News & Articles

I made a vow to avoid politics. There’s always North Shore weather and wildlife to comment on, but I swear to goodness that though I try to disconnect from and dodge the political flak that is a flying my attempt is a miserable failure. In ways and places I’d hardly expect it the political serpent springs up like a jack in the box. Political obsession has taken over. I commented to someone the unusual warm and wet this January left me a nasty glacier outside my door and I was immediately put in line with a climate change diatribe about Trump. One can escape. The over the top political nastiness before the election seems now to have entrenched into stubborn battle lines liken to the defense of Stalingrad from the Nazis. Those devoted to their cause will die at their guns. Or in other words if you’ve a mind to by cynical for a moment the guise of peace and diversity drops with hell bent speed where precious ideology is seen at stake. No more war turns kill them all in a frightful hurry.

On the other hand there is enough Class A material floating about I wish I could be a comedy writer to make better use of the ironies at hand. The recent Women’s March was a successful event and quite noteworthy. But who could not wonder what the mothers and grandmothers of women proclaiming pussy power would say of legitimizing an expression normally found in porn and the mouths of teen boys talking dirty? I get the idea but no less think it sounds like a thing Trump might have let fly from his wayward lips. Honestly, it’s difficult to take seriously a position advocating pussy power. I’m betting the porn industry rejoiceth over that as they did over Long John what’s his name in the C Thomas confirmation.

I’m apt to get sniped for joshing pussy power. Humor at the “expense” of the righteous (who need it most) is more and more objected to. Twain liked to comment on the Christian sport of reforming other people’s habits, a comment not likely made for atheists, Jews, or Buddhists. If the shoe fits, so to speak, it may be worn. In other words, humor aside from sticking a pin in a balloon of bluster also has an alternate side that happily leaves survivors after the deflation Those who really dislike having their balloon emptied call those who do so phobic, which is to say sick with illness for having poked questioning fun. Now tell me it is not funny to have the humor and questioning phobic dictating the phobias of others? I find it remarkably amusing but not funny as what we get from being rigid in attitude is very often the stuff we need least in life if we’re to be open and functional as beings. It is a good thing we’re able to make fun of human silliness, our own and others. Those who can or forbid it represent mental and emotional slavery to a paper god.

The advancement of ideas through dialog requires freedom of expression and a willingness to use it in dialog. A protest is a protest. A disruption is a disruption. To treat them equally as free speech you might as well cede adult responsibility to a yowling toddler to select the family fare. But wait, some do don’t they? It can be done, but at a price coming with earplugs and tolerance of repetitive noise. Dialog in a civil and secular society means asking questions rather than the spouting of conclusions. Lately someone drummed me over the stupidity of the Trump wall idea. I agree, but questions remain. What needs be done about immigration legal and otherwise? To not do anything seems only to further disadvantage the poor in society by letting in more workers at their level. But if we take only the well-qualified are we not damaging the societies they leave behind?

We can tout let freedom ring and be diversity friendly all we want but that does not make practical considerations go away. If there is a WELCOME outside your door your welcome has limits does it not? It does not mean come in and take a bath or do your laundry. It doesn’t mean empty the pantry and liquor cabinet. Damaging property and seducing family members is also not part of the welcome. If ideas and positions do not take into account the constraints and costs that go with them then the idea or position needs reform, something it will not get if all the position maker will do is make more speeches and further propound their conclusions. If the views we take do not consider negative effects, that people will willfully lie and misrepresent, and that it’s very easy to misread a consequence then we’re being naïve and irresponsible as citizens supposedly looking seriously at common concerns.

The North Shore has something of a reputation for individualism and alternate lifestyles. But whether it’s a survivalist or a hippy neither is going to approve of a guest making a mess or taking a vehicle without permission. The difference would be in degree and type of negative reaction.

I find survivalist attitudes equally objectionable to those of the do gooder as both are egotistical one openly the other not. I bet you see the one, but do you feel the awful demeaning that comes when someone rushes in to protect? A protected class becomes a diminished class, a passive category. I believe the act of protecting or defending others should always be done with care and limitation so the so that the emotional orgasm of playing savior doesn’t lead to further harm. “Oh you poor thing” might be one of the more injurious things we can say to another by effectively placing them as poor powerless things. If you’re a Trump person one of the best things you can do is speak up and challenge his missteps. If you pine for Hillary forget taking her side and take a hard look at what went wrong. Question, and do not be balked by those who will call you a label to shut you up.