is so much pain, so much conflict. How I wish I had the ability to resolve Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, China, North Korea, the pain of Newton, the fiscal cliff, the sadness of kids going without on Christmas, educational reform, etc. I do not have that power, and it is a good thing I do not. My solutions would not be acceptable to many.
Why? Because I deeply believe we either help, support, love, cherish, and improve the lot of our fellow humans even at our own expense, or we pursue paths that are in our own self interest and for our own gain, and discount all others. I believe such a path is criminal, but that is just me.
How can a person justify a criminal act? It is simple, really. There is something I want; therefore, it is good because I want it. The “I wants” can be physical like jewels and cash, can be emotional, can be sexual, can be avoidance of fear and discomfort, etc. I will take what I want and not worry about you because what I want is by definition good. If you are in my way, then you deserve the consequences. It is all about me, it is not about you. It is the mindset of the leadership in many other countries, and in a large number of our elected representatives. It is the mindset of many in prison, and many who should be. What is good for me and people like me is good. Any loss to me, any risk to me is bad. I want what I have and I want more.
I am a criminal if I am willing to hurt others, take from others, deceive others, to get what I want. The most sophisticated of criminals couch their pursuit of self interest in rhetoric that sounds wonderful and rationalizations that sound valid. They are neither wonderful nor valid. If you pursue something that is beneficial to you and harmful to others you are in a criminal mind set. If your mission is self-service rather than service to others, you are in a criminal mind set. The core arrogance of the criminal mind set is that the criminal believes what they want is more important than any other human’s wants. They are wrong. It is for this reason that I love educators and preachers. Most have clearly been willing to forgo personal financial reward to operate in the arena of service to others.
My only resolution for the coming year is to avoid the criminal mind set. To have integrity, honesty and practice service to others regardless of what it costs me. I want to want what is best for you, not what is best for me. If I can do that, I believe I will be a real human being. I will have a year full of grace, peace, joy and love. I will carry the spirit of Christmas into January and beyond.
Time to make peas, cornbread and ham.
Happy New Year.
I ache for our world, our country, and a host of individuals. There is so much pain, so much conflict. How I wish I had the ability to resolve Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, China, North Korea, the pain of Newton, the fiscal cliff, the sadness of kids going without on Christmas, educational reform, etc. I do not have that power, and it is a good thing I do not. My solutions would not be acceptable to many.
Why? Because I deeply believe we either help, support, love, cherish, and improve the lot of our fellow humans even at our own expense, or we pursue paths that are in our own self interest and for our own gain, and discount all others. I believe such a path is criminal, but that is just me.
How can a person justify a criminal act? It is simple, really. There is something I want; therefore, it is good because I want it. The “I wants” can be physical like jewels and cash, can be emotional, can be sexual, can be avoidance of fear and discomfort, etc. I will take what I want and not worry about you because what I want is by definition good. If you are in my way, then you deserve the consequences. It is all about me, it is not about you. It is the mindset of the leadership in many other countries, and in a large number of our elected representatives. It is the mindset of many in prison, and many who should be. What is good for me and people like me is good. Any loss to me, any risk to me is bad. I want what I have and I want more.
I am a criminal if I am willing to hurt others, take from others, deceive others, to get what I want. The most sophisticated of criminals couch their pursuit of self interest in rhetoric that sounds wonderful and rationalizations that sound valid. They are neither wonderful nor valid. If you pursue something that is beneficial to you and harmful to others you are in a criminal mind set. If your mission is self-service rather than service to others, you are in a criminal mind set. The core arrogance of the criminal mind set is that the criminal believes what they want is more important than any other human’s wants. They are wrong. It is for this reason that I love educators and preachers. Most have clearly been willing to forgo personal financial reward to operate in the arena of service to others.
My only resolution for the coming year is to avoid the criminal mind set. To have integrity, honesty and practice service to others regardless of what it costs me. I want to want what is best for you, not what is best for me. If I can do that, I believe I will be a real human being. I will have a year full of grace, peace, joy and love. I will carry the spirit of Christmas into January and beyond.
Time to make peas, cornbread and ham.
Happy New Year.
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