I’m teased often because of my open expression of opinion on Facebook and I've received criticism for it here on this blog via e-mail. I’m not bothered by that because it’s based solely on the fact that I care, and that care encompasses all. I care about my country, the safety of our children, our impoverished, our diversity, our rights, our freedoms, our hard working citizens on all economic levels, our struggling population on so many levels, and our decency in our government and toward each other. If the fact that I care bothers you, that’s your issue, not mine.
That being said- a piece I agree with whole heartedly, and believe it encompasses much of what we are dealing with in this deeply troubling divide of the people of this country...
One of the biggest sources of bullshit today is the proliferation of “If you’re this then you’re automatically that” and “You’re either with us or you’re against us” politics. These are emotional lines that we hear invoked by everyone from elected officials and lobbyists to movie heroes and villains on a regular basis. They’re effective political moves; however, 95 percent of the time it’s an emotional and passionate rendering of bullshit.
No matter where we stand in any given issue, let’s all stop the bullshit. Let’s be honest, let’s be real, let’s share what we know to be true, not just things that align with what we want to believe.
Let’s be decent to each other, regardless.
That's OUTRAGEOUS common sense!
ReplyDeleteAmen, Karen! Sadly--- Honesty is not always looked upon favorably. xo Diana
ReplyDeleteCompassion, decency, kindness, empathy, understanding, humility, selfless, honesty, charity.
ReplyDeleteWe've lost so much we were taught as children. Adults today show an uglier side to our youth.
AGREED!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAmen!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Keeping caring. It's the only human thing to do :)
ReplyDeleteYES . . . indeed . . .
ReplyDeleteSo be real and be honest because as you remind us, this is your blog. Where have you been narrow minded, quick to judge, prone to bull**** and unwilling to move the dial from your comfort zone? It can start with you. What changes are you going to embrace? All ears.
ReplyDeleteDear "Anonymous"
ReplyDeleteI believe we've all fallen into at least some of those particular negative behaviors at one point or another, quick to judge, narrow minded, absorbing media hype that is prone to bullshit.. I'm not immune, are you?
What is it exactly that you don't agree with in the above post? Because it addresses those very things. As for "being unwilling to move the dial from my comfort zone", you have no idea what my life experiences have been, and I don't know yours. I've had to embrace many changes in my life, some very painful, and perhaps you have too. We can have productive conversations here and we can even learn from each other, but you'll have to leave the anonymous cloak behind, and especially the snark.
Oh dear, I agree with what you wrote. What I wrote was simply a challenge for you to lead by example, that’s all. The downside to online communication is you are not able to read my facial expression nor hear my voice for if you were able to you would know my response was not snark. My MO is to challenge how people think (particularly women) and what you put forth was quite lofty sounding but it had no specifics attached to it. And your first instinct was defensive. I’m sorry you misinterpreted what I wrote.
ReplyDeleteOver the years I’ve changed my position around the death penalty. I was all for it until I was in my late 40’s then through lots of reading on both side of the issue, reacquainting myself with faith I did a 180 on it and have been against it in the US for any reason. I have also reevaluated what I used to think about the prison system and the punishment of drug abusers. I could go on and list other issues but there are limitations of space.
As for posting as Anonymous……..you have it as an option for response. Don’t complain when someone chooses one of the options that is offered. Other blogs don’t offer it, and I don’t comment. Actually, I don’t have any avenue other than Anonymous since I don’t have a profile set up in other platforms/social media. I suppose I could set up an account and call myself Gorgeous George and say I’m a retired hedge fund manager living in Nantucket but not sure what that would actually accomplish. I prefer to remain anonymous given the hyper emotional atmosphere on the Internet. I read the threats people post, the doxing, that public figures have had to move due to death threats. Last thing I want is for some unhinged loon to show up at my door. There are some very toxic people out there. I’m a contrarian so people take offense that I don’t fall in line with the generally accepted orthodoxy.
Maybe when I retire and no longer have to worry about retaliation for some opinion I hold I’ll come out of the shadows and set up an account with one of those platforms. Sad isn’t it that I and others have to worry for our safety and for our livelihood just because we think differently. Peace
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you came back. Being on the defensive is easy to do lately, and given your reasons for remaining anonymous you know exactly what I mean about the "climate".
As for Anonymous, I wasn't complaining about your use of it... seems it's only used when someone wants to be a snark and I did read your first comment with that tone inflected.
Your change of heart on the death penalty - under any circumstances. I'm conflicted on that particular thing myself, seems inhumane, but some crimes are so heinous it doesn't seem right to pay for that life to sit in a prison cell for many many years, a very costly deal, when they had so little regard for other people's lives in the first place. Not all of them are mentally ill. So for that reason I still believe in the death penalty in extreme cases. Drug abusers - I don't think we are doing them any good by having them sit in prison, but we haven't come up with another program that actually works to get them out of the cycle they're in, I don't have an answer for that. We have a friend whose son is currently in prison for drug abuse and the crimes that go with it. He actually feels safer in prison than he does out on the streets because he knows he can't stay clean once he's out. Sad deal.
I used to pledge allegiance to a particular political party, but I don't any longer because I realized how blindly following, not being willing to look at the opinions, solutions, concerns of the "other side" was clouding my reasoning on some important points. I also did not agree at all with some actions taken by and opinions held by my then-party of choice. So now I call myself an independent and I listen to what all have to say and make voting decisions and volunteer and donate based on what the most pressing issues of the moment are (there are so many!) and that I feel are the most rational and humane options I have.
Peace to you as well - peace to all, is my hope.
Nice post, Karen. It is certainly disconcerting how people will hide behind the anonymity the Internet can provide and attack others for their beliefs. This is a sad commentary on society’s lack of respect and regard towards others.
ReplyDelete~ from Canada with Peace and Love :)
Well, it distills down to redemption and that drives how I approach capital punishment. It was a transformation that was years in the making but it finally dawned on me that people need to be allowed to repent and show remorse for what they have done. It doesn’t always happen but I believe everyone should be allowed that opportunity no matter how heinous the crime. Not going to lie, it’s tough in many cases particularly when it involves harm to children. Certainly gives me pause and the exhale takes longer.
ReplyDeleteThe first chink in the armor was actually with Jeffrey Dahmer. I couldn’t even read the accounts of his crimes they were so bizarre, grotesque and vomit inducing- truly on the level of a monster. But as I watched the courtroom video where the victims’ family members were allowed to speak they unleashed highly emotional speeches directly to him. He looked sheepish and uncomfortable as if he wanted to be anywhere but there. There was no smirk or ramrod defiant posturing, no arrogant attitude was emitted and I thought does he feel remorse? He seemed to, and had the presence of mind, dare I say insight, to recognize how utterly screwed up he was and offered himself as a study subject. Unfortunately he was murdered, no surprise since the Dahmer types are the lowest of the low in the prison system pecking order. Then I layer in the fact that most people who are executed are disproportionately poor and from disadvantaged backgrounds. It just doesn’t seem to be equal treatment under the law.
I strongly suggest a documentary, “A Good American” found on Netflix. Has nothing to do with capital punishment but what it may do is make you rethink how you looked at certain events, agencies. It pretty much shifted my thinking on a number of areas and rocked my core.
Good conversation- you and I could probably have excellent exchanges but they would have to be offline!