You know that wonderful song that Julie Andrews sings in The Sound of Music? "These are a few of the things I love." It irritates me that all I can think after reading the newspaper, such as it is, and watching TV news, is "These are a few of the things that irritate me," a curmudgeonly point of view at best.
One is states passing religious freedom bills actually designed to isolate our LBGT population. Such virulent hate. A Catholic bishop said it was a just reaction because if you baked the cake, you became a participant in the marriage. A Facebook cartoon asked if it logically followed that if a gun store owner sold a gun used in a murder, was he then a participant in the murder? For Lord's sake, people, let others do what they want and tend to your own cabbage patch.
Similarly, the war on the poor disturbs me. Again, it's based on irrational hate. Forbidding welfare recipients to use food stamps to book a cruise makes sense except that it's completely illogical. How many welfare families do you think book cruises? Hey, folks, they're just trying to scrape by. Yes, I read about the welfare recipient who planned to take a $14,000 trip to Vegas--can't remember the story. But forbidding the poor to buy steaks and seafood, to go swimming, to do a lot of things that most of us regard as normal? That's perpetuating the cycle by putting the burden on their children--besides, fish is healthy and not always that expensive. No, you don't have to eat lobster.
Today, on International Autism Day, the governor of Illinois (my once-home state) announced a cutback in funds to deal with autism. Great timing, Governor whatever-your name is!)
Fracking concerns me greatly--I read statistics on the number of earthquakes in Oklahoma before fracking and the number now--absolutely mind-blowing. But I know it's true in North Texas too, and now I read that fracking is increasing radon levels. Wonderful! I firmly believe if you mess with Mother Nature, she'll win in the end.
Guns on campuses--I think this must have been proposed by someone who had no college-age kids. I had four of them, and I'm not sure I'd have all of them today if there had been guns on the TCU campus, at football games and frat parties College kids are great, for the most part young people finding and forming themselves, but they aren't quite in control yet. Give them guns and a little alcohol, and it's like a recipe for a fertilizer bomb.
And then there's Senator Tom Cotton--what can I say? Why hasn't somebody investigated him for ethics--or low IQ--or something?
Other times I see glimmers of hope. A Catholic high school in West Des Moines refused to hire a teacher once they knew he was gay. Students and a significant number of parents protested the discrimination, and the teacher was hired. Sometimes I think the young people of America are going to save us.
On a personal note, I didn't mean to unload so much of my personal angst in last night's blog, but I am amazed and eternally grateful for the support and offers of help. Believe me, it's getting better. With a humble thank you, good night.
One is states passing religious freedom bills actually designed to isolate our LBGT population. Such virulent hate. A Catholic bishop said it was a just reaction because if you baked the cake, you became a participant in the marriage. A Facebook cartoon asked if it logically followed that if a gun store owner sold a gun used in a murder, was he then a participant in the murder? For Lord's sake, people, let others do what they want and tend to your own cabbage patch.
Similarly, the war on the poor disturbs me. Again, it's based on irrational hate. Forbidding welfare recipients to use food stamps to book a cruise makes sense except that it's completely illogical. How many welfare families do you think book cruises? Hey, folks, they're just trying to scrape by. Yes, I read about the welfare recipient who planned to take a $14,000 trip to Vegas--can't remember the story. But forbidding the poor to buy steaks and seafood, to go swimming, to do a lot of things that most of us regard as normal? That's perpetuating the cycle by putting the burden on their children--besides, fish is healthy and not always that expensive. No, you don't have to eat lobster.
Today, on International Autism Day, the governor of Illinois (my once-home state) announced a cutback in funds to deal with autism. Great timing, Governor whatever-your name is!)
Fracking concerns me greatly--I read statistics on the number of earthquakes in Oklahoma before fracking and the number now--absolutely mind-blowing. But I know it's true in North Texas too, and now I read that fracking is increasing radon levels. Wonderful! I firmly believe if you mess with Mother Nature, she'll win in the end.
Guns on campuses--I think this must have been proposed by someone who had no college-age kids. I had four of them, and I'm not sure I'd have all of them today if there had been guns on the TCU campus, at football games and frat parties College kids are great, for the most part young people finding and forming themselves, but they aren't quite in control yet. Give them guns and a little alcohol, and it's like a recipe for a fertilizer bomb.
And then there's Senator Tom Cotton--what can I say? Why hasn't somebody investigated him for ethics--or low IQ--or something?
Other times I see glimmers of hope. A Catholic high school in West Des Moines refused to hire a teacher once they knew he was gay. Students and a significant number of parents protested the discrimination, and the teacher was hired. Sometimes I think the young people of America are going to save us.
On a personal note, I didn't mean to unload so much of my personal angst in last night's blog, but I am amazed and eternally grateful for the support and offers of help. Believe me, it's getting better. With a humble thank you, good night.
1 comment:
I share the irritations on your list. It is interesting how similar our patterns are, after all these years away from Chicago.
I could expand the list, but let me just add people who put untrue political postings on facebook.
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