Tuesday, November 4, 2008
For My Kids
Today our nation gave my children a gift. That gift was in the form of a man who I believe has the ability to inspire them for the rest of their lives. A man that will give them hope when there doesn't appear to be any. I showed them by voting for our first African American President that I value all people of color, just like I value them. I hope that by casting my vote for Barack Obama my vote assured them that I respect people of color and that I believe that they are capable, have the wisdom and innovation to lead this country on a course in history that when looked back upon will be remembered as one of our finest moments with our greatest leader. Today I let my kids know that I believe that there are times in our nations history when it is too important to just be complacent and that only through hard work of yourself and others can you aspire to some pretty lofty ideals. And that bridge burners end up with a scorched earth policy and blisters on their hands. Today was a historic day in America. I am proud to be a part of it. But more than anything, Barack Obama's win today showed me that I must do everything I can to make sure that my children gain the right to run for President. After all, if he can do it...they might someday have a chance too.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Them Bootstraps Aren't Really For Pulling On Your Boots
I confess. I am on a BB in which a majority of the people are conservative Christians. Recently many people on this BB have made repeated attacks on those who are down in their luck,those who are poor, etc and stating their belief that Obama wants to take care of all these "losers" at the expense of all these good God Fearing tax payers. Of course the word Socialism has recently been introduced to instill more fear and justify their irrational hatred of Obama. In fact one person went so far as to write:
The poor keep getting poorer because they keep doing whatever it was that made them poor in the first place. Ditto for the rich. There is nothing at all unexpected or unforseen about the behavior that's responsible for most of the poverty in this country. If you ignore your education, fail to develop a work ethic, do drugs, get pregnant before you're out of high school or before you can afford to raise a child, become a petty criminal, join a gang, hang with what you obviously know to be the wrong crowd, become a drinker, or generally comport yourself like a self-loathing slob, guess what? You're probably not going to make a lot of money!
So let's take a minute and examine this statement and while doing so lets look at it from the opposite end of the spectrum.
Let's examine those persons in the military/captains of business and industry who have used their parents positions/connections and money to circumvent the system to get opportunites that others deserved. They use the system for personal gain not based on merit but on these types of connections. And they use them in order to increase their wealth, grab power, or prestigue . Even worse is their sense of entitlement to those positions. It is truly mind boggling. We don't have to look very far to find examples of these types of people. Do the names Bush and McCain ring a bell? Frankly, these are the people that are far more dangerous to me than any two-bit hooker. Face it, plenty of rich people hang with the wrong crowd, become drinkers, fail to develop a work ethic, etc. Yet, they have the luxury of money, connections and family to sustain them and even promote them to places they do not deserve to be. A lot of people with higher grades/SATS etc do not get into the Ivy league where these connections are further developed and strengthened because someone's Daddy knows someone, has donated to the school, or their parents have attended. During the Vietnam war many kids were able to avoid serving or served in positions that kept them in the states due to the positions their parents held. People can become officers in the military because they can get into the academys that "normal" people cannot or someone who is truly deserving to be there is denied due to those connections. So to try to make the case that the poor stay poor because of their "laziness" while the rich get richer due to their "implied" hard work is not often true.
But even more troubling to me is this. So many of these conservative Christians tout the "Pick Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps" mentality and ,yet, we now have a candidate who stands before them having done just that. And instead of giving him the kudos for doing what they insist all people should do, they turn around and renounce him. So what exactly is it that is a black man is suppose to do? Stay at the bottom rung of society where you are chastised and beaten down? Or rise to the top and then you are labeled an elitist and a terrorist to boot. And if the truth be told many of these people don't want people of color to succeed because it goes against their idea of 'what things SHOULD look like' if all is right with their world. So the next time you hear the speel about bootstraps and the like acknowledge it for what it really is. Racism cloaked in everything but what it is. Hate.
The poor keep getting poorer because they keep doing whatever it was that made them poor in the first place. Ditto for the rich. There is nothing at all unexpected or unforseen about the behavior that's responsible for most of the poverty in this country. If you ignore your education, fail to develop a work ethic, do drugs, get pregnant before you're out of high school or before you can afford to raise a child, become a petty criminal, join a gang, hang with what you obviously know to be the wrong crowd, become a drinker, or generally comport yourself like a self-loathing slob, guess what? You're probably not going to make a lot of money!
So let's take a minute and examine this statement and while doing so lets look at it from the opposite end of the spectrum.
Let's examine those persons in the military/captains of business and industry who have used their parents positions/connections and money to circumvent the system to get opportunites that others deserved. They use the system for personal gain not based on merit but on these types of connections. And they use them in order to increase their wealth, grab power, or prestigue . Even worse is their sense of entitlement to those positions. It is truly mind boggling. We don't have to look very far to find examples of these types of people. Do the names Bush and McCain ring a bell? Frankly, these are the people that are far more dangerous to me than any two-bit hooker. Face it, plenty of rich people hang with the wrong crowd, become drinkers, fail to develop a work ethic, etc. Yet, they have the luxury of money, connections and family to sustain them and even promote them to places they do not deserve to be. A lot of people with higher grades/SATS etc do not get into the Ivy league where these connections are further developed and strengthened because someone's Daddy knows someone, has donated to the school, or their parents have attended. During the Vietnam war many kids were able to avoid serving or served in positions that kept them in the states due to the positions their parents held. People can become officers in the military because they can get into the academys that "normal" people cannot or someone who is truly deserving to be there is denied due to those connections. So to try to make the case that the poor stay poor because of their "laziness" while the rich get richer due to their "implied" hard work is not often true.
But even more troubling to me is this. So many of these conservative Christians tout the "Pick Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps" mentality and ,yet, we now have a candidate who stands before them having done just that. And instead of giving him the kudos for doing what they insist all people should do, they turn around and renounce him. So what exactly is it that is a black man is suppose to do? Stay at the bottom rung of society where you are chastised and beaten down? Or rise to the top and then you are labeled an elitist and a terrorist to boot. And if the truth be told many of these people don't want people of color to succeed because it goes against their idea of 'what things SHOULD look like' if all is right with their world. So the next time you hear the speel about bootstraps and the like acknowledge it for what it really is. Racism cloaked in everything but what it is. Hate.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
When is an embryo a child?
I saw one of my potential children when she was 8 cells. I say potential because that is all she was...a potential. She was a potential at conception. Without a woman's uterus she had no potential to be born (at least in this day and age) Had the temperature changed significantly in the petri dish that potential would have evaporated. Without oxygen flowing to the embryonic sac she would not be here. Had they placed the cells in the wrong place or at the wrong time in my cycle she would not have been able to grow and develop. So many variables any one of which had gone wrong and she would not be here today just like the other seven that did not develop. I am honored to be her mother and am extremely fortunate to be so. And as her mother I would not want her to be forced into being a breeder for a couple just because they wanted to experience parenthood. I want my child to have the right to be a mother when she is ready not when someone else is ready for her to be one. I was lucky I was able to choose when I was ready to be a mother and I am sure glad that no one forced me to be a mother, at say, age 13. We are lucky that we get to... for the most part... choose when we become mothers. We are lucky to live in a country that we are not sold off at age 8 or 10 destined to became a mother soon after because we have no choices/options available to us. That we can choose our mates, where we live, what we eat and who/what we worship.
What is a hero?
I am sure I will get slayed for this but I have been thinking about this for a while. Since before the election. In fact, I did just look up the definition for hero and will admit it is not in line with my own idea of what a hero is. It seems to me that today what with Higgleytime Heros and the like where everyone is a hero we throw the word hero around so that it no longer has the special connotation that it once did. Seems to me it was once reserved for people of exemplorary character who risked their life without concern for themselves and they performed their act of heroism without intent of getting any rewards, leniency, special treatment for themselves.
Three weeks ago Uncle Mark arrived home from Iraq and my kids asked if he was a hero. Frankly, we do not think he or the other members of our family who have served are heros though they are most likely brave. No doubt about it they did perform a very difficult and hazardous job that many of us would not like to be charged with. Yet, they were doing a job they were paid and trained to do and they knew the risks when they signed up. Now, if one of them had laid on a granade in order to protect their fellow soliders then to us they would be a hero. The firemen and policemen in the Twin Towers who knew they were going down but were determined to get others out despite the cost to themselves; they were heros. The woman or man who witnesses and accident and jumps in a river to save people in a car, they are a hero. Using my own ideas of a hero I am not sure McCain is although I do believe he was a brave man who surely suffered while in the hands of the North.
Three weeks ago Uncle Mark arrived home from Iraq and my kids asked if he was a hero. Frankly, we do not think he or the other members of our family who have served are heros though they are most likely brave. No doubt about it they did perform a very difficult and hazardous job that many of us would not like to be charged with. Yet, they were doing a job they were paid and trained to do and they knew the risks when they signed up. Now, if one of them had laid on a granade in order to protect their fellow soliders then to us they would be a hero. The firemen and policemen in the Twin Towers who knew they were going down but were determined to get others out despite the cost to themselves; they were heros. The woman or man who witnesses and accident and jumps in a river to save people in a car, they are a hero. Using my own ideas of a hero I am not sure McCain is although I do believe he was a brave man who surely suffered while in the hands of the North.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Seashells By The Seashore
For me it is the end to the perfect day. The wind is blowing softly, the sandpipers are scuttling along the shore while the suns golden glow shimmers as it sinks below the waves. My six year old son skips along the sea, jet black hair flying behind him. He delights in the unfamiliar of the shore songs that greet us and offer up the oceans bounties. Shells of many colors: brown, tan, black, white and an occasional tinge of pink. He runs collecting both big and small. He scoops them up,washes them off, and dumps them in the bag as we make our way down the beach. I help pointing out the errent ones that he has missed along the way. But of course, I leave the chipped, broken and those shells whose imperfections make them less than a desireable collectors item.
"Mom, LOOK at all my shells," his voice booms. "There are hundreds of them."
I peek my head into the bag. Bits and pieces with jagged edges greet me.
"But Kullen, these shells are all broken," I say, trying to be helpful. "Why don't you collect ones like this?" handing him a perfect specimun that has just washed ashore.
"But Mom, they don't have to be whole to be perfect. They are beautiful just the way they are."
And with that, he looks into my eyes and holds my gaze with those deep brown eyes of his and gives me a dirty black shell, the majority of whose pieces are scattered over the bottom of the Atlantic. But when I turn the shell over I see he is right. The center makes a perfect circle which circles back upon itself. The color is uniform and is as dark as ebony. And as I stare at that shell I suddenly see my son within it. They both have a few cracks, even some missing pieces, I suddenly come to the realization that they are indeed both perfect. Sometimes it just takes a six year old boy with autism to remind you.
"Mom, LOOK at all my shells," his voice booms. "There are hundreds of them."
I peek my head into the bag. Bits and pieces with jagged edges greet me.
"But Kullen, these shells are all broken," I say, trying to be helpful. "Why don't you collect ones like this?" handing him a perfect specimun that has just washed ashore.
"But Mom, they don't have to be whole to be perfect. They are beautiful just the way they are."
And with that, he looks into my eyes and holds my gaze with those deep brown eyes of his and gives me a dirty black shell, the majority of whose pieces are scattered over the bottom of the Atlantic. But when I turn the shell over I see he is right. The center makes a perfect circle which circles back upon itself. The color is uniform and is as dark as ebony. And as I stare at that shell I suddenly see my son within it. They both have a few cracks, even some missing pieces, I suddenly come to the realization that they are indeed both perfect. Sometimes it just takes a six year old boy with autism to remind you.
Monday, September 29, 2008
I think I should be a strategist
Since last week I have been telling friends and family that it wouldn't surprise me to see Sarah Palin come out during the debate and say something like the following:
For the past several weeks I have been relying on the advice of the Washington elite. As you have realized that just isn't me. I am a reformer. I am not an insider and have no desire to be. John McCain put me on the ticket to go into Washingon with fresh new ideas and to shake things up. He put me on the ticket precisely because I am not an insider. Therefore, I am no longer going to allow others to attempt to transform me into an insider.I am Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska. That is good enough for the people of Alaska and it will be good enough for the rest of the United States too.
So imagine my surprise when I saw this on the internet today
Despite bad reviews from all sides, John McCain's campaign has decided that having Sarah Palin do big broadcast interviews was a good idea, the National Review reports:
Team McCain tells me the strategy of having Palin talk to traditional broadcast networks ABC and CBS was designed to allow Palin to reach the maximum number of viewers. "Coming off her tremendous performance at the convention, our goal was to allow as many Americans as possible an opportunity to see her answer questions about her record, her biography and her principles and convictions on as large a stage as possible," one campaign source told me this afternoon. The new CBS interviews, to be done tomorrow, are intended to keep Palin in the public eye as she prepares for Thursday's debate.
Bill Kristol says McCain isn't happy, however, with the way his staff has been handling Palin and is making some changes for the debate:
I'm told McCain recently expressed unhappiness with his staff's handling of Palin. On Sunday he dispatched his top aides Steve Schmidt and Rick Davis to join Palin in Philadelphia. They're supposed to liberate Palin to go on the offensive as a combative conservative in the vice-presidential debate on Thursday.
The Wall Street Journal has more on Palin's liberation:
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis and senior adviser Steve Schmidt are planning to coach the candidate ahead of the debate, according to senior advisers. They traveled Sunday to meet the Republican vice-presidential nominee in Philadelphia. After her appearance with Sen. McCain at a rally in Columbus, Ohio, these top officials plan to fly with her on Monday to Sen. McCain's ranch in Sedona, Ariz., which they hope she will find a comforting place to prep, these people said.
More broadly, the McCain campaign aims to halt what it sees as a perceived decline in the crispness and precision of Gov. Palin's latest remarks as well as a fall in recent polls, according to several advisers and party officials.
...
Some prominent Republicans and senior members of Congress have expressed worries about certain facets of the Palin campaign, particularly that Gov. Palin may be "overprepared" and not encouraged to be herself, an adviser said.
"She hasn't had the time or inclination to question the judgments of the people telling her to hit her marks," said one Republican strategist. "Gov. Palin is a team player, but the campaign needs to adjust to a game plan that works for her.
...
"It's time to let Palin be Palin -- and let it all hang out," said Scott Reed, a Republican
Obviously, I need to become a paid political strategist. It is apparant that I am sneaky enough, have the stupidity of the American public pegged , and also am slick enough to plan enough ahead in order to rein in the sheep..oops, the citizens of the United States and have them just where I want them. Or maybe I should just be a Wall Street Executive. Either way, I guess it shows I could be an expert at screwing the unsuspecting public.
For the past several weeks I have been relying on the advice of the Washington elite. As you have realized that just isn't me. I am a reformer. I am not an insider and have no desire to be. John McCain put me on the ticket to go into Washingon with fresh new ideas and to shake things up. He put me on the ticket precisely because I am not an insider. Therefore, I am no longer going to allow others to attempt to transform me into an insider.I am Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska. That is good enough for the people of Alaska and it will be good enough for the rest of the United States too.
So imagine my surprise when I saw this on the internet today
Despite bad reviews from all sides, John McCain's campaign has decided that having Sarah Palin do big broadcast interviews was a good idea, the National Review reports:
Team McCain tells me the strategy of having Palin talk to traditional broadcast networks ABC and CBS was designed to allow Palin to reach the maximum number of viewers. "Coming off her tremendous performance at the convention, our goal was to allow as many Americans as possible an opportunity to see her answer questions about her record, her biography and her principles and convictions on as large a stage as possible," one campaign source told me this afternoon. The new CBS interviews, to be done tomorrow, are intended to keep Palin in the public eye as she prepares for Thursday's debate.
Bill Kristol says McCain isn't happy, however, with the way his staff has been handling Palin and is making some changes for the debate:
I'm told McCain recently expressed unhappiness with his staff's handling of Palin. On Sunday he dispatched his top aides Steve Schmidt and Rick Davis to join Palin in Philadelphia. They're supposed to liberate Palin to go on the offensive as a combative conservative in the vice-presidential debate on Thursday.
The Wall Street Journal has more on Palin's liberation:
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis and senior adviser Steve Schmidt are planning to coach the candidate ahead of the debate, according to senior advisers. They traveled Sunday to meet the Republican vice-presidential nominee in Philadelphia. After her appearance with Sen. McCain at a rally in Columbus, Ohio, these top officials plan to fly with her on Monday to Sen. McCain's ranch in Sedona, Ariz., which they hope she will find a comforting place to prep, these people said.
More broadly, the McCain campaign aims to halt what it sees as a perceived decline in the crispness and precision of Gov. Palin's latest remarks as well as a fall in recent polls, according to several advisers and party officials.
...
Some prominent Republicans and senior members of Congress have expressed worries about certain facets of the Palin campaign, particularly that Gov. Palin may be "overprepared" and not encouraged to be herself, an adviser said.
"She hasn't had the time or inclination to question the judgments of the people telling her to hit her marks," said one Republican strategist. "Gov. Palin is a team player, but the campaign needs to adjust to a game plan that works for her.
...
"It's time to let Palin be Palin -- and let it all hang out," said Scott Reed, a Republican
Obviously, I need to become a paid political strategist. It is apparant that I am sneaky enough, have the stupidity of the American public pegged , and also am slick enough to plan enough ahead in order to rein in the sheep..oops, the citizens of the United States and have them just where I want them. Or maybe I should just be a Wall Street Executive. Either way, I guess it shows I could be an expert at screwing the unsuspecting public.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Dear Judge
THis is a recent letter I sent to the local traffic judge
Dear Judge:
Please read this letter with a keen sense of humor as this is how my
letter is intended. I am not meaning to undermine the seriousness of
the situation but, frankly, if I don't try and laugh about this
situation, I will cry.
First, let me say I am a hot flashing pre-menopausal woman of
five...that about sums it up quite nicely!!! Recently, I was issued a
ticket on my way to Corcoran to take my children to swimming lessons.
I was given a ticket that says I was going approximately 70 in a 55
zone. I object to the speed written. I was in fact, going 65. How do
I know? Well I inadvertently set the cruise control at 65 after
turning onto the highway. Yes, I know the legal speed is 55. My
husband warned me NEVER to go over 55 on this highway because the
road is a speed trap. With that said and in order to avoid any
problems; everyday that I went to Corcoran; I set my cruise to 55.
However, on this particular day when I turned off the highway I had
my three year old screaming in the back seat because her six year old
brother had just clobbered her over the head with a toy. The other
six year old had just found a soda and decided to shake it before
opening it and spewed soda throughout the car. These are the types of
things that two autistic boys tend to like to do when their mother is
driving. So as I set the cruise I was trying to maintain my composure
while yelling at the top of my lungs, "Stop hitting your sister...If
you EVER shake a soda again you will never ever have another one the
rest of your life...Kellis stop crying... there is no blood...Kullen
stop taking apart the electrical system of the car and put your hands
in your pocket NOW ... don't make me pull over the car." (In
retrospect perhaps I should have pulled over.) All of this was said
in a span of 10.5 seconds. In addition, I was thinking about my 17
year old teenager who was suppose to be coming home from Brazil in a
few days after being away on an Rotary International Exchange for a
year. She had called me an hour prior to this incident to tell me she
might not be coming home that weekend as she was in the hospital with
appendicitis. Obviously, I was not thinking clearly when I set my
cruise. I am guilty. And I am remorseful. I am remorseful for going
over the speed limit as it caused chaos in my car after the highway
patrol man stopped us. I had to deal with my kids being afraid I was
being taken to jail for the next week. I am remorseful for not
pulling the car over and regaining Mommy control I am remorseful
that I was not paying close enough when I set my cruise control. And
I am remorseful for breaking the law.
With the question of my guilt out of the way I can only assume that
you have several options available to you about what to do with me.
Maybe there are more but I suspect I am too frazzled to think of
them. The first is to send me to traffic school and that is a good
choice. However, I have been so sleep deprived for the last six years
(autistic kids do not sleep well) that I am seriously afraid I might
fall asleep in class and get myself in even more trouble.
The second option is to send me to jail for a day hopefully on a
weekend so my husband could watch the kids. I promise I would bring
the CA Drivers Handbook to read and study it. Frankly, it would be
the first time I have been able to read something longer than two
pages of anything in the last six years and most likely it would not
have the words SEE JANE RUN so, frankly, this type of reading would
be a delight. While I realize that at my age and weight the strip
search might be slightly ...okay, really embarrassing...the thought
of having a private cell with a private bed sounds like heaven. This
coming from a mother whose children ALWAYS end up in her bed every
single night. If you sentence me to serve this sentence, I will
never tell another mother for if I did they would all be squealing
their tires backing out of the driveway as they raced for the
highway in an attempt to get some much deserved rest. I promise it
will be our little secret.
Another option might be just to slap me on the wrist (I'll bring it
to you) and say "Okay, you have a clean driving record and sometimes
we all have a bad day. My advice to you is to wait until your husband
comes home and take a slow drive out in the country without your
kids to get a little rest and relaxation. This case is dismissed."
Whatever you do, I promise I will not break the speed limit again. I
have learned my lesson and frankly bail at $168.00 really needs to go
to pay my kids numerous medical bills instead of the court.
Sincerely,
Cheryl
P.S. My friend who works in the jail says that perhaps I might want
to reconsider that jail idea. She says that MRSA is rampant there and
that the last thing my kids need is MRSA. I will leave that for you
to decide.
Dear Judge:
Please read this letter with a keen sense of humor as this is how my
letter is intended. I am not meaning to undermine the seriousness of
the situation but, frankly, if I don't try and laugh about this
situation, I will cry.
First, let me say I am a hot flashing pre-menopausal woman of
five...that about sums it up quite nicely!!! Recently, I was issued a
ticket on my way to Corcoran to take my children to swimming lessons.
I was given a ticket that says I was going approximately 70 in a 55
zone. I object to the speed written. I was in fact, going 65. How do
I know? Well I inadvertently set the cruise control at 65 after
turning onto the highway. Yes, I know the legal speed is 55. My
husband warned me NEVER to go over 55 on this highway because the
road is a speed trap. With that said and in order to avoid any
problems; everyday that I went to Corcoran; I set my cruise to 55.
However, on this particular day when I turned off the highway I had
my three year old screaming in the back seat because her six year old
brother had just clobbered her over the head with a toy. The other
six year old had just found a soda and decided to shake it before
opening it and spewed soda throughout the car. These are the types of
things that two autistic boys tend to like to do when their mother is
driving. So as I set the cruise I was trying to maintain my composure
while yelling at the top of my lungs, "Stop hitting your sister...If
you EVER shake a soda again you will never ever have another one the
rest of your life...Kellis stop crying... there is no blood...Kullen
stop taking apart the electrical system of the car and put your hands
in your pocket NOW ... don't make me pull over the car." (In
retrospect perhaps I should have pulled over.) All of this was said
in a span of 10.5 seconds. In addition, I was thinking about my 17
year old teenager who was suppose to be coming home from Brazil in a
few days after being away on an Rotary International Exchange for a
year. She had called me an hour prior to this incident to tell me she
might not be coming home that weekend as she was in the hospital with
appendicitis. Obviously, I was not thinking clearly when I set my
cruise. I am guilty. And I am remorseful. I am remorseful for going
over the speed limit as it caused chaos in my car after the highway
patrol man stopped us. I had to deal with my kids being afraid I was
being taken to jail for the next week. I am remorseful for not
pulling the car over and regaining Mommy control I am remorseful
that I was not paying close enough when I set my cruise control. And
I am remorseful for breaking the law.
With the question of my guilt out of the way I can only assume that
you have several options available to you about what to do with me.
Maybe there are more but I suspect I am too frazzled to think of
them. The first is to send me to traffic school and that is a good
choice. However, I have been so sleep deprived for the last six years
(autistic kids do not sleep well) that I am seriously afraid I might
fall asleep in class and get myself in even more trouble.
The second option is to send me to jail for a day hopefully on a
weekend so my husband could watch the kids. I promise I would bring
the CA Drivers Handbook to read and study it. Frankly, it would be
the first time I have been able to read something longer than two
pages of anything in the last six years and most likely it would not
have the words SEE JANE RUN so, frankly, this type of reading would
be a delight. While I realize that at my age and weight the strip
search might be slightly ...okay, really embarrassing...the thought
of having a private cell with a private bed sounds like heaven. This
coming from a mother whose children ALWAYS end up in her bed every
single night. If you sentence me to serve this sentence, I will
never tell another mother for if I did they would all be squealing
their tires backing out of the driveway as they raced for the
highway in an attempt to get some much deserved rest. I promise it
will be our little secret.
Another option might be just to slap me on the wrist (I'll bring it
to you) and say "Okay, you have a clean driving record and sometimes
we all have a bad day. My advice to you is to wait until your husband
comes home and take a slow drive out in the country without your
kids to get a little rest and relaxation. This case is dismissed."
Whatever you do, I promise I will not break the speed limit again. I
have learned my lesson and frankly bail at $168.00 really needs to go
to pay my kids numerous medical bills instead of the court.
Sincerely,
Cheryl
P.S. My friend who works in the jail says that perhaps I might want
to reconsider that jail idea. She says that MRSA is rampant there and
that the last thing my kids need is MRSA. I will leave that for you
to decide.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Happy 7th Birthday, Karson
Today was Karson's 7th birthday. He was so excited and has been for a week to the point of annoying his classmates. So thank goodness today was the day. Frankly, I was worried. He invited 5 classmates to his party and only one had responded so I was afraid that we would have to somehow make everything okay. Since Karson has such trouble with social situations I just knew that no one was coming. But they did. Four out of the five showed up which just goes to show that if you raise a child to be polite and decent to others that even if they have other "issues" they will still succeed. It reminds me of an interview I remember seeing with Princess Diana in which she said that the most important thing she could teach William was good manners because she did not know if he would be intelligent but with good manners anyone can have doors open to them that may otherwise be closed.
How Hidden Is Racism?
As the mother of three children whom are “persons of color” it occurred to me after watching the RNC that things can change on a dime in the spirit of winning at all costs. All of a sudden Christian conservatives are calling the birth of Sarah Palin’s grandchild a blessed event and making Palin’s 17 year old daughter the poster girl of all that is good and holy; a righteous child who has chosen to do the “right” and noble thing. For young teens everywhere she is now the idol that they are to look up to. The child who has done the “correct” thing under God‘s personal direction. Yet, I wonder how “blessed” that event would be had Bristol Palin come out on stage holding the hand of an African American or Hispanic young man and introduced him as the father of her child. Something tells me that the “blessed event” would have sent shockwaves through the convention hall and Governor Palin would have been sent packing back to Alaska. Somehow I believe that the “mixing of races” might not have played out so well for young Bristol and her mother. That racism would have reared its ugly head like it usually does for those young women who carry a baby to term who is the product of a union that crosses their own racial profile. It would be nice to believe that this would not be so in this day and age. Yet, time and time again we see stories about people of color being physically abused or killed because of their race. Gay men and women who are murdered because of their sexual orientation. While most whites would like to believe that things have substantially improved for persons of color because it is comfortable for them to do so, in fact, racism is alive and well here in the USA. Unfortunately, it is one of the things that is energizing the McCain/ Palin ticket. It isn't just about voting for a woman it is about voting against a person of color. I just wonder if it will ever be about voting for the smartest, most capable person for the job regardless of their race or gender. Seems to me we have a long way to go before those will be the "good old days."
Friday, September 12, 2008
Pride
Last weekend I was trying to get Karson to jump into the pool without sitting down. As I was coaxing him I said, "Karson if you jump in you will be so proud of yourself." His reaponse, "I already am proud of myself."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
