Tag Archives: name-calling

A Question To Ponder

Posted on by under Free Press Issues, Personal, Political commentary, Social commentary

I want to throw something out for discussion, and I’d really like your honest opinions here.  The question is when do we draw a line, or do we draw a line, on comments that cross a line?  I do not want to censor any comments, but in the past year or so, I have done so, particularly if the comment included extreme vulgarity or was disrespectful to my readers or myself.  When this blog morphed from one of mostly book reviews to a socio-political blog in 2015, I accepted that there would be some with opinions different than mine.  I still accept that, and I welcome it, for only by listening to one another can we possibly hope to understand each other.  These are troubled times all over the globe and we need to learn to listen, to meet halfway, but I think in order for such communication to have value, it must be done without rancor and with respect.

However, I recently banned one person from commenting on this blog because they could not seem to frame their disagreement without calling me vulgar names and being crass and disrespectful to other readers.  And now, I am faced with another who uses rhetoric as opposed to facts, whose opinions are just that, with no basis in reality, and on top of that who is disrespectful to us all.  My first inclination is to say, “Enough of this … I’m done with this person”.  But does that make me just like them, someone who is intolerant of those who don’t agree with them?

I’ve long said I welcome all opinions here, and I’m very conflicted about shutting some people out, and yet I also want this to be a safe haven to air opinions, not one where readers hesitate to comment for they may be called names or looked down upon by other readers.  And frankly, I have no time for propaganda and conspiracy theories … I’m far more interested in genuine opinions.

So … what do you guys think?  Should we continue to ‘grin & bear it’ in the interest of free speech and diversity of views, or is enough, enough?

The response to an inane remark

Posted on by under education, Political commentary, Re-blogs, Social commentary

I have long said that Keith Wilson is my ‘gold standard’ for calmness and reason. In his post today, Keith proves my point … in spades! I try, but often fail, to live up to Keith’s example. Great post, Keith … thank you!

musingsofanoldfart

Having been in consulting for over thirty years before I retired, clients would on occasion say things that were not the most vetted of ideas. Sometimes the ideas would be too costly, sometimes too administratively burdensome, sometimes too hard to communicate and sometimes the idea may be stretching or breaking the law.

I had a colleague who had a disarming way of digging deeper, putting the onus on himself. This would prevent the client from being less offended by questioning. They may not be right, but they are still the client. My colleague would say “Help me understand….” as he asked why the client thought this was a good idea.

I mention this today as people have been writing about how to push back on people who are parroting untruthful information or conspiracy stories. Depending on the audience, one action is to simply vote with your feet and walk away…

View original post 375 more words

Note to politicians (and so-called news people) – STOP THE NAME CALLING AND LABELING

Posted on by under Election 2020, Environmental Issues, Political commentary, Re-blogs, Social commentary

Our friend Keith tends to be more even-tempered than I am, and his voice is always the voice of reason. With that said, I am sharing Keith’s post from earlier today, for he makes excellent points that our governing bodies, the media, and even we bloggers should consider. Thanks, Keith!

musingsofanoldfart

The United States and the world have a lot of problems that need elected officials to address. The problems are multi-faceted in causes, so they require holistic thinking, educated and civil discussion and multi-faceted solutions. Our problems are hard enough to solve when we focus on the facts and issues, but nigh impossible when we listen to name calling and labelling as a substitute for discourse.

So, politicians, here is a simple piece of advice. If you cannot understand the first paragraph, and what you need to do, please resign. We don’t need people who decide not to add value and name call opponents. That is not civil discourse, that is childish playground talk. If you cannot add value with your commentary, please keep your thoughts to yourself. At least this citizen will not be listening to you, nor should others. That includes all politicians, not just the ones who…

View original post 256 more words

We Are … WHAT???

Posted on by under Election 2020, Free Press Issues, Law and justice, Political commentary, Rants

It seems that you and I, my friends, have suddenly become the “enemy of the people”!  Just this morning, the invisible White House Press Secretary, what’s-her-name, said in reference to Donald Trump’s impeachment …

“… how horribly he was treated, and maybe people should pay for that. I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but they’re being sore losers.”

Maybe people should pay for that???  What, should we all send him sympathy cards, or did she mean something more sinister?  He’s an impeached president, for Pete’s sake!  A criminal!  She went on to say that Mitt Romney’s vote to convict Trump on the ‘abuse of power’ charge was just sour grapes, that he was only jealous because he isn’t president.  This woman seriously needs to stop drinking the Kool-Aid!

Then, Trump spoke at a “national prayer breakfast” in Washington … I’m not clear just what a national prayer breakfast is, since this nation is so diverse that there really is no “national prayer”, and why do they need breakfast for their prayers?  Leaves me scratching my head.  But listen to what Trump, the impeached president, said …

“As everybody knows, my family, our great country and your president has been put through a terrible ordeal by some very dishonest and corrupt people. They have done everything possible to destroy us and by so doing very badly hurt our nation. They know what they are doing is wrong, but they put themselves far ahead of our great country.”

Wait just one damn minute here … WHO has been putting themselves ahead of the nation for three years now???  WHO has done everything possible to destroy the nation???  So, we are all ‘very dishonest and corrupt’ people, eh?  Well, funny he doesn’t seem to mind taking our money, does he?  Oh … and he doesn’t like us, either …

“So many people have been hurt, and we can’t let that go on, and I’ll be discussing that a little bit later at the White House.  When they impeach you for nothing, then it’s not easy to like them. It’s not easy, folks.”

Which is perfectly fine with me, because I don’t like him, either!  I’m thinking we should all send a letter to him …

“Dear Donnie … Since you believe I am such a terrible person, then I will no longer burden you by sending you my tax dollars each month.  I’m sure this will greatly relieve you of the burden of having to accept money from a terrible person.”

And then came his “victory lap”, a speech he gave shortly after noon today, whereby he further criticized and name-called democrats in general …

“We’ve been going through this now for almost three years. It was evil, it was corrupt. This is a day of celebration because we went through hell.”

Not a sign of that remorse Susan Collins claimed he felt, but instead he equated his crimes with jaywalking …

“Because if they find that I happen to walk across the street and maybe go against the light or something, let’s impeach him. So, we’ll probably have to do it again, because these people have gone stone cold crazy. But I’ve beaten them all my life, and I’ll beat them again if I have to. But what they’re doing is very unfair, very unfair.”

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr … I’d like to beat him … with a club!  And then …

“They’re vicious and mean, vicious. These people are vicious. Adam Schiff is a vicious, horrible person. Nancy Pelosi is a horrible person.  Mitch, he stayed there right from the beginning. He never changed. And Mitch McConnell, I want to tell you, you did a fantastic job. … He understood this was crooked politics. This was crooked politics.”

Crooked politics?  Who is the biggest purveyor of crooked politics???  Have you ever, in all your years, heard a president speak in such a way about his fellow public servants?  I have not.  Not even Nixon, not even G.W. Bush … and certainly not Jimmy Carter or Barack Obama.  Why are we putting up with this?  Why are we paying to be treated this way?  Last year, We the People paid $1.698 trillion … in exchange for which we get to be cursed, called names, cheated, lied to, and our lives endangered by this ‘man’ and his cronies.  Frankly, folks, I don’t feel like we’re getting our money’s worth, do you?

Filosofa’s Thoughts

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, Election 2020, Global Issues, Law and justice, Political commentary, Social commentary

Tonight, I was in an introspective mood, doing some thinking about where this nation appears to be headed and about the people of this nation who seemingly applaud the direction we are taking.  In the midst of my introspection, came the news that the so-called president of this country was once again conducting a rally and that he was, once again, denigrating those of us who speak or have spoken against him or his actions.  The rally was in Minnesota where he said of Democratic presidential contender Joe Biden …

“He was only a good Vice President because he understood how to kiss Barack Obama’s ass.”

This isn’t Dave down at the corner bar talking after a few beers, my friends … this is the ‘man’ who was elected to lead a nation of 330 million people.  At the same rally, he slammed Ilhan Omar, the U.S. House representative from Minnesota, saying …

“How do you have such a person representing you in Minnesota? I’m very angry at you people. She is a disgrace to our country, and she is one of the big reasons that I am going to win, and that the Republican Party is going to win, Minnesota in 13 months.”

But do you know what disgusts me the most, my friends?  At that last malicious statement by Trump, his audience stood and begin chanting “Four more years” and “Send her back”.

That’s right, my friends … a large number of the people of this nation still, despite his rants, his foul language, his illegalities, his anti-humanitarian rhetoric and policies, his self-serving nature, still find something to relate to … something to cling to.  And that is what disturbs me most.  People who I once thought I knew, people I once called “friend”, support the speech and actions of a person who is … a lawbreaking, lowlife bucket of scum.  And they want him to lead this nation … straight over the cliff or into the iceberg, whichever analogy you prefer.  I find that I can no longer respect or even tolerate those who would support a president whom I cannot respect.  And this led me to some thoughts … thoughts which, if you care to listen, I will share with you tonight.

  • I think that when the person who sits at the highest level of our government invites foreign nations to create chaos and promote falsehoods in our elections, as Trump did in 2016 and is doing already for the upcoming 2020 election, we cannot respect that person, for he is breaking the law, undermining the Constitution, and acting out of self-interest, not the interest of the nation.
  • I think that when the person who occupies an office that has been respected for more than 200 years stoops to calling any who don’t agree with him names such as ‘pompous ass’, ‘fat Jerry’, ‘nervous Nancy’, ‘lyin’ Ted’, ‘shifty Schiff’, and more, that person cannot expect and does not deserve the respect of the nation.
  • I think that when the person who was elected to lead a nation of 330 million people turns his back on that nation’s allies, pulls out of crucial previously negotiated treatises, and leaves other allies to certain death, that person loses the respect not only of the people of the nation, but of the people of the globe.
  • I think that when the person who supposedly ‘leads’ a nation disregards environmental threats to not only the nation, but the entire globe, and instead provides incentive to wealthy industry barons to further decimate the planet, that person has earned the scorn and wrath of every person on the planet.
  • I think that when the person elected to the highest office in the nation lies, cheats, steals and then bullies those who would hold him accountable, we cannot possibly have any respect or compassion for this person.
  • I think that any person who has taken an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of a nation, then breaks that oath on a near-daily basis, does not deserve the honour of the position to which he was elected.
  • I think that a person who holds an office that historically has been internationally respected, but yet praises strongman dictators while stabbing that nation’s allies in the back, can only be considered a traitor who deserves no respect.
  • I think that any person who defends a president guilty of the above trespasses, cannot claim to be a good person, a patriot, or a concerned citizen, for he or she is defending a creature who has no concern for the nation and its people.

In the words of writer and friend John Pavlovitz …

“I just want a President with compassion, intelligence, and simple human decency.”

And in the words of Filosofa …

“I just want a president I can respect and trust. I don’t need to like him, but I need to be able to respect him.”

Tonight, as I write this, I sit here with tears in my eyes and a very heavy heart, for we do not have a president that meets either John’s standards or my own.  We have a dishonest, deceitful, bullying ‘person’ in the White House who is leading us quickly down a path to … what?  Destruction, certainly, but … will this nation survive intact?  I once thought I knew this nation, thought I understood our government even with its flaws, and thought I liked the people I called ‘friend’.  If our friends and neighbors who are still wearing their slightly frayed maga hats, who are still playing that somewhat warped “he tells it like it is” record, don’t take off their tinted glasses and find a functional mind and a conscience, if he is allowed a second term, I think this nation will not come out in 2024 only slightly damaged, but completely destroyed.  I shan’t be here to see it.

President Trump And Ms. Omaraso Deserve Each Other But Lordy, There Are Those Tapes

Posted on by under Political commentary, Racism & Bigotry, Re-blogs, Social commentary

There are a few topics I simply don’t have the stomach for, and Omarosa Manigault is one of them. I am thrilled, therefore, that Gronda covered it so well that I don’t need to! Omarosa, not much better than Trump, has nonetheless nailed him. But will it make a difference to his supporters? Doubtful. Thank you so much, Gronda, for doing what I couldn’t and for allowing me to share your work!

Gronda Morin

Omarosa

I’ve resisted posting anything about the republican President Donald Trump’s former White House aide and reality TV star, including “The Apprentice,”  Omarosa Manigault Newman.

I put her credibility on a par with that of the president. What I can say with certainty, is that Omarosa will be selling a lot of copies of her book “Unhinged,” and that the President and her are at the same level of where neither can be shamed.

But Lordy, there are those tape recordings.

As per the 8/13/18 Guardian report:

  • ‘She was vicious, but not smart,’ Trump tweets about ex-aide
  • President rejects claim he used racial slur, saying word ‘not in my vocabulary’

Image result for IMAGES OF OMAROSA

Edward Helmore in New York

“Donald Trump has hit back at his former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman after she released tapes of secretly recorded White House conversations, including one in which the president appeared to express surprise that she had been…

View original post 940 more words