Politics

I am not the enemy

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I lost a friend and lover of 12 years because of my politics. It really hurt because we had made it through [what seemed to me to be] much more difficult relationship issues than politics. It looked as if we would never agree on the President, or the election, or his policies. So, I called her [I left a message on her voicemail] to ask if we could not talk politics until after January 20, 2021. By then, the election would be over and we wouldn’t feel the need to discuss it.

I told her that I still wanted to be friends but that we were so diametrically opposed to each other’s political views that it seemed silly to continue to talk about it. She got angry and told me I was blowing her off. I was not. I just didn’t want to argue.

If I go back to the old neighborhood [i.e.: Roseland on the south side of Chicago, Il.] I have to watch what I say because of my politics. If I speak up or speak out I’m treated like an enemy. Not by everybody to be sure, but I get enough really negative responses [which defy logic or any sensible answer] to things I post, that I feel the need to clear the air.

Because, I am not your enemy.

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What Democrats Don’t Know About the American People Could Reelect Trump! Part 2 of 3

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Why Democrats should not rest.

So, Joe and Kamala escaped the “debates” without any major gaffs. “Well have we done, thrice-valiant countrymen. But alls not done, yet…” [Henry V]. I still say Trump could slide in under the tag and Democrats would be complaining about the electoral college again. It’s a numbers game. So, get out and vote! Tell all your friends to vote too!

But the polls all say Biden will win.

Don’t believe them. I put debates in quotes because they aren’t debates at all – they are rallies. When high schools and colleges hold real debates they are not at all like the televised Presidential debates.

First (in a real debate) there is a premise like: “The President has said he has done more for African Americans than any President since Abraham Lincoln. Defend or Refute” [i.e.: Pro or Con Then the Pro (in this case it would be Trump) side would state their case (without any interruption). Then the Con side (Biden) would state their case (without any interruption). And then each side would get a chance to rebut the statements of the opposing side (without any interruption).

What makes the presidential “debates” so un-debate like is, that in a real debate there is a panel of judges and they determine a winner based on the validity (i.e. they fact check them immediately) of their arguments (NOT how loudly or angrily they make their case). However, there are many people who like Trump because of the way he behaves, not for his policies which in many cases will act against the very people who support him.

This situation will last longer than just the election.

So I’m writing to help give the Democratic party supporters some additional support. Because there are commentators and other Democrats who are totally missing the boat emotionally. Emotional appeals are some of the main Trump strong points, he appeals to emotions rather than logic.

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History Tells Us “Beware of Donald Trump!”

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Do Americans understand history (politicians or Trump)?

I guess the media doesn’t believe Americans study or understand history.  Or maybe they figure too many Americans don’t believe there are lessons to be learned from history.  Otherwise the media would point out the scary resemblance of Donald Trump to two of history’s most infamous and ruthless politicians.

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What Democrats Don’t Know About the American People Could Reelect Trump!

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What the Democrats don’t understand.

I was watching The View on TV and they were discussing the upcoming election. They were asking themselves (rhetorically) why Trump isn’t in jail. He has done things which would get most politicians incarcerated, or dumped, or at least reprimanded, in more normal times. Yet, he has escaped any attempt by Democrats to hold him accountable or to punish him. Trump was called ‘Teflon’ on The View (probably a thinly veiled reference to the famous gangster John Gotti whose nickname was ‘The Teflon Don’) because of his ability to break the law and still get away with it. Accusations simply slide right off of Trump seemingly never sticking.

The question put to Jill Biden (Joe’s wife) was,“Why do you think Trump is Teflon?” and she was unable to answer it. Her exact words were, “I don’t know.” And that’s the problem Democrats have. They don’t seem to know or completely understand the electorate, and that will get Trump reelected.

Joe and Kamala have done well enough in their public speeches since the convention. But there are commentators and other Democrats who are totally missing the boat emotionally. Emotional appeals are some of the main Trump strong points, he appeals to emotions rather than logic. Here’s what all Democrats should know before arguing with a Trump supporter or, even more importantly, trying to convince a skeptical voter to vote at all.

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What do the British Think of Donald Trump?

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An Englishman writes about Trump in Quora.

Flag of the United Kingdom

So what is Quora? According to Wikipedia: Quora is an American question-and-answer website where questions are asked, answered, followed, and edited by Internet users, either factually or in the form of opinions. Its owner, Quora Inc., is based in Mountain View, California, United States.

Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations

I get asked questions about teaching and critical thinking. But this showed up in my feed and I couldn’t resist sharing it with you. I have friends in or from several Commonwealth Countries. I was married to a Kiwi, (a New Zealander), and I have friends from South Africa, Canada and England. In other words, I know people who are basically English/British and I’ve asked them what they and their countrymen think of Trump.

After they stop laughing or cursing, their responses are summed up brilliantly in an answer which I share with you now. I didn’t write this but I wish I had. Enjoy!

From Quora 4.16.2020

To the question of, “What do the British think of Trump?”

Nate White, an articulate and witty writer from England, wrote this magnificent response:

“A few things spring to mind. Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem.

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Face Mask Boogie – It’s a Fashion Show!

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Face Mask Boogie (It’s a fashion show!)

Come on people. Wearing a face mask won’t harm you. It might even save a life or two. I know there are many of you out there who believe that the Corona Pandemic is a hoax (What a fool believes no wise man has the power to reason away!). You see wearing a face mask as a political statement against the President and his policies. Ease up and change your framing of the issue.

Don’t think of wearing a face mask as a political statement. Think of it as a fashion show!

Yes. It’s a Fashion Show!

If you find people unwilling to wear a face mask, don’t fight with them.
Pity them and let them know that they have NO Fashion Sense.

Examples:

At first we were afraid:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we decided to get playful:


There’s more fun:

There are so many more  opportunities for personal fashion statements. I’ve included a few of my own.

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Apologia

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Apologia: a formal written defense of one’s opinions or conduct.  Therefore: I apologize.

I’m apologizing in advance of being called a hypocrite. On my Home page I explain what I’m trying to get at with my blog pieces. In a nutshell, I said:

“There is often a disconnect between what we hear at teacher trainings and what we experience in the classroom. Exploring all aspects of that disconnect (and maybe some of life’s other disconnects), based on my 25 years of teaching experience, is what this website and blog are all about.

Now. Here is where I might be accused of being hypocritical:

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Ethics Questions to Stump Billionaires

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Using Ethics to Stand Up for Labor?

Recently, Joy Reid was interviewing James Baker on the Rachel Maddow Show and she missed a golden opportunity to use ethics questions to strike a blow for the workers of America. Ms. Reid isn’t the only interviewer who has missed opportunities to champion labor. I’ve seen it again and again in multiple interviews where reporters allow incomplete, vague, or softball answers to go unchallenged.

Reporters need to question the ethics of the notion that anything which is good for (read: profitable for) a businessman is then, by definition, good for America, and the American worker. Maybe if more people had challenged the notion that maximizing profits is always good business and is always good for America, we wouldn’t have a President-Elect who loves the American worker so much he promises to bring jobs back to America while he profits from manufacturing overseas.

Some examples:

What Questions to Ask?

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Responsibility, Repression or Status Quo: Criteria for Policy Decisions

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7.14.14 Status QuoiStock_000019973407_SmallResponsibility for reform

Over the last 25 years I’ve seen a lot of educational reform movements come and go and there has been little overall improvement. Experience has convinced me that the reason that educational reform movements show such little improvement is because responsibility for reform is always directed at teachers and only at teachers. This narrow focus on teachers releases all other stake holders from any responsibility.

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