Crybaby or Patriot?

One thing I think we can all agree on, is that this was not a normal election. Some people were elated with the result, some were decimated. Almost nobody took it casually.

But it hit some people harder than others. Some were stunned, some cried, some just couldn’t seem to make it into work or class the next day. And since the election, I’ve seen approximately 1 bazillion articles and posts saying things such as:

• Stop your whining.
• Pull up your big girl panties and get to work.
• Spoiled brats who didn’t get their own way act like 2 year-olds.
• When (something bad) happened to me, I functioned just fine. Weakling!
• We won, you lost - deal with it.
• …

And to a point, I understand the sentiment, if not the tone, of those responses.  Yes, we should all be strong enough to go on. I mean, it's just an election. Nobody died! But let’s look at it another way.

On Wednesday after the election, one Hillary supporter I know started driving into work. But she couldn’t stop crying. Not knowing how to function in her job, she turned around, went to a friend’s house and they pretty much consoled each other all day.

Crybaby, right?

Let me share with you just some of what this person said on Thursday, one day later.

This election has hit me pretty hard, and it's taken me some time to process it. I've found it helpful to think of things I can do, rather than what's out of my control, and I thought maybe sharing my thoughts might help some of you too. 

1. I can pray for our leaders, our country, and everyone who calls this country home. 
2. I can recognize my privilege as a white, straight, middle class, educated, Christian and be an ally to all the people who don't benefit from the privileges I take for granted. 
3. I can spread positivity, kindness, and acceptance to everyone who crosses my path. 
4. I can donate my time and money to organizations that support the causes I'm worried about such as the ACLU, the Sierra Club, the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Trevor Project, and Planned Parenthood. 
5. I can stay engaged and informed and reject feelings of defeat or apathy. 

Nowhere did she talk about how SHE was being hurt by this election. In fact, when you read it, she was worried about others in this country and how she could help them. The popular narrative right now is that these crybabies just were upset because they didn’t get what they wanted. That’s not the case here.

And she’s not alone. I talked to one man who was distraught, and his thoughts were similar, and he even added “I might be OK, but what about all the people who could really suffer in the next four years? What about them?”

I could give more examples, but you get the idea.

You can say these people are over-reacting. I don't agree, but we can have different opinions. Still, they weren’t so much worried about themselves, as they were worried about others in this country. Isn’t that what we want people to do? And how is that not patriotism? Patriotism comes in many forms. Flag waving is one. But caring about and helping people in our country is another. And probably a more productive one.

Sure, Facebook and much of the media are fixated on a few of the actual crybabies who were only upset because of what THEY wanted. But Facebook stories do not represent reality, and every single person who I talked to who was upset by this election expressed themselves as remorseful for others in the USA.

They’re not crybabies, they’re patriots. And they should be treated as such.

Can We Change the World?

Can I change the world? Do I want to? How about you?

I’ve thought about this a lot. And yes, I think I do. I’ve had a great life, so far. And a great career. And I’m happy to be retired. I loved teaching, and it defined who I am, or was. But I’m done with that now, and I’m not sure I could ever go back into the daily grind again, even if I wanted to.

But I miss making a difference.

I’ve been out of teaching for over three years, and as this time has progressed, it has become clearer and clearer to me, that I really miss making a difference. It’s not about personal recognition, or pats on the back. At least I don’t think so. No, it’s really that I’m too young for the Lazy Boy, yet too old for the classroom. And right now, I have a good life, friends that care for me, a church that appreciates me, and a woman who loves me. Yet I still feel like something is missing--and that “something” is “making a difference.”

There’s many ways I’m trying to correct that, but one, a small (tiny?) one, is my GrayShift blog. I’m not a professional writer, and while I would love to work for the Washington Post (!) I don’t think that’s going to happen. So I put my thoughts here.

While my blogs may not sound professionally written, and not everyone agrees with them, I try to share things that I think might make a difference for the readers. Whether it’s just a story about something that might make them feel good, or something to make them challenge their own mindsets, or even a look at our political world a little differently, it is one way I’m hoping to change the world. Just a little.

So if you read these, and you feel so inclined, please share them. Note that, at least for now, there is no advertising on my blog, which is actually unusual, So I don’t make any money from them, no matter how many people read them. But the more people who read them, the more I will feel I’m helping, just a little bit. And maybe, I actually will be. Assuming people continue to read them, look for more GrayShifts in the future.

So this is how I’m trying to change the world. Maybe you have some plans for doing the same.

It’s not easy to change the world. But maybe,  can do it, just a little bit.

Facebook and Me

I’m firmly convinced that one of the biggest reasons that we are a “divided nation” is because of Facebook. Pure and simple. But it’s here, and it’s a fact of life.

There’s a million flaws with what happens on Facebook, but there’s one I want to address right now.

If you post something, expect responses.

Sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? Yet, it doesn’t work that way many times.

I don’t post that much here, but when I do, it is normally original posts. I do some shares, but not too many. Some are just fun posts (which is what I wish Facebook mostly was) but some are political. Either way, when I post something, I anticipate comments. It’s great when they agree with me, but I know many of them won’t. So when I get comments contrary to my post, I have a number of options.

I can ignore them and just let the poster speak his piece. Or I can respond. However, what I can’t do is come back at the person and tell them to stop commenting. Or to get off my page. Or try to humiliate them. Or try to get a "zinger" in. Or call them names.... You get the idea.

Yet, that’s what I see happen.

Here’s the trouble. Facebook is filled with political groups. They often post incendiary items. And a lot of those posts are slanted, or just plain lies. But people read them, and share them. If I see something which appears to me to be slanted or false, many times I comment on it. I try to point out what I perceive as falsehoods. I know this infuriates people, because we just want to believe what we already believe. When I become contrary, they don’t like it.

And I understand that. And I’m sorry. I know I can be annoying. Yet, I find it difficult to let lies or even unintentional falsehoods just go unchallenged. I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. And many times I wish I wasn’t like this. It would make my life much easier and more peaceful. And I'd get out more! Yet, this is what I am.

So if you put a political post up, expect challenges. From me, or from others.

If you don’t want challenges, then just don’t post. Seems pretty simple to me.

My Post Election Thoughts, for now

OK, the election is over. This is certainly not the outcome I had hoped for. And yeah, it really sucks. I mean really. I’ve been trying to process all this, reading a lot of stuff, listening to a lot of people. Here’s what I think.

I’ve seen a lot of pieces saying “Don’t worry, the President doesn’t really affect your own life very much. There are so many checks and balances… And really, what’s more important is your local government, your teacher…" Normally, I would agree with that. But not this time.

Checks and balances?. After this election, Republicans basically run this country. Not only did they win the presidency, but they also have control of both houses of congress. Soon the Supreme Court will be conservative as well. And don’t forget, the Republicans control about 70% of the state houses, and 70% of the governorships. Have no doubt, the country is owned by the Republicans. I don’t see a lot of checks and balances here. I can only hope that sane republicans fight against an insane president. But I don’t hold out a lot of hope on that.

And as far as the “the president doesn’t really affect your life much,” here is part of an article I saw on facebook:

“People are scared they will lose their health insurance. People are scared that their skin color will make them unwelcome in the country. They're scared that hate crimes will be on the rise because the vote justified it in the eyes of the racists. (Some white supremacists took this vote as a thumbs up. That's a reality.) LGBT friends are left wondering whether their marriages will still be legal. And whether their children will still be both of theirs legally if the marriage is undone”
(see the complete post below)

Also, a retired friend of mine on Obamacare was trying to figure out if he needed to get a full time job now, just for health care.

These are real fears. And I just pointed to a few. There are lots more. Lots. Maybe they’re imagined, and maybe they won’t come to pass. But to these people, the fears are real.

And no, this is not just because their side lost. This is not a football game. A Romney presidency would not have caused nearly as many of these fears. But this is different. It doesn’t feel like a loss, it feels like a death. This article explains it much better than I ever could.

So what to do? I have read article after article that go something like this:

“Like it or not, Trump is now OUR president. You have to accept him as such, because the people have spoken. Don’t put party first, put America first and we should all work together to move this country along.”

Really? Accept him as our president? I understand that, I really do. But let me remind everyone. When Barack Obama was elected, Trump himself didn’t accept him as president. He said that Obama was born in Kenya, so was therefore an illegitimate president. Trump himself was the number one repudiator of Obama’s presidency. But now we’re supposed to accept him? And work together? Just like the Republicans didn't do with Obama? We haven’t forgotten that the GOP spent 8 years obstructing every single piece of legislation or judgeship that came their way. But now, we’re supposed to work together? Really?

If the last 15 years have taught me anything about politics, it’s that working together gets you defeated. I hate to say that, and it shouldn’t be that way, but that’s what happens. After unprecedented obstructionism, the Republicans own the country. Yet the Democrats are now supposed to be nice and “just get along” and “be the better person.”

I like taking the high road as much as the next guy, but I’m having a little trouble with that this time. This is going to take me some time to process.

Why Isn't This a Bigger Story?

Recently, a 46 year-old white man gunned down two white police officers in Iowa. It has, of course, made headlines. But just three days later, it is off google news. I couldn’t find it on Fox or CNN either. This wouldn’t be a big deal, except for what it doesn’t involve.

It doesn’t involve a black man killing two police officers. And it doesn’t involve a Muslim killing two police officers.

Before I go further, this is not a “the media is so biased” story. Honestly, for the most part, I think most of the main stream media, with some obvious exceptions, do their best to get stories accurate. But I think this story has died, not because the media doesn’t care, but because readers don’t care. Could be wrong. But let me continue.

If this had been a Muslim killing police officers, it would have been a story for weeks. And the killing would have been termed “terrorism.” Fox News of course, would have had constant coverage of this crime. In fact, while I did not see it myself, I have read that on Wednesday when this killing was first reported, it was all over Fox and other conservative outlets; but when the shooter was found to be white, the story dropped. I can’t verify that first hand, so I might be wrong. But it does come from sources I trust.

Remember the San Bernardino shootings (Muslim shooter)? Or Baton Rouge (African American shooter)? It seems we had long lasting stories about each of those, especially San Bernardino.

But what I find even more disturbing about this story are the facts that weren’t anywhere near the headlines, and sometimes left out completely. I often wonder if major media outlets realize that many people only look at headlines of articles. Certainly anything past the first paragraph or so is ignored by many. Some people only read a story until it confirms what they want it to say. When it does, or when it doesn’t, they move on.

For instance, the killer had been ejected from a high school football game not three weeks earlier. He was waving a Confederate flag in front of a section of black spectators and the police escorted him out. He made a video of the confrontation, put it on youtube, and sent it to a television station: not just the incident, but also a 10 minute argument he had with police. He was angry with the police for kicking him out, because “he was just exercising his constitutional rights.”

A week later, the killer followed a group of African American parents into another football game, accompanied by his dog which was wearing a gun holster and a Confederate flag vest.(1)

Finally, the first killing took place on the same corner as the football stadium.

Oh, and of course, there was also the fact that he had a huge “Trump/Prence” sign in his yard.

Maybe you already know these things. But I don’t think most people do. In fact, I first discovered most of them by reading a newspaper from Jamaica! I did find corroboration of most of these things from other sources, but it was hard to find. So while some of these facts might be wrong, I’m pretty sure they are correct.

This man certainly had multiple family and employment issues as well. But to me, this sure sounds racially motivated. It sounds, although I can’t prove it, as though the killer was retaliating against the police for siding with the African Americans in the crowd. He was frustrated with that, and frustrated that the TV station didn’t do anything with his story. And given the political climate in this country, with a major candidate legitimizing racism and bigotry, intentionally or not, this kind of killing doesn’t surprise me. Unfortunately.

You can’t convince me that if he had been African American, if he had been Muslim, or even if there were a Hillary sign in his yard, this wouldn’t be a bigger story.

Apparently, we care a lot less about crimes committed by white people, especially men. I just really don’t see any other way to interpret it.

Trump Things (Almost) Nobody Talks About

Ok, the election is in a few days. Nothing I say here will change anyone’s mind. And besides, I don’t exactly have a million people reading this. But I just have to say these things anyway. If you're voting for Trump and you're reading this, good for you. I hope we can still be friends!

First of all, let’s forget about the cheating on the taxes and the sexual predator. Or the fact that he lies. A lot. Not that those things aren’t important; they are. But everyone knows about them, and has their minds made up. Anyway, here are a few things people don’t talk about much.

Trade Policy
Well that sounds boring enough, doesn’t it? But let’s think about this. He says he’s going to put huge tariffs on imported Chinese and Mexican goods. Because their manufacturing puts ours out of business. Sounds good: “Yeah, stick it to those Chinese. We need American made stuff!” The trouble is, a tariff is an added tax on these imports. So he wants to put a 45% tariff on imported goods from China, 35% from Mexico, plus other tariffs for other countries. Now everything from China will cost a lot more. Do you like the dollar store? It won’t exist. Like good prices at Walmart or Meijer? They’re going to be a lot higher. Like buying American cars? They have lots of foreign parts. Those prices are going to go way up as well. Think the cost of living is high now? Just wait. Want a recession? Well, you got it. Yes, we all wish more things were made in America, but this is not the way to do it.

Climate
Trump can’t do a lot of the things he says he’s going to do. He obviously doesn’t really understand how government works. He sometimes behaves as if he’s running for emperor, not president. But there are things he can do. And messing with climate change is an easy one. He can’t get rid of the EPA alone, but if he asks congress to do it, and if the congress is largely republican, do you really think too many of the republicans in congress are going to stand up for the EPA? Not a chance. Or how about the new Paris climate change agreement? He doesn’t need any approval for that one. It will just be negated. After all, he says climate change is a hoax. We all know better, whether we like it or not. If you want to make sure the worst of climate change is going to happen, then vote for Trump. After all, who needs cities like Miami, NY, or LA? Just let them flood. It won’t happen for quite a few years, so what do we care?

Discrimination
Recently a predominantly black church was burned, and painted with “Vote Trump.” No, Trump didn’t do it, but these are the kind of people who follow him. Yesterday, a middle aged white male with a huge Trump sign in his yard, and who likes to carry a Confederate flag, murdered two police officers, somehow because the killer hated the BLM movement (as does Trump). And no, again Trump didn’t tell him to. But his act of terrorism seems to go hand in hand with what Trump says. And Trump’s constant put down of Muslims, African Americans, and anyone who isn’t white, has a toll. His supporters (disciples?) see that, and now it is just a little more OK to be that way. Don’t think this kind of stuff will go way up? Think again.

Freedom of the press
I find this one very chilling. Trump routinely calls out the press for being biased against him. That’s bad enough when he says it in a general way. But when he points to a particular reporter and says she’s bad, she’s the worst, that will have an effect. All the reporters say it doesn’t bother them, but they have to say that. It has to make them a little concerned, and to think twice about what they're writing. And when he calls all journalists crooked scum, even if nobody hurts the journalists, it encourages his followers to ignore what the press says. That way, Trump can say his version of the truth. I’ve seen enough quotes from Trump supporters to know that many of them only believe him already. All the rest of the press lies, they think. This to me is very scary. It sets Trump as an authoritarian like this country has never seen. He has shown he will do everything he can to control the press. Just like his Putin does. I don’t know what you think, but it sure scares me.

Corruption
Yes, he says Hilary is corrupt. Maybe she is, but I’m pretty sure when all is said and done, we’ll find she hasn’t done all that much wrong. But Donald? Late in the month, his trial for fraud concerning Trump University begins. (BTW, the judge handling this case scheduled it for late November so it wouldn’t interfere with the election. Think how this election would be different if we were hearing all this testimony against Trump…. But back to the point.) If you’ve read anything about Trump U, you know it was a complete fraud. If he’s willing to do that, what makes anyone think he’s going to be honest in Washington? Or how about the multitudes of people he has stiffed after they did work for him? Or how about the fact he gives almost nothing to charity, yet tells people he does? (Sometimes his foundation gives money, but that’s not his money.) That’s other people’s money. (My favorite story is here. Amazing.) Finally, just think if we had all his emails and communication for the last 10 years like we have of Hillary’s. Do you think he’s going to be looking good? Not a chance.

I could go on, but this is too long already. But the whole idea of a Trump presidency really scares me. If you're still here, thank you for reading.