I absolutely agree about ‘Schitt’s Creek!’ My husband and I have watched the series all the way through 2 times!!! We might even do it a third time ;-)
I am a retired principal. Over my career I observed that when bully boys get control for too long a period of time and the adults responsible for their learning become intimidated by these monsters, a power base develops where perfectly rational boys become intimidated into aping the chief bully's behavior, who becomes the "leader". And the girls can be more lethal.
I honestly see all these pols in this light. Nobody taught them better behavior and their lousiness has paid off for several of them.
As for limiting voters rights, I see this as bias in the worst way.
“Political Correctness” run horribly amuk at Smith College? When I read these words I am reminded of Martin Luther King’s “Letter From the Birmingham Jail.” White liberals, MLK observed, were to him a greater threat to overcoming racism that were outright racists. For a journalist to define, or to organize, an issue of social justice as a matter of “Political Correctness” is to employ right wing rhetoric to diminish the incident. The inevitable outcome of this framing will be some variation of victim blaming, as this description of “Political Correctness” at Smith College does. Every incident involving social justice inevitably includes layers of nuance, interpretation and history, both social and personal. When the incident becomes public the issue becomes fraught with political, legal, institutional and ideological implications. The term “Political Correctness” contributes nothing to our understanding of these difficult issues but it does legitimize right wing racism and sexism. We all would be better off if it were to disappear.
I guess I'm getting too partisan in my old age, too. It upsets me that, despite the lessons from the early years of the Obama administration, the Democratic party is failing to take whatever means necessary to pass legislation that will help the large majority of Americans (in population, not in wealth) to live healthy and fulfilling lives. The opinion of one person, because she is called a parliamentarian, derails giving an almost living wage to poor workers?
There is one easy way past this, and then there is eliminating the fillibuster. The second is preferred, but harder. Enacting the minimum wage raise (and I actually like Bernie Sanders' idea of doing this more gradually - say in 3 steps over five years), the infrastructure bill, the green new deal - these would all lead to increases in the majority in both houses in 2022, and maybe even some inroads into some of the state legislatures.
Don't cave because it isn't "nice". Being nice to obstructionists won't win over anyone.
Today I had the opportunity to listen to your podcast with Rosa Parks and I must tell you how refreshing and informative it was. I have a son who is a policeman and all the animosity that is being hurled at him and his coworkers has totally befuddled and upset him because he honestly does his job to help people and get the bad guys off the street. Rosa puts the issue in perspective by showing all its complexities and the humanness of the majority of the police. We need more people like her to raise their voices of common sense over all the noise.
I also loved Seinfeld and feel Jerry Seinfeld is a genius, but I think the cynicism of the show has really warped our discourse. When I hear how teens speak to their parents, I hear a lack
Of respect and a smartass attitude that didn’t exist 40 years ago.
My sister says that when we were young, our parents had the power, and now children have it, I have to agree.
Don’t know if it’s because the pace of life has just become so frantic, or because parents want to be their children’s friends, but I think it’s seeped into our politics. Trump’s discourse would have been far more shocking in the 70s or 80s. Now he’s become an idol for 30% of the population.
I absolutely agree about ‘Schitt’s Creek!’ My husband and I have watched the series all the way through 2 times!!! We might even do it a third time ;-)
I am a retired principal. Over my career I observed that when bully boys get control for too long a period of time and the adults responsible for their learning become intimidated by these monsters, a power base develops where perfectly rational boys become intimidated into aping the chief bully's behavior, who becomes the "leader". And the girls can be more lethal.
I honestly see all these pols in this light. Nobody taught them better behavior and their lousiness has paid off for several of them.
As for limiting voters rights, I see this as bias in the worst way.
“Political Correctness” run horribly amuk at Smith College? When I read these words I am reminded of Martin Luther King’s “Letter From the Birmingham Jail.” White liberals, MLK observed, were to him a greater threat to overcoming racism that were outright racists. For a journalist to define, or to organize, an issue of social justice as a matter of “Political Correctness” is to employ right wing rhetoric to diminish the incident. The inevitable outcome of this framing will be some variation of victim blaming, as this description of “Political Correctness” at Smith College does. Every incident involving social justice inevitably includes layers of nuance, interpretation and history, both social and personal. When the incident becomes public the issue becomes fraught with political, legal, institutional and ideological implications. The term “Political Correctness” contributes nothing to our understanding of these difficult issues but it does legitimize right wing racism and sexism. We all would be better off if it were to disappear.
I guess I'm getting too partisan in my old age, too. It upsets me that, despite the lessons from the early years of the Obama administration, the Democratic party is failing to take whatever means necessary to pass legislation that will help the large majority of Americans (in population, not in wealth) to live healthy and fulfilling lives. The opinion of one person, because she is called a parliamentarian, derails giving an almost living wage to poor workers?
There is one easy way past this, and then there is eliminating the fillibuster. The second is preferred, but harder. Enacting the minimum wage raise (and I actually like Bernie Sanders' idea of doing this more gradually - say in 3 steps over five years), the infrastructure bill, the green new deal - these would all lead to increases in the majority in both houses in 2022, and maybe even some inroads into some of the state legislatures.
Don't cave because it isn't "nice". Being nice to obstructionists won't win over anyone.
Today I had the opportunity to listen to your podcast with Rosa Parks and I must tell you how refreshing and informative it was. I have a son who is a policeman and all the animosity that is being hurled at him and his coworkers has totally befuddled and upset him because he honestly does his job to help people and get the bad guys off the street. Rosa puts the issue in perspective by showing all its complexities and the humanness of the majority of the police. We need more people like her to raise their voices of common sense over all the noise.
I love your column !
I also loved Seinfeld and feel Jerry Seinfeld is a genius, but I think the cynicism of the show has really warped our discourse. When I hear how teens speak to their parents, I hear a lack
Of respect and a smartass attitude that didn’t exist 40 years ago.
My sister says that when we were young, our parents had the power, and now children have it, I have to agree.
Don’t know if it’s because the pace of life has just become so frantic, or because parents want to be their children’s friends, but I think it’s seeped into our politics. Trump’s discourse would have been far more shocking in the 70s or 80s. Now he’s become an idol for 30% of the population.