We are in a civil war, only this time it is not about secession, it is about rights. It is about rights that our constitution supposedly guarantees. Funny how people choose to interpret that. Seems pretty clear to me. We have the right to free speech. We have the right to protest. We have the right to stand up or kneel down for what we believe to be right.
Standing, kneeling or laying down during the national anthem is a right. Just as standing and placing your hand over your heart is a right.
For the so-called President of the United States to incite civil war is wrong. It is inflammatory and just plain lunacy. Someone should put a muzzle on him, but no they let him go on and on.
Trace and I have been watching an amazing PBS show called The Vietnam War. That was the era I first learned about protest. Actually it coincided with the civil rights movement and both issues tore this country apart, opened many people's eyes to what protest can accomplish and finally changed the course of at least the Vietnam War.
Making people aware of issues, in whatever form you choose to take (I exclude violence) is a right. The players who are kneeling are making people aware of issues. They are not holding signs or berating people or calling people names, they are simply demonstrating their concern. It does not mean they disrespect the anthem or the flag. It means they know we are better than what is happening right now and they have chosen a means by which to demonstrate that. Wow, hats off to them. Thanks guys for peacefully demonstrating, rather than calling people names, belittling them, and inciting them to civil disobedience.
Right now we are a leaderless country, fighting among ourselves, and being egged on by someone who is supposed to be an example and a leader. It is absolutely disgusting that someone who is rude, racist, bigoted, and unfit for office is calling names and pointing fingers. In this instance, the old saying don't point fingers at others because you will have four pointing back at you is sooooooo true.
Maybe we should all take a look at what the protesters are really trying to say before we jump to conclusions and listen to someone who wouldn't know the meaning of peaceful protest, let alone practice it.
Let's end this civil war by having a dialogue, not a rock throwing contest.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Apologies are going to be the rule it seems.
First of all I did not realize how long it has been since I posted anything here. Wow, since May. Great summer though.
A conversation I had recently started out with a question. "Why does it take a disaster for people of all backgrounds and colors to come together?" She was referring to Hurricane Harvey. But, then the conversation took a detour. The person I was talking with is from Guam and works for Wal-Mart. She works in the grocery department. She is a bubbly, funny, and genuinely kind-hearted person. She had a customer who was looking for a certain brand/kind of cookie. My acqaintance told the woman she did not think they carried the cookie, but she would look anyway. The woman told her, how would she know, since she was not from here anyway. Hmm, why should that matter. So like the good employee my acquaintance is, she began searching for what the woman wanted. She even went to the back stockroom to look. When she came back the woman, obviously irritated, asked to see the manager. My acquaintance offered the department supervisor, but no she wanted the store manager. So, enters the manager. The manager listened to the woman complain about someone whom she did not know at all and how she was told the employee could not find what the woman was looking for and she was sure she had gotten the cookies at Wal-Mart and proceeded to go on about people from somewhere else coming and trying to do something they obviously did not know anything about. Like a good customer service person, the manager listened and then proceeded to tell the woman that Wal-Mart does not tolerate discrimination and that she could leave.
Wow, over stupid cookies. You have got to be kidding me that someone would insult someone over not finding the brand/kind of cookie they wanted. Good on the store manager for sticking up for the employee.
The point of this is that have we lost all of the ground that we have made over the past 50 years. Has it come back to the point where we privileged white folks think we are so high and mighty that we can insult and belittle someone who is just trying to do their job, all because of the color of their skin or the accent they have. My acquaintance made a very valid point. We all come from the same God and he does not care what color our skin is or whether we speak English well or not. He only cares what is in our heart and as for me I would rather have love, kindness, and compassion.
I apologized to my acquaintance for that woman's insulting behavior. I have a feeling at this time I will be doing a lot of apologizing for the white people who think they are so much better than any other human being. So I will begin here. I apologize to all of you hard working, family oriented, kind, generous people who have given up everything they have ever known to come to this country to make a new life for yourself, only to be treated like subhumans. Not all of us are like that and I hope you can forgive those of us who are and pray for them that their hearts can melt and find the compassion they need without there being a disaster to bring us together.
A conversation I had recently started out with a question. "Why does it take a disaster for people of all backgrounds and colors to come together?" She was referring to Hurricane Harvey. But, then the conversation took a detour. The person I was talking with is from Guam and works for Wal-Mart. She works in the grocery department. She is a bubbly, funny, and genuinely kind-hearted person. She had a customer who was looking for a certain brand/kind of cookie. My acqaintance told the woman she did not think they carried the cookie, but she would look anyway. The woman told her, how would she know, since she was not from here anyway. Hmm, why should that matter. So like the good employee my acquaintance is, she began searching for what the woman wanted. She even went to the back stockroom to look. When she came back the woman, obviously irritated, asked to see the manager. My acquaintance offered the department supervisor, but no she wanted the store manager. So, enters the manager. The manager listened to the woman complain about someone whom she did not know at all and how she was told the employee could not find what the woman was looking for and she was sure she had gotten the cookies at Wal-Mart and proceeded to go on about people from somewhere else coming and trying to do something they obviously did not know anything about. Like a good customer service person, the manager listened and then proceeded to tell the woman that Wal-Mart does not tolerate discrimination and that she could leave.
Wow, over stupid cookies. You have got to be kidding me that someone would insult someone over not finding the brand/kind of cookie they wanted. Good on the store manager for sticking up for the employee.
The point of this is that have we lost all of the ground that we have made over the past 50 years. Has it come back to the point where we privileged white folks think we are so high and mighty that we can insult and belittle someone who is just trying to do their job, all because of the color of their skin or the accent they have. My acquaintance made a very valid point. We all come from the same God and he does not care what color our skin is or whether we speak English well or not. He only cares what is in our heart and as for me I would rather have love, kindness, and compassion.
I apologized to my acquaintance for that woman's insulting behavior. I have a feeling at this time I will be doing a lot of apologizing for the white people who think they are so much better than any other human being. So I will begin here. I apologize to all of you hard working, family oriented, kind, generous people who have given up everything they have ever known to come to this country to make a new life for yourself, only to be treated like subhumans. Not all of us are like that and I hope you can forgive those of us who are and pray for them that their hearts can melt and find the compassion they need without there being a disaster to bring us together.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Memorial Day
We just celebrated Memorial Day. A solumn reminder of the many lives that were given to keep our country free and to help keep oppression from taking over the world.
It seems to me that we have disgraced those valiant lives that were sacrificed by electing a man who obviously thinks that the very oppressors they gave up their lives for are his friends. And, the only reason he believes this is because they bailed him out of a bankruptcy and laundered money through his properties.
Even if a third of what is being reported about the connection between the Russians and the Trump group is true. It is so morally and ethically wrong as to be criminal. That the party who put him up for election condones these actions is also criminal.
Yes, I am a liberal. Trump and the Republican party in general do not stand for what I stand for, but the fact is even though I did not hold the same views as the Republican party I felt they did have the country's well being at heart. Boy was I naive. These people spit on the graves of every one of our young men and women who have died in some far off land to protect us and the world from dictators, oppressors, and hate mongers. How dare these people insult those lives like that. And for what power, money, their own selfish needs.
I worry about our country and our people. We will never be the same. Who do we trust? How can we believe in our system if greedy, power hungry can manipulate it to their own ends and there seems to be nothing we can do about it.
I want to apologize to all of the men and women who have paid the ultimate price for what they believed in and who did their duty for our country. I also want to thank the men and women who are doing that today around the world. They go where they go because their country has sent them there. Our "leaders" need to make sure that they are not put in harms way because of their own selfish, greedy desires.
To all of the military serving around the world and to all of their families who miss them terribly thank you.
It seems to me that we have disgraced those valiant lives that were sacrificed by electing a man who obviously thinks that the very oppressors they gave up their lives for are his friends. And, the only reason he believes this is because they bailed him out of a bankruptcy and laundered money through his properties.
Even if a third of what is being reported about the connection between the Russians and the Trump group is true. It is so morally and ethically wrong as to be criminal. That the party who put him up for election condones these actions is also criminal.
Yes, I am a liberal. Trump and the Republican party in general do not stand for what I stand for, but the fact is even though I did not hold the same views as the Republican party I felt they did have the country's well being at heart. Boy was I naive. These people spit on the graves of every one of our young men and women who have died in some far off land to protect us and the world from dictators, oppressors, and hate mongers. How dare these people insult those lives like that. And for what power, money, their own selfish needs.
I worry about our country and our people. We will never be the same. Who do we trust? How can we believe in our system if greedy, power hungry can manipulate it to their own ends and there seems to be nothing we can do about it.
I want to apologize to all of the men and women who have paid the ultimate price for what they believed in and who did their duty for our country. I also want to thank the men and women who are doing that today around the world. They go where they go because their country has sent them there. Our "leaders" need to make sure that they are not put in harms way because of their own selfish, greedy desires.
To all of the military serving around the world and to all of their families who miss them terribly thank you.
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Indoctrination
Okay, I broke a rule. I engaged with a Trumper and I let the responses make me angry. I felt like I was a 10-year-old being told why I should never do that deed I just did again. I did not start it. I did not finish it, but I sure felt like it.
We were having a pleasant day. We were doing our favorite pass time junking and checking out book stores and vinyl shops or trying to, kind of slim pickings. We had gotten a recommendation from my daughter about a book store she and her husband had seen but not been able to go in because it was closed the day they were there. It was open, so we went in. Nice shop. Lots of interesting books, nicely labeled and we were having fun. Then it happened.
I walked to the front of the store and kind of out of the blue the owner made a remark about Hillary Clinton. I felt myself tense up and almost did not respond. He kept going. I finally asked him what he thought was so great about the guy in the white house. His response made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. He went on and on about how the white house guy had been treated unfairly by Boeing when he wanted to do a political stop at Boeing and that is how it was moved to Lynden. Since I and a group of friends were stuck in the traffic on that day, it resonated with me. He went on about how unfairly Trump had been treated and how awful Obama was. I tried to speak reasonably to him, but he just kept talking over me and "lecturing" me on what a great job Trump was doing.
When I tried to ask him how he felt about having a racist, lying, womanizing person representing our country to the world that is when it really went downhill. He stated that Trump was not a racist and suggested that I had been indoctrinated by the liberal news. I asked him if he knew anything about Steve Bannon, the friend of Trump who sat on our security committee and he did not know anything about him. When I told him about Bannon's plan to completely change our way of governing and that he was a fascist, the guy ignored me.
By this time, I was ready to go. I found Trace and told him I was going to step outside. I was trying to leave and the guy would not shut up. I told him he had a great store, it was nice meeting him, etc. By that time Trace had walked up and the guy was engaging him, so I found my opportunity and left.
This morning Trace posted a blurb from someone who sounded just like the guy yesterday.
So this is my thing. Everyone has a right to their opinion. I really mean that. I do not hold ill will against that man for not holding the same view point as I do. My problem is that they seem so indoctrinated that they will not look at a different view point and they seem to think that those of us who hold a different view point are somehow not American and standing by our President.
In the case of the man yesterday, he had been a teacher. It frightens me that he would be teaching my child. It frightens me because critical thinking is essential in making choices that match our values, morals, and integrity. When you spout doctrine without having thought about that doctrine you throw the values, morals, and integrity out the window and you can be used by whomever to further their own agenda. It is a frightening thing that is happening in our country right now. Next time, I will just hand him a glass of Kool-aid and see if he drinks it.
We were having a pleasant day. We were doing our favorite pass time junking and checking out book stores and vinyl shops or trying to, kind of slim pickings. We had gotten a recommendation from my daughter about a book store she and her husband had seen but not been able to go in because it was closed the day they were there. It was open, so we went in. Nice shop. Lots of interesting books, nicely labeled and we were having fun. Then it happened.
I walked to the front of the store and kind of out of the blue the owner made a remark about Hillary Clinton. I felt myself tense up and almost did not respond. He kept going. I finally asked him what he thought was so great about the guy in the white house. His response made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. He went on and on about how the white house guy had been treated unfairly by Boeing when he wanted to do a political stop at Boeing and that is how it was moved to Lynden. Since I and a group of friends were stuck in the traffic on that day, it resonated with me. He went on about how unfairly Trump had been treated and how awful Obama was. I tried to speak reasonably to him, but he just kept talking over me and "lecturing" me on what a great job Trump was doing.
When I tried to ask him how he felt about having a racist, lying, womanizing person representing our country to the world that is when it really went downhill. He stated that Trump was not a racist and suggested that I had been indoctrinated by the liberal news. I asked him if he knew anything about Steve Bannon, the friend of Trump who sat on our security committee and he did not know anything about him. When I told him about Bannon's plan to completely change our way of governing and that he was a fascist, the guy ignored me.
By this time, I was ready to go. I found Trace and told him I was going to step outside. I was trying to leave and the guy would not shut up. I told him he had a great store, it was nice meeting him, etc. By that time Trace had walked up and the guy was engaging him, so I found my opportunity and left.
This morning Trace posted a blurb from someone who sounded just like the guy yesterday.
So this is my thing. Everyone has a right to their opinion. I really mean that. I do not hold ill will against that man for not holding the same view point as I do. My problem is that they seem so indoctrinated that they will not look at a different view point and they seem to think that those of us who hold a different view point are somehow not American and standing by our President.
In the case of the man yesterday, he had been a teacher. It frightens me that he would be teaching my child. It frightens me because critical thinking is essential in making choices that match our values, morals, and integrity. When you spout doctrine without having thought about that doctrine you throw the values, morals, and integrity out the window and you can be used by whomever to further their own agenda. It is a frightening thing that is happening in our country right now. Next time, I will just hand him a glass of Kool-aid and see if he drinks it.
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Be careful of the lies
Since the budget has come out many of us have been upset, angry, and frustrated by the cuts and the obvious lack of compassion for programs that affect children, the elderly and the most vulnerable of our society, as well as the arts.
It has taken me a bit to try to digest all of this stuff, especially after the secretary made statements that seemed to be totally without compassion or understanding. Then it hit me, actually someone made me realize these people are trying to run this country like a business. You cut spending where there is no profit and you pour money into what will make a profit. My guy informed me that war has always helped the economy, thus more military spending. Hmm, the United States as big business. I suppose it is if you look at it from a purely Chairman of the Board perspective.
The problem I have with this is that most corporations only look at the bottom line, which means dollars. They rarely look at the hard work and dedication of the people who make that profit for them. To do that would be far too personal, God forbid that we have compassion for the guy on whose back we are making those bucks. After all they should be lucky they have a job.
I read an article about a town in Kentucky, (my birth state) that voted for the guy in the White House because he was going to bring jobs to their region. They are one of the poorest towns in the United States. They are hard working, good people who happen to live in an area where the economy was based on coal mining. The coal mines shut down and the jobs went away. Now they are experiencing the ravages of drug use and poverty, much as inner cities experience. They feel that the guy in the White House will bring those jobs back to their area and they can get back to being that beautiful, self-sustaining area they felt they once were.
I wish that were true for them. Since this regime feels as though this country should be run like a corporation and this area of the country obviously does not make a profit and to have them make a profit would take a big investment from some company or companies there is no incentive for the regime to help these people out. I feel horrible for them because of their predicament, but mostly because they believed a liar and a con man. Shame on him for preying on the hopes of people who were already down, but that is what he does.
I spoke to a young man today who said even though he did not vote for the guy he liked how he just said things straight up. I asked him, so you are okay with what he says even though it can be proven to be a lie? He said, well no, but I like that he says what is on his mind. I said so you like him even though you and your family are using the ACA, you receive Medicaid, and food stamps, and you get assistance with housing, all programs that would be drastically cut with the new budget. Well, no he said, I did not think about it that way. Hmm, I said, maybe you should because if this regime gets their way, you think you struggle now, you have not seen anything yet. He just looked at me kind of sadly.
I am so often surprised that the people I talk to who say they either like the guy or want to give him a chance have never read anything about what is really happening in this country right now. The young man and his family would essentially be fired from this US corporation because they cannot carry their own weight. Quite compassionate isn't it?
I read that Meals-on-Wheels is getting a huge boost in volunteers since the news came out that their budget would be drastically cut with this new budget. I am thrilled to hear that since it is a wonderful program that does so much more than just deliver meals. But there again that boost was caused by this corporation mentality preying on the most vulnerable in our country and good people responding to that attack by picking up the slack.
I think this regime has to realize that the United States is not a corporation. It is not a for profit company. You cannot get rid of the "dead weight" by starving them or not educating them or giving them false hope just to further your own selfish greed. Oh they may believe that you have their good at heart for a bit, but sooner or later they will figure our you have lied to them and then all those people who were thinking you were so great will turn on you quicker than you can go on a golfing weekend and spend hundreds of thousands of their dollars. And the people in your party will be right along with you, wondering what happened.
It has taken me a bit to try to digest all of this stuff, especially after the secretary made statements that seemed to be totally without compassion or understanding. Then it hit me, actually someone made me realize these people are trying to run this country like a business. You cut spending where there is no profit and you pour money into what will make a profit. My guy informed me that war has always helped the economy, thus more military spending. Hmm, the United States as big business. I suppose it is if you look at it from a purely Chairman of the Board perspective.
The problem I have with this is that most corporations only look at the bottom line, which means dollars. They rarely look at the hard work and dedication of the people who make that profit for them. To do that would be far too personal, God forbid that we have compassion for the guy on whose back we are making those bucks. After all they should be lucky they have a job.
I read an article about a town in Kentucky, (my birth state) that voted for the guy in the White House because he was going to bring jobs to their region. They are one of the poorest towns in the United States. They are hard working, good people who happen to live in an area where the economy was based on coal mining. The coal mines shut down and the jobs went away. Now they are experiencing the ravages of drug use and poverty, much as inner cities experience. They feel that the guy in the White House will bring those jobs back to their area and they can get back to being that beautiful, self-sustaining area they felt they once were.
I wish that were true for them. Since this regime feels as though this country should be run like a corporation and this area of the country obviously does not make a profit and to have them make a profit would take a big investment from some company or companies there is no incentive for the regime to help these people out. I feel horrible for them because of their predicament, but mostly because they believed a liar and a con man. Shame on him for preying on the hopes of people who were already down, but that is what he does.
I spoke to a young man today who said even though he did not vote for the guy he liked how he just said things straight up. I asked him, so you are okay with what he says even though it can be proven to be a lie? He said, well no, but I like that he says what is on his mind. I said so you like him even though you and your family are using the ACA, you receive Medicaid, and food stamps, and you get assistance with housing, all programs that would be drastically cut with the new budget. Well, no he said, I did not think about it that way. Hmm, I said, maybe you should because if this regime gets their way, you think you struggle now, you have not seen anything yet. He just looked at me kind of sadly.
I am so often surprised that the people I talk to who say they either like the guy or want to give him a chance have never read anything about what is really happening in this country right now. The young man and his family would essentially be fired from this US corporation because they cannot carry their own weight. Quite compassionate isn't it?
I read that Meals-on-Wheels is getting a huge boost in volunteers since the news came out that their budget would be drastically cut with this new budget. I am thrilled to hear that since it is a wonderful program that does so much more than just deliver meals. But there again that boost was caused by this corporation mentality preying on the most vulnerable in our country and good people responding to that attack by picking up the slack.
I think this regime has to realize that the United States is not a corporation. It is not a for profit company. You cannot get rid of the "dead weight" by starving them or not educating them or giving them false hope just to further your own selfish greed. Oh they may believe that you have their good at heart for a bit, but sooner or later they will figure our you have lied to them and then all those people who were thinking you were so great will turn on you quicker than you can go on a golfing weekend and spend hundreds of thousands of their dollars. And the people in your party will be right along with you, wondering what happened.
Friday, March 10, 2017
Quit telling me to get over it!!!!
By all rights I should be a Republican. I was raised in a family full of Republicans. The most influential people in my life were Republican. But, somewhere along the line I started looking at what they stood for and thought about it long and hard and felt that the party of my family wasn't the party for me. For a long time I did not even let them know. I did not want to argue with the people I loved so much. I did not understand how they could be in favor of so many things that did not have anything to do with human rights and why they felt that building a big military was more important than taking care of poor people.
During these troubled times, many of my friends have been offended by posts I have done relating to the guy in the White House. Equally, I have been offended by their posts. Even though I do not understand their opinions they have a right to them. I decided to blog about my opinions, rather than push them in their face on Facebook. I decided to start a Facebook page to send all of my opinion filled posts to a place they did not have to look at it, if they did not want to. And, still, I read their posts filled with insults and telling me to get over it, the guy in the White House is our president. It does not seem to matter to them that he and the group he surrounds himself with are using the highest office in our government to further their own financial gains or that we have stepped back at least 40 years in the fight for clean water and educating our children and the future of our country.
I have spoken to several Trump supporters and asked them if they knew who Steve Bannon was and what he believed in, since he is the guy in the White House' chief advisor. Of those I talked to no one knew anything about him. They did not know about his other cabinet members who are directly involved in banking with Russians or that the guy in the White House sells property to Russians looking to hide their money.
If you are going to back someone so fully whose agenda seems to be to tear our government apart (and don't misunderstand, I realize there are a lot of flaws in our system), at least read up on what the agenda is. It certainly is not about making this country great again, it is about getting all the information they can to make themselves richer and insulting the American people's intelligence by feeding them fear and lies.
The Republicans keep telling us to get over it. Sorry folks, I can't. If I trusted that this regime was really working for our country it would not matter to me if they were Republican, Democrat or dog walker. But I cannot get over that our government is being torn apart and reassembled by people whose only goal is their own agenda for their own good not ours. So please DO NOT ASK ME TO GET OVER IT and please stop insulting people who don't feel the way you do. And, for goodness sake, please find out more about the people you want us to get over. That is all I ask, find out more about them. Not the stuff that you want to believe but the real stuff. It is available on the Internet as well as in the library.
THINK
During these troubled times, many of my friends have been offended by posts I have done relating to the guy in the White House. Equally, I have been offended by their posts. Even though I do not understand their opinions they have a right to them. I decided to blog about my opinions, rather than push them in their face on Facebook. I decided to start a Facebook page to send all of my opinion filled posts to a place they did not have to look at it, if they did not want to. And, still, I read their posts filled with insults and telling me to get over it, the guy in the White House is our president. It does not seem to matter to them that he and the group he surrounds himself with are using the highest office in our government to further their own financial gains or that we have stepped back at least 40 years in the fight for clean water and educating our children and the future of our country.
I have spoken to several Trump supporters and asked them if they knew who Steve Bannon was and what he believed in, since he is the guy in the White House' chief advisor. Of those I talked to no one knew anything about him. They did not know about his other cabinet members who are directly involved in banking with Russians or that the guy in the White House sells property to Russians looking to hide their money.
If you are going to back someone so fully whose agenda seems to be to tear our government apart (and don't misunderstand, I realize there are a lot of flaws in our system), at least read up on what the agenda is. It certainly is not about making this country great again, it is about getting all the information they can to make themselves richer and insulting the American people's intelligence by feeding them fear and lies.
The Republicans keep telling us to get over it. Sorry folks, I can't. If I trusted that this regime was really working for our country it would not matter to me if they were Republican, Democrat or dog walker. But I cannot get over that our government is being torn apart and reassembled by people whose only goal is their own agenda for their own good not ours. So please DO NOT ASK ME TO GET OVER IT and please stop insulting people who don't feel the way you do. And, for goodness sake, please find out more about the people you want us to get over. That is all I ask, find out more about them. Not the stuff that you want to believe but the real stuff. It is available on the Internet as well as in the library.
THINK
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
Don't get distracted
Seems to me while all of us are being distracted by the newest, most outlandish BS to come out of the mouth of the guy in the White House, congress is just sliding one new and outlandish bill after another one through. Maybe we ought to focus more attention on what they are doing and just keep laughing at the comedian in the White House.
There are some bills coming up that pertain to vouchers for schools, EPA, and budget cuts that sure need our attention. I have called my congressmen more in the last few weeks than I have in my life. I think I will put those numbers on speed dial. It does not seem to do any good, as they have their own agenda and have started wiping out about 40 years of hard work to the environment and schools, but it is still worth a phone call. At least we know we have tried.
I would actually like to call every congressman and senator in the United States, but I don't think they would listen to someone who is not their constituent or even live in their state. I keep wondering when the Republicans who do have a moral ethic and are not crazy are going to stand up and say we have had enough. This guy needs to shut up and go and take his gang of money laundering, philandering, racists with him. Come on Republicans in office, grow a pair and speak out. What have you got to lose. You already look as stupid as he does by backing him. It might make you look like you were elected for good reason.
There are some bills coming up that pertain to vouchers for schools, EPA, and budget cuts that sure need our attention. I have called my congressmen more in the last few weeks than I have in my life. I think I will put those numbers on speed dial. It does not seem to do any good, as they have their own agenda and have started wiping out about 40 years of hard work to the environment and schools, but it is still worth a phone call. At least we know we have tried.
I would actually like to call every congressman and senator in the United States, but I don't think they would listen to someone who is not their constituent or even live in their state. I keep wondering when the Republicans who do have a moral ethic and are not crazy are going to stand up and say we have had enough. This guy needs to shut up and go and take his gang of money laundering, philandering, racists with him. Come on Republicans in office, grow a pair and speak out. What have you got to lose. You already look as stupid as he does by backing him. It might make you look like you were elected for good reason.
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
It's driving me nuts!!!
All of this stuff is driving me nuts. It is obvious that the guy in the White House has been doing business with the Russians and our new Secretary of Commerce helped broker some of the deals. So pay back for doing that is giving him a job that puts him in a position that allows him to know even more about what countries would make good targets for helping his buddies hide their money. In the guise of helping our commerce. Maybe there is more money to be made in money laundering than any of us know, so maybe these guys will figure out how to help the US become a money laundering capitol. The Camen Islands would have nothing compared to us. Oh boy, and how does that help our citizens, who knows but I am sure they will tell us or not.
And how about that speech the guy in the White House gave last night. Sorry folks I could not make myself watch it. I got physically ill when I saw him entering the chamber. I felt like he had just defiled a sacred shrine of democracy, something he does not even believe in. He and his buddy Steve were probably whooping it up and high-fiving each other after the speech last night. Yep, they really pulled one over on us. They got a sows ear to look like a silk purse with a good speech writer and a teleprompter and the Republicans ate it up, like pigs in slop. That's our guy. See he can be civil.
Sorry folks I am not buying it. You can try to make him sound legitimate. You can dress him up, send him to charm school, and give him a good speech writer, but he is still a con man, a fake, and a fascist.
When he gets his wall built, and his military beefed up, and his tax cuts to his rich buddies, and then declares martial law, so that we are under his complete and total power I suppose some of these crazy people will wonder what happened, but it has been there all along. He has been following a blueprint for making a new government that he and Steve Bannon cooked up, probably along with their other power hungry cronies long before the election happened.
Who, what, where, and when those are the questions we should be asking ourselves and making our congress answer, not even trying to reconcile differences. The differences in these people are far too right to be even included in a conversation about reconciliation with people who consider themselves true Americans. Was there ever talk of reconciliation with Hitler, nope. And they will not stop until they have us all under control and wearing the black pajamas. I never did like pajamas, black or otherwise.
And how about that speech the guy in the White House gave last night. Sorry folks I could not make myself watch it. I got physically ill when I saw him entering the chamber. I felt like he had just defiled a sacred shrine of democracy, something he does not even believe in. He and his buddy Steve were probably whooping it up and high-fiving each other after the speech last night. Yep, they really pulled one over on us. They got a sows ear to look like a silk purse with a good speech writer and a teleprompter and the Republicans ate it up, like pigs in slop. That's our guy. See he can be civil.
Sorry folks I am not buying it. You can try to make him sound legitimate. You can dress him up, send him to charm school, and give him a good speech writer, but he is still a con man, a fake, and a fascist.
When he gets his wall built, and his military beefed up, and his tax cuts to his rich buddies, and then declares martial law, so that we are under his complete and total power I suppose some of these crazy people will wonder what happened, but it has been there all along. He has been following a blueprint for making a new government that he and Steve Bannon cooked up, probably along with their other power hungry cronies long before the election happened.
Who, what, where, and when those are the questions we should be asking ourselves and making our congress answer, not even trying to reconcile differences. The differences in these people are far too right to be even included in a conversation about reconciliation with people who consider themselves true Americans. Was there ever talk of reconciliation with Hitler, nope. And they will not stop until they have us all under control and wearing the black pajamas. I never did like pajamas, black or otherwise.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Censorship, here?!!!!
A very conservative friend of mine posted a short little message on FB about upcoming news about major media outlets coming in the next few days. That sounds pretty ominous to me.
I read a lot of news and I mean a lot, especially for someone who went for years without reading or watching any news. Now it seems that is all I do and I do not want that messed with. I don't just read liberal contributors, I read conservative contributors as well. I want to give myself the illusion I am being fair. Okay, so I am not fair, but I still want to know what the conservatives are saying.
All of this hype from the guy in the white house has us all wondering about who can we trust and what should we really be listening to or watching.
I do find it convenient that I have my own resident ex-media guy to ask questions of and get input from. Kind of convenient. I must say he is more fair than I am most of the time. He enlightened me that many publishers are conservatives, while many of the reporters they hire are not. Nice checks and balances system, don't you think. An amusing side note, he stated that one of the first things one of his publishers said to him was "Don't get me sued."
With that said, the checks and balances in the industry serve as a scale for how close they can come to slander without crossing the line. Most employers, news or otherwise, do not want to have their money taken by lawyer fees.
Then comes common sense, which sure seems to be lacking these days. I realize we all want to gather around people who think like us and rally support for our cause or causes, but come on folks, when someone calls everything fake that does not fully support the lies and deception that is being spouted doesn't that send up some red flags? Apparently not for a lot of people and those people seem so doggone normal on the outside.
Our country was founded by rebels, people seem to forget that. Free speech was written into the constitution as one of our rights. We have never had to deal with censorship of the press, except by their own internal organization and I do not want it to start now, especially now.
I have no problem with the conservatives expressing their views, it is their right. I do take offense at pretty much being called un-American if I do not agree with them. And, I do take offense that they want my fellow Americans with that same right to be censored. Not in the America I know and love.
I read a lot of news and I mean a lot, especially for someone who went for years without reading or watching any news. Now it seems that is all I do and I do not want that messed with. I don't just read liberal contributors, I read conservative contributors as well. I want to give myself the illusion I am being fair. Okay, so I am not fair, but I still want to know what the conservatives are saying.
All of this hype from the guy in the white house has us all wondering about who can we trust and what should we really be listening to or watching.
I do find it convenient that I have my own resident ex-media guy to ask questions of and get input from. Kind of convenient. I must say he is more fair than I am most of the time. He enlightened me that many publishers are conservatives, while many of the reporters they hire are not. Nice checks and balances system, don't you think. An amusing side note, he stated that one of the first things one of his publishers said to him was "Don't get me sued."
With that said, the checks and balances in the industry serve as a scale for how close they can come to slander without crossing the line. Most employers, news or otherwise, do not want to have their money taken by lawyer fees.
Then comes common sense, which sure seems to be lacking these days. I realize we all want to gather around people who think like us and rally support for our cause or causes, but come on folks, when someone calls everything fake that does not fully support the lies and deception that is being spouted doesn't that send up some red flags? Apparently not for a lot of people and those people seem so doggone normal on the outside.
Our country was founded by rebels, people seem to forget that. Free speech was written into the constitution as one of our rights. We have never had to deal with censorship of the press, except by their own internal organization and I do not want it to start now, especially now.
I have no problem with the conservatives expressing their views, it is their right. I do take offense at pretty much being called un-American if I do not agree with them. And, I do take offense that they want my fellow Americans with that same right to be censored. Not in the America I know and love.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
Naive
I am pretty naive. I have actually known that for quite some time but lately it has been more apparent just how naive I am. Especially when it comes to how people view the world and politics in particular. I have always thought that your beliefs should coincide with how you live your life and how you vote. I am finding out that not everyone thinks that way. It has been pretty surprising, but has given me insight into how that guy in the white house has managed to bamboozle so many folks.
I get it when people say they did not like how things were going before the election. I didn't think it was so bad, but then my guy was President. I wasn't as pleased with him as I wanted to be but I did respect him and knew he was a decent man.
So, it amazes me when I talk to people who say they do not like how the new guy acts or what he says, but they think he will make big changes. So far, the only thing I can see him changing is how the world sees our country and him in particular, which is sad, considering we have been the ugly Americans for a long time. I don't like that title. I don't want to be an ugly American and I don't want someone who really is an ugly American representing me to the world.
Okay I got diverted. So how can Trump supporters overlook the fact that the man is a bigot, anti-Semitic, male chauvinist pig, whose buddy is a socialist, fascist. What are they seeing that I am not and are they being truthful with themselves when they say they don't like what he says. I could not back a democrat or independent who lied every time he opened his mouth, so how can they justify doing the same thing.
I am naive and I believe that our leaders should be examples for us, so that we can be proud of who we are as a nation. Now if the guy in the white house was on WWE I would find him hilarious. They are supposed to entertain and be braggarts and pump themselves up for audience attention. It is not so attractive from the President of the United States.
Yeah, I am not as naive as I was a few months ago and I have learned that we really are a great nation with some true heroes but we sure have a long way to go before we become a civilized nation. That is if this guy does not take us down so far it will take an Act of God to get us back on Track. Hmm, I must think on that, maybe, just maybe.
I get it when people say they did not like how things were going before the election. I didn't think it was so bad, but then my guy was President. I wasn't as pleased with him as I wanted to be but I did respect him and knew he was a decent man.
So, it amazes me when I talk to people who say they do not like how the new guy acts or what he says, but they think he will make big changes. So far, the only thing I can see him changing is how the world sees our country and him in particular, which is sad, considering we have been the ugly Americans for a long time. I don't like that title. I don't want to be an ugly American and I don't want someone who really is an ugly American representing me to the world.
Okay I got diverted. So how can Trump supporters overlook the fact that the man is a bigot, anti-Semitic, male chauvinist pig, whose buddy is a socialist, fascist. What are they seeing that I am not and are they being truthful with themselves when they say they don't like what he says. I could not back a democrat or independent who lied every time he opened his mouth, so how can they justify doing the same thing.
I am naive and I believe that our leaders should be examples for us, so that we can be proud of who we are as a nation. Now if the guy in the white house was on WWE I would find him hilarious. They are supposed to entertain and be braggarts and pump themselves up for audience attention. It is not so attractive from the President of the United States.
Yeah, I am not as naive as I was a few months ago and I have learned that we really are a great nation with some true heroes but we sure have a long way to go before we become a civilized nation. That is if this guy does not take us down so far it will take an Act of God to get us back on Track. Hmm, I must think on that, maybe, just maybe.
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Privilege
I watched a monologue by Darryl Wellington, a freelance writer who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I had discovered him through a piece he did on homelessness awhile back. In the monologue he talked about white people being privileged. I thought, no I am not privileged. I come from a middle class background and I have been middle class all my life. Then I got what he was talking about.
Yes, I have seen discrimination all my life but I have never lived it. I have never been watched in a store to make sure I was not going to steal something. I have never moved over so someone else could pass by because of the color of my skin. I have never had to fight to get an equal education. I have never dealt with the same kind of treatment that many people in our country have dealt with because of the color of their skin or the nature of their heritage.
I don't know how I would respond to that. As I am right now it would make me very angry. It makes me angry anyway and it is not happening to me. In the monologue Darryl spoke of not wanting to talk about his feelings about the election and did not want to hear how sorry people were that this regime was so bigoted and prejudiced. I am sure that his heart is aching, as we all thought we had come so far, only to find out we hadn't come far at all.
Yes, I am a person of privilege and right now I am feeling pretty ashamed of that privilege. It hurts other people and makes them feel less than. I would gladly give up that privilege to have my friends and neighbors truly feel they are my brothers and sisters.
Yes, I have seen discrimination all my life but I have never lived it. I have never been watched in a store to make sure I was not going to steal something. I have never moved over so someone else could pass by because of the color of my skin. I have never had to fight to get an equal education. I have never dealt with the same kind of treatment that many people in our country have dealt with because of the color of their skin or the nature of their heritage.
I don't know how I would respond to that. As I am right now it would make me very angry. It makes me angry anyway and it is not happening to me. In the monologue Darryl spoke of not wanting to talk about his feelings about the election and did not want to hear how sorry people were that this regime was so bigoted and prejudiced. I am sure that his heart is aching, as we all thought we had come so far, only to find out we hadn't come far at all.
Yes, I am a person of privilege and right now I am feeling pretty ashamed of that privilege. It hurts other people and makes them feel less than. I would gladly give up that privilege to have my friends and neighbors truly feel they are my brothers and sisters.
Friday, February 10, 2017
Where did that dream go?
My guy and I have been kicking around for weeks, maybe even months, how Donald Trump was elected. Who voted for him. My guy thinks it was disenfranchised, older white men who had not gotten what they felt all the folks getting handouts were getting. Believe me those handouts are not as easy to come by as those folks think, but that is for another time.
So, I asked him what about the women who voted for him, and there were a lot. He, being the idealist that he is when it comes to women (that certainly works to my benefit), did not have an answer.
I think I might have some insight into this issue. I was a product of the 60's. I was not raised to join corporate America and take on the role of a bread winner or even a half a loaf bread winner. I was raised that my husband would work and I would raise children and stay home and do whatever I wanted. I liked that idea. My mom did it. My sister did it. It was good enough for them, it would be good enough for me.
Well that plan did not work out so well. First of all, I am not very good at just staying home and cleaning toilets. I mean how many times a day can you clean a toilet before you are really, really bored. And the economics with rising prices and the chase for the American dream meant go to work.
Frankly I have resented it somewhat my whole life. The generation before me mostly stayed home and raised children. I was in the generation of super mom. You know work, perhaps go to school, and make sure you raising a decent human being.
I am not the only one who felt somewhat cheated. After all TV said that the Brady Bunch mom stayed home, the Partridge Family, you know all those "programs that depicted real life in America." So many of us from the 60's felt cheated. Then the evangelical Christians did not help with that living the dream as they teach that the man is the head of the household, the wife is supposed to take care of the children, and him too.
So here we are with a population who bought into all that nonsense and want that "dream" in their lives. Along comes this person who says what they want to hear (never mind he does not believe any of it nor live any of it) and they think they have found a Messiah who will lead them into the promised land of the 1950's.
I hate to say it folks but that can never happen. Even if the regime gets half of what they are trying to do by force there will always be those of us who know they are liars and fight them. Their vision is not the promised land. It is a cage. It does not allow for growth or compassion or basic human rights given to us by the Constitution of the United States.
So folks don't be fooled by the Piped Piper, you know where that led.
So, I asked him what about the women who voted for him, and there were a lot. He, being the idealist that he is when it comes to women (that certainly works to my benefit), did not have an answer.
I think I might have some insight into this issue. I was a product of the 60's. I was not raised to join corporate America and take on the role of a bread winner or even a half a loaf bread winner. I was raised that my husband would work and I would raise children and stay home and do whatever I wanted. I liked that idea. My mom did it. My sister did it. It was good enough for them, it would be good enough for me.
Well that plan did not work out so well. First of all, I am not very good at just staying home and cleaning toilets. I mean how many times a day can you clean a toilet before you are really, really bored. And the economics with rising prices and the chase for the American dream meant go to work.
Frankly I have resented it somewhat my whole life. The generation before me mostly stayed home and raised children. I was in the generation of super mom. You know work, perhaps go to school, and make sure you raising a decent human being.
I am not the only one who felt somewhat cheated. After all TV said that the Brady Bunch mom stayed home, the Partridge Family, you know all those "programs that depicted real life in America." So many of us from the 60's felt cheated. Then the evangelical Christians did not help with that living the dream as they teach that the man is the head of the household, the wife is supposed to take care of the children, and him too.
So here we are with a population who bought into all that nonsense and want that "dream" in their lives. Along comes this person who says what they want to hear (never mind he does not believe any of it nor live any of it) and they think they have found a Messiah who will lead them into the promised land of the 1950's.
I hate to say it folks but that can never happen. Even if the regime gets half of what they are trying to do by force there will always be those of us who know they are liars and fight them. Their vision is not the promised land. It is a cage. It does not allow for growth or compassion or basic human rights given to us by the Constitution of the United States.
So folks don't be fooled by the Piped Piper, you know where that led.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Get a handle on him
I was fired for not being politically correct. "I told someone I was going to kick their ass." Never mind that person was young enough to be my grandchild and over 6 feet tall (I am 4'11"). The point is that political correctness has been taken seriously by corporations and the public for a very long time in this country.
I suppose I can relate to the guy in the white house, into my brain often comes out of my mouth without much of a filter, but I am not the guy in the white house and I do not have the welfare of the people of this country at stake.
I have seen the stupid tweets he has tweeted ad nausea and, even though I did not like them and thought someone should take his phone away from him, they did not make me angry. That is until today. What right does a draft dodging, narcissistic, demoralizing man like the guy in the white house have to insult a true hero like John McCain.
Now do not get me wrong, I do not agree with Mr. McCain's politics but he has done more for this country than most of us will ever be called upon to do. He was a prisoner of war, captured while doing his duty for this country. Trump goes too far when he starts taking shots at such an honorable man.
Has anyone tried to tell him how stupid he looks and how he has degraded the office in which he is serving. Maybe a little counseling or a chat with someone on how to win friends and influence people. It is not bullying, huffing and puffing or threats. What about that is presidential. I don't care what he says behind closed doors to the people that kiss his butt, but as a citizen looking for leadership I am really tired of it.
Quit embarrassing us. Don't insult people like John McCain who, in my estimation you are not worthy to lick his shoes.
Don't throw a fit because your daughter's clothing line was dropped from Nordstrom's. If they are ugly they don't sell. It is simple. Who cares. Talk to her about it. Not the American people. We can sometimes be shallow but not so shallow that her clothing line takes priority over running the country.
Somebody get a handle on him. And please for goodness sake close his Twitter account.
I suppose I can relate to the guy in the white house, into my brain often comes out of my mouth without much of a filter, but I am not the guy in the white house and I do not have the welfare of the people of this country at stake.
I have seen the stupid tweets he has tweeted ad nausea and, even though I did not like them and thought someone should take his phone away from him, they did not make me angry. That is until today. What right does a draft dodging, narcissistic, demoralizing man like the guy in the white house have to insult a true hero like John McCain.
Now do not get me wrong, I do not agree with Mr. McCain's politics but he has done more for this country than most of us will ever be called upon to do. He was a prisoner of war, captured while doing his duty for this country. Trump goes too far when he starts taking shots at such an honorable man.
Has anyone tried to tell him how stupid he looks and how he has degraded the office in which he is serving. Maybe a little counseling or a chat with someone on how to win friends and influence people. It is not bullying, huffing and puffing or threats. What about that is presidential. I don't care what he says behind closed doors to the people that kiss his butt, but as a citizen looking for leadership I am really tired of it.
Quit embarrassing us. Don't insult people like John McCain who, in my estimation you are not worthy to lick his shoes.
Don't throw a fit because your daughter's clothing line was dropped from Nordstrom's. If they are ugly they don't sell. It is simple. Who cares. Talk to her about it. Not the American people. We can sometimes be shallow but not so shallow that her clothing line takes priority over running the country.
Somebody get a handle on him. And please for goodness sake close his Twitter account.
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
Conversation
During the super bowl, I text my daughter about Lady Gaga's performance and how she had subtly criticized the policies of the existing man in the white house. At first her reply startled me. She replied "Oh, so it was political. That is why I left." (She left to go the store.) I sat staring at what she had said for several minutes. Was my only child turning to the dark side? Had a conservative virus been injected into her? I must find a cure. After all I raised her and opinions and discussion were the norm at our house.
After thinking it over and wondering if I should jump in the car and drive the hour to her house to have the discussion, I settled on just texting back, "Okay," and waited, still wondering where my car keys were. Then I got this response "You know what I mean it's a lot of people yelling and no one listening." Ahh, my daughter is still there, forget the car keys.
My response to her was this, "I agree. I would like to see more reason and thought given to a solution. The only thing I can say is that change begins with me. But, I have believed that for a long time. You (meaning my daughter) taught me that. You introduced me to people and things that, left on my own, I might not have encountered. You called me on my attitude and touched my heart. I carry that every day and I thank you for that. I have friends who absolutely do not believe the way I do. It is not my job to change their mind or even try. It is my job to speak my own truth. By that I mean what I believe in my heart to be true. You helped teach me that."
Her response was a mother's dream, "Wow. That all goes back to you and the way you raised me. I think the reason I so tired is that my heart hears what everyone really means and it hurts for them that they can't just say that. Everyone gets wrapped up in what they think others want them to say."
My response was, " You are absolutely right. Everyone wants to change every one's mind. It does not work that way. Facts can change minds. Faith changes hearts. Put the two together and you have an unbeatable combination."
Her response, "Now if humans can overcome their faults instead of giving in to them. The heart thing has to come first. People have to stop hearing and talking to be right."
Me, "Yes. Treating another human being as the Bible says in many places, but everyone seems to forget that. I don't care if you are Hindi, Muslim, Christian or dog catcher. What I care about is how do you treat your fellow neighbors, whether you like them or not."
Now I wish for the world to have a conversation with open ears and an open heart.
After thinking it over and wondering if I should jump in the car and drive the hour to her house to have the discussion, I settled on just texting back, "Okay," and waited, still wondering where my car keys were. Then I got this response "You know what I mean it's a lot of people yelling and no one listening." Ahh, my daughter is still there, forget the car keys.
My response to her was this, "I agree. I would like to see more reason and thought given to a solution. The only thing I can say is that change begins with me. But, I have believed that for a long time. You (meaning my daughter) taught me that. You introduced me to people and things that, left on my own, I might not have encountered. You called me on my attitude and touched my heart. I carry that every day and I thank you for that. I have friends who absolutely do not believe the way I do. It is not my job to change their mind or even try. It is my job to speak my own truth. By that I mean what I believe in my heart to be true. You helped teach me that."
Her response was a mother's dream, "Wow. That all goes back to you and the way you raised me. I think the reason I so tired is that my heart hears what everyone really means and it hurts for them that they can't just say that. Everyone gets wrapped up in what they think others want them to say."
My response was, " You are absolutely right. Everyone wants to change every one's mind. It does not work that way. Facts can change minds. Faith changes hearts. Put the two together and you have an unbeatable combination."
Her response, "Now if humans can overcome their faults instead of giving in to them. The heart thing has to come first. People have to stop hearing and talking to be right."
Me, "Yes. Treating another human being as the Bible says in many places, but everyone seems to forget that. I don't care if you are Hindi, Muslim, Christian or dog catcher. What I care about is how do you treat your fellow neighbors, whether you like them or not."
Now I wish for the world to have a conversation with open ears and an open heart.
Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Our neighbors
When I started this blog I really had no intention of it being so much a political statement. But my guy told me a blog sometimes takes on a life of its own. Well, I have found that to be true.
We all belong to something. A family, an organization, a political party, a community, something. What a lot of people do not seem to realize these days is that we belong to a world community. We always have. We are a country of immigrants. Not one of us here in the United States, except native Americans and Latinos, can say that our ancestors have been here for more than 250 years.
Part of why I started this blog is because I have a hard time feeling as though I belong. I wanted to express who I am, so that those who think they know me and read this could know me better and I feel I have some things to say.
The events of the last few days, the immigration ban, has caused me to do some serious soul-searching about why it made me so doggone angry. I took it very personally that we were stopping people from coming into this country who were fleeing oppression or just trying to get back to their families. I felt like they were trying to stop my next door neighbor and in a way that is true.
We cannot think of ourselves any more as anything other than a member of a world community. If people around the globe are having issues they are our issues. They do affect us. From our economy to our hearts when we see what the atrocities taking place are doing to our fellow human beings. We can no longer look at a screen and say "Oh too bad about the war here or there." That war effects each and every one of us. We have troops around the globe who have families waiting for them here in the United States. If you don't think they think of the world as a community, think again. They are defending those neighbors. They are losing their lives for those neighbors.
Maybe that is what needs to happen. We need to start thinking of immigrants as our neighbors. Would you turn away your neighbor if their house was on fire? Well many of the people who are being turned away do not even have a house to be on fire. It was bombed, by their own leader, especially Syrians.
So I challenge you to think more about who your neighbors really are. Broaden the scope of your community, because in this day and age, the people of the world are our neighbors.
We all belong to something. A family, an organization, a political party, a community, something. What a lot of people do not seem to realize these days is that we belong to a world community. We always have. We are a country of immigrants. Not one of us here in the United States, except native Americans and Latinos, can say that our ancestors have been here for more than 250 years.
Part of why I started this blog is because I have a hard time feeling as though I belong. I wanted to express who I am, so that those who think they know me and read this could know me better and I feel I have some things to say.
The events of the last few days, the immigration ban, has caused me to do some serious soul-searching about why it made me so doggone angry. I took it very personally that we were stopping people from coming into this country who were fleeing oppression or just trying to get back to their families. I felt like they were trying to stop my next door neighbor and in a way that is true.
We cannot think of ourselves any more as anything other than a member of a world community. If people around the globe are having issues they are our issues. They do affect us. From our economy to our hearts when we see what the atrocities taking place are doing to our fellow human beings. We can no longer look at a screen and say "Oh too bad about the war here or there." That war effects each and every one of us. We have troops around the globe who have families waiting for them here in the United States. If you don't think they think of the world as a community, think again. They are defending those neighbors. They are losing their lives for those neighbors.
Maybe that is what needs to happen. We need to start thinking of immigrants as our neighbors. Would you turn away your neighbor if their house was on fire? Well many of the people who are being turned away do not even have a house to be on fire. It was bombed, by their own leader, especially Syrians.
So I challenge you to think more about who your neighbors really are. Broaden the scope of your community, because in this day and age, the people of the world are our neighbors.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Be careful what you wish for
Is this really what the people who elected Trump wanted? Not the people who were behind getting him elected, but the real people who voted for him. The ones like you and me, who get up every morning, go to work, play with their kids, you know just folk. Did they really want to have a fascist country, where one man makes decisions for all of us, whether we or they like it or not?
It is easy when you have an idea of what you want your government to look like to pick a candidate and vote. This time I think the people who voted for Trump were fooled into believing he stood for what they believe in. I don't think they had any idea of his true agenda. I don't think they realized he was as sick as he is. At least I would like to believe they did not know.
I wonder how many of them are as shocked and upset as those of us who did not vote for this lunatic. I cannot believe they wanted a dictator who would, in a very short time, turn much of the world against us.
I guess it is like the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for, you may get it." But did they really?
It is easy when you have an idea of what you want your government to look like to pick a candidate and vote. This time I think the people who voted for Trump were fooled into believing he stood for what they believe in. I don't think they had any idea of his true agenda. I don't think they realized he was as sick as he is. At least I would like to believe they did not know.
I wonder how many of them are as shocked and upset as those of us who did not vote for this lunatic. I cannot believe they wanted a dictator who would, in a very short time, turn much of the world against us.
I guess it is like the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for, you may get it." But did they really?
Saturday, January 28, 2017
America, Home of the Brave and Land of the Free
I thought we lived in America, Home of the Brave and Land of the Free. I have never lived in a fascist state, nor did I want to, but I guess all of that is changing.
We have a lunatic in the white house who is taking away our liberties by executive order and because of an article in the constitution he can do that. I keep asking when is congress going to put a muzzle and a leash on this guy. Well they can and can't. They assume, as we did that this guy could be reasoned with. Have you ever tried to reason with an out of control teenager? Good luck with that.
I find it truly sad that Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of our neighbor to the north, is more compassionate towards people fleeing oppression than we are.
Did 911 frighten us so badly that we have become hardened to the plight of people fighting for their lives. Don't get me wrong 911 was devastating. It was despicable, but not every Muslim is a terrorist any more than every American is a Trump supporter. We have people who are waiting to come into this country, who have legitimate papers, now stuck in no-man's land because we have an insane guy in the white house. So I suppose that is all right as long as they stay in the countries they came from or in the country they are now stuck in. Well isn't that swell of us. Let's let the rest of the world deal with this since we are now bigots.
I do not want to be classed as a bigot. I have stood up to bigotry since I was a child. I do not want to live in a bigoted, fascist, elitist country, where everyone looks the same, talks the same, and thinks the same. How boring that would be.
I hope my guy is right and due process will win out, but the damage that will be done between now and then frightens me more than at any other time in my adult life. Where is the reason? Where is the justice? Where is the compassion? Think people, think.
We have a lunatic in the white house who is taking away our liberties by executive order and because of an article in the constitution he can do that. I keep asking when is congress going to put a muzzle and a leash on this guy. Well they can and can't. They assume, as we did that this guy could be reasoned with. Have you ever tried to reason with an out of control teenager? Good luck with that.
I find it truly sad that Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of our neighbor to the north, is more compassionate towards people fleeing oppression than we are.
Did 911 frighten us so badly that we have become hardened to the plight of people fighting for their lives. Don't get me wrong 911 was devastating. It was despicable, but not every Muslim is a terrorist any more than every American is a Trump supporter. We have people who are waiting to come into this country, who have legitimate papers, now stuck in no-man's land because we have an insane guy in the white house. So I suppose that is all right as long as they stay in the countries they came from or in the country they are now stuck in. Well isn't that swell of us. Let's let the rest of the world deal with this since we are now bigots.
I do not want to be classed as a bigot. I have stood up to bigotry since I was a child. I do not want to live in a bigoted, fascist, elitist country, where everyone looks the same, talks the same, and thinks the same. How boring that would be.
I hope my guy is right and due process will win out, but the damage that will be done between now and then frightens me more than at any other time in my adult life. Where is the reason? Where is the justice? Where is the compassion? Think people, think.
Thursday, January 26, 2017
It made me so doggone sad today to look at a sweet man who was in fear of what was going to happen to some friends of his. It made me sad and then mad. The man was a Mexican-American who has friends who feel they must move back to Mexico with their daughter for fear of what may be coming in this country.
How dare Donald Trump and his insanity to invade people's lives like that. Even though nothing has happened so far and my guy keeps reassuring me that this whole thing will be tied up in court for years, who cares. These people are in fear right now. Can you imagine living in fear that someone might come and knock on your door and haul you away from the only life you have known for years. You are a law abiding, work hard person who is in danger of having your whole life ripped from you. That stinks.
We here in America have never had to live like that, except during WWII, when Japanese families were hauled off to camps and lost everything. Since then it has not happened.
So what do we say to those people we know who are in this position. Don't worry, it will be all right. We do not know that and those are pretty hollow sounding words if you ask me. Or do we say, oh don't worry it will take years of litigation before Trump can seriously do anything. Same hollow words.
There is truly nothing we can say, because we do not know. Those of us who did not vote for him did not think he would be elected, either legally or illegally.
At this point the only thing we can do is pray and hope that God intercedes before this idiot blows us all up.
How dare Donald Trump and his insanity to invade people's lives like that. Even though nothing has happened so far and my guy keeps reassuring me that this whole thing will be tied up in court for years, who cares. These people are in fear right now. Can you imagine living in fear that someone might come and knock on your door and haul you away from the only life you have known for years. You are a law abiding, work hard person who is in danger of having your whole life ripped from you. That stinks.
We here in America have never had to live like that, except during WWII, when Japanese families were hauled off to camps and lost everything. Since then it has not happened.
So what do we say to those people we know who are in this position. Don't worry, it will be all right. We do not know that and those are pretty hollow sounding words if you ask me. Or do we say, oh don't worry it will take years of litigation before Trump can seriously do anything. Same hollow words.
There is truly nothing we can say, because we do not know. Those of us who did not vote for him did not think he would be elected, either legally or illegally.
At this point the only thing we can do is pray and hope that God intercedes before this idiot blows us all up.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
More scary stuff
Everyday now we see our country turning into something we don't even recognize. What happened to the words on the Statue of Liberty that so many immigrants gratefully looked at as they entered what they hoped would be their promised land.
Oh, I forgot their skin was the same color as that guy in the white house. I watched in horror as Jorge Ramos, an award winning journalist was ejected from a Trump news conference last August for trying to ask a question. Okay, so I am sure it probably had something to do with Trump's stand on racism, which we have now all pretty much come to know. He is a racist, but the guy was not even civil about it. He just ejected Mr. Ramos without even hearing the question. Yeah that is our president. That is the kind of guy we want to represent us throughout the world. Considering that most of the population of the world does not have the same color skin we do, not to mention our native American population, who must be scared to death right now.
How do we stop this? Forget writing to our representatives, their hands seem to be tied or their heads are so far up Trump's butt they cannot see their constituents, much less the rest of those who are shaking our heads in disbelief.
I do not have answers, but I do have a lot of questions. One is who the heck really elected this guy? We can blame the Russians, but so far no one has been able to prove that, although I am not sure how hard they are really trying. And, God knows, if Trump does carry out an investigation how accurate would it be.
The problem is he has lied so much and treated people so badly how can we ever trust him or his party? It is so doggone sad that we are a great nation, we always have been. Yes, we have issues but we have always been able to move on and feel proud to be American. I can truthfully say this is the first time in my 67 years that I have questioned my pride in America. Not the people, the government. It has quit working and what seems to be coming next is terrifying.
Oh, I forgot their skin was the same color as that guy in the white house. I watched in horror as Jorge Ramos, an award winning journalist was ejected from a Trump news conference last August for trying to ask a question. Okay, so I am sure it probably had something to do with Trump's stand on racism, which we have now all pretty much come to know. He is a racist, but the guy was not even civil about it. He just ejected Mr. Ramos without even hearing the question. Yeah that is our president. That is the kind of guy we want to represent us throughout the world. Considering that most of the population of the world does not have the same color skin we do, not to mention our native American population, who must be scared to death right now.
How do we stop this? Forget writing to our representatives, their hands seem to be tied or their heads are so far up Trump's butt they cannot see their constituents, much less the rest of those who are shaking our heads in disbelief.
I do not have answers, but I do have a lot of questions. One is who the heck really elected this guy? We can blame the Russians, but so far no one has been able to prove that, although I am not sure how hard they are really trying. And, God knows, if Trump does carry out an investigation how accurate would it be.
The problem is he has lied so much and treated people so badly how can we ever trust him or his party? It is so doggone sad that we are a great nation, we always have been. Yes, we have issues but we have always been able to move on and feel proud to be American. I can truthfully say this is the first time in my 67 years that I have questioned my pride in America. Not the people, the government. It has quit working and what seems to be coming next is terrifying.
Monday, January 23, 2017
What now
Okay, we watched as over a million people marched in cities all over the world to let our leaders know we do not like what is happening in the world. They marched to let leaders know that their voices would be heard.
What now? It is all well and good to demonstrate for lofty ideals but how do you make those ideals stick. Obviously legislation does not work that can be changed with the stroke of a pen. As that guy in the white house is showing us. So what does make permanent change.
I would challenge those amazing people who marched and showed how much they cared about this country and the rights of the people in it to come up with a plan that will work. A plan that cannot be legislated away. Laws truly change nothing. They are only rules by which someone says we have to live. They do not have much to do with how each and every one of us lives on a daily basis. They do not have much to do with how we treat our neighbors, our friends, our families or strangers we encounter. That comes from our hearts and our beliefs about how the world should be.
Right now we are dealing with a government who does not see any of the people in the United States as real people with real lives who mean something. The leader of this country seems to spend far to much time in the mirror telling himself what a great thing he has a accomplished and how he is the best thing in the world. He does not know we exist and we can march, scream or anything else and he will not hear us. He does not care. He got what he wanted. Power. Power over millions of people.
We have a narcissistic egomaniac in the topmost leader role of this country and he has surrounded himself with people who want a piece of that power and will do whatever it takes to get it.
We better come up with a plan to fight this and it better be a good one or our democracy is done and we will have a dictatorship before anyone can even begin to stop him.
What now? It is all well and good to demonstrate for lofty ideals but how do you make those ideals stick. Obviously legislation does not work that can be changed with the stroke of a pen. As that guy in the white house is showing us. So what does make permanent change.
I would challenge those amazing people who marched and showed how much they cared about this country and the rights of the people in it to come up with a plan that will work. A plan that cannot be legislated away. Laws truly change nothing. They are only rules by which someone says we have to live. They do not have much to do with how each and every one of us lives on a daily basis. They do not have much to do with how we treat our neighbors, our friends, our families or strangers we encounter. That comes from our hearts and our beliefs about how the world should be.
Right now we are dealing with a government who does not see any of the people in the United States as real people with real lives who mean something. The leader of this country seems to spend far to much time in the mirror telling himself what a great thing he has a accomplished and how he is the best thing in the world. He does not know we exist and we can march, scream or anything else and he will not hear us. He does not care. He got what he wanted. Power. Power over millions of people.
We have a narcissistic egomaniac in the topmost leader role of this country and he has surrounded himself with people who want a piece of that power and will do whatever it takes to get it.
We better come up with a plan to fight this and it better be a good one or our democracy is done and we will have a dictatorship before anyone can even begin to stop him.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
An episode of Cops
It seems that we folks who were young adults in the 60's and 70's learned how to demonstrate and voice our opinions. We learned that very well and we felt as though the rest of the country would hear us and agree. Well in some cases they did, thus many strides in civil rights for minorities and women. What we failed to see was an underlying current of resentment and hatred for the very things that we thought everyone wanted. After all they were reasonable, humane ideals, who would not be for them.
What we failed to realize was that there is another force that seems more powerful in these times and that is power and greed. When I have heard the elected white house guy (no I cannot call him Mr. President) speaking I have never once heard compassion for anyone. It has all been about what the "fake media" has said about him or the "useless" individuals he has insulted, most of whom he is not fit to lick their shoes. So, he is a president of this generation where many do not want to take responsibility for their own actions and would rather blame their actions on anyone but themselves.
I would have had more respect for this guy if he would have just owned up to his blunders and said, "Yeah, I acted like a moron, I have learned from my mistakes and I will strive to do better." But, no, every time he is caught at doing something it is someone else's fault. It is kind of like watching an episode of "Cops", you know the one where the person gets caught with the dope and keeps saying, "It's not mine, man."
So I suppose if we just consider the next four years an episode of "Cops" we can get through it just fine. After all, the bad guy does finally get taken into custody and right does prevail.
What we failed to realize was that there is another force that seems more powerful in these times and that is power and greed. When I have heard the elected white house guy (no I cannot call him Mr. President) speaking I have never once heard compassion for anyone. It has all been about what the "fake media" has said about him or the "useless" individuals he has insulted, most of whom he is not fit to lick their shoes. So, he is a president of this generation where many do not want to take responsibility for their own actions and would rather blame their actions on anyone but themselves.
I would have had more respect for this guy if he would have just owned up to his blunders and said, "Yeah, I acted like a moron, I have learned from my mistakes and I will strive to do better." But, no, every time he is caught at doing something it is someone else's fault. It is kind of like watching an episode of "Cops", you know the one where the person gets caught with the dope and keeps saying, "It's not mine, man."
So I suppose if we just consider the next four years an episode of "Cops" we can get through it just fine. After all, the bad guy does finally get taken into custody and right does prevail.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
I broke a rule I had made for myself yesterday. Actually, I had done it before, but for some reason this time it struck some nerves with folks. I shared on Facebook a post I had received from a friend. It related to Donald Trump insulting John Lewis, a US senator and prominent civil rights demonstrator back when it was a dangerous thing to be a civil rights demonstrator. He suffered a fractured skull and time in jail for his courage. Since then, he has served this nation as a voice of reason in the legislature.
Anyway, one of my friends, a Trump supporter, and far too young to even know who John Lewis is commented on the post, as well she has a right too. Another friend of mine, actually a friend since 1976, went off on her, calling her stupid and saying how sick he was of the stupid Trump supporters. I was so embarrassed I still don't know what to say to him. I apologized to my Trump supporter friend and got some very encouraging comments from other people on the post.
My thing is, how do we come together as a nation if we cannot even dialog without calling each other names and insulting one another. That makes us no better than Trump, who does not seem to care who he insults and calls names. He just flings the words because he thinks he is untouchable and no one will stop him, as if they could.
My Trump supporter friend suggested we give him a chance. We have no choice, we have to give him a chance, but I must say I am terrified of giving him a chance. To me that means a chance to make our nation a laughing stock all over the world. That means that we will be going back to a time when women and minorities were seen and not heard and all of the years of struggle to get where we are will be gone, with a long way to go. Where hatred and bigotry are the rule. Not a world that sounds like we are making America great again to me, but then I forgot that making America great means lining the pockets of already rich corporate executives and politicians who follow the Trump line of thinking.
As we go into the next four years we all need to talk to one another. I mean really talk. We do not all need to sit around a campfire and sing Kumbiya (I never can spell that word), but tell each other who we are, what we believe in, and why. I have found that if I know who another person is it is much easier for me to understand why they believe what they do. We do not need to insult each other and become crass and crude like the guy that will be in the white house. We all need to take the high road with each other. That is what will truly make America great. Understanding and compassion for another viewpoint, whether we agree or not.
Anyway, one of my friends, a Trump supporter, and far too young to even know who John Lewis is commented on the post, as well she has a right too. Another friend of mine, actually a friend since 1976, went off on her, calling her stupid and saying how sick he was of the stupid Trump supporters. I was so embarrassed I still don't know what to say to him. I apologized to my Trump supporter friend and got some very encouraging comments from other people on the post.
My thing is, how do we come together as a nation if we cannot even dialog without calling each other names and insulting one another. That makes us no better than Trump, who does not seem to care who he insults and calls names. He just flings the words because he thinks he is untouchable and no one will stop him, as if they could.
My Trump supporter friend suggested we give him a chance. We have no choice, we have to give him a chance, but I must say I am terrified of giving him a chance. To me that means a chance to make our nation a laughing stock all over the world. That means that we will be going back to a time when women and minorities were seen and not heard and all of the years of struggle to get where we are will be gone, with a long way to go. Where hatred and bigotry are the rule. Not a world that sounds like we are making America great again to me, but then I forgot that making America great means lining the pockets of already rich corporate executives and politicians who follow the Trump line of thinking.
As we go into the next four years we all need to talk to one another. I mean really talk. We do not all need to sit around a campfire and sing Kumbiya (I never can spell that word), but tell each other who we are, what we believe in, and why. I have found that if I know who another person is it is much easier for me to understand why they believe what they do. We do not need to insult each other and become crass and crude like the guy that will be in the white house. We all need to take the high road with each other. That is what will truly make America great. Understanding and compassion for another viewpoint, whether we agree or not.
Thursday, January 12, 2017
By the way, sorry about lack of posting of late. Our modem decided to act silly and we had to figure out what was wrong and then life kind of got in the way, but I am back. It did give me time to think of some stuff that has been on my mind, so you will get the results of that.
As those of you who may know me can attest I am not the poster child for political correctness. In most cases I am okay with that. However, it seems that corporations take political correctness very seriously, as I learned awhile ago. That being the case, why is our new president not being held to the same standard that every person working for a large corporation is held.
Now, you may say "Well, he is the President and he can say what he wants." I beg to differ with you on that one. Seems to me he should be the example of how we should treat our fellow man. Instead, he gives every excuse in the book as to why his words and actions are okay. Mostly it is the "unfair" media's fault that he is a putz, according to him.
It amazes me that he can lie to our faces and expect us to believe him. I suppose to track down all of the facts is time consuming and downright tedious, but come on, some of it is so blatant and obvious it only shows that he thinks we are all morons and he of the big ego is the only one allowed to spout nasty words and gestures about people and get away with it because he is the Pres.
I do not remember when I have been so upset with a president. This guy was a bullying, egomaniac on his TV show and now he has brought the show to the American people. I hope the media goes after him with a vengeance. He deserves it and we deserve better.
As those of you who may know me can attest I am not the poster child for political correctness. In most cases I am okay with that. However, it seems that corporations take political correctness very seriously, as I learned awhile ago. That being the case, why is our new president not being held to the same standard that every person working for a large corporation is held.
Now, you may say "Well, he is the President and he can say what he wants." I beg to differ with you on that one. Seems to me he should be the example of how we should treat our fellow man. Instead, he gives every excuse in the book as to why his words and actions are okay. Mostly it is the "unfair" media's fault that he is a putz, according to him.
It amazes me that he can lie to our faces and expect us to believe him. I suppose to track down all of the facts is time consuming and downright tedious, but come on, some of it is so blatant and obvious it only shows that he thinks we are all morons and he of the big ego is the only one allowed to spout nasty words and gestures about people and get away with it because he is the Pres.
I do not remember when I have been so upset with a president. This guy was a bullying, egomaniac on his TV show and now he has brought the show to the American people. I hope the media goes after him with a vengeance. He deserves it and we deserve better.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
I spent over 30 years in the medical field. I was a medical transcriptionist. What that means is when you went to the hospital or the doctor's office I was the person who typed your reports. I knew what they were saying, so you did not end up with a report that said you had a tonsillectomy if you really had an appendectomy.
Over the past year-and-a half I have had more tests and been to the doctor more than I have been in my entire life. I have a kidney that is, basically, dying and blood pressure that is finally under control. In the process of all of this I ended up in the hospital back in June. While there, I found out I had an ischemic bowel. That means that the blood flow was restricted to my bowel. Scary, yes. Dangerous, could be. I made it through that episode, but I could not get an answer as to what had caused it. I heard that I had had a low blood pressure event that caused the blood vessels in my bowel to be restricted. You would think if I had a low blood pressure event of that magnitude I would have had symptoms of some sort. Nope.
Well, being me, I kept asking the doctors what caused it. No one gave me a straight answer, not even my primary care provider, the one who is supposed to know me the best. Hmm. I finally got an answer and I was floored. Apparently, my blood pressure had been treated too aggressively and caused this "event". So, in other words my physician's treatment caused me to spend 3 days in the hospital and be scared to death that I was going to have another episode.
Now that in itself is enough to send most people into a fit of frustration, but I asked her why there had been no follow-up from the hospital for this condition, because it seemed to me they would want to keep an eye on it to see if the blood flow was coming back normally. Her answer to this was to say she did not realize there had been no follow-up and she would examine my "tummy." When she did she said she heard a "bruit", which is a sound like a whish, that was in tune with my heart rate, according to her, indicating there might be an abdominal aortic aneurysm. News to me. No one had mentioned that before, and believe me there were enough tests to show one if there was one in June. Aneurysms do not generally grow rapidly, so what was the deal. She then decided to send me for an abdominal ultrasound, looking for this aneurysm.
By now, I am getting close to furious. If there was an aneurysm, why hadn't someone said something before, and why is this the first time my doctor had even slightly examined my stomach. I have heard about this kind of thing happening to other people, but certainly not to me. I have always felt I was getting really good medical care and watched carefully to make sure I was. If I did not like something I said so.
What has made this different is that I bought into the idea that doctors know what they are doing and they can be trusted to take good care of us. In most cases that is absolutely true. It just so happens in this case, not so much.
So, today, while getting the abdominal ultrasound I got copies of all of the reports from my hospital stay in June. I read them. There was no mention of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. There were at least 2 errors in the reports, one was my height. It was stated twice that I am 5'1" tall. I wish, I am 4'11". It also stated I weighed 93 pounds. Two days later I weighed 109 pounds, which is my actual weight. These sound like minor details, but inaccuracy is inaccuracy. Besides if another doc is looking at the report, it could put a question in their mind and treatment options could change.
The point of all of this is, first of all, to vent, because I am still angry about the lack of follow-up and the abdominal aortic aneurysm, which could be a serious issue, and, secondly, to let you know that no matter who you are or how much you may know you need to be aware that doctors make mistakes. Be proactive in your own healthcare. If something does not sound right or you don't want to do it say so. After all you are the one who has to live with the consequences. Don't expect them to own up to the fact that the treatment they provided damaged you. It took six months for me to get a straight answer and I sure was not happy with the one I got.
Over the past year-and-a half I have had more tests and been to the doctor more than I have been in my entire life. I have a kidney that is, basically, dying and blood pressure that is finally under control. In the process of all of this I ended up in the hospital back in June. While there, I found out I had an ischemic bowel. That means that the blood flow was restricted to my bowel. Scary, yes. Dangerous, could be. I made it through that episode, but I could not get an answer as to what had caused it. I heard that I had had a low blood pressure event that caused the blood vessels in my bowel to be restricted. You would think if I had a low blood pressure event of that magnitude I would have had symptoms of some sort. Nope.
Well, being me, I kept asking the doctors what caused it. No one gave me a straight answer, not even my primary care provider, the one who is supposed to know me the best. Hmm. I finally got an answer and I was floored. Apparently, my blood pressure had been treated too aggressively and caused this "event". So, in other words my physician's treatment caused me to spend 3 days in the hospital and be scared to death that I was going to have another episode.
Now that in itself is enough to send most people into a fit of frustration, but I asked her why there had been no follow-up from the hospital for this condition, because it seemed to me they would want to keep an eye on it to see if the blood flow was coming back normally. Her answer to this was to say she did not realize there had been no follow-up and she would examine my "tummy." When she did she said she heard a "bruit", which is a sound like a whish, that was in tune with my heart rate, according to her, indicating there might be an abdominal aortic aneurysm. News to me. No one had mentioned that before, and believe me there were enough tests to show one if there was one in June. Aneurysms do not generally grow rapidly, so what was the deal. She then decided to send me for an abdominal ultrasound, looking for this aneurysm.
By now, I am getting close to furious. If there was an aneurysm, why hadn't someone said something before, and why is this the first time my doctor had even slightly examined my stomach. I have heard about this kind of thing happening to other people, but certainly not to me. I have always felt I was getting really good medical care and watched carefully to make sure I was. If I did not like something I said so.
What has made this different is that I bought into the idea that doctors know what they are doing and they can be trusted to take good care of us. In most cases that is absolutely true. It just so happens in this case, not so much.
So, today, while getting the abdominal ultrasound I got copies of all of the reports from my hospital stay in June. I read them. There was no mention of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. There were at least 2 errors in the reports, one was my height. It was stated twice that I am 5'1" tall. I wish, I am 4'11". It also stated I weighed 93 pounds. Two days later I weighed 109 pounds, which is my actual weight. These sound like minor details, but inaccuracy is inaccuracy. Besides if another doc is looking at the report, it could put a question in their mind and treatment options could change.
The point of all of this is, first of all, to vent, because I am still angry about the lack of follow-up and the abdominal aortic aneurysm, which could be a serious issue, and, secondly, to let you know that no matter who you are or how much you may know you need to be aware that doctors make mistakes. Be proactive in your own healthcare. If something does not sound right or you don't want to do it say so. After all you are the one who has to live with the consequences. Don't expect them to own up to the fact that the treatment they provided damaged you. It took six months for me to get a straight answer and I sure was not happy with the one I got.
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