Peggy Noonan won a Pulitzer this week for her work with the Wall Street Journal. Politics aside, she is a writer I respect and admire. I re-watched Reagan's Challenger speech, which she wrote, and in spite of the tragedy, it's so hopeful and comforting. The "Challenger Speech" is an address he made to the nation after a space craft exploded shortly after taking off, killing all seven of the crew, while many people (including children at school) watched it live on television. President Reagan's words to the children were honest and sad - tragedy happens. He said, "I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle's takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them." Here it is:
Today, that wouldn't be the worst thing our kids have seen on t.v. or in their classrooms. Another elementary school shooting killed a teacher and two kids this week in California - Reagan had a hard day then, but what do we say to kids now about classmates and teachers being gunned down in front of them? "It's sad, but everyone has a right to bear arms and sometimes they use them inappropriately, sweetie. What's your homework tonight?"
American lawmakers are so bothered by children as victims of chemical weapons in Syria so they drop bombs on that country, but continue to bar those children and their families from refugee status protections. As a nation, we can't fathom gun safety laws that protect 7 year olds at school - there couldn't POSSIBLY be a law to address that.
We respond to violence with violence, is it really because we don't know any better? It is a national disgrace that we can't do better for the children of Syria or for the children here who today grow up in a world where they shrug off school shootings because those incidents are commonplace for them. They were not commonplace for me. The Challenger explosion was a jarring national tragedy for my generation which warranted a direct message to little people from the President - so I'm old enough to be completely disgusted and horrified by the inability to act to protect children at school from armed and dangerous lunatics.
I am not against gun rights, but I don't have one because I don't have any need for that kind of hazardous adult toy. I'm dangerous enough behind the wheel of a car, so I'm all set. If you are serious about your gun rights, then you have more responsibility than any of us to protect children from people who do not deserve the rights you enjoy. You have the responsibility to come up with ways to keep guns away from people who want to take innocents with them when they go, or are pissed that they got fired, or that their wife left them, or that Wendy's wouldn't take their expired coupon for a frosty - and just go shoot a place up in retaliation.
Peggy Noonan knew how to write a statement of grief, to say the right thing about a tragedy. Today, tragedy is so commonplace that we're paralyzed to acknowledge it and thus paralyzed to prevent it from happening again and again. A friend gave me some good advice on dealing with the latest school shooting in San Bernadino, California - if you're sickened by it and want to do something, text READY to 64433.
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Monday, January 23, 2017
I Love You, But You're Wrong
I have friends and family that are TRUMPets. I love them, most of them are good people, but they read fake news stories and post them on social media. A handful of them are well-to-do, but mostly they are not. Some of them are educated, some are not - and they're all white. Many of their opinions are generic and vague. I am related to white women who believe feminism has "ruined" things.
I went to the women's march and I didn't take any selfies and didn't wear a hat. My grandmother called me to tell me she was proud of me for going and wished she was in good enough health to be there herself. She has children and grandchildren that are TRUMPets. Some of them have the nerve to complain about "violent protestors" even though they voted for a guy who bragged about sexual assault.
I don't know how to actively convince people that read and share fake news and ignore facts that there are important issues related to the greater good at stake and the entire world is terrified about what it means that America elected a petty toddler who has never done anything for anyone ever. Some believe he is going to do great things like secure borders, improve an already recovering economy, and help those who feel "forgotten" by their politicians by reopening coal mines and reigniting the manufacturing sector. Guess what manufacturing sector, nobody wants to hire you unless you are a small child in a developing nation without legal rights. Why would Donald Trump choose a factory here in the U.S. to produce his ties and pay workman's comp, health insurance, overtime, and unemployment, when he could have it done in Bangladesh or China? The answer is, he didn't. His clothes are made in Asia.
I don't understand people who believe in lies, promote fake news and maintain unreasonable expectations for elected officials without quite knowing what those officials are tasked to do, what authorities they possess, and how laws are made - but I do love a bunch of them for reasons unrelated to their politics. Is there a guidebook for navigating this? Also, why are the TRUMPets whining so much about people being upset that a megalomaniac took office? Like, they whine and whine whine that nobody likes him and his approval rating is low and people are complaining about the shitty stuff he says and his petty temper tantrums about people at his party. Wah wah wah give him a chance *sniff sniff* wah wah you're mean wah wah he only raped a few women but he loves America and will make nice parades with tanks in the streets and flags and rigid marching wah wah wah what does fascist mean?
I'm not looking to be diplomatic here, I'm looking for answers. What to do? WWBOD?
I went to the women's march and I didn't take any selfies and didn't wear a hat. My grandmother called me to tell me she was proud of me for going and wished she was in good enough health to be there herself. She has children and grandchildren that are TRUMPets. Some of them have the nerve to complain about "violent protestors" even though they voted for a guy who bragged about sexual assault.
I don't know how to actively convince people that read and share fake news and ignore facts that there are important issues related to the greater good at stake and the entire world is terrified about what it means that America elected a petty toddler who has never done anything for anyone ever. Some believe he is going to do great things like secure borders, improve an already recovering economy, and help those who feel "forgotten" by their politicians by reopening coal mines and reigniting the manufacturing sector. Guess what manufacturing sector, nobody wants to hire you unless you are a small child in a developing nation without legal rights. Why would Donald Trump choose a factory here in the U.S. to produce his ties and pay workman's comp, health insurance, overtime, and unemployment, when he could have it done in Bangladesh or China? The answer is, he didn't. His clothes are made in Asia.
I don't understand people who believe in lies, promote fake news and maintain unreasonable expectations for elected officials without quite knowing what those officials are tasked to do, what authorities they possess, and how laws are made - but I do love a bunch of them for reasons unrelated to their politics. Is there a guidebook for navigating this? Also, why are the TRUMPets whining so much about people being upset that a megalomaniac took office? Like, they whine and whine whine that nobody likes him and his approval rating is low and people are complaining about the shitty stuff he says and his petty temper tantrums about people at his party. Wah wah wah give him a chance *sniff sniff* wah wah you're mean wah wah he only raped a few women but he loves America and will make nice parades with tanks in the streets and flags and rigid marching wah wah wah what does fascist mean?
I'm not looking to be diplomatic here, I'm looking for answers. What to do? WWBOD?
Sunday, January 1, 2017
4 Months In To Motherhood: Life is very different
I've dragged his kickin' coaster into the bathroom with me in emergencies when we've been home alone. I'm surprisingly comfortable taking care of business while smiling and cooing at a baby. He doesn't seem to mind, either.
He likes Sesame Street. My mother-in-law introduced him and he fell in love. It's still delightful to watch and fun for the celebrity cameos. Linc really likes Elmo - there is a little segment called Elmo's World in which Elmo, a baby monster, talks about himself in the third person and is a fucking idiot and a simpleton. No, you can't go sledding in the spring, dipshit. He hangs out with this older guy, Mr. Noodle, who is clearly autistic and trapped in Elmo's house, and Elmo's always kind of making fun of the goofy shit Mr. Noodle does. So it's a simpleton ragging an imprisoned disabled guy and my kid is delighted by all this. He does love Big Bird, though, which I totally get. I used to be really into that guy, myself.
Lincoln also likes Westworld.
Having a baby changed the way I think about the world. Like, now all of a sudden, the idea of going to a bar seems like the most fun and exotic thing I could possibly do with my time - even though bars are fucking stupid and so is everyone in them (except you. . .). I've also discovered a couple of interesting things about other parents that you might find comforting. If anyone ever minimized anything in your life or what you were going through because you don't have children - now that I'm on the other side of that, I can tell you with surety that they are small-minded and wrong. Having kids makes you think it's the hardest thing ever and anyone without kids couldn't possibly understand or have it this hard, but that's because people with kids are incredibly self-absorbed, which I now also am. Now that I have one, I see how that happens. Also, anyone who chose not to have one (which we very nearly almost did), you aren't making a mistake. That's a pretty great idea, although kids are adorable and amazing and a miracle and blah blah blah--not having them is also kinda nice with the vacations and the not putting them through college and sleeping, etc.
We just celebrated our first Hanukkah and new year with a baby and he received a nice thick foam/rubber mat with the alphabet painted on it which has replaced my wool dhurrie area rug as the focal point of my living room. My ottoman was previously replaced by an exersaucer.
At least we are finally coming out of that survival mode phase. He cries less and we have a handle on meeting most of his needs. He is very entertained by places like the grocery store.
Having a baby has also been a great excuse to bury my head in the sand. I'm not tuned in to daily terrorist attacks, streams of refugees desperate for a safe harbor, and the looming crisis in the U.S. that is set to start on or around January 20th. I don't want to look at that stuff anymore and I have the perfect excuse because my baby has athlete's foot so I have to go out and buy a special cream and rub it on his toes twice a day. I don't have time to worry about what will happen to the economy when our biggest trade relationships are ruined. Oh yeah, Lincoln also has acid reflux and getting him to take liquid baby zantac twice a day is a big job, leaving me no time to ponder the state of the highest court in the land and how it will adjudicate for a minority opinion for the next two decades or so. My mom keeps calling it baby xanex, isn't that funny? And now you see how parents become so incredibly self-absorbed? It's so easy to just look at your own little family and then stop your gaze there. I won't be so selfish as to try to convince the rest of the world that this is actually the hardest thing, though, because anybody who thinks that, doesn't know very much about the rest of the world.
He likes Sesame Street. My mother-in-law introduced him and he fell in love. It's still delightful to watch and fun for the celebrity cameos. Linc really likes Elmo - there is a little segment called Elmo's World in which Elmo, a baby monster, talks about himself in the third person and is a fucking idiot and a simpleton. No, you can't go sledding in the spring, dipshit. He hangs out with this older guy, Mr. Noodle, who is clearly autistic and trapped in Elmo's house, and Elmo's always kind of making fun of the goofy shit Mr. Noodle does. So it's a simpleton ragging an imprisoned disabled guy and my kid is delighted by all this. He does love Big Bird, though, which I totally get. I used to be really into that guy, myself.
Lincoln also likes Westworld.
Having a baby changed the way I think about the world. Like, now all of a sudden, the idea of going to a bar seems like the most fun and exotic thing I could possibly do with my time - even though bars are fucking stupid and so is everyone in them (except you. . .). I've also discovered a couple of interesting things about other parents that you might find comforting. If anyone ever minimized anything in your life or what you were going through because you don't have children - now that I'm on the other side of that, I can tell you with surety that they are small-minded and wrong. Having kids makes you think it's the hardest thing ever and anyone without kids couldn't possibly understand or have it this hard, but that's because people with kids are incredibly self-absorbed, which I now also am. Now that I have one, I see how that happens. Also, anyone who chose not to have one (which we very nearly almost did), you aren't making a mistake. That's a pretty great idea, although kids are adorable and amazing and a miracle and blah blah blah--not having them is also kinda nice with the vacations and the not putting them through college and sleeping, etc.
We just celebrated our first Hanukkah and new year with a baby and he received a nice thick foam/rubber mat with the alphabet painted on it which has replaced my wool dhurrie area rug as the focal point of my living room. My ottoman was previously replaced by an exersaucer.
At least we are finally coming out of that survival mode phase. He cries less and we have a handle on meeting most of his needs. He is very entertained by places like the grocery store.
Having a baby has also been a great excuse to bury my head in the sand. I'm not tuned in to daily terrorist attacks, streams of refugees desperate for a safe harbor, and the looming crisis in the U.S. that is set to start on or around January 20th. I don't want to look at that stuff anymore and I have the perfect excuse because my baby has athlete's foot so I have to go out and buy a special cream and rub it on his toes twice a day. I don't have time to worry about what will happen to the economy when our biggest trade relationships are ruined. Oh yeah, Lincoln also has acid reflux and getting him to take liquid baby zantac twice a day is a big job, leaving me no time to ponder the state of the highest court in the land and how it will adjudicate for a minority opinion for the next two decades or so. My mom keeps calling it baby xanex, isn't that funny? And now you see how parents become so incredibly self-absorbed? It's so easy to just look at your own little family and then stop your gaze there. I won't be so selfish as to try to convince the rest of the world that this is actually the hardest thing, though, because anybody who thinks that, doesn't know very much about the rest of the world.
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