Liberalynn
Liberalynn's JournalConstructive Criticism is not always an Evil Plot
The whole "love it or leave" it mentality frustrates me. How can a Democracy function properly without it?
Yesterday there was an editorial piece in the local newspapers condemning "liberal" educators for daring to hint that the U. S. A. has ever done anything wrong and denying "American Exceptionalism." They look at such teachers as traitors to the country.
There are also those fellow Democrats who believe that anyone who portrays the party as anything less than perfect is a Trojan horse wanting it to fail.
Let me ask this. Say your a parent. Your child comes to you and says Mommy or Daddy could you review my math home work? You say sure. In doing so you notice they have done several of their calculations wrong.
If you point those mistakes out to the child does that mean you hate that child and want them to doubt themselves and fail? Or do you want them to see where they went wrong so they can try again, get it right, and succeed in understanding it?
Of course there is such a thing as over objecting and people who do criticize with destructive intent but should even valid concerns be rejected because of it?
How can we get better, improve, learn from past mistakes, if we refuse to admit we all sometimes make them, and refuse to even consider that just maybe the critic has a valid point or two ?
I am.going to vote this November for Democrats and I encourage every one to do the same. The cost of the Republicans taking over everything is too sickening to even ponder.
But I still think there are areas that could use improvement like standing up with more passion for shared Democratic values against the Republican bullies. IMHO there is nothing wrong with people voicing their opinion about things that could use improvement.
On this whole "American Exceptionilisim" nonsense, if it's adopted as the norm then we are going to be forever stagnate as a country. If you think you're already perfect their is no motivation to move to try and become better or strive for more success and your just going to keep making the same mistakes over and over because you refuse to even acknowledge them.
Okay so I posted earlier my controlled civil response to my Republican friend
who said she is sick of life liberals calling Republicans women haters.
here's what my emotions wanted me to say:
Your sick of all Republicans being labeled as anti woman?
You want to know what I am sick of, well here goes:
I am sick of all women who stand up for women's rights being labeled as man hating, penis envying, baby killing, prostitute,**itches.
I am tired of being called "soft on crime" just because I believe someone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and self defense is only a viable excuse if the other person is actually threatening someone's life. Just thinking they will because of the color of their skin, even though they are unarmed doesn't cut it, the word for such action is MURDER.
I am tired of getting accused of "playing the victim" card when I point out the injustices I have faced because I had the audacity to be born with a vagina instead of a penis.
I am tired of being accused of voting liberal because I just want "everything free and think it should be handed to me."
I am tired of being called a taker because of a legitimately recognised disease that is part genetic/part environmentally caused that prevents me from working, and that I am living high off your hard work despite the fact that I did work and work hard when I could, and paid into the system without complaint when I was able. I am tired of people thinking that I am living high off the hog off of what little compensation I receive back on that investment.
I am sick of hypocrisy! Where people point out others sins and faults but expect others to ignore theirs.
I am tired of people decrying public handouts while at the same time accepting them. If you have a public school education, you are demanding that you be given that for free, if you are not willing to pay it forward to the next generation.
What I am really tired of though is people assuming that hard work guarantees fair compensation. That if you just work hard enough, and you didn't have to pay taxes you too can be a billionaire. BULLSHIT. My dad, a Republican worked every single day of his life. Worked until he was eighty years old, worked until he had a stroke, yet Assholes like Mitt Romney, who never really worked a day in his life, who got rich off other people's labor dare imply my Dad wasn't a billionaire because he didn't work hard enough. HOW DARE HE! HOW DARE EVERY ONE OF YOU! Even if every cent of your taxes was paid back to you, it still wouldn't equal the services you got in return, the amount of money the corrupt Wall Streeters, stole from Main Streeters, or make you a billionaire.
Republicans are big on preaching about pulling your selves up by your own bootstraps and the value of hard work so here's one for You.
TO EARN RESPECT YOU HAVE TO BE WILLING TO GIVE IT IN RETURN!
I could go on but I won't but that's what I really wanted to say.
A friend tried using the "Queen Anne" call out on Facebook
that the Democrats are making up the "Republican War on Women" as a political stunt and said she is getting sick of all
'Republican being accused of being anti women." This was in response to my re-posting a quote from Eliizabeth Warren, calling out the Republican party for their anti women votes.
Here is my response how did I do?
You are a friend, I respect and admire. You are a talented artist both of words and images. You are also a compassionate person both to humans and to animals. Know I do not personally believe that every individual Republican is anti-woman.
The thing is every single Republican in Congress, and I mean every single one voted against equal pay for equal work, to me that is just unfair. It goes beyond party affiliation. It goes to the pledge of allegiance: "with liberty and justice for ALL" shouldn't be just words we speak without meaning them."
Yes I understand companies sometimes spend lots of money training women who then leave to become a stay at home parent, thus causing a loss of investment. The same thing can be said though of a man who develops an illness, gets a better offer, or decides to move to an area where that company doesn't have a branch. It's not a valid excuse for injustice. Neither is" it will raise the cost of goods", so will a man's pay increase. Will laws change discriminatory behavior, no, but at least it gives those discriminated against a tool to fight back against it. I will vote for any politician on either side of the aisle who proves to me through their votes that they are willing to to honor the pledge, period. I will never believe that a woman should be paid less than a man for doing the same job. I don't view it as"playing the victim card' but rather as speaking out for basic fairness. When the Republican party as a whole demonstrates through action that they at least are willing to consider that it is unfair no matter the lame justifications and excuses, I will vote for them, but until then I can't and won't apologize for calling them out on their vote, and voting for people who will cast their votes in Congress for equal pay for equal work.
Disobedient but Smart
http://www.dogtube.us/videogallery/german-shepherd-lets-doggy-friend-out-of-her-crate/ Dog frees its friend!I particularly like how the GSD checks to make sure the coast is clear.
It reminds me of my Maxie! One day two of my cousins, Mary Ellen and Rick stopped by my sister's unexpectedly during lunch.Well Mary Ellen is terrified of big dogs so my sister said we'd put Maxie in her crate so they could come inside. They said "no don't go to any trouble. We can't stay anyway we were just in the neighborhood and wanted to say hi to you ladies." So my sister called me out.
We all got talking and then Rick says "hey there's Maxie, looking out the door at us. She must be saying hello." Well the minute my sister and I turned to look she disappeared back around the door. This behavior was repeated for several minutes. She would come look, then go.
When we went back in after my cousins had left we discovered that Maxie had eaten what was left of both our hamburgers and most of the French Fries. She didn't want to say hi at all. The thief was checking to make sure we were both still occupied so she didn't get caught in the act.
My sister partcipated in a pay it foward act
My sister was standing in a check out line. There were three people in the line, an elderly man with a U.S.M.C. tattoo and cap, a lady, and then my sister. The cashier rang up the man's purchases. He reached for his back pocket got a panicked look on his face and said " I can't find my wallet." The clerk paged customer service for someone to go look for his wallet in case he dropped it in the store. He asked if he could have his groceries set aside for him until it was found. The lady directly behind him pulled thirty dollars out of her purse and told the clerk she'd pay for his.
He said "thank you but I can't accept it" and she said "Yes you can I'd like to think someone would help me if this happened, let me help you." So she paid for his. Then my sister took ten dollars out of her purse and gave it to the lady. She said I'd go halves with you but I don't have any more cash with me. Both the lady and the man and the cashier thanked her.
It proves there are still kind people out there. I am so proud of my sister.
Have to Go Down to the Cellar! I don't want too.
It's an 1884 dirt cellar and there are spiders and their webs down there. I once even found a dead rat. I normally try to stay out of it as much as possible but the furnace company is coming for the annual maintenance. As a courtesy I usually try to clean out around the furnace so they don't have to walk into a web.
I know Daddy Long Legs in NY State aren't poisonous spiders, I know I am lucky to have a house with a furnace in it, but it seriously creeps me out.
When I was younger my Mom used to tell my sister and I if we didn't behave she'd throw us to the monster down there. Okay so as a grown-up I know there's no monster but that's how creepy it is.
My fifth grade Math teacher died
Why am I mentioning it here? Well because I have talked a lot about the horrible time I had in Catholic Grade School and how awful some of the nuns and teachers were.
It's only fair to remember there were some positives. Mrs W was definitely in that category. Though it was determined I had reading comprehension skills far above the average child my age, my math skills were far below the average. She never made me feel "stupid or lazy" because of it. Those words were used by my third grade Math teacher and the principal at the time.
Mrs. W just exercised patience and did her best to explain math to me in a way I understood. I remember the big grin on her face when I was able to figure out the answers without much prodding. My grade that year surprised even me.
She and my homeroom teacher Mrs L combined to make me feel a confidence and security that with rare exception was missing for me in that school.
They tried to intervene for me with the principal when they learned I had been assigned to the meanest teacher in the school for sixth grade. They even told my Mom that they were afraid that all the work they had done to help me come out of my protective shell would be undone. The principal refused to switch me to the nicer sixth grade teacher and their dire predictions were pretty much right. I had a year from hell that I still carry emotional baggage from.
I remember though whenever I'd run into Mrs. W in the hall she would smile and say "hang in there kid, I know it's hard but you can do it."
So RIP Mrs W. You made a difference with your kindness, patience and understanding.
So how's your day going?
Locked myself out of the house this a.m. while trying to leave for an appointment. Keys weren't in my purse where I usually put them. My OCD tendencies that usually make me tripple check things like that decided to take the day off. So I go to get the spare key hidden for emergencies, not where it's supposed to be either. So I start to hunt for it but it's kind of dark and I think longingly of the flashlights locked in the house and car. Then it dawns on me that I can use the backlight on my cellphone(no flashlight app) as a light source. I felt like MacGyver! Found the spare, went in got the regular house key and car key and was on my way. Was only a minute late for the appointment and I wouldn't have even been that, if there wasn't a flag man holding up traffic when there wasn't even any construction equipment or workers in the road. He kept facing the drive way to the county complex and making the come ahead signal but there was no one coming out. The construction trucks were way down at the other end of the property and not anywhere near the driveway, no one was, but he had the stop flag out for me and the driver coming the other way.
So I learned a few lessons this morning. I must normally leave way to early for my appointments, problem solve before panicking, OCD has a useful side, and doctors aren't the only ones who can get God complexes. Now don't get me wrong I love DPW workers, my dad was a head mechanic for our local city DPW but I think flag dude was just enjoying making people sit and wait because he could. Why else motion to an empty driveway?
Keeping Dogs entertained in fall/winter evenings! Suggestions?
Marnie's really high energy! We have a fenced in play area but now with it getting dark darker earlier not to mention colder, I've started pondering ways to keep her from getting too bored inside without resorting to just food stuffed treats.
Any ideas?
I tried buying one of those doggie puzzles that uses tennis balls as a reward. She loves tennis balls. She was supposed to figure out how to retrieve the ball out of one of three hidden compartments in this volcano looking type toy. It took her five minutes to figure out if she took the toy in her mouth and tipped it over the ball would fall out the top and she didn't have to bother with the compartments.
I did finally get her to do it the right way but that took her seconds and after that she showed more interest in chewing the puzzle than playing with it.
I am afraid this is going to be a very long fall and winter. LOL
Has anyone here ever tried Audible Free Trial?
Do they make it really complicated to cancel and do you get to keep your two free books?
I've been considering trying it, just don't want to get caught up in a mess.
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Member since: Mon Nov 8, 2004, 11:31 AMNumber of posts: 7,549
